If you’re reading this, you probably have great Principles and – hopefully – a framework of fulfilling goals. Like me, they probably involve health, family, finances and community… There are many variables.
What I find with all my Compadres is their Principles are strong. Sometimes a little mixed up, maybe just needing clarity. And that’s okay, that’s fixable, and that’s exciting.
My own principles guide my decision-making and how I live each day. They are my true North. Great, well ordered Principles equal good decisions – and with good rituals and good habits, equal excellent outcomes.
At 52, I’m refining my habits and rituals every week, as they keep me on track to my medium- and long-term goals. Guardrails that keep me on the road and out of the ditch. But there was a time when my principles were not good, mixed up, a hot mess. And the one that was failing miserably was my health. My life was a tumbleweed… moving with the winds without ordered, anchoring Principles.
I was 109 kg (now 82kg-ish). I was exercising occasionally (at most). I was lying to myself about what I ate, drank, how much I exercised and how good I looked. I was not living my best life. My work was suffering, my finances sucked, my presence was surface-level. I was not optimal.
Compare me as I am now. 82kg and never been healthier. I eat well, exercise well, and live well. I spend quality time with my family and loved ones, and am enjoying an early retirement.
So here is an example of how one Principle out of whack, my health, can have a run-on effect on the rest of your life and your goals. Principles are the framework for your life.
James Clear says in his fabulous book, Atomic Habits, “Winners and losers have the same goals, but different systems. You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems”.
Part of the process we go through with Compadres is making sure your Principles are aligned. That brings everything else into place and a smile on your face. I’m passionate about Principles, Values, Habits, Rituals, singing together like a Harlem gospel choir.…
Here’s my approach, part of the Compadres Framework.
Your Principles, in order and aligned.
Your Principled are reflected in your Values, and in the way you live your life, by way of good Habits & inspiring daily Rituals. Your Life will be Optimised And your Potential Realised with Goals achieved and exceeded – and sooner than you imagined.
Simple, but A LOT of intricacies to unpicked and reweaved along the way.
What I’ve found is that most of the successful people that I’ve met or that I’m working with now, have amazing vision, ambition and goals, most of which are being realised. They have exceptional habits. But they often have the habits, behaviours and rituals that are hidden from their view that are not optimal.
What this can look like, as life unfolds – and again speaking from my own experience – well-intentioned by lofty goals will be undone by something like poor health (overeating, sugar, alcohol), poor relationships (anxious or rushed interactions), bad habits (phone-addicted, back-to-back meetings), or unhealthy rituals (like working on emails before breakfast).
Busyness can look purposeful. But it’s not.
You owe it to yourself – we each do – to develop and work on this to honour your potential. And while you will ultimately benefit from this renewed clarity and focus, so to will your family, those close to you like your friends and colleagues, and also the wider world. Always be refining and optimising your life, and you will realise your potential.
All my Compadres notice a difference within the first few months to their relationships, their health and their wellbeing, with reduced anxiety and feeling buoyed by their progress.
It’s the simplest thing… Principles matched with goals, progressed by the marginal gains that we make to our daily life, can change the long term course and outcome of our lives.
#Compadres
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