TOP 10 IDEAS FOR TURNING BORING WORK TRIPS INTO AN ADVENTURE

Whether I like it or not, I travel for work.  This has been a constant in my life ever since I decided to become an adult and get a "real job". As it so happens, I am currently in the middle of one such trip at this very moment, and for this reason I thought I would impart what I have learned about corporate travel while traversing the western half of this country.

First and foremost, let me get this disclaimer on the record: I hate saying goodbye to my family. I realize (usually right after I walk out the front door) that I miss people, and familiar surroundings.  And I realize that I am also missed by those same people while traveling for work and feel a fair amount of guilt about not being available to help out with my family’s needs. Now that that’s out of the way, let me tell you a little about myself.

My mom's side of the family is second generation Hungarian and I am convinced that through my Hungarian blood line there has to be Gypsy blood somewhere in the mix. This is the only explanation that would account for my wander lust.  I have always loved traveling, moving, and basically experiencing all that world has to offer. In my younger years living out of my backpack and crawling into my sleeping bag every night provided the fix I was looking for. I loved and lived every moment of my adventures ranging from backing packing in the middle of nowhere, hitching hiking, or making my way through South America. Every trip and new experience opened my eyes and helped shape me into the person I am today.

So here is the crux! I am now a father, husband, and working professional with only few weeks of vacation a year. Those titles above seem to run in direct contrast with my transient yearnings, and if you are like me you get it! For those of us who suffer from this condition, there is an itch that needs to be scratched. For this express purpose I would like to share the secret "hack" that I have for turning boring corporate travel into an adventure all its own.

For those of us that travel for work, the typical routine goes something like this: work all day, hit the hotel gym if you’re lucky, grab a quick bite at of bland, national chain restaurant food close by, return a few emails, and go to bed. Rinse and repeat. 

Now there are times when this is all but necessary, but there are also trips when time and situations allow for so much more. Enjoying ones surroundings much like exercising at end of the day tends to be a choice that needs to be made ahead of time. Read that last sentence again.  You need to PLAN to have the adventure, just like you planned to make the trip.  With a little bit of research it is possible to turn an otherwise dull evening into an adventure. So, since I’ve done it a few times, let me impart a few tricks of the trade that have turned my work trips into mini adventures:

1.     Download Yelp: Yelp is the secrete to getting the low-down on where to eat when you hit the road. I picked this trick up from my boss and have subsequently found some amazing food along the way. Try and follow the creed, "if you are somewhere new, try something new." No offence to Chili's but we as a nation can do better! Once you have the inside track on where to eat, you are on your way.  My other insider tip: Ask the waitress what SHE would eat when she eats there on her day off.  Never fails. 

2.     Vary your workout: Being that me and the waffle maker at the hotel breakfast bar have a sordid love affair, I am forced in my F word status to put on the shoes at the end of the day and run. This insures the success of my relationship with my gluten Belgium mistress. Instead of grinding it out on a beat up crappy treadmill, do your research ahead of time and find out where a great trail or scenic run resides during your travels. Reach out to the local running store, you just might find a killer run along with a running group who is already headed out that way. My favorite workout to date was a night run with head lamps above the foothills of Vegas (the picture in this post is from that run). If running is not your thing try a cross fit, yoga, or spin class at a local studio. It’s always good to see how other locations put a spin on your classic workouts.

3.     Experience the outdoors: Since daylight is limited after work hours, this requires being a bit creative. For example, I recently had to go to Boise for work, so I decided to pack my skis. You may ask, "how did you pull off skiing on a work trip?" The answer: night skiing of course! Not only did I head up after work, the three hours of skiing in fresh snow with no crowds was straight-up epic. During the summer months if I drive to a location I will pack my bike or my inflatable paddle board. This gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day as well as experience a new venue and or trail. 

4.     Be a “creative” workaholic: You are already in town for a work trip, so why not find out if any of your customers are into the same things you are! The best way to forge a strong relationship with a prospect, client, and or customer is to get them out of the office. See if they would like to meet up to (fill in the blank) after hours or give you the local tour of their favorite activity. Not only will this make your trip that much more effective, but you will build common ground with your customer as well as possibly find the best fishing hole in the area. 

5.     Plan your trips around special events: I spent a year doing research and site visits for the Army Core of Engineers. I did the majority of these trips with a good friend of mine from San Diego, who just so happened to enjoy the same type of music as myself. That summer as we booked our travel, we also booked concert tickets. It was a ton of fun to see great music in new venues. I am using concerts as an example, but this can apply to anything you would like to go see or do.

6.     Maximize your time: Time is a commodity that, as a working professional and a father, I seem to have very little of. Work trips can afford each of us the opportunity to take advantage of the evening hours that are normally spoken for and use them to get out and do the things that typical work/life schedules do not allow.

7.     Change up the scenery: When you have NO time for adventure (I have been in this situation as well) here is what I recommend. If this happens in the summer months, grab some takeout, activate your Wi-Fi hot spot on your phone, and head out to a nice park and get your work done while you watch the sunset. I assure you this will do more for your soul then staring at the vinyl wall paper at the Hampton Inn.  And yes, it IS legal for men to watch sunsets too.  

8.     Reach out: I am fortunate enough to have friends in all the locations I travel. This has given me the opportunity to do everything from catching up over dinner to jamming with different bands. The point of me saying this is reach out to your network, and if you do not have one be creative and create one. 

9.     Bring your family:  If your family has flexible schedules, there’s nothing more satisfying than having your employer pay for your family vacation.  Of course…be careful on your expense reports and get approvals first if needed, but in my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with your family sharing your room and having a slice of your pizza with you while they explore a new (to them) city while you’re out bringing home the bacon.

10. Nothing, nada, chill time: This last one contradicts everything I have stated above, but with the daily grind and pressures we all experience an evening of nothing can be absolute bliss. Nothing wrong with some take out, catching up on the latest episode of Vikings, and chillaxing.

So, here is the challenge for my road warrior compadres and fellow F'ers: If time allows, turn your next road trip into an experience. Forgo the temptation to hit up Chili’s.  Find your new favorite trail, and most of all enjoy your time in an environment that is not your own. If you have to hit the road, it IS possible to take that otherwise boring grind and turn into an experience.

After all, isn't that what life is all about?  Seeing something for the first time? Experiencing the things you love to do? Expanding one’s horizons?  When it really comes down to it, our time is limited and we can not make more of it. F word nation, let’s drink it all in!

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The Start of Mother F'ers! Strong Mothers, Strong Ninos.....

As 2016 kicks off so does a new chapter in the world of the Justifying the F Word! From time to time I am going to feature guest writers of the woman kind, these Mother F'ers (get it???? Mom's near, at, or past 40) are going to help show the world that life just keeps getting better with age. If you are of the female persuasion and would like to be featured on the F word please email me! Sit back and enjoy the inaugural Mother F'er Post from fitmomtherapy.com. Just so happens the author is my wife! Please check out her blog and subscribe to her email list. Even though this post curtails to Moms, we all can gain some perspective from the words below. By way the Baxter, if you do not speak Spanish Ninos means kiddos.

When we hear the word “strong,” usually the first thing that pops into our minds is someone with muscles on-top of muscles and not only does that specter of your imagination don 6 pack abs, but Babs (Back abs…thank you Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated for the reference).  Yes, by definition this would define strong but I want to dig deeper into its meaning.

The definition of strong in the Webster Dictionary is as follows: not easy to break or damage.  We all have a complete understanding of the first definition of the word, but I want to delve more into how I can impart this to my offspring.

Over 9 years ago, I gave birth to by oldest daughter Sienna.  Saying that moment changed everything would be an understatement.  Any mom knows the indescribable feeling of having their child placed in their arms for the first time.  They are bigger than your life, and from that moment on they are your life.  When Sienna was 6 months old, my husband and I went mountain biking with our good friend, “Dan the Man.”  At the time, Dan was married without children or what I like to refer to as a DINK (Double Income No Kids).  We hit the top of the hill climb and chatted for a while catching up on things.  He asked both my husband and I, “What is it like having a baby?” I remember my answer came without hesitation, “Put it this way Dan, if Sienna couldn’t walk I would give her my legs knowing that I would never run or walk again.” As moms, we strive every day to give our children every opportunity and experience with the goal of molding them into “strong” adults. 

When I found out I was having a baby girl, I was intimidated.  When I found out my second child was going to be girl I was absolutely frightened.   I grew up in a family with 4 children.  Three boys and I happened to be the estrogen toting caboose.  Growing up I idolized my brothers and wanted to do everything they did… but I wanted to do it better.  Everyone I know that is an only girl in a boy family seems to have the same feisty personality as myself.  I would refer to it as “Survival of the Fittest” in our house growing up.  If you wanted seconds at dinner time, you would have to out eat and out fight the others. Everything to me became a competition.  If I wanted to ski with my brothers, I had to keep up.  If they skied off a 25 foot cliff, so did I. To say that I was a “Tomboy” would be an understatement.  For example, one of the biggest fights I had with my parents was in middle school when they wouldn’t let me try out for the wrestling team (looking back I appreciate my parents holding their ground on that one). A good friend nailed my persona when she said, “You are a Chick-Dude.” That does not mean that I am Bruce Jenner, but a chick that’s personality is more like a guys.  I get guys, they are simple so when I found out I was going to have two girls I was shocked.  I always imagined having a house full of boys that I could rough house with.  I was intimated because I felt inadequate teaching my girls how to become a “strong women.”

As the years pass, I have continually struggled looking at other moms and their mad mom skills.  Let’s be honest: I do not sew, I am not crafty, I hate going to the mall (I would pick anything outdoors over the mall any day) and I always look like I just worked out.  It took me years to realize that my lack of self-confidence of having the same skills set as others would rub off on my girls.  Through my episodes of self-doubt I realized if I wasn’t open to trying new things and lacked confidence, my children would grow up with the same struggles.  Even though we at times don’t want to expect the fact, our offspring will mirror our behaviors.  Nothing stops me in my tracks more than when I see the same behavior (not always for the better) manifesting itself in one of my children.  I had to stop comparing myself to every other mom and look at what I can and want to teach my children.  I had to open my eyes to see that I have my own unique skill set that I could teach my kiddos.  All of this was based around the desire that I want my children to be confident, well rounded, and not easy to break, “strong!”

As much as I hate to admit it (or maybe it is because I don’t have teenagers yet), our children will grow up to be adults and one day leave the nest.   I would like nothing more than to protect them from every hard thing in their life’s….but I can’t.  I know there will be heart break along the way.  I know they will not be unbroken, but I want to teach them that when they fall they are “strong” enough to get up every time. There will be trials faced, and lessons learned at home that will help them stand back up. During the Sochi Winter Olympics, P&G aired the following commercial that evokes this emotion and desire.   

For our children to be “strong,” we need to start with ourselves.  This mantra doesn’t give you the excuse to spend every waking minute on yourself, but remember it is critical to take a little time out to develop our own strengths.   Learn what it means to YOU to be “strong.” I am always encouraging readers to get outside of their comfort zones.  Do it! Show your children you are willing to do things outside of your current skill set.  This is not just for those moms that have girls.  This applies also for moms that have boys too.  You want to be an example of what your boys should look for in a woman.  Getting outside of your comfort zone means doing things you may not enjoy or may even loath, but try it!  The funny thing about it is you might just like it. For example, if you hate camping and never take your children, they will hate it too. If we constantly turn away from the things we don’t like or make us uncomfortable, what does that teach our children?  Why is it that little kids love to ride bikes and play outside but at a certain age it is turned off and that door shuts?  Be that mom that not only crafts with your children, but takes them for a bike ride.  For me, the Chick-Dude, I have had to get out of my comfort zone and spend time at the mall with my girls as well as a many other “chick” activities that are not my cup of tea…why, because I want them to experience all that life has to offer, and not just my bag of tricks.  Are these my favorite things?  No, but I do it because I want them to see me doing things outside of my comfort zone.  What’s the goal? To open their eyes to see everything the world has to offer, thus helping them choose their path in life. 

I am not saying that going camping and crafting will make a “strong” adult but it will give them the confidence to roll with the punches that life will surely hand them.  My hope is, when life asks them to step outside of their comfort zone, they will be up to the task.  Michael Jordan said, “My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life on, and that is the belief that the ability to achieve starts in your mind.” As strong mothers lets be that root!

How are you going to make yourself “stronger” in 2016?  Let’s plant the seed and watch it grow!   

Please follow me on Instagram at fit_momtherapy or at www.fitmomtherapy.com

2015, Mix Tapes, and Saying Hello to 2016

Looking back on 2015’ is like turning on the TV and realizing no matter if you like it or not “Shawshank Redemption” is on and this only translates to the fact that you will sit down and see it to its end.  Much like this cinematic masterpiece, 2015 has been a year worth revisiting. There have been ups and unexpected downs, as well as the realization that 2015 was the last full year of my 30’s. I will not spend my time on this post waxing sentimental; rather I will rest with an eye to the sky looking forward to what 2016 has instore.  In about 5 five months I will cleanse my soul in the waters of 40 and take the last step that is required to truly learn what it’s all about to justify the F word!

I have been taxing my cranium on how to say thank you to the F word nation for ingesting my midlife rantings and personal justifications throughout 2015. Mix tape, yep mix tape! I have put together the tunes that helped define this past year for me in a virtual mix tape as a way to say thanks for tuning in.  F’ers may be the only people who have and will ever live on the earth to actually appreciate the art and effort that goes into the conception and creation of a mix tape. Records did not allow for recording back in the day and digital music has removed the time and effort required to truthfully care. This is our time, and I'm taking it back! I will plant the F word flag on this piece of nostalgia and claim it as our own.

 So settle down, put your feet up and I will spin a yarn about a simpler time when musical masterpieces were transposed into cassette tape cantatas laced with subliminal messages of love, friendship, and good times. Mix tapes and the art thereof hearken back to a move civilized time when a duel tape deck and a long afternoon were required to swoon a lady friend of choice or send a buddy off with required road trip music. The beauty and responsibility of the mix tape lays in taking someone else’s art and emotion and crafting it your own anthem. Everything from the order of the songs, to the subtlety of the lyrics, right down to the color of hair mentioned in a song’s lyrics were all things taken into account.

So the mix tape does not become a lost art like the blue glass of the ancient Egyptians or the practice of folks on Easter Island moving megalithic statues, I will chronicle the steps for my posterity and that of future generations.

 The process was a follows:

a)   Objective- What is your defined purpose? This 90% of the time was to act as a subtle undertone of expressing ones affection to a member of the opposite sex. 8% sharing tunes with a good friend. 2% educating someone who should know better on the type of music they should be enjoying in order to avoid social ridicule or being ostracized at a later date.   

b)   Prep Work- This process was comprised of making a list, creating the perfect order, compiling and cueing tapes and Cd’s necessary, and loading each song onto the mix tape and listing to the process to insure the proper outcome and or mood was created. Push play and record and let the magic happen!

c)   Art Work- Painstaking time was taken at the end to list the songs on the jacket of the tape as well as craft a title of the tape that would not be to over or under suggestive.

d)   Delivery- Risk has it rewards and this motto could not be more true in the delivery of the musical conception that just consumed about 4 hours of one’s life. The delivery (at least according to me) went as follows, “hey, I was killing time this weekend and came across some tunes I thought you might enjoy.” If the tape was accepted, it was absolutely critical to play it cool for a few days. Day 4 typically hailed as the right time to drop a, “ have you had a chance to check out the tape?” If this brave inquiry was met with, “not yet” you better hope you made a copy for later distribution because you just burned 4 hours of your life. If your musical proposition for future courting was met with, “I loved it, especially the song about……” you were in and all your hard work and expended emotion was not in vain. On a side note; if your buddy did not appreciate the tape then he was from that point on, dead to you.

So there you go….. Know, that I am extremely grateful to all of you have taken the time to enjoy “Justifying the F Word” this year, and to all of you F’ers who have justified the F word to its fullest. I have taken careful consideration to resurrect my mix tape skills and craft a musical odyssey for all of you to enjoy. Hit the link below and use it as a sound track to kick 2016 off in the finest way possible!

Quinn's Picks 2015

https://open.spotify.com/user/1216439251/playlist/0sLox04SoF6fxuw2icMMpE

In closing let me share a quote of pure beauty from the movie “High Fidelity.”

“To me, making a tape is like writing a letter. There’s a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. You’ve got to kick off with a corker, to hold attention (I started with “Got to Get You Off My Mid,” but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightway, so I buried it in the middle of side two, and then you’ve got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can’t have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can’t have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you’ve done the whole thing in pairs and…oh, there are loads of rules.”

5 Reasons Why I Relate To Clark Griswold Now More Then Ever

“Well I’m gonna park the cars and check the luggage, and well, I’ll be outside for the Season.”

Each year when Christmas time rolls around we light the yule log, binge eat figgy pudding (honestly does anyone eat that culinary delight?), and take in the greatness that is Christmas Vacation. I have consumed this cinematic masterpiece and all it has to offer since it was given to world like a gift from the magi back in 89'. Each year as I have taken this in for my viewing pleasure, it has meant something different. As a kid I saw Clark as a funny, eccentric, and over the top adult. As an adult, all I see is a version of me. For this express reason please enjoy the top 5 reasons why this movie means more to me as an F'er than ever before.

1.  Anticipation of the Season: As soon as the leaves turn and Costco begins putting out their Christmas decorations (which seems to be October) I start to get excited for the Holidays. As a kid I would get pumped due to the prospect of the Christmas haul, but as an adult I get excited about making Christmas as cool as possible for my offspring and loved ones. Throughout the movie you can see Clark's desire to make this happen. From hand digging out his own Christmas tree to being a nervous mess about his Holiday bonus, Mr. Griswold's only purpose is to make to make Christmas as memorable as possible. Hence the poetic line uttered in this masterpiece, “We’re gonna press on, and we’re going to have the hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny f’ing Kaye.”

2.  Family: I once heard it eloquently stated that fish and family both start to go bad after 3 days. With this being said, the Holiday season is a time to be together with friends and family. Even though there are annoyances, its truly what the season is all about. Clark embodies this by wanting everyone to be under his roof. Even though he spends all his time trying to avoid contact with familial relations, he goes out of his way to make sure everyone is there and involved. This cohabitation of shared genetic material can produce memories that will last for a lifetime or possibly produce a wrapped up cat and an overdone turkey. One of the most classic lines from the Movie is when Ellen declares, “I don’t know what to say, except its Christmas we are all in misery.”

3:  Lights: When Tomas Edison invented the light bulb, I am fairly certain he had no idea the level of contention it would produce in my household around the Holiday season. First let me state for the record that I am all about Christmas lights. The source of debate in my house revolves around the quantity. My wife is all about straining the power grid and I am all about a nice roof line. Impending death on an icy roof is not my bag, and to this my wife tells me to get over it and man up. Every time I watch this movie and see him falling off the roof multiple times, I take the subtle moment of cinematic instruction to explain to my significant other why the upper roof pitch will remain as obscured as the dark side of the moon.  Clark reassures the public that putting up Christmas lights is family trait much like common DNA when he says, “Dad, you taught me everything I know about exterior illumination.”   

4.  Stress: Andy Williams and his voice of gold may have sang, “It’s the hap-happiest time of the year” but the Holidays can also be the most stress-stressful time of the year. Finances, family, and meeting expectations can all induce the classic Christmas freak-out. This movie nails all this yuletide emotion has to offer. I am fairly certain we can all relate to the Christmas melt down, from Clark fixing the newel post with a chain saw, to losing his mind over his invitation to the jelly of the month club.  It’s ironic that the time of the year in which we should be focused on peace on earth and good will toward men can produce 100% proof emotions of rage and stress. My favorite Griswold melt down goes as follows… Ellen states, “Clark, I think it would be best if everyone went home… before things get worse.” To which Clark replies, “WORSE? How could things get any worse? Take a look around here, Ellen. We’re at the threshold of hell.”

5.  Eddie: We all have an Uncle Eddie in our lives, whether or not this person shows up over Christmas or is involved in our daily life. I bet if we all look hard enough into our pool of friends and family, an Uncle Eddie will show up. Eddie’s character embodies the individual in your life that drives you insane, but deep down (in some cases really deep down) you really love. Eddie for all his flaws is fiercely loyal, and willing to go to bat for Clark. Clark’s response to Eddie’s impromptu visit yields one the finest quotes from this picture show. Eddie states, “You surprised to see us, Clark? Clark responds, “Oh, Eddie…. If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am now.”

To all you F’ers out there, enjoy your Holiday season. Most of all remember, “you can’t see the line can you Russ.”

Gratitude, A Good Way To Roll.....

There are a few things in life that make me wildly uncomfortable. Number one on my list would have to be flash mobs, the thought of organized-impromptu dancing or singing in a large crowd makes my skin crawl. Second but not far behind flash mobs is the moment at Thanksgiving dinner when everyone goes around the table and declares what they are thankful for. As to not be misunderstood, now more then ever I am extremely humble and grateful for what I have experienced, the people I consider friends and family, as well as the life I have been able to lead to this point. What causes me to avert eye contact and socially shut down is the verbal expressions of these feelings. So here it comes F'ers, things are about to a bit awkward for this kid but first let me explain how I got to this point.

Over the past two months I have been getting up early and doing about 20 minuets of yoga and around 5 minuets of mediation (one of these days I will write an entire post on this but for now, namaste and inner peace). Through this process, I first discovered I was extremely inflexible and second there is a virtual treasure trove of  yoga classes and guided mediation sessions available on youtube. The resounding theme that seems to be repeated over and over during my daily online morning contortion is, "you are exactly where you need to be." This simple statement really got me thinking about my life and as well as conscientiously taking stock of  just how blessed I am. This realization made me grasp that I have been guilty of searching the horizon as opposed to enjoying the ride.

There are subtleties in our quest for living life to its fullest that may only occur once in or mortal existence. For example, as parents we may look at our little kids and long for the day that they are big enough to remove excrement from their own orifice. Only to wish years later they were still babies. The finish line is a glorious sight, but I declare the true prize dwells within the journey. Live big and dream big, just make sure to drink in what is around you during each step of the process.

So let me express my gratitude in all its awkward glory.... I am grateful for my life and all of those who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. I am grateful for my wife and kids and the joy they bring me daily. Now more then ever I am grateful to have been raised by such great parents and siblings. I am forever grateful for the experiences that cause me to laugh or smile when they play back on the stage in my mind. Last of all, I am also grateful for the experiences I have been through that really, really, I mean really sucked (the education of life is not cheap, but it has caused me to learn a thing or two). Geeeeezzzzzz,,,,,, that was uncomfortable but necessary. F-word nation,

take the time this holiday season to enjoy exactly where you are at today, I promise it will make tomorrow all the more delicious (especially if left overs are involved).

London's Calling

This past week I had the unique opportunity to meet with my family and a surgeon to discuss  the upcoming surgery to remove my Dad's esophagus due to cancer. While sitting in the room at the cancer center, and going through a myriad of emotions, I noticed a Jack London quote on the wall. I typically take an annual  spin through  Mr. London's, "The Call of the Wild" but had never read nor seen the quote below.  I was moved by both the words and the relevance of the situation I found them in. After reading and re-reading the lines, I experienced a "right-on" moment.  Not only did I feel that everything was going to be OK, but I also felt blessed for the time I have. Live your life, take it in, and above all share it with others. Enjoy the quote and the ride we call life.......

“I would rather be ashes than dust!

I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

The function of man is to live, not to exist.

I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.

I shall use my time.” 

― Jack London

Ear Candy

“Study hard what interests you the most in the most undisciplined, irreverent and original manner possible.” 
― Richard Feynman

I drive a lot for work, so much that at times I question if I am truly a salesman or if I am just moonlighting as an over the road trucker.  The 30,000 plus miles that I log each year makes me empathetic to Eddie Rabbits tune, “Driving My Life Away.”  Being a music snob in the worst sense of the word makes listening to music nearly impossible for long stretches of time (I realize this makes no sense, so I will not even try and explain it). For an alternative, I sometimes gravitate toward talk radio or the Spanish stations for both education and mild entertainment. With the amount of time I was spending on the road, I realized that what I was audibly ingesting did not equate to a net positive gain. After a day of driving around I would end up being upset with the state of politics or utterly confused (and rightfully so) by the fact Ranchero music relies on a tuba to hold down the bottom end.

 It’s been said that your actions and your level of motivation are the direct result of the 5 people you interact with the most. Realizing my radio buddies and my radio amigos were not the folks I was looking to emulate, I set out on a quest to learn. Right around this time a good friend of mine said; “Hey dude you ever listen to podcasts?” I sheepishly mentioned that I had not, and asked for some recommendations. The next day the once ignored “podcast app” on my phone became a treasure trove of incredible and insightful information and entertainment. I was learning how to become a better salesman in the morning, and being absolutely transported in time back to the vast reaches of the Mongolian Empire in the afternoon. Not to mention, all of this was being accomplished as part of my working day.

I instantly became the guy who prefixed the majority of my conversations with, “I was listening to the best podcast the other day.” The medium of the podcast fell right in line with my creed of purposely investing my time into things that I can impact or that can have an impact over me (see my blog post on Fight the Power). The podcast medium of audible feasting has presented me with the opportunity to grab the subject matter I choose and transform otherwise idle hours into a virtual classroom. This discovery and subtle change to my day has made a huge impact on my personal development …not to mention an improvement in my overall mood. Through this process, I exchanged political rants for self-improvement and Latin grooves (still a guilty pleasure) for the history of the world. All in all, I would say it has been a good trade.

It has been so nice to cut out all the negativity going on the world and replace it with a cornucopia of knowledge. Here is my challenge for you F’ers, find something you want to improve, work on, or learn about. I am fairly certain what every that subject matter is you will find a podcast on it. Below I have listed a few of my favorite podcast.  Although none of them can compete with Tito Puente grooving a Mambo, I bet you may learn a thing or two. (I listed links from itunes, but you can grab these through the stitcher app as well @ https://www.stitcher.com/ )

Work and Motivation

Dream-Think-Do (Kid Safe)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dream.-think.-do.-helping/id958773768?mt=2

Entrepreneur on Fire (Kid Safe)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/eofire-daily-chats-entrepreneurs/id564001633?mt=2

The Tim Ferris Show (There are some F bombs, so not the best while carpooling to soccer)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tim-ferriss-show/id863897795?mt=2

Stuff you should know (Kid Safe)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/stuff-you-should-know/id278981407?mt=2

Becoming Super Human

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/becoming-superhuman-podcast/id965579173?mt=2

History

Dan Carlin’s Hard Core History (History may be a bit too real for a small ear, no language… just reality). This may just fry your brain; start with the history of the Mongolians.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-carlins-hardcore-history/id173001861?mt=2

The History or Rome

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-history-of-rome/id261654474?mt=2

Comedy

The Adam Carolla Show (Not for the easily offended, not kid safe)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adam-carolla-show/id306390087?mt=2

Happy listening…….. Provecho….

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