Imagine this: You’re sitting in front of your computer, working on a project. Perhaps it’s a book, an e-mail, or an article. Or you’re doing research.

The phone rings. Do you answer it?

A new e-mail chimes. Do you immediately read it?

A text message arrives. Do you look at it and reply?

Your spouse or child enters the room. Do you stop what you are doing to see what they want?

The question is: How easily are you distracted?

The other day, I was reading that the average person can concentrate on one thing for only about five minutes. He’s got so many gadgets and gizmos that he can never rest or relax mentally. The cellphone or blackberry is always with him. He sleeps with it at his side. Cannot go for a walk without it. Or attend a movie or concert. Can’t eat a meal with his family without looking at his gadget.

I am NOT saying you should get rid of all your gadgets. I’m not saying to stop using technology.

What I’m saying is that peace of mind, happiness, and the ability to achieve your goals has a lot to do with how long you can concentrate on one thing. And if you can’t go for a walk, watch a movie, or have dinner with family or friends without constantly checking your tweets and text messages – if you can’t leave all your gadgets at home or away from your reach for extended periods of time – then you most likely have a lot of trouble finishing projects that require deep concentration and focus.

Here are some things I do that you may find helpful:

1. I put my gadgets in another room when I go to bed at night.

2. I do not bring my gadgets with me when I go for a walk.

3. I do not bring my gadgets with me when I am eating with family or friends – and if I do bring them, I do not use them when we’re talking.

4. If I am working on a project (like this very article), I do not respond to pings, pongs, pangs, or anything else. Everything can wait until I am finished with what I set out to do.

5. If I am talking to someone who allows himself to be continually interrupted by pings, calls, and tweets – I end the encounter. Because that person is letting me know that he values his gadgets more than me.

Now if you’re the type of person who likes his gadgets more than accomplishing something worthwhile – well, you’ll get no argument from me.

On the other hand, if you’re willing to try turning off your gadgets – or letting them ring or chime, unanswered, for extended periods of time – you’ll be amazed at how you will have eliminated a great deal of the unwanted resistance you may have to success.

In fact, if you really want to get more things done in less time – with next to no interruptions – then you’d better learn to do nothing more than concentrate on what you want in such a way that you feel as if nothing is blocking you whatsoever.

No resistance.

No turbulence.

No sandpaper rubbing against you as you go through life.

Instead, a resistance-free feeling flowing against your skin and through your veins.

You get up in the morning with things to do – and you get them done. Day after day. Week after week. Year after year.

Thousands upon thousands of days in which you git ‘er done because you know the power of a focused mind.

[Ed. Note: Matt Furey is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of self-development, fitness, and martial arts, and is the president of the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation, Inc. If you're nodding your head in agreement about the need to focus and concentrate - without resistance - you should check out Matt's world-famous Zero Resistance Living Course. This is what the super-successful use to get more things done in less time.]

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It’s amazing but true. Most people get up tired and go to bed tired. Going to bed tired makes some sense – but waking up tired is inexcusable.

How can you be tired when you wake up? You haven’t done anything yet, right?

Okay, perhaps you didn’t get enough hours of sleep. Or perhaps you got enough hours, but it wasn’t restful sleep. Or maybe you’re under stress and that is affecting your energy level.

All of the above is understandable – yet, all can be overcome by taking six simple steps.

1. Instead of thinking “I’m tired” before loping off to bed at night, mentally program yourself for energy. How do you do this? Simply say, “I’m going to wake up totally energized tomorrow.”

2. When you wake up in the morning, immediately focus on the mental image of something you want to do, be, or accomplish.

3. As you focus on this mental picture, tell yourself, “I am going to do everything I set out to do today.” And when you say this to yourself, say it with ENTHUSIASM.

4. After doing that, sit up in bed, pull your feet close to your buttocks and begin to massage the kidney point at the bottom of each foot. Start with your left foot. Massage deeply at least 50 times. Then massage your right foot 50 times.

Doing this will cause your energy level to rise… and fast. Not only that, it is one of the cornerstones to raising your sexual energy to a peak. (This is covered in detail in my course on Chuang Shang de Gong Fu.)

5. When you’re finished massaging both feet, raise your energy further by doing some Hindu squats and Hindu push-ups, as well as some deep breathing (which I teach in Combat Conditioning). You could also try the Magnificent Seven, which attacks the waistline like no other program on the planet.

6. After doing your training, take a cool-to-cold shower. A hot shower is fine to finish up with… but start with the coldest water you can take. It will increase the vital energy in your body in an instant.

[Ed. Note: Fitness expert Matt Furey believes in strengthening everything on the inside as well as the outside - and what he has taught you today goes to the heart, soul, and kidneys of the matter in a way that you've probably never experienced before. These six steps will blow you away - and when you add Matt's Combat Conditioning into the mix... LOOK OUT. You'll become the master of your universe. Find out more here.]

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What you do in the first few minutes of your day sets the tone for the rest of it. That’s why it is important to begin your day with thoughts of happiness, success, great health, and prosperity.

As soon as your feet hit the deck, you want to be launched into the realm of success – the “get something done today” realm. No more putting off till tomorrow what you can and should do today. No more dilly-dallying.

One way to help set yourself on this course is to always have a daily goal – especially a daily fitness goal. And if you achieve that goal first thing in the morning, the rest of the day is going to be awesome.

Yesterday, when my son Frank and I arose, I asked him how many push-ups he wanted to do. He chose the number – I counted. Then I asked him how many Hindu squats. Again, he chose the number and I counted. We did the same for sit-ups.

Then I went to work on my own Hindu push-ups and other stretches.

The Hindu push-up is a bit like a cat stretch. I’m not a big TV watcher, but, contrary to what some think, there are some good stations. Animal Planet is one of them.

Last night I watched a special they had on wild cats. Everything from lions to tigers to cheetahs to leopards to mountain lions and a lynx.

Watched a mountain lion nab a deer, drag it through the forest, latch onto its neck, and PULL it up a tree to bend it over a branch (for safekeeping). Now, let me tell you, that’s some major league strength.

So watch how wild – as well as domesticated – cats stretch. They stretch backward hundreds of times per day. And they do it as soon as they wake up.

You, my friend, would be well advised to do likewise. It will not only increase your strength and flexibility – it will ENERGIZE you for hours.

Move your body the way it wants to be moved. Stretch like a cat and you’ll know why cats stretch the way they do.

[Ed. Note: You can learn all about this form of exercise in Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning book and DVDs. Go gobble them up NOW by sprinting over to his site. .

And for more simple but powerful exercise techniques, as well as strategies for eating better and getting fit, sign up for ETR's FREE natural health newsletter here.]

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Hold it. You may be exercising and eating all wrong.

You may have been led to believe a lot of very stupid and untrue things about what
it takes to get fit. Things like:

• Running several miles per day is the key to getting fit.
• Doing a ton of long, slow distance (LSD) is absolutely necessary.
• Lifting the heaviest weights you possibly can will turn you into a human fireplug.
• Eating five or six times per day cranks up your metabolism.
• Training one part of your body today and another part tomorrow prevents overtraining.
• Working out only 2-3 times per week is the fastest way to make progress.

My friend, there are pieces of truth in all these lies. For example:

Long, slow cardio may make you feel good – but if you want to “STEP UP” your metabolism, you’re far better off doing a very hard, very vigorous workout that calls upon all your physical and mental reserves. You’re better off with a short workout that will never get easy – no matter how often you do it.

Consider the sprinter. His body is lean, muscular, and powerful. But it is rare to find a long-distance cardio person who is well muscled. He may be lean, but there’s no power. Not only that, but after a period of time he may end up suffering from hip, knee, ankle, and lower-back pain.

Why? All the pounding on the joints. It takes a tremendous toll on the body.

Instead of the long, slow, dull approach to fitness, consider the following five ways to a Metabolism Makeover.

1. Begin doing vigorous full-body bodyweight exercises that force you to lose control of your breathing. If you aren’t getting out of breath when you train, your system is NOT being forced to adapt and change. The harder you are breathing, the more shock to the system. The more “shock” there is, the greater the shake-up in your metabolism.

2. Instead of running or bicycling several miles per day for cardio exercise, train like a cheetah. Run as hard as you can, at full blast, for as long as you can. Run with all your might. When finished, you’ll be gasping for oxygen. And this gasping is what turns on the fat-burning furnace within.

3. Practice deep breathing. The deeper you breathe, the more oxygen in your system. The more oxygen in your system, the faster your metabolism. Don’t just get your deep breathing from vigorous exercise. Get if from the act of deep breathing itself – done all day long.

4. Eat plenty of fiber-rich, water-content foods while avoiding starchy foods most of the time.

5. Change the mental picture you have of yourself. As you see yourself in your mind’s eye, so you become.

Follow this approach to getting fit fast and you’ll catch the eyes of everyone when you walk down the street. Others will instantly sense that something is different about you. And you’ll know why.

[Ed. Note: Matt Furey - a national collegiate wrestling champion (1985) and a world shuai-chiao kung fu champion (1997) - is the author of the international bestsellers Combat Conditioning, Combat Abs, and Gama Fitness. Discover how you can increase your strength, endurance, and flexibility without lifting weights or long-distance running right here.

For unbiased information on critical men's and women's health issues... the latest breakthroughs in alternative medicine, fitness, and nutrition... as well as motivational guidance to help you achieve your goals, sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]

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Tuesday morning, I got up early, ironed my clothes, and got mentally prepared for the talk I was to give at an AWAI Web Copywriting event in Austin, Texas.

Before leaving my room, I did a 10-minute routine of internal exercise. This put me into a peak state… and off I went.

During my talk, I demonstrated a kung fu form I practice every day, without fail. This demo was useful to the group, because I explained how writing copy is the same, in terms of structure and principles, as practicing kung fu.

Not only that, but doing this routine for even a minute during the talk ensured that I got some practice time in that day. (There’s always a way to train – even when you don’t have time.)

After my presentation, I went for lunch at a Brazilian-style restaurant, Foco de Chao. Twas awesome, per usual, for this type of joint.

Then it was back to my room for a brief power nap, followed by packing my bags and leaving for the airport.

Once on board the plane, I practiced my routine over and over again. I felt my nerves and muscles twitch as my breathing went up and down – in and out.

Where was I while I practiced? In the aisle? Standing on my seat?

I was in my seat, sitting comfortably, eyes closed at times – eyes open at other times.

I was practicing my form in my imagination. Over and over again.

The beginning, the middle, the end – and all parts in between. Reviewed, viewed, and previewed.

I corrected mistakes. I noted glaring errors. I saw and felt where I was moving correctly. I noticed what I could do to make my practice better.

A few hours later, when I disembarked, I was feeling the same, if not better, than I do when I practice by moving physically.

When I got on board that plane, I didn’t know if I would have time to physically practice my form before midnight. That’s one of the main reasons I did the imagination exercises.

My wife picked me up after 11:00 p.m. After securing my bags and driving home, we pulled into our driveway at 11:55.

Both of us got out of the car. She began to walk toward the house. I took off my coat and laid it on the trunk.

“What are you doing?” Zhannie asked.

I said: “Practicing. I still have five minutes before midnight. I can get the form done at least once.”

The moon was out, the stars were shining, the wind was blowing. And although I had all the excuses in the world, there I was – turning and twisting, stomping and spinning, flowing from one move to the next.

Sweat poured off me as my breath quickened and energy moved up and down my spine. It was the most powerful execution of the form I had ever experienced.

I patted myself on the back for hitting my before-midnight goal once again. Then I grabbed my grip and went inside the house.

How many times did I really practice on Tuesday?

Did the time on the plane, practicing in my imagination, count?

Of course it did.

In fact, it may have counted just as much, if not more, than when I did the form physically.

Why? Because when you imagine that you are doing something, your nerves, your cells, your muscles, your brain – everything that is part of you – gets the message and responds accordingly.

Even if you’re in bed with the flu – or something worse – you can still train in your imagination. And doing so will have a healing effect beyond what you can fathom.

Throughout history, there have been stories of strongmen who rose from their deathbeds – from a weak, sickly state of ill health – and became powerful.

They didn’t just survive the tough time. They thrived.

The key is understanding that success is a combination of physical practice and mental practice. He who does both rises to the greatest heights of achievement. In fact, in any endeavor on the face of the earth, if you were to ask the question “How much of success is mental” to those at the top, the most common reply would be “Most of it. Ninety percent or more.”

This being the case, why don’t more people learn how to harness the awesome power of the creative imagination? It makes sense, right?

[Ed. Note: Matt Furey is a national collegiate wresting champion (1985) and a world shuai-chiao kung fu champion (1997). He publishes the Zero Resistance Living program that teaches average Joes how to change themselves into the person they've always wanted to be. Matt says that it doesn't matter whether the results you want are physical, financial, or emotional - Zero Resistance Living has the answers you've been looking for. Right now, he is offering this program at half the regular price. Simply enter 2009 as the coupon code, and you'll be all set.

For unbiased information on critical men's and women's health issues... the latest breakthroughs in alternative medicine, fitness, and nutrition... as well as motivational guidance to help you achieve your goals, sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]

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I hate flying. Yet, I go on some extremely long flights. Los Angeles to Shanghai is one of them, and that puppy is 13+ hours.

For a man who likes everything “now” – for a man who is not what I’d call patient – that’s a long flight. So how do I stay sane on the flight? Very simple. Whenever the issue of time comes up, I ignore it – or I focus on living “one minute at a time.” Not one day. Not one hour. One minute.

“Can I get through one minute of flying?” I ask myself.

“Yes, I can do that.”

“Good. Then let’s focus on that one minute right now – not the other 12 hours and 59 minutes that haven’t come yet.”

This same way of thinking works great for exercise, too.

Get up in the morning. Think about exercising. When you do so, if you feel resistance, tell yourself, “Let’s just do one minute of wall chair. Can I do that?”

“Yes.”

Then ask yourself if you can do one minute of push-ups – or just one minute holding the push-up position. Or one minute of bridging. Or one minute of deep breathing.

Can you dramatically effect change in your body in one minute? The answer is: Hell, yeah!

And the good news is that when you can conquer one minute – and you enjoy that minute – you’ll want to go for a second and a third minute. And so on. Yet the desire to do more comes organically. No pushing, prodding, or flogging yourself to be motivated.

Use this method, and I assure you that you’ll be kicking butt in no time flat.

[Ed. Note: You can exercise yourself to better fitness - one minute at a time. Fitness expert Matt Furey can help you increase your strength, endurance, and flexibility without lifting weights or long-distance running. Learn more here.

For unbiased information on critical men's and women's health issues... the latest breakthroughs in alternative medicine, fitness, and nutrition... as well as motivational guidance to help you achieve your goals, sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]

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