Choosing to Live an “Abnormal” but Spectacular Life
Call me weird. Call me boring.
Please, however, don’t call me “normal.”
You’ll know why soon.
Our Choices Determine Our Results
Life is full of choices.
Freedom allows us an infinite number of ways we can choose to spend our time and money.
If you ask most people you meet, they will say of course they want to be more successful, or be a better parent, or make more money.
Even though they may not believe they can do it, everyone wants more in life.
The great news is that WE can be successful and achieve the things we want, but we must make the right choices.
Choices are what determine what results we get.
How do you know if you are choosing to do the right thing everyday?
One of my mentors gave me the BEST advice and made decision making simple for me.
He taught me that if you want to be the top 3% and become successful in whatever you are pursuing, simply do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.
You can apply that to whatever goal you want to achieve, whether it is to make more money, be a better athlete, become a better parent, have better health, etc.
If everyone sleeps, you work. If everyone is working, then you sleep.
Whatever you do, do NOT follow the herd and do what others do.
Our results are a consequence of our actions, and if you do what everyone else is doing, you will get the same results that everyone else gets.
Why I Spent Super Bowl Sunday the Way I Did
This past Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday in the USA, where over 111 million Americans annually worship the TV at the same time.
Some watch for the game.
Some watch for the commercials.
Others go to a Super Bowl party to hang out with friends.
Sadly, many don’t know why they are watching, but they do it since everyone else is doing it.
Being Suckered by the Media
I want to make one thing clear.
There is NOTHING wrong with watching the Super Bowl but I’m just not interested in it anymore.
As my kids grow older I will watch it with them but for now, it is a total waste of my time since watching it doesn’t give me any fulfillment nor help me be the person I want to be.
I used to be a huge sports fan and would watch everything. If I couldn’t watch it live on TV, I would record it and then watch the entire game later.
I had tons of recorded VHS tapes at home of old Super Bowl and Championship games.
Back in college, I was a HUGE Dallas Cowboys fan. Not only would I do my best to catch every game on TV, but I would cut out newspaper articles and put them in a scrapbook.
I was a fanatic.
I also felt that I must watch every single second of an important event, or else I would miss out.
Little did I know that feeling the need to watch every single moment would just burn me out and make life more difficult and stressful later.
And I was a fool.
Who cares about what happened on the 3rd play of the second drive of the Super Bowl from 15 years ago?!
Yes. It gave me short-term satisfaction, but aside from learning this painful lesson, I can’t say it made me a better person or happier 15 years later.
As for those VHS tapes, they are just collecting dust, and I never watched them again.
In other words, I was made a sucker by the Media and hype.
The Media hypes things up just so that they can take up your time and get better ratings.
I was in the gym working out and happened to glance at the TV. ESPN was on. Throughout my 30-minute workout, ESPN had extensive coverage of the how the Denver Broncos were preparing for the weather conditions.
Does that add ANY value to what’s important to anyone’s life?!
If the answer is “yes,” then that person has a very sorry life.
The funny and sad thing was that, during that last week, Denver had similar weather as to the playing conditions. ESPN interviewed the players and asked whether the comparable weather conditions would help them prepare.
What are you expecting the players to say? That it would not!
It saddens me that people will sit for hours in front of the TV to watch this junk.
I can only say that because I used to get caught up and watch EVERY single minute of Super Bowl programming.
I’ve learned from my mistakes that time is valuable and nothing is free.
Your attention and time is the most important thing in the world. Who knows how much money I’ve lost by falling for what the media tells me is important.
There is nothing wrong with doing what everyone else does, except if you want to have what others don’t have!
I still like sports and follow what’s going on, but I can catch the highlights online. I no longer need to waste hours of learning the trivial things that happen in each game.
Learning to Live Simpler and Let Things Go
Over the years I’ve learned the key to happiness is keeping life simple.
I stopped collecting material things.
Once I stopped, it was a relief that each year I didn’t have to keep up with the latest baseball card sets or the gadgets.
Living simpler also has helped me avoid falling into the trap of “keeping up with the Jones” and always trying to outdo what others have.
I encourage you to seek out The Minimalists, who write about living simple and not falling into the materialism trap.
Another book that was One of the Top 6 Books that had the Biggest Influence in my Life is Living the Simple Life by Elaine St. James.
What the Super Bowl Is Really About
The Super Bowl is popular because it’s really about spending time with your friends and having a good time.
The game and commercials are secondary.
It’s about the relationships.
If your goal is to spend time with friends, then the Super Bowl is a perfect time to get together.
For me, my goals in life are pretty simple.
My goals are to grow my business, be the best Father in the world, and spend quality time with my kids.
My kids don’t want me to hang out with my friends and watch a football game.
At their age, my sons want me to spend time with them.
Spending quantity time (not quality) is how kids know you love them.
I got a great idea last week that, while most of America would be enslaved to the TV on Super Bowl Sunday, it would be a perfect time to take Ethan to Disneyland again.
It’s one of the few days in the year when there is no traffic in Los Angeles, and there also would be no lines at Disneyland!
I was correct.
The day turned out to be an awesome father/ son day.
I first took Ethan for an afternoon stroll with Obi, and taught him how to walk Obi on a leash!
After the long walk, we headed to Disneyland.
Ethan and I had a great time together.
While most of America watched the Superbowl, Ethan and I were able to go on six rides in less than three hours, and watch the Disneyland fireworks display at night.
I’m thankful for my mentor’s advice about doing the opposite of what everyone else does.
Instead of wasting the four to five hours doing what everyone else was doing, I got to spend one of the best days ever with Ethan.
It was the BEST Super Bowl Sunday I’ve ever had. 🙂
Sincerely,
Simon Chan
P.S. I’d like to share with you a Positive Force that will not only help you stay motivated but become successful in MLM.
I’d like to introduce to you my Simon Chan Insider’s Circle.
My Insider Circle was designed with one purpose in mind – To empower people of any skill level to increase their results in Network Marketing.
As a member of my Insider Circle you’ll be exposed to the most current strategies and tactics that the most successful network marketers are using.
Click Here for a FREE TRIAL TODAY
Your monthly trial will provide you:
Insider Circle Newsletter
Delivered to your door each month with important network marketing training. (This is physically delivered and NOT emailed)
Weekly Group Coaching Call
90 Minutes, approximately 50% advanced training on various network marketing topics, 50% question / answer.
Insider Restricted Access Website
A portion of www.simonwchan.com website contains past issues of the Insider Circle Newsletter, articles, special news, recorded coaching & Q&A calls with Insider Circle Members, even advance “works in progress”. Only Insider Circle Members are given the access codes for this website.
Special Free Call-In Consulting Times
Once a month receive special call in hours where you will be able to call and consult with me on the topic of your choosing.
Access To A Private Facebook Community Filled With Other Network Marketers That You Can Network With
Opportunity to be Admitted to Mastermind Groups
All my popular Mastermind groups are now closed. But if you work hard and perform well in my Insider’s Circle, you will have an opportunity to be promoted to either the 5 Star Mastermind or Advanced Diamond Mastermind Coaching Programs
Deb says
Kudos to you on setting the right priorities, Simon.
Adam says
Woo, good idea! I haven’t thought of Disneyland while others are sucked in front of the TV!
I was wondering why the streets were completely empty on Sunday…
Henry says
Great Pictures its all about Family
F.A.M.I.L.Y
F.orget A.bout M.e I L.ove Y.ou