#1- Give 110% all the time. Not a day goes by that this dog does not give it everything he has from sun up to sun down. Wether he is sleeping our playing catch, or even trying to get his paws on a wayward shoe. He only has one gear and that gear is known as all out. Do this and you can never go wrong. Don't do anything half assed. You are just wasting your time and your return on investment will not pay off.
#2- Be consistent. If I leave the toilet seat up, and he is in the area he will drink from the toilet. He usually has just come from drinking from his dog bowl but regardless he will taste that water. Certain things he will do everyday no matter what and this is one of them. Consistency pays off, especially when it comes to athletics. You can't swim once a week and become a better swimmer. Swim everyday and you will get some where.
#3- Play hard, rest hard. As hard as he plays he without a doubt rests harder. His life is a cycle of go hard and sleep hard. Like pass out immediately upon going on his bed hard. I fall asleep every night around 10:30 with very little effort. Why? because I bust my ass all day training and working so when I go to bed I am exhausted. People wonder why they have a hard time sleeping, when they don't exercise and sit at a desk all day. Exhaust your body and mind and sleep will come easy.
#4- Wake up everyday like it is the greastest day EVER! Every morning when I come down stairs to let Miles (yes named after the measurement of distance) out he literally jumps up and down, barrels into me and whines like a wounded giraffe. Get up and start everyday as if it is a new day with new possibilites. Yesterdays bad day can be forgotten if you choose not to re-live it.
#5- Get excited about something. When I say the word "park" Miles literally runs around the house and gets so excited he becomes unaware of where he is and runs into walls and couches. When was the last time you did something that got you this excited? Every time I do a race, wether it's a 5k or a Ironman I get crazy excited to the point of nerves. Not because I don't think I can do it because I can't wait to do something so hard and rewarding. It doesn't have to be a race but could be a concert or a hobby, but when was the last time you really were nervous,scared,couldn't sleep for something you were about to do.
#6- Be curious. If I leave any type of food out on the counter or happen to not pick up a sock from the dryer you better believe that he will check it out. For him that means putting it in his mouth and running around until he can safely bring it into his room and really chew/investigate what it is he has. Try different things. Get out of your comfort zone and sign up for something you never in a million years you thought you would do. If that means a race, a cooking class or even take a college class that intersts you. Do something different, learn all about it and give it 110%.
#7- Learn to love a routine. Their is a great book I read (can't think of the name off hand) that said in order to be successfull at something you need to do it consistantly for a long period of time. You very rarely forget to brush your teeth because you have done it everyday for your entire life. Do this with eating healthy or going to the gym and it will be something that becomes part of who you are. Or in Miles case wake up, go the bathroom, lay around for a hour, beg to go out and play, eat breakfast, rest, play some more, eat dinner, rest, repeat....everyday for the rest of your life.
#8- Love to run. Or whatever it is you do, love it. If it becomes a chore you will not succed at it. My wife Amy likes to run, sometimes, she does however love spin class and will always find time to do it. I love working out so when other people roll their eyes about 6 hours on the bike or 3 hour runs I tell them I love it so it is not hard to get out that door. Miles runs/trots everywhere. Sure it helps to have 4 legs instead of two but just try keeping up with him at the park and you soon see that he just likes to move along.
#9- Join a pack. We are Miles pack. I am convinced that he thinks we are tall dogs. We make strange noises we do everything with him and we have a bond that can never be broken. Join a training group or take a class with others that motivate you to be there and get it down. If you isolate yourself and never join a pack then you will go through life not being able to share the good times with anyone else.
#10- If you got a itch, itch it. We are convinced Miles has the first known case of invisible fleas. He goes to town when he itches (see, Gives 110%)and we have yet to figure out why. If there is something you want to try, do it. Don't let the itch linger as it will only get worse. If you want something go get it. If you have been itching to try something knew why wait. If life gets in the way so be it, but don't make excuses because eventually it will eat away at you and become a regret and not a itch. You can't scratch regrets.
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