Photo by Marcelo Chagas on Pexels.com I wrote my book Elastic Habits because I discovered that flexibility was the main driver of behavior change. If behavior changes through consistent action, then whatever enables consistent action is the most valuable activator. That’s flexibility. Everyone does well when they’re fully motivated and have enough time and energy to act. That’s what, 5% of the time? Real progress requires constantly overcoming internal and external resistance to action. When you’re flexible, you gain significant power to overcome obstacles. If you will only go in a straight li ..read more

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com In case you don’t know, there’s evil in this world. Beyond that, humans experience tragedy that can’t be explained. Life can get awfully dark when the tide turns against you. Enter my favorite movie series, The Lord of the Rings, based on the classic books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Like many, I instantly fell in love with these movies when I first saw them. And besides the incredible soundtrack from Howard Shore, I think it’s the deep, powerful themes they present. Broadly, the main characters are tasked with a long and difficult journey which could represent a hu ..read more

Alcoholism and gambling addiction often go together, as do smoking and gambling. There’s something about doubling your vices that makes for a good time. And for about a decade, I drank alcohol and gambled frequently. Now? I don’t gamble or drink. If you currently drink and/or gamble too much, you’re going to want to read this. This is me on a cruise a few years ago, drunk and gambling. Table of Contents A Fascinating Heroin Addict Interview Bad Habits Often “Solve” the Problems THEY Created Alcoholism: The Relaxing Drink That… Stresses Us Out? You Need 3 Things to Quit a Bad Habit 1) Complet ..read more

Today marks 50 days without drinking alcohol. What I learned in this time surprised me, because nobody seems to talk about it. Alcohol and Smoking Went in Opposite Directions From the earliest days of human civilization, alcohol has flowed through our veins. And it’s no surprise. Alcohol serves multiple purposes. It’s a “social lubricant,” helping Anxious Andys become Cool Craigs in just a few sips. It feels great, because consumption triggers a release of dopamine and increases GABA production. And before Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration changed the world, American colonists drank alcohol bec ..read more

Copyright Warner Bros. Life is temporary, as are all things in it. “Enter the Dragon” was a critically and commercially successful film released in 1973. Notably, this martial arts film was backed by Warner Brothers, a first and a big win for the genre. These films were popular in China since the 1920s, but it took someone special to popularize them in the United States. Warner Brothers took a chance on “Enter the Dragon” because it starred Bruce Lee. Lee is of the most recognized martial artists in history, and also had great success as an actor. His acting career, however, did not detract fr ..read more

My father, Curtis Guise, died on October 12, 2022. I write this (coincidentally) exactly two months from that day. He was a great father and person, and I want to share three of the most lessons my father taught me. Lesson #52: Talk to birds.1. Be Lighthearted and Make Others Smile Life is too short to be overly serious and stressed out. My dad certainly thought so. He was a master at delivering canned jokes and sayings at an alarming rate. “Take the rest of the day off.” “I want a full report on my desk by Monday.” “I’m taking a nap. I’m leaving you in charge.” “I thought you said this was go ..read more

Photo by energepic.com on Pexels.com Chasing success is like bathing in oil. Everyone does it, but nobody likes to admit it. Chasing success, however, is a dangerous game, and here’s why. When Chasing Success, Be Careful Not to Compromise Your Values It has happened many times throughout history. A person desires success so much that it becomes a dominant fixation. Anything that gets in the way of it is an unacceptable threat. Before you know it, they are bending their values to get the result they want. Problem: if you compromise your values for success, you automatically lose because your va ..read more

Photo by Adam Khasbulatov on Pexels.com Life can really beat you up, I’ve noticed. When you’re beaten up, on the ground, how can you find the courage to get up and fight again? It’s easier said than done when it seems like all of your efforts are met with shapeless hostility from the world. Courage Matters, and You Must Believe It Does When enough things go wrong in a row, it’s tempting to throw your hands up and stop trying. After all, nothing you do has seemed to help thus far, so why would it suddenly start working? Because that’s how life works! There are two types of failure. One type of ..read more

The next meal I eat will be one of the best meals I’ve ever had.  My grandfather had colon cancer. My father had colon cancer. Thankfully, they both recovered with surgery to remove it, but if the trend continues, I’m next. So, at the “young” age of 36 (I used quote marks because this is the oldest I’ve ever been), I’m getting a colonoscopy. To prepare for a colonoscopy, you must clear out your digestive system so that the doctor can see what’s up… there. When I say clear it out, I mean CLEAR. IT. OUT. The day before the procedure, you’re treated to a buffet of laxatives, followed by dri ..read more

Inflation is crazy right now, but there are ways to fight it. This is not an advertisement for anything. I just want to give you valuable information. I have purchased Series I Savings Bonds recently, and here’s why… Series I Savings Bonds are offered by the US Treasury and are currently paying 9.62% interest! You can buy up to $10,000 worth per year. It’s exceptionally rare to get this high of guaranteed return on something as safe as a US Treasury-backed bond. A lot of people don’t know about this option, so I wanted to share. Briefly, the Series I Bond’s interest rate is determined by a fi ..read more