Parkour 1 Life 3: When You Succeed In Parkour, You Are 3 Lessons Closer To Succeeding In Life

Garth Beyer

A few weeks ago, as I was typing into Google “Parkour in Madison WI”, I had high hopes and was begging for their to be results. Real results, because I wanted (No, NEEDED) to join a Parkour group in Madison. Google once again provided what I had searched for and I arrived at this website: Wisconsin Parkour

After jumping through the links and getting information, I arrived at the conclusion that for the winter, I could join Gymfinity. They provided Parkour classes for an hour and a half each week twice a week. Could I have gotten any luckier? Of course.

That week I had to take a ride out  to Apple Wellness in Fitchburg to replenish our stock of recovery drink mix. The reason we drive 30+ minutes to get our recovery drinks there can be found in my post, An Apple A Day, Will Make Success Stay! The reason I state that, in addition to finding a place to practice Parkour, I was lucky enough to discover that the place I would be training is right down the street from Apple Wellness.

The day we took a trip to Fitchburg, we stopped at Gymfinity to get more information. The first bit of information was that the class was only being held once a week, not twice. But they still had the Parkour workshop every other Saturday. The second bit of information was that the first class was free. The third bit of information was that there are two trainers and only a few participants each week.

Vaulting to the present, it is three days after I participated in the first free session of Parkour training. I can’t say I am still sore from the workout, since I lifted weights today, but I sure remember how my entire body was sore the day after Parkour training. A bit of quick information so you can follow the rest of the post easier; Gymfinity is a large gymnasium typically for gymnastics. It has everything. I would be happy to list all it has, but I am not an expert gymnast and I have yet to learn the proper names of all the training equipment. I will definitely learn the right names of the equipment for next time. Now, I am going to run through the list of activities I participated in and summarize with a Life Training lesson. Afterall, the reason I write about Parkour is to tell everyone that it is much more than a physical sport, it’s a life sport.

7:30 – 7:40 Learned new stretching methods that the two trainers used with our warm-up.

7:40 – 8:00 Trained endurance with core workout moves. Ex: Everyone had to hold a plank while the first person in line would crab walk around the large square line that surrounded the area we occupied. When they reached the kiddy corner of the square, they would have to do a side plank and hold it while the next person in line transitioned from his plank to crab walking around the square. They would then have to do a side plank and hold it while the next person in line went. We did this three or four times with different exercises.

8:00 – 8:20 Practiced balance techniques by stepping and periodically jumping to small semi-spherical squishy balls and landing on the balls of our feet. We would have to jump to each one as quickly as possible without falling over or stepping on the floor. We did a few different unique activities with this and it seemed to really tune in foot-eye coordination and balance.

8:20 – 8:45 Exausted ourselves by vaulting continuously over and under polls in different methods. We also spent a short time leaping off a 5 foot box to bars, cat walking up and shimmying across. While I excelled in the vaulting since we got to do my favorite (Monkey Vault), I received some extra advice from one of the trainers with the cat walking. I was using my muscles instead of momentum to get up, exhausting myself even more.

8:45 – 9:00 Played on all the different gymnastic objects and set up obstacles for ourselves. Quite plainly, it was free time that we got to jump, vault, run, and Parkour however we wanted.

So far in this post I have used the plural, “we”. It’s time to fess up that I was the oldest of the group of four participants. The other three were 12 and 13 year olds. It was quite a shock at first and I did not think I would want to go back. I was hoping to find a place to Parkour that I could make friends, not get a babysitting job. In the end, I think I had higher energy and got more enjoyment out of the hour and a half because of the passion, freedom, and overall exuberance that was continuously radiating from the kids. So, what lessons other than Parkouring lessons did I learn?

1. Just because we can do something easily, does not mean we are doing it easily.

We often pride ourselves a bit too much with our strengths. For example, while performing the cat walk, I would muscle my way up as if I were doing a pull up. The correct way would be to kick your foot and propel yourself up and then bend forward so that you are only lifting the bottom half of your body over the edge instead of all of it. I suppose you can make this directly proportionate with the saying “Work smarter, not harder”. Though, even for those who tend to always work smarter, I find that they fail to use their intelligence in the ways they are already strongest.

2. Being young, you actually have the advantage.

In the workplace it is always suggested that because you may be young, that you are underqualified and can’t play with the “big boys”. However, you can see in my post that boss’s, worldwide, are making a huge mistake. Not only are they making a large mistake, but they are losing productivity, losing employees positive attitudes and self-assurance, losing the efficiency and quick-twitch mentalities in the workplace. How? Because they are avoiding the younger generation. I succeed so well in my office with the other older co-workers (I’m 19 and they are 40+) because I motivate them to stay on the level of work ethic that I perform at. I bring out the best in them, their younger versions of themselves. Call me naive, but I am not as down on the world as those who have lived on the planet 40+ years. (Actually, I’m not even as negative as most 19 year old’s). Surrounding yourself with whomever is “young” to you will always be beneficial, whether its in a gymnasium, at home, or in the workplace. No doubt, whatsoever.

3. Cushion, lots of cushion! Others, and maybe even you, will call what I am about to tell you, planning to fail. I however, believe it to be creating a safety net because I am going to make a risk. (A huge risk) During the last 15 minutes of Parkour training, we got to move the equipment around and I got to really test myself. With a running start, I jumped onto a 5 foot box to jump up to the 12 foot box and vault over it (only using my hands to touch the 12 foot box that had roughly a four foot width that I would have to vault across). I had a trainer hold the 12 foot box so that it would not tip over as I used my hands to vault over it. However, he held it in one direction but not another and it tipped over as I pushed off of it. The result: Instead of landing on my feet, I landed completely on my side. Luckily, I landed on the cushioned mat that was there for that exact reason. I was safe. Having that cushion there allowed me to take a bigger risk than I thought I could honestly accomplish successfully.* Now I have to ask you. Instead of avoiding the risks in life and in business, what are you doing to cushion your landing?

*On a side note, I would have made it, had the trainer held the 12 foot box from both angles.

Stay Positive and Just Because You Place A Cushion Before You Make A Risk, Does Not Mean You Will Need The Cushion

Garth E. Beyer

Poetry Night 009

Garth Beyer

For a Moment I Forgot We Were in the Jardin des Tuileries

 

A thought carries as much weight as a ball thrown in the air, suddenly pulled by gravity.

My thoughts of love finding safe haven in your heart, like that of a turtle in its shell.

 

I feel your hands closing on that love, like the closing of swan’s wings when it lands beside its mate.

 

Our hands and hearts entwined, and tangled like the roots of beautiful flowers near the Judas tree.

A walk with you in the garden and suddenly I’m drawn to an aroma.

 

You’re perfect in the sunlight.

 

I caught your scent in the breeze,

The smell of an almond tree.

I can taste its sweet nectar and not be harmed.

The alchemy only lips can provide.

 

The sun right above, but you are the heat.

 

–          Everett

Improv-e Leadership: A Toastmasters Collaboration

Garth Beyer

Making leaders is a lot easier than most believe — and it’s FUN. It is not so much about teaching others how to become leaders. I could write hundreds of posts about leadership that you will shake your head in agreement with. Although, even after reading all the leadership lessons, I know that you still wont be a leader. Why not?

Improv Leadership was the theme I created at last nights Toastmasters meeting, as I was the designated Table Topics Master. I, just as you are doing now, have been studying all the leadership lessons and qualities I can get my eyes on. We all know the most successful people in the world were great leaders.

Leaders create legacies.

Note: You will need to understand the art of Improv before reading further. Click here to get the definition or visit my post on Improv Writing. You can skip your exploration of the art of Improv if you feel you are capable of getting your creative juices flowing.

All leaders were creative, without the skill they could not have created a legacy.

As a member of Improv Anonymous in Illinois, I learned to play a game called “Story Story Die”. The leader of the group would ask the audience to come up with a situation and an object and then create a quirky title out of it. Then the game begins as “Once Upon A Time..” and the leader would begin to point at each member of the Improv group. The Improv member who the the leader points to would have to start telling the story, focusing on the audience suggestions. In the middle of telling the story, the leader would then point to another member and they would have to take up where the last member left in the story. When one member takes too long to respond, has no clue where they are in the story, says something ridiculous, or flat-out chokes — everyone laughs and yells out “DIE”. The leader then asks the audience how they want them to die: poisonous snake bite, death by dandelions, thinking too hard about why the sky is blue, etc. The member acts out their death and the game continues until only one person remains. Then they have to successfully end the story. There you have it, the theatrical game of “Story Story Die”.

The Humorous Way To Open Up And Find Your Personal Leadership Qualities

Normally this activity is outrageously funny because the topics are ridiculously crazy and the members of the team are experts at humor. However, for the Table Topics, I wanted to turn a fun activity into a fun semi-professional learning experience. Thus, I joined Improv with Leadership. I opened the floor with the game and made sure everyone would try their best to revolve the story around leadership. Here is a short synopsis of it, written by our Toastmaster of the evening.

“Garth performed his first table topics, “Impromptu leadership.”  As a group we told a fun Piece-by-piece story (with the pieces being very short from each member) about a group of hikers (Kevin) on the Appalachian trail (Matt) who find themselves confronted by a hunter (Xiao Lei), stumble upon an heretofore unknown desert (Shirley), become confused and start hallucinating (Chris and others).  Joan plucks out the map and realizes they are just a half mile from shelter and storms off (Margaret), but they don’t have enough water to get there (Jill), and they all perish (Garth), because they don’t have good leadership.”

During the story told by all the Toastmasters members, I did not have anyone “Die” so I had to make all the characters in the end die. It’s Improv; make it up as you go.

Leadership Cannot Be Taught, Leadership Comes From…

As I said, you can teach someone all the qualities of a leader but that will not make them a successful leader. Leaders become leaders because they recognize their best qualities and exploit them. It is not about teaching leadership, it’s about bringing out the leader within. So after the story, I began asking questions to have members of the meeting acknowledge their own independent leadership qualities. I asked questions like the following:

1. Who is a leader to you and why?

2. What would you do if the club, job, or organization that you are part of, made you the leader for a day?

3. Tell me a story of a time when you had to take the lead.

4. Define leadership.

5. Who wants to be a leader? What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

6. What three qualities do you think a leader must have?

7. What advice would you give to someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Now I think you should answer the questions yourself. Realize that becoming a leader is not something you can become by reading books, listening to cd’s and attending seminars. Becoming a leader comes from within. When you realize your greatest potential, your best qualities, what YOU define as leadership, only then can you become the greatest leader of all — The Leader of Your Self

The First Hand Fails: This Is How The Second Hand Succeeds In Sales

Garth Beyer

Do you want first hand experience with the philosophy and tactics of selling?

I do!     Err, I did.

Somewhere between not wanting to pay $250 dollars for a Seminar on selling and getting restless when I would read 200 pages of business/selling advice every day, I found World Financial Group. Better yet, they found me.

Side Note: Did you know that almost as many people who secondhand smoke end up with as many health problems and issues as someone who does the smoking? You can even agree that those who second-hand smoke, typically end up smoking. I never thought I could take such a terrible relationship and create an analogy out of it, but I am going to give it a puff, so read on.

The “I’m Gonna Make 500k a Year” Adrenaline Rush

It’s time to kick the adrenaline and excitement of selling out of your system. You can go to school, seminars and read as many books as you want on selling, but you still won’t be the best salesman. All that the knowledge will create is an adrenaline to sell, and when you go out to make your first few sales, you will most likely be unsuccessful>feel beat>not want to put the tad of extra effort to succeed>give up>go back to trying to be what your parents want you to be>and feel out-of-place the rest of your life. Unless…

You soak up the concept that I am going to share with you.

1. For the beginners in sales or those who simply want to learn the strategies of a salesman, this concept is perfect for you.

2. For those who are on the unsuccessful sales track that I presented above, this concept is the tad of extra effort you need to succeed in all your future sales.

3. For those who consider themselves experts in selling, congratulations on failing enough to turn your experience into something remarkable. This concept I am about to share is very much like your process — but in this concept, you don’t fail.

The concept: Become the second-hand smoker of sales.

I mentioned World Financial Group (WFG) and this will be the basis of explaining the concept you need to follow to skip failure in sales. If you have not heard of WFG they are a national seller of insurance, investments and financial advice.

I received a phone call from them about two weeks ago. The sales-field adviser in IL wanted to ask me a few questions related to my direction in life and thoughts about assisting families by providing financial advise. He told me one of my good friends recommended me for the position and he would like me to come to the office in IL for a presentation. (Remember, I live in WI now)

I thought to myself, “All the greatest leaders in history were at once involved with sales.” On top of that, if you can’t tell by the majority of the information on my website, I want to be a broker and financial advisor to families and individuals so this opportunity seemed like I could combine the two.

I went to the presentation in IL and really enjoyed the message and point of the company to help families with all financial variables, not just selling insurance. After the presentation I had a private meeting with the Field Advisor. During the meeting he began to talk more about the company and how it seemed that I would fit in and then he started asking questions about me. (Quick tip about me, when you meet me, you know immediately how much I love to talk) I began getting more excited, telling him about all my qualities that would be perfect for the company. I then started sending a torrent of questions about the company at him. I am not easily persuaded, I think things all the way through and I allow time between information intake and decision making when possible. He did not know this though…

75% of my excitement and energy came from the great position that I could place myself in, it’s a little bit of everything I want to be: My own business, financial advising, life improving, etc. The other 25% of excitement and energy came from acting like every other person that has walked through the door. (It is said WFG calls around 10,000 ‘friends of friends’ to come in and check a presentation out every month)

To shorten the rest of the story, I did not apply to become a WFG associate (yet). Instead, I wanted to check out the WI branch and see what they have to offer. To reiterate, I am going to check out the WI branch primarily because It seems like something I really want to do (75% of excitement and energy). It’s also another opportunity to learn selling techniques (25% of acting).

I Hope The Smoke Is Starting To Clear

You have just been given a very short summary of my experience. If I told you to go back and read it and tell me the selling techniques that were used on me, you could find at least 7. Don’t think so? Then let me pull them up for you.

1.  He networked. He used my friend whom I trust to gain my trust in him.

2. My friend and him had talked so he knew that I was ambitious and I made it clear when I answered his questions that I enjoyed talking about myself and my goal sand accomplishments. Quick personality background check.

3. I was recommended. Who doesn’t like knowing that they got recommended for something?

4. Presented the best qualities and mission of the company through a simple Powerpoint presentation. Exploiting the best parts of the job and not mentioning the money making aspect of it.

5. Square peg into square hole. How I fit perfectly into the picture.

6. Brought up questions the right questions. About me.

7. Answered as many questions as I threw at him (Trust me, I asked A LOT).

Multiply 7 by 3 and the Smoke Better Be Gone

7 x 3 = How many sales techniques were used in total on me. The reason I mentioned the 7 above is because that is all it took to get me in, I really wanted to become an associate (I still may). Once it was unveiled to me that the Field Advisor was selling me the position and that I was the prospect, I began playing my part even more. (25% acting). Later that evening, once my excitement began decreasing, I was able to note all that I learned from the endeavor. Once the 75% energy and interest began to dwindle, the 25% of acting started to provide me results and I discovered the other 14 selling techniques that were used on me.

Look at it like this: The field advisor is the smoker and I just got done second-hand smoking.

I knowingly and excitedly became the second-hand smoker of sales. I just learned 21 techniques of selling in one session by becoming the prospect.

Why Learn From Your Failures When You Can Be The Failure Of Others

I do not at all support the fact of purposefully creating failure for other people. I do however promote experiences that teach both parties lessons that will improve each parties talents. In this case, I provided more selling experience to the WFG Field Advisor along with clearly showing what techniques worked best. (They really did work. As I said, only 25% was acted. He was the one who inspired and excited the other 75%) As my reward for my contribution to his increase in talent and experience, I got to second-hand smoke his sales techniques.

Every mentor in “Sales” will tell you to listen to listen to CD’s on reading and understanding people, read books on connecting with people, and browse examples of successful sales. All of this is what you should already be doing, but no mentor is going to tell you to go out and become a prospect.

I am telling you otherwise.

To only study the philosophy of selling is not enough, you have to become part of the philosophy. The best way is not to go out and sell — this will lead you to learn from YOUR failures. The best way is to go out and be the one who is sold to!

You do not need to be the primary smoker… I mean seller.

Stay Positive and Inhale The Benefits of Second Hand Selling

Garth E. Beyer

Interested in the 14 other sales techniques that were used? Email me at TheGarthBox@gmail.com with the subject line Sales Techniques

Business Networking

Garth Beyer

If you are into business or simply wanting to make connections with people who have similar interests as you, then you are out and about attending seminars, meetings, webinars, business brunches, team meetings and everything of the sort.

Now really, are you attending them? Or leading them?

In networking, you’re only as good as what you give away. – Mackay Maxim

When you go to a business gathering to network, you want to be on everyone’s mind. The easiest way to do that?

1 Give the best pitch

2 Promote the best product

3 Be the most energetic and outgoing

3.5 Act as if you are already a millionaire (And you will be…After you ignore these steps and pay attention to what you are going to read next)

The days of “Who’s Best” are long over. Sure I will take a glance over at the guy wearing the 500k ring, Rolex watch, and who owns the largest company, but that is not where my attention is. Nor is it anyone’s who is going to be successful at life — not just business. Because I saw a 500k ring, but not a wedding ring. I saw a Rolex watch, but I never noticed him look at the time, no doubt because he hasn’t any family he needs to get back home to or close friends to meet up with. Few men and women ended up owning the largest company and having everything else money couldn’t buy them (Faith, Friends, Family).

Until now… because they no longer follow the steps mentioned above.

And here we are.

“We were young, but we had good advice and good ideas and lots of enthusiasm.”
– Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft Corporation

The days of becoming financially successful AND winning at all areas of life are here. The greatest companies, people, organizations you read and hear about now, are not only making the most money — but they are continuously leaving the largest POSITIVE impact on all of their buyers, friends, competitors, family, associates and most importantly, You. Simply by giving.

So how does any of this have to do with the time you are investing in business networking?

The question now asked when going to a business gathering to network is “what is the BEST (not easiest) way to be on everyone’s mind?”

1 Present the best ideas

2 Promote all of the products

3 Be the most passionate and influential

3.5 Act as if you can make everyone a millionaire (If you can’t do that, at least make them FEEL like a millionaire)

It seems to me that giving is the prime factor in all of the tactics. You are not only giving all of your mind, but also all of your heart to the wide variety of products. You are not remaining selfish but helpful by promoting products that you did not create. You are portraying and setting an example of the two biggest qualities of a leader rather than someone who just made a 30,000 dollar close. -And yes, if it were up to me. I would take being a leader to the 20 companies that I am networking with over making a 30,000 dollar sale- Lastly, you are networking to create success in others instead of yourself. Because “you can have everything you want in life, if you simply help enough other people get what they want in life” – Zig Zigler

Stay Positive and These Concepts Have Been Held True Since 1992

Garth E. Beyer

Business Bonus:To make the most of business networking when different companies come together to socialize and create a think tank, have a business card box upon entry. Everyone that attends will deposit their business card into the box. When the meeting is over, everyone will take a business card from the box (not their own) and will do business with the company on the card. Whether they call them to get a quote, refer a friend to their company, or use the company themselves, as long as it gives the other business person experience and an opportunity to prosper. It’s all about making connections and both benefiting from it.

Poetry Night 008

Garth Beyer

The Expectation

 

I am your shadow.

I am the sun that put it there.

 

I am the sound.

I am the soul that sings.

 

I am your wish.

I am the coin thrown into the fountain.

 

I am the rope.

I am the knot tying us together.

 

I am your hope.

I am the crystal ball you look through.

 

I am the expectation.

I am the love that will make it happen.

 

Stay Positive and Fulfilling Of Expectations

Garth E. Beyer

 

2028 Election Won Primarily From Public Speaking

Garth Beyer

I was interviewed by Rockford Register Star when I was in the Running Start Program and was asked what I wanted to be when I was older. I told them I aimed to be the youngest President in history. That means I would be 35/36 in 2028 depending which day in November the election is held since my birthday is 11/6/92. I am putting this in the Public Speaking section because I came up with a public speaking strategy for my campaign.

Unlike all Presidents, I would visit states more than once.

First Visit: Talk about the people, talk about myself and talk about my plans/goals/etc.

Second Visit: Respond to questions from people after they had heard my presentation.

I also have an alternative I would try if that seemed to not be the most beneficial technique.

First Visit: To listen to what everyone wants, to hear questions they have and to talk with the people personally.

Second Visit: Answering and discussing the questions and concerns they want to know about rather than going off about this or that when half of the listeners do not understand what I am talking about.

The point is to get to know them and be prepared. Do you realize that the best beginners of public speaking do this? Before they have to present, they are NOT practicing their speech in the back, they are out with the audience getting involved. They are performing the best preparation a public speaker can perform: Knowing your audience.

 

Stay Positive and Connect First, Then Speak

Garth E. Beyer