Success only comes to those who live at ultra-fast speeds. Norwegian Eric Bertrand Larssen is proof of this fact. But how did he manage to become popular? How did an outcast boy become a popular global business coach?
Briefly about the author
Eric Bertrand Larssen is a Norwegian writer of world renown. His pen belongs to “Without self-pity. Push the boundaries of your capabilities” and “Now! Don't miss the moment, it's all you have." The first edition was published in 200 thousand copies in the author's homeland, subsequently it was translated into dozens of languages.
For many entrepreneurs and athletes, Larssen is a motivational coach and personal growth consultant, and all the current champions of the Norwegian national team used him.
The impetus for writing the book "On the Limit" was the experience gained in special units, which had to be passed on to someone. It is based on overcoming oneself, pain and getting out of the comfort zone.
Brief description of the book
Let's say right away that the publication is not a panacea for all ills. If you think that " hell week"- this is some kind of metaphor or exaggeration, then we hasten to disappoint you: the author offers a really difficult test that not everyone can withstand. The method used can change the current attitude to reality, affect success in personal achievements, family and work.
The book "On the Limit" is divided into two blocks - this is a preparatory and practical part. According to Erik Larssen, any important step must be preceded by serious preparations. This also applies to public speaking, and participation in competitions, and experiments on oneself. That is why half of the publication is devoted to preparation.
Essence of hell week
"Hard seven days" - an attempt to become best version yourself, a chance to overcome your own fears and go beyond your limits.
Hell Week starts at 5:00 on Monday and ends at 22:00 on Sunday. For seven days you need:
- wake up at 5.00;
- fall asleep at 22.00;
- be focused and persistent in work;
- follow the planned activities;
- analyze concentration and mood in a continuous mode;
- maintain a positive attitude and energy;
— conscientiously perform each of its social roles;
- allocate time for quality rest;
- regularly exercise and eat right;
- exclude TV viewing.
hell week schedule
Before starting the experiment, be sure to set goals for yourself. This may be one long-term or three small short-term, subject to different areas. Be sure to write down what you want on paper.
Also, make a map of your life, where you indicate your own positive and negative qualities. Use the opinion of third-party observers - friends, relatives, colleagues, buddies, neighbors, subordinates, management.
Monday: Habits
List your habits - good and bad. Why is it so important? Our habits reflect the possibilities, qualities, achievements: in appearance, one can tell about the nutrition and sports regimen that a person adheres to; by achievements - about his goals and desires.
To multiply success, you need to adequately assess your positive and negative sides. It is important not only to subject yourself to self-criticism, but also to attract others - they can better see from the outside what can be “corrected”. The main thing is not to get into an argument with those who are trying to help you.
Develop a strategy that will help you eliminate bad habits and reinforce good ones. Larssen identifies two aspects that drive change:
- instant decision;
small incremental steps towards change.
An instant decision will become an impetus on the way to a new habit, and planned tasks will bring you closer to the goal.
Tuesday: mood and focus
List your own emotional states to understand what you have to work with, how to find the optimal state of mind. After all, feelings should control actions, and not vice versa.
Learn to create the right mood and get out of it. This can be helped by a state of concentration and focus on one action, as well as an expression of gratitude. To acquire a positive attitude, resort to visualization and building self-confidence.
Wednesday: time management
Create a to-do list. It should contain all the miserable, medium and huge tasks for the near and far future. This will help you relieve yourself of the burden of tension that has kept you up at night and squeezed your chest at the mere thought of upcoming projects. It only takes a few minutes to write.
Make a plan for a year, a month, a week, a day. In the annual plan, mark significant goals, important dates, describe the dates of holidays and trips, urgent matters, and also indicate those activities that are already under control. Look at the list more often to make changes to it and remember what you have planned.
In the monthly plan, you can highlight your own concept for each week - in the first week it can be a social focus, in the second - financial, etc. The same should be done with the tasks for the week:
Do you want to exercise twice a week? - Record in your diary!
Want to spend more time on a new project? – Specify specific hours on specific dates!
When planning tasks for the day, the author advises using the Tracy method, based on the formation of 5 tasks per day, the so-called "five frogs". First you need to get rid of them, and then proceed to all other cases. It is better to allocate separate hours for processing emails and making phone calls.
Learn how to transfer items from your to-do list to your calendar: indicate what needs to be done and by when. Don't forget to carry over tasks that are not completed today to the following days.
One thing at a time. Learn to focus on one task. Multitasking is a problem modern society that hasn't made anyone happy yet. Concentration is what will help you enjoy the process and get the maximum result.
Thursday: Out of your comfort zone
This day of the week in Eric Bertrand Larssen's book "On the Limit. A week without self-pity” is called the most infernal. It is he who, according to the author, should expand the horizons for the reader and bring him invaluable experience.
Work for 24 hours without interruption for sleep. Yes, yes, stay awake. See the limits of your possibilities. Wake up on Thursday, do business all day, meet the dawn of Friday, keep doing your current tasks all the next day!
Procrastination is prohibited. Follow the established schedule, plan your day to the smallest detail. Every hour should be put to good use. Stay away from social media for the day.
Minimize the use of the car, bus or subway - walk, run, bike. This will create a very special environment - you will be more active and active.
Within 24 hours, solve all those work tasks that you put off before. There are a lot of them, right? All the time you promised yourself to make them "tomorrow" ... but there is no such day in the calendar, but Thursday is! It's time to close the "hanging" cases!
Arrange a meeting with your biggest fear. It is important to do something that you have not dared to do before. Show your courage - understand a computer program, master a scanner or call a big client! What, it turned out to be easier than you thought?
Friday: rest and recovery
Learn effective relaxation techniques.
First, get yourself a healthy sleep. Don't waste your evenings. Go to bed at 22.00.
Second, leave work at work, don't bring it home. Engage in relationships with loved ones as soon as you cross the threshold of your apartment. You may have to turn off your phone for a couple of hours.
Thirdly, use meditation to restore physical and moral strength.
Saturday: internal dialogue
Make a list of everything that you are good at. This way you can build confidence in yourself. To identify your advantages, ask yourself leading questions about abilities and preferences, talents and desires.
Think only good things about yourself, because you become what you think about. You achieve what you think. On this day, you can safely boast and show off, exalt yourself a little.
Consider that everything that happens is for the best. Form your positive attitude towards the existing reality, use more pleasant words.
The seventh day in the hellish week is the moment of return to the starting point, and also the day off. Give yourself a few minutes, feel how tired your body is. Remember how much you managed to do over the past six-odd days. Come up with a reward (other than food) that you've been dreaming about for probably all week.
Idea in a book
Larssen wanted to show the reader that such seven days can play an important role in the life of any person, becoming not only the path of cardinal changes, but also the impulse for change.
Why is hell week worth it?
There are many reasons for this:
- seven days will be full of challenges - they will be a great chance to achieve new goals, because any new task will require radical solutions and overcoming;
- 168 hours of constant stress will make it easier to relate to routine and everyday activities;
- a lot of things will no longer seem as complicated and impossible as before;
- hell week should be an impulse for change;
- leaving the comfort zone will ensure further growth in several areas at once;
Values in the book
Useful and funny quotes and epigraphs.
Situations from the biography of famous athletes.
Conclusion
Still doubting the need to read the book "On the Limit"? Don't worry, you don't have to include hell week in your schedule if you don't like the change. However, introducing some of its elements will be quite useful: go in for sports on an ongoing basis, change your diet and sleep, stop watching TV and criticizing yourself, and focus on the action you are performing. In a week you will see tangible results!
inference
Here are some powerful quotes from the book:
“Giving up when things go wrong is not a good idea. You can only give up when you're back on top."
“The quality of your life depends on the questions you ask yourself.”
“The worse, more difficult, or hopeless your current situation looks, the more amazing the future you create can become.”
This is not just a story about how to think and live. This is a clear guide to action, a seven-day intensive course for those who want to reach their potential.
Erik Bertrand Larssen
One of Norway's most popular motivational speakers. He served as a paratrooper in the Norwegian special forces, was in Afghanistan and the Balkans, twice took the course of a young fighter with the terrible name "Hell Week". His books have become bestsellers and have been translated into many languages.
Larssen's weekly program is a kind of civilian version of that "Hell Week". According to the author, the most ordinary person can do it. At the same time, breaking away from production is not only not necessary, but also not recommended.
The main idea of the book: Live 7 days at the limit of your ability. So, how could you live every day, if laziness, fears, lack of concentration did not interfere with you, Bad mood, bad weather ... But you never know what obstacles you can think of on the way to the goal!
So, Larssen suggests spending the week as productively as possible. This assumes that you will live on a strict schedule.
Basic rules of hell week:
- rise - at 5:00 (even on weekends);
- going to bed - at 22:00;
- only healthy food;
- television is banned;
- no social networks and communication not on business during working hours;
- maximum concentration on the tasks performed;
- workout at least 1 time per day for at least 1 hour.
This is a list of only the main recommendations. To the goals from the book, you need to add your own, corresponding to your life situation. It will be necessary to make a lot of plans and lists of tasks both for the current week and for the distant future. After all, if there is no goal, then there is nowhere to move. Therefore, before starting the experiment, decide why you need it and what you are moving towards.
To live a week at the limit of your capabilities, so that then ordinary tasks seem like childish babble to you - such an experience, according to the author, will expand the boundaries of your consciousness. You will no longer be afraid to start this or that task and learn what you are capable of.
After surviving a hellish week, you will begin to achieve your goals faster. And in general, you will finally achieve them, and not stagnate.
The book is divided into two parts: theoretical and practical. The latter is a clear guide to action, scheduled by day.
Honestly, the theoretical part seemed too dry to me. Maybe it's just because I'm a woman and I need more epithets ... I don't know. But if you have read a ton of literature on the topic, then you won’t get anything new from the first part of the book. Advanced users of knowledge about self-improvement, visualization, and planning can simply skim through this part of the book. However, I recommend not to ignore it completely. It helps to tune in to the author's wave and understand the course of his thoughts and ideas underlying the hellish week. This will help you stick to your plan.
The second part deserves special attention. Having lived through a hell of a week, I believe that the section on a particular day is best read 24-48 hours before practice. For example, read about Monday on Saturday or Sunday. It makes no sense to read the second part in advance: you will definitely forget everything by the beginning of the practice.
Why I Decided to Have a Hell Week
For the opportunity to write a review of the book “On the Limit. A week without self-pity,” I grabbed with pleasure.
The fact is that I have been leading a fairly healthy lifestyle for a long time and, by virtue of my profession as a nutritionist, I eat as correctly as possible. I train with different frequency and intensity, I am engaged in self-development techniques, I am interested in visualization and other wonderful tools for fulfilling desires. But I always really wanted to put it all in a certain scheme and make it all more systematic. To establish such a life conveyor from which it would be possible not to fall out. If that's even possible...
When you read all these smart books about how to do it, it seems that there are a lot of ideal people in the world who get up early and move towards the goal systematically and persistently, like a herd of buffaloes to a watering hole. That's it, they run in the morning under your dark windows, scrolling through the plan of the upcoming day in your head. And you ... sleep for yourself, and life goes by.
Something like this I imagined the life of ideal people, among whom, as it seemed to me before the hellish week, I did not belong.
And now the opportunity to become the best version of yourself came into your hands. And I decided not just to write a review, but to try the method on myself. I did not have three weeks to prepare: I was running out of time. However, if I caught fire, I need to act immediately, and therefore I would hardly have survived 3 weeks of waiting. Fortunately, the book turned out to be small, and it didn't take long to read it. And so…
I will not describe each day separately, as I did in my blog, but I will simply share my feelings with you.
What turned out to be the most difficult
1. Falling asleep. Contrary to my expectations, the most difficult thing was not to get up at 5:00, but to go to bed at 22:00. On the first evening, I hardly forced myself to turn off the light at 11:00 pm. In the following days, I did better, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not sleep. Despite getting up early, an extremely busy schedule and training to the limit (I am an addicted person: if I have already reached the gym, then it is difficult for me to stop, especially when time allows). There were evenings when I tossed and turned until midnight! And this despite the fact that I do not drink coffee and other drinks that prevent us from falling asleep. Why it happened, I can't explain...
2. Refusal of social networks. And this was not surprising, alas. I could not apply the advice not to enter, because the main promotion of my services takes place there, this is part of my work. And when you go there for work, it’s hard not to stumble upon a message from one of your friends. And it always seems that "I'll just answer him now and ...".
For the sake of truth, it should be noted that I never look through the feeds and do not like different posts. Not because I am an evil and terrible woman who feels sorry for even a husky. No. I just prefer live communication social networks. The addiction came to light in me for a different reason: I was drawn to check what and who wrote about my last article. And this must be stopped. The book "On the Limit" made me understand this. It just seems to us that here a minute and there two, and in total we get a decent time.
3. Lack of sleep. Although Larssen assures that "you will feel what it's like to be cheerful," I did exactly the opposite. Already on Tuesday, I had to urgently go to bed during the day, otherwise I would not have survived my usual schedule. For the sake of truth, it should be noted that my usual schedule horrifies many: I manage to redo so many things, but still ...
One of Larssen's assignments was for 41 hours. This meant that I had to get up at 5:00 on Thursday and go to bed only at 22:00 on Friday. This task seemed unreasonable to me. Try as I might to make sense of it, I couldn't see it. Assurances that "people who have not slept for more than a day know something like that ..." did not convince me. I am a mother of two children and I know firsthand both sleepless nights and chronic sleep deprivation. And who of us in our student years did not happen to stay awake for days on end for one or another good (or not very) reason?
Due to my problems with falling asleep by Thursday, I was just boiled, and therefore decided to still go to bed on Friday night. A week of weeks, but somehow you have to live.
4. Injuries. Before this experiment, I trained 2-4 times a week at a moderate intensity. Immediately I surpassed myself (as intended) and began to train for 1.5 hours a day. At the same time, I combined cardio and strength training in one workout. Bottom line: on Thursday evening, both knees and my shoulder were very sore ... On Friday, the training had to be canceled, otherwise I risked not joining the ranks on Saturday. So I turned on my brain and focused on their Feel.
5. Combination with real life. It was difficult to reconcile the hell week plan with real life. By the end of the seven days, I was even more convinced that the author is still more focused on the male population of the planet than on women with children. I simply did not have enough time to plan and analyze everything that Larssen offers.
For example, on Friday my son fell ill, he had to be urgently taken to the doctor, and then I was glad that I went on Thursday evening. Otherwise, how would I get behind the wheel? Another example: one day the book asks you to face your biggest fear. I have a night forest. And now the question is: how could I be in the night forest, when two babies are sleeping peacefully at home, and there is no one to leave them to? Or advice to move on one of the days only on foot, or even better - running. With two children. Living outside the city...
I don't make up excuses, no But in all the examples that the author gives, the heroes are men, albeit with a family. Here a man came home, and he had a wonderful wife there, and he finally appreciated her and was finally able to devote time to children. For me, a simple woman, this is everyday life. If I do not pay attention to the children in the evening, they will remain hungry, unwashed and unloved ... Therefore - with all due respect to the author - I would soon see his book with advice close to the reality of working women with children.
What turned out to be easy
1. Planning. It turned out to be simple, because it was nothing new for me.
2. Healthy eating. This has been my lifestyle for several years, so there was no need to change anything. I made the conditions even tougher and excluded sugar, flour and.
3. Refusal of the TV. I just don't have it! Larssen rightly suggests that if you stop watching TV, then you will free up a lot of time. But if you have not watched it, then you will have to come to grips with efficiency, otherwise you will not have time to complete all the tasks of the hellish week.
4. Positive outlook on life. I am an optimist by nature, and recently I have been consciously developing this quality in myself. So there was nothing new for me either.
What will I leave in my life after hell week is over
1. Modified schedule. I will go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I was convinced that at this stage of my life the schedule of 5:00–22:00 is absolutely not suitable for me, but 6:00–23:00 will take root quite well. Sure.
2. Workout 4-5 times a week. I decided to increase the amount, but approach them wisely, without overworking the same muscle groups daily. Sport gives me energy and lifts my spirits. So why not give it even more time?
3. Healthy eating.
4. Refusal of the TV and empty pastime in social networks.
findings
They have become ambiguous. I still couldn't figure out what was so hellish about this week. When asked by readers of my blog about what turned out to be the most difficult, I honestly answered: “Go to bed at 22:00.” But! This does not mean that the book will not be useful to you. No. Just once again I was convinced that it is very difficult to write a universal guide to action. After all, we are all at different stages of our development. This week I realized that already going in the right direction: my ordinary life is so close to a hellish week.
I am sure that for many people such changes will be a test. For example, for some, one rejection is already hell! There are also people who cannot imagine life without a liter of cola a day, and it is also banned. What would they be without their favorite drink? It is also a kind of hell. If a person has never trained, then daily sports will be a serious challenge. There are many examples.
The effect of the book and the difficulty of your hell week only depends on the point where you are at the moment. You need to conduct an experiment already in order to understand how far you are from ideal. What is an ideal? This is when you live at full capacity, make the most of your potential, systematically move towards your goal, take care of your health ... In a word, when you are the best version of yourself.
In conclusion, I want to give one advice: after reading the book, start acting as soon as possible. There will never be a right moment. Why did you spend 2 hours reading then? This book belongs to the category of those that are useful only in practice. Therefore, go! Become the best version of yourself for a week, but remember: there are no perfect people. Therefore, advice is advice, and listening to yourself during a hellish week will be useful. Good luck!
Anya described in detail her week, goals and objectives, feelings and emotions. It is useful and interesting for everyone: both those who are just preparing to live seven days at the limit and break out of their comfort zone, and those who have already tried their hand.
And most importantly, in this article there is an answer to the most main question: "Why all this? .." Of course, this is Ani's answer. But don't you want to find yours? 😉
Hell week. Start
When I started reading Eric Bertrand Larssen's book "On the Limit", I already knew: this is mine. I love running marathons, I love challenging myself and doing something new. Therefore, I decided to organize on my blog, on Instagram, a marathon on this book for everyone. Given the rather strict conditions (especially the 48-hour stay), only 200 people joined me.
Before the start of the marathon, I decided on the reward: what will happen if I pass everything. The best reward for me in the conditions of one day can only be a trip, so I wrote like that, although there were no prerequisites and hints that I would go somewhere. As a result, the trip happened to Moscow and in the most unexpected way. Here it is, the power of written desires!
That marathon announcement on Anna's blog.
About nutrition this week: I tried to make it as light and clean as possible. More juices, smoothies, fruits and pureed soups. Although I took lunch to work, it was still warm and quite dense. But dinners are much easier - so I have more energy.
On the eve of the start of the project, on the advice of Larssen, I, of course, visualized my week. How easily and with pleasure I get up at 5 in the morning, go to the shower and do physical exercises, cook a tasty and healthy breakfast, get ready for work with a positive attitude, everything works out for me, I am focused on completing tasks, I have time for everything, etc. Visualization is a powerful practice. Because when you find yourself in these conditions, your brain will already know how to act in order to get the most out of what you can.
This applies not only to the “week at the limit”, but also to other exits from the comfort zone, public speaking, for example.
Monday. habits
On Sunday, from the abundance of thoughts and ideas, for a long time I could not fall asleep, even close my eyes. Then I got up, transferred all my thoughts to a free flow of paper (practice number 1, when you can’t fall asleep from thoughts), lay down and remembered practice number 2: make exhalations longer than inhalations twice, and when thoughts are carried far away, you need to return attention again to breath. And fell asleep. Then I woke up at 2 o'clock and again thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, but breathing again helped.
First, I wrote myself a checklist of daily rules - to develop good habits. What habits are included in my daily checklist:
- early rise 5 am,
- morning contrast shower
- meditation 15 minutes,
- do the eye of rebirth again 21 times (I do it every day, but 21 times turn out much less often than I would like),
- morning pages,
- again write thanks for the day in the evening,
- drink 1.5 liters of pure water per day,
- eat when you feel really hungry
- clean up the kitchen immediately after cooking,
- breaks at work for light physical activity,
- allocate some time for surfing the Internet,
- evening, even short, walks every day,
- to be in the moment, to feel, to be aware of everything that happens to me,
- more often ask yourself the question “Why?”,
- use 15 minutes in the evening before bed for self-development,
- go to bed at 22:00.
After writing down the habits in a notebook, I did not stop, but made a tablet for daily tracking of each habit. In my opinion, this is an important point. Because in the turmoil of affairs, you can easily forget about something.
Here is a preparation plan where you can write down everything that is useful in Hell Week, those who participate in the MYTH marathon receive. It will come in handy during the intensive.
At the end of the week pluses, I confess, were not everywhere. For example, at that moment I did not succeed with cleaning the kitchen. But it happened a week later. I managed both the morning meditation and the morning pages in the morning only for the first 2 days, and then I realized that the goal of these practices is the same - liberation from thoughts, and it is better to separate them in time.
Everything else more or less worked. It is important to understand that nothing global in changing the worldview happens in a week, but you will definitely get an impulse for change.
Tuesday. Attitude and focus
Oh, on this day I could be called "Miss Focus" - with such productivity as on this Tuesday, I have not yet worked. I didn’t put things off at work at all and did everything as soon as the task appeared. I ticked off the completed tasks one after the other, and the tasks ended faster than usual. So after lunch, I began to work for the future and do things that I usually didn’t have time for.
Did I like myself? Rather yes than no. But such a state is difficult to maintain constantly when you work in a team. Perhaps if I worked for myself, it would only be a plus for me.
Wednesday. Time management
Time management is my forte, I didn’t even have to learn anything new. Behind me are dozens of books I have read and time management strategies applied. I love planning: for several years, for a year, a season, a month, a week. I like to make checklists and lists, distribute things by importance, analyze what I do, make revisions ...
In general, the tasks of this day were not a surprise to me. But I also found things that could be improved. For example, I set aside separate time for checking the mailbox, answering letters and comments. And it really saves a lot of time.
Perhaps the most striking insight of these three days is “the more you do, the more you get done.” I like it. And “if you don’t want to do something from the list, do the following, do at least something, and inspiration will come by itself, followed by strength.”
And I also had this week that every day is an event that takes energy (pleasant events, if they are very emotional, also take it, and unpleasant ones take it, even if they are insignificant) and knocks me out of the usual rut. And… coming home, I just wanted to lie down and think or just lie down 🙂
But I went to breathe fresh air, came back, spread the mat and did my splits workout. And then - all things are habits according to plan. And I did this not because I promised myself and Eric Bertrand Larssen, but because I know that it has a positive effect on my nervous system, on my well-being, mood, and also strengthens willpower. I thus bring into balance, balance my energy, and my condition improves.
If only I succumbed to weakness and lay aimlessly on the sofa - that's it, the downward energy spiral would spin me, and off we go.
Thursday. Out of comfort zone
The hardest day of the marathon is the day without sleep - Thursday. There were so many questions: “And why do you need this?”, “Isn't it harmful?”, “Oh God! What are you doing with yourself?" etc. The answer, in fact, is one: test yourself, see what you are capable of, get out of your comfort zone and close hung cases.
It was also a media diet day when I didn't use social media. I won't say it was very difficult. I just turned off the Internet 🙂 On a sleepless night, I was going to read a book and sort out things (clothes, cosmetics, books). In the evening, doubts seized me about what to do if I could not stay awake. And at the same time with these doubts - the fear that I can still do it, and how I will feel tomorrow.
But I let go of all these fears, having decided that any experience is, first of all, an experience, and is needed in order to teach me something.
There was a moment around 1 am when I thought I would close my eyes right now and fall asleep. I did yoga, and the dream vanished. Got a second wind. As for night cleaning, I, of course, overestimated my strength. But I finished reading the planned book, made lists, completed assignments for another book and sorted out photographs that had been stored on a laptop for a hundred years.
I am satisfied with myself, and this is perhaps the most important thing. I know that I can do more in the circumstances and conditions that I usually have. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a very good way to understand this.
Friday. Rest and recovery
In the morning I decided to get some fresh air before work. Well, a contrast shower cheered up, of course. It was a pre-holiday day, and there was not a lot of work: I did everything I needed, and I started to “stick” only after five in the evening. But interesting things and meditation lasted me until the cherished ten in the evening, and I went to bed with a clear conscience.
In fact, it is not so important how much time we have, how important is the level of our vital energy.
Rest is different. Photo from the personal archive of Anya Kirasirova.
There can be a lot of time, and a person will sleep for half a day and be lazy to do something for his development. And the same thing with getting up early or just getting out of bed - it happens that there is simply no energy for this, because: a) it is spent on something else; b) it is not completed. For example, energy is being drained from us: TV, sweets with sugar, dense fatty plentiful food, lying on the couch - although it would seem ... ;-), - self-digging, self-flagellation, quarrels, aimless pastime, unfinished business, endless postponing ... what else - it's just the first thing that came to mind.
And they raise the level of energy: physical activity, walking in good weather, pleasant conversations, educational videos, tasty and healthy food, a sense of completeness of the action (that's why sometimes it's so useful to take and at least sort out the mail or clean up the shelf in the closet), favorite music, dancing, victory over your fears, concentration, involvement, state of flow.
To understand what specifically affects your energy level, you need to turn on the “mindfulness toggle switch” and track what you are doing and how you feel after that, monitor your emotions and emerging desires.
Do you feel like flying, creating and getting up at 5 in the morning after pizza, cake, evening TV shows and a bunch of unfinished business that tends to accumulate? The answer is obvious.
During the “week at the limit” it feels very good how all the right, but often requiring willpower, actions help keep the energy level at the right level to do even more useful things. A kind of upward energy spiral.
Saturday. Internal dialogue
My internal dialogue took place early in the morning :-). Because after such an eventful and rule-filled week, the brain, having heard the alarm clock at 5 in the morning, seemed to be saying: “Don’t go anywhere ... Take a break.”
Nobody wants to get up.
But I know it's a trap. Therefore, of course, I got up at 5 and went to do my exercises. And then the brain dissuaded me from taking a contrast shower (they say, “Well done, you got up, did your exercises. Well, why else is this?”), Then - the same questions for the morning pages (“Maybe enough? And so I wrote all week ").
BUT: if you do not trick the brain and persuade it to continue the experiment, there is a risk of never learning about the positive effects of certain habits.
You can, endlessly, for example, start eating right - and finish. And so in a circle. But if one day you let yourself get to the point of getting internal sensations from the benefits of such nutrition, you yourself will not want to go back. And so it is with all good habits. The problem is that many quit without even knowing it. And of course, I still experiment with some habits to this day, because their effect is not yet evident, and the old neural connections have not yet been replaced by new ones.
I am very glad that this week was in my life, and I decided to go for such restrictions and rules that really push you out of your comfort zone and make it clear what you are capable of.
What will I continue?
- Get up at 5 more often, because spring, and summer is coming soon - it's easier than it seems. And you can do even more things in the morning than usual.
- Writing morning pages - because so far I have not yet felt at all what they give. But I'm very interested in what's next. This is a form of meditation that is comfortable for me.
- Do a contrast shower - although so far the temperature difference is not very significant for me, but I really like how much this procedure invigorates.
- Writing, just writing, 3 thanks per day - it does not take much time, but it focuses on the good things that happen in life. Positive thinking, all things 😉
- Making time for the Internet is much more productive to set aside an hour and respond to all messages at once than to be distracted by every update and message.
This week's regimen is not suitable for every day, of course. But he makes it very clear that everyone can do more, be better, and take a step towards their goals every day.
P.S. Do you want to try it for yourself? We are recruiting a new stream for Hell Week.
On the limit. A week without self-pity Eric Larssen
(ratings: 1
, the average: 5,00
out of 5)
Title: On the edge. A week without self-pity
Author: Eric Larssen
Year: 2013
Genre: Foreign applied and popular science literature, Foreign psychology, Personal growth, Self improvement
About the book "On the Limit. A week without self-pity - Erik Larssen
“Get out of your comfort zone” is advice whose banality borders on bad taste. Moreover, it is practically useless, because the boundaries of this zone can be outlined only after the fact - when you cross them with calculation or recklessly. Someone does it out of ignorance, someone needs a “bad” company or a personal trainer in a good way, but one thing is clear - once you have survived the “hell week”, you will never be the same.
And this is for the best, says Eric Larssen, author of the book “On the Limit. A week without self-pity”, one of the best Norwegian business coaches, who served in the special forces and learned from his own experience what miracles the course of a young fighter does for a person.
Do not be afraid: such a commander will not shout at you “get up and fight!” However, the “civilian” version of the seven-day intensive for recruits will not be easy either: get ready that it starts on Monday new life. And not the one you imagine when you buy another diary, which subsequently becomes overgrown with scribbles and cake recipes. "Hell Week" will begin at 5 am and end on Sunday evening - during this period your life will be ascetic in the army and at the same time as intense as possible. After completing all the tasks, you will feel that you have truly “pumped over”, becoming an improved version of yourself.
Erik Larssen is convinced that such an upgrade is available to everyone - however, we refuse to improve ourselves, giving in to difficulties in advance. The book "On the edge. A week without self-pity" will show you that following commands is easy when you give them yourself.
During the week you will be demanding of yourself. Healthy food. Daily Exercise. Maximum concentration. Prioritization. Do you think that on Sunday you will breathe a sigh of relief and return to a simple, familiar and completely unproductive routine? It is possible, but the experience of Eric Larssen and his "young fighters" shows that it is not so easy to refuse a new rhythm. Once feeling like a winner, few people want to part with this feeling.
Probably everyone has experienced procrastination, when it is simply impossible to work. Many have also faced the problem of losing weight, when you can’t force yourself not to buy another chocolate bar. In general, sometimes forcing yourself to do or not do something is an unbearable burden. You will turn your life into a real hell for a week. But not in the sense that you will suffer, just that you will live differently. It is important to make up your mind and give yourself an ultimatum. The author will tell you how to do this and how to hold out for a week, and then everything will go much easier. One thought that only a week is enough already inspires hope that everything will change, it will become better. And, believe me, many have already appreciated the effect of this book on their own experience.
"On the limit. A week without self-pity” is a test of physical, strong-willed and mental endurance, but at the same time a direct guide to success. By becoming a “rookie,” you will analyze your goals, learn to appreciate things that you used to take for granted, and believe in yourself. The Larssen reader has nothing to lose: maybe after the "hell week" you will just be glad that you did not give up - or maybe the new experience will fill you with the determination to never give up again.
The book "On the edge. A week without self-pity” is something new. It definitely wasn't like that. Usually all writers and psychologists act by the carrot method, and then the stick, so hard. You will like the fact that you need to act decisively, and not delve into your subconscious and persuade him to change.
On our site about books, you can download the site for free without registration or read online book"On the limit. A week without self-pity” by Erik Larssen in epub, fb2, txt, rtf, pdf formats for iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle. The book will give you a lot of pleasant moments and a real pleasure to read. You can buy the full version from our partner. Also, here you will find the latest news from the literary world, learn the biography of your favorite authors. For beginner writers there is a separate section with useful tips and recommendations, interesting articles, thanks to which you yourself can try your hand at writing.
Quotes from the book "On the Limit. A week without self-pity - Erik Larssen
Those who decide in advance what mood to be in and what to focus on increases their chances of success.
Victory awaits the one who keeps everything in order - people call it luck. Defeat is inevitable for him who neglects the necessary precautions; it's called bad luck. Roald Amundsen
You can't be who you want to be by being who you are.
Victory awaits the one who keeps everything in order - people call it luck. Defeat is inevitable for him who neglects the necessary precautions; it's called bad luck.
As you plan your hell week, try to focus on three main tasks:
Map your life.
Clearly articulate the goal of hell week and the strategy to achieve it.
Visualization can be used in a variety of ways. Just imagine the situation in which you want to express yourself with better side, and scroll through it in your head in the form of pictures. The effect will be even stronger if you rehearse what you will say to yourself.
Map your life.
Determine which areas of your life have the greatest potential for change for the better and which areas you want to focus on.
Clearly articulate the goal of hell week and the strategy to achieve it.
An intensive program that anyone can do, no matter where they work. It starts at 5 am on Monday and ends on Sunday evening. During this time, you will change for the better.
It often seems to us that we could do more, work better, play more sports ... But we do not. Partly because we are afraid of difficulties. This week will show you that you can do much more than you think.
During this week you will eat healthy food. Exercise every day. Rest effectively. Listen to people around you. Work with maximum concentration. Get up early. Go to bed early. Refuse everything unnecessary. Set your priorities right. You will feel better, achieve more, be energetic, proactive and positive.
You will become the best version of yourself for a week. Is it long or not?
Who is this book for?
For anyone who wants to push their limits in just one week.