Create Life, Long Change…
By MaXimus Mark
In this article I wanted to cut through the bullshit that holds so many people back. Even if you don’t fall into the category of people I describe – you will find yourself smiling along as you may have come to the same conclusions though never put it in writing. I actually wrote this article 2 years ago, but never released as I didn’t feel it was its time… Today I share that piece with you, ‘The Law of 10%’
Note: This article is for people who want to be mentally provoked- if you don’t like to think, don’t waste your time and read this article, you wont get it. There are a number of universal truths in this world that can apply for many different “ogies” and studies. One of them is ‘The Law of 10%’.
In the financial world it is proven that the majority of people can only handle a 10% increase or decrease of money without it affecting their mental state. This actually has its roots in tithing. In fact Religions and Governments of the world know that they can never ask more than 10% from there people at one time. The same is true in the health and fitness world.
There are numerous people around the world watching infomercials, surfing the web and in gyms searching for that illusive secret, the ‘quick fix’. Some believe its steroids; others think the answer lies in special diets, or supplements. Either way, week after week they sit wishing and hoping that they will find the ‘illusive secret to success.’
On Wall Street, there are countless enthusiast citizens trying to ‘get rich quick’. Its one in the same as their health and fitness counter-part except the context has changed. Instead of money and stocks being traded its kilos for the latest gismo, fad or pill in looking beautiful and healthy.
In finance, there is a system, that if you follow and stick to it, it virtually guarantees your wealth for life and without risk. It is as ancient as the Babylonians and was popularize by the book, ‘The Richest man in Babylon’. The system is simple- save 10% of all you earn and never touch. Do this religious for 20 to 40 years and you will have built some degree of wealth.
Building wealth this way builds it slowly but surely, your mental capability for handling money grows as your bank balance does. In other words, your financial physical wealth grows as fast as your mental identity for wealth – and not the other way around (think about that for a minute.)
Let’s compare this with the person who wins the lottery. Did you know that 95% of people who win the lottery are actually worse off than before they won it? That’s because their mental self-image and identity does not match the physical world. They see themselves “as they were’ and not with their new found fortune. So money finds its own level (some call it vibration) and that’s where it sits. Unless they change their identity to match – they squander their money and go back to where they were (or worse). Is this starting to sound reminiscent of the yo-yo dieter?
Just like if you put a CEO who is used to managing a $250,000 business into a business that is worth billions of dollars… That business once worth billions starts to make some poor investment choices. Given enough time, that business seeks the level at which the $250,000 CEO is operating at. It’s all about your thinking and where, in your heart of hearts, (which the Greeks called the subconscious mind) you hold yourself to be.
You will never out run your self-image. If you do, it will be purely temporary and it will inevitable catch you and crush you. So the image must first be replaced if we wish to create sustainable and lasting change.
I’m going to say something presumptuous, however I want you to really consider the following,
Most people who wish for a million dollars have no real idea what they would do with it- and that’s why they never get it.
Further more, if by chance they run into wealth by inheritance they lose it or spend it on things that depreciate. On further examination, when asked, ‘what would you do with a million dollars’ they list a spending spree that include such items as Ferrari’s or say ‘I would use it to relax’. A mindset such as this is not attuned to true wealth creation, people like this may have riches- but they are not wealthy.
Accepting the above ideas would suggest that a person who felt ‘worthy’ of the inheritance would indeed save it and invest it in things that appreciate. Perhaps this is what is really meant by the ‘rich getting richer’.
Now let’s relate this to health…
The person winning the lottery is the person going on a crash diet or doing steroids and succeeding at it. Let’s face it- these people may wow their peers with there immediate results but they really have no idea of how they did it- in a sense they won what I have dubbed the ‘physical lottery’.
I have observed literally hundreds, if not thousands of people, and there has never been one person who has gone on a ‘quick fix’ who has not been worse off from when they started. It doesn’t matter if they use steroids, the latest diet fad or pill… All go up- only to then come crashing down.
There is an equation and pattern they all follow: • Take/use ‘wonder product/fad or diet’ + applied with some degree of short
term discipline = DESIRE OUTCOME
The next part of the equation is:
Burnt out from ‘wonder product/fad or diet’ + lack of mental ability to maintain lifestyle = BACK TO WHERE THEY STARTED! (or worse)
It’s a viscous cycle because these people simply do not have long term vision for there life. They pick things that are not sustainable because that is a trait of there personality (these are the same people that if they won a million dollars would buy a Ferrari.)
THE TURTLE
Then you have the people like me, who week after week they save and day after day they train. They don’t do anything extreme; they just stick to a sound strategy. They eat healthy, train regularly, follow through on what they say. They are not concerned with what the ‘market’ is doing, as they know that ‘time in the market’ (training and eating well) will surely pay more dividends and surpass ‘timing the market’ (steroids, fad diets and magical pills and promises).
The ‘turtle’ may have been training 10 to 15 years, and with only moderate gains. They’re not what the gym rat would call ‘freaks of nature’ but they hold there own in and outside of the gym- they have accepted they’re not the strongest or biggest, but also carry no disillusions of what their life could be like “if only I?” (insert quick gimmick here).
Their health and wealth is ingrained in their personalities and identities as is their slow, boring but guaranteed strategy. Not concerned by quick fixes and life in the fast lane, some folk might be mistaken to think they are boring – Just as the fox did the turtle. But tell me again, who won that race?
Who said Turtles were boring?
After 10 years of saving they have a small fortune- nothing extreme, however the way they see, think and communicate with the world is completely different as they are not desperate for money, they are not desperate to lose fat, or to build muscle or to take short cuts… As a result they see through the false hopes, wishful thinking and realize anything is possible (with time and correct strategy). It’s this attitude that carries them through life with a balanced mind.
They realize simply ‘sticking to a sound strategy’, combined with enough time equals results with no comprises. Their equation is:
Strategy + Time = Sustained, Life Long Results
What’s that I hear you say, that’s boring?! Well then, it seems you have come to the perfect teacher. Sit down my friend, we got some work to do…
Health and Wisdom,
MaXimus Mark Ottobre
Mark is the author of The Truth About Supplements and Eat Your Way To Abs and the creator of The Alpha Body Mentoring Program. Subscribe to our newsletter and leave your comments below.
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Gday Mark,
I liked the article, However being a yo yo dieter my whole life I have found the binge factor to really weigh in on this argument. You see whenever I decide to crack on with a diet I have been successfull, I guess in your analogy like making a win at the track. I think having a small win can be motivating sometimes; its a different beast maintaining it even at 10%. I mean seriously I do okay, income and investment wise in my life and I am happy with the levels I accomplish there. I think you said it yourself money doesnt make most people happy. Perhaps as humans in the western world the ability to binge does present some challenge. I think its a mindset difficult for some people to follow but there can be great self worth and accomplishment in going through a fad diet phase. In my opinion I would never discourage that. What I would encourage and really appreciate is how one can tune a mind set to be ritualistic without becoming bored and going back down the yo yo trail. Lets face it. Most people who are overweight arent into money in a quick rich scheme but perhaps see the value in a fad diet. They are happy with what they have deep down inside so priorities are diiferent for them.It might be the childrens happiness or just the sheer pleasure of eating foods they crave. I can only assume its something else that triggers them into a state of change for better or worse when it comes to body image or wealth or anything that requires a level of sustained control. Telling a woman that loves shoes to save 10% every week could be a difficult task, The same aingst arrives for people like myself that love food.
Maybe its a news letter or an ad or a set of wild 6 pack abs they see on a genetic master piece down at the beach.
I guess my point in all of this is that a life of banking 10% can be boring. Isnt that why people yoyo. People play the lotto for the thrill. I think they do the diets for the same reason. But cutting through the bullshit as you put it means a life of attention to detail. In theory everyone can do it. In reality, Only those with a mindset capable of mastering every physical choice can sustain it.
Mark give me the mind set to treat the rest of my body like I treat my teeth. Surely if I have the time to eat a candy bar I have the sense to realize its going to make me want more candy etc. Its a tough struggle I wish I lived in a world that was free from distraction.
How do I tune this body to run smoothly without ups and downs binges or distractions ?
Anyway thanks for todays motivation keep up the though provoking stuff, it drives me. Mentoring is one thing that does work for me
Off to the gym I go.
Mike . Greenbank. QLD
Thanks for the feedback Mike!
Hello Mark,
The Turtle analogy is really apt for me. A moderate walk twice a day for an hour is where I’m at right now. After working in the heart of the city sitting at a computer and taking spasmodic exercise, I am happy now to slowly gain fitness and lose fat. THANKYOU!!
I like the saving idea too.
Rosanne WA
great to hear!
I agree, its good to set big goals to acheive over time, but the way to get there is via many smaller goals. Not sure who said this, but there is a saying that the 1 million step journey is taken one step at a time.
Hi Mark,I had the pleasure of reading your article this morning. It resinated with me on so many levels. I was lucky enough to be exposed to the book, The Richest Man in Babylon, many years ago but must confess to not using the principles applied in the book. Although i understood the whole concept i failured to commit to saving the 10% because like your article mentions the results are slow and not visible straight away. I like the way you’ve used the same analogue to explain the power of consistency and stickablitiy. Yes, the results won’t be evident in your first workout or even your second but if you visual your goal and see your body in the light you want it to look like, fit, toned,lean,healthy etc it is possible to attain your goal. What I have learnt during my training sessions with my trainer is that it’s hard work. Your body hurts for days and some people just don’t have the ‘I’ll push through it’ mindset because it’s easier to do things as they always have and not push through the pain (comfort zone). Getting the same results and having something to complain about is normal. Change is scary for so many people,me included. It takes a strong mind to override those negative voices in our head and believe that our goal is very much within reach. We just have to do the hard work, dig deep. Embrace change and the universe will do the rest…Law of Attraction!!Life is an amazing journey and I am very grateful that I have the pleasure of your wise words, knowledge and wisdom.Have a fabulous day!Cathie 🙂
thanks cathie!
I think u change the topic to 80-20 rule. Anyways its harder than it seems actually, see you really have to do well on exercise, I remember Stuart McRobert puts like your workout should be to the point where you are “tired but not exhausted” can u believe that? How the hell are you going to accomplish that? I always hear this on tv you only need to this w/ an hour in your life! True! BUT in order to be success in this you need to envelop all of the concept in your life! That includes meticulously counting your calories. And yes lots of liquids and REST! And then even then its not gonna show in a big way! Your not gonna get jacked over night!
Mark this article is sensational!!! I really related to it because I’ve come from a mindset of unhealthy and over-the-top to one where I cherish each workout each healthy meal with no strict deadlines. Yes I have goals and yes I will reach them, but my health is my lifestyle now. Each day that I commit to making the right decisions (training, or resting when I need…eating the right nutrients and getting sufficient sleep) i am one step closer to my goals. Slow and steady all the way!!! I really can’t express in words how wonderful it was to read this article 🙂 -Sarah @ The Healthy Diva http://the-healthy-diva.com
Great to hear Sarah, I think you will these two articles I wrote recently too then: Part 1 http://maximusmark.com/2012/02/why-the-on-off-season-diet-makes-you-fat-and-does-your-head-in/
Part 2: http://maximusmark.com/2012/03/how-to-shift-yourself-from-being-an-unhealthy-yo-yo-dieter-to-being-the-picture-of-long-term-health/
thanks again for your comments