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I did an entire podcast on this topic on the Make Shift Happen Show.

Click to listen to the episode.

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But here are some things I did not mention in that show that are relevant to your journey.

So Let me start with this.  THESE ARE NOT TIPS.  Tips are things that require little in the way of transformation. They are done with little effort or thought. They are easy and painless to implement.

Practices are the complete opposite.

As the name suggests, they require PRACTICE. The effort required to attain mastery is no less daunting than the practice required to become a world-class athlete.

They require commitment.

They require specific training. They must be worked at regularly, if not daily.

They are mastered over time, but there is no final destination.  There will always be room for more growth.

I also understand this approach is contrary to what most people preach when it comes to changing how we look.

Everyone has a 90-day solution for us.  Changing how we look, how we eat, how we think about ourselves is NOT a 90-day problem.  It is a problem we will do battle with for the rest of our life.

And worse, we will never arrive at that moment where we have everything all figured out.

But dont' get me wrong. That is not to say we won’t have tremendous success along the way, I just want to make it clear that there will always be work to be done.

There will always peaks and valleys.

There will be times when everything is clicking on all cylinders and we are making all the correct moves to get the results we desire.

There will be other times where everything is an absolute struggle and it seems like we are going nowhere.

And those looking for a quick fix solution will bow out long before results ever come because they still don’t understand that this is about learning and harnessing skills.

Those who get it, will struggle, but they will make progress.  And you know what? They will eventually endure. They will get results and they will get to a point where they like how they look, how they think and how they deal with setbacks.

But they won’t make the mistake of thinking they have arrived.  They have done that too many times in the past.

They realize that all can be lost in a moment if they are not careful.

They know all too well that habits are not formed in 21 days.  They are formed the moment they decide to commit to something and they have to work their ass off for the rest of their life to make sure it continues.

They understand that in a moment of weakness the mind can squash any habit it so desires regardless of how long they have been doing it.

Think of all the ex-smokers we know who go years, if not decades smoke free, only to take the habit up again.

So is the power of a mind that is left to it’s own devices.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.  There is a better approach to transformation.

It requires ditching the tips mindset and adopting the practices mindset, much like someone looking to attain mastery in programming, writing or public speaking.

So let me introduce you to 10 practices worthy of adoption.  Are there others?

Absolutely.  Don’t be hemmed in by the 10 I have included in this list.  Use what I present as a guide that can be tweaked and massaged to create something that fits your particular mindset.

You ready? Great. Let's do this.

Practice #1:  Accept nothing as fact

Just because someone says something is so doesn’t make it so.  People who get results never take someone else’s word on something…EVER!

Question everything. Inquire about sources.  Dig deep and do your own investigative work to come to your own conclusions.

Practice #2: Rely on our own experience

It doesn’t matter what others say. If something does not work for you then IT DOES NOT WORK. End of story!

It doesn’t mean it won’t work for others, it just doesn’t work for you.

Remember I have said on numerous occasions that I should have realized after my first year as a vegan/vegetarian that it just didn’t work for my body type.  It took me an additional 18 years to finally wake up.

I’m not saying it can’t work for others.  That is up for them to determine.  I just know it did not work for me.  End of story.

Practice #3: Tap your inner Tim Ferriss

The human body is the most advanced organism on the planet and the most unique.  No two bodies are the same.  The idea that there are universal truths that should be adopted by everyone is simply flawed logic.

Tim Ferriss gets this.  He has established a very profitable brand for himself by simply testing out ideas and sharing his unique findings with the world.

We should all be creating and testing our own theories just as Tim does.

Practice #4: Watch your language

Never EVER say, “Well so and so said we should eat/do/think this.”

If you catch yourself making this mistake, DO NOT PASS GO.  Return to practice #2 and start again.

People who get this journey say things like, “It is my experience that...”

Next time you catch yourself regurgitating someone else’s ideas without knowing if they work for you, smack yourself...HARD.

Practice #5: Accept full responsibility

People who succeed at this do not play the victim card.  They find a way to overcome whatever physical, hormonal or genetic limitation that has been placed before them.

Want a lesson in what that looks like? Visit Alan Low's Facebook fanpage and look at how he has dealt with being a bi-lateral amputee.

He probably has the best reason in the world for being able to say he can't do a push up.  But he doesn't play that card.  Rather he has found ways to work around this obstacle to allow him to accomplish his ultimate goals.

I love the creativity that has gone into building equipment so he can perform the movements he wants.

Let Alan be a source of inspiration when you are desperate to play your victim card.

Next post I will complete the practices you may want to consider adopting.

So what is your takeaway from today’s post?

Remember this is my viewpoint.  I have had success adopting these practices, but I too am a long way from even seeing the finish line.

All I ask is that you look at these objectively and see what can be applied to your life that could truly make a difference.

Whatever you decide is fine by me.

Just remember that whatever you decide, you get to own.  Just be sure you are taking ownership of something that leads to living a life that your are truly happy with.

To your health,

Deano