I love quotes. I love to read them, collect them and share them. I find them inspirational and a great way to anchor my day positively.
Here is an inspiring quote for you to ponder today:
“Champions are brilliant at the basics.” ~ John Wooden
Why do I love this quote? It points out what I know to be true and what I often teach my clients. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are in life…if you’re feeling good, not feeling good, sick, healthy, successful (whatever that means) or not, the basics matter.
John Wooden was talking about what makes a top-notch basketball player, but this quote can apply to be a champion in your own life, by conquering the everyday choices which set the foundation for a healthy and happy life.
What are the basics when it comes to living a great life? They are:
Exercising.
Eating well.
Meditating.
Taking time for yourself.
Doing your best to get a good night’s sleep.
Connecting with loved ones.
Working to have positive, uplifting thoughts.
These foundational activities matter and if we engage in them on a regular basis, it’s truly life-changing. And what I mean by a regular basis is pretty much every day. I’m not saying there isn’t room for junk food, vegging out in front of the TV or taking a day off every so often. Life happens and there needs to be room for balance.
But if you’re looking to improve your life, begin with a routine of the basics. You’ll quickly notice that life changes for the better. And after 3 to 6 months of doing the basics well, I bet you’ll see incredible improvements in most areas of your life.
Have you noticed when you’re on a kick of exercising for a period of time how good you feel? Or when you’re doing a great job of making healthy lunches for work? Imagine if you applied yourself to making these choices over the long term, adding in more and more healthy changes over time. Your life would begin to unfold in a beautiful way.
One common pattern is that we ignore these basics until something happens that makes us recognize we want/need to make a change. For example, perhaps you fall off of meditating in the morning and then notice that you’re becoming more and more anxious. Or you stop exercising because you’re too busy and then notice that your stress level skyrockets.
I am going to encourage you right now to set an intention to engage in these healthy habits even if you’re feeling good. It will change your life.
Think about those people that you admire.
Do you aspire to the income goals of Ellen? Oprah? They meditate every single day. They’re two of the most successful women in the world, yet every day they continue to work on themselves with this foundational activity.
Do you aspire to the fitness level of The Rock? Every day he eats well and he exercises. He likely has days, weeks or even months that he just doesn’t feel like sticking to it. But he does it anyway and puts one foot in front of the other.
Now I want you to reflect on your own life for a moment. What is one change that you can make to start a healthy foundational habit?
I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments below!
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