Articles
Choose Here: or read excerpts below:
Motivation Begins at Home
By Ralph Alterowitz
Everyone, I suppose everyone knows about Tony Robbins, that good-looking 6’7” man who motivates people to climb Kilimanjaro or at least excel in their work, their relationships and attain the farthest-reaching goals in their dreams.
Tony is looking to expand whereby you get up in the morning put on Robbins’ endorsed exercise clothes and sneakers, do your exercises to a Robbins video or tape, drive to work listening to the Robbins tape of the day and while you are doing some of these things you would also be drinking special juices and drinks…you get the idea. Maybe someday, sit in a Robbins chair and sleep in a Robbins bed.
Motivational programs abound. They are also available from Dr. Phil, Deepak Chopra, and others. There are also programs that have a program of speakers such as Zig Ziglar, Debbi Fields of Mrs. Fields Cookies’ fame, talking about their success and how they made it happen.
Having been to a number of these events, I have seen the thousands who come and sit with rapt attention trying to learn the secrets of success. They buy tapes and books for hundreds of dollars. The discount is greater when the attendee buys the a given number of items.
The day is over and the attendees leave charged to conquer the world, create their island of paradise, or reach some dream-like goal.
How many do? Not many. This is no different than the days of EST, Werner Erhard’s mind-shaping (or bending if you like) program.
After you leave the emotional & people-electricity atmosphere of the convention center or stadium, the attendees still have to battle the lethargy and inertia that keeps so many people from doing what they want to do. The biggest battle is with the barriers that are within each one of us. They are the mind-trips that say, “I am not smart enough”, “I don’t have the time” or “I’ll begin tomorrow. “
For all of these programs require discipline: the ability to make a commitment to yourself and keep it.
Many men say they will change their diet after being treated for prostate cancer. No more high fat diets. Reduce the consumption of sweets. And generally, reduce the dietary insults to the body and start caring for their bodies the way they should have all along.
These same men also talk about exercising more frequently and more effectively. The commitment to a daily dose of exercise made in good faith seems to last about as long as most New Year resolutions. More gym memberships are begun in January of each year. The workouts stop by the end of the month. Some continue on into February.
Yet, these are the two parts of the path to reducing the recurrence of prostate cancer and at the same time improving the man’s quality of life. A UCLA laboratory study reported that the Pritikin diet (low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains) can destroy prostate cancer cells. What’s more, it found that the Pritikin diet and exercise program is almost twice as effective as exercise alone for causing prostate cancer cells to die. Although done in the lab, epidemiological studies indicate that the same results will be found in men.
The fact is that the same diet will reduce the probability of cardiac problems and other diseases. Which in the long run means, that men will have a higher quality of life during their lives.
Men who exercise get several benefits. The first is that it helps prevent disease and disability. The second is that exercise is an effective way to combat impotence. Dr. Irwin Goldstein said that expending more than 200 calories a day will reduce the probability of impotence. For men suffering from impotence due to prostate cancer treatment, exercise will help recover some potency. It must be an adjunct to any medication.
In the long run, we get back to commitment. Men know diet and exercise are good for them. It could mean the difference between disease, disability, and impotence. Do they have the willpower and strength to make the commitment?
DOWNLOAD - click this icon to open a printable version of this article
