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Where our True Passion Lies and how to work towards Passionate Success

When I talk to people about finding their dream job, I first ask "What are you really passionate about?"

Usually they would respond with a great answer, but it trails a certain "I shouldn't say this" kind of tone. They've been conditioned to believe that their dreams are only just that.

Held by fear, sustained by "Reality". Here's Reality. What's your Passion? What drives you? If you would wake up one day and realize that you would get paid to do your Passion on a day to day basis how would you feel? Imagine a day in the life of your Dream Job.

The trick of turning that Dream Job into Reality Job is to set a plan. Like I heard once in a seminar (I apologize for not remembering who said this): "A Dream without a Plan is a Wish".

Set a plan. What's your Goal? Work from Z-A, not A-Z. Set the title of what you want in Life, and work the steps backward. Then look at step A and begin. Now. Make little steps so later you will look back and realize you've made great advancements with daily success as your motivation.

If you need help forming a plan, myself as a Life/Wellness Coach can guide you to solutions for your personal and professional goals. I'm only a comment/email/message away.

So how do you work towards Passionate Success? First, set up your plan. Then, actually do it. Don't "Try"
...Well, I'm trying to get this, or trying to achieve that, etc. Just start doing it. If you make a mistake, so what? You're not the only person in this world who has made a mistake.

Start today. Start Now.


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Ready to Push It

Going over my schedule, I start thinking: "Woah, I'm going to get busier this month..."

....excuses start to build up, reasons why I should back down, get more rest, blah, blah, blah...

but then, my inner coach snapped me out of it by saying,

"Do you want success? If so, then you need to keep pushing it - more and more everyday."

I'm super pumped for the next following months - I'm planning to make more steps every day, week, month, year to get going on my goals and helping others to get going on theirs.

If you are one of those people that need a push in Fitness/Goals, please reach out to me! I'm easily found on social media (Facebook especially) I can help prioritize your goals and help you refine steps so you can have success in Fitness/Life!

In health,
Brandon Shostak
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Because I Can

Yesterday I had a really great meeting and discussed our passions, and it got me thinking:

When someone asks me at work, out among social gatherings, etc, why I do the things I do, all this time my answer should've been: Because I Can.

If we're given this life to make something of it, then why not make as much Creative Noise/Attention to put a dent in this world? So many people are being static, hate their jobs, don't have good health at all, (insert excuse/crappy reason here), and they do nothing about it.

If it's medical, psychological, that's a different story - I'm talking to those that make a decision to do nothing about their goals.

Here's a tip from me to you: Start writing down daily things you are going to make time for. Make 6 roles that you are (ie: Husband, Coach, Musician/Performer, Lifetime Team Member, Brother, Son are mine in order from highest to lowest on my priority list).

If you get asked to do something/opportunity comes your way, compare it to your priorities/roles that you have. If they conflict, your answer is easy: No.

Work on your goals, but work them in a smart way.

All in all, be one of those people that will put a Creative Dent in this world.

Why? Because You Can.
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Multiplying your Approach to Multiplied Goals

Just starting a book by Grant Cardone called The 10X Rule.

Interesting stuff, and I just got past the intro/first 10 pages.

I thought to myself, how would you 10X your goals? Set up a system of having your goals multiplied by 10, and plan your schedule to prep for a 10X goal. Yeah, it seems like madness to reach for those goals, but he made a great point in the beginning of the book...

"A Person who limits his or her potential success will limit what he or she will do to create it and keep it."

I love reading books that have motivational sayings that really fire your plans in motion.
What goal will you 10X? I have a list, and I'm ready to multiply.

Pushing play on today's workout I decided to push the envelope with my rep counts, and I impressed myself with the results.

Keep pushing play (even a bit harder everyday) and you'll impress yourself with your resolve of pushing past the goals you originally set.


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...Did you remember to Floss?

Our reputation, our business, (fill in the gap of your passion here) is our Smile. It has to look good and last a long time, so upkeep and constant tuning are in order.

So you Brush, you Floss, and you use Mouthwash.
...sometimes just Mouthwash due to oversleeping/forgetting to Brush in the first place and you are in a rush.

You get your check-up by your Dentist, and they ask how's everything going?
...then you decide to say it all, be honest, say you've forgotten to upkeep on your Teeth, or you say you've been doing your best (which is an admirable thing to say - we all do our best, and that's just fine).

...but how do you reply when they ask, "How often do you Floss?"...

Yeah, you Brush, sometimes you have the time to really brush towards the back molars, but that fine-tuning of Flossing is so essential. Following up with people you haven't talked to in a while, growing personally/professionally everyday, plugging in and outlining your goals, etc. Whatever your Floss-work is, get out the Floss, and get crackin'. You'll feel better after you do, and what the heck, it might even become a habit of Success.

...so when you go back to your Partner/Upline/Mentor Dentist asks how you are,  you can proudly say you've effectively Flossed.

You want the dream Smile? Use those daily Tools to make others want and ask how they can have that Smile too.
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Good Motivator

Working out with others is fun - completely being honest here.

Not only do you get to workout with those that you enjoy being with, you can possibly push each other to do better.

Today I worked out with not only my best friend, but also my motivation to keep Pushing Play.

I need to remind myself everyday that if I want to see change, the best tool to find the person who can really make that change happen is a mirror - you can instantly find that person who can make the changes you want to see in yourself, your family, and your world.


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Valentine's Day Lesson

 The Universe has a funny way of teaching lessons...

Just recently got news that I didn't want to hear, and at first I was very upset; frustrated, confused, out-of-sorts. It usually wouldn't have bothered me so much, but it did because it is a part of one of my passions: Music.

All the hard work and "Everything-that-I-gave"-ness seemed worthless and for nothing.

I fought back and forth trying to micro-manage thoughts - "Ok, what could I have done different?", "Did I screw up something I shouldn't have?", etc...etc...

Then, I stopped mid-thought and asked myself, "What did I learn from this?"''


I read a ton of self-help, motivational books, time management and other various subjects of that field and now was the time to put those words to the test.

Looking at the package that I picked up on the way in the house, I kept thinking that thought...

...what did I learn from this?...

...and it came to me when I opened up the package - a book that I received entitled The Big Picture.

No one knows why things happen to them, varying of goods and bads - it's all a part of the Big Picture. All along the way you can either A) try to figure it all out, back track, outline, and get really frustrated in the process, or choose the other route:

B) Enjoy every moment as it happens, and move on.

Looking back at the past week, I had some awesome experiences, met some fantastic people, and especially some that I look forward into growing great friendships with.



Anytime an experience comes your way that totally knocks the breath out of you, ask yourself:
"What did I learn from this?" - dwell on the good times, great people, and fantastic things you learned from it, and keep moving onto your next goal.

Who knows? Maybe the bigger, better thing was in the way of the current project you wanted to be a part of now - no one can see into the future.

Enjoy the Now - and appreciate it.
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Play Button...you willing to Push it?

Everyday is a Physical/Mental/Spiritual challenge to workout and make the time for my Fitness.

Some days are easier to hit that Play Button, and other days when Life happens it gets really really tempting to avoid that Play button for later, sometimes never (until tomorrow, next few days, and the spiral continues)

...you have to ask yourself though, Who are you playing the Button for?

- If for yourself alone, it is not enough.
- If for a certain event in time, it is not enough.
- If for a certain number or achievement of weight/life goals, you are on the right track.

...best reason though, is deciding that Play Button is for someone else. Family, Friends, Spouse/Partner, Loved ones, future Children, etc.

The more you make that Play Button about pushing yourself for more time/energy with loved ones and more experiences with them, those days you want to avoid pushing the Button will call to action the reasons of Why you decided to start in the first place.


~Keep pushing Play~
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Why I'm excited

Why I'm excited:
-Auditioning tomorrow for a show that really means something to me
-Best shape of my life
-About to start an accountability group that I'm really really really freakin' stoked to be a part of
-I'm inspiring others to get off their butt and get going on their fitness/life goals


...and I used to be worried about what others thought about me, what I did, etc.

I found out that when I stopped caring and started doing, I not only got more things done and accomplished more things on my list, but I also got more out of life.

Here's to pushing play - now toast with a glass of water! (or a sip of wine, sure, go ahead, have A drink)
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Take time for you

Short, sweet - take time for You.


yes, shut off the phone/tv/computer/noise from the world and sit ---- in silence.

Breathe and focus just on your breath.

Don't fret about what you're going to have to do today, tomorrow, next week - AAAHH!! Shut those thoughts off and focus on you.

How long? At least 10-15 minutes a day. Silence the world around you so you can hone and focus in on yourself. You might be pleasantly surprised how calm you become by doing this simple thing.


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A Scientific Approach to Failure

Below is a straight-copy from the blog of James Clear - I mean no copyright, only to spread this awesome idea of looking at Failure:


Treat Failure Like a Scientist

When a scientist runs an experiment, there are all sorts of results that could happen. Some results are positive and some are negative, but all of them are data points. Each result is a piece of data that can ultimately lead to an answer.
And that’s exactly how a scientist treats failure: as another data point.
This is much different than how society often talks about failure. For most of us, failure feels like an indication of who we are as a person.
Failing a test means you’re not smart enough. Failing to get fit means you’re undesirable. Failing in business means you don’t have what it takes. Failing at art means you’re not creative. And so on.
But for the scientist, a negative result is not an indication that they are a bad scientist. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Proving a hypothesis wrong is often just as useful as proving it right because you learned something along the way.
Your failures are simply data points that can help lead you to the right answer.

Failure is the Cost You Pay to be Right

None of this is to say that you should seek to make mistakes or that failing is fun. Obviously, you’ll try to do things the right way. And failing on something that is important to you is never fun.
But failure will always be part of your growth for one simple reason…
If you’re focused on building a new habit or learning a new skill or mastering a craft of any type, then you’re basically experimenting in one way or another. And if you run enough experiments, then sometimes you’re going to get a negative result.
It happens to every scientist and it will happen to you and I as well. To paraphrase Seth Godin: Failure is simply a cost you have to pay on the way to being right.
Treat failure like a scientist. Your failures are not you. Your successes are not you. They are simply data points that help guide the next experiment.

...this is all a part of his blog/website/tools/e-newsletters - great stuff to learn and grow from.
                                                      ----http://jamesclear.com/----
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Seeking for Meaning

Looking for your Purpose? Reading up on books, listening to audio, talking to others and getting their thoughts, etc?

Don't get me wrong; those are avenues  you can take and there are a multitude of material out there to tap into.

...how about this...
(I'll be quoting some quotes but I didn't find the person who summarized these things)

When you wake up and you don't find yourself excited to pick up where you left your work yesterday, you probably haven't found your calling.

Remember to keep your dreams in the forefront of your mind - visualization is crucial to goal achieving. Your Dreams express what your soul is telling you, so as crazy as it may seem -- listen to what your Dreams are telling you.

Find your passion and Grow into it - spend 15-20 minutes a day working/reading/growing into it. Since time is our non-refundable currency in this world, you might as well allocate it to your passion; squeeze the most out of that time you have to give.
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Position or Choice: What are you going to do?



Watched a fantastic video this morning by Simon Sinek: Why Leaders Eat Last.


A great talk (and if you make the time to watch) and great takeaways if you have a pen/paper (which you need to do):





Talking about chemicals that drive ourselves in this world in this video, the one that really stands out is oxytocin: the feelings of safety, trust, and love. We get throse through physical contact (hugging, shaking of hands) or acts of generosity

...money does not work as true Generosity...

It's our Time and Energy that matter: the one form of currency that once we spend it, we can't get a refund.

I do not have the Title of Fitness/Life Coach for the enjoyment of "Position". That's crap.

I Choose to be a Fitness/Life Coach because I want to give my time and energy to those that want to change their lives through working out and eating right. I Choose to help others achieve what they think is unachievable.

Believe me, if you let yourself be vulnerable with me, we can achieve great things. All you need to do is start taking steps rather than always "planning" steps to get where you want to go.

Planning is nice; action is desperately needed to turn Dreams into Deadlines.
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Posers

People who have titles but don't take the time to develop their skill sets within their profession, are Posers.

Leaders must have that never-ending drive to improve themselves and others otherwise their successes will only be re-played in their imaginations of past achievements.

Leaders can plan for the future, but if they don't live in the Now moment and go at a speed that is inspiring, tiring and motivational to others, they run the danger of driving their persona into the town of Poser-ville.

"A Leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way."
-John C. Maxwell
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It's about Nutrition, not Weight Loss

We've been under the misconception that meal replacement shakes are about weight loss and not about nutrition - I think that Nutrition is key.

I know Fitness is 20% Exercise and 80% Nutrition - I get my nutrition through Shakeology, and I don't care what others say about it (scam, too expensive, don't have the time, not good, blah, blah...) - it helps me with:
Regularity
Energy
Nutrition (get all of my vitamins/minerals for the day)
Curbs the cravings of sweets
Expanding my palate (over 70+ super-nutrient materials from around the world that are great for you).

So, I get all of that in one meal, it takes 5-10 minutes to make, and I feel like a frickin' rockstar after having it. So yes, the money is worth it because I know I'm investing in myself.

The one thing that I truly believe is people need to have a reality check and know that if they aren't feeding the body with the things it really craves (and let me tell you 70% of food products out there are not giving the nutrition your body really needs), I don't care what diet/workout program you're on: you won't achieve your Fitness Goals.
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Your Worst Enemy

Your ultimate worst enemy, the one that always gets in your way, stops your dreams, goals, etc., is Doubt and Fear. Namely, parts of you stemmed from your ego.

Those voices inside of your head that puts doubt/fear into a plan that could be great for you. When you have the thought of "That would be a great idea!" "I think this will work", they say, "Are you sure? It will be hard", "It's too tough", "You don't have the time", etc. There is a huge laundry list of things the ego says to stop you from your dreams/goals/aspirations.

Those voices kept me in control until I finally stopped listening to the doubt/fear and started investing in myself: fitness, working out, eating right, and knowing that the results were not coming from a magic pill but a sure-fire process/program that was completed through hard work. I started at 225 pounds, and through the hard work I put in (and continually do), I lost 62 pounds and am in the best shape in my life.


P90X, Shakeology, and always thinking of what I'm going to eat was the way for me. Yeah, the workouts are long, but before my transformation I found myself spending an hour or more playing games, watching tv, etc. I still enjoy those things, but now at a more controlled, less addictive kind of way.


Now that I have the energy/body that I truly appreciate, I find it easier going on long walks with my dog, doing 5k's with my wife, spending more time at home, and overall having that "can-do" attitude - those voices do not control me anymore.

Being a Fitness/Wellness Coach now I enjoy helping those that want to achieve their own fitness goals. Those that tell me that they achieved their goals thanks to my help, motivation, and willingness to push them  is the best feeling. Fitness and Music are my two big passions, and I love every day working with those aspects.

I invite those out there that want to get REAL results to reach out to me by either message, email, or by comments below.
 
Brandon Shostak is my name - if you Google Search me you'll most likely come across my profiles.

Yes, it's scary to ask for help - but if you really want those results you've been looking for, if you want that energy to keep up with your kids/friends/family, if you want to look in the mirror like I did and when you are finished with a workout/program you say to yourself, "I did it" -- all you need to do is ask.

"You + Choice + Behavior + Habit + Compounded = Goals" - Darren Hardy

Keep pushing Play,
Brandon S.
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Fueling your body right

Hey all -
Simple post: fuel your body in the right way.

-Stay away from sugar! Things that are labeled "fat-free" usually doesn't help; the sugar is still in there.

If you'd like to read a load of reasons why sugar is not good for you, check out this article:

http://nancyappleton.com/141-reasons-sugar-ruins-your-health/

...now I want to put out there I don't 100%, fully support each statement; take it for what you will. All I know is that we all need to cut down on our sugar intake - it's really addictive, hard to get off the habit, but let me tell you - you will be better for it. Your body will thank you.

Eating right doesn't have to be crunching the numbers, always counting calories/fat/carb/protein/etc...it's bound to make you go insane! Plus if you start that radically rather than having a small, successful approach to it you'll find yourself falling out of it.

Tony Horton puts it as: look at your plate. If your great-great-great-great Grandmother could name the items, you're on your way.


Veggies, fruits, lean proteins (salmon, chicken, fish). It might seem daunting to change your eating habits but there are simple ways to make this food taste great - it just takes some discipline and setting up a plan that will work for you.

My routine is this: Oatmeal/something moderately high in protein for Breakfast, Lunch is usually my Shakeology, Supper is either a salad or something light.

Eat more frequent, less portions. I would say I eat 4-5 meals a day and my energy is through the roof! (Most days without coffee too).

Shakeology is my go-to meal :). It's a meal replacement shake with over 70 natural ingredients from around the world. Super-foods are slung through this rocker of a shake, and the combinations of flavors/recipes you can make are mind-boggling.


So, keep nutrition simple people! Don't overwork yourself in crazy-calorie-counting; I tried it, I went nuts!

Salads, Shakeology, and healthy snacks - I know it works for me, and I like to tell my workout peeps this:

Exercise is spelled - W-O-R-K-O-U-T
Fitness is spelled - N-U-T-R-I-T-I-O-N

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/tc/healthy-eating-overview

20% is how you move/workout, 80% what you eat. 

Keep pushing Play,
Stakman (Brandon S.)
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