Mindset Mastery

The Fifth Commitment to Personal Mastery

2009-11-08T14:41:00.002-07:00

"Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know it so it goes on flying anyway." – Mary Kay Ash

Perseverance - 'nuff said.

The best is yet to come!

David Martin

The Fourth Commitment to Personal Excellence

2009-11-07T21:47:00.002-07:00

"It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated - it is finished when it surrenders." - Ben Stein

The Fourth Commitment to Personal Excellence is a commitment to maintain your state at a high level of energy. High level can mean of course abundant, effervescent , it can also refer to a high vibratory level or a relaxed intensity.

Put everything you have into everything you do, because the best is yet to come!

David Martin

The Third Commitment to Personal Excellence

2009-11-03T21:49:00.002-07:00

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own." - Benjamin Disraeli

So know what it is you want, pay attention and BE FLEXIBLE. These are core concepts in any area of your life in which you seek improvement. In your Pursuit of Excellence you can use accelerate the process and the results.

Until next time, remember the BEST is yet to come!

Best of Success,

David Martin

The Second Commitment to Personal Excellence

2009-11-03T21:10:00.002-07:00

"Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have." - Norman Vincent Peale

The above quote from Dr. Peale......nuff said.

Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

The best is yet to come,

David Martin

The First Commitment to Personal Excellence

2009-10-28T18:28:00.002-06:00

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." - Leon Suenens

Learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable if you want to excel beyond the success of those considered to be average.

Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

The best is yet to come,

David Martin

Basic Building Blocks for a Super Successful 2010

2009-10-15T16:09:00.002-06:00

"An enterprising person is one who comes across a pile of scrap metal and sees the making of a wonderful sculpture. An enterprising person is one who drives through an old, decrepit part of town and sees a new housing development. An enterprising person is one who sees opportunity in all areas of life." - Jim Rohn

Whether you do the three simple exercises on this video or not, the choice is uniquely yours.

The best is yet to come!

David Martin
info at empowermax.com

The Story of a Fish

2009-10-07T14:12:00.002-06:00

"Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth." - Jim Rohn

The best is yet to come!

David Martin

Change the Channel & Creating a Compelling Vision

2009-10-06T19:05:00.002-06:00

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently - they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." - Steve Jobs

The best is yet to come!

David Martin

Coaching to Your Better Future

2007-10-10T17:34:00.000-06:00

"Players win games, teams win championships." - Bill Taylor

From time to time, people ask me about one on one coaching. Instead of writing a long letter, I decided to take a different direction. Listen to the audio below:

To schedule a private exploratory session, send an email to info@empowermax.com and include your phone number. You'll receive a call from an EmpowerMax PCS associate to schedule your consultation.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Communications News

2007-10-10T10:50:00.000-06:00

"To sit back and let fate play its hand out and never influence it is not the way man was meant to operate." - John Glenn

Communication is a multifaceted word that covers just about any interaction with others: casual conversation, persuading, teaching, and negotiating.

What does communication mean? The word is a static noun, but really, communication is a cycle or loop that involves at least two people. You cannot communicate with the waxwork dummy, what you do is meaningless, it gets no response. When you communicate with another person, you perceive their response, and react with your own thoughts and feelings.

Your ongoing behavior is generated by your internal responses to what you see and hear. It is only by paying attention to the other person that you have any idea at all about what to say or do next. Your partner is responding to your behavior in the same way.

You communicate with your words, with your voice quality, and with your body: postures, gestures, expressions. You cannot, not communicate. Some messages conveyed even if you say nothing and keep still. So communication involves a message that passes from one person to another.

How do you know that the message you give is the message they received? You have probably had the experience of making a neutral remark to someone, and being amazed at the meaning they read into it. How can you be sure the meaning they get is demeaning you intend?

There is an interesting exercise used in NLP training courses. You choose a simple sentence for example, "it's a nice day today" and three basic emotional messages you want to convey with it. You might choose to say it in a happy way, a menacing way and a sarcastic way.

You say your sentence in the three ways to another person without telling her. The three messages you wish to convey. She then tells you the emotional messages she actually got from your sentence. Sometimes what you intended matches what she perceived. Often it does not.

You can then explore what you would have to do differently with your voice and body language to ensure the message she gets is the same as the message you sent.

Remember, communication is so much more than the words we say. These form only a small part of our expressiveness as human beings. Research shows that in a presentation before a group of people 55% of the impact is determined by your body language - posture, gestures and eye contact - 38% by your tone of voice, and only 7% by your words or the content of your presentation.

Of course the exact figures will differ in different situations and clearly body line which and tonality make an enormous difference to the impact and meaning of what we say. To emphasize its now, what we say, but how we say it that makes a difference.

Margaret Thatcher spent a great deal of time and effort altering her voice quality. Tonality and body language determine whether the word "Hello" is a simple recognition, a threat, a putdown, or a delightful greeting.

Actors do not really work with words, they are trained in tonality and body language. Any actor needs to be able to convey at least a dozen different shades of meeting with the word "no". All of us expressed many shades of meaning in everyday conversation, and probably also have a dozen different ways to say "no", only we do not consciously think about them.

If the words are the content of the message, then the postures, gestures and expression and voice tonality are the context in which the message is embedded, and together they make the meaning of the communication.

So there is no guarantee that the other person understands the meaning you are trying to communicate. The answer goes back to the outcome, acuity and flexibility. You have an outcome for the communication. You notice what responses you're getting, and you keep changing what you do or say until you get the response you want.

To be an effective communicator, act on the principle that:

The meaning of the communication is the response that you get.

Master communications and you will master your world.

Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Straight to the Key Points

2007-10-10T10:44:00.000-06:00

"The Process for Success in Life or in Competition is Identical: Strategy, Training, Commitment, Execution. Know What it is You Want, Prepare With That End in Mind, Commit to the Goal and Take Action!" - David Martin

If someone were to create an 'Elevator Speech' about the Pursuit of Excellence it would probably go something like this. The person doing explaining would say, "Ladies and Gentlemen of the elevator, to be successful in life you need only to remember three things."

"Firstly, know what you want; have a clearer idea of your outcome in any situation.

"Secondly, be alert and keep your senses open so that you notice what you are getting.

"Thirdly, have the flexibility to keep changing what you do until you get what you want."

Then somewhere in the elevator he would write on a white board that shows up out of nowhere:

Outcome
Acuity
Flexibility

And then he would exit as he reaches his floor - End of the Elevator Speech.

First is the skill of knowing your outcome. If you do not know where you are going, it makes it hard for you to get there.

An important part of your Pursuit of Excellence is training in sensory acuity: where to place your attention and how to change it in larger filters so that you notice things that you had not noticed previously. It is present moment sensory awareness.

When communicating with others, this means noticing the small but crucial signals that let you know how they are responding. When thinking, that is communicating with yourself, it means heightened awareness of your internal images, sounds and feelings.

You need the acuity or sensitivity to notice if what you are doing is giving you what you want. If what you're doing is not working, do something else...anything else. You need to hear, see and feel, what is happening and have a choice of responses.

The Pursuit of Excellence aims to give people more choice about what they do. Having only one way of doing things is no choice at all. Sometimes it will work and sometimes it won't, so there will always be situations you cannot cope with.

Two choices will put you in a dilemma. Having a choice means being able to use a minimum of three approaches. In any interaction, the person who has the most choices of what to do, the greatest flexibility of behavior, will be in control of the situation.

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. In other words, if what you are doing isn't working, do something else.

The more choices you create for yourself, the more chances you have for success.

The way these skills work together is rather like what happens when you hire a rowing boat to explore a stretch of water. You decide where you want to go: your initial outcome. You start rowing and notice your direction: sensory acuity. You compare this with where you want to go and if you are off course, you change direction. You repeat this cycle until you reach your destination.

Then you set your next destination. You can change or outcome at any point in the cycle, enjoy the journey and learn something on the way. The course is more likely to be a zigzag than a straight line. Rarely is there an absolutely straight path to where you want to go.

So know what it is you want, pay attention and be flexible. These are core concepts in any area of your life in which you seek improvement. In your Pursuit of Excellence you can use accelerate the process and the results.

Until next time, remember the BEST is yet to come!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

The Power of a Few Kind Words

2007-08-27T13:08:00.000-06:00

"It's one-on-one out there, man. There ain't no hiding. I can't pass the ball." - Pete Sampras

Having a strong support structure goes a long way toward the level of success that you achieve in life. Even a simple "Atta boy" can powerfully effect your directional success compass, at any level.

I constantly tell my daughters Gabi and Sofia, even though they are young (4 & almost 2), that they're the best, that they can do anything. I tell them how smart they are and that they can do great things with their lives.

Do you think it has an impact? I'm sure it does.

Even at four years old Gabriela is fluent in both Spanish and English. Some people will say, "Sure but she's only four how fluent can she be?"

I'll tell you this, even though she's only four, she has a very good command of both languages. (even Italian and German get thrown into the mix between myself and my brother-in-law)

Why is that? My hallucination is that because that's what we expect in our home.

If you've got kids, try it yourself and see. Give 'em a good "pump" every once in a while. You can let me know the results.

Many people that have achieved a high level of success in life attribute much of the advancements they've made in their life to the influence of someone that constantly expressed confidence in their ability to achieve.

Perhaps the best thing you could do for someone is to say, "I believe in you and I know you can do it."

The concept in the Performance Zone is to provide not only the "pump" and the "rah rah" for you, but to also provide you with a variety of tools, techniques, strategies and tactics to assist you to move at an accelerated rate toward your goals.

That's why there is the Wednesday night training call at 10:30 PM Eastern time, the CD programs, the coaching and new breakthrough programs, as well as TeleSeries, seminars and event based training.

The most important thing for you to get from today's newsletter is this. Surround yourself with excellence and you too will become excellent. Get around people that believe in you and support you (not coddle you Virginia, you need people strong enough to tell you when to pull your head out).

This is one of those places. Stay tuned for some major announcements that are forthcoming. You'll have an opportunity to surround yourself with only the best...24/7/365.

In the mean time, the first 10 people that respond to this email will receive an opportunity to ask me any 3 questions that you want. First come first serve.

Until then, Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Dumbo & the Magic Feather - part II

2007-08-22T11:29:00.000-06:00

"To sit back and let fate play its hand out and never influence it is not the way man was meant to operate." - John Glenn

I received a lot of comments on the recent post regarding Dumbo and the "Magic Feather." It seems nearly everyone is familiar with the baby midget mastodon with the big ears.....make that HUGE ears.

Often times just for kicks I imagine how the Dumbo story would be told in today's politically correct world.

No Circus - that would be insulting to the animals.

No Mouse scaring the elephants. Why does the mouse have to be the bad guy?

No clowns acting laughing after they perform. Just because they're clowns doesn't mean that they can't be sophisticated.

No Crows picking on Dumbo. It's just plain wrong to single out any winged creature as being part of a "gang" (flock). Why couldn't a dolphin teach the elephant to fly? Umm, ok.

Anyhow, moving right along.

My point for continuing the saga of Dumbo is this - Dumbo's confidence came from having the "Magic Feather", right?

Or did it?

The hallucination in my mind at this very moment is that the power given to Dumbo, came from Dumbo himself, not the feather.

You know that already because you're reading this and members of the Performance Zone are at a level above the crowd.

So why am I bringing this up? Because it's worth saying.

Even when we "know" that we have the power, that we have the capabilities we look for an outside source. We look for that sign or for something we can hold onto.

Or perhaps we want to hear something from someone else, to validate our confidence.

Maybe it's that you want to hold onto something that makes you feel like you're on the right path.

Whatever it is, you have it in you.

Do you need it? No

Can you use it? Yes.

Join in every Wednesday night at 10:30 PM Eastern time and surround yourself with a group of like minded seekers of excellence. Each week I'll bring a topic that will aide you in the step by step achievement of your goals.

Dial in to 212-990-8000 access code 1522#.

You can choose to join us or not. The choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
505.821.0157 direct
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - Transform Your Vocabulary, Control Your Focus, Magnetize Your Goals, Electrify Your Passion for Life - this is all in Personal Mastery. To schedule a one on one exploration into Personal Mastery send an email with phone number to me at info@empowermax.com.

Dumbo & the Magic Feather

2007-08-05T23:21:00.000-06:00

"If your dog is fat, you're not getting enough exercise." - author unknown

This past weekend we celebrated Father's Day here in the US. For me it's not only a time to celebrate fatherhood, it's a time for me to spend with my kids. Almost the entire weekend was dedicated to us just fooling around.

My daughter Sofia is about 21 months old. So she still requires an afternoon nap, and is quite attached to her mom. At one point my wife was heading out to run some errands and Sofia began to cry.

What did I do? I put in her favorite movie - Dumbo.

You remember Dumbo don't you? The baby elephant from the Disney movie? His ears were so big he could fly?

Yep, that's the one.

Now why do you like this movie? Why do kids like anything? She just does.

There's a scene in the movie, where Dumbo wakes up and finds himself in a tree. He's not sure how he got up there, nor is his little mouse friend. After the crows come down and begin to pick on Dumbo and the mouse, they realize that Dumbo got up in the tree by flying.

After some coercing and finagling, the mouse gets the crows to agree to help Dumbo fly again.

Long story short Dumbo doesn't have the confidence to fly. And one of the crows plucks a feather out of another crow and hands it to Dumbo and then says, "All you need is the magic feather!"

At this point double begins to flap his ears and take off. He then believes he can fly. The story continues with him returning to the circus, and he becomes a hero.

Now, my point here is not to get you to go out and rent Dumbo or purchased Dumbo, although it's probably not a bad addition to your DVD or video library.

I have one simple question; have you found your "magic feather?"

Have you found that "thing" that you can believe in to give you confidence?

Instead of flying with crows, what will it take to get you to soar with the eagles?

You have inside you the ability to make the most of your life. You have inside you the resources to create not only the life you desire but the life you deserve.

"Change your thinking and you'll change your results." - David Martin

The decision to be more, do more and have more is uniquely yours. It's time for you to Show Up, Suit Up and Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Let's Talk About Modeling

2007-08-01T14:08:00.000-06:00

"Practice is the best master." - Latin Proverb

Unless you're new to the Performance Zone you'll recall that I spent a good portion of last year studying and becoming a Master Practitioner of that system made famous by Tony Robbins, Neuro-Linguistic Programming or as it's best known - NLP.

One of the concepts that is at the heart of NLP is modeling. NLP is the study of excellence, and modeling is the process that makes explicit the behavioral patterns of excellence.

What are the behavioral patterns of successful people? How do they achieve their results? What do they do that is different from people who are not successful? What is the difference that makes the difference?

The answers to these questions have generated all the skills, techniques and presuppositions associated with NLP. Modeling can be defined as the process of replicating human excellence.

Explanations of why some people excel more than others usually cite inborn talent. NLP bypasses this explanation by exploring how we can excel as quickly as possible. By using our mind and body in the same way as a peak performer, we can immediately increase the quality of our actions and our results. NLP models what is possible, because real human beings have actually done it.

There are three phases in the full modeling process.

The first phase involves being with your model while he is doing the behavior that you are interested. During this first phase, you imagine yourself in his reality, using second position skills, and do what he does until you can create roughly the same results.

You focus on what he does (behavior and physiology), how he does it (internal thinking strategies) and why he does it (the supporting beliefs and assumptions). The what you can get from direct observation. The how and why you explore by asking questions.

In the second phase you systematically take out elements of the models behavior to see what makes a difference. If you leave something out, and it makes little difference, then it is not necessary. If you leave something out and it does make a difference to the results you get, then it is an essential part of the model. You refine the model and begin to understand it consciously during this phase.

This is the exact opposite of traditional learning patterns. Traditional learning says add pieces a bit at a time, until you have them all. However, this way, you cannot easily know what is essential. Modeling, which is the basis of accelerated learning, it's all the elements, and then subtracts to find what is needed.

The third and final phase is designing a way to teach the skill to others. A good teacher will be able to create an environment so her students learn for themselves how to get the results.

Models are designed to be simple and testable. You do not need to know why they work, just as you do not need to understand why or how cars work to drive one. If you're lost in the maze of human behavior, you need a map to find your way around, not a psychological analysis of why you want to find your way out of the labyrinth in the first place.

Modeling in any field gives results and techniques, and also further tools for modeling. NLP is generative because its results can be applied to make it even more effective. NLP is the "bootstrap program" for personal development. You can model your own creative and resourceful states, and so be able to enter them at will. And with more resources and creativity at your disposal, you can become get more resourceful and creative...

If you model successfully, you will get the same results as your model, and you do not have to model excellence. To find out how a person is creative, or how he manages to become depressed, you ask the same key questions. "If I had to stand in for you for a day, what would I have to do to think and behave like you?"

Each person brings his own unique resources and personality to what he does. You cannot become another Einstein, Beethoven, or Edison. To achieve and think exactly like them you would need their unique physiology and personal history.

NLP does not claim anyone can be an Einstein, however it does say that anyone can think like an Einstein, and apply those ways of thinking, should he choose, in his life; in doing this, he will become closer to the full flower of his own personal genius, and his own unique expression of excellence.

In summary, you can model any human behavior, if you can masterthe beliefs, the physiology and the specific thought processes, that is, the strategies that lie behind it.

Before going on to explore these in more detail, it is worth remembering that we are only touching the surface of a domain as fast as our own future potential.

The Best is yet to come!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - Email me at info@empowermax.com to schedule an exploration into your current core Values. Write down 3 questions and make sure you're ready for the answers!

Raising the Bar

2007-07-24T10:28:00.000-06:00

"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember this whole thing was started by a mouse." - Walt Disney

As we move through the month of July, we are also past the halfway mark of 2007. (Can you believe it? Seems like just yesterday the world was freaking out about Y2K)

Most of you are aware of my "Time to Review" philosophy. As your review the first half of 2007 and check your progress, how about kicking it up a notch?

Whether you're one of the few stepping up to the Personal Mastery Program or not, you can raise the bar. Turn on the afterburners, step it up, do more, create a bigger picture, a stronger vision.

Take off the gloves and get at it!

There are only 16 days left in June. Take this opportunity to prepare for the remaining months of the year. Be ready to attack the second half of the year: Go For It!

There is no time like today for you to begin a new plan for your business, your health, your fitness, your finances, your freedom or any one of the dreams you have.

Raise the bar for the remaining 6 months of the year.

And remember to tune into the EmpowerMax PCS Training Call for some breakthrough strategies to rocket you into the next 6 months.

Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Fall Down - Get Up!

2007-07-22T10:25:00.000-06:00

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas Edison

Edison nailed it. So did Winston Churchill, Ray Kroc, Lao Tzu, Miyamoto Musashi, Andrew Carnegie, Donald Trump, Mark Victor Hansen, Bruce Jenner, Anthony Robbins and the list goes on.

My Taekwondo instructor, Master Sang Lee, was the first person to really emphasize the concept. This attitude permeates the martial arts - Indomitable Spirit. If you fall one thousand times, you get up one thousand and one.

The distractions in life have always been around in one form or another. However, today they come in at broadband or DSL speed.

News hits us so fast it can make the head spin. We seem to every detail about every thing, person, politician, celebrity and sports star.

We're told everyday how difficult it is. The economy, the wars, the natural resources, the weather, the illegal immigrants and especially STEROIDS IN BASEBALL!

I see so many people with a "Why bother" attitude. They're allowing themselves to feel like they have no chance. They've given up mentally...they QUIT!

But not you, you're not the quitting type. That's why you're reading this right now. You understand that although life is not always easy, the alternative is not appealing.

This is a core value toward achieving anything you want in life - Never Give Up - Stay In The Game!

You can accomplish whatever you truly desire and commit to. Pursue your dreams to your fullest and I promise the rewards will amaze you.

Until next time - Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Flowing in "the Zone"

2007-07-21T20:29:00.000-06:00

"We derive more benefit from the actions we take than the results we seek." - David Martin

Chances are you have been in "the Zone." You know, that place where you played your absolute best, everything just flowed, you felt confident, you were focused, and everything around you was easy.

Chances are you felt calm and quiet inside, you had no worries, and you felt no pressure.

In "the Zone" you were focused, confident, calm, and in control. You moved easily and effortlessly. You were totally tuned into what you were doing, you were unaware of external distractions, you experienced a sensation of elation, joy and fluidity that was unexplainable.

It is that place where your mind, your emotions, and your body were totally connected. Would you like to get there more often?

What is "The Zone"?

The Zone is a state of consciousness where all of the body's senses and functions (sight, hearing, taste, smell, emotions, thoughts, and muscular reaction) act in harmony with each other to achieve some specific task.

When you reach this state of consciousness, you experience a sense of "Flow."

You lose conscious control of your senses and functions and perform from a deeper more subconscious level of control. This is the ultimate place; it's where you want to be to achieve peak performance on a consistent basis.

"Why can't I get there?"

Most people are not able to get into the zone because of mental, emotional or physical distractions.

Mental distractions occur when you're unable to block out external distractions like noise, weather conditions, crowd behavior, over-analysis, or just plain thinking too much.

Emotional distractions are feelings like doubt, fear, anger, frustration, lack of confidence or over confidence. Physical distractions include fatigue, lack of conditioning, injury, or soreness.

Many of these distractions can lead to unforced errors which contributes to pressure and can rob you of your confidence. Playing under these conditions will keep the door to "the Zone" shut tightly.

However, the biggest reason people fail to get into the zone is because they refuse to let go of the conscious control of their performance. Conscious control is how they learn and it is the only way they know how to perform.

The only way to get into "the Zone" is to let go of conscious control and let the instincts take over. Essentially, you'll be getting out of your own way!

It's time to take your life to for the next level! The choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Influence: Who's Affecting (or infecting) Your World?

2007-07-19T09:51:00.000-06:00

"The growth of the human mind is still high adventure, in many ways, the highest adventure on earth." - Norman Cousins

Influence is powerful. The influence we can have over others and especially the influence that others can have over us.

That influence can affect us either negatively or positively.

Prior to my return to the US Olympic Training Center the influence that others were having on me was not good.

My generosity allowed a friend to move in with me for what was supposed to be a few weeks. Key words: "supposed to..."

He ended up staying with me for 3 months. That in itself wasn't so bad. The problem was that he was out drinking every night. He came in and would immediately go to the kitchen, cook and leave the dirty dishes in the sink.

He smoked inside and was surprised I could smell it.

He hung around with less than desirable people.

He brought them around me and my business, because he thought that I would want to be friends with them too.

He was a major part of everything that seemed wrong and assisted my focus to stay on what was wrong.

It was a very dark period of my life.

Conversely, when I moved back to US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs I found myself in another world. Take a look at the excellence that surrounded me:

World Champion - Pan Am Games Silver Medalist (Taekwondo)
2 x Olympian - Bronze Medalist - National Team Coach (Taekwondo)
Olympic Team Coach (Taekwondo)
Olympic Gold Medalist (freestyle wrestling) x 2
Olympic Gold Medalist (Greco-roman wrestling)

All of the above were former teammates or friends earlier in my athletic career and were carrying on their success in life with businesses or some other worthy endeavor.

What did this do for me? Great question.

This gave me an avenue of excellence to follow. These men, some of whom I consider to be brothers, gave to me the feeling of success. This influenced me in the direction of what was possible for me.

The influence from their attitude alone moved me forward.

The influence of their level of commitment raised my standard.

The influence from their passion motivated me into action.

The influence you can have on others can make a powerful contribution to those very same lives. Just make sure you're aware of who's influencing you and the affect that influence is having.

Hey! It's your life, it's your legacy. What you make of it is uniquely up to you.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - Personal Mastery you will learn the skills that will assist you to make sustainable breakthroughs in all areas. Business, Finance, Physical and Personal change can be made in minimal time and the results will stay you for life. To schedule a one on one exploration into Personal Mastery send an email with phone number directly to me at info@empowermax.com.

Time for Mental Practice

2007-07-09T10:11:00.000-06:00

"If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think." - Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey hits the proverbial nail on the head in this case. She knows what it takes, wouldn't you agree?

I would, but then again I'm a results oriented kind of guy.

To change the way you think takes practice. Mental practice in this case.

Mental practice is the process of using your creative imagination to select positive images for your brain to focus on. This eliminates false, destructive images from your subconscious mind.

Every idea that you have learned can be re-evaluated and challenged. Each idea can be reevaluated and relearned with new input that can replace the old garbage.

By focusing your imagination on what you want, your conscious mind will direct your subconscious mind to accept the new input. Your subconscious mind will simply agree and begin to comply.

Key points to remember:

Anything vividly imagined is accepted as true by your subconscious.
Imagined experiences are perceived and acted upon exactly as real.
Your behavior follows what you believe to be true.
Your behavior changes in the direction of your beliefs.

Successful people use a process of visualization to assist them with their pursuits. By spending time each day visualizing that they achieve their goals, they guide their subconscious mind to accept that image.

Create a process for yourself. Follow these guide lines when doing so:

Choose the same time everyday for your mental practice
Make sure there will be NO interruptions
Accept all positive images as valid and helpful

These basic steps in mental practice will go a long way in leading you toward the life you desire. Take a closer look at how you've been using your creative imaging and what kind of mental practices that you have.

To have, do and be all you can...the choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Shape It In Your Mind

2007-07-06T22:19:00.000-06:00

"Reality is that thing that even if you stop believing in it, it still doesn't go away." - David Martin

David(L) & partner bending an iron bar with "Mind Power"

One of the first lessons I learned in Taekwondo was that my mind is a powerful factor in everything I do, especially in things that seem to require physical strength.

My first attempts at board and brick breaking were memorable for sure. I recall trying to power through the target physically. It worked, at least at the lower levels.

However as I became more advanced in my training, I had to learn to use visualization, to use the power of my mind to see the results in advance. In this case, the result was the board(s), the bricks or the blocks breaking.

Every successful athlete that I know uses visualization to some degree.

Now, what about negative thoughts? Well, they do come around from time to time.

Here's what I learned from studying the Martial Arts:

The mind is like a fertile garden. It will grow anything you wish - beautiful flowers or weeds. And so it is with successful, healthy thoughts or with negative ones that will, like weeds, strangle and crowd the others. Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are the weeds that strangle confidence.

This is a great bit of information, but what do you do when the negative thoughts come? That's a real question based on real experience.

Here are a few quick techniques:

1. In your mind, write the negative thought(s) down on a piece of paper. Crumple it up, throw it in a trash bin, set it on fire and watch it burn.

2. See it in your mind; see yourself using whiteout to erase it from your mind.

3. Say, "STOP! You're not welcome here! BE GONE!"

Each of these will work to get the negative thought out quickly and then you MUST see yourself being successful. Visualize success not failure. It's important to follow the above techniques with an image of success or else you run the possibility of sliding back to the negative thought.

You use visualization everyday whether you are aware of it or not. Don't you feel it's time YOU chose the images that you want and deserve to see?

That choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Do You Have A Creative Imagination?

2007-06-29T22:50:00.000-06:00

"Many a false step is made while standing still." - Chinese Proverb

Here's a quick refresher on the importance of shaping it in your mind to find it in your life.

Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton described how she rehearsed her routines in her mind visualizing every step, every leap every placement before putting her body to the actual performance.

Bodybuilding champion and film star turned Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, said that lifting weights is only a physical follow-through to visualization, as long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something.

He said, "I visualize myself being there already having already achieved the goal."

Concert pianists often practice in their head when readying a piece for performance. Once they've memorized it they can play it in their mind without the piano. They visualize the keyboard, then they can practice in an airport or on the kitchen table.

Of course none of the successful people achieve their goals through imagination alone; picturing an end result only broadens and deepens the range of targets that your automatic success mechanism can shoot for.

It's still up to you to do the work.

Release the power of your imagination, visualizing positive results can point your subconscious mind toward these results.

But the opposite is true as well.

Remember, your subconscious mind can't take a joke. To your subconscious mind a destructive image can be as equally valid as a creative one.

"Creative imagination is not something reserved for the poets, the philosophers and the inventors. Imagination sets the goal and the picture which our automatic success mechanism works on. We act or fail to act, not because of will, as is so commonly believed, but because of imagination." - Dr. Maxwell Maltz.

Use your imagination, be creative. The rest will work itself out.

Until next time, put everything you have into everything you do.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Contract to Expand

2007-06-24T22:35:00.000-06:00

"Attachment to certain beliefs can create a false illusion of what we're truly capable of. Detachment from these same beliefs will free you to explore your true capacity." - David Martin

Over the years there have been a number of things that I picked up a long the way that provide excellent examples. One such lesson is that of flexibility, although it may not be what you're thinking.

In my early days as an athlete at the US Olympic Training Center I was introduced to a technique to increase my flexibility called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) or Isometric Stretching.

The technique allowed me to achieve major increases in my flexibility and also to assist in recovery from injuries as needed. The basic idea is that by contracting your muscles, you can expand their flexibility.

How it works (make sure to consult with your health professional before attempting any exercise. The following is only to illustrate a concept and is not to be construed as advice):

Example: Sitting in a hurdler's stretch (one leg pulled back), you would lean forward trying to touch your head to your knee. After you reach your maximum stretch, back off a bit, then contract your hamstring, almost as if you're pulling it into the ground. Maintain the contraction for 15 - 30 seconds, then relax the muscle.

Now stretch your head toward your knee again. You'll find that you can go much further this time, possibly all the way, depending on what level of flexibility you had already attained.

And, how can it assist you to move toward your goals?

Simple; contract your mind to expand your possibilities.

Get rid of the JUNK!

Too much going on, too many goals, too much "stuff" to focus on, can divert your energies and actually hinder your progress.

One of the concepts I recommend to my members & students is this. After you clearly define your goals, then select THREE to concentrate your energies on for the remainder of the year.

That's it...three.

By doing this, you'll make faster progress on toward your goals AND you'll invoke the principle of Collateral Success. That means you'll still achieve other goals due to the effort you're making to the main goals.

So, "Contract To Expand". You'll find results pour in faster than you can imagine.

Until next time, put everything you have into everything you do.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

The No Complaining Rule.....Really!

2007-06-21T19:09:00.000-06:00

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor." - Vince Lombardi

I came across this in an old journal that I have. Unsure as to its origin. Its good stuff and in light of recent experiences on the airlines, I felt it was a proper addition.

Short, sweet and to the point.

Like it or not, it's your choice to improve the situation.

When you complain about something whether silently or out loud, you're attaching yourself to it more firmly. Complaining directs your energy toward perpetuating the very things about which you're complaining.

There is a far more effective approach, and that is to propose a positive alternative. A complaint merely reinforces what is wrong, while a positive alternative sets about to actually change the situation for the better.

Complaints, because of their negative nature, are usually met with some degree of defensiveness. Positive alternatives, on the other hand, tend to more naturally be met with cooperation and appreciation.

As a rule most complaints stem from a genuine desire to improve the situation, but usually the complaint itself is not enough to do that. So go beyond the complaint and use that energy to truly make a positive difference.

The next time you have the urge to complain, stop and ask yourself what it is you really want. Do you simply want to complain or do you want to do something that's going to improve the situation?

Rather than aggravating a bad situation with your complaints, transform it with your positive thoughts, ideas and actions.

Well stated.

Until next time, Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Looking On The Inside

2007-06-11T17:41:00.000-06:00

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

So over the past few weeks it seems I've been on a plane quite a bit. And as you know I am a people watcher. It provides me with quite a bit of content for the newsletter.

Yesterday on the flight into Dallas from Albuquerque there were several delays, all due to weather in Dallas. Thunderstorms actually, which caused my flight to wait on the tarmac in Albuquerque for about an hour.

Delay #1.

Once we arrived to DFW airport, due to all of the other flights being delayed we had to wait for 35 other planes to push away form the gates before we could taxi to our gate and deplane.

Another hour - Delay #2.

Whilst on the tarmac in Dallas we were receiving updates fromthe captain as to our status in line. One gentleman was apparently not listening and when he requested his personal update he did so in a manner that defies explanation.

The stewardess, flight attendant, or whatever term is being used today, was polite and courteous. She addressed the man's question, asked if there was anything else and walked away.

Without a hint or a warning of any kind he flew into a tirade against the woman claiming that she was ignoring him and how could he be treated in such a manner.

She returned and apologized for any misunderstanding then asked if he would repeat his question. He would not.

He simply continued to barrage her with insults and negativity that was in my not so humble opinion, totally uncalled for.

One of the saddest aspects of this story was that his son was watching this entire drama play out. THEN he told his son, "If you want to get people to answer treat you right, THAT is how you do it!"

Wow, needless to say I was astounded.

In actuality, nothing had changed. She answered the same question he asked the first time without all the chaos. Yet somehow this guy felt disrespected. Humph.

My quick take on the situation is this; the guy does this all the time.

Why?

Because he doesn't respect himself, that's why.

His self-concept is so poor, so low that he projects it out to the world. Even when people are courteous and professional (in the case of the stewardess) he can't see it or feel it.

Not because he's not capable, but because he won't allow himself to have that experience. If he wants a better experience, he's got to raise his self-concept.

"Who you are speaks so loudly I can't hear what you are saying." - unknown

Remember those words. It's important to create the changes you want internally, before you realize them externally.

Until next time, Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Bumps In The Road

2007-06-08T17:05:00.000-06:00

"He who knows no hardships will know no hardihood. He who faces no calamity will need no courage. Mysterious though it is, the characteristics in human nature which we love best grow in a soil with a strong mixture of troubles." - Harry Emerson Fosdick

Whenever I'm Mexico City. I feel like I am right at home. High altitude, lots of sunshine, hot weather and a lot of people speaking spanish. (yes Virginia even in New Mexico people speak spanish)

From time to time in pursuit of excellence, you will come across the proverbial 'bump in the road." If you're going to be successful in life, you'd better get used to it.

Many people believe that if they were more successful, they'd be better able to handle their problems. My suggestion is that if they handled their problems better, they'd be more successful.

Ain't that a kick in the head?

You should welcome the problems and challenges as opportunities to grow.

In physical culture and athletic training muscles must be pushed to the point of breakdown in order to repair themselves and become stronger. The more you push yourself the stronger you get, the more endurance you build etc.

Life provides the same benefit. It will push you to the point of breakdown. It will cause you to re-evaluate your path. At times it will bring you to your knees.

Your muscles don't have the same option that you do in these situations. Muscles don't have the option of CHOICE.

They, your muscles, must repair themselves. It's what they do.

You, however, have the unique and awesome power to either make yourself better from your challenges OR do nothing and slide into the abyss of the non-producer, the excuse maker and the blame-it-on-everyone-else crowd.

Somehow if you're reading this newsletter, I don't believe you're in that camp. I believe that you step up to challenge. You head into the battles of life looking forward, not over your shoulder.

Of course there will be times when you don't want to do what you know you should do. It's easy to be overwhelmed; it's easy to be taken over in the moment by seemingly impossible odds.

But that's only in the moment. Stick to your plan. Take hold of your vision. Don't get knocked off course by the miniscule thoughts that will lead you astray.

Maintain your focus on the outcome you desire, not to fear that is trying to capture your attention. You're in control.

So as you continue moving through 2006 toward your goals, make quick work of the obstacles, step over the challenges and breakthrough the barriers. They'll only make you stronger and better than you were before you encountered them.

Until next time, remember the following words.....

If You Shape It in Your Mind, You Will Find It In Your Life!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Guiding The Images of Your Mind

2007-06-05T08:04:00.000-06:00

"The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at length established with difficulty." - Samuel Smiles

Guided imagery is a way of using the imagination in a focused, directed way to help mind and body heal, stay strong, and perform as needed. It's focused attention on a mental picture or belief. It's a skill that can get better with practice, and it tends to work best in a relaxed atmosphere.

People have been known to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, depression and physical pain, reduce or eliminate habits and even speed up recovery from cuts, burns, fractures and surgery. It also improves performance in sports and business.

You don't have to believe in mental imagery for it to work. Just be willing to give it a try.

Imagery works because images are events to the body. To the body, images created in the mind can be as real as actual events. In fact, the mind responds to imagery as if it were something "real" happening, especially if the images are strong enough to activate the recall of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feel.

So, for instance, recalling the smell and feel of the air at the start of the first winter snowfall is an image. Remembering the sound and timbre of your Dad's voice, saying he's proud of you, is an image. And recalling the bristle of energy in your body when you realize you are about to triumph at something you've been striving for - that it's going to happen, is also an image.

These sensory images are an actual language of the body, the only language it understands immediately. To the body, these images can be almost as real as actual events. Our bodies don't distinguish between images in the mind and what we call reality.

This kind of mental imagery is usually most effective in a relaxed condition. This is a state of relaxed focus - a kind of calm but energized alertness. Attention is concentrated on one thing, or on a very narrow band of things. As this happens, there is a heightened sensitivity to what is focused on, and a decreased awareness of what is happening in the physical environment.

A powerful principle behind guided imagery's effectiveness is that it gives a sense of control and mastery over what is happening in your life, and it instills a feeling of being able to deal with challenges and feel expectant about the future.

It's YOUR mind. Use it well.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - July will see the formal beginning of the class for the Personal Mastery program. For a personalized preview of what's in store, send an email to info@empowermax.com to schedule 30 minute exploration into Personal Mastery.

Learning from Squirrels

2007-06-04T17:50:00.000-06:00

"Few things are necessary to make the wise man happy while no amount of material wealth would satisfy a fool." - Og Mandino

I will say that there is a genius inside every man and woman, waiting to be brought forth. It is a simple thought which will allow him or her access to this power.

It's the ability to think that separates us from animals.

Squirrels don't go to squirrel school to learn how to gather nuts for the winter. They don't have squirrel unions or squirrel quotas. They can't decide to take a break from nut gathering. It just won't happen!

Squirrels born in spring are already out gathering nuts to store for the winter. No other options are available. It's instinct, its natural process; it's in their squirrel genes.

You and I, as humans, have the distinct privilege and power of choice. We can choose to be all or be part of what life has to offer.

As you use this tool via your thought (and I do not mean ANALYZE), it's what you think about that will drive you toward or away from your goals. You must think forward, in the direction of your goals.

If you think about what you don't want, then that's exactly what you will attract to your life. You can't drive forward looking in the rear view mirror.

Be clear on what you want, the focus your energies throughout each day in that direction. Write it down in your journal, on 3 x 5 cards, use pictures, anything you can to keep your thoughts flowing in the direction of what you want.

This ability to direct our thoughts places us in the position of creatingthe results we desire. What you do with this power, is completely up to you.

Make a habit of putting everything you have into everything you do. The choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

The State of 'No Mind'

2007-06-01T07:43:00.000-06:00

"Softness triumphs over hardness, feebleness over strength. What is more malleable is always superior over that which is immovable. This is the principle of controlling things by going along with them, of mastery through adaptation." - Loa-Tzu

Previously in the Performance Zone newsletter I have presented a topic about a concept I call, "Too Many Mind."

Today, it's the concept of "No Mind."

I've had the experience as an athlete and coach, in my sales career and even as a speaker.

Reaction time in Olympic style Taekwondo must be lightning-quick. When your opponent attacks, there is not time to think. Thinking takes far too long. You must be able to react as your opponent makes his move.

Likewise, when I am addressing a live audience and something goes awry, as it does from time to time. The ability to be in the moment is paramount.

At times I don't even use a power-point presentation during the 90 minutes I have to address the crowd. I simply allow myself to flow.

There are many ways to describe it. Often you hear people talk about being in the flow or maybe they use the term being on autopilot. Athletes know it as being "in the zone."

I first learned about this mental state of "no mind" in my martial arts training. The Japanese refer to this as 'mushin', which literally translated means 'no mind'.

This state of mind can be described as when you feel separate from the actual act. No thoughts interfere with the action because it's unconscious and therefore uninhibited.

When you reach this state, your mind can move from one activity to another like a flowing stream of water.

Understanding this state is simple, however you must practice to achieve the ability to something without conscious effort, to have your reactions become automatic.

There will be more in coming emails on moving toward the state of 'no mind.'

Until then, let go of your perfection and allow yourself to live in excellence.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - If you're seeking to be the best at what you do, isn't it time you associate with the best? Send an email with your phone number to info@empowermax.com for a consultation in Personal Mastery.

Circle of Excellence vs Circle of Influence

2007-05-29T13:39:00.000-06:00

"Some people take better care of their pets than they do themselves. Their animals can run like the wind and they can barely make it up a flight of stairs." - Jim Rohn

Here in the US we celebrated Memorial Day. It's during these long weekends that I take time to reflect.

Over the weekend, the recurring theme was the climbing gasoline prices. In every conversation that I had, bar none, the price of gas was mentioned. (here it is again!)

This is one of the reasons I'm so stoked about my circle of excellence. This is not quite the same as what others refer to as their circle of influence.

The circle of influence is made up of people that influence you, whether incidentally or on purpose.

The circle of excellence is made up of those individuals that you allow to influence you on purpose, and those people that go beyond influence. They can also motivate, inspire, provide solutions, kick you in the arse when needed, team up and offer a different perspective on what's going on.

That's why this "gas thing" is such an appropriate example.

Sooooo many people are allowing this to manipulate their mindset. They're angry, scared, tentative, cautious, flustered, anxious, worried and flat out peein' their pants!

Most of my close friends and associates are aware of the price of gas, that's it. They don't talk about it; the subject is simply not permitted to infect their mindset.

"How can they not think about it?" you ask? Are they simply hiding their head in the sand?

No Virginia they're not. They merely recognize it for what it is, an uncontrollable variable.

I bring all this to your attention to illustrate the point of evaluating where you are in your pursuit. Ask yourself these questions:

What are your goals for the year?

Are you closer to them now than when you started?

What is the strongest aspect of your mindset?

What is the weakest aspect of your mindset?

Who are you spending time with?

What have they got you doing?

What books are they reading?

What personal development practices do they have?

All this is important because remember, these are the people that you are choosing to allow to influence you.

Take some time for yourself. If you have a "Circle of Excellence" give it a timely review. If you haven't yet created one, there's no time like the present.

The choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - Personal Mastery is a limited group of people learning the skills that will assist in making sustainable breakthroughs. You will learn how to do this in minimal time and what you learn will stay with you life. To schedule a one on one exploration into Personal Mastery send an email with phone number directly to me at info@empowermax.com.

Just Sit Back and Do Nothing?

2007-05-24T22:37:00.000-06:00

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." - William Penn

Back in the saddle again - and I'm in that saddle at an odd hour. It'll take a few days to adjust my internal clock to get back on local time. Oh the perils of an international lifestyle .

During my topsy turvy night, I wasn't sleeping well so I retreated to the livng room and turned on ESPN to catch up on sports news.

AC Milan won the Championship, played in Athens (it was very cool being there as the city prepped for the game).

Roger Clemons is expected to make his Major League return in a few days. At 44 or 45 years of age, "the Rocket" is still an elite player in a game dominated by young men.

In my sport of Taekwondo, Steven Lopez won an unprecedented 4th World Championship in China. It came in sudden death overtime. This guy is amazing. He's won 4 consecutive World Championships, 2 consecutive Olympic Gold Medals, 2 consecutive Pan Am Games Gold Medals and the list goes on.

Basketball, baseball blah blah blah. There is something else that stood out to me during my nocturnal viewing of the electronic income reducer.

During a commercial break an advertisement for an abdominal product caught my attention - and I actually began to laugh.

This little appliance is strapped on to the tummy area and then buttons are pushed. This begins an electronic muscle stimulation process that will tighten the muscles and reduce fat in the area.

The testimonials from the ad were funny. "I can sit at my desk and sculpt my abs" or "Geeze I can even be in line at the bank and work my abs better than...." was another.

Now my intention is not to promote nor denounce this product. When I was living as a resident athlete at the US Olympic Training Center the Sports Medicine teams used electro-stimulation as a way to assist athletes in muscle maintenance during rehab.

My point is this, looking for the easy way out is not the best course for achievement and success in this new millennium.

I appreciate tools and processes that make life simpler or that can assist us in producing more while doing less - to a certain point.

There comes a time when you actually have to do something.

After watching the movie "The Secret" people somehow equate merely thinking about their goals and acting less.

"You must act to attract." - David Martin

It's a very simple concept. The machine, the tool, the "thing" that you must own is your mind. Then you must back up that ownership with action.

All the systems, pills, lotions and potions must have an Action Equivalent or they are worthless.

Remember this, all that you seek in your pursuit of excellence....ALL of it, is available to you if you do the following - decide what it is you want, prepare with that end, commit, execute.

Until next time, Show Up, Suit Up & Step Up!

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Learn From Disappointment

2007-05-22T13:41:00.000-06:00

"The past does not equal the future" - Anthony Robbins

So often when we're in pursuit of our goals and dreams we run into a road block or two. We have a result in mind and it just doesn't come out in our favor.

It happens to everyone at some time.

You prepared, sacrificed family and social obligations, spent a lot of time and money on equipment, travel, lodging etc.

You rested, tapered and fully expected to have success. But things didn't turn out quite like you expected...

We've all experienced it; our dreams dashed. You wonder what more could you have done?
Perhaps now you are feeling discouraged and depressed. Unfortunately, the depression usually seems greater if you expected a lot. It seems there is no way for anyone to console you.

So how do you get out of this depressed condition; this "mental mess"?

Do you have the feeling that nothing you can do will make any difference?

Well, there is ALWAYS something you can do.

If you're feeling really down, go ahead and feel down for a little while. I repeat; a little while, just don't stay there.

Remember that you can't change the past. What is done is done.

But maybe you can learn something from it. It's been said that sometimes we learn more from losing than we do from winning.

You think you did every thing right, but did you? If your preparation and focus weren't at fault, than perhaps there is another explanation that you have been missing or avoiding.

A close objective assessment of your performance may reveal some useful lessons for the next time. In fact, I have discovered that losing a match, or not achieving a goal, actually made me better in the future.

Listen to me now and believe me later. You will be a better person having had the experience.

Take some time to analyze your performance.

You'll be glad you did.

Until next time, put everything you have into everything you do.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Two Minds Within One

2007-05-09T23:14:00.000-06:00

"Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better." - Pat Riley

Your subconscious mind is an amazing powerhouse that when properly used can move you rapidly towards the achievement of your goals and your desires.

Your subconscious can be used for creation or destruction, for good or for ill. It can and will make you a prince or a pauper, depending on the way its programmed.

To fulfill your potential you must learn how to tap into your subconscious mind at will and use it for your purposes intelligently and constructively.

Back in the early 1990s when I first opened my tae kwon do school, one of my students was a computer expert. He was telling me how much a computer can do for the business end of the school.

He was probably 10 years ahead of the curve when he came to computers and the Internet as well and still is.

One day he walked into my office carrying a box, he went back out to his car and brought another box. He repeated his process several times and when he was done what he we showing me was my very first computer. He was donating his computer to the school because he felt not only would help me keep better track of the business and students, it was also time for him to get a new one.

For the time it was state-of-the-art. High-speed wired up for the Internet turbocharged and ready to go. He showed me some of the processes that were in it and how I could use them.

But unfortunately I have to admit that because of my lack of understanding and lack of knowledge of how to use that computer at the time it was mostly used for simple word processing duties and playing the occasional game.

Here I had this tool that was worth thousands of dollars and that could have helped me produce so much more in a much, much shorter period of time, but I was using it as a typewriter and for my own personal entertainment.

I was not using that computer to even a fraction of its full potential.

Most people are like me with that computer.

They work every day with their minds but the use this powerful computer for only the most rudimentary tasks and then they wonder whether working so hard and why they seem to produce so little.

Peak performers however are those who have learned how to operate their conscious and subconscious minds together in harmony thereby allowing them to achieve their goals far faster and with a great deal less effort.

So which one are you?

Are you settling for the minimal level of production from your mental faculties?

Or do you have your two minds working together to achieve life on your terms?

The choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Take A Look Inside

2007-05-07T10:19:00.000-06:00

"Practice, the Master of all things." - Augustus Octavius

How are you doing?

Do you know what's going on?

I mean do you really know how you're doing in relation to your goals and desires?

It's important to be aware of where you are in relation to your goals. However, it's equally important to be aware of what's supporting you and what may be holding you back.

There is a difference between limits and limitations.

Limits tend to be physical.

How high you can jump, how fast you can run, what color your eyes are, your brain, talent etc are all physical.

Limitations tend to be mental.

They are your psycho-logical boundaries. What you believe about yourself ...your self-image determines many (if not all) of your actual limitations.

It's been said that, "The only limitations on human creativity are self-imposed. You never outgrow the ones you set, you only set new ones within which you must live." I guess that means the onus comes back on us.

Take an inventory of your personally set limitations.

What may be holding you back from achieving your dreams?

Be courageous. Don't Mickey Mouse with the pen and paper. Write down what's really going on.

By identifying obstacles, now you can make the necessary adjustments to eliminate, move around and go over or breakthrough the blockage.

Getting through the blockage is much easier with an expert guide or coach.

The EmpowerMax Performance Coaching Systems are designed to guide individuals that are committed to excellence to the next level of results.

Do you want to reach your goals faster? Send an email to info@empowermax.com along with your phone number to schedule an exploration into what your "Next Level" may be.

It's your life so choose wisely, as the choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Obstacles Don't Have To Stop You

2007-05-03T22:29:00.000-06:00

"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin

This is a topic that is not addressed often enough. So I decided to dust off one of the PCS archives and bring your attention to the following topic - Distraction.

Distraction is one of the most perilous diseases in the world today. It can kill you, figuratively and maybe even literally.

It's not the HUGE, cataclysmic distractions that are the most dangerous. That's what the average people look out for.

No. It's not that at all.

It's the small ones, the sneaky ones. They're insidious little monsters that are barely noticeable, yet will wreak havoc in your life.

Let's see. We have steroids in baseball, corrupt politicians, climate change, illegal aliens etcetera etcetera.

The danger lies in the slight nudge off course that the aforementioned can cause, the barely perceptible change in direction; the wrong direction.

You see if you change your course by a mere three degrees, you probably won't notice it immediately. And when you do notice it, it may not appear that you are treading in dangerous waters.

Eventually you arrive at a destination that you never intended to reach. It's then that you remember that song by the Talking Heads. Lead singer David Byrne has that wonderful lyric, "And you may find yourself asking, well how did I get here?"

Good question and therefore, it deserves a good answer.

The same holds true if you nudge yourself three degrees in the right direction. You will arrive at a more favorable destination; one that has more in line with your Vision, Beliefs and Mindset.

The key is to eliminate as much distraction as possible.

How can you do that?

First, let's get the easy stuff out of the way. Get away from the TV, Radio and Newspapers.

Next, take a look at your goals. Are you on track? Are you pressing toward or moving away from your goals?

Be courageous. Don't Mickey Mouse with your answers. The more direct you are with your evaluation, the faster you'll make any necessary corrections.

If you find yourself lacking in regard to your performance, and you are having difficulty identifying the steps to take, maybe the "I just don't know..." phrase rears its ugly head.

Ask yourself this question, "If I did know the steps to take, what would they be?"

By uncovering the small distractions, the minute blockages, you can eliminate them from your life, thus beginning a new era in your performance and your results.

The PCS Next Level is a program by which you can and will learn how to eliminate the obstacles in your life quickly, efficiently and permanently.

Commit to the strategies and tactics of excellence for your life. Call me directly at 505-821-0157 or send an email me directly at info@empowermax.com with your phone number to schedule an exploratory consultation.

If you have been considering coaching, STOP THINKING & START DOING! You can't go forward looking in the rearview mirror.

Take action, the choice is uniquely yours.

Best of Success!

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
505.821.0157 direct
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

There is Always an Exchange of Value

2007-04-30T12:09:00.000-06:00

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier

Great lesson while in the shower today. A cool lesson that is.

I was going through my morning rite of cleaning the bod, when I reached up to the window and cracked it open. This should keep the mirrors from fogging up, right? Well it did that, and a bit more.

Very quickly I noticed cool air pouring into the shower. I was watching the steamy hot air float up and out of the window at the same time.

Hmmmmmm very interesting.

Could it be that in order for the hot air to go out, some cool air had to come in? That there has to be an exchange? That even in something as simple as keeping the mirrors from fogging up, the Law of Exchange of Value holds true?

Yes Virginia, it is so.

Here’s the science lesson for the day. In order for the hot air to escape, cool air must enter through the window in order to allow room for the hot air to escape.

In other words, for every action there is equal and opposite reaction. Or, nature abhors a vacuum.

Your Mindset works the same way.

When you eliminate a negative trait or habit, you can only truly do so by replacing it with a positive trait or habit. To make a change permanent, the negative habit must be replaced with a positive one. Otherwise, the chance of regressing to the poor behavior is likely.

Discipline alone won’t do it. Your discipline sleeps when you do.

Focus won’t do it. Your focus is susceptible to distraction.

Determination won’t do it. It takes too long to out-determine the past 10, 20 or 30+ years.

You must replace the old behavior with a new one and then condition it to maintain itself. Not unlike the conditioning of a piano string. Even after the string is tuned to the correct note, it must be conditioned regularly to maintain the level of performance.

Just like the good old human mindset.

There are many ways to support or condition the mindset. One is by tuning into the Performance Zone training call every Wednesday at 10:30 PM Eastern. Dial in number is 212-990-8000, access code 1522#.

Each week the topics range from Vision, Mindset and Beliefs, to Habits, Focus, Self-Image and more.

The call is FREE and open to everyone. “See” you there.

Best of Success,

David Martin
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

Write It Down

2007-04-28T13:34:00.000-06:00

"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus." – Alexander Graham Bell

Here’s a quick thought about increasing your efficiency – Write It Down!

What “It” am I referring to? Anything.

Your goals, your dreams, your tasks, your errands, whatever; just Write It Down.

I love it when people tell me that they have their goals in their head – um, yeah ok, sure you do. I find that these people are not nearly as productive or efficient as they could be.

The scary part is, sometimes they are successful by “normal” standards, whatever those are. The standards that you should measure yourself by are not what are considered “normal”, but your previous levels of results.

So write it down and then write it again.

Don’t type it in a word doc, not on your laptop journal and not in a palm pilot.

Write it down in your own handwriting on paper. A journal is a great place, BUT put pen to paper. There is something magical about the physical act of writing your goals and dreams down on paper. I don’t have to know how it works, I just know it works.

It’s easy to let yourself off the proverbial hook when you don’t have things written down. However, when you can look at what YOU wanted and put down in YOUR handwriting, you know very quickly where any problems may lie.

So if you want to do, have, share and be more than you currently are, if you want ot achieve the personal success that is yours by divine right – Write It Down!

Until next time, put everything you have into everything you do.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

What Are You Worth?

2007-04-27T12:23:00.000-06:00

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitudes in any set of given circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Dr. Victor Frankl

If you're hanging on to the notion that you can do it all yourself, ask yourself; how much am I worth per hour? If you've never taken the time to do this, it can be kind of fun.

For me this really became apparent when one day, both my brothers and my dad were giving me a hard time about not changing the oil in my own car.

Both of my brothers had worked as automotive mechanics, one of them even owned his own business for quite awhile.

Now, my response to them was, it cost me too much money to change the oil in my car.

What I mean by that is, if I have to change the oil in my car, it'll take me several hours. I have to buy oil, I need the tools, I have to find a location to do it and then I have to find a place to dispose of the oil. That can take me a couple of hours.

Now when I go to one of those automotive places that changes your oil and 30 minutes, I can usually be outta there for less than $30. And I can be doing business, while I'm in there waiting. Cell phone, wireless laptop I'm good to go anywhere.

The difference is this; when I spend $30, $35 even $50 if they put some extras on, I'm okay with that, because in that time, I can generate income.

If I'm out changing the oil in my car it can cost me several thousands of dollars over that period.

Now I ask you, was it worth it for me to pay some one to change the oil in my car? Absolutely!

Ask yourself, what is it worth for you to pay someone to do the things that will enhance your income or your bottom line?

Last note on this. It's imperative that you schedule time, either every day, or at least a couple times a week to go over your agenda, especially if you have a personal assistant.

So, as you create t your personal vision or definte major purpose, remember to surround yourself with like minded people that can assist you, and you them, in achieving your goals.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone

PS - Recently I conducted a 2 part series on how to define your major purpose and then the steps to take on manifesting that definite major purpose. To download these 2 powerful life changing calls, right click on the following links:

Your DefiniteMajor Purpose - Part I

Your Definite Major Purpose Part II

It's All About The Proper Edu-Mucation

2007-04-27T11:35:00.000-06:00

There are many people that subscribe to the old adage, “Knowledge is Power.” Too bad. They’re missing the boat on this one.

At times, I receive emails that make “suggestions” about my grammar or phrase-ology, spelling and otherwise freewheeling use of the English language. They should see what I do to Spanish!

Filled with academic prowess and perceiving themselves as intellectually superior, they feel compelled to inform me of any one of my numerous gaffs. As if to save me from being seen by people as less than perfect.

So what? I ain’t perfect and I don’t do well with rules.

As Thomas Edison once said, “There ain’t no rules around here. We’re trying to accomplish something.”

Here’s my point. Knowledge must be applied to have any value.

Now, I am not stating that formal education is to be discounted. The point I want to illustrate to you is that there is knowledge that will better serve each of us as we strive to reach higher levels in our lives.

Take a look at what you know. Ask yourself, "Is this serving me to my greater good?" If the answer is "Yes", keep it. If the answer is "No", drop it and move on.

To establish what knowledge is beneficial and what knowledge will assist us in pursuit of our goals, we must first determine what those goals are. In relation to the definition of “direct and clear awareness”, by determining clearly what you want, you can now begin to discover the knowledge that will guide you toward success.

Education comes from the Latin educare – to draw from. There is much to draw from in our life and when you continue to draw from life you continue to grow. Stop the education, you stop the growth, stop the growth and you stop the progress.

The knowledge you require for success in your chosen endeavor is out there. It’s in books, CD’s, seminars, coaching, web sites, as well as in other programs and opportunities.

Until then, shape it in your mind and find it in your life.

Best of Success,

David Martin
EmpowerMax PCS, Inc.
info@empowermax.com
www.empowermax.com
The Performance Zone