Something strange has happened to me. On a recent three-day holiday weekend, I had the opportunity to sleep in. But I didn’t. I attended a concert at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday and started early Sunday packing meals at our church for families in Haiti. I was looking forward to sleeping in on the holiday Monday when my wife told me our runners group was going out at 7 a.m. What would seem like an automatic “no” has become a much easier “yes” for me.
There was a time when just walking across a room was a challenge for me. A badly broken ankle from a motocross racing accident in my youth, requiring multiple surgeries and pins, became more problematic as I got older. Bone-on-bone pain with arthritis made trade shows, which I love, along with pretty much anything in life, a painful experience.
The solution was an ankle fusion, but instead I suffered for 10 years because I was scared to death of this procedure. Recently I celebrated my three-year post fusion anniversary and I’m in awe at what I am doing these days.
While running is not encouraged on a fused ankle, I can walk. My ankle actually feels good enough now to add some jogging to my walks. While it’s not a big deal for some, I’m doing more than five miles and have participated in a few 5Ks. These are fun and generally raise money for good causes.
Part of this whole running thing is the connection we make with others. At Expo East in Atlantic City, I was able to participate in the Howard Allan Blum 5K. Through my now PPAI-award winning website program FreePromoTips.com I was able to raise some awareness for this event and the charities it supports. At the Specialty Advertising Association of California (SAAC) Show, they had Run with the Ex-President, facilitated by SAAC ex-president, Craig Reece. Connections and business relationships are made though participating in these events.
A local running store, Runners Lane, is a catalyst for creating activities and connecting those who like to run, walk and train for formal competitions. They do a phenomenal job sharing what’s happening with the running community. Runners Lane is very active on social media. They promote and support a variety of events.
Groups like this tend to be very welcoming and support people of all fitness levels. I enjoy the relationships I have built here. We are all consistently encouraged and our participation is recognized. They also understand the value of brand identity and have become a client for my distributor business. This group was one of motivators to creating FreePromoTips SuccessFit.
From my own personal journey and with input from a variety of industry colleagues we have put together an exciting program dubbed FreePromoTips.com SuccessFit.
There are a few components to it including some unique education content, an “exercise” we are doing at the PPAI Expo and networking with others on all things recreational.
Those who have an interest in being active on any level are welcome to join the new SuccessFit Facebook Group and participate! Share your fitness selfies, events you participate in and whatever you like!
At the PPAI Expo in January, you will have the opportunity to connect with a few great suppliers and receive fitness products that you can use. These items also can be shared with your clients and used in health and wellness programs. To support the Promotional Products Education Foundation (PPEF) and to identify participants, we are requesting that a modest $9.60 donation be given in honor of the 96 new scholarship recipients for the 2014-2015 school year.
100 percent of the proceeds go to the foundation via a Web store that has been donated by our friends at SAGE. PPEF is an educational, charitable, nonprofit organization that awards college scholarships to students who have a parent working in the promotional products industry or who are working for a company in the industry. Since 1989, PPEF has awarded $1,267,000 in college scholarships to 774 students.
Participating suppliers at this time are: Fields Manufacturing, Southern Plus, Terry Town, Hirsch Gift and Astor Chocolate. If you are a supplier with a product that would like to be a part of this, please let me know. Newton Manufacturing is handling the fulfillment of participation materials.
You can sign up to participate in the PPAI Expo SuccessFit “exercise” here!
While I have a long way to go, I do recognize the value of taking care of myself and doing what I can to be fit. It’s no secret that many successful people also are disciplined in their physical lives. Exercise and fitness are traits of those who have achieved some level of success.
In doing some research on this topic, I came across the positioning of Tom Terwilliger, an accomplished communicator on this topic with some impressive credentials. His commentary on Exercise, Motivation and Sustainability offers some good information.
Here are a couple of tools Tom shares. It’s so easy to get distracted from the goal!
1. Align your initial goal or objective with what you really want. Is it a great body you want or to feel really good about yourself? The path to both may be identical but the why will make a radical difference in sustainability.
2. Find a way to connect your fitness objectives with as many of the other important things in your life as you can. Make the success of those other things contingent on your fitness success not in opposition to them.
I write this as an encouragement to others and myself. We all will benefit from devoting some effort to take better care of ourselves. This of course goes far beyond our business world and transcends positively into our personal lives. It takes energy to keep up with our kids and grandchildren!
At the 2012 PPAI Expo, I was recovering from my ankle fusion surgery and using a scooter to get around. For the 2015 Expo, I’ll be wearing a fitbit and clocking the miles I walk. Keep in mind that this year, the PPAI Expo has changed days. In 2015 it’s Sunday, Jan. 11 through Thursday, Jan. 15. I look forward to seeing many of you there!
Jeff Solomon, MAS, is affiliated with a Top 10 distributor company and also publishes FreePromoTips.com, a popular industry resource. The FreePromoTips.com website and twice-a-month e-newsletters are packed with beneficial information. On the website, you can opt-in to receive these informative twice-a-month e-newsletters! Check out what’s new in the GP2: Good Products—Good Prices section of the site. Take advantage of free end-user safe product videos you can share from the YourPromotionSolution.com website. Like the FreePromoTips.com page on Facebook, follow it on Twitter and Pinterest, and connect with Jeff on LinkedIn.
