The ol’ gut isn’t as firm as it used to be and you know you need some exercise but there are so many obstacles to getting into a regimen. First, you struggle with time, whether it’s overloaded while at work or running kids around for activities once you clock out, the amount of time available for personal exercise is limited for most adults. Secondly, like the rest of humanity, you struggle with motivation. The stress of trying to wake up early or to squeeze a quick work out in between the commute from the office to home seem to be the most common options but many working parents struggle to create openings in their packed calendars. Should you do decide to join a gym, you soon find yourself out of place in the politics of waiting for an exercise bike that isn’t designated as the property of the Armstrong wannabe or getting a few reps in on the weight bench from the semi-semi-pro that looks like they could compress you like a tin can. Statistics show that as high as 80% of persons who join a gym in January, the New Years Resolution folks, will drop off within five months (Lake 2014). Many adults are finding fulfillment and success with league based sports such as indoor soccer as they provided a fun way to exercise in a structured, exciting and competitive environment. Structured Most people thrive with some sort of structured activity. While we may be motivated to get healthy we may not know where to start. Unless you can afford the expense of gym membership and a personal trainer, your willingness to pursue your goals may be uprooted by your lack of experience in devising a realistic plan for success. Indoor soccer provides youth and adults with an opportunity to exercise within the structure of an organized activity. The objective is simple enough that all skill levels can immediately engage in the sport. Indoor soccer league play provides non-stop physical activity that engages the mind, challenges the body and activates that competitive spirit. When compared to running on a treadmill or other static cardio workouts, soccer provides a more complete workout. Soccer places positive stress on your muscles, heart and lungs within the structure of an activity that is fun to participate in. Depending on your body composition and intensity in the activity, 30 minutes of soccer can burn an average of 300 calories, whereas running an average pace of 6 miles per hour or 1 mile every 10 minutes burns roughly 135 calories for an averaged size person (many variables to both). Indoor soccer provides year round opportunities to engage in a higher intensity cardio activity that challenges the whole body. Thirty minutes of soccer will test your body and engage you in physical activity that would otherwise be rather mundane if that same amount of time were spent on a single piece of exercise equipment. Exciting The primary objective for soccer is to work with your teammates to kick a ball down the field (aka pitch) and into a net (the goal) while stopping the other team from trying to kick that same ball into your team’s net. Like many organized activities, as participants engage in the sport they often develop a desire to progress in the essential skills. Many parents are recognizing that soccer provides a fun introductory sport for children of all ages and skills and there are few sports as fast paced as soccer for young ones to enlist in. Rather than enduring long periods of inactivity or the potential to participate in an entire game without having ever touched the ball, children and adults will enjoy constant action through competitive soccer. In this way, competitive sports can also serve as a supplement to a fitness routine as the testing of cardio health, endurance, physical skill, coordination, flexibility and friendly competition are all positive enhancements in building overall health. Indoor soccer adds the convenience of being sheltered from weather conditions enabling year round participation and allowing parents to enjoy a snack or get some work done while children participate. Many indoor facilities such as Kick City Sports Park in Springfield, Oregon have a full pub onsite with warm food and cool drinks (Kick City in particular hosts 20 taps of local craft beers and ciders). Indoor soccer adds opportunities for connection with other players, friends and family as the indoor facilities has shelter and amenities which other sports programs cannot provide. Competitive As an adult your first time on the pitch for an indoor soccer game will confirm just how out of shape you are, as there is constant running combined with non-stop activity that will thoroughly test your endurance. The good news for indoor soccer league participants is that you can substitute as often and as many times as needed, again allowing persons who aren’t where they would like to be physically to engage and build their stamina. If you stay with the sport you will soon notice a hunger developing to be fit enough to complete (meeting your exercise goals) as well as the growing thirst to progress in your soccer skills (activating your competitive spirit). Exercising the body while challenging the minds through coordination of skills, the competitive nature of the sport of soccer becomes a fun means of keeping all ages focused in the setting and reaching of goals. Indoor soccer leagues provide opportunities to develop or deepen relationships with persons that will challenge as well as encourage you. Soccer provides a host of physical, mental and developmental challenges including cardio fitness, muscular dexterity, coordination, respect and teamwork. Whether you are an individual seeking an activity to help you get healthy or a parent who needs an activity for your children, you will find that soccer meets your needs and more. For the health conscious adult, as you consider your fitness goals for the following year, grab some friends and start an adult indoor soccer team or register with your local sports park and join a house team with the opportunity to meet new friends. If you are a parent looking for an activity to help your children burn off their energy, indoor soccer is about as good as it gets with regards to a fun activity to observe, has no bad weather days and provides opportunities to network or get some work done while your children participate. All ages and skill levels will find that indoor competitive soccer provides a fun way to exercise in a structured, exciting and competitive environment. Lake, Rebecca (2014, December 28) 23 Gym Membership Statistics That Will Astound You. Credit Donkey. Retrieved from https://www.creditdonkey.com/gym-membership-statistics.html
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How does one network is the wrong question. In fact, its a dumb question that will lead to many hours spent chasing rooms full of hollow people gathered for free coffee and stale donuts (Exhibit A). How does one find and/or start a gathering of professionals that will generate mutually beneficial relationships? This is the right question or at least a question that will lead to better results that that other stupid question that you started with. What do you do if you have an Exhibit A mentality but you want to stop asking dumb questions and attending dumb meetings? Step 1: Define what you are doing (or what it is that you want to do). Answer the key question - what is your business? Step 2: Find others who are doing what you are doing? Step 3: Observe others who are doing what you are doing and take note both of A) what is working and B) what is not working from the subjects you are observing that are doing what you are doing. Step 4: Attempt to gather with those professionals who are doing what you are doing and that fall into category (A) from Step 3. This is value focused networking. Networking by its Google definition (ˈnetˌwərk) involves interaction + exchange of information + development of contacts especially to further one’s career. It is a verb. In order for a group to create a collection of valuable persons they must collectively define what value will look like, pursue persons in that vein and then deputize the membership to grow those connections. A cattle call will bring the cattle in, but that won’t do if your group is looking for birds of prey. Might we recommend our trademark the master equation of quality networking, A + B = C (When and only when): A = quality of members B = quantity of member involvement C = a strong localized networking group Conversely, C is not achieved when: A = a bunch of random visionless people assembled in a room B = irregardless of their activity, in fact their activity may be hurting them. Stop them immediately and refer them to this article. Remember, we are not seeking Exhibit A individuals or groups (as referenced in our opening statements). Our rally cry is not a cattle call for the masses of grazing business persons who are willing to sit in a stagnant field of mediocrity nibbling on trampled greens. We are becoming Exhibit B individuals who are building Exhibit B groups that are following the master equation. We are a gathering of professionals who are birds of prey in their personal and professional lives, hunting and devouring business flesh with their wings outstretched in glorious displays of plumage. A strong value-centric group should be able to answer: Why are we here meeting with strangers? Define what the group is about. What will we do to elevate each other? Establish what quality looks like and apply that as a standard to attracting members and structuring the group. How will we push each other? Generate momentum by living lives of vision that are enhanced by the sharing of insights, experiences and encouragement exchanged between members of the group. Members working together to define objectives, elevate each other and work towards collective goals is a decent manifestation of humanity as well as the secret sauce (aka master equation) that can fuel a local group of professionals into mutually beneficial relationships. Adventures of a Breach Millennial In A World Of Business DisruptionFirst off, I would like to start a designation of my own. If the term Millennial is going to be thrust upon me, I reserve the right to restore some ownership of the term by referring to myself as a Breach Millennial (BM). One thing about being a Millennial is that you don't get to choose whether you are or not, classification depends upon selection of arbitrarily fluctuating dates and the assertions of a secret society of generational dignitaries. So, Breach Millennial is one who teeters between generational markers, someone like myself who is Gen X and/or Gen Y depending of who is ordaining the categorization. As a Breach Millennialist, I have some life experiences that are more in common with Gen X than I do with Pure Millennials and one hit me rather abruptly as I sat in front of a national chain of Orange Chicken producing fast food restaurants. As a sidenote, for the purposes of this collection of ramblings, the significant distinction between a Breach Millennialist and a Pure Millenialist would be whether one can quote Top Gun...if you don't know what Top Gun is - you are a Pure Millennial. No shame in that. Not having observed or knowing Top Gun, there is shame in that. I grew up in a small town, going to the video store was one of few universe expanding escapes from our slow paced reality. All that separated me from other worlds were several miles which friends and I could usually traverse on bicycles or as we grew older and were allowed further from the bramble, rides with friends. As I entered neared closer to the finale of my primary education experience and teetered into adulthood the portal were non existent as I had my own video store membership and my own motor vehicle. One experience these younger generations, my own four children included, will never have reference for is the trip to the video store where you spend over an hour reading the backs of VHS tapes to decide which 5 movies you will take home for The Weekend Special. These are foundational decision metrics and formative processes that Pure Millennials will have to develop through other mean as movies for them come from a brightly colored boxes stationed outside the Golden Arches or are viewed on their non-movie-screen-sized handheld devices. Where is this story going? Probably nowhere, but you've come this far...let's see what we can do. Back to Orange Chicken...there I was, sitting in my badass minivan, staring at a building - THAT USED TO BE A BLOCKBUSTER (did you hear tones of a Jeff Foxworthy-esque delivery there too? Probably only if you are a BM) but is now a Rice-or-Noodles assembly line and a chain dental service provider. That building used to be filled with multiple copies of varying degrees of cinematic accomplishments, now it's Beef & Broccoli with a side of halitosis. Why did Blockbuster die? Wait, did you just say, "What's Blockbuster?" Well, young PM, that used to be where you picked up your movies. It's hard to explain but they were HUUUUGE. They died because they couldn't see the future. Redbox popped up, and at first it was a luxury because movies were $1 instead of $5 (or more). Hollywood Video disappeared even before Redbox got popular, but there was no way that Blockbuster would falter, they were too big to fail, too entrenched in the culture. And yet it happened, an un-manned video portal with only a few copies of each move played the role of David and shot a industry transforming rock right through the Blockbuster storefront with its thousands of copies of every movie known to humanty, and exploded the bearded head of the video rental giant. Supposedly Redbox and Blockbuster met at one point to discuss merging or working together...hindsight? The video renting Philistines were shocked, but the mediums through which we receive content are constantly changing, and mammoth corporations such as Blockbuster are being disrupted by innovation. If conventional wisdom says, "If it isn't broke, don't fix it," those that live by that philosophy better hope their retirement success isn't anchored to the sinking ship they are toiling their productive years away in. The reality is that everything around us is changing, the only constant is that the rate of change is accelerating. There is a strong possibility that Redbox will face it's Blockbuster moment far sooner than Blockbuster did, not because they aren't smart people but because of acceleration. So what do we do, whether you think you are in a progressive field or know you are in an industry prime for disruption, we all have to keep pace with the music. There are no safe bets, but the best practice is to be engaging in leading the disruption rather than waiting for the tsunami to rip through your efforts. How do we innovate, progress and even disrupt ourselves to keep our teams moving forward? I wish I could take full credit for the next analogy, but I was listening to the Awesome Office Podcast with guest Andres Izquieta, CEO of Four Club and he shared a story about Steve Jobs. Izquieta noted that Steve Job's favorite invention was the Sony Walkman (Pure Millennials who are still reading - Google it) which lead Jobs into creating the iPod (originally released in 2001) and completely disrupted the medium through which the public listened to music while starting a ripple through the music industry itself (another industry that was too HUUUUUGE to be disrupted). Apple made significant waves with designs, marketing, capacity and the availability of a music library at your fingertips. Because of Jobs all those Sony Walkman's were rapidly being distributed to Goodwill or the dump along with the three ring binders full of thousands of dollars worth of compact discs (sorry PM's, I know, no reference). So, on that seventh day, Steve Jobs rested and remained satisfied in his turtle neck perch for the rest of time - right? Nope. Six years later, Apple released the iPhone which now gave you calls, text, camera and music all in one handheld device. Steve Jobs didn't wait for disruption, he disrupted himself and in so doing made his prior success (the iPod) an obsolete vessel. Think of this, disrupt yourself while people are still trying to copy your original innovation and by so doing initiate your own prior success' death. Not all changes and disruptions are as sexy or make as far reaching of an impact, but the acceleration of the system shows no signs of slowing. If you are near retirement, you may have been smart enough to save up and ride out your days enjoying the fruits of your labors with the ones you love most. If you are starting your career, are in its prime or in the post mid-life crisis phase, you have to stay on your toes. What shall we do? I don't have the answer but a few thoughts. 1) Think about your people - what are you doing as an organization to engage the culture, the community and the system of commerce? Do you have people on your team that are ready to face the challenges of the new economy are you empowering them to help you identify and disrupt your organization? Is your team embracing cross generational integration of ideas and collectively working to recognize and battle against entrophy? 2) Think about your processes, what are you doing as an organization that doesn't make sense? Get to work on fixing your own solvable internal problems - don't procrastinate. Small problems can become big ones when thrown in with acceleration. Not all innovations and disruptions are about massive scale or having the greatest idea of all time, there are many thriving businesses who have made a good living with serving niche markets with quality. 3) Think about your position, what is your organization doing that is making a difference in the lives of your customers and the world as a connected system? Al Gore has literally brought the global economy to our fingertips through his invention, don't miss your opportunities to be an agent of the larger picture through engagement in your local communities. It's not always bigger is better, but acceleration requires attention to cultural and marketplace shifts and meeting those challenges. 4) Think about the public that you serve, are you getting feedback from those who are invested in your brand as well as those who are not customers? Both groups can provide you with important data to determine how your products and services are being translated to those who may be willing to spend their hard earned dollars with your organization. 5) Think about the person in the mirror, what are you doing as a leader to identify, embrace and battle the challenges of the marketplace that you compete in? Are you leading by example by developing your knowledge, skills and perspectives? As I was recently challenged by our local group of Young Professionals - Get #INformed. Get #INspired. Get #INvolved. You don't have to start wearing a turtle neck and jeans, but if you think it will help...you're wrong. Reach out and connect with other professionals, together we are stronger. If you're ever in the Eugene, Oregon area - let's get some coffee. Eugene Food Truck Fest 2016 will be hosted at Valley River Center (North Lot) on Saturday, June 18th, 2016 and is presented by SELCO Community Credit Union with portions of proceeds designated to benefit the good work of The Eugene Mission. If you enjoy local street eats, the launch of the annual event will bring together over 25 of Eugene's favorite food truck vendors and will include an opportunity to give your input for Eugene's Best in the Tasting Battle. Launch your summer with family, food, music, fun and the added bonus of supporting a good cause in our community, The Eugene Mission which is a wellness center for our local homeless. Admission is free and the event will have fun for all ages including a Kid Zone for the young foodies. Local food trucks will compete to win the title of ‘Eugene's Favorite Food Truck’ as 3 local celebrity judges who will be tasting food from each participating vendor. In addition, another truck will be awarded “People’s Choice 2016” for the crowd favorite. The setting for this event will span the bike path behind Valley River Center with the beautiful backdrop of the Willamette River. Easy access, with plenty of parking. All participating food trucks will be donating a percentage of the proceeds from food and beverage sales to the Eugene Mission which assists over 400 men, women, children and families in need every day through shelter, food, recovery and care. Eugene Food Truck Fest 2016 Saturday, June 18th 11am - 3pm Valley River North Parking Lot 293 Valley River Ctr, Eugene, Oregon 97401 To learn more about The Eugene Mission and their work restoring lives in
our community check out their website or schedule a tour for yourself, your family or your organization and see them in action. |
AuthorThoughts on personal and professional development. Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer, is a contractor, author, and host of The DYOJO Podcast. The goal of The DYOJO is to help growth-minded restoration professionals shorten their DANG learning curve for personal and professional development. You can watch The DYOJO Podcast on YouTube on Thursdays or listen on your favorite podcast platform.
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