Cherry Leaf

"I pledge a commitment to My Success, My Family's Success and to the Successful Survival of the company I represent.
Success is not an option for me but something I insist!
Success is not something others can give to me, that the government or the economy can provide me.
Success is not determined by luck, chance, race, creed, color or religion but hard work, creativity, follow through and persistence.
I refuse to not have My Success. I refuse to quit prior to My Success and I will do everything ethical in claiming my right to My Success.

My Success is My Duty, My Obligation and My Responsibility."
- Grant Cardone

I first came across Grant Cardone at the start of my entrepreneurial journey. Sales has always been a natural skill of mine or more so persuasion. From a young age I knew how to create leverage and how to play on peoples emotions. Then couple that with a logical case behind it and there was not many I could not break, given enough time.

So naturally my first taste of the business world came in the form of sales; retail, technology, telephone - most low-end sales roles - I then came to a realization which would motivate me for a long time to come. Why am I selling products ranging from 29.99 - 2999.99 and yet I am only making 5.25 p/hr? I barely make 30.00 a day but I have made this company about 10x that amount.

This is where it all changed, my desire for success had always been there, now it was time to hit the ground running and to not stop. I accepted I would fall over sometimes but I would get back up just as quick as I fell and get back on the track. I wanted freedom and to create a better life for everyone around me.
I began to learn to sell. Myself, my products. I come from a musical background so I was the front man for bands and learnt to manage a team of people, I was taught about public perception, promotion, marketing, brand image, social media marketing. I then moved onto creating a company that could cater to the services of artists & bands (management, photography & design, promotion) It taught me a lot about how to deal with people and how to grow teams and who you can and can't trust.

The main lesson I learnt from 5 years of experience in that industry was this;

You can rely on nobody, but yourself.

I came out of university and jumped back on the entrepreneurial horse. I knew I could talk to people and I knew I had the passion and determination to not quit until I was a success. This is where I came across this quote by Grant Cardone.

Success Is Your Duty, Obligation & Responsibility.

Now, at the time I had no idea of the man's credentials, I didn't even know how much of a big player he was in the marketplace. Just from them simple words I respected the man and they resonated with me in such a way that I didn't even click on to his site/profile to look into him (I normally did at that point, any reason to procrastinate).
I went and bought myself an A4 hardback lined notepad and vowed I wouldn't look up from the pages until I had written every idea I could think of, planned and at a stage where I could start to execute it.

I wake up at 5:30am every morning, I go to the gym, I eat and shower to start working on something at 7:00am, sometimes I would get so excited and be so motivated that I would find myself working at 6:30am - No matter what it is! start the day off productively

Some ideas were bad, in fact some of them were down right terrible. But I filled up that book and it gave me a place to start, it trained me to think differently and view the world in a different way. As I wrote notes that turned into pages and pages turned into full sections, the self realization that you are worth so much more than you are raised to believe was such a strong motivation.

You need to commit to your success. Let is engulf you in its burning desire to be the best, You must hunt it down like an animal. There are people in the world that can happily live their lives working a 9-5, drinking and watching football on the weekends, rinse and repeat process for the next 50 years.

Then there are the people that realize there is more to life and they know they should make a change and start living for today, but still live day to day, 9-5, rinse and repeat.

Then there are the ones who don't take no for an answer, who will not allow someone to tell them how much their time is worth. Who will catch the ball and run for the touchline without ever looking behind them.

If you want it, GO & GET IT!

- Alex Grey

It has been the topic of debate for years 'is it better to stretch before or after a work out?' There is no evidence that stretching prevents injury or improves performance, experts now will till you that it can in fact reduce your performance. It has been proved that a functional range of motion is more important than flexibility when it comes to staying injury free.

“If you can run comfortably, and without injury, there is no need to stretch.”

says William O. Roberts, professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He’s also RunnersWorld.com's "Ask the Sports Doc" columnist.

Before your work out your time is better spent warming up with dynamic stretching; these are found as a part of your warm up regime. Any areas that do feel light or feel or sore may require a stretch before your workout in order to not cause injury.

Stretching after a workout can help kickstart your bodies recovery process, this loosens your joints and muscles and help you to feel back to normal after a workout. When you lift weights your muscles your muscles contract and stay contracted after your workout. When your muscles are recovering from a work out they are restoring the length of the muscle, until the muscle has restored it's length it has not repaired.

Performing stretches as a part of your workout is key, stretching increases your flexibility, improves your range of motion in your joints and most importantly speeds up your recover and aids in gaining muscle. Stretching should always be performed after your workout.
As we get older, flexibility and mobility will start to decline which makes people feel older. By staying flexible we're more likely to stay feeling healthier and happier for far longer. Staying flexible will help to keep active and keeping active helps to keep you feeling young.
key points for stretching:

Keep it gentle - You could cause yourself just as much injury by doing stretches incorrectly as woking out in correctly.

Don't Bounce - Bouncing can cause micro trauma in your muscles which heals it's self with scar tissue making you less flexible.

Keep breathing - it is important to make sure that your continue breathing in through our nose and out through your mouth, holding your breath will increase blood pressure and make you feel dizzy.

If you feel pain, You've gone to far - You shouldn't feel pain while stretching, you should be able to feel that the muscle is being stretched but not to the point of pain.

Hold for 30 seconds - Holding for 30 seconds allows the fibres in your muscles to lengthen and this only begins to happen after about 20 seconds.

You should hold your stretches for around 30 seconds on each side, anything less than 20 seconds will not make much of a difference in lengthening the muscle fivers and tissues alternatively if you hold a stretch for too long you are also at risk of injury. Some stretches may help you with a problem area you may have or they may ease some pain or discomfort you experience, if this is the case then it may be helpful to repeat the specific stretch a couple more times in your routine. It's always advised that you speak to your doctor or physical therapist about which stretches are best for you if you have any health conditions or injuries.

We are always looking for ways to improve ourselves via daily habits or making small changes every now and again. To be completely successful, happy and continue motivated, we must align all of our goals toward the same direction.

Rest Your Eyes

Reading a good ol' fashioned book is a brilliant staple, in a vast number of successful peoples nightly routines. This could be about your specialized field, unrelated or an enticing novel. Set aside 1 hour of uninterrupted down-time, this is non-negotiable. You are the most important person therefore you must allow yourself time to be entirely yours. Turn off all technology at the start of this hour, some prefer to turn their phone or restrict mobile data. Looking at a bright screen before bed stimulates brain activity and makes it even harder to doze off. This is your time to unwind and relax, not being answering to someone else' messages. A 2009 study from the University of Essex revealed that reading for as little as six minutes a day can reduce stress levels by up to 68%! - Expand your knowledge and reduce stress, perfect!

Schedule 60 minutes just before bed

Turn off technology

Remove yourself from all distractions

Create a comfortable reading environment (ie. Dim light, supportive seating..)

Plan Your Attack

I find that physically writing this down with pen and paper helps this stick in your mind. Schedule your morning, leave nothing to chance. You need to know what you are doing from the minute you open your bright eyes, because a confidence in an affirmative plan will allow you to rest easier the night before. Set your alarm (With no snooze) early then plan your morning, allow for a 2 hours in the morning before turning on any technology. In this time you are able to properly wake up, feed, exercise & any other light activities to set yourself up for a day of success. You will feel so confident in the fact of having your evening & morning so well organised for optimal performance that you will be jumping out of bed refreshed and prepared for the day. Just before going to bed either after or just before reading, make sure to write down 3 goals you wish to achieve for the following day. You will be able to reflect on these the following night, creating new goals as you progress.

Schedule your mornings

Allot time slots for morning tasks

Write 3 goals every evening

Reflect on previous days goals

Find out how to: Improve Your Morning Routine

Practice Perfect Sleep

We as animals make connections with our surroundings and associate them with certain tasks - We walk into a kitchen and we will start thinking of food involuntarily - The same process applies with sleep. To have a deep and peaceful sleep our bodies must be comfortable to the surrounding and associate as a place of rest. This is why routine is so important, when your body understands that once you turn off your phone, start reading a book and sitting in a certain room it will start to respond by shutting down the moment you pick the book up or when you start the routine. Do not work in the same room you sleep in otherwise soon as your head hits the pillow you will still be thinking of work and problems instead of a clear mind ready for sleep.
Here are some good sleep practices;

Do not watch TV before bed

Make the room as dark as possible

Create a cool temperature

Invest in a comfortable mattress

Minimize sound

Find Your Groove

Once you have found your routine and the tasks to fill your evening you need to write them all down. Have it written out in front of you and recite the lines in your head. Be affirmative with your words, you're here to make an impact and a change in your life. This could include spending more time with your family in the evenings, working on that big project or you are just wanting to maximize your time even further. Find what works for you and your lifestyle, where some people prefer to shower in the evening, others prefer the morning to wake them up. Do not leave things to chance, you have more power and control than that. The most important part of the whole routine is to remain consistent, you may slip up but that is not an excuse to quit, become adaptable and remain firm.

There is only so much planning you can do before you need to just ‘Go For It'

Perfection is just an opinion, not shared by most.

We never know what is around the corner, yesterdays dreams could be today's nightmare. One of the best ways to learn is to submerse yourself completely. You will adapt in real time and remember, until an idea is on paper and a dated goal, it is just a dream in your head. Make it a reality!

Do not raise your voice, improve your argument.

Have your words hold weight so you are not required to speak in volume.

When you raise your voice you are implicitly saying that you cannot make a better argument. If you cannot make a reasoned argument, then you cannot make a convincing point. Never be afraid to admit when you are wrong, it shows strength. If the topic catches you off guard, politely request for some time to gather relevant information so you are able to state your case more effectively.

Gossip is a practice preached by those who have nothing interesting to say about themselves, so must bring down those around them.

He can criticize, He who has a heart to help. - Abraham Lincoln

A person of success never gossips. The easiest way to determine whether you are about to gossip is too ask yourself this; Would you say what you are about to, if that person was in the room. You can openly discuss your opinions and thoughts in a respective manner but he-said, she-said is not good, you are better than that! Next time gossiping starts, politely excuse yourself from the conversation.

The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.

If you dedicate today to being better than you were yesterday, you will wake up tomorrow with more than you could have ever dreamed of.

Why Imitate, if you can create? Create reality in your own image. If you are not happy with something, only you have the ability to change it. Take yourself out of the competition. We are all on our own unique paths.

I believe we are in the age of the entrepreneur, for a simple reason. We have to be, it is a part of us now. There is not the same amount of money in the world - I am sure we are all wondering where that money has all gone, but that's a conversation for another time - However, the main reason I say this is because of how we view ourselves.

To have such an outlet where we are able to speak our minds and share our views at the touch of a button and connect with other like minded people to drive us towards our goals. We know we can do more, in fact we want to do more.

Corporate ladders and working for a company where you feel you are not valued or you feel like you are not making an impact, has reached a point where we will not take it anymore. You are better than that, far better. Taking our own initiative and creating business' that serves a worth while cause and to make something in our lives we can be proud of. Everyone wants to be significant and why shouldn't you be?

With resources and like-minded people all within reach to get started on your goals, the only thing standing in your way? Nothing.

We must do what drives us all, helping others. No mater what you do, when you selflessly help another human being you instantly feel better about yourself.

Money is always important, anyone that tells you otherwise. Run. We all need money, when the bills comes through, its not going to be your dreams that pay it. The goal here is too not let money control you. That money can be made in other ways, by other means, where your money works for you and not the other way around. While then giving you the free time to do what you enjoy, you are your own boss. If you can train yourself and become a person of success & significance you will feel a way about yourself you have not felt in a long time.

So many of us go through the motions and never question the reality in which we live in - Wake up, go to school/work, commute home, eat food, watch TV, sleep, rinse & repeat. With allowance of minor variation of drinking / spending time with family / recreational activities on the weekend just to continue the same cycle come Monday. Yet we will sit here and question why it is that we do not feel motivated? why we aren't happy with our lives?

Because your goals are not aligned, you are stagnating. Live your life to the fullest, there are no excuses to not be. Take the road less traveled and meet the people who were brave enough to take the same road. Put meaning into your life, however that relates to you, its is not all about us. We can live successful lives by helping others. That does not mean the first places your mind jumps too 'Charities, volunteer work etc.' which are good places to start however you need to find what drives you. As an entrepreneur, creating a product or company around the ideal that you are helping your customer and bringing value to their lives, that is helping people.

Fear is inevitable and if you are not afraid of the goals you have set and about achieving them, then you have not set them high enough. Your goals are there to push you beyond your comfort zone, this is where we come into our own. This is one of the best ways I have heard on dealing with your fears;

Fear missing the opportunity, more than fearing failure.

The pain of hard work is temporary, the pain of regret is forever. Do not let your own fears stop you from just going for it. If you are reading these words now: JUST GO FOR IT. What have you got to lose? You can make a the decision right now to change your life and head full force toward success. Failure is in not trying, not in not succeeding. If you fail while pursuing what you believe is a great idea for a worthy ideal, its not a failure. You simply learn and apply it to the next step, see failures as lessons and you will never go wrong.

Become an active member in groups; Masterminds Facebook, Twitter lists. Hold yourself accountable for participating and become a valuable resource in your community. Surrounding yourself with people that have the same aspirations to achieve more with their lives, provide value to their others lives as well as their own, then you will see a change in your own life and personality.

Hate Mondays? You're not alone. Starting the workweek often triggers sadness or stress and can drain your passion and motivation.
The Monday Blues is a set of negative emotions that people get at the beginning of the work week if they're not happy with their job. It can leave you left tired, depressed and can lead to procrastination.

Its such a common thing that it has become a social norm to hate Mondays. Most of the time it is because people just don't want the weekend to end, it could also be that you just really don't want to work, or it could be part of an even deep rooted problem.

If you love your job and are passionate about what you're doing then going to work on a Monday morning should be exiting, you get another chance to do what you love!

Everyone's productivity is affected by your Monday blues. If you're down and mopey it makes it difficult for others around you to be excited and motivated. It could be a case where one worker with a case of the Mondays could affect the rest of the team.

Lets have a look at a few ways you could make a change and start to love your Monday mornings:

“Mondays are the start of the work week which offer new beginnings 52 times a year!” ~David Dweck

1. Identify the issue - If it looks like you have a case of the Mondays nearly every week then it could be a sign that you're unhappy or unfulfilled at your job. You need to fix this, or find another job. Determine what it is that makes you feel this way and try to find a solution. Is the problem directly related to the job itself or is it more personal? Is it because you have problems waking up early, or do you have too much work to do when you get in?

2. Prepare your Monday before you leave work on Friday - Mondays can be made more stressful from leaving work to pile up from the week before. On Friday evenings its easy just to leave work unfinished thinking that you'll simply pick it up on Monday morning. Think ahead and attempt to make your Monday morning as easy going as you can. If it means staying behind a little bit longer on Friday evening im sure your Monday morning self will be thanking you greatly.

3. Remind yourself of what you're most exited about - Don't look ahead through the week and ponder on all the difficult and demanding tasks you'll have to carry out. Turn it around and look forward to the things that get you motivated. Have a positive outlook, keep your mind focused on the rewards, gratification and outcome from your hard work.

4. Get a good nights sleep and wake up early - If its because you feel tired and drained on Monday, go to bed earlier on Sunday, simple. It may sound counter-intuitive but waking up an extra 15-30 minutes earlier can make going to the office easier. You have more time to yourself rather than feeling trapped in time constraints.

Heres our quick guide to waking up effectively!

“Step aside Monday. This is a job for coffee!”

5. Look good, feel good! - I always like to wear my favorite shirt on a Monday. If I feel that I look good then I generally feel a lot more confident and motivated to carry out my day. This is also why you might want to wake up a little earlier so you can be sure you look your best! You may even get compliments from colleagues which could give you a motivation boost.

6. Make the most of your weekend - Another reason you could feel down on Mondays is because you feel like your weekend was a waste of time. Don't do any work over the weekend. You need to clearly define boundaries between work and personal life. When you leave the desk on Friday evening leave your work problems there and focus on enjoying your weekend. Go and do something you love, don't waste any time on mundane work tasks! Whilst it may be tempting to sleep in on a weekend, you should still wake up early to make the most of the day! If your weekend was fulfilling going back to work on Monday should be easier, and you will have more to talk about with colleagues.

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” ~Sam Levenson

What is it that makes you hate Mondays? What do you do to keep yourself going? Let us know in the comments!

Winter is here and the bulking season is on for all bodybuilders out there, a time of calories and casseroles. However if you are not joining the bulk, don't let the cold chill of winter keep you from looking and feeling your best this Christmas.

Here are a few tips for embracing the cold this holiday season as-well as an (A/B) Workout plan to put all them Christmas calories to good use!

Embrace The Cold!

The easiest way to embrace the weather, is to embrace your inner polar bear and get outside! Whether you enjoy the slopes or a run beside a lake, getting out into the cold will make your senses come alive. The best way to stay warm? Get your body moving! Always a better alternative than remaining cooped up inside all winter.

>> Jump Out Of Bed With A Spring In Your Step

New Year Almost Here

Set yourself a goal and push through it in December. With the final month being a busy one, we leave ourselves till last. With the New Year around the corner, we leave our goals and resolutions for another month as we can visit them later. A shocking 35% of new year resolutions are ever followed through. Wouldn't it be better if you set yourself a little goal in December to achieve, then on the wind of that success you follow up with your resolution?

It could be breaking a personal best, trying out a new routine and sticking with it through the month. As long as you are better than you were yesterday, you are a success!

Liven up that Ipod ( We aren't talking about Christmas songs)

If you enjoy the odd jingle bells while squatting, then we will not say otherwise. However with the end of the year upon us and new prospects ahead, this is the time for compilation albums and 'best of 201.' Liven up for December with a fresh set of playlists and artists. Keep it pumping at 120 bpm - 140 bpm for optimal performance.

- Work Out Plan -

Workout A = Week 1 & 3

Workout B = Week 2 & 4

Monday - Back

EXERCISE 1
BARBELL bent-over row: 10 Sets // 10 Reps // 30 Sec rest Between set

EXERCISE 2A
Pull Up: 5 5 Sets // 15 Reps // 2 Minute rest

EXERCISE 2B
Lateral Pull-Down: 10 Sets // 10 Reps // 90 Sec Rest Between Set

Exercise 3
Treadmill run: 20 minute run.

Tuesday - Chest

EXERCISE 1 - Super Set x4
Incline Dumbell Press: 12 Reps
Flat Dumbbell Flye: 10 reps
Decline Push Up: 10 Reps

Rest 90 Secs between super set.

EXERCISE 2A
Incline Bench Press: 10 SETs // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 2B
Decline Bench Press: 10 Sets // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 3
Dips: 3 Sets // to failure // 90 sec rest between sets

Wednesday - Leg

EXERCISE 1
Back Squat: 5 sets // 8, 10, 12 ,10, 8 Reps // 2 mins rest between sets

EXERCISE 2A
Romanian DeadLift: 8 sets // 8 reps // 2 mins rest between sets

EXERCISE 2B
Leg Press: 5 sets // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 3
Barbell Hip Thrust: 5 Sets // 12 reps // 90 sec rest between sets

Thursday - Cardio

EXERCISE 1
Jog: 30 minutes

Friday - Shoulders

EXERCISE 1
Arnold Press: 8 sets // 10 reps // 60 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 2A
Dumbell Lateral Raise: 10 sets // 10 reps // 90 secs rest between sets

EXERCISE 2B
Barbell high pull: 10 SETS // 10 REPS // 90 SECS REST between sets

Saturday - Legs

EXERCISE 1
Barbell Front Squat: 8 SETS // 10 REPS // 60 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

EXERCISE 2A
Goblet squat: 10 SETS // 10 REPS // 90 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

EXERCISE 2B

barbell Calf raises: 10 SETS // 10 REPS // 90 SECS REST BETWEEN SETS

Success Is Your Duty, Obligation & Responsibility.

There Is No Need To Stretch Before A Workout.

There Is No Need To Stretch Before A Workout.

“If you can run comfortably, and without injury, there is no need to stretch.”

Keep it gentle - You could cause yourself just as much injury by doing stretches incorrectly as woking out in correctly.