The Smart Zone: Step 3 – Find a Coach/ Find a System

So, you’ve accepted your Call to Action. You have a passion that moves you and, most likely, a little bit of talent in that area.  Congratulations. You are better off than 99% of humanity.  The transition to The Nerd Phase came quite naturally. The energy your Call to Action brings made it easy to immerse yourself. At this moment, you need to know one thing: It’s O.K. to stay right where you are for as long as you want! There is inherent joy in The Nerd Phase. It is the honeymoon phase of any endeavor.  All things are possible and exist as potential. There is no need to measure your results when you are having that much fun.

Most of us, however, have a need for something more when it comes to our Call to Action. Somewhere within us shouts the desire for beauty and excellence. When we answer this voice, it is time to leave the comfortable nest of The Nerd Phase. It’s time to see how good we can really be. It’s time to ROCK AND ROLL. Before you rock and/or roll, read carefully. The next six words of this blog will shape your entire experience:  Find – a – Coach/Find – a – System.

The Legendary Coach K

In any field, from bodybuilding to sales to cupstacking, there are coaches. These instructors delight in teaching their field of interest. In the Tough-Smart system, we always find an élite level coach to bring out the best in us.  The secret lies in finding the right coach. Never settle for anything less than world-class. Does this mean that, if my Call to Action is completing a triathlon, I should seek out the world’s fastest triathlete? Not necessarily. It means I should seek out the coach who trains the world’s fastest triathletes. Here exists an important distinction.  Often, people who are very talented have trouble explaining how they perform at such a high level. The right coach will be able to paint in very clear, concise terms, what your road to victory will look like. In other words, world-class coaches develop world-class systems.

What if I cannot afford a personal coach?  No problem. Lucky for us, world-class coaches also delight in writing books, producing DVD’s and hosting seminars to teach their methods. These media are usually very affordable. Many times, these experts post their advice on the Internet for free! Here’s the catch. In order to live Tough-Smart, you must be willing to learn from  any and all  sources available. You say you don’t have time to watch an instructional DVD? You don’t have the discipline to read a book? The Internet doesn’t grab you? That’s not Tough-Smart.  That’s Wimpy-Stupid.

Coaches exist not only to help us work harder, but to help us work smarter. It is true that a good coach will push you harder than you would ever push yourself. World class coaches also make sure our efforts are not wasted. They make sure we do things the right way: with proper technique and with emphasis in the correct areas. In Tough-Smart, we not only find a world class coach, we find a world class coach that is right for us. You don’t necessarily have to choose the coach or system that everyone else prefers.  Choose the coach that infuses a sense of positive energy, direction, confidence and ease into your Call to Action.

Coach Troy Jacobsen has led me through hundreds of workouts....and we still haven't met!!

One final word: Once you’ve found the right coach for you, LISTEN !! Do exactly what your coach says to do, the way he/she says to do it.  If you have your own ideas, there will be plenty of time to infuse them later in your journey (See Smart Zone Step 6: Make it Your Own). For now, hone your skills the way the experts suggest.

Finding a great coach and a great system injects power into your journey. Coaches help us succeed, make it fun and make it worthwhile.

Best of luck with you Call to Action

Peace Begins with me

Coach Dave

My Call to Action, Health: The Tough-Smart Way

O.K. Tough-smart nation, it’s show and tell time. Coach Dave is ready to live Tough-Smart right in front of your eyes! If you read my introductory post, you know I grew up as an élite level wrestler. Fitness is so important to me. Yet, in the past few years, I haven’t been clear at all about nutrition (in particular), stress management, hydration or sleep hygiene. My workouts, while fairly consistent, have been aimless. My Call to Action has come and I’m going to answer it. What better way to do it than using the Tough-Smart system IN FRONT OF THE WORLD? I realize we haven’t   talked about the entire Tough-Smart system yet. Don’t worry. I will be posting a chapter each week addressing a specific aspect of Tough-Smart. All the while, I plan to  show you how to live Tough-Smart.

So let’s plan my journey by entering the Smart Zone. Let’s break it down step by step. We will talk about the Tough Zone as we go:

Smart Zone Step 1: The Call to Action – My call to Action is  a very specific endpoint called: Health.  I’m talking about much more than  avoiding disease or “getting in shape. ” Put mindful nutrition, proper rest, stress management, recreation, strength training, cardiovascular training and flexibility into one bowl and you create a wonderful ambrosia called “Health.”  That is my destination. Believe me, (a picture is worth a thousand words) I have a long way to go on all those axes.

In the past five years, I have trained for wrestling competitions and  running races. I typically did well, and got fit along the way.  However,  when the event was over, my fitness gradually slid downhill. I have never specifically trained for myself: to look good, to feel well, to prolong my life and to enhance my existence.  I think Health is a more valuable endpoint than, say,  finishing a half marathon.

Smart Zone Step 2: The Nerd Phase. Admittedly, I cheated on this step.  I have actually  been nerding out about health for some time. I have accessed many resources, from books on nutrition and sleep to DVD’s on running form (actually I have three separate DVD’s on running form…NERD!).  I have a head start from a knowledge standpoint. Like most physicians, however, I haven’t  consistently put that knowledge into practice. (Don’t you always scratch your head when you see a fat doctor?)

Smart Zone Step 3: Find a Coach/Find a system. Easy money. I have the best in the world at my disposal. In Tough-Smart we settle for nothing less than world-class when choosing a coach. Note that I will rarely be receiving personal instruction from these experts. One of my strengths is that I am willing to learn from a variety of media, including books,  DVD’s, and the Internet.  If you are proactive, the best advice in the world is right at your fingertips, free or very cheap.

Nutrition Coach: Body for Life – Quite simply the most sensible, practical, proven nutrition program in the world.(www.bodyforlife.com)

Cardiovascular Training: Coach Troy Jacobsen. Troy produces an array of spinning and running DVD’s (Spinnervals/Runnervals) that are not only world-class but inexpensive. (www.coachtroy.com). Spinnervals and Runnervals can be done at home, which is important to me now.

Strength Training: Anthony Dilugio. Anthony produces the Art of Strength (AOS) Dvd’s. These elegant Kettlebell and Core workouts are well designed and time efficient. The AOS series is also very reasonably priced. Yes, coach Dave is finally going to face his fitness demons and train his core like it counts! (www.artofstrength.com)

Flexibility Coach: Pavel Tsatsouline. This former Russian commando is the creator of “Loaded Stretching.” I think flexibility is too often ignored in fitness programs. God bless Yoga enthusiasts but Pavel’s  “It going to hurt. Deal with it!” approach is what I need.

Stress Management Coach: Yehuda Berg. His proactive and vibrant “Daily Tune-up” brightens my every morning by e-mail. Yehuda is the creator of the Living Kabbalah Series, author of many wonderful books and a big inspiration in my life.  I also plan to lean on Mr. Fire, Joe Vitale.  Joe is a brilliant motivational speaker and the author of many wonderful books such as “The Attractor Factor” and “Zero Limits.”  He has taught me that every stressor in my life is an opportunity to heal myself and to make the world a little better.  Joe and Yehuda have been instrumental in helping me stay in the Tough Zone.

Sleep Coach/Recreation coach: My wife, Gina. I love her so much. She takes care of our family and keeps it fun. Sleep will be a particular challenge because we have a one year old son and ANOTHER ONE THE WAY!! Sometimes acceptance is instrumental. I will do the best I can.

The Smart Zone Steps 4-7 (Hustle,  The wall,  Make it Your Own and Introspection) are aspects of my journey I can’t address until I’m in the middle of this donnybrook.  I will keep you updated along the way.

Of course, to succeed in a way that also brings personal fulfillment I will have to stay the Tough Zone. We’ll talk about the Tough Zone on the fly as well.

I will keep you updated on my journey. I’m excited. At the end of my journey I won’t just be fit, I will be the fittest.  And I’ll do it the Tough-Smart way.

I’d love to share your Call to Action. Drop me a line and we’ll talk about it.

Peace begins with me
Coach Dave

The Smart Zone: Step 2 – The N.E.R.D. Phase

In Tough-Smart’s last post, we talked about  Step 1 in The Smart Zone: The Call to Action. The Call to Action is a nudge toward the best possible version of yourself. Once, you’ve answered it your are on the path to success and personal fulfillment.

O.K. So you ‘ve decided to be the hero in your movie. You’ve decided not to settle for life as usual. What do you do now? NERD OUT!! SPAS OUT!! GEEK OUT!! Whatever you want to call it, it’s time for total immersion in your passion.

The world has a lot to learn from nerds. Whether it is the Scrabble champion of the world or a regular at a Trekkie convention, nerds are passionate. They love what they do almost to the exclusion of everything else. Nerds are self motivated. They will work hours on end, with little or no prompting. I’m a wrestling nerd. You don’t have to twist my arm to get me to study film of the 1980 Russian Wrestling Nationals for six hours straight. In fact, my wife has to twist my arm to get me to stop (thanks Hunny Bunny).  Nerds are detail oriented. Trust me, the people who take the time to re-enact Civil War battles also take the time to make sure they look authentic, sound authentic and, I imagine, smell authentic. Nerds are also easy to please. Give a master knitter two knitting needles and some yarn and they are in nirvana. You don’t have to entertain, placate or indulge a nerd. Just let them do what they love.

Hmmm..passionate, self motivated, detail oriented, easy to please. That sounds like someone successful. Now, as I mentioned in my earlier post, the Call to Action should inspire a sense of excitement, enjoyment and enthusiasm. Once you feel this energy paddle into that wave and ride it! (Incidentally, surfers are nerds too–just really mellow, tan nerds).  Go ahead and NERD OUT!

The N.E.R.D. phase is the honeymoon phase of your journey. It’s the phase where all things are possible. It’s the phase where you don’t care where you are going, you just know that you are enjoying yourself. This is the time to give in to that ecstatic feeling and learn as much as you can about your particular Call to Action.

In his recent book “Outliers,”  a must read those who want to live Tough-Smart, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the “10,000 hour rule.”  According to this theory, one must spend roughly 10,000 hours practicing a skill to become world-class.  Gladwell uses Bill Gates and The Beatles as poignant examples those who allowed the N.E.R.D. phase  to springboard them to legendary success. When you are in the N.E.R.D. phase, spending 10,000 hours working your craft seems like a reward, not a chore.

One last, wonderful fact about nerds. They don’t care what you think. They do what they love whether or not the world at large thinks it is cool. In fact I like to think of the word “N-E-R-D”  as a mnemonic for: Never, Ever, React to Doubters.  I’ve read countless stories of people became world class in their field. They all had their detractors. When the doubters come into your life, don’t surrender your power to them. Just keep nerding out.

At our very best we are all nerds. Once you have answered the Call to Action it is time to embrace your inner nerd. Bathe in your nerd-dome. Finally, share your passion with other “neo-maxie-zoon-dweebies” (sorry for the Judd Nelson/Breakfast Club reference. I  grew up on John Hughes films). It will take the experience to a new level.

Good luck and stay Tough-Smart

Coach Dave

The Smart Zone: Step 1 – The Call to Action

Living Tough-Smart has two zones: The Tough Zone  and The Smart Zone.  I always like to introduce the Smart Zone first.  As I mentioned in my earlier post (“What is Tough-Smart?”),  the Smart Zone is easy to understand.  It is rational, practical and will appeal to your intellect. Living in the Smart Zone is simple but certainly not easy. The Today I’d like to talk about Step 1 in the Smart Zone, The Call to Action.

Practically every movie I’ve ever seen starts out the same way: LIFE AS USUAL. Our hero (remember that’s you) is just doing his/her everyday, normal thing. Often our hero often has a sense that something is missing (Think Neo from the movie “The Matrix” as Thomas Anderson….Missssster Anderson).  Then, suddenly, something cataclysmic plummets into the hero’s everyday routine that changes his life forever: a meteor falls into his living room, the love of his life walks in, he has an idea that will change the world.  This is The Call to Action.

We’ve all experienced the The Call to Action. It’s the lightbulb  going on in your head. It’s divine inspiration – “the still small voice.”  It’s when opportunity knocks. It is a small whisper among the many loud voices playing to our reality that moves us to ACT! When the Call to Action comes, listen carefully.  It should inspire a sense of excitement, enjoyment and enthusiasm. The Call to Action is a nudge toward something you would really like to be or do.

When you hear the Call to Action, pause for just a second. Ask yourself a question: “Is this voice proactive or reactive.”  If the voice is urging you to do something creative, to share with others, to learn something new then it is proactive.  For example my friend, Sheldon Marr, is a police officer. He also happens to be a former olympic team alternate in Judo and an élite level wrestling coach.  In the late 1990’s, he was inspired to open Grappler’s Edge, a mixed martial arts academy. This was BEFORE mixed martial arts (U.F.C., Pride, W.E.C., etc.) was popular or even a known entity to the public. Today Grappler’s Edge is one of the top mixed martial arts gyms in the world. Sheldon was recently inducted into the Ju-Jitsu hall of fame.  Sheldon’s Call to Action was clearly proactive.  He listened to the voice of inspiration and shared his dream with the world.

On the other hand, if the voice inside you is urging you to gain revenge, to exclude others, to prove someone wrong or to merely gain recognition, then it is reactive. This is not the voice of inspiration calling. It’s your ego. Do me and the world a favor when this happens. Put your ego on hold or hang up.  Don’t worry. It will definitely call back another time.

Are you satisfied with LIFE AS USUAL?  I’m not. I’m convinced my movie is infinitely more interesting than that. When the Call to Action taps you on the shoulder, answer it. We’ll talk about how in later chapters. You will create happiness in your life and the lives of those who are fortunate enough to  share your dream.

What is tough-smart?

First, I’d like to introduce myself and then I would like to talk a little bit about where we are headed with the Tough-Smart blog. My name is David Nowick M.D. I am a 39 year old anesthesiologist from Denver, Colorado. I spend my days putting people to sleep. What I would really like to do, however,  is to help people to WAKE UP!!  I am a graduate of Stanford University and spent the first 27 years of my life training as an elite level wrestler. My passion in life is coaching kids wrestling.  I prefer the moniker  “Coach Dave” to any of the others I’ve acquired in this life. Many of the elements of Tough-Smart have been drawn from my experiences in sports and my journey toward becoming a physician.

Now that the introductions are over, what in the heck is Tough-Smart and why would I go to the trouble of sending this blog into the Nethersphere? Tough-Smart is my personal brand of living.  More than anything, I would like to share it with you.   I’ll start by writing the Tough-Smart blog. Soon I hope to connect with you  through public speaking, through the vast array of social networks available on the internet and through talking to you  1 on 1.

The are two zones in the Tough-Smart world: 1. The Smart Zone 2. The Tough Zone.    The Smart Zone is simply a step by step plan to becoming successful. It my proven roadmap  for “getting really good” at something. It is a method to identify your passion and then to become elite in that area. The Smart Zone will make a lot of sense. It will appeal to your intellect. It is practical, everyday advice with a bit of my personal brand of inspiration mixed in. When you are in the Smart Zone you will be on your way to success in any field you choose.

The Tough Zone is harder to grasp. It is about achieving personal fulfillment rather than success. The Tough Zone is about personal transformation. It is where we really wake up. It’s not what you think.  It’s not about winning fist fights or gritting your teeth or sucking it up.  When you are truly “tough,” you won’t need to do any of those things. In the Tough Zone you will become the hero in the movie called “Your Life” (I always like to picture Neo in  the movie “The Matrix” ). When you are in the Tough Zone you will be able to perform, to be the person you want to be NO MATTER WHAT THE CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES.

Sound exciting? It is . After all, this is your life! With Tough-Smart I hope to inspire you, to challenge you, to drive you crazy, to wake you up and most of all to communicate with you.

All my best

Peace begins with me

Coach Dave