If you’re looking for motivation or inspiration to get more done in less time, consider going to bed a bit later – and/or getting up earlier than usual.

Allow me to explain:

Several months ago, I made a decision to get up earlier than usual and slide out the door to walk a minimum of three miles.

This may appear to be an easy task, but I’m a “late to bed” moonlighting type of guy, so I’ve never practiced, believed in or advised others to get up at 5 AM or to go to bed early.

Yes, I realize there are many successful people who swear that getting up early is the hallmark of their success. Similarly, I’m simultaneously aware of the masses who get up early each day and receive no tangible or verifiable benefits.

Additionally, there are many legendary historical figures who worked creatively into the night – as well as innovators who discovered new pathways after midnight.

As a practitioner of Chinese internal martial arts, and a student of Taoist teachings on health and longevity, I’m aware of how the grandmasters have taught for centuries that the power hours of each day are 11 PM – 1 AM and 11 AM – 1 PM.

Think of the person taking a “power lunch” or the innovators and creators who were working after midnight to bring something new into existence. There may not be many of them, but I believe they enjoy a secret that few are aware of.

Personally, many of my best products were either created or finished in the late-evening, early-morning hours, and to celebrate the accomplishment, I slept in.

The ancient Taoists meticulously tracked everything they did, and as a result I was taught, by more than one master teacher, that every hour you spend in dedicated practice, espccially in the evening from 11 PM -1 AM, you obtain the equivalency of two hours of benefits in the form of “internal power.”

If you train for an hour – you get two hours of benefits. If you go for two hours – you get four.

I realize that this structure doesn’t necessarily appeal to those who believe you should get up at 5 AM each day or that you must have eight or nine hours of sleep per day to be a peak performer – yet, I believe there are some definite similarities to the approach.

Here are a few I can verify:

1. You’ll find it infinitely easier to engage in deep concentrated work because the majority of the world is sleeping,

2. You’ll be less prone to interruptions and trivial matters that anyone with a third-grade education can handle.

3. You’ll gain psychological and spiritual benefits, in part because you feel a sense of achievement just from the realization that most people are in bed already.

So, as you can probably see, if I’m going to be up until midnight or later, it’s inconceivable that I should also get up early to go for a jaunt.

Yet, intuitively, I felt this was a shift I needed to and wanted to make.

Upon contemplating the situation, I became aware that following this approach would result in a five or six-hour sleep pattern, rather than the eight or nine hours I was used to getting.

I then thought of something novel and made a psycho-spiritual shift in how I used my imagination as well as how I was utilizing my frontal lobes, the part of the brain involved in planning, organization and the prioritization of one’s day.

I put my ideas on paper in a hand-written journal I keep, then I set my timer to awaken at 5:55 AM, and made an agreement with myself to be out the door within 10 minutes.

When morning came the rebellious side of me that was intent on hitting the snooze button was unbelievably incorrigible.

What are you doing? Who do you think you are, Furecat? You don’t get up this early. This is absolutely stupid. Hit the snooze button and go back to sleep. This is crazy. You already walk five miles a day, you don’t need to do it at THIS HOUR.

As I was about to hit the snooze button, an illuminating awarness flashed before me.

I noted the precise mental picture I had just imaged.

The go-back-to-bed voice I was hearing was mostly a mental image, a mental picture of myself snoozing. At that moment I crafted an idea to transform the image of myself snoozing to one of me getting up and going outdoors for a walk.

This simple change in how I was using my imagination made it incredibly easy to follow through on my plans.

As a result I’m now able to get even more done in less time – so much less that I now do something truly mind-blowing.

I can cover this for you in a future dispatch if you’re game for it.

Or you can apprise yourself of all the nitty-gritty details at my seminar in February.

Until then…

See it. Be it. Have it.

Matt Furey

P.S. I’m thinking that no one reading this email can picture himself or herself in some area of life wherein you’d love to make a change for the better and move to the next level. But then again, maybe you do want to get more done in less time. If so, enroll in the seminar I’m doing with the legendary Ted Nicholas this February in Tampa. It will transform your life in a way unimaginable in common hours.

Today marks 477 days without television.

You read the above correctly. No tee-vee for me, for four hundred seventy-seven days.

This abstention from hypnosis via the “idiot box” also includes not watching professional sports such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and so on.

This means I must either read about what is supposedly going on – or hear about it through the grapevine. Or, if it’s particularly urgent, I can view a very quick clip online, then move on.

About a week ago I started hearing about “fake news.”

Now that’s an interesting term, especially when you consider that almost everything about television is fake.

I’m not just talking about the WWE either.

As the “E” in the above states, it’s “entertainment” – yet the masses plop before the box each day to watch something choreographed and quite possibly predetermined.

Based upon the above, I spend my time away from the television. I don’t turn it on and if it is on when I go somewhere, I avoid looking at it.

Now, you might wonder why I stopped watching television. There are many reasons – but foremost is that it’s designed to be so incredibly addictive that once I start watching, I get nothing done.

My workouts get put on hold. I stop reading. I communicate less with those around me – and then I start feeling lousy. Yet, once the news and sports and entertainment are not a part of my life, I am vibrantly alive and filled with creativity once again.

This leads me to believe the real “fake news” is the news playing inside your brain. The fakery that tells you that you’re nothing, a nobody, that you can’t do anything remarkably well.

Once you turn off the chattering box in the room, the REAL YOU manifests and begins to take charge of your life. Amazingly, you start feeling ALIVE once again.

You feel inspired to live a happier, healthier and more creative life. Your productivity increases and people react to you differently.

You have time to do the things you’ve always wanted to do but weren’t pursuing because your attention was gobbled up by the listless, passive and depression-inducing inactivity of watching television.

Perhaps you’ve always wanted to get yourself into incredible condition, or you’ve wanted to write a book or travel the world.

All of the above are much more easily accomplished when you free yourself from the box.

Challenge yourself to see how many days you can go without. Well over a year ago I was on Day One.

Now I’m on Day 477.

It’s amazing how the days add up when you live them with creativity, and keep track in a hand-written journal each day.

Indubitably, this path is not for everyone – but if you feel an urging in your soul to follow along, then I’m with you.

Matt Furey

P.S. I’ve just revealed to you one of the big keys to getting stuff done, including writing a book. Now let’s see you take the next step by attending my seminar in February. The fee for this event is going up later this week, possibly tomorrow, so jump on this NOW and enjoy the deep discount.

One of the worst pieces of advice ever given is the admonition to practice moderation in everything.

Balderdash.

If you want to get good at something, moderation is not the key that’ll get you there. Yet, this philosophy prevails and millions are harmed by it.

The other day I told a coaching member, “The masses are programmed for mediocrity and therefore will condemn those who work toward excellence.”

Granted, being obsessed does have pitfalls – but being mediocre at everything you do, that produces an unnecessary psychological inferiority that lingers into infinity.

I will readily and unabashedly admit to being obsessed with getting good at whatever I put my hands on. If it weren’t for a daily schedule, I would be out of control very easily, completely lost in a world of
ONE THING.

The other night I went bowling. Twas “all you can bowl night” – which is perfect for someone who’s obsessed. I went there with the intention of only bowling five games. After five games I agreed to another, and another and another.

I ended up closing the place down at midnight after bowling 17 games.

This can be a HUGE pitfall when you have a list of 17 other activities you want to get good at doing as well. So I limit myself to two days a week of bowling, for now. I practice moderation in this activity and train my mind to get good at it with less practice – otherwise I don’t have time for tai chi, or stretching, or writing, or coaching clients – ALL of which, unsurprisingly, I want to get better at. No, that’s too weak. I don’t just want to get better – I want to get good.

After good – very good – and after very good, GREAT.

I’ll have more on this subject soon, but just want to let you know, if you’re working your tail off to get good at something and someone tells you that you have OCD, tell him this, “You make it sounds as though it’s a bad thing.”

Be it. Do it. Have it.

Matt Furey

P.S. Come watch my relaxed, calm and creative OCD on full display this coming February in Tampa, Florida. Click this link for more.

Throughout the ages the great ones disagree on a number of topics, but when it comes to the use of your imagination and the power of your thoughts, they get into single file.

“Imagination is more important thank knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain

“Imagination is the elixir of life.” – P.T. Barnum

“The power of imagination makes us infinite.” – John Muir

I can go on and on with examples such as these, but perhaps my favorite is the way my wife would say it:

“No imagination – no food.” 

Oh yes, the naysayers scramble, sneer and squirm as they opine: “You really think your imagination helps you create what you want? How can it do so.”

These questions, incidentally, are from the same people who scoff about the importance of breathing, as if your very life doesn’t depend upon it.

The mere questioning of the power of imagination shows a clear misunderstanding and ignorance of how the human brain works. What the scoffers are essentially saying is, “I don’t think my brain has anything to do with anything I do.”

They’re also revealing, without realizing it, that they have no idea what a hippocampus is, or the frontal lobes, or where their memories and knowledge are stored.

My favorite line is when the sneerers say, “I don’t think about it. I just do it.”

Really?

So you took action without any thought whatsoever?

How is that possible? Explain that one to me so I can present it to my neighbor, who happens to be a neuroscientist.

Another great line comes from those who study Eastern thought: “You teach all this self-image stuff – but the reality is there is no self.”

To this statement I reply: “Is there a spirit or a soul?”

“Oh yes, you have a spirit and a soul. There just isn’t a self.”

“Great, so call it soul-image if that makes you feel better.”

To recap, these so-called intellectuals believe your imagination doesn’t serve a valuable purpose, it’s just loitering in the lobby of your brain. Deep breathing is not important because you can survive on very shallow breaths. And best of all, there is no self.

Let me give you the straight scoop from personal and professional experiences, wherein I’ve succeeded at a high-level in several endeavors:

When you are blocked, when you can’t seem to achieve, when you can’t get good grades, when you can’t get yourself to take action, when you don’t believe you can get physically fit or accomplish something BIG – you need a revamping of your imagination.

Jump into action all you want. Use your will power as much as you can.

And soon, you’ll run out of steam and be out of gas.

With your use of IMAGINATION, however, you tap into the seemingly infinite and unlimited powers of the brain.

Show me the mental images you have ruminating in your brain and I’ll easily and accurately predict where you’re heading in life.

Let me hear the way you speak about yourself and your life and I’ll quickly ascertain the type of results you can expect to achieve.

I’ll close now by repeating my wife’s line, which really should be a Chinese Proverb:

“No imagination – no food.”

Matt Furey

P.S. Want to learn how to use your imagination in a way that puts the food you want on your table, the kind of clothes you want on your body, and the kind of home you want to house yourself and your family? This is a small part of what will be revealed at The Undiscovered, Unrevealed and Unparalleled Secrets Seminar being held in February. I look forward to seeing you there.

Last week, toward the end of one of my walks, I called to speak with my treasured friend, Mark.

Mark lives in San Diego, so an 8 AM call is 5 AM in his area.

My initial call went directly to voicemail. Per usual, I left no message.

Later on I called again. Same result.

Over the next few days I made umpteen calls – all of which went to voice mail immediately.

Now that has never happened before, so I began to get concerned. I continued to call all the numbers I had for Mark, all to no avail.

At 11:38 PM on Monday, after waving goodbye to a friend who was with me for a 3-mile copywriting jaunt, I went in the house and immediately received a text from Mark.

“Ah,” I sighed. “I finally hear from Sasquatch. I wonder how he’s doing.”

I opened the text and the opening words communicated that the sender was someone else.

Twas Mark’s sister, instead.

The news she gave me sent shockwaves through my central nervous system.

Mark was no longer playing Sasquatch in San Diego.

The man who survived not just one, but TWO collisions with 18-wheeler semi-trucks was gone.

I called Mark’s sister and she gave me the details. I started texting everyone I coach who knew Mark on a personal level from our meetings.

Everyone was in shock.

I’m not sure how I slept through the night. The next morning I got up and walked another three miles, during which time I openly sobbed.

Oftentimes, over the years, I’d be talking to Mark as I walked, going over my latest musings and writings, my most recent ideas and breakthroughs.

In fact, when I kept calling Mark all last week, it was to read him the copy I was going to put up about my forthcoming seminar – which HE WOULD BE ATTENDING  – as he never missed a Furey seminar, going all the way back to 2005.

Today, as I walk through my home I look at the chair Mark used to plop into when I’d  have him over for discussions on tai chi and other martial and fitness disciplines.

Mark had a pair of ears that were always there for me or anyone else.

Each summer I’d visit San Diego, in part because I love the city, but most importantly because I wanted to have a few hours in splendid communication with Mark – as we walked around Gas Lamp district, enjoyed a grass-fed burger, followed by a chewable cigar and a ship-load of laughs.

So long Mark Ferris, my truly treasured friend, the man I dubbed the “Sasquatch from SoCal.” Your presence on this Earth meant the world to me. Rest safely and in peace.

I’ll be thinking of you as I walk.

Matt Furey

P.S. Life can be unpredictable – and often when you least expect it. That’s precisely why I believe in living life to the FULL – with gusto and enthusiasm. That’s exactly why I am having a seminar in February that will teach you how to leave your thumbprint on the world, how to achieve goals and dreams that matter to you and your family.

You have this LIFE – LIVE IT NOW to the very best of your ability. Do things that not only give your life meaning, but leave a legacy while immortalizing the contributions you made.