Can’t Sleep? Try This.

Does your mind race at night, keeping you awake? We’ve got a method to turn those sleepless nights into productive daytime results.

The benefits of adequate sleep are well-documented. However, much less is known about what to do when your body shuts down, but your mind won’t stop. Without getting into homeopathic remedies for sleep, here’s a method for combatting sleeplessness.

Sleepless nights can be frustrating; but, with a little intention, you can turn these wasted moments into productive outcomes. The two emotions generally driving these sleepless moments are excitement and fear. These two emotions are also highly linked to motivation in the human brain.

The next time you’re wide-awake when you don’t think you should be… your brain might just be a little more motivated than your body!

Give three steps a try the next time you’ve got a thought keeping you awake:

1. Write it down

Whatever thought, scenario, or reality is keeping you up at night is probably important enough for you to keep track of. Keep a small notebook next to your bed and use it in situations like this. Write down whatever thoughts come to mind at the time. As an entrepreneur, those “flash in the pan” moments may not seem like much but can hold tremendous potential. Every great idea started somewhere, why not in your brain in the middle of the night?

 2. Check your Headspace

After you’ve written down the thoughts in your head, the next step is to examine your headspace. First, are you actually awake? If you’re groggy and still half-asleep, it’s best to return to your slumber. It’s hard to describe how to know if you’ve got an idea worth acting on, but it’s just something you’ll know at the time. If your mind is racing and you’re walking through scenarios in your head; you’re in the right mindset to act. One action step you can take here is to read a book. It can be a book that you’re currently reading or something that pertains to the idea in your head. Reading can help clarify and sort through the brain soup. Read until you’ve gotten clarity, or until you’re ready to fall back asleep!

3. Solve It

The biggest take-away from this is to not let your ideas fade away into the abyss. Thoughts that keep you up at night are thoughts worth keeping. Revisit your notebook the morning after an idea and see if there’s anything worth acting on.

 

Now, we aren’t saying that you need to pop out of bed every time a thought pops into your head and start working. Think of this method as stockpiling ammunition for a future battle. The one resource everyone shares the same amount of is time. The next time your mind refuses to quit, consider it an opportunity to squeeze as much life as possible out of every single minute.

Let’s Ride!

Dr. Nathan UnruhNathan Unruh, CXO, SIDECAR

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Is This the Year?

Without dreams or goals, there is no hope for the future and without hope there is despair and negative thinking. In many ways, your goals define you, that is why it is so important to have the strongest possible goals you can imagine. You are not the sum of your accomplishments or failures. You are not the very worst or the very best thing you have ever done. You are your dreams and your actions upon those goals. Your goals are a map for getting where you want to go.

Achieving your goals requires that you first define what it is that you want and then begin to work to get it (OBTAIN-ATTAIN). Eventually, as you begin to implement these daily action items we are discussing and your own customized plan, you will realize that these dreams or goals are your only competition in life. Once you have set your goals, there will be no further reason to “want” what other people have. You will only want to reach your own goals.

Your Impact

We would like to let you in on another secret, you are having an impact on the world. Your conscious and subconscious thoughts move matter. Do not let this power become corrupted or wasted on worry and fear, because the things you think about most, manifest. We challenge you to take responsibility for your thoughts and to eliminate the “chattering monkeys” that pull you back into the “swamp of mediocrity “. Your conscious actions bring you closer to your destiny. Stay awake, be attentive! We are unique and therefore we leave a distinct impression and lasting legacy for mankind to inherit. What will be said about you? How will your actions benefit the generations that follow? Do you choose to discipline your mind and develop your mental prowess? If so, engage every aspect of the plan with full commitment. The other choice is to accept your plight , and learn to be content as a cow, ruminating over your possibilities. Cows ruminate, they chew on it over and over again. Human beings swallow life whole.

You are almost ready to write your future. The goals that you choose to manifest as a result of thinking connect you with that essence inside of you. The source is clean and the fruit you harvest will be of exceptional quality. Some of you will actively seek God’s will in your planning and ask his blessing. For others it will be an extra-sensory experience of such magnitude that you will know first hand that a universal design does indeed exist.

Imagine yourself sitting on a white beach at sunrise. As you look out over the gentle waves you see a vast series of islands stretching far out over the horizon. The goals that you wish to reach are like setting foot on these lush islands.  Keep in mind that this is a quest with a series of bridges and beach landings.

Your quest must be planned and well provisioned, or you will find yourself a castaway surviving in a desperate life of survival.  Now use all the resources and energy available to you so that you can construct  temporary bridges between where you are and where you want to be. These bridges can not be permanent as it can tempt you to halt your conquest or worse, go back to the perceived safety of the past.

  1. You must commit fully to the process of success. When you commit there will be no chance to draw back or hesitate.  If you hear yourself saying “a part of me wants it” stop and reload for a goal that “all of you” desires.
  2. Set reachable goals, they should be out of reach but not out of sight. It is important to stretch yourself beyond the present yet this must be balanced so that you have the self -efficacy to press on. Setting unbelievable goals will only discourage you.
  3. It is important to keep a wide angle perspective as you view all of the island goals you wish to land upon. Just as you are about to set foot on one, plot the course to the next beach head.
  4. It doesn’t matter whether the goals that you reach are large or small, because you will be gaining momentum.
  5. The moment you look back you abruptly come out of the flow experience. While it is important to celebrate your accomplishments and mark your milestones, stay in the present and nurture the experience from there.  Briefly acknowledge how far you’ve come, give yourself a high five and get back in the game.
  6. Before you go to sleep, invite your dream. Your subconscious will work while you sleep. Place a pen and paper or voice recording device on your nightstand. Your Innate flashes of creativity must not be forgotten.
  7. Explore areas of learning that interest you. Don’t be concerned that the material or subject may not apply at this very moment. It could be an innate nudge in a direction or simply a focusing opportunity.
  8. Once you have set a series of goals, accept them as being a part of who you are becoming.
  9. Before you get out of bed, visualize your day with specific goals to accomplish. Every completion leads to the next island.
  10. Give yourself permission to “daydream”, for this is your intuition drawing you out of hiding.

2018 is your year!

The SIDECAR Team

 

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Switch Your Fears

What does your fear do for you?

Everyone has fear. Regardless of your level of success or accomplishments in life, you possess some form of fear. This fear can be a good thing. It can be a huge motivating factor. In fact, the brain processes fear and motivation in the same area. Essentially, fear and motivation go hand in hand. Living on the other side of motivation is fear. However, fear can also be crippling. If you allow it to, fear can paralyze you and cause you to become stagnant.

Two Types of Fear

There are two main types of fear that exist in the world: the fear of the staying the same and the fear of the unknown. One of these fears can be conquered. The other never goes away. If you’re not in a position that you desire the fear of staying the same should drive you to change and seek the unknown. If your back is against the wall you’ve got nothing to gain by staying the same. Your fear of the unknown can never outweigh your fear of staying the same.

You don’t have to live in fear, but you have to learn to live with fear. Fear is ever-present, it’s always going to exist. But it doesn’t have to cripple you. When you stop trying to eliminate fear from your life (an impossible task) you open yourself up to understanding what exactly your fear is and how to handle it. Your fear is going to fall into one of the two categories: fear of the unknown or fear of staying in your current situation.

Your Future

None of us can control the future. We can anticipate and prepare for events to occur, but the future is always going to possess an aspect of the unknown. You really can’t overcome the fear of the unknown, but you can use it to motivate yourself to take action and eliminate the fear of staying the same. If you allow your fear of the unknown to motivate you, you’re going to spend your time working towards ensuring that you and those around you are in the best possible situation. No longer will you be torn between the fear of change and the fear of staying the same. You’ll realize that only one of these fears holds negative consequences and is holding you back from your future success.

It’s time to switch your fears. Once you do this, you’ll begin to realize that the fear of the unknown is natural, you’re not alone, and it’s simply another opportunity waiting to motivate you!

Dr. Nathan UnruhDr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR

 

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Never Lose Sight of the Rabbit

I once heard a story that goes like this..

There was a young boy who wanted to be all he could be and reach his full potential. He heard about an elderly man who over the years had never lost his love for life and lived life on purpose. The little boy decided to pay the elderly man a visit.  When he arrived, the elderly man was sitting on his porch with his dog.

The young man pulled up a chair and asked, “Sir, I’ve been told you sought after your purpose for many years and people tell me your love of life is evident through your relentless pursuit of your purpose. Tell me, why do so many people chase their purpose for a year or two before falling into complacency and turning their life into a ritual of just doing it, and doing it, and doing it when it’s convenient and they end up never looking any different than anyone else?”

The Chase

The elderly man looked up, smiled, and began to tell the young boy a story. “I was sitting right here on a nice sunny day with my dog when a large white rabbit ran across my yard. My dog took off and started chasing it all over with passion. Soon, attracted by his barking, other dogs joined in on the chase. What a sight it was! All these dogs bounding over the hills and through the creek! Gradually, however, the other dogs began to drop out of the pursuit. I guess they were discouraged by the course or frustrated by the chase. Only my dog stayed in pursuit. Young boy therein lies the answer to your question.”

The Answer

The young boy sat quietly, confused. Finally, he said, “Sir, I don’t understand, what’s the connection?”

The elderly man responded, “My boy, the key to understanding is to ask the question why didn’t the other dogs continue the chase? The answer is they never saw the rabbit.”

The other dogs didn’t see the rabbit. They didn’t have their why. They were running and chasing for the sake of running and chasing. When you lose sight of your why you are more susceptible to getting caught up in the mundane. Never take your eye off the rabbit and make sure you and your team can always see your vision.

Dr. SeaDr. Douglas Sea, CTO, SIDECAR

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Do You Want to Be Free?

Seth Godin wrote in his book The Icarus Deception, “Freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever you want, it’s the willingness to do whatever you want.”

Freedom isn’t about the ability to do what you want, it’s about the willingness to actually do it.

Are you willing to experience freedom? True freedom? See, you can experience as much (or as little) freedom as you want. Do you have the willingness to be truly free?

You can experience freedom in all aspects of your life: financial freedom, freedom of a healthy marriage, freedom in your relationships, the freedom of being physically fit. You name it~

To increase your willingness to do whatever you want you must increase your discipline. Your thoughts and actions become your behavior. Remember, freedom isn’t the ability to do whatever you want it’s the willingness to do it!

So, what are you willing to do to get what you want?

Dr. Nathan UnruhDr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR

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How to Naturally Feel Better!

How do you dig yourself out of a “funk”? 

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward/pleasure center. It also plays a role in helping to regulate movement and emotional responses. Dopamine helps us to not only seek rewards but also take action to move towards them!

In other words, Dopamine is a natural chemical that makes us feel good!

How do you get your Dopamine fix? When do you feel it the most? What can you do within your routine to ensure you are elevating your Dopamine levels every single day?

Increasing your Dopamine levels naturally will positively affect your energy, behavior, and focus. In terms of your practice, Dopamine will help you get into flow and create a fun atmosphere.

So how do we keep our Dopamine levels high?

  • High dopamine levels are produced with rewarding activities and achievements. Finish something.
  • Be creative. Spending time in a creative state of mind has been shown to cause an increase in dopamine levels.
  • Exercising causes an increase in dopamine levels.
  • Listen to your favorite music.

Take action to “Dopamize” your life.

Dr. Nathan UnruhDr. Nathan Unruh

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Purpose of Knowledge

Have you ever eaten a fruit salad that contained tomato as one of the ingredients? Have you ever encountered someone who knew a whole lot of information but didn’t know what to do with all their knowledge?

The purpose of knowledge is action.

Without taking action, knowledge simply becomes more knowledge. If you are accumulating knowledge just for the sake of knowing it, what impact are you making?

Reading a book can give you great input and expand your knowledge base. However, reading thirty books and hoarding the knowledge fails in comparison to reading one book thirty times and implementing the knowledge into action svensktapotek.net.

As chiropractors, business owners, and community thought leaders it is better for us to be an inch wide and a mile deep instead of being a mile wide and only an inch deep.

I’ve seen this truth applicable when dealing with doctors and the techniques they choose. Every time, it’s better to take action and master one or two techniques than it is to accumulate the knowledge of all of them.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom, is knowing not to put tomato in a fruit salad.

Dr. SeaDr. Douglas Sea, CTO, SIDECAR

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The Simplest Tool to Eliminate Excuses in Your Workplace

Excuses are lack of accountability can ruin any workplace environment. 

The Accountability Ladder is a simple tool that has proven to be instrumental in developing a healthy company culture. The purpose of the Accountability Ladder is to get each member on your team to understand the idea that you don’t need a title to be a leader. Keep yourself and each other accountable. As a company, your goal should be to operate “above the line”.

The Accountability Ladder consists of ten statements. Statements one through six are considered to be “below the line”:

  1. Ignore/Deny the Situation
  2. Make Excuses
  3. Finger Point
  4. Tell Me What to Do
  5. Cover Your Tail
  6. Wait and See

Statements seven through ten are considered “above the line” and are where your company should strive to operate on a daily basis:

  1. Acknowledge Reality
  2. Own it
  3. Solve it
  4. Take Action

The Accountability Ladder, when implemented correctly, becomes part of your company DNA. Team members are able to refer to the accountability ladder in conversation and help steer one another to operating “above the line.”

Dr. Nathan UnruhDr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR

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Why You Should Stop Wasting Time on “Professional Growth”

Dedicating time to professional growth is a half-truth that masks a bigger opportunity.

I want to dispel a myth today that I think does more harm than good: the concept of “Professional Growth”. There is nothing wrong with “Professional Growth” but I believe it to be a half-truth. Underlying “Professional Growth” is the fundamental concept of Personal Growth. You cannot grow professionally without growing personally. I have never grown professionally without first growing as a person.

I base this opinion off two concepts:
1. Every business is a family business
2. You are your brand
Allow me to explain.
Every Business is a Family Business
This reality is something that I’ve learned over the past twenty years. As a small business owner, I’ve discovered that good days at work translate to good days at home. Bad days at home translate to bad days at work. There’s no denying this and no way around it. Having your home life in order and your relationships healthy lays the foundation for your business to prosper. Understanding this basic principle highlights the importance of internal personal growth and getting yourself right before entering the threshold of your business.
You are Your Brand
Your brand exists in the mind of the consumer. As a small business owner, you are your brand. Every aspect about you makes up a component of your brand. Different consumers will gravitate towards different characteristics of your business. Becoming a well-rounded individual with a big heart and a head on your shoulders is the most important thing you can do for your brand.
Dedicating to Personal Growth
One statement I strongly urge you to add into your Code of Honor is “Dedicating to Personal Growth”. Becoming more financially literate and gaining business knowledge are crucial components of growing your business. However, before you set out to better understand how to sell, market, or advertise; work on your ability to communicate, lead, and influence others.
Too many times I have seen business professionals attempt to cover up internal issues and personal weak areas instead of confronting the real personal issues: honesty, confidence, receptiveness, etc. We try to hide these by learning new skills, working harder, and seeking external achievement elsewhere.

There is nothing wrong with attending seminars, talks, or learning new avenues related to your business. However, if you are struggling with something internally that is affecting your business daily; confronting this issue head on will provide the most immediate results in your life and ROI in your business.

“Professional Growth” is a tool for enhancing your strengths; not masking your weaknesses.

Let’s Ride,
Dr. Nathan UnruhDr. Nathan Unruh, CXO, SIDECAR
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How To Stop Arguing with Everyone

Learning how to define your position will allow you to stop wasting time defending it and improve your ability to resolve conflicts. 

In today’s world, conflict is everywhere. At anytime you can hop on Facebook and argue with millions of people. I want to highlight a concept today that I think is so universal and important that it applies to every single human being on this Earth. Regardless of your age, socioeconomic status, occupation or lifestyle the “Define Don’t Defend” concept holds tremendous power and the ability to help elevate your life and eliminate needless conflict.

To begin, let’s look at the definitions of these two verbs:

Define – state or describe exactly the nature, scope, or meaning of. Additionally, mark out the boundary or limits of.

Defend – resist an attack made on (someone or something); protect from harm or danger. Additionally, to speak or write in favor of (an action or person); attempt to justify.

On paper, it’s easy to see that these two words do not hold the same meaning nor do they represent the same behaviors. However, they are often used in place of one another incorrectly leading to emotionally charged debates, heated disputes, and eventually loss of relationships.

The opportunity to Define not Defend presents itself daily and handling this opportunity correctly can greatly improve your communication ability with others.

DEFINE

Just as the definition states, to define is to declare exactly who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Marking out exactly where you stand and supporting your stance with facts, data, and your past experiences. When you are challenged, define the facts of why you do what you do.  Defining the situation allows you to keep your emotions out of the situation and maintain a level head.

DEFEND

Defending contains components such as resisting, protecting, and justifying. To most, these components aren’t enjoyable nor do they create positive feelings in relationships. By defending your position, you open yourself up to increased emotion, and a higher probability of a negative interaction.

Two men defending their positions.

Two men “defending” their positions.

THE DIFFERENCE

When you define and don’t defend you create clarity and set the edges on what you do and don’t do. Whatever your vision is, whatever drives you needs to be defined and portrayed in everything you do in life. Defending creates doubt and confusion. A confused mind always says no. Defining creates clarity and allows others to see what you see. Everyone may not agree with your product, service, or stance on an issue… and that’s ok! But the second you start to defend you open the door for controversy and the potential of a heated debate. Defining operates from a logical state of mind while defending operates from a limbic, emotional state of mind.

Always remember the three D’s: Define Don’t Defend.

Let’s Ride!

Dr. Nathan UnruhDr. Nathan Unruh, CXO SIDECAR

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