TUESDAY IRONMEN meetings are from 6:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. SHARP. We meet at The Lodge in Buckhead, 3417 Roswell Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

We have a very simple purpose at IRONMEN – To encourage and equip men to become a positive impact for Jesus, at home, at work, and in the community. God’s Word clearly demonstrates that He did not intend for us to live independently, but interdependently by connecting with one another. Our hearts confirm this need for us to encourage one another and to challenge one another.

Study In Philippians, Part Eight: Dealing with Stress

Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Today Chuck Roberts led us through our study in Philippians.

Major sources of stress

1. Financial problems
2. Workplace stress
3. Personal relationships
4. Health
5. Irritants

Take the Holmes and Rahe Stress Test to measure your stress level in the last 12 months (take test)

Being an early Christian was stressful. Followers of Jesus were a minority. Family and friends didn't understand them. There were business, relational, and social consequences. Similar stress may occur today being a Christian.

Dealing with stress:

• Men have a "fight or flight" tendency, while women "tend and befriend" (nest, spend time with others). Men could benefit from this.
• Happiness comes and goes, Joy resides within us through our relationship with Jesus.
• Prayer/meditation. If you are having trouble with prayer, get in a room with two chairs. Imagine God was sitting in other chair and talk to Him.
• Create time daily to invest time nurturing your spiritual life.

Questions for consideration:

1. What was your score in the Holmes Rahe test?
2. Prior to taking the test, how stressed would you have said you are?
3. How will you change your coping behavior to deal with your stress?

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Ironmen Ecuador mission trip is June 22-29.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

The Thin Line, by Doug Grady

It has been said there's a thin line between love and hate, winning and losing, bravery and stupidity, genius and insanity... After over twenty years studying and teaching the pathways to personal potential, I am convinced:

There's a thin line between the person you are and the person you can be.

The person you can be lies just below the surface of who you are now. Reaching your full potential may at times feel unrealizable. The pressures of every day life may leave little time and energy for becoming the person you know you can be but aren't quite yet. Bad habits, regrets, and feelings of failure add extra weight on an already heavy load. Even moderate success and superficial achievement can become obstacles to your true greatness.

Self improvement programs can be cumbersome at best. They offer formulas and fixes, strategies and solutions, lotions and potions. I have participated in hundreds of them. I have delivered thousands of seminars, workshops, and trainings. They all work and none of them work. What's the difference? What's the magic bullet? What's the one thing? WHAT'S THE THIN LINE?

"Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person." -Albert Einstein

Being interested in your personal potential is not enough. Wishing is not enough. Hoping is not enough. Talking about it won't do it. The best training programs in the world can't do it for you. Prayer is a great start. But without crossing the thin line, you will never reach your personal potential.

"Commitment is the thin line between the person you are and the person you can be." -Doug Grady

Who are you committed to be? This is the most powerful commitment you will ever make. Consciously choose the person you intend to become.

• Who are you at your best?
• What qualities are you committed to develop?
• What will you let go of?
• Who are you committed to serve?

"It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody." -Bob Dylan

Few achieve greatness. None without commitment. The power of commitment is available to you right now. Commitment loves. Commitment finds a way to win. Commitment is brave. Commitment manifests genius. Commitment is the thin line between who you are and who you can be.

"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

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The Ripple Effect

What's In Your Library? Dan Lier

It's hard to believe I have known Dan Lier for over 18 years. It was April 1994 when I decided to leave the insurance business and begin working in the personal and professional development industry. I drove my car from Southern California to Miami, FL and began promoting Brian Tracy seminars. My two roommates were Peter Montoya and Dan Lier. We began friendships that have lasted almost two decades.

Dan is one of the most charismatic, dynamic people I have ever known. Back in the day I modeled his certainty when communicating one-on-one or to large audiences. Through the years he has been a peer, a sounding board, and a coach for me.

Four things I have learned from Dan:

• Think BIG and take massive action
• Certainty separates the good from the great
• When facing a crisis, take a long-term perspective
• Make progress every day

Now for the official bio... Known as "America’s Coach", Dan is a best selling author, executive coach, business consultant and former top speaker with Tony Robbins. With over two decades of experience and 3,500 customized presentations, along with coverage by The Today Show and Inside Edition, Dan’s track record speaks for itself. His TV show “Your True Potential,” has inspired millions of people to take their life and business to the next level. From a former college basketball player on two national championship teams to a top performing sales producer, Dan knows what it takes to win.

Check out my interview with Dan on blogtalkradio.

By the way, three of Dan's trainings from his popular audio series The 10 Minute Coach are unlocked in your High Achievers intro membership: A Winning Attitude, Goal Setting and Vision and Success Mindset. Not a member yet? Plug in!

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The Ripple Effect

Becoming A Trusted Authority, by Doug Grady

Years before I led my first seminar, wrote my first song, or typed my first blog I penned this in my journal (it is more or less a paraphrasing of a famous Goethe quote):

"When you proceed confidently in the direction you want to go, a path will unfold itself." -Doug Grady

Becoming a trusted authority is an exciting journey- you never know quite where it will take you. Wherever you are on your path, here are some thoughts on proceeding confidently.

"See yourself as you want to be." -Brian Tracy

Vision. Before you can effectively position in someone else's mind that you are a trusted authority, you must first position it in your own mind.

• How do you see yourself? Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses.
• How do others see you? Compare your list to the feedback of others. How do your clients see you? Your peers? Your friends? Ask a few trusted people how they see you- your strengths and weaknesses. Give them permission to be brutally honest.
• How do you want to be seen? Begin to see yourself as a trusted authority. What type of companies would you ideally like to work with? What would your ideal work day consist of? What activities would you consistently like to engage in?

Vision is critical, but it is just a beginning. In order to make your vision a reality, work on your...

Character. Think of a person you consider to be a trusted authority. Resist the urge to evaluate what they do. Instead consider who they are.

"Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you weren't born with and must take responsibility for forming." -Jim Rohn

What are the characteristics you would use to describe this person? Strive to strengthen these characteristics in yourself. Focus daily on the person you intend to become. Allow the character of this person to dictate your:

Strategy. What activities would you consistently engage in if you were a trusted authority? There are many to choose from.

• Study. Great students become trusted authorities. Have you ever noticed that trusted authorities commonly quote other trusted authorities? Go out of your way to be around trusted authorities. Take them out to lunch and pay for it. Ask questions and listen. Buy their books, listen to their audio programs, invest in their trainings.
• Write blogs, write articles, write a book.
• Video blog.
• Lead seminars.
• Validation. You think you're great- wonderful. Who else says so? Collect written validation from satisfied customers and peers in your field. When it comes to testimonials, consider the source- not all are created equal. Seek endorsements from known and respected entities. Don't expect busy people to come up with a unique testimonial for you- always be prepared with an draft for their modification and approval.
• Contribute. Be a consistent contributor to groups and organizations in your field. Comment on others peoples' blogs. Provide testimonials and endorsements for people you believe in. Volunteer for causes you believe in.

Do you have a question on becoming a trusted authority? Is there a strategy you are using to be effective? Please share it with us in the comments section.

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TUESDAY IRONMEN meetings are from 6:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. SHARP. We meet at The Lodge in Buckhead, 3417 Roswell Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

We have a very simple purpose at IRONMEN – To encourage and equip men to become a positive impact for Jesus, at home, at work, and in the community. God’s Word clearly demonstrates that He did not intend for us to live independently, but interdependently by connecting with one another. Our hearts confirm this need for us to encourage one another and to challenge one another.

Study In Philippians, Part Seven: Press On

Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Today Bryan Dunagan led us in our study of Philippians.

Paul often used the analogy of a race to describe being a Christian. Drive and perseverance can lead to destruction if misdirected. Direct your drive toward serving God.

Redefine what it means to "win"

• Remember what we are striving for
• Winning alone is called losing
• We win through weakness: when we are weak, God is strong
• None of us have finished the race

"Life is difficult." -M. Scott Peck

"Let this especially be the common aim of all... neither to give way having once begun nor faint in trouble, nor to say: we have live in the disciple a long time; but rather as through making a beginning daily let us increase our earnestness." -Athanasius

Questions for consideration

1. How can looking back distract us from running the Christian race?
2. What is behind you that you need to forget in order to strain toward the things ahead?
3. What lesser goals have sidetracked you from working toward your real purpose?
4. What are you presently doing that could be described as "straining toward heaven'?

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Ironmen Ecuador mission trip is June 22-29.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

What's In Your Library? Joel Weldon

If you have ever called my voicemail and listened to the words, "Make it a great day!" then you have been touched by Joel Weldon (I got that from him).

I will never forget the first time Joel spoke for High Achievers. It was 2003 in California. He ran up on stage, put a huge smile on his face, and just stood there for almost a minute. What a way to start a talk! He was funny, enthusiastic, and tailored his talk specifically to our members. Joel is also master story teller. A story he told us a man name Willie has impacted the way I interact with my clients to this day.

"Success comes in cans, not cannots." -Joel Weldon

For 30 years, Joel Weldon has been sought after as an Idea Consultant and seminar leader by many of the world's leading organizations and businesses. A former construction worker with no formal education, Joel turned down a full scholarship because he thought he "wasn't smart enough to go to college." But a few years later his life completely changed. He discovered amazing talents and abilities he never knew he had, and he became a prime example of the power of one idea to transform your life!

Doug with Joel and Judy Weldon

"It's not what happens to you , it's how you respond! It's all up to you! Control the controllables! Forget the excuses, and take ACTION!" -Joel Weldon

Joel's full length seminar, Extraordinary Selling- Using The Willie Factor, is unlocked in week one of your High Achievers intro membership. Not a member yet? What are you waiting for?

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TUESDAY IRONMEN meetings are from 6:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. SHARP. We meet at The Lodge in Buckhead, 3417 Roswell Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

We have a very simple purpose at IRONMEN – To encourage and equip men to become a positive impact for Jesus, at home, at work, and in the community. God’s Word clearly demonstrates that He did not intend for us to live independently, but interdependently by connecting with one another. Our hearts confirm this need for us to encourage one another and to challenge one another.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Study in Philippians, Part Six: Rejoice And Respond

Philippians 3:1-11 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith inChrist—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Today Steve Cesari led us in our study in Philippians.

When dealing with "CRAP," How do we rejoice and respond instead of react and reject?

We all deal with C-R-A-P

C- Criticism

R- Rejection

A- Angry People

P- Pressure

Before becoming a Christian Paul was self-righteous. He obeyed laws and persecuted Christians. He gave up righteousness of his own to be righteous for Christ.

self-righteous (definition): convinced of ones own righteousness especially in contrast to with the actions and beliefs of others; narrow-minded and moralistic

righteous (definition): acting in accord with divine or moral law, free from guilt or sin; morally right or justifiable

We are saved by faith alone. Faith:

• eliminates the pride of human effort
• exalts what God has done, not what people do
• admits that we can't keep the law or measure up to God's standards- we need help.
• based on a relationship with God, not performance for God

God loves me despite who I am.

We cannot stay where we are and go with God- we must leave something behind.

Questions for consideration:

1. Describe the most joyful day of your life- what made it so joyful? What factors under your control prevent you from being joyful all the time?
2. Where do you find yourself in pursuit of doing the right things versus being in the right relationship with Christ?
3. Where do you need to begin to transition from react and reject to rejoice and respond at home, at work, and in the community?

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Peachtree missions Ecuador trip is June 22-29.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

note from Doug: This is the first in a series of blogs from YourDay founder and High Achievers faculty member, Day Adeogba. Day is the recipient of the first ever High Achievers Lifestyle of Achievement Award. Since I have been personally challenged with a persistent pain in my hip for over two years, this seemed particularly appropriate as his first entry...

Hip Pain: Physical or Psychological? by Day Adeogba

I have been personal training for over 15 years, and I am constantly confronted with both new and many of the same challenges. A physical challenge that has approached my doorstep several times and even entered my house one time is that of Hip Pain. I trained an amazing lady in the past who had been working out since the early days of Jane Fonda. For privacy sake, we will call her Bethany. Bethany was referred to me by her husband. He knew that she and I would hit it off really well because Bethany was very intuitive and had a gift for reading the energy of whomever she worked with. Long story short, we connected immediately.

During the course of our personal training, Bethany revealed to me many insightful beliefs and paradigms about life, relationships, family and hobbies. Our training was right on track until one day Bethany fell off of her horse while riding. Although she did not sustain major physical injuries, she did adopt new psychological beliefs. I could see it in her eyes, and I could hear it in her conversation. In the YourDay Balance Game, one of our cornerstone beliefs is:

The results that your body produces come from 50% consciousness, 30% eating and cleansing, and 20% fitness.

Equipped with this belief, I was intrigued to see what the result of her new thought process would be and how it would affect her ability to heal.

Although we worked hard to strengthen all of her ligaments and tendons around her hips, lower back and knees, Bethany started complaining of sharp pains shooting down her hip. During this time, I would continuously share with her that the real issue that was causing her pain was not physical but a psychological fear of moving forward. According to Dr. John E. Sarno in his book The Divided Mind: The Epidemic of Mindbody Disorders, he writes that people with an unconscious psychological need for symptoms tend to develop a disorder that is well known. For the sake of this conversation, Hip Pain is a well-known disorder.

Within weeks, Bethany’s condition deteriorated, no matter how many specialists she saw. This reality supported Dr. Sarno’s statement that the second cause of such epidemics is often the result of a psychosomatic disorder being misread by the medical profession and being instead attributed to a structural abnormality. It seemed like it happened in a matter of days, but before I knew it, Bethany was having hip surgery to replace a hip, and she was one of the most physically healthy women I knew. She ate very clean, she worked out daily whether it was strength, yoga, cardio, pilates, etc. She cleansed, read, and meditated daily, and it still happened to her.

So what happened? How could this be?

Well, the YourDay Balance Game was designed as a guideline to help you navigate through these challenging moments and find the tough solutions that are not easily identifiable. In the YDBG, we use a Balance Chart to guide the alignment of your health and fitness. We define the health and fitness of the whole person as spiritual, mental, social, emotional and physical. With this balance chart as a guide, we break down your health and fitness practices into 7 major components. We refer to these as the 7 practices of calibration because they are the major practices that will raise your energy/calibration: Prayer, Meditation, Reading, Journaling, Eating/Cleansing, Exercise, and Association.

Utilizing these tools, it wasn’t long before I identified the cause of Bethany’s disorder. In the book Breaking the Death Habit by Leonard Orr, he states that friends and family can make you wildly successful or destroy you completely without your conscious mind ever realizing it.

The irony of her situation was that the entity that was supporting her was also destroying her. Yes, her husband supported her financially, but spiritually, mentally and emotionally she was at a major deficit being connected to him. I communicated this to him, and I communicated it to her, but when the ego is attached to the external security of money, family, hobbies, significant others, etc., then it is very difficult to walk away and move on even when your spirit is giving you clear signs to let go. In conclusion, I always tell people that your soul and your mind have agendas.

The question is, will the mind surrender to the higher purpose of the soul? When this happens, you will have peace of mind and peace of soul. This is the most optimal state for healing. When your body is not healing the major diseases that we attract, it is because there is a misalignment between the two. Food for thought. To BE continued...

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Embrace The Struggle, by Doug Grady

struggle (verb)

1. To be strenuously engaged with a problem, task, or undertaking

2. To progress with difficulty

-thefreedictionary.com

One of the many reasons I workout with my trainers at YourDay is that our workouts are a perfect, beautiful metaphor for life. They are always tough. They are always different. Even though I know I have made progress they never seem to get easier. There is always a level of struggle.

Earlier this week I was having a particularly difficult time performing power cleans with a weight level outside of my comfort zone. I failed on five out of six attempts. The voices in my head started to say unpleasant things. I went on to another exercise.

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” -Thomas Paine

I came back to the power cleans, forcing myself to listen to the voice in my head saying, "It's OK to struggle, just do your best." I failed on four more consecutive attempts. My YourDay trainer, Michael "Choppa" Willis, stayed with me, coaching me. Finally I did one. I rested for a minute or so. I did another. On my next attempt I failed. I rested for 45 seconds or so, resolving to end with a "win." I did one more rep, successfully completing three out of my last four attempts. Progress.

It would have been so easy to quit; to let the struggle be too much for me. I have been there more times than I care to admit. Times when I felt that life had my number and nothing I did made any difference at all. Times when I hated the struggle and prayed for it to just go away. Not today.

"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better." -Jim Rohn

In the "laboratory" of the gym I get to observe my relationship to struggle. I can embrace my inner "chump" or my inner "champ." The lessons in the gym become the lessons for life.

my inner chump says: "Why is this happening to me? Why is this so hard? Why even try? Nothing I do makes a difference. I can't take this anymore. It is generally accompanied with a strained look on my face and short, shallow breaths. My body tends to be tight and rigid. This sucks.

"If it's hard, do it hard! Nobody said it would be easy." -Les Brown

my inner champ says: "It's OK to struggle. I am in the ring. I am making progress. I can do my best right now in this moment." My body is relaxed. My mind is clear. I breathe deeply and my face is relaxed. Bring it.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Everybody struggles sometimes. How you struggle makes all the difference. Struggle like a champ today.

Please, leave a comment. I really want to hear from you.

See Doug struggle (training with Day Adeogba)...

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TUESDAY IRONMEN meetings are from 6:45 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. SHARP. We meet at The Lodge in Buckhead, 3417 Roswell Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305

We have a very simple purpose at IRONMEN – To encourage and equip men to become a positive impact for Jesus, at home, at work, and in the community. God’s Word clearly demonstrates that He did not intend for us to live independently, but interdependently by connecting with one another. Our hearts confirm this need for us to encourage one another and to challenge one another.

Study In Philippians, Part Five: Worthy Of Honor

What makes a man worthy of honor? Today Mark Crumpler led us in our study in Philippians.

Philippians 2:19-30 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus:

Timothy was like a son to Paul. Paul hopes to send Timothy to Philippi and follow after him depending on a verdict on his prison stay.

Who was Epaphroditus?

• Messenger sent from Philippi to Rome
• Taken ill
• Returning to Philippi with Paul's letter
• A man worthy of honor

The term "brother" in this passage is not:

• Circumstantial: not based on commonality of life experience
• Emotional: not based on a feeling of closeness

Jesus redefines "family." Mark 3:35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.

The identity of the human life is the cross of Jesus. We have a job to do together: to be the presence of Jesus in the world.

We are in a fight. Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Questions for consideration

1. What makes a man worthy of honor?
2. Which of Paul's images resonates with you: brother, co-worker or fellow soldier?
3. Epaphroditus was a servant. How and with whom will you take that role this week?

Ironmen on linkedin

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Peachtree missions Ecuador trip is June 22-29.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.