Randall, Robert Cheeke and myself (R to L) get a quick workout in at the Seattle ProClub. They were in town for the Seattle Vegfest, and did a great job representing the Vega product line at the festival, as well as promoting Veganbodybuilding.com, of which Rob is the founder.

In CHECKERS, you focus on one move at a time. Take pieces as they come. You aren’t thinking that far ahead. Action and short-term results are the way to win.

CHESS is an entirely different game. Outstanding chess players think a dozen moves ahead. They have a game plan. They are willing to trade-off short-term gains for potential long-term success.

Which is life?

You see, I would like to think that life is like playing checkers. You never really know what’s going to happen a few moments from now. You listen to you intuition or heart and act with congruency. This sounds like a great way to make decisions…IN THE MOMENT.

However, there is something to be said for thinking things through. Considering the effect of your actions. Considering you DHARMA (duty) and pushing through tough spells to gather insights and come out of a situation better of.

 Actions on the chess board of life could include having an investment plan, going back to school, sticking with a job through the “tough times” or starting a workout program. You’re doing things with a very long term view.

So, which is it? Are we playing a game of CHESS OR CHECKERS? Living in the moment or living “intelligently”?

I faced a very tough decision this weekend that dealt with this very subject.  The hardest decision I have had to make in years.

Turns out I’m playing CHESS. How about you?

I finally got some pictures posted from my India Adventure!

This photo is from beach at the southernmost tip of India, where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean all converge. The sand is in fact three colors, having swept ashore from three distant lands. A very special place.

Every now and then I run across stories that remind my why I am Vegan.

The article almost sounds crazy enough to be a feature story on The Onion.

Some of the stranger bits…

“This job is harder than cattle,” Mr. Jiménez said while on a nighttime hunt on Hato Santa Luisa, a ranch spread over more than 40,000 acres on Venezuela’s plains. “But it’s just as rewarding.”

….Never mind that capybaras have some unusual habits like eating their own feces. And yes, some chefs acknowledge, the methods used to kill capybaras, normally involving a sharp clubbing of the rodent’s head, put off some diners.

…Capybara is an exquisite meat that deserves prominent stature in our culinary tradition.

….The capybara is easier to steal than a cow, so there’s still a bit of thievery that takes place on some ranches,”

…“The pursuit is very hard,” said Abel Vargas, 42, a pipe-wielding hunter who wore a pair of goggles for diving after capybaras. Mr. Vargas said he especially liked cooked kidney of capybara.

I can understand how extreme hunger could drive people to do strange things, and eat strange things….but Capybara as haute cuisine? Gimme a break!

If you know me, you know that I am huge believer in personal development. Tony’s material is absolutely incredible. I am not naive. I do not consider him my guru. I just consider him an incredibly gifted and caring teacher. For that, he has EARNED MY RESPECT.

Late last year, I started a local community group, with the goal of bringing together other motivated souls to push and educate each other on their path for self improvement. We’re not talking about singing kumbaya. We’re talking about asking each other the HARD QUESTIONS and confronting the REAL ISSUES that are holding us back.

The group has grown to 27 people in just a few months. We’ve met five times, and yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to see about 8 folks show up and share in the discussion!

Some of the topics we’ve discussed so far include:Raw Food Diets, Detox & Cleansing, Investing for Beginners, Goal-Setting and building Vision Boards.

If you are in the Seattle -area; I welcome you to sign up for the group. I am a huge believer that working with other positive-minded and energetic people GREATLY ENHANCES your ability to succeed. We are always looking forward to seeing new faces.

Looking forward to seeing you at the next meetup!

“Look…..if you had one shot, one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted…one moment….would you capture it or just let it slip?”

-“Lose Yourself” by Eminem

The answer is simple. YES or NO. Make your move.

I finally got around to making a polished version of my vision board from Date With Destiny.

What do you think?

I just Netflixed season 1 of HBO’s The Wire. AMAZING.

It depicts the life of street-level heroin delers in the ghettos of Baltimore, and the challenge they pose to the corrupt, yet persistent police.

I’m a firm believer that most of the PROBLEMS we think we have, are nothing special. Most of us have NO PROBLEMS. Watching this series you learn about people who have REAL PROBLEMS.

No positive family or social structure. No money (for everyone but the top-level dealers). Major physical and psychological addictions. Graphic violence. Little concept of what opportunities could exist outside the ghetto.

Constant FEAR. Constant TERROR.

REAL PROBLEMS.

Absolutely NO MONEY. People trying to KILL YOU.

REAL PROBLEMS.

Makes my own “problems” seem petty. Stress about my next presentation. Stress about how my next performance review will go down. Stress about how customers will react to my next “pitch.”

NOT REAL PROBLEMS.

These are not problems. These are choices I made. These are chances to learn and grow. My life doesn’t hang in the balance. Boy am I blessed.