Have you ever experienced a situation that seemed impossible to endure? Years later, did you realize how that trial prepared you for things to come? The Scriptures tell us that the Lord sometimes allows us to be “sifted” for greater service. In other words, He may give Satan permission to affect an area of our life and thereby transform us into stronger witnesses for Him.
In today’s passage, Jesus explains this process to Peter: “Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew what was coming—His death, resurrection, and ascension—and He expected Peter to lead the disciples and accomplish great things for the kingdom. But Peter wasn’t ready.
So the Lord allowed Satan to “sift” Peter. In so doing, God separated the “wheat” from the “chaff”—the righteous areas of Peter’s life from the ungodly areas. Ultimately, the disciple grew from the experience and played a key role in spreading the gospel. Had God not allowed this sifting, Peter wouldn’t have been prepared for the events to come. Ask God to bring into focus similar ways that He’s used difficulties for your ultimate good.
Training today can be confusing with all the different
information out there. Let’s talk about the Active Recovery Zone and
whether it’s important or not. This zone’s intensity level is exactly
what it's titled, you ride very easy, below your zone 2/endurance/magic
zone, and you are able to get some movement in, blood flowing, and let
your body recover at the same time.
When you get a hard workout in, let’s say on a Tuesday, that leaves
you completely tired and fatigued, the best thing you can do after that
is recover. There are two ways you can recover, active or passive
recovery. Obviously active recovery means doing something to help with
recovery, something active. Passive recovery involves a lot of laying
around. Both of these forms of recovery have benefits, and maybe a
little bit of both is the ticket! I would call for 20-30 minutes of
active recovery after that hard workout on the same day, and then taking
some time later on to do a little passive recovery.
Active recovery, very low intensity exercise, has many benefits that
include increasing blood flow the the muscles, flushing out the lactic
acid from the muscles, removing waste from the muscles, possibly
speeding up the process of healing muscle tears and pain, boosting
metabolism, elevating ones mood, better sleep, and improved cognitive
function.
Active recovery is a great method to use between interval sets.
Instead of stopping completely after an interval, keep moving in order
to keep the blood flowing, which in turn can help flush things out and
keep muscle groups ready for the next interval. Active recovery is also
great after a workout that is high in intensity or a race. Simply
spend another 20-30 minutes in that very easy training zone to again
keep the blood moving and start the process of recovery. You can also
take a day say after a big block of training and do a little active
recovery day, and then take a passive recovery day after the active
recovery day.
Great activities for active recovery can be walking, hiking, cycling,
swimming, shooting a basketball, cleaning the house, yoga, foam
rolling, stretching, massage, and many other light exercises. You
should not feel fatigue during these.
I do believe that both active and passive recovery serve their
purposes, especially when used together. I think that active recovery
is a must between intervals and after hard workouts. Passive recovery
is just as important and can be done after the active recovery. Find
something that works for you, and I know you will feel the difference!
Rob Martin is a CSCS through the NSCA and is TRX
certified. He also was involved in athletics throughout high school and
ran at a division I college. He currently races mountain bikes at the
elite level and coaches cycling athletes. He also has a podcast called
Unpacking the Athlete available on most major podcast platforms. Improve
your level of fitness and/or level of cycling with his success,
knowledge, experience, & 4-year degree. Visit his website
www.bikelifewithrob.com
Hat Club is the ORIGINAL membership-based store of its type. Our first store opened in 1992, filling a small space previously used as a janitor’s closet in a Mesa, Arizona shopping mall. Hat Club is a young dynamic company with NBA star and veteran, Danny Ainge as the first investor.
Hat Club stores are comprised of a vibrant mix of branded and licensed hats that project an athletic and cutting-edge image which caters not only to the sports fan but attracts a strong and diversified base of ages and lifestyles. Each location manages to carry over 1,500 different styles, with over 7,000 hats merchandised wall to wall and floor to ceiling. The extraordinary assortment of our market tailored, and custom designed hats sets the Hat Club apart from all other stores. Our wide variety of MLB, NCAA, NFL, NHL, NBA, fitted and adjustable style hats boasts brand names such as New Era, 47 Brand, Mitchell & Ness, Nike and as well as the newest addition of the Streetwear market with The Hundreds, 10 Deep, Fitted Hawaii, HUF and Undefeated, to name a few.
The Hat Club philosophy is simple and straightforward. Hat Club is committed to giving each customer excellent service which encourages and attracts loyalty. The keystone to this commitment is the Hat Club Membership. It is the Hat Club Membership that ensures the Hat Club stands apart from the competition.
The Hat Club also makes sure to be active in the communities of our businesses and our customers and has helped raise more than $500,000 over the years by organizing and sponsoring a number of charity programs.
The Hat Club Cactus Challenge – In past years, celebrity athletes such as Charles Barkely, Steve Nash, Gabrielle Reese, Phil Mickelson, and Steve Young have participated in our celebrity softball game and community event which benefited the Arizona Special Olympics.
Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Hat Club has been an official sponsor of the Holiday Card Project benefiting the Children’s Cancer Center, funds a closet of toys for children, and raised monies through special store promotions and proceeds donations.
Boys & Girls Club – Starting in 2008, the Hat Club will team up with the Boys & Girls Club and begin donating water bottle sales proceeds to clubs throughout Arizona, California, and Texas.
Hat Club has grown significantly since its inception. While playing for the Portland Trailblazers, Ainge opened several Northwest retail stores specializing in team-licensed merchandise. After being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Ainge formed the National Hat Club, opened his first hats-only store and began closing the Northwest shops. Through 1994 and 1995, the National Hat Club opened a total of seven stores in the Phoenix area and sales rose quickly.
Paul and Stephen Stachel, long-time sports merchandise retailers, first met Ainge when he stopped in their shop to talk hats. The Stachels were then the proprietors of the Arizona Sports Club, a two-store company also specializing in team-licensed merchandise. A bond was formed and in 1996 the two companies came together to create the Hat Club. Ainge has since sold his ownership in Hat Club and today the company is continued to be owned and operated by the Stachels. Hat Club has since become one of the largest independent all-hat store companies in the U.S., with stores in multiple states and worldwide at HatClub.com.
“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1, 2).
God set us apart when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our decision was motivated by faith, which He honors with peace and grace.
It takes something more durable than the optimism of youth or stoic
resolve to establish and then advance one’s career. And in today’s
fast-paced and demanding workplaces, even a hard-won competitive
advantage is soon spent. So, something more long-lasting is needed: and
this is Alpha Performance.
What it is
Alpha Performance is the apex of the hierarchy of competence; a
higher and more continuous competitive advantage. And this personal
power is achieved through a practical philosophy involving the whole
person, head (logic), heart (emotions), and hands (action). And being
holistic strengthens willpower.
Alpha Performers:
are solution-orientated, and have a can-do constructive mindset
get things done, being action orientated
inspire themselves being emotionally involved in what they do
improve their expertise to deliver high standard results, consistently
The principles, Attitude, Action, Inspire and Improve will be expanded later.
Why it’s important
Highly competent individuals build a professional reputation, command
the best pay and conditions, and have a passport to a rewarding career.
Being among the best in your field is also the best protection against
inflation. It secures your position as companies retain their most
competent and productive staff. At the same time, it improves your
earning power and promotion prospects since you are essential to the
organization.
And the good news; is it’s achievable.
The pendulum continues to swing away from formal power (making the
office and its status redundant) and towards reliance on those with
personal power; Alpha Performers. However, it doesn’t happen overnight
or by itself.
But before learning how to become an Alpha Performer, first, we need
to understand the barriers to advancement, in other words, why people
fail to achieve their full potential and succeed in their careers.
Why many fail
As adults, we work out what was put in by others during our formative
years, a mixture of good and bad, positive and negative. Too much of
the wrong stuff distorts and damages our perceptions; emotional and
psychological damage done in childhood has deep roots and bears bitter
fruit. In other words, garbage in garbage out, such as fear and
prejudice, and other weaknesses become barriers to success, such as low
self-esteem a major obstacle.
It’s poignant and possibly painful to ponder having one’s default set
for failure nurtured by family, society, and culture. And this helps
explain why some people can be awkward, dysfunctional even toxic.
Nevertheless, we can change; reform is possible. If an individual, a
complex composition of thoughts and feelings, has been wrongly
programmed–the root of the problem–then the answer is to re-program the
thinking.
There is no need for a deep psychological examination; simply replace
the negative and destructive with the positive and constructive. If we
want to achieve a different result, it stands to reason we need to do
something different. So long as we can find a strong enough reason to
make it happen.
The road to success
The essential ingredients for success are having the correct values,
convictions, and attitudes, including a wholehearted commitment to its
achievement. And this enables us to take our foot off the brake and
apply the accelerator.
We become what we think and do
Charles Reade (1814-1884) illustrates this, “Sow a thought, and you
reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap
a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” Our habitual way
of thinking governs our approach to life, and attitudes impact results.
Therefore, it’s essential to read, watch, listen and do the things that
will benefit and not hinder or be detrimental.
For example, some years ago, I stopped reading tabloid newspapers and
started reading the broadsheets, dramatically improving my English
language and critical thinking, which helped me gain a Master of Science
degree, a competitive advantage. I did something different; I changed
my reading habits and advanced my career. Charles Reade knew what he was
talking about.
How to become an Alpha Performer
Put the principles into practice and keep on putting them into
practice until they become a habit. Because you are leaving a familiar
state and working towards something new, you will probably experience
some uncertainty, particularly during the transition phase as you’re
treading new ground, a perfectly natural response.
And this is where having a personal philosophy (the seeds of action)
enters the picture, a core belief, as your attitude drives your
behavior, enabling you to put your foot firmly on the accelerator.
Therefore, it needs to be well-thought-out and written as an Action
Plan. The advantage of committing it to paper is that you can manage
your progress, keeping you focused on each task one at a time. Think of
it as designing your formula for success. To this end, it helps to
appreciate the benefits on offer.
Benefits
Becoming an Alpha Performer is beneficial in many ways. You
concentrate your energies on pursuing excellence and fulfilling your
potential. You’re on a mission, which means you have a purpose, and
people with purpose have power.
Having direction, you know where you’re going, preventing drift and
wasting energy. It’s also cathartic because you’re cleaning up the
garbage from the past, making the most of your skills and attributes by
overcoming inner friction. Combined, this aids mental and emotional
health, enhances self-respect, improves confidence, and gives you a firm
foundation. And it secures your current employment, makes you more
employable, and puts you in the frame for promotion.
Significant benefits like these provide a sense of hope and optimism
for a better future and are strong motivators. Once you start this
journey, other possibilities open up; quite an adventure.
Principles and practice
The right attitude is the starting point for success. However,
changing your attitude is difficult, but it’s relatively easy to change
your behavior. Once I changed my driving habits, my attitude toward road
safety in particular and safety in general also changed. It’s possible
to re-program yourself and change your life for the better.
Therefore, developing the right attitude, a selfless approach to
work, and going the extra mile to get the job done, is the way forward.
And it’s achieved by following this word of advice; “Whatever task lies
in your hand, do it with all your might...” (Ec. 9:10. NEB). Taking
action and doing a professional job makes you feel good about yourself,
and confidence improves, starting a virtuous upward cycle. It’s
essential to keep fit and healthy as this helps you stay motivated and
mentally alert.
Taking action also improves self-discipline, that inner power that
keeps you working until you realize the objective, giving everything
100%, even through difficult conditions, without supervision. And this
cultivates a solution-orientated, can-do constructive mindset. After a
while, setting and achieving high standards becomes a habit; your modus
operandi.
A salary ensures we go to work, but we need to be inspired, excited,
and emotionally involved to release the energy to keep us there, perform
well, develop, grow, and stay enthusiastic. When our heart is stirred
we automatically go the extra mile and put in whatever effort is
required to achieve our desired goal. As a result, morale rises, which
helps maintain momentum. If it’s not forthcoming on the job, we must
inspire ourselves or find something that does.
It can be something simple, such as a motto. The one that stirs me,
to this day, is “To serve to strive and not to yield,” the Outward Bound
School Motto. It’s a challenge, like being on a noble quest; uplifting.
Keeping ourselves inspired can be difficult, and it’s why we need a
vision, a place in the future we want to inhabit, and the
self-discipline to stick to the game plan. However, if what we do and
where we are no longer inspires us, despite all our efforts, then it’s
time to move.
Improve is the fourth principle, as there’s no resting on one’s
laurels. We need to challenge ourselves to be as efficient and effective
as possible, gain a competitive advantage, and retain it by becoming an
Alpha Performer.
Alpha Performers strive to progress to get the best out of themselves
and never give an excuse for poor performance. “From well to better
daily self surpassed,” said William Wordsworth’s Happy Warrior is their
watchword. It amounts to being a lifelong student.
Alpha Performers can go all the way!
As you progress and demonstrate a consistently high level of
competence, you register on people’s radar and gain personal power,
opening the way to other possibilities. However, there is only so much
one person can achieve, no matter how effective they are. The next step
is to develop this into political power–essential if you want to start
your own business.
Individual success is the catalyst that starts the party and attracts
other productive, like-minded individuals. Develop alliances to unite
people’s impulses to achieve a common goal–such as the organization’s
vision–and you turn personal power into political power the path to the
C-suite.
I’ve always found that when relationships were healthy, people
cooperated, and it was easier to secure their commitment to a course of
action. Senior management’s role is to assist these relationships to
blossom and, at the same time, prevent healthy competition from
descending into destructive power struggles.
Long-term benefits
Achieving corporate results to high standards, again and again, gains
personal power and secures a well-paid future. Contributing to the
organization’s success has a positive psychological and emotional impact
and is energizing. Organizations invest in their principal performers:
often leading to advanced qualifications and more challenging work. For
the company, it means repeat business, always an advantage for the
individual.
It’s also worth remembering you are paid in two currencies at the end
of each month. First is the folding stuff, and you know what to do with
that; the other is experience, which you turn into more folding stuff
later in life. Ask any gray-haired consultant.
Summary
Being efficient and effective and gaining a competitive advantage is a
part of the success equation. But becoming an Alpha Performer is the
ultimate competitive advantage, as it ensures success over the long
term. Alpha Performers develop and use their talents and skills to the
maximum, set and achieve high standards and stay ahead of the field. And
this makes them the most employable and promotable people on the
planet, regardless of the economic circumstances.
The sooner you develop the Alpha Performance mindset, the better, but
it’s never too late to start. Knowing you fulfilled your potential,
bestows a great sense of satisfaction, especially in later life. Then
there are no regrets.
This article is from my book How to Revolutionize Your Working Life
and advance your career and is based on a body of empirical data gained
from various cultures over several decades. Once I find the right
publisher, it will be available to the public.
Experienced management consultant; specializing in
troubleshooting and reengineering departments internationally.
Implementing changes to improve performance.
“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:2-4).
Jesus gives clear instruction on how to enter the kingdom of heaven: be converted, be humble, and become like a child. Children are quick to believe. This is the way God wants us to be—quick to believe and accept His Word without question.
Top NFL Wideouts, Kyler Murray’s Game and More With Brice Butler | Raiders | NFL
Raiders,com's Eddie Paskal chats with former wide receiver Brice Butler about the Week 2 matchup against the Cardinals, wide receiver Davante Adams and more from the Coors Light RV on this edition of Upon Further Review.
Anyone can become successful outside the college walls; after
all, most of what you go to read our hypotheses documented by someone
who happened to come across it first, which is then passed down to
upcoming generations as knowledge.
We can see how this has limited the thinking capacity of man, boxed
them into a small field, leaving the world filled with problems.
Anyone can become successful with or without a college degree the
most successful people on the face of the earth did not have a college
degree.
Invest in yourself.
The best way to get started in life without getting a college degree
is to invest in yourself, and one way to do this is to acquire soft
skills that can be monetised.
Nowadays, things have become more accessible because technology has
become more viable than ever; fields in IT such as Web developers, and
Digital marketing, have become high in demand with attractive
compensations attached to them.
The good news is that you don’t need a college degree to get started;
just anyone with the right state of mind accompanied by dedicated
self-tutoring and mentorship can kickstart a career in tech.
Another option available is content creation; we have seen various
individuals who built a massive following on social media platforms like
YouTube and Instagram and can monetise them by creating content.
Try out careers that don’t require degrees.
When attempting to succeed without a college degree, you often get
offers for menial jobs that require no qualification; sometimes, these
jobs are often derogatory and offer you a small paycheck.
Are you seeking a high-paying job but don’t want to invest in a
four-year or graduate degree? You don’t need to have a college degree to
get a good job.
A new kind of job emphasises skills over education and work experience.
These jobs are known as middle-skill jobs because they do not
necessarily require a four-year college degree (or an extensive work
history).
Often, anyone can get the skills they need for the job through
vocational training, a certificate program, an apprenticeship, or a
two-year degree program.
Anyone can get started with this career and get paid well; all you need is to prove that you know the job.
Learn how to sell and negotiate.
Like I always tell people, the world is a marketplace, and it’s either you are sold to, or you sell to others.
Like a football pitch, there are two kinds of people, the spectator
and the performers; one gets value, while the other gets entertained.
You have to decide where you want to be; those who become celebrated
in life are sales-oriented and have been able to convince many people to
buy from them.
Learning to be a good salesperson is essential because it improves your listening skills.
You become a much better communicator who is critical in all aspects
of life. It’s not just about selling a product for your job or company.
When you’re in a sales role, every person you speak with will be
different. So as you have those conversations, you’ll learn about your
communication style and see where you need to improve and learn to
communicate with various people.
Selling is a skill that everyone should learn; sales are everything; as said earlier, it’s either you are selling or sold to.
There are various ways to acquire skills in sales; it all starts with
understanding human psychology and is accompanied by the use of
technology such as social media, search engine optimisation and many
more.
Expand your network.
Starting life without a degree causes so many things to happen to
you, one of which involves the kind of connection you already have.
You did not go to school for one reason or the other; bear in mind that it will impact your existing network.
The secret to networking is not to attend a networking event and pass out as many business cards as possible.
It’s not meeting as many people as possible in hopes something will
work out. Instead, you need to concentrate on the people you know will
be able to make a difference in your career.
It would help if you built relationships with people in the same
industry as you. Also, you don’t always have to gain something in a
networking relationship.
In networking situations, people expect you to ask them for help. If
you turn that around and offer some support, your networking partner
will be grateful and want to return the favour.
LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are tools that you can use to connect personally to different people in your industry.
Find a mentor.
To be successful in life, you need to link up with someone who has done what you intend to do now.
A mentor acts as an advisor and support person for someone less experienced.
Traditionally, the association is between an older team member and a younger one for career and business development.
When trying to figure things out on your own, you tend to make lots of mistakes, and without feedback, you become frustrated.
For that reason, having a mentor who’s both an objective third party and an advocate for your growth and development is crucial.
Mentorships can develop leadership skills such as listening,
compassion and giving and receiving feedback. Participants develop these
skills by using them in the relationship. These soft skills are
essential for career success.
Without goals, a mentee has no direction and no plan to get where
they want to go. A mentor helps keep them on track and responsible for
reaching their goals. In addition, it provides the motivation needed for
mentees to work at attaining their goals.
Along with developing leadership skills, having a mentor to advise
and guide you can increase your confidence and help develop
problem-solving skills.
Read, read and become well-read.
You have to figure out when you want to be successful; even after
acquiring a college degree, you still have to figure out those things
yourself.
There is no other way to figure out these things without becoming an addictive reader of books.
One of the most obvious benefits of reading every day is learning.
Since the beginning of civilisation, we have grown and developed mentally.
The importance of reading books is now more than ever since. But unfortunately, not everything is available in digitalised form.
If you are not convinced about why reading books is essential, this might interest you.
When you develop the habit of reading, you enhance your vocabulary.
Reading any book can improve your speech to an impressive extent.
Having excellent command over the language is known to help many in their professional and academic life.
Moreover, with better vocabulary knowledge, you get to fill yourself
with self-confidence when sitting in a group with a knowledgeable
audience.
And unlike a YouTube video or podcast, books provide access to in-depth knowledge.
Success-driven books such as Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hills).
Leverage the power of the internet.
The internet holds a wealth of information and unending opportunities
for everyone to access; you can be in an underdeveloped country and
still have access to such opportunities.
The evolution of the internet was dramatic and continues to evolve,
with more people spending more time on the internet every year.
Levering the internet for your business and career is no longer an
inexpensive option to reach a highly targeted customer base but a
necessity for businesses of all sizes and market niches.
With the combination of traditional marketing efforts with newer
digital marketing options in the right way, any business optimises
performance.
A website can also serve as a great marketing tool. It gives you a
platform to showcase knowledge in your niche, allowing you to become an
expert and an advantage over the competition.
A website will also allow you to educate your visitors on your products and services and build a reputation for your business.
Get a certification.
Certificate programs are short-term training programs that often take
less time than a degree; you can earn some certificates in as little
time as a couple of weeks or a month.
They also tend to cost less money; some even come for free.
Certificate programs can help you develop the skills and experiences
necessary for a particular job.
Certifications provide people with the proper knowledge and skills to
land a job. As a result, employers increasingly demand professional
accreditation and a degree from college graduates.
Also, more certified professionals with only a high school diploma
are entering the job market and successfully filling the need for
skilled labour in high-income industries like IT and other industries
that require skilled labour.
Most certifications are in-depth and niche-specific. All of the
attention is on one field, and so is what you learn; this makes
certification more effective than getting an actual college degree.
Conclusion.
Somehow, most people had fallen for the conditioning that you cannot succeed without a university degree.
This has been proven wrong by the high level of successful people
today, with the majority without a college degree. Generally speaking,
many people who go to school are literate but not educated.
Both are two different things. Education means to train and to mould.
If we are to take it a step further, it is the process of knowing
yourself and your environment.
If everyone who went to school were educated, we would have fewer people in the global labour market today.
Finally, like I always say, it takes courage to conquer the world,
you can't sit in your comfort zone and expect the world to bow at your
feet.
You have to make moves too. I challenge you not to be discouraged and
take the bull by the horn; success is yours for the taking.
The most common error in weight loss is incorrect sequence. It’s not ‘lose weight to get healthy,’ it’s ‘get healthy to lose weight’! This is because losing unwanted fat depends on getting healthy.
I want to show you how to look and feel healthy and youthful as you lose weight and as you age. To do this we use a program called Healthy Keto® and Intermittent Fasting. My goal is to put you in control of your body and your future longevity!
I am a health educator specializing in weight loss through nutritional and natural methods such as the keto diet plan and intermittent fasting, supported by low-carb diet tips that make following the keto diet easy and adaptable to any lifestyle.
On Dr.Berg.com you’ll find all the health options you need to live healthier and start losing weight like never before. We offer education so you can understand keto and keto-approved foods, and enjoy my favorite keto diet recipes. We also have a shop where you can find our recommended supplements, nutritional products, and diet plans to help you get started. Let’s get you going toward the healthiest and best version of you!
Dr. Berg’s clients include senior officials in the U.S. Government, ambassadors, medical doctors, high-level executives of prominent corporations, scientists, engineers, professors, and many others from all walks of life. View more about Dr. Berg.
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