Tag: Google

“I beat you again, Google!”

It’s my favorite thing to say.

I’ve been beating Google virtually every day for well over a year now.

I beat Google!

I shared my secret with a friend and he thought I should share it with the world.

Well, here goes:

Every day I go into my Google calendar and set my appointments and to-do lists for the next day.

Working out, calls, interviews, errands, etc., are all put into my Google calendar.

I also set timers to go off ten minutes before each task, sending me a text message to remind me of the activity.

Here’s what I do that I doubt few others do:

I intentionally try to get my task done before the Google text reminder alert goes off.

For example, in the morning, I get up, have my coffee, check my email, and head to the gym.

I give my all in an intense workout and then return inside to drink my protein shake and relax.

Right about then, the Google text alarm sounds off to remind me to go workout.

Since I already worked out, I feel I beat Google.

I look at my phone and exclaim, “I beat you, Google!”

It feels great!

I love this game!

Why is this so cool?

Every day I glance at my to-do list and do my best to complete each task before Google has a chance to remind me of each one.

In a way, I’m getting my brain to fire off chemicals of satisfaction.

Or, as Dr. Loretta Breuning might put it, I have controlled my brain rush.

Since my brain (and yours) wants to feel those happy chemicals spurt, I have created a little game to make it happen.

There’s a new book by Caroline Arnold called Small Move, Big Change, about microresoluting your life.

In a way, you set a small, doable goal to give yourself that feel good experience of accomplishment.

Do it in baby steps

Rather than resolving to do something big — like lose 10 pounds this month — you micro-resolve to do something today — like go workout — that is in the direction of the bigger goal.

The little wins give you the brain rush you need to feel good and realize you are moving in the right direction.

Bill Phillips taught me about the value of “a win” every day.

I’ve heard Bill say there are days where he “needs a win.”

Those are the days where you might be tempted to think life is stacked in everyone else’s favor.

Instead of feeling like a victim, and spinning off the ledge into some sort of self hatred or disappointment, you can set a micro-goal or micro-resolution, do it, and feel great again.

When I say I am going to do something, and I do it, I experience a “win” – and the chemical feel good brain rush that goes along with it.

It’s the same with my game to beat my own calendar in Google.

It’s simply a way to make getting stuff done fun, exciting and even addictive (in a positive sense).

I love hearing my phone alarm go off and I get to say, “I beat you again, Google!”

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS — My new album Reflection is an official bestseller in my self-help Healing Music singer-songwriter catalog. Hear samples and grab a copy of the CD (with a collectible booklet and free surprise gift) by clicking right here.

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