Craig Ballantyne, my good friend and mentor recently emailed his clients what he calls his “best ever” article. Later in this article, I’ll share my version of Craig’s article. But first let me tell you a bit more about Craig.
The first time I met Craig he was super shy and it took almost a full year for him to even speak to me.
While I stand 6’3″ and can look intimidating… I’m really a pussy cat.
Conference after conference and Craig was still shy… but one night at a group dinner, Craig approached me and we got to talking.
The thing that stood out to me was how many challenges he had overcome in his personal life. We’ve been friends ever since the group dinner and I do my best to glean all the information from Craig my readers would find useful…
You should know that the content inside the “best ever” article Craig sent his readers has been his life work.
He is really, REALLY successful today – but he wasn’t always successful.
Craig struggled from severe anxiety, depression, and doubt. His father was an alcoholic who died way too early in life from unhealthy habits.. his mom worked her tail off to give him an education.. and suffered from anxiety well in to his adult years.
Needless to say, he has overcome all of his setbacks by creating a 7 Step Success Formula I will share today with you.
Craig is a trainer, Internet guru, and a motivator. He’s built up hundreds of thousands of readers and customers on his various businesses. Craig is a master motivator and has been an inspiration and motivator to me to chase my dream.
Below is my adaptation of his 7 Step Success Formula as it pertains to golf…
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7 Step Success Formula
Success = Outcome Goals + Process Goals + Action + Accountability + Support + Incentives + The Deadline
Let’s walk you through those 7 steps.
1) Outcome Goals – This is simple. If you want to lose 15 pounds and add 10 yards to your clubs in 6 weeks, that’s your Outcome Goal. It’s your end goal and destination that you wish to arrive at in a certain amount of time.
2) Process Goals – Process Goals are the steps along the way that lead to the destination: Outcome Goal. For me, I have a weak lower back and core, so I need to build in exercises each session that focus on these problem areas. For someone that wants to lose belly fat, your Process Goals will include 3 Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes workouts a week. In addition, you will need to stick to a 90% compliance on your nutrition program. By hitting your process goals, you will ultimately reach the destination: Outcome Goal.
3) Action – You must plan and prepare to take action. Then you must force yourself, even when the voice inside your head is screaming to give up or delay “just a day” – to take action.
Most people fail here. I think mainly by over-thinking. I find when I begin a debate in my mind that I’ve already lost. On days I don’t feel like exercising I simply start exercising. I go slow and as the blood starts pumping and I start warming up and get the flow going.
My day goes much better when I force myself to workout. I can’t explain it, but my whole day improves immediately.
However, there’s one politically incorrect truth I must share with you. You NEED TO KNOW THIS, because if you don’t, you might just give up. Worse, you could be giving up on success that lies just around the corner.
So read this once. Let it sink in.
Success comes in spurts.
There will be times when you’ll work your ass off and feel like nothing is happening. You might be there right now. Stay strong, keep on pushing!
Believe me, I know how you feel. In 2004, I had anxiety and depression that lasted about a year.
I had lost my father and been fired from my job in the same week. I was a wreck for about a year and my weight ballooned. I never gave up looking for solutions though. What I discovered was that success only happens by staying strong every day. Overcome obstacles, bad thoughts, and overpowering the dips with action – no matter how tough.
The key to success really is persistence and reminding yourself of your Outcome Goal. Making sure the Outcome Goal and Process Goals are clear is paramount to success.
A goal without a plan is just a dream.
Realize that every small accomplishment is one step closer to success. Everyone goes through struggles, some harder than others. Even when nothing feels like it is working, staying persistent will pay off.. you will feel like you are making no progress and then all of a sudden…
WHOOOOOSH. Success.
The scale will change by 2-3 pounds. The person of your dreams walks in to your life. A big break happens with your job or business. Whatever IT is, IT will happen… but only if you keep taking action.
4) Accountability – Research has proven that being accountable to an authority figure increases your chances of success. This might be me, in the Golf Body Challenge Contests, or your pastor or local teaching pro. But, you MUST have accountability!
For my business success, I have Craig I report to. For my fitness goals, I must report to you. I can’t very well be out of shape and give you fitness advice.
Without Craig and YOU, I might have given up.
5) Social Support – Lean on positive people in your life to support you. You need people that speak the truth when you falter and when you succeed. You need people who will kick you in the butt when you fall “off the wagon” to get you back on.
You can’t go it alone and expect to succeed. Find positive people – and research shows that online support groups work as well as the ‘real life’ support – to be there when you need a shoulder to lean on.
6) Incentives – There are two ways to implement incentives into your Success Formula. You can use the “carrot” or the “stick”. The carrot approach is based on a reward you give yourself for taking action and hitting process and outcome goals.
For the Golf Body Challenge winners, it’s the cash prizes to Golf Galaxy. For fat loss winners, it’s about looking better in the mirror, feeling better, and playing better golf.
On the other hands, you can motivate yourself with negative incentives, such as a jar where you put money every time you miss a workout or eat something bad. The money is then donated to a charity you do not wish to support (good ole Craiggy with his awesome ideas on punishment).
Incentives will work if you implement them.
7) The Deadline – Without a deadline, there is no pressure to take action. I’m guilty of this and just this week I set some hard deadlines on projects I’ve needed to complete for you. Here’s how you make a deadline and wrap in everything else:
“I’m going to lose 10 pounds of belly fat by Memorial Day (May 27th, 2013)”.
You then tell all your friends and family about this goal. You post it on Facebook and the Get Golf Fit forums. You email me. You then attach an incentive to it.
That’s the power of the 7 Step Success Formula. They MAKE you take action, stick to your process goals, and ACHIEVE what you want.
Put it all together and you have a formula for success.
It doesn’t matter if it’s losing belly fat, learning how to fly, finding your soul mate, or lowering your golf score.. the 7 Steps of Success are a proven blueprint to help you achieve exactly what you want in life.
The best proof I can offer of the 7 Step Success Formula in action are those who have lost pounds, gained yards, and turned their health around through our Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes workout program.
These ordinary people became extraordinary, people just like you with the same problems and hurdles, that put the Success Formula to work and made big changes quickly.
Now… it is YOUR TURN.
Losing belly fat doesn’t have to be difficult when you implement the 7 Steps of Success along with a proven workout plan like Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes.
But you must act quickly, because this Friday I am raising the price from $19 to $39.
==> Lose up to 9 pounds of belly fat in 2 weeks
Like I said, Friday at Midnight, the price will go up to $39… so grab your copy today at just $19.
Put those 7 Steps for Success into place today.
Christian Henning, NASM-CPT, gfs
Certified Turbulence Trainer
==> Get your copy of Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes for just $19
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