Kevin W. McCarthy

The Professor of On-Purpose

Work Life Balance

189 Pounds – Thanks Dr. Andersen & Take Shape For Life

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I did it!  This morning I weighed 189 pounds!  That means I've lost weight to the tune of 51 pounds since January 1!   My goal was to get under 200 pounds; however, my coach, Lori Andersen, encouraged me to go the extra 10 pounds.   Honestly, as positive and goal oriented as I am, I just couldn't believe that I would ever be under 190 pounds again without the "help" of an illness. 

The journey has actually been a lot easier than I imagined thanks to the combination Medifast meal replacements and the personal involvement of having a coach from Medifast's coaching division: Take Shape For Life.  Co-founder, Dr. Wayne Andersen, is an amazing source of inspiration, education, and vision.  His vision for the Health Coaches to get America healthy is one thing.   How that vision translates to each client is another.  I'm living proof and a huge fan!

[please note, the photo on my blog will be updated with a new one soon.  This shot is me at 240 pounds.  You'll see the new me soon.  Yesterday we had a photo shoot so a new Kevin will be appearing soon.]

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Your Work View

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Today is Labor Day in the USA.  Ironically, it is a day when many of us have the day off from work and the kids are out of school.  According to Wikipedia, Labor Day began as "a street parade to exhibit to the public ‘the strength and esprit de
corps of the trade and labor organizations,’ followed by a festival for
the workers and their families."

Let’s take the occasion, however, to look at the very nature of our labor and its meaning.  The concept of work is vitally misunderstood in many corners of the economy and culture.

For those of us who view work as an expression of one’s calling and difference making, work conjures positive feelings and robust expression of who we are.  For many others the concept of work elicits harsh bondage and dependence on the whim of their boss.  Still, there are some who would wash away all work and settle for a life of recreation and parties.  So what view of work works?

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Rainbow Magic & On-Purpose Pals

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June 24th I invested the afternoon catching up with my friend Glenn Hettinger from Ponte Vedra, FL.  I’ve known Glenn for twenty-five years and we’ve always had an honest and engaging friendship bouncing ideas, family matters, and business ideas off of one another.

Daytona Beach has proven to be a great mid-point for us to rendezvous about once a year.  While we were walking the beach a rainbow appeared so Glenn snapped this picture of me holding it.  I thought it was a fun shot.

Who in your life are you missing?
Who speaks candidly into your spirit?
Who marks the years with you?

Call, write, or email whoever came to your mind as I was asking these questions.  They haven’t heard from you in a while and now is the perfect time to set up a time to invest some time together.

Time Management: Myth or Missing Link

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Too much to do and not enough time to get it all done.  For most of us that means it
is time to turn to time management.  Courses and seminars in time
management, software packages, PDAs like the Palm, and good old
fashioned daily planners like a DayTImer, Franklin Covey Planner, or Day
Runner, all hold great promise to help you get your life on track.  And
they do!  Kinda.  Mostly.

Time management is a smokescreen masking an underlying
problem.  Sure time management systems allow you to manage events, set priorities, plan your day, and schedule your appointments.  But are you making progress in life or are you just moving around meetings and activities?  Have you just become more efficient at being ineffective?

Solve the underlying challenge of why you need time
management and your time management problems narrow significantly.  In the end, it isn’t the tools and technology or time management that make a difference.  It is you!

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What Does It Mean to Be On-Purpose?

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The On-Purpose® Approach is best understood by reading my books The On-Purpose Person and The On-Purpose Business.  They provide a fundamental understanding of this movement of hearts into meaningful action.  Nothing else in the marketplace provides such a broad, yet integrated lifestyle.

On-Purpose® is a holistic and integrated lifestyle advocating the fullness of life.
On-Purpose® is a method with everyday tools to build a life, a career, or a business.
On-Purpose® is a point of view that life and work are by design and meaningful.
On-Purpose® is a light turned on to shine into the darkness of the heart of one’s heart.
On-Purpose® is a way to answer The Great Questions of Life.
On-Purpose® is to live with intention and personal accountability within a larger fellowship.
On-Purpose® is to know one’s purpose and to align one’s life with that purpose.
On-Purpose® is living a called life, instead of a driven life.
On-Purpose® is spiritual in that it answers the deepest longings for significance and belonging.
On-Purpose® is hopeful, positive, and relevant to contemporary challenges.
On-Purpose® is shalom from the Jewish concept of peace that comes from being one with God.
On-Purpose® is to clearly know one’s identity in Christ and to joyfully live in this manner.
On-Purpose® is to seek God first and to center one’s life on The Great Commandment.
On-Purpose® is seeking to meet us where we are and to live as Jesus did in his day.
On-Purpose® is the alignment of your heart, head, and hands within your highest values.
On-Purpose® is practical because it can be lived long term and moment to moment.
On-Purpose® is giving from strength even in times of weakness.
On-Purpose® is the difference in people who make a difference™.

30 pound weight loss – 7 Weeks!

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Tsfl_may_23_2008Unbelievable!  I am somewhat stunned.  After years of attempting to eat right, exercise, and drink more water… and failing to lose much beyond the initial five or ten pounds, I am actually down 30 pounds since April 4th.  That’s seven short weeks ago. 

Here is my weigh in photo taken just about 6;45 am this morning.  You may recall my blog post on April 4th with my scale reading 230!  My goal weight remains 40 pounds of weight loss or to reach 190 pounds.  Nevertheless, to break the 200 mark is a major milestone for me.  I can’t remember the last time I weighed under 200.  Certainly, when I was playing lots of competitive tennis at age 35 – some 18 years ago – I was in much better shape.  Playing in the Men’s 35 Nationals Clay Courts I hurt my knee and laid off for 13 years until a modest three-year return to courts.  I haven’t play for nearly two years now.  I would have to guess my weight has been above 200 since 1990.  I just can’t believe I let it slide like this for so long.

The picture that’s the header of my blog shows me in late October, 2007.  I probably weighed 235 at the time of the photo shoot.  Now, in addition to new clothes, I’ll soon need new photos taken for my web site and speaker kit.  This is what one calls a good problem. 

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I’ve stopped snoring… apparently!

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For years now, my wife has slept with earplugs because my snoring awakens her.  Since my son has been away at school the past two years, she has been actually going into his bedroom many nights to escape the snore machine. 

Judith left town shortly after I started the Take Shape for Life program and just returned on Wednesday, April 23.  Since she’s been back, I’ve found her sound asleep next to me every morning.  That hasn’t happened in months.  I asked her why.  She said she hasn’t been waking up in the middle of the night to my snores galore.

I’m wondering if the fact that I’m down 17 pounds since starting TSFL has anything to do with it.  You bet!  Now that I think about it, I’m resting more soundly, awakening more alert, and needing less sleep.  I never expected this outcome from dropping a few pounds. 

I’m very thankful.  Thankful for…
    the loss of weight
    the return of my sound sleeping
    the return of Judith’s sound sleep
    the increase in energy
    the gain of some waking time
    the healthier lifestyle

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin

If not balance in life, then what?

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“Kevin,” you ask, “If work life balance is a myth, then, what do I do instead?  How do I make a difference and make my life count?  I want to be productive on and off the job, earn that six-figure income while being true to myself.  I want to be a great spouse and parent.  I want wealth, financial independence, and security so I can be in a position to help and serve others in my community.  I want to be healthy, feel more settled in my spirit, and secure my future.  What do I do to make my life work better?  How do I become a leader in my life?”

Up to this point in my posts, I’ve held off providing you the alternative to work life balance for a reason.

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