This article brings us to the end of our 8 part series on winning the game called your life. Is there any other game more worth winning? Winning your own game will not only provide you with a healthy, vital, rich and fulfilling life, but also allow you to inspire and contribute to everyone around you. Yes, winning the game of your life helps others win theirs.

In previous articles we outlined the 6 keys to winning the game of life. We also identified the 6 traps that most people fall into, robbing them of the ability to win the game. Finally, we learned the solutions to winning the game. These are the secrets that the small minority of the population winning the game of life use to get amazing results in the same 24 hours and environment we all have.

While simple, the fact is that I know it can still seem a bit overwhelming. Where should I start? I already feel so stressed, how could I add even more to my plate? This is where seeking help in the form of a coach, doctor, or professional can be the difference between bitter defeat and massive, sustainable victory. In this article I will provide some guidance for finding the right person or people to help you on your journey.

In seeking a professional to work with, a great start is that they are either a doctor or have a professional certification. This is not to say someone outside of regulated professions cannot provide benefit – it is just a bit harder to know for sure. A doctorate degree indicates a level of commitment and decision making ability that is crucial.

To win the game of life as we have defined it, it is essential to find a professional who is focused on wellness as opposed to fixing problems and symptoms. Restoring you to where you were is no longer good enough so be sure to find someone who can help you reorganize to a new level. It is a great idea to ask a potential coach what their highest vision for the care they are providing you is. For more information on Reorganizational Practices visit www.reorganizational.org.

Next, look for a professional who uses technology that can track your progress by monitoring several body systems. The nervous system impacts all body systems and is therefore important to measure. Posture is perhaps our most important structure and should be monitored over time.

It is valuable to look for a professional who is current and up to date on the latest research and techniques. A high quality website can be an excellent indication of this. I also personally seek out coaches and practitioners who are the best in their specific fields and train closely with the developers of the techniques they practice.

To win the game of life, you need to find a doctor or practitioner who will work WITH you, not just ON you. It must be a collaboration based on your specific goals. They should provide lectures, workshops and educational materials to support you over time.

Because the solutions to winning the game of life are Awareness, Behaviour and Structure, make sure the doctor works with and measures all three. This is essential to achieving sustainable, long term results.

Finally, once a detailed intake and assessment is completed (to determine your goals and establish your current baseline), you should be presented with several options to ensure you are in control. The choices should include both short and long-term options as well as predetermined re-evaluation intervals.

I hope you have found this series of articles beneficial and you are now inspired to take responsibility for winning the game of life. Now more than ever our communities and society need people to step up and start winning. Do it for yourself, but also do it for your family and loved ones.

If you need some help feel free to contact me, or attend any of our free workshops designed to teach you how to win the game of your life.

« Any person who contributes to prosperity must prosper in turn. »
E. Nightingale

In the previous article, I introduced the traps that keep us from winning in our lives. It is these traps that prevent us from succeeding in the 6 keys required for a healthy life.  These traps are insidious because they are merely stories we tell ourselves that become justifications, excuses, and even reasons we defend while we go about living a less than optimal life.

Let’s look a little closer at these traps so we can be sure we recognize them immediately if they arise and choose a more successful path.

1. “I’m healthy…for my age.” This statement in and of itself is what I call a BS story! Many people think that at a certain age (40, 60, 65) they can expect their health to decline. This is simply NOT true and I can provide countless examples of people who actually get healthier as they age. Regardless of age, you are either vibrantly healthy or not. If your health is not ideal or you find your health declining, it means that something MUST change and it is your job to find out what it is and do it!

2. “No one has any time for leisure these days.” Guess what? More BS stories! I have 4 jobs, 2 small kids, an extremely busy professional wife, own my own business, travel around the world attending seminars and I MAKE plenty of time for exercise, leisure, vacations, and renewal. I understand that many people (especially moms) feel guilty or overindulgent if they take time for themselves. This way of thinking will only lead to one end…burnout…sooner or later. The reality is that taking time out to enjoy life will make you MORE productive in the long run. Please do not learn the importance of this the hard way.

3. “It’s normal to feel tired and unmotivated.” BS! It is true however that many of us have lost our passion for life. Do you even remember the passion you had as a child? If you are tired and unmotivated it means you are already burned out and something must change…NOW.

4. “Everyone fights with their families sometimes.” This one is absolutely true – but here is your gut-check. How connected are you really with your partner, kids, and closest friends? How open are your children and most trusted confidantes with you?

5. “All kids get sick – school is just a Petri dish of germs.” Sorry, more BS. Both of my kids have been in daycare and school for years and while they are a little sick from time to time – usually for a day or two – they have never taken an antibiotic or medication of any kind. Why? Because they are healthy. I do know that many kids are sick all the time. This is a sign that these children are not healthy and thriving – something is wrong. Kids are healthy and resilient by nature. If they are constantly sick it means damaging stress of some kind is accumulating.

6. “I don’t have time to worry about others.” Do I even need to say it? BS! Most of us think that we alone cannot make a difference – it is too hard and takes too much time. In reality, the quickest way to win the game of life is to help others more. All of the greatest rewards (of all types) in life go to those who help others the most. That is certainly true in my business. Make it a habit to contribute to others and watch all areas of your life start to improve immediately.

We all fall into these traps from time to time. The key is to be aware of them and get out as quickly as possible when you do. You definitely do not want to be “average,” or “normal,” when it comes to these traps.

The average Canadian starts to get sick before the age of 65 and takes a handful of pills each morning. They begin to reduce the activities they love before they even retire. They divorce once in their lives and their children no longer speak in a meaningful way to them anymore. At 84 they lay on their deathbed and wonder what happened.

Is this what you really want? Forget ordinary! Choose extraordinary – you deserve it and so do your loved ones.

Next article we move on to the Secrets of Winning the Game of Life.

In the last article, we looked at the first 4 Keys to Winning the Game of Life, and the reality behind each. This week, we will delve into the final 2 Keys and discuss the most common traps people fall into regarding their lives.

Key #5 – Raising Great and Thriving Kids. I’m sure some of you are saying, “but I don’t have kids?” This is important whether we have children and grandchildren or not. Having healthy and happy kids is one of the best indicators as to how we are doing as a society. Sick kids – sick society.

Like the reality of our previous Keys, time is a major factor in our children’s development. 70% of working parents report that they do not have enough time with their kids. As work demand increases, it is often the kids who lose out the most and unfortunately, the adults don’t always notice until something goes wrong.

The result? 3.2 million teens in Canada are at risk of developing depression and Canada’s youth suicide rate is 3^rd highest in the industrialized world! Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in 15-24 year old Canadians. This is just sad.

Perhaps even more troubling, our kids are being affected by OUR stress before they are even born. Children whose pregnant mothers experienced a stressful event are 71% more likely to be hospitalized with a severe infectious disease. If the event was experienced 11 months PRIOR to conception, they still had a 42% increase in risk.

We also know that our high divorce rates affect our kids. Children of divorced families are more than twice as likely to suffer serious social, psychological, emotional or academic problem.

Key #6 – Contributing to Others. Research has shown that in order to be truly happy and fulfilled, we must feel that we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves. Winning the Game of Life certainly requires it.

Social activity that includes giving and helping others is a powerful tool in creating happiness. Is most of your energy used to only look after yourself and your needs, or nurturing others as well?

The scope of your contribution is unimportant – for some caring for one other person is enough. Others are driven by a more global vision.

The Traps!!! Most people are aware that the keys are important to them winning the game of life. Most are also aware of the areas that they have been lacking in regarding these keys. So, why don’t we change? There are common traps or stories that we learn to tell ourselves that keep us from ever stepping up into our best lives.

These traps all have a common thread and that is the fact that we think because our problems and shortcomings are so common that they must be normal. Nothing could be further from the truth! Average is not normal! You do not want to be average because average sucks – just look around!

Are you falling into one of the 6 common traps that are causing you to lose the game of life?

1. “I’m healthy for my age.”

2. “No one has any time for leisure these days.”

3. “It’s normal to feel tired and unmotivated.”

4. “Everyone fights with their families sometimes.”

5. “All kids get sick – school is just a petri dish of germs.”

6. “I don’t have time to worry about others.”

Do any of these sound familiar to you? If so, that is great because it means a change can be right around the corner. Next article we continue on our journey to Winning the Game of Life