Get Up & Grow

21 Habits of Successful People

Duke Matlock

• Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781683505921
• Topic: Persönliche Entwicklung
• Subtopic: Persönlicher Erfolg

Foster a lifestyle of success, spirituality and health with these twenty-one daily habits that focus your daily routine on long-term, life-changing growth. When we strike gold, it's only natural that we keep digging. That's because we have no problem taking advantage of the resources around us. Yet all too often we neglect the resources within us. In Get Up and Grow, Duke Matlock helps you discover that you are your own most valuable resource. No amount of money or status is worth more than the potential that lies within you. An experienced pastor and success coach, Matlock gives you the tools to help you start investing in yourself. He understands the importance of maximizing productivity by working smarter instead of harder. Drawing from his own hard-earned lessons about growth and leadership, Matlock has identified 21 habits that not only maximize productivity but also create space for overall health and spiritual growth.

HEALTH HABITS

INVEST IN HEALTH

We’ve discussed the importance of investing in your spiritual life and your success, now it’s time to shift our focus. This is about more than just growing your mind, although that is definitely an important component; this is about investing in your health. Although this book is broken down into sections that address the various areas of life, our goal here is holistic growth. Your health is an important part of that journey.

The way you think about your body directly impacts your ability to invest in your physical health. If you believe that your health exists in a realm separate from your success and spiritual life, you will be unable to approach it appropriately. Everything in your life is connected; the way you treat your body has a direct impact on your ability to lead, succeed, and your reputation. Whether we like it or not, our health has a massive impact on the way we view ourselves and the way others view us. Truth be told, others judge us by our appearance. No one likes it, but it is the absolute truth.

It is critical to invest in your physical health when you are looking to grow. Why is health so important? Studies show that there is an undisputable link between physical activity, cognition, and executive control. Cognition refers to our ability to think and reason; executive control speaks to a division of goal oriented processes involved in our ability to perceive, remember, and act; specifically, executive control is about scheduling, planning, and multitasking. I don’t know about you, but those things are pretty important in my professional and personal lives! Physical activity has a physiological effect on the way our brain processes and retains information. Being committed to your health quite literally makes you smarter and increases your capacity for excellence!

When it comes to your health, possessing the right mindset is a must. The goal is not to chase a number on a scale or have the stamina to run a certain number of miles; the goal is to be disciplined and a good steward of the body you have been given. This is the only body you will ever have and the only life you will ever live. Let me encourage you to do whatever you can to make sure you live this life well. You cannot live your best life until you invest in your physical health.

The turning point in my health journey came when I addressed the mental roadblocks that were hindering my success. I had to conquer the psychological deterrents before I could make any progress. The way I handled this was to identify reasons why I wanted to be healthy; I chose three motivating factors and focused on them. When discouragement or weariness would come, I would remind myself of those three things, and they would give me the strength to push forward. Your health journey will change drastically when you get motivated to make progress. Once I overcame those mental roadblocks, I was able to implement these five simple habits.

Health Habits
Go for a Walk

“Exercise and application produce order in our affairs, health of body, cheerfulness of mind, and these make us precious to our friends.”

– Thomas Jefferson, The Family Letters of Thomas Jefferson

Daily Habit #12: Get Active

This habit is crucial. Eating well can only take you so far; you have to get active. This can sound daunting to someone who doesn’t exercise regularly, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Getting active can mean anything, from taking a walk to joining a gym. The details will vary in the life of every person. The important thing is that you get active in whatever way works for you.

When it comes to personal development, there is a very real temptation to compartmentalize your life and areas of growth. Even this book is divided into sections based on different targeted areas of growth. But there is a crucial difference between organization and isolation.

If you want to grow, you must do so holistically. Your physical health is just as important as your spiritual life and career. You cannot succeed in one area of life while neglecting another.

Studies show that less than 5% of adults participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Only five percent! That’s pretty low. If you made a list of the benefits of exercise, it would be pretty extensive. Not only is exercise helpful in weight management, it can also boost your energy, improve your mood, and even help you sleep better! Both your body and your mind will function at a higher level if you exercise regularly.

Exercise is an act of discipline. When you commit yourself to getting active and investing in your health, there is both a physical and a mental change. Regardless of the manner in which you choose to get active, the important thing is to you commit yourself wholeheartedly. When you commit to making this a part of your morning routine, you remove many of the opportunities to miss your workout. The morning is a special time of your day that you set aside just for yourself. When you exercise in the morning, not only do you get it out of the way early, you invest in a holistic growth model.

Be Inspired:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Your body is a gift from God! We take care of our bodies for the same reason we steward our finances well and work hard at our jobs—so that we will be able to glorify God in every area of life. Caring for your body is an act of worship.

Get Coached:

In what ways do you think compartmentalizing your growth can be harmful? What are some ways you can counteract compartmentalization?

Take Action:

I would like to challenge you to go for a walk. Studies show that a 20-25 minute walk every day will add 7.5 years to your life. That’s incredible! I don’t know about you, but I want those seven years. Get active! Be holistic in your pursuit of growth.

Health Habits
Plan Your Meals

“Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.”

– Bethenny Frankel, Naturally Thin

Daily Habit #13: Plan Your Meals for the Day

I firmly believe planning and preparation are the keys to success. We have all probably heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” It’s a bit of a cliché, but I believe this statement to be true, especially when we are talking about health. For so many people, getting healthy is challenging. If you want to conquer this challenge, you must prepare and plan for success.

As I said, preparation is paramount. Think about where you are in your morning routine. You have already reviewed your agenda for today, so you know the direction your day is headed. Knowing your agenda prior to planning out your meals is important. When you know what your day holds, you are able to find the healthiest options that will fit into your schedule. You don’t need to plan your day around food; the goal here is to plan your meals around your day.

Deciding where and when you will eat also helps you avoid mindless eating throughout the day. Having a snack is a good thing, and planning out your meals allows you to find the ideal time for a midafternoon pick-me-up. Whether you’re planning your meals around your work schedule or your workouts, the important thing is to plan.

Have you ever tried this? Planning meals can sound complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Using the spaces below, complete a meal plan. Of course, there will be times that you’ll deviate from this plan, and that’s okay. This plan can serve as a great foundation for your day.

Breakfast:

Snack:

Lunch:

Snack:

Dinner:

Be Inspired:

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Proverbs 15:22

You’ve got to make a plan! Do your research, be aware of what the day will hold, and move forward. Your success is directly related to your willingness to plan.

Get Coached:

What kinds of things prevent you from making healthy choices throughout your day? Do you think planning out your meals will help counteract those things?

Take Action:

Use the space above to plan your meals for the day. Take time to prepare for today.

Health Habits
Record What You Eat

“I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.”

– Joyce Meyer, Eat the Cookie… Buy the Shoes

Daily Habit #14: Keep a Record of Your Diet and Exercise

When trying to improve in any area, it’s important to be aware of your actions. If you want to do something better, you must first identify areas of weakness. This is especially true when you’re looking to get healthy. Before making changes, you must be fully cognizant of your existing habits.

You already have eating habits. The goal of this chapter is to show you how to make small changes where needed. When you take the time in your morning routine to review what you ate yesterday, you’re able to identify areas that need improvement. For example, when reviewing your food journal, you’re able to identify times of the day you’re inclined to snack. If you know that you’re going to want a snack at 3pm, make sure you have a healthy snack on hand instead of relying on chips from the vending machine.

Even beyond identifying areas for improvement, recording what you eat and your exercise keeps you accountable. Knowing you’ll have to answer to yourself for the things you’re eating or the workout you’re thinking about skipping, you’ll think twice before making less than ideal choices.

There are so many reasons to record your eating and exercise throughout the day; two of these reasons are to identify areas of weakness and to be accountable to yourself for your actions.

Be Inspired:

“The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.”

Genesis 41:53-55

Had they lost track of what they were eating and saving, Egypt would have been facing a crisis. We may not be facing a famine as Joseph was, but we should be just as meticulous in our planning and records. Record what you eat so you can remain aware and in control of your health.

Get Coached:

Do you think reviewing your eating and exercise habits will be beneficial? Why or why not?

Take Action:

Download an app that will help you log what you’re...