Rituals

I walk downstairs, get the coffee going, drink a cup of cold water, and crack open my book where I left off yesterday.

It’s a ritual.

I don’t even have to think about it.

It’s the same thing…every single morning.

You have rituals, whether you know it or not.

As humans, we are creatures of habit.

Often times we repeat so many things every single day, think of things like brushing your teeth, showering, the commute to work, etc.

All of these things happen automatically and non-consciously.

Chances are what we do today is what we will do tomorrow.

If you have to think about something each time you do it, the likelihood is that you won’t keep doing it for very long.

That’s why things like fitness, nutrition, and other habit changes are so hard.

In the beginning, you have to think about it so much.

We also know that things like willpower and discipline are finite resources, we only have so much “in the tank.”

As time goes on, we often just say “screw it.”

That’s why I like the word ritual.

A positive ritual is a behavior that becomes automatic over time, fueled by some deeply held value.

That’s the hardest part about change and staying consistent, and that’s why I’ve always driven home “start with why.”

In order to create lasting change, to create a habit, to create a ritual, it has to be fueled by a deeply held value.

Meaning, you have to really believe it, you have to truly want it.

You can only “grind” through something for so long.

So, for today, think about the positive rituals you have in your life, all of the things you do automatically, and look at some of the new changes you’re trying to make and see how you can move it towards a ritual.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

I Almost Did It...

We were sitting on the beach as a family, phone in my hand, I brought my hand back like I was trying to throw a baseball 100mph, and I almost threw my phone into the ocean.

It’s really easy to stay connected nowadays…

Whether we’re talking connected to our great community via e-mail/Facebook, answering panic calls/texts from fellow gym owners, or checking the newsfeed to see what else can possibly happen in 2020.

It’s a blurry line…

One minute we can be with family, the next minute we can be checking e-mail or reading a news article from our device.

I also work from home about 80% of the time, my office is 13 stair steps away from my family.

There’s no commute, no time to disconnect or unwind before walking through the door.

Although that does allow a lot of privilege that I’m grateful for, it does blur the line of “family time” and “work time.”

I’m sure I’m not alone in the struggle.

Admittedly, I don’t do this next exercise every Friday, but the Fridays that I do lead to a way higher quality weekend with the family.

I’ve shared it before, but it merits sharing again, especially now.

It’s called the Friday Freedom Session.

It will free up your mind and help you make a smooth transition so you can focus more on what's most important, family. 

Here's what a freedom session looks like. 

Grab a notebook. 

1. 5 Positives From The Week

Write down the 5 best things that happened this week. We tend to focus on what we're not getting done, but I'm sure we can all think of 5 things that were positive. 

2. Clean Up

Do you ever have a clearer mind when your desk is clean? That's not by accident. Spend a few minutes cleaning up your desk, organizing all your papers, etc. Whatever "clean" looks like in your life, make that happen. 

3. Inbox Zero

This is huge. Go through all your e-mails and text messages and get down to inbox zero. If something needs to be saved move it to a labeled folder. The mind will be more clear if you don't have 1000 red notifications on your e-mail

4. 15 Minute Mind Sweep

Write nonstop for 15 minutes. Get everything that is in your mind onto paper. You can organize it later, but it will help clear up the anxiety and stress when you get it all on paper. 

5. Review Your Upcoming Calendar

Review next weeks calendar and make sure it looks good. Take care of any rearranging you need to do, daycare, etc. 

6. Review Your To Do List

We all should have a working to do list. Review it, see what still needs to stay on there, and get it organized for the next week. To do list are things that are single steps.

7. Review Your Project List

Not everything should live on your to-do list. If it has multiple steps it is classified as a project. Get all your projects on one list, and then extract out single steps of those and put them on your to-do list. 

8. Review Waiting For List

Your waiting for list is things that you can't move on until you get something or hear something. Maybe you're waiting for a phone call or e-mail to come back. Maybe you're waiting for a package to arrive or another co-worker to finish their part of the project. 

9. Review Someday Maybe List

This is the list of all the things you want to do but they don't really have any urgency. It's good to have on paper so that you don't forget, but you want to separate them from the urgent things like your to-do list and project list. 

10. Review Goals & Vision

We all should have goals and a vision for our life. They should also be written down. At the end of each week, I like to read my goals and vision to make sure I still like them, to make sure my actions are matching them, and to keep them top of mind. 

That's a freedom session. 

It will probably take you about 30-60 minutes but I guarantee you it will clear your head tremendously, and it will make the following week that much more productive. 

Give it a try and let me know what you think, and I’ll do the same.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

A. gust of wind

In the book “Tattoos on the Heart,” Father Gregory Boyle tells the story of a young man battling a heroin addiction.

In counseling the boy, he says “you have to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run.”

To which the boy replies with tears in his eyes, “But I know I can fly. I just need a gust of wind.”

I was listening to the book on my drive down to the gym yesterday and paused it after he told this story. I couldn't listen to anything else.

It was one of those lines that landed on my heart. 

I know I can fly. I just need a gust of wind.

We all want to run before we can walk.

Restraint is so difficult.

We know in the world of health and fitness that adopting a restrictive diet or trying to work out five days a week, in the beginning, is often the recipe for failure. We decide to run a 5k and bust out 20 miles in a week and then our bodies break down and we find ourselves battling injuries because we didn't have the patience to pace ourselves.

We adopt a no carb diet only to find ourselves gorging on a piece of cake seven days in to the 30 day plan. 

We know that in order for behavioral change to stick, we have to start slow, and stack one block at a time. 

We have to crawl before we can walk. 

We know this.

But it's that last line from the boy that pulls so hard at me. Crawl before we can walk, yes. Stacking the blocks one at a time, yes.

"But I know I can fly." 

What this boy is speaking to, is potential. 

The definition of potential is "latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness." I believe we all have it within us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. It's up to us to determine what that means. 

And yet..

"I just need a gust of wind."

I think we sometimes beat ourselves up over our own potential. Do you know the number one comment I hear from clients whenever I ask what we can do to help support them in the process?

"Nothing. It's not you. It's me. I just need to do a better job. I know what I need to do, I just need to do it."

To those clients I'd say no.

Stop being so hard on yourself. 

Yes you have the potential. You know you can fly. I know you can fly. 

Sometimes you just need a little gust of wind. 

Let someone else be that gust of wind for you.

The Hardest Thing To Do...

I remember a few years back I was on an early morning flight, couldn’t get internet, and for some reason or another, I missed a daily e-mail to all of you.

As I landed Kim was freaking out, she thought something happened to me, and we had a few clients call the gym asking where my e-mail was that comes to your inbox at noon every day.

It was 12:05.

As I landed, I scrambled to get one out, and all went well, but it was an eye-opening moment for me.

It's actually pretty easy to write this e-mail every morning at this point. 

It has become a habit over the years, I enjoy writing, it’s kind of my morning journal, and I often just crack open my laptop in the morning and write whatever is on my mind, very rarely do I schedule this in advance…

But that’s not the real reason it’s easy…

I have thousands of people waiting to read it at noontime every day.

You are my accountability. 

This makes it easy because I know I have to show up to you, you're counting on me to some degree.

Do you know what the hardest thing to do is, for all of us?

Work hard when no one is watching. 

Think about it any facet of life...

It's easy to work hard when you have eyes on you, or people counting on you. 

Whether that's in work, family, or fitness, if someone is watching you, or counting on you to get something done, it's easy to work hard. 

We’re good and kind human beings and we don't want to disappoint others. 

It's why the simple things like having to book your sessions and showing up to a coach greeting you (whether at the gym or online) every single day is so important to your accountability at Spurling. 

There is someone watching you.

You damn well bet you’re probably going to get more out of it compared to if you just did your own thing, no one watching you, no accountability.

But...

Working hard when no one is watching is the hardest thing to do. 

However, it's those that have this discipline that can quickly pull away from the pack and see some great results, in any facet of life. 

Because there are always going to be moments where progress is made when you are working hard “behind the scenes.”

Let's look at a work situation...

You're in the office, you have things you could be doing, but there is nothing super urgent, and no one is watching you. 

What do you do?

Do you putter around, checking social media, and just kill time?

That's the default because it's hard to work hard when no one is watching. 

When it comes to fitness...

Do you get up before the kids get up and get a workout in?

Do you say no to the sweets at 9pm, even if no one will know but you that you ate it?

Do you honestly track what you eat?

The hardest thing to do is work hard when no one is watching, but it's in those moments, if optimized, you can make the biggest strides in your progress. 

I challenge you to look at one opportunity where you can be honest with yourself and change your efforts towards a time where you know you're currently not working hard because you know no one is watching. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

The Myth of Fun, Fast, & Easy

I remember last year going for a hike with the family.

It was before Ellie was born, so it was just the three of us.

I remember looking forward to it, loving a good challenge, mixed with some quality family time.

However, within 30 minutes we were at the top.

It was fun, it went by fast, and it was easy.

So, although it was a good hour with the family, there wasn’t much satisfaction.

We didn’t think to ourselves…

"Wow, that was worth it.”

We didn’t really have much of a feeling of accomplishment.

Now, one could make a strong point that wasn’t the purpose of the hike…

However, it serves the purpose of today’s lessons.

Although our initial desire craves fun, fast, and easy…it’s not what truly fulfills us.

The most rewarding things in our lives, the areas where we see the best results, are where it’s a challenge, it’s a grind, it feels like it takes forever, and it’s really, REALLY, hard.

I’m not saying that fun can’t be a part of things, of course, it can be an ingredient, but it’s not what creates the fulfillment.

In her book, Dare To Lead, Brene Brown talks about integrity, and to choose what is right over what is fast, fun, or easy.

Often times the right thing to do is not very fun, takes a long time, and is very hard.

Just think of these last couple of months…

It hasn’t been very fun, it certainly hasn’t been easy, and it’s felt like an entire year already, but I promise that on the other side of this you will be a better person, a stronger person, and you hopefully learned a lot of valuable lessons that will carry you forward.

In your work, maybe you have a project you’re working on, or there are responsibilities you’re not to keen on doing…

It can be easy to cut corners and to try to just “get it done” but ultimately, if we’re doing what is right, it may not always be fun, fast, and easy.

On a lighter note, look at our experience

Sure, we want things to have a fun component, creating a lifestyle change should be something you look forward to, but it’s certainly can’t be ALL fun.

If you want really good results there are going to be days you’re going to have to do things you don’t want to do (workout vs watch Netflix), it’s not always going to be easy, and it’s going to always take 10x longer than we think.

However, I promise you, the harder it is and the longer it takes, the more fulfilled you’ll be when you achieve the goal you were going after.

Keep pushing forward, and don’t always succumb to the fun, fast, and easy route, because it’s not always the best route.

1% Better.

Dedicated To Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Don't Break The Chain...

It may be one of the most motivating things when it comes to habits…

Don’t break the chain.

When we work on habits, we often don’t know where to start, and it can easily be overwhelming.

However, one of the best things we can do is just not “break the chain.”

It’s checking the box every day.

Keep the chain linked together.

The core of any change is habits.

We often set goals, which is awesome, but remember, a goal is the desired outcome.

It’s our habits that drive the outcome.

It’s the daily behaviors, it’s the daily actions, that really determine the outcome.

If I want to lose 20lbs, it’s the daily nutrition choices, the daily exercise choices, the daily sleep, etc that determine if I’m going to lose 20lbs.

It’s daily habits.

So, with all the chaos going on in the world right now, we wanted people to still have a way to get results and make the changes they want to make.

The easiest way to do that?

Pick one habit, track it daily, pick a duration, and don’t break the chain.

We’re challenging our clients to participate in the “Don’t Break The Chain” Challenge for the month of June.

Starting Monday, June 1st, pick a habit, track it daily, and don’t break the chain for the month of June.

It could be a nutrition habit, it could be an activity habit, anything, it doesn’t matter.

For example, last night in our client-only Facebook Group I asked what people were picking for their habit and some of them was things like drinking a certain amount of water each day, eating 5 servings of veggies every day, and 30 minutes of movement for the 30 days.

The key there is picking ONE habit, and pick something that you find motivating to “check the box” each day.

What is going to be your ONE habit for the month of June?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Create vs Consume

It’s so easy to consume right now, right?

Whether that’s scrolling through Facebook, consuming the news, or trying to educate yourself.

But does that actually help?

Let me make it specific to fitness and see if you can apply the “create” not “consume” into other facets of your life.

“I know what I need to do…I just need to do it.”

How many times have you heard that line or told yourself that line?

We all do.

You see, education is rarely the problem.

As an industry, there is no shortage of information. 

If you type in "fat loss" into Google you get over 262 million hits. 

My point?

It can be very easy to consume. 

Both on our end and on your end. 

As fitness professionals, we're always trying to consume that latest information, understand what the latest research has to say and consume information in hopes of bettering the client experience, and your results. 

It can be a huge time suck, and you catch yourself consuming so much that that's all you do, and don't actually create anything. 

On our end, create would be putting on a great experience for the clients, creating results, creating engaging conversations. 

Basically the "do" or the action. 

It's the same with you as the human trying to tackle a fitness and/or nutrition journey. 

Quite often, because of all the information out there, it can be very easy to consume. 

We quite often hear lines like....

"I read this article that said eggs are bad."

"I read in this blog that eggs are awesome."

"Let me just do some more research and think about it before I sign up."

Consuming. 

I'm challenging you to create!

It's not to say that you don't need to consume any information, we want you to be educated. 

But don't let that paralyze you. 

Instead, create your own journey....

Create a workout schedule that you can commit to...

Create some nutrition habits that you can build upon...

Create some relationships with friends and/or coaches that hold you accountable...

Create! 

Don't get caught spending all your time consuming, and instead ask yourself, what are you going to create?

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Can You Wait?

Our daily lives are filled with instant gratification. 

Think about simple things like Facebook. 

How excited do you get when someone "likes" your post and the red dot pops up?

In the kitchen, you press a button and your food can be heated up in under two minutes. 

The microwave. 

Fitness is filled with instant gratification promises. 

Six pack abs in six weeks. 

Ten pounds in ten days. 

Our society is filled, and in some ways, craves instant gratification. 

But is that what makes us happy?

Awhile back Coach Chris did a presentation on this topic for our team, talking about obstacles in life, how every obstacle creates an opportunity, and if the obstacle is easy or quick to get through, it's not that satisfying. 

As much as we want quick fixes and instant gratification, it's not what actually makes us most happy. 

If you don't have to work for something, if you don't have to power through something, go on the journey, overcome obstacles, and find your grit to accomplish the goal, it's not that rewarding. 

Losing 10 pounds sounds great, but if all you had to do was press a button, it's not actually that satisfying or rewarding. 

However, losing those 10 pounds after months, if not years, of struggles, pushing through challenging times, and finally crossing the line, that's what is rewarding. 

Climbing Mount Everest is rewarding because of how challenging it is. 

If you could take an elevator to the top, or if it was just a stroll in the park to get there, it wouldn't nearly involve as much reward and pleasure as it does. 

Delayed gratification. 

It's one of the hardest skills to develop in all facets of life. 

If you can pass up the short term win now, put your head down and enjoy the journey, I promise the long-term wins will be much more gratifying. 

Do you agree?

Reply and let me know...

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Client-Only Memo

Dear Spurling Fitness Family,

First off, thank you so much for your continued support throughout these unprecedented times. This has certainly been the most challenging thing we have had to face as an organization and as a community, but thanks to your amazing support and the dedication of our hardworking team, we continue to make positive strides forward. 

As we make our transition back into the facility, please know that the health and safety of you and your loved ones is our highest priority. We will continue to follow the orders of the State of Maine and the Maine CDC, which as of right now has us part of “Phase Two” and reopening our physical doors on June 1st. In the meantime, we have also been approved to run outdoor workouts of less than 10 people which you can find on the schedule, in addition to the livestream offerings. 

We also know that maintaining your health and fitness is one of the best things you can do to boost your immune system and to stay healthy. It is for that reason that we’re excited to get back into the facility with the following precautions in mind: 

1. While the gym was closed we stripped everything down, painted every wall, cleaned every surface, and even worked on some nice upgrades to the lobby and bathrooms. We also installed a foot operated door opener on the entry door so you can enter the facility without using your hands. 

2. We spent thousands of dollars on more equipment to allow you to not have to share equipment while we all take these extra precautions.

3. We have adjusted our programming and facility layout to allow you to have over 100 square feet of individual working space in your session, with more than 10’ of distance between you and the next client, marked off by tape or cones. 

4. We will be limiting all sessions to 8 people to allow for more spacing and more individualized coaching (see below). 

5. In addition to not needing to share equipment before disinfecting it, and physically distancing each client, we have hourly cleaning protocols in place covering every square inch of the facility. 

6. We will keep sessions to 50 minutes to allow us time to clean the facility for the next session, in addition to the cleaning that goes on throughout the session. 

7. Please use the provided wipes to disinfect all surfaces and equipment touched during your session. 

8. We ask that you also wash your hands pre and post session as well as use the provided hand sanitizer.

9. We will take care of “checking you in” for your sessions for now so that we don’t need the ipad at the front desk. 

10. We also ask that you only use the “hands-free” portion of the water fountain at this time

As of this writing we will make masks optional for clients. As the date of June 1st gets closer, the state will publish specific guidelines for our industry. Should masks be required we will let you know, along with any other protocols that we have not already put into place. 

Of course, we ask that if you are feeling sickness of any kind, that you stay at home.

Although we are excited to transition back to in-person offerings, we also realize that some clients may not feel comfortable coming in yet, or you may have days where you can’t make it in due to kids, work, life, etc. 

It’s for this reason, that for the month of June (and potentially longer) that we will be running a “hybrid” service model. 

The new model allows us to serve clients for in-person sessions, as well as keep up the volume of online offerings. 

We are organizing this new hybrid model into what we are calling “S5.”

To allow for better coaching, more customization, more personal attention, better results, and smaller session sizes, we are doubling down on our Small Group Personal Training service. 

However, we also know that people may miss the “circuit” or “HIIT” style of Team Training workouts, and it is for this reason that although every session in the facility will be a “Small Group” size, they will have different “themes” to them. 

S5 is built around five programs, three of which are the foundation of our small group personal training model:

STRONG: This is small group personal training like you knew it before. We’ll continue with monthly customized programming, an emphasis on strength and injury prevention, and great coaching and customization that you all know, like, and trust. 

SWEAT: This is the Team Training style workout, but with a smaller session size (8 clients), it allows us to provide proper spacing, more customized cardiovascular programming, and better tracking of your history/performance within each session. Because of this, we can appropriately and individually push you more, and hope it becomes less-intimidating for those previously nervous of larger groups.

STRETCH: This became extremely popular over the last 6-7 weeks, and we are so excited to continue offering it. These sessions are a combination of yoga moves, mobility work, soft tissue work, and flexibility training. In the beginning, STRETCH will be offered online-only, but we hope to bring it into the facility in the near future. 

These three programs will be the foundation of our offerings. Again, doubling down on a small group personal training format not only allows us to keep all of you safer and more spaced out, but also opens the doors for more customization, more coaching, and a less-intimidating environment. Especially those of you that were intimidated by/didn’t like Team Training. For those that loved Team Training, don’t fret, with 8 clients, we’ll be able to push you more at an individual level. Also important to note, although they all have focuses for the day, they are all custom full-body routines, meaning you will sweat in STRONG, and you will get strong in SWEAT. 

So, if you’re coming into the facility, head into the app, and knowing that everything will be a small group format, simply pick your “focus” for that day. Do you want to SWEAT, get STRONG, or STRETCH?  

One of the offerings we have seen more than double during this time is our STRATEGY Sessions, and that is the fourth pillar of S5. We conducted 418 of them in the month of April alone. These are 1:1 personal accountability meetings with a coach. You use this time to check-in, track habits, create a game plan, stay accountable, and for your in-person ones, we can also do an InBody body composition scan to track results. 

We invite you to schedule as many of these as you’d like, and we have allocated 30 minutes per client per month on our schedules for these going forward. Which means, if you want to do one 30-minute meeting per month, or bi-weekly 15-minute ones, or some other combination, that’s up to you, and the coach will help guide that decision each month. These can be done in-person, over the phone, or video via Zoom. 

Finally, we have seen the enormous benefit of having the flexibility and the convenience of having online offerings seven days per week. Although it’s certainly nice to have pre-recorded workouts, what I’m really talking about is the ability to join us LIVE with a coach so they can see you, hear you, and coach you. The frequency and results that our clients are experiencing right now is amazing, and it is for this reason that we are excited to launch STREAM. 

STREAM will include daily LIVE workouts you can sign up for with a coach, just like you have been doing now, and we will duplicate the three core programs (STRONG, SWEAT, & STRETCH) that we will also run in the facility. All the workouts will also be recorded so that you can access them 365 days a year, 24/7, on a client-only portal. We also plan to continue our online game nights, seminars, and hangouts. All current clients will get unlimited sessions of STREAM at no extra charge. 

As you return back to the facility, whenever you’re comfortable, we will meet with you individually to assure you are on the best membership, and we are also required to have all clients sign a new waiver.

As I conclude, I just want to say thank you. I truly can’t put into words how grateful my team and I are that you supported us throughout all of this, and continue to support this “new normal.” It’s thanks to your support that all of our employees remain fully employed, have been since this all started, and we are stronger than ever as we continue to make strides forward. 

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Good News

Pivot.

That’s been my word over these last two months, and that’s what our team and each of you have had to do.

Pivot; stay centered, stay focused, and change direction.

Yesterday we got the news that gyms will not be able to open their doors on June 1st as originally planned.

After I let the news sink in, I thought to myself…

“Our doors have never been closed.”

Since the beginning of all of this, I have never said that we closed.

We just transitioned into online services.

Our team is working harder than ever, putting in more hours than they ever have, and thanks to your support, we’ve been able to retain 100% of our team.

We’re still delivering great coaching, and impeccable accountability, all supported by a (virtual) community.

In fact, since Mid-March when this all began we’ve delivered over 700 virtual training sessions, and over 650 1:1 strategy sessions or personal accountability calls with clients.

So, am I bummed that we can’t open our physical doors on June 1st?

Yeah, of course.

But our mission has always been to change lives, to empower those intimidated by the typical gym to live stronger lives, and we’ll continue to do that every single day just like we have been since 2012.

In last night's Facebook Live video in our client-only Facebook group (linked below), I talked about the mindset that needs to shift for all of us.

For years, we measured success by how many times we walked through the door to the gym.

Although I’m looking forward to that day, just like all of you, the biggest lesson we’ve learned over these last two months is that we can still change lives, even if it’s online.

We can still coach you, we can still hold you accountable, and we can still maintain our community, albeit virtually.

In fact, we have had dozens of clients get better results during this pandemic because of increased engagement with the convenience and flexibility of getting coaching online.

So, as I mention in my video, the deliverable doesn’t change, just how we deliver it must be different right now.

Why do I say all of this?

If you haven’t engaged in any of our online sessions or hoped on a 1:1 call with a coach I have one question for you…

Will you try it for me?

Just try it.

If you don’t like it, I get it. However, until you try it, you truly don’t know.

So, what’s next?

Here are some of the things we’re doing….

I have daily calls into the Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), which I’m told makes the business decisions during this pandemic to see if we can get an exception and approval because we are not a health club, we are a personal training gym.

As you know, we run an appointment-based model, can keep sessions to 4-8 people, and feel very confident in our safety and cleaning protocols in place, all of which I have shared in past memos.

While we await a return call from them, we will continue offering outdoor workouts of 10 or fewer people.

These have been a great complement to our online offerings, and we can plan to really ramp up the offerings of these starting next week.

As a reminder, we’re finalizing the schedule every Friday for the following week, so please wait until Friday to book your sessions for the following week.

We are also allowed to offer 1:1 private training indoors, so we will be putting some offers out for that in the coming days.

Of course, we will continue to deliver 10+ sessions a day online for those who are not comfortable or can’t participate in the outdoor sessions.

Please also utilize the benefit of doing 1:1 Strategy Session calls with a coach to hold you accountable, problem solve, and keep you motivated throughout this.

Finally, whenever we do get the green light to open our physical doors again, we will be ready.

Whether we get an early approval, or we have to wait a couple more weeks, we’re ready.

As I’ve mentioned in previous memos, we have an enormous amount of safety and cleaning protocols in place including keeping every session to no more than 8 clients where you will have your own 10x10 “pod” with your own equipment so you don’t need to share, hourly cleaning protocols, and more.

Pivot.

That’s what we’re doing today, once again, and that’s what I’m asking you to do with us.

Together, we will get past this, and we will be stronger on the other side of it.

1% Better.

Dedicated To Your Success,

Doug Spurling

PS: I know not everyone is on Facebook which is why we also e-mail so much, but if you're not in our client-only Facebook Group you're really missing out. Below is a live video I did last night after getting the news...

When the rug gets pulled out from underneath you

A few years ago, I was hustling down the stairs in my socks when my feet when out from under me. Before I knew it, I was lying on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the white ceiling above.

 Sheila, who had been outside at the time, heard me fall and came running inside, asking if I was ok.

 It took me a minute to answer.

 I threw my body around a lot as an athlete, but I’m not sure that there is anything quite as startling as falling down so suddenly, especially as you get older. Whether it’s slipping on the ice, getting bitten by the turf monster, or sliding on your wooden stairs, suddenly losing your feet is incredibly disconcerting.

Which is presumably where the expression “having the rug pulled out from underneath you” comes from. When we have the rug pulled out from underneath us, it can be an incredibly disconcerting experience.

Yesterday that happened to me twice, metaphorically speaking, in a few different ways. I’d argue that most of us have had a similar experience multiple times in the past few months. And I don’t know about you, but as I sit here and type this, despite the constantly and frantically shifting terrain, I still find the abrupt changes incredibly disconcerting.

But also, as I type this, I am reminded of what the actual physical process of having the rug pulled out from under you looks like, and how you cope.

First and foremost, your perspective changes. One minute you’re standing up, looking straight ahead, thinking about what to have for lunch, and the next minute, you’re flat on your back, looking at the sky and wondering how you could possibly have gone from standing to lying flat that quickly….and even more so, wondering how you could go so fast from feeling as though you were in control, to realizing that control is not always in your hands.

Second of all, you have to spend a few minutes figuring out what’s ok and what’s not ok. When you first fall, you’re sure that nothing is ok and nothing is going to be ok. Your Worst Case Scenario Wilma (my alter ego) is the first on the scene when that rug is tugged on you. She is sure that something is broken, something is sprained and wondering if your phone is close enough to have Siri dial 911. And whether or not the door is unlocked.

But gradually, as you take inventory of the situation, you scan your body and realize what is ok and what is not ok. In my case, as I slowed down and paid attention to my body, I realized that I was mostly ok. And before you know it, you are likely feeling some gratitude for what is ok. (While also making an appointment with your chiropractor for your back, which is now a bit out of whack…)

Finally, you develop some resilience (and in some cases, precautions) to protect yourself in the future. In terms of my actual falling down the stairs, I haven’t walked down our wooden staircase without holding onto the hand rail since the fall happened. I’m reasonably fit and athletic, but I’ll never forget exactly how quickly that fall happened. So I’m much more mindful in some situations.

And, as I wrote about a few weeks ago – I’ve come to understand that even though our lives, situations, and expectations can change in an instant – so too can our ability to persevere.

3 Steps To Change

Change is hard...

We knew that before, but we really got to know change over the last two months.

For most of us, we were forced to change.

However, although a lot of the changes we had to make were not ideal for us, it did create some silver linings.

A lot of clients I’ve talked to throughout this pandemic have talked to me about personal changes they want to finally make.

Whether that means physical changes they’re finally ready to commit to, vocational changes, or just personal habits.

Maybe they’ve had time to reflect more throughout all of this…

Even when we talk about getting 1% better, that still means changing from where you currently are to get a a little bit better. 

All of these conversations made me think of the three steps we must take as we tackle change.

1. Raise Your Standards

You first have to change what you demand about yourself. You have to have a list of things you no longer accept in life. Write down all things you no longer tolerate. 

When Rosa Parks refused to move her seat on the bus, she raised her standards. She no longer accepted the norm. That was the tipping point to the massive change. 

Every single change starts with raising your standards. 

2. Change Your Limiting Beliefs

If you raise your standards, but don't really believe you can meet them, then you already put the nail in the coffin. 

Our beliefs are what tell us how things are, what's possible, and what's impossible. 

They shape every action we make. 

You can raise your standards as high as you want, but if you don't take control of your belief system, nothing will change. 

Let's look at an example. 

You can look in the mirror and say " I want to lose weight. I'm no longer going to accept being in the shape I'm in."

But...

If you don't, deep down, believe what you're telling yourself, nothing will ever change. 

Empowering beliefs, this sense of certainty, is the force behind any great success. 

3. Change Your Strategy

If you set a higher standard, and you get yourself to truly believe it, figuring out strategies is the easy part. 

One of my favorite quotes comes from my mentor, Heath, who probably got it from somebody famous. He always tells me...

"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got."

Basically saying, if you keep doing the same stuff, you'll keep getting the same results. 

If you want to change, you have to change your strategy. 

For fitness, this could be a change in your nutrition, a change in your sleep, a change in your exercise frequency, or a change in how you manage stress. 

In life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. 

That's where coaches come in. 

The reason why our clients love having a coach is not for the new stuff we teach them. 

Sure, here and there, we throw some new nuggets at them. 

But 99% of the time, it's making sure they’re staying accountable and doing what they already know they should be doing. 

So there're the 3 steps to change. 

Simple?

Yes. 

Easy?

No. 

Whether you're looking to change things physically, financially, emotionally, or any other change, every change must go through these 3 steps. 

Reopening Plan

Dear Community Members,

As we make the transition back into our facility, please know that the health and safety of you and your loved ones is our highest priority. We will continue to follow the orders of the State of Maine and the Maine CDC.

We will also continue to offer outdoor workouts for those not comfortable coming indoors, as well as our online STREAM offerings. You can learn more about new programming here.

We’re excited to get back into our facility with the following precautions in mind: 

1. While the gym was closed we stripped everything down, painted every wall, cleaned every surface, and even worked on some nice upgrades to the lobby and bathrooms. We also installed a foot operated door opener on the entry door so clients can enter the facility without using their hands. 

2. We spent thousands of dollars on more equipment to allow clients to not have to share equipment while we all take these extra precautions.

3. We have adjusted our programming and facility layout to allow clients to have their own individual working space in their session, a “pod” as we call it. This allows ample space, marked off with tape, and 14’ of distance between you and the next client during any vigorous exercise.

4. We will be limiting all Small Group Personal Training sessions to 8 people to allow for more spacing and more individualized coaching.

5. In addition to not needing to share equipment before disinfecting it, and physically distancing each client, we have hourly cleaning protocols in place covering every square inch of the facility. 

6. We will keep sessions to 50 minutes to allow us time to clean the facility for the next session, in addition to the cleaning that goes on throughout the session. 

7. Clients will use the provided wipes to disinfect all surfaces and equipment touched during the session, and staff will do a second cleaning after the clients leave. 

8. We ask that clients also wash their hands pre and post session as well as use the provided hand sanitizer.

9. We also ask that you only use the “hands-free” portion of the water fountain at this time

10. Staff will be wearing masks as they are in the building a “prolonged period” of time, per state guidelines.

11. We originally planned on installing Air Conditioning in our facility this summer. At this time we have put that on hold in plans to have our two 14’ overhead garage doors open to allow for improved air quality.

We’re excited to continue to make strides forward with this “new normal.” 

We hope this message not only shows the community just how proactive we’re being with your safety, but also opens the opportunity for you to check us out for your health and wellness needs as we have updated our cleaning and safety protocols and offerings.

1% Better.

Dedicated To Your Success,

Doug Spurling & The Spurling Fitness Team

Can You Put A Dollar Sign On Your Health?

I wrote the following post in 2012, and again in 2016.

All of this is still so true, and I thought of this post after a conversation I was having with a client last week about the cost of medications, co-pays, etc. and he said that his membership at Spurling eliminates the need for all of that…so it actually saves him hundreds of dollars a month.

I reference my dad in the following post, unfortunately, my dad passed away in October of 2018 from heart failure.

———

I'm  getting ready to head down to Massachusetts to take my dad out to lunch for his 70th birthday. 

Each year my brother and I take him to his favorite seafood spot on the waters of Gloucester, MA. 

My dad was a big fisherman in his youth so he loves having lunch on the water. 

For me, it's totally worth the two hour drive just for lunch to see the smile it puts on his face. 

For most of us going out to lunch is a normal thing. 

For my dad, and people whom are in similar situations (I'm sure you know someone), it's no small task. 

We have to coordinate the trip around his dialysis days, make sure he brings his pills he has to take with meals, and my brother has to walk next to him the entire time to assure he doesn't fall. 

Quite often when I'm around my dad, I ask myself, can you put a dollar sign on your health?

I bet you my dad would empty his accounts out yesterday if it could reverse his health issues of kidney failure, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and more. 

But the truth is...he can't. 

I realize I'm coming from a bias place when I say this, but I truly believe that investing in your health has the greatest return on investment. 

By being active a couple hours a week and eating healthy NOW, you're buying yourself time, our most valuable asset. You're saving yourself YEARS of health costs, physical stress, and more importantly, emotional stress. 

I've always found it interesting that people will spend $200 on a dinner out once a week, have a $500 car payment, or splurge on a new outfit, BEFORE investing in their health. 

You can't change genetics, but next to that, health is the number one thing that determines how long you have on this earth. Investing in your health literally adds years to your life. 

A healthy lifestyle makes the difference between miserable at 70 watching the fishermen, and someone being 70 driving their boat and going fishing. 

In 2012 I wrote the original to this post…

I went over the costs my dad currently has for healthcare including insurance, prescriptions, CoPays, medical supplies, gas to doctors and dialysis, etc. 

It totaled over $1300/month! 

The sad thing is, growing up with him, I know most of that could have been avoided with a healthy lifestyle of not smoking, eating decent, and breaking a sweat a couple times a week. 

So think about...

Can you really put a dollar sign on your health?

Eating healthy is hard, and for some, working out can be a challenge. You may think a gym membership is not in your budget. 

But think about this...

My mom never saw my brother graduate high school, and she won’t see my brother or I get married. That’s something money can’t buy. 

My dad spends the majority of his week in a doctor’s office. He drops thousands of dollars a month to keep himself alive. 

In both instances, this wasn’t bad luck. It was directly linked to unhealthy life choices. 

I didn’t write this to have you feel bad for me, trust me, I'm super fortunate to still have my dad around, and I know their are SO many people reading this who have gone through much worse. 

I wrote this in hopes that you will read it, take my advice for what it’s worth, and realize that investing in your health has THE GREATEST return on investment. 

You are given one life. Take care of your body, because you only get one of them, and your health, yeah your health, it’s priceless.

___

I’ve been writing a blog, almost daily, since 2012 and that piece above is still, after all these years, one of the most popular pieces on our sites.

I’m not sure why?

Maybe it’s because numbers don’t lie.

Maybe it’s a wake up call for all of us about priorities.

Maybe' it’s because we can’t put a dollar sign on our health.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Let it be

In my sophomore year of college, I attended a week-long silent retreat. A group of fellow students and I came back from holiday break a week early and piled into an old dormitory on the grounds of what had once been Villa Maria College in Erie, PA.

The retreat consisted of sessions in the morning, afternoon and evening, teaching us about self-reflection and prayer. In between those sessions we had time to digest the content, as we walked about the grounds in silence. We could go for walks, nap or meet with our spiritual directors.

I’ve read before that silence leads to reflection, that reflection leads to appreciation, and that appreciation looks about for someone to thank.

While I believe this notion to be true, my first experience with extended silence felt like someone knocked over a fire hydrant in my brain because I suddenly had ALL OF THE THOUGHTS.

ALL OF THEM.

Which is, I suppose, why the retreat was guided, and why we each had a spiritual director because SO MANY THOUGHTS.

Sr. Mary was my spiritual director and she helped me manage the time in my head as best as she could, but ultimately, it was a quiet moment with a 1970’s clock radio that gave me some relief.

During one of the breaks, I put on the radio and the Beatles song Let it Be came on. For whatever reason, it was that song, that mantra that helped me settle into the silence. Ultimately, that silent retreat was one of the most impactful experiences in my life up to that point.

But the practice of letting things be is just that - practice - and something that I have let get away from me more and more over the years.

I’m not sure there is anything much harder in this life than just letting something be, and I was knee-deep in that learning lesson.

I was reminded of both the retreat and the mantra/song last Saturday when I tried to follow some advice from my therapist.

Shut off all of your screens, she said. From 12-8.

I asked what I was supposed to do with those 8 hours and, predictably, she said nothing.

“Just be.”

My hobbies these days include doing work, because I love my work. Writing, taking classes for personal development, making ridiculous videos that sometimes are about fitness - I enjoy these things. But they also drain me.

My original plan was to go for a hike, but it snowed, because spring in Maine. So I didn’t shut down for eight hours, but I unplugged for a few hours.

I rearranged my office, hung up a few pictures, but it wasn’t very long before I found myself sitting in front of the blank screens on my desk, almost rocking back and forth, figuring how to just be in the moment. I looked over at my book shelf, trying to decide on something to help distract me and I happened to pull out one of my favorite, yet forgotten books.

“Wherever You Go, There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I flipped through the book and landed on a sentence that I’d underlined several years ago when I first read the book:

“Meditation is the only intentional, systematic human activity which at bottom is about not trying to improve yourself or get anywhere else, but simply to realize where you already are.”

It is so hard to just let it be - whatever your “it” might be. Because there’s such a compelling need for all of us to make something more. It’s hard to just be in a moment, especially right now when so many moments feel heavy and suffocating.

Meditating and prayer is something that I’ve gotten away from in recent months, but something that has often helped me fill my tank.

I looked up from the book and at the framed Beatles’ album on my wall. And for just a few minutes, I just let everything be.

Are You Scared?

Are you scared?

I am. 

Every single day. 

I care a ton about everything that I do, my family, the business, our team, our clients, everything. 

Whether it's this post, our brand as a whole, the experience at the gym, the results my consulting clients are getting, I'm scared. 

But I'm ok with that. 

Being scared means I care. 

I care about what people think, I anxiously await their feedback, and it keeps me on my toes to constantly get better. 

Fear is helpful, it keeps you on alert, and it can be a great motivator.

Are you scared?

I hope so. 

Because that means you're doing something that will cause you to get better. 

The ride of a fitness transformation, or any other change for that matter, can be scary, there’s no doubting that.

It's scary trying something new.

It's scary thinking you won't be able to do what others are doing. 

It's scary not knowing what to do. 

But that's ok...

Why?

It means you'll be on high alert, you'll care about every single detail. 

It means you'll try your hardest and put your best effort in. 

And remember this...

If you're not doing something that scares you every single day, you aren't getting better. 

One of my favorite quotes, from Hugh Laurie…

“It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling right now that actually no one is ready to do anything. There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now.”

Whether you’re scared because you’re not sure how to start, or you’re scared because you are about to try something new, go for something great and challenge yourself.

Being scared is okay, just don’t let it paralyze you.

Action cures fear.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Nail It

While we’ve been serving all of our clients online during this time, Josh and I have been in the facility doing some renovations and touch ups to make it extra clean upon our return on June 1st.

I’m proud to say that even after a lot of hammer swinging, I only hit my thumb with the hammer once.

However, it got me thinking about a saying we use as a team quite a bit.

Nail the basics.

For us, that means three things:

1. Great coaching at every single interaction.

2. Hold every client accountable to their goals and attendance

3. Continue to make sure everyone feels a part of the community as to not lose the “family-like” feel.

That’s it.

Nail the basics.

Because, you see, what happens, if you start to throw in too many moving pieces, too many new changes, too many shiny objects, it distracts you from the basics, and they start to fall.

I tell you all of this because it’s a good lesson for your life in general, especially fitness, now more than ever before.

Sometimes we take on too much, we try to do everything at once, and as a result, we see the main thing suffer.

You see that in relationships.

You see that in families.

You see that in work.

And you certainly see that in your health.

So, what are the basics of your health?

It could be three things like:

• Getting 10 workouts in per month

• Journaling your food at least 80% of the month

• Sleep at least 200 hours per month

It can be fun to add a shiny object in the moment and talk about all the fancy things like cool new exercises, fancy diets to follow, or whatever the latest and greatest trend is today on social media, but the truth is, the basics work.

I don’t know a single client who shows up on our frequent sweaters board (10 sessions in the month) every single month, that doesn’t get results.

Nail the basics.

That’s our theme, maybe it can be yours too.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

A Big Decision...

I remember when I first started the gym 8.5 years ago I would keep the thermostat at 58 degrees.

There were days where you could see your breath and the dumbbell handles would make your hands freeze.

The truth is, it wasn’t out of desire, it was out of necessity because I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay the propane bill when it came in.

Luckily we’ve evolved a little :)

Heck, even now though, with the facility shutdown until 6/1 and serving all our clients online, we’re keeping the thermostat at 60 because no one is in there.

We’re setting the tone.

But, I’m not here today to talk about us, I want to ask you…

Which one are you?

A thermometer or a thermostat?

They sound similar, but they are actually quite different. 

A thermometer REACTS to the temperature. 

A thermostat SETS and CONTROLS the temperature. 

So...

Do you sit back and wait to react?

Or do you take control, set the tone, and go after what you want?

I think the number one reason why I love this stuff is I could relate this to about 1000 other things other than fitness, and it still holds true.

In business I don't really pay attention to what others are doing, we simply set our vision, take control, and go after it. 

With your finances, you have to take control of things, set where your money goes and go after it. 

In life, sure there is a time to react to what just came up (hello, pandemic), but most of the time it's about being a thermostat. 

Putting your head down, setting the tone, and taking control of what you want, and control the controllable.

In fitness and nutrition, we see thermometers all the time...

You overeat on the weekend so you REACT by going to the complete other side of the spectrum. 

You see the new shiny new diet plan or a cool YouTube exercise so you REACT and hope for the quick fix. 

My best advice would be to keep your head down, keep your vision and goals in constant sight, and take control of what you want. 

Don't get sidetracked by a new shiny object or a bump in the road, they will come up, don't worry, just be a thermostat, set the tone, stay in your lane, and just chip away at what you want, drip by drip fill the bucket. 

Be a thermostat.

1% Better. 

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

This Might Be...

This might be the most common trait needed to long-term success.

In fitness, and in life in general, we know we default to looking for the quick fix.

We also know that it can be very easy to get caught up in the weeds…

Should I eat organic or not?

How many servings of vegetables should I have?

Which exercises are best for me?

Should I do strength training, circuit training, or yoga?

I’ve talked in past writings about the two key drivers to success in health…

Frequency & Nutrition.

That may seem obvious, but you do have to show up in order to get results :)

It’s been interesting with our pivot to serving all of our clients online during these crazy times, we have actually saw more workouts done in the month of April than any other month.

People are getting a higher frequency of workouts because of the 7-day per week access to our coaching and accountability, without the hindrance of a commute or all the challenges of getting to the facility.

We also know that you can’t outwork a bad diet.

I wish you could, trust me, but we can’t.

I’m a perfect example of that right now, I can’t expect results until I clean up my nutrition.

But, I was thinking, it goes further than that.

I think the most common behavior for long-term success is…

The ability to stick with it, stick with it when things get tough, and stick with it in the long-term.

Seriously, the amount of people that stop something because one thing goes awry is mind boggling.

This is true not just in fitness, but in life in general.

We often quit something too soon.

The moment we’re ready to quit is usually the moment right before something great is going to happen.

The ability to stick with it, when things are tough, when you don’t feel like it, might be the biggest key to success.

And trust me, I know know than ever you probably have that feeling of just throwing in the towel or maybe even “I’ll just get outside this summer.”

And although that’s an important component (we all love some Vitamin D), it’s really hard to stay motivated and accountable by yourself.

Do you have any injury?

You typically have three other limbs and a core we can work around.

Are you feeling tired, stressed, and no energy?

Working out is the greatest tool for that.

Health and fitness is not something that ever ends, and it’s more important than ever before.

Without taking sides, we do know that the majority of people that were severely impacted by COVID-19 had underlying conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.

That might be scary to hear, but hopefully that excites you.

You can get on the preventative side.

There is always something to get better at, there is always something to celebrate, there is always a win to be had.

The ability to stick with it, when you’re busy, when you don’t feel like it, when you have 10,000 other things going on in life, that might be the biggest key to long-term success.

We created a “Visits Club” for the gym.

350 lifetime visits, 750 visits, 1250 visits, etc.

There is one person in the 1250 visits club (yay, Lynette).

Getting your name under the 1250 visits club is a great goal for everyone.

After that?

2500, 5000, …10,000?

My point is, sticking with it might be the biggest key to success.

We’re focused on fitness here, but apply to this to any area of your life.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling

Drive

Last night I was checking up with a long-time client, she was asking me how things are going, and what I'm up to, and I was doing the same for her.

Her question then came up...

"How do you have so much drive?"

While I'm always humbled when people say that, I'm not here to talk about me, but instead, give you some suggestions for how to find your drive, especially in times like we’re all in now.

Ultimately, when I think of drive, I think of the motivation to do more, to move forward with what you want, and to take the action to actually follow through with those things.

In no particular order, here are six random thoughts on how I find the drive, and maybe one or two of them you can relate to.

1. A very clear vision

Remember all those exercises where I have you write down your ideal day, your ideal life, etc.

Yeah, I actually do those exercises.

I have a very clear vision for what I want to get done in life and what success looks like in all those areas.

What I want to do with my family...

What trips do we want to go on...

What a typical weekend looks like now and what we want it to look like in a few years...

What my finances look like...

How much money I need to save today to make sure our retirement years are stable...

What my fitness looks like...

How do I feel...

What makes me happy...

These are all questions, and more, you can fill out for your personal vision.

I think this is the foundation of everything I do.

Whether it's a family, finance, fitness, or business decision, it always comes back to the question...

Does this move me closer to my vision?

My vision is something that inspires me, motivates me, and I literally can't wait to wake up every day to do things that move me closer to my vision.

Create a vision of all aspects of your life and create it in a way that is motivating, challenging, inspiring, and something you have to work towards every day.

Remember, the vision is not a plan, things are not going to go as planned, I mean look at what’s going on in the world right now.

It’s about having a vision, a picture, for where you want to go.

It's never perfect, but it's a work in progress.

2. We're all going to die

I know it's morbid, but I'm weird, and it motivates me more than almost anything.

I have had the unfortunate/fortunate chance to know way too many people that died around me.

I'm pretty sure I've been to more funerals than most people reading this.

Most of you know my mom died a month after my 21st birthday.

My dad died about 18 months ago, meaning I lost both my parents before turning 30.

But what some of you don't know is I spent my high school and college years working in a nursing home that specialized in working with Alzheimer's patients.

While there I assisted in CPR with patients that didn't make it, I held the hands of dozens of people as they took their last breath, and washed the bodies of those same people before their family came in.

I also had the great pleasure of getting to chat with a lot of people over the age of 80, and learned that life really is short.

Sprinkle in the need to use my fingers and toes to count the number of kids I went to high school that have past away from drugs, suicide, or crack wrecks.

The point is, we are all here for a short time and a good time, and that is so motivating to me.

I want to to be the best dad, the best husband, the best leader, and I want to leave as big of a legacy as I can.

I know it's morbid, but I use our "deadline" as a huge motivator to my drive.

3. Extreme ownership

I am responsible for everything that has happened to me.

Everything that you see in front of you is a matter of choices.

How you react to things...

How you do the small stuff...

I have a famous saying with my team...

"bring me solutions, not problems."

Life will always be full of problems, the current events going on right now is a perfect example.

I aim to control the controllable.

Mark Manson says that life is just the exchange of good problems with better problems.

I try not to complain about anything, but instead, find the solution to what I am not happy about.

I take extreme ownership of anything that happens to me.

If a team member didn't do something they were supposed to do, it's my fault, I didn't train them enough.

It all comes back to me and my choices.

4. Not comparing yourself to others...

My vision is my vision.

Your vision is your vision.

What drives me does not drive you.

You will lose your drive if you're trying to live a life that someone else wants you to live.

Too many of us wake up every day miserable because we're not doing what makes us happy, we're doing what we think others want us to do.

Screw that (see #2).

Whether it's in fitness, finances, family life, or anything, I try to never compare myself to others.

Again, easier said than done, i know.

If I'm trying to always do what others are doing or what I think others want me to do, I'll have no drive.

You do you.

Do what makes you happy...

Do things that you can't wait to go to bed only because you know the next thing is waking up and doing that "thing" again.

You know the feeling the kids have the first time they go to Disney?

The morning they wake up at 3am so excited to go see Mickey?

That's my goal....every day.

If you're constantly comparing yourself to others, you will never have that.

5. Do Things When They’re Fresh

The procrastinators out there might not like this one :)

As soon as I have an idea for something, I try to implement as fast as possible.

As soon as I have a thing I want to do, a project to tackle, I do it.

As much as I’m a list person, I’m driven to get things done when they’re fresh on my mind.

If I can do it today instead of tomorrow I will.

That often means a lot of random “work” hours, running out of the shower to my phone to jot down the idea, or cracking open the laptop late at night because I want to make progress on something when it’s “fresh.”

The desire to do things when it’s top of mind, when it’s fresh, and not just add it to a “future list” creates some instant gratification and drives me to get going right away.

6. 1% Better

I have to end with this.

It's our famous motto at Spurling, it's the title of my book, and it's how I live my life.

It drives me to just get a little better every day.

I know that I can wake up today and try to be a better father, a better husband, and a better leader than I was yesterday.

That by itself is all the drive I need, just the drive to be better than yesterday.

So, it's all tied together...

Have a clear vision, a clear picture of what success looks like.

Always remember that you have a deadline, we all have a short time left, and I'm driven to make that a great time.

Only good days and great days :)

Take extreme ownership of everything that comes to you.

Don't compare yourself to others.

Learn how you're wired.

What drives you?

1% Better.

Dedicated To Your Success,

Doug Spurling