My Story

Many of my new readers (welcome new readers!) have been wondering, after reading some of my posts on how to achieve your goals, and how to save money or exercise or wake up early … what exactly are my qualifications?

My answer is that I have no formal qualifications. I am not an expert, or a doctor, or a coach, or a consultant. I don’t give seminars and I haven’t published a book. I haven’t made a million dollars and I’m not the world’s greatest athlete.

All I am is a regular guy, a father of six kids, a husband, a worker, and a free-lance writer. But I have accomplished a lot over the last year and change (and failed a lot) and along the way, I have learned a lot.

Here’s what I’ve done since December 2005, when I began to make changes in my life (this is going to sound like bragging, so forgive me, please):

Quit smoking (on Nov. 18, 2005). Really the change that set all the other changes in motion. Quitting smoking taught me a lot about changing habits and accomplishing goals, and all the elements needed to make this successful. I had tried and failed to quit smoking before, and when I was successful this time, I analyzed it and learned from it and was inspired by my success. Success can breed success, if you take advantage of it.
Became a runner. In order to relieve stress without smoking, I took up running. I started out by running about half a mile, heavily winded after doing so. I slowly built up my distance and within a month was running my first 5K. Soon after, I was so into running that I decided to run my first marathon.
Ran a marathon. About a year after I started running, I completed my first marathon. I didn’t do it very fast, but I did it. It had always been one of my lifetime goals, and completing it was one of the very best things I’ve ever done. I hope to run many more, and recommend it to everyone.
Began waking early. In order to get my running in, I decided to start waking early. I did it slowly, and once I began waking early, I began to discover the joys of the quiet morning hours. I get so much more done in the morning — not work, but working on my goals.
Became organized. In early 2006, I discovered GTD. It was like waking up after a long sleep. I learned how to keep my files in order, how to stay on top of my paperwork, to be organized at home and work. I’m not perfect, but I’m much, much improved over how I was before.
Began eating healthy. As a runner, and someone with the goal of losing weight, I decided I needed to eat healthier. I began cutting back on unhealthy things like fried and salty and sweet foods. I ate leaner poultry and fish, more fruits and veggies, more whole grains. It felt great!
Became a vegan. In August 2006, I decided to become vegan. I first cut out meat, and then slowly transitioned to a 99% vegan diet. I don’t drink milk or eat eggs. Now, I am vegan most days, with some days when I have little choice but to eat cheese or something with traces of milk products. I hope to be 100% by the end of this year. I am eating healthier than ever before.
Doubled my income. I was only working as a free-lancer for most of 2005, and wasn’t making enough to support my family, looking back on it. I got a job and continued free-lancing and effectively doubled my take-home by working two jobs (while still having time for exercise and my family).
Wrote a novel. I participated in NaNoWriMo 2006, and completed 50,000 words in November 2006 for my novel. Actually, I still need to finish the ending and revise it, but achieving my goal of 50,000 words was awesome.
Took control of my finances. This is related to doubling my income, of course, but I stopped living paycheck-to-paycheck and learned how to stick to my budget, spend less, save and pay off debts.
Began eliminating my debt. I started with some smaller bills at the beginning of last year, and paid off several of them by the end of the year. This year, I am doing even better, and plan to pay off my credit card by summer and car by the end of 2007.
Began saving an emergency fund. One of the smartest financial moves I’ve ever made. If you don’t have one, start today! My emergency fund is still smaller than I’d like, but at least it’s something. I continue to contribute to it each payday and within a few months it will be fairly healthy and I can begin to save for other things.
Simplified my life. I have become fairly frugal, and have reduced a lot of clutter in my life. A little at a time, gradually getting better, but I’m pretty happy with the simplicity of my house and the rest of my life.
Cleared my inbox and desk and kept them that way. I credit this to learning the principles of GTD. My inbox is always clear, and so is my desk. It is lovely!
Lost weight. I’ve lost about 30 pounds so far, and would like to lose another 20-30. My goal is to have a flat stomach by the end of 2007.
Began training for a triathlon. My goal this year is to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon. To that end, I have been taking swimming lessons and have started to learn to ride a bike.
Began commuting to work by bike. I just started this a few weeks ago, and only do it once or twice a week, but I hope to gradually increase to doing it 4-5 times a week. I am saving gas, helping the environment, being frugal, simplifying my life and getting great exercise all in one move!
Began the habit of clean-as-you-go, keeping my house clean all the time. I clean my kitchen sink every time I use it, and keep the counters and table clean. I clean my bathroom sink and toilet and shower every time I use it. I pick up after the kids as I go. I make sure the house is clean before I leave, and before I go to bed, so it’s clean when I wake up. It’s a simple way of keeping your house clean, and I recommend it heartily.

That sounds like a lot, and looking back on it, it is. But I didn’t tackle it all at once, and by building on and learning from each previous success, I was able to achieve each new challenge I set before myself. And I had a blast doing it (and still do).

Now, I have no claims to perfection. I fail all the time, on a daily basis. But I don’t let it stop me. Maybe I didn’t run today. But that doesn’t mean I won’t run tomorrow, and it won’t stop me from achieving my goal. And there’s still a lot of things I’d like to achieve, habits I’d like to change, and hope to change this year and in the coming years. But so far, I’m pretty happy with myself.

How have I done all this? No magic tricks, no special amount of determination or dedication. Simple methods, the stuff I talk about on this site, and stuff that I’m still learning to perfect and probably never will.

It is a journey, with no destination, that we are on, my friends. Join me. Together, we’ll accomplish a lot and have fun along the way.

My Story

Here’s what I’ve done since December 2005, when I began to make changes in my life (this is going to sound like bragging, so forgive me, please):

Quit smoking (on Nov. 18, 2005). Really the change that set all the other changes in motion. Quitting smoking taught me a lot about changing habits and accomplishing goals, and all the elements needed to make this successful. I had tried and failed to quit smoking before, and when I was successful this time, I analyzed it and learned from it and was inspired by my success. Success can breed success, if you take advantage of it.
Became a runner. In order to relieve stress without smoking, I took up running. I started out by running about half a mile, heavily winded after doing so. I slowly built up my distance and within a month was running my first 5K. Soon after, I was so into running that I decided to run my first marathon.
Ran a marathon. About a year after I started running, I completed my first marathon. I didn’t do it very fast, but I did it. It had always been one of my lifetime goals, and completing it was one of the very best things I’ve ever done. I hope to run many more, and recommend it to everyone.
Began waking early. In order to get my running in, I decided to start waking early. I did it slowly, and once I began waking early, I began to discover the joys of the quiet morning hours. I get so much more done in the morning — not work, but working on my goals.
Became organized. In early 2006, I discovered GTD. It was like waking up after a long sleep. I learned how to keep my files in order, how to stay on top of my paperwork, to be organized at home and work. I’m not perfect, but I’m much, much improved over how I was before.
Began eating healthy. As a runner, and someone with the goal of losing weight, I decided I needed to eat healthier. I began cutting back on unhealthy things like fried and salty and sweet foods. I ate leaner poultry and fish, more fruits and veggies, more whole grains. It felt great!
Became a vegan. In August 2006, I decided to become vegan. I first cut out meat, and then slowly transitioned to a 99% vegan diet. I don’t drink milk or eat eggs. Now, I am vegan most days, with some days when I have little choice but to eat cheese or something with traces of milk products. I hope to be 100% by the end of this year. I am eating healthier than ever before.
Doubled my income. I was only working as a free-lancer for most of 2005, and wasn’t making enough to support my family, looking back on it. I got a job and continued free-lancing and effectively doubled my take-home by working two jobs (while still having time for exercise and my family).
Wrote a novel. I participated in NaNoWriMo 2006, and completed 50,000 words in November 2006 for my novel. Actually, I still need to finish the ending and revise it, but achieving my goal of 50,000 words was awesome.
Took control of my finances. This is related to doubling my income, of course, but I stopped living paycheck-to-paycheck and learned how to stick to my budget, spend less, save and pay off debts.
Began eliminating my debt. I started with some smaller bills at the beginning of last year, and paid off several of them by the end of the year. This year, I am doing even better, and plan to pay off my credit card by summer and car by the end of 2007.
Began saving an emergency fund. One of the smartest financial moves I’ve ever made. If you don’t have one, start today! My emergency fund is still smaller than I’d like, but at least it’s something. I continue to contribute to it each payday and within a few months it will be fairly healthy and I can begin to save for other things.
Simplified my life. I have become fairly frugal, and have reduced a lot of clutter in my life. A little at a time, gradually getting better, but I’m pretty happy with the simplicity of my house and the rest of my life.
Cleared my inbox and desk and kept them that way. I credit this to learning the principles of GTD. My inbox is always clear, and so is my desk. It is lovely!
Lost weight. I’ve lost about 30 pounds so far, and would like to lose another 20-30. My goal is to have a flat stomach by the end of 2007.
Began training for a triathlon. My goal this year is to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon. To that end, I have been taking swimming lessons and have started to learn to ride a bike.
Began commuting to work by bike. I just started this a few weeks ago, and only do it once or twice a week, but I hope to gradually increase to doing it 4-5 times a week. I am saving gas, helping the environment, being frugal, simplifying my life and getting great exercise all in one move!
Began the habit of clean-as-you-go, keeping my house clean all the time. I clean my kitchen sink every time I use it, and keep the counters and table clean. I clean my bathroom sink and toilet and shower every time I use it. I pick up after the kids as I go. I make sure the house is clean before I leave, and before I go to bed, so it’s clean when I wake up. It’s a simple way of keeping your house clean, and I recommend it heartily.

It is a journey, with no destination, that we are on, my friends. Join me. Together, we’ll accomplish a lot and have fun along the way.

Posted on 7 February 2007 in Aboutzenhabits |
Digg |
Del.icio.us |
Stumble |
Print

Comments (100)

Anonymous Says:

February 8th, 2007, 7:27 am

Leo, congrats on all the accomplishments over the past year. It seems like you got the ball rolling and everything just rolled along after that.

My question involves getting started. What event, etc in your life made you take such drastic steps? Was there one thing that gave you motivation to change? On top of that, what gave you the motivation to keep going? I often have initial plans to make changes, but the fire quickly burns out. Any advice you could give would be great.

Keep up the good work, I subscribe to your blog and read it daily.

Thanks,

Robert

Leo Says:

February 8th, 2007, 11:57 am

Wow, Robert, great questions! Thanks for the comment (and for reading and subscribing, btw) …

You’re right, once I got the ball rolling, the rest sort of fell into place (to mix metaphors). It started, like I said, with quitting smoking. I had tried to quit, and failed, several times before, but this time it stuck.

What was different? A number of things. First, I had strong motivation - I had made a promise to my daughter (the subject of an upcoming Motivation Hack) and also my wife, who was a smoker herself but who had quit temporarily while pregnant. I knew that if I didn’t quit before my wife gave birth, she would go back to smoking right away, and I didn’t want that (I worry about her health).

What else was different? Well, I joined an online quit smoking forum, and that was great support. I committed as publicly as possible to family and friends. I wrote down a plan, with rewards and strategies for overcoming urges (take deep breaths, drink water, eat healthy snacks, go running). Running also helped, because I started that while quitting. And there was the support of my wife.

All of those factors helped. It wasn’t one thing. I think having a combination of motivations, tactics, commitments, support, all of that is what makes a successful goal. It’s not as simple as saying “I’m going to do this” because as I found out, and so have you and countless others, we begin to lose motivation or focus (both are very related) and soon we drop the goal.

Robert, I am not a person of great dedication or sticktuitiveness. I have failed in many goals … but like you said, I got the ball rolling and kept going. You can do it too, and so can anyone, if I can!

John Wesley Says:

February 20th, 2007, 16:19 pm

Leo,

I was looking for a way to contact you, but I couldn’t find a contact form or email so I decided to leave a comment.

I’ve been following your blog for a couple weeks and I find it really inspiring. You actually inspired me to take up GTD. I can’t wait until the book arrives so I can get started.

I’m also a member and organizer of a blog network that I think your site would fit in very well with. The main purpose is to help readers find quality blogs, aimed at helping them improve their lives, and to help the blogs increase their readership.

You can see the network homepage at http://www.positiveblog.net . Check out some of the member sites, and let me know if you’re interested so I can fill you in on the details.

Anonymous Says:

February 24th, 2007, 9:10 am

Who the h… are you? I did not think things like this were possible! I admire you without reservation. I wanna be like you. How can I ? You know, Leo, that most of us live life of quiet desperation ?

Thank You for such an example

Leo Says:

February 24th, 2007, 12:47 pm

I’m just a regular guy. And I haven’t really done anything all that amazing … I’ve just been changing my habits, a little at a time, taking two steps forward, falling one back, and then taking another two forward.

Yes, you can do it too. If I can, anyone can. And not just with the goals I’ve listed, but with anything. Start with something small. Want to be organized? Try just clearing out your inbox every day (see my article on that). Want to be a runner? Try walking three times a week, sprinkling your walking with a little running. And for each goal, don’t just say, “I’ll try to do it.” Say, “I’m really gonna do it” and commit yourself fully (see my Top 20 Motivation Hacks). Really motivate yourself. Tell the world about it. If you only tell yourself, you’re giving yourself a back door to let yourself out.

If you set a small goal, and really commit, and really motivate yourself, you can achieve it. And if you do, you will feel great. Then build on that feeling of success, and set another small goal.

A series of small goals adds up to a lot. That’s what this article shows, not that I’m anything special. That little things, over time, really will seem like a lot when you look back on them.

Lvood (elwood151 @t web.de) Says:

February 28th, 2007, 1:50 am

Leo, I just read your comment in the 43 folders google group, had a short look at the 3 postings, bookmarked them and decided to subscribe to your blog.
:-)

Then, being a little curious I had a short look at ‘your story’ and like the others I’m impressed that changing your life to a more organized and fullfilling one in such a short time is really possible.
Like - I think - most of those people getting interested in GTD, I’m not really happy with my work habits and I feel not getting enough things done, doing them too slowly and with much more stress than necessary.
For several weeks now I’m reading many comments on GTD and other interesting methods and there are a lot of things I want to change in my life (keep inboxes clean, keep home clean, don’t do things always last minute or even later….).

Your story gave me a lot of hope and courage so keep up that interesting blog.

Kind regards from Germany

Martin

Leo Says:

February 28th, 2007, 4:44 am

Hi Elwood … thanks for the great comment and especially for subscribing.

If I’ve inspired you at all, I am extremely happy. Like many people, you are trying to change your habits. I suggest you not focus on the negative (what you haven’t done yet) and focus more on the positive … such as how you are taking the time to improve your habits, and how far you’ve come already. Always focus on the positive — it makes a huge difference. Celebrate your successes, and don’t let your failures slow you down. Just start again. And again. Until you succeed. It can be done! I’m living proof (and as I said, I’m not perfect, but I’ve made lots of little improvements and have many more to make).

Good luck with your habit changes, and I hope I can be of help as you work towards your goals.

Anonymous Says:

February 28th, 2007, 20:43 pm

You are the man. These are great qualifications. After reading this post, I am totally sold on your posts.

I am working on getting up early right now. The only struggle I am having is to keep noise level down so I won’t wake up my family. Do you have any tips on that?

Leo Says:

February 28th, 2007, 20:57 pm

Congrats on trying to become an early riser. Actually, you hit on one of my big motivations … when my alarm goes off, I jump right up and head across the room to turn it off as quickly as possible, so I don’t wake up the wife and babies. It usually only rings for a few seconds, and while they might stir a little, they don’t usually wake up fully (or if they do, they go right back to sleep). If this isn’t good enough for your situation, I would look for some kind of vibrating alarm clock solution — I’ve heard of them but haven’t tried any and can’t recommend it. Lastly, another idea is earphones, if you’re willing to sleep with them on, although I’m not sure if it would really work. Good luck!

Susie Monday Says:

March 3rd, 2007, 5:56 am

Leo, your story is really refreshing to read, I am a woman-of-a-certain-age reader (and from the other comments, maybe in the minority here) but, like you, I find that daily practices, staying present, GTD, clean-as-I-go, have engendered positive changes in my life, too. I am an artist, self-employed, and find applying these zen principles to life not only make me more fit, more organized, more peaceful, but more creative as well.

Leo Says:

March 3rd, 2007, 18:13 pm

Thanks for the comment, Susie. It sounds like you are doing great with your habits. And congrats on being self-employed … that’s my eventual goal in terms of employment. I’d love it if you could stick around and share your tips and experiences with these topics. Or feel free to email me about writing a guest post (zenhabits (at) gmail (dot) com). Thanks so much!

Robin Says:

March 6th, 2007, 9:33 am

Hi Leo,
Your story is very inspiring and I commend you on all of the positive changes you have implemented in your life. I’d like to hear about your experiences and challenges with how the changes you have made have impacted others in your life? Have you inspired others to change in your immediate family and how (directly, indirectly)? Have you experienced resistance from others? How do you deal with this?

Keep up the excellent blog!

Leo Says:

March 6th, 2007, 12:52 pm

Hi Robin … thanks for the nice comments and great questions. I could probably write a book in response to those questions! But briefly:

* My family has been very supportive, especially my wife. My kids were at the finish line of my marathon with a home-made sign, cheering me on, and they regularly congratulate me on my accomplishments. I couldn’t have done any of this stuff without my wife and family.
* I have faced a few detractors in the last year or so (see “How to Deal with Detractors” in the sidebar to the right). The resistance, for most goals, hasn’t been that strong, and it’s just another obstacle to overcome. Just stay positive.
* I think I have inspired others, which is amazing to me. First, I inspired my wife to become a runner, which is awesome. I’ve inspired people in my hometown to run, and a few (who had already been runners before) ran their first marathon with me! And through this blog, I’ve had others tell me that I’ve inspired them, which is the true purpose of the blog. It is immensely gratifying.

Thanks again for the great questions! If you have other questions, feel free to email me at zenhabits (at) gmail (dot) com. I’m pretty good at returning emails.

marie Says:

March 9th, 2007, 11:56 am

In French, because I don’t qpeak (write) English very well ;-)))
Tu m’impressionnes beaucoup et tu me donnes du courage.
J’ai emprunté le même chemin il y a quelques temps mais ne suis pas parvenue (encore) aux mêmes résultats ! Toutes mes félicitations.

Leo Says:

March 9th, 2007, 14:58 pm

Hi Marie … wow, my first multi-lingual comment! I don’t understand French, but I looked closely at each word and made guesses about the first sentence (something about impressing you very much and giving you courage?) and the last sentence (congratulating me?). So overall, it sounds like a wonderful comment! I appreciate that. French is such a beautiful language. I’d love to learn it some day.

Mahesh Says:

March 11th, 2007, 16:27 pm

Great Blog! And congrats on positively changing yourself. You have become an inspiration to millions who are reading your wonderful blog, including me. And you are in my “personal heroes” list now!

Thanks for showing the way.

Mahesh

Leo Says:

March 11th, 2007, 16:47 pm

Thanks for the nice comments, Mahesh. I’m glad if you’ve found this blog useful, and extremely happy if it’s been inspiring!

Dario Says:

March 21st, 2007, 11:29 am

Great story, Leo! I would like to share something with all the zenhabits readers. Thanks to you wonderful yet simple blog, I was inspired to start my own. That’s the way I came up with the Bushido Blog. It’s a spanish blog that helps one apply the Bushido (the samurai’s code or ‘way of the warrior’) to your every day life.

If you understand basic spanish, please feel free to check it out an maybe leave a comment!

Keep up the good blog!

Bushido Blog

zenhabits Says:

March 21st, 2007, 11:46 am

Hi Dario … good luck with your blog! I wish I could speak Spanish, but I like the look of the blog. I wish you a million readers.

Lvood Says:

March 24th, 2007, 6:31 am

Hi leo,

you got the content of Marie’s multi-language comment quite well - I’ll translate:

Tu m’impressionnes beaucoup et tu me donnes du courage.
-> You impress me very much and you give me courage.

J’ai emprunté le même chemin il y a quelques temps mais ne suis pas parvenue (encore) aux mêmes résultats !
-> I have taken the same way some time ago, but I did not (yet) get the same results.

Toutes mes félicitations.
-> Congratulations.

Kind regards

Martin

p.s. commentaire à Marie:
Salut Marie,

il semble que t’es dans la même situation que la plupart de nous: on essaye, mais on n’a pas ce grand succès et changement de la vie que leo décrit. Ses expériences sont très impressionantes et ça fait éspérer qu’on peut y arriver aussi.
:-)

Bon courage pour changer ta vie,

Martin

zenhabits Says:

March 24th, 2007, 7:46 am

Thanks Martin! I appreciate the translation. French is such a beautiful language. But then, so is English.

Deb Says:

March 31st, 2007, 11:00 am

wow - I am very impressed with the changes you have made. I have been reading your blog for a couple of weeks and am subscribed but just today wander onto your story. I became self-employed three and half years ago and wonder why I did not do it sooner. But, like most people, I have so many other goals to achieve. I have read lots of information, both here, other sites and many books but something seems to keep me from getting there. Lose weight, be healthier, become more organized [GTD sounds like the way to go], and get out of debt.

I will continue to make Zen Habits the first thing I read in the morning as I find it useful and inspiring. Please keep up the great blog!

zenhabits Says:

March 31st, 2007, 17:14 pm

Hi Deb, thanks for the nice comments … I’m glad you’ve found the site useful, and if it’s inspiring, even better! It sounds like you’re already making positive life changes and have more that you want to make. If you don’t mind, a couple of suggestions:

* only focus on one thing at a time, and do it for 30 days until it’s a habit — doing too many at once, as I’ve learned from my mistakes, is too difficult, as it’s hard to maintain the necessary focus and motivation on each one
* really commit to that one goal, and use as many of the Top 20 Motivation Hacks (see sidebar to left) as possible
* celebrate every little success, and don’t beat yourself up for any failures — just learn from them, and keep trying — changing habits is a skill that requires practice, not something you’ll be good at right away — even with all the habit changes I wrote about above, I’m still learning the skill myself

Deb, thanks for the comment and for reading Zen Habits. Stick around, email me if you need help, and I also suggest that you join the April Challenge that will start within the next couple of days — it’ll help you meet one of your goals! - leo

Deb Says:

April 1st, 2007, 10:58 am

Thanks for the tips! I think you are right - trying to do too much all at once is what is stalling me. I will pick one goal and work on it for the next 30 days! No April fool’s joke either!

jim Says:

April 21st, 2007, 0:21 am

I discovered this blog this week. Having been a long time GTD-practioner (2 years or so) and a fan of personal productivity - this website really stands out as a gem of fantastic inspirational posts.

And I’ve only read 2 of them so far!

Thank you for taking the time to put down in words all that you’ve been through and all that you’ve learned.

Leo Says:

April 21st, 2007, 9:43 am

Thanks, Jim! I’m sure you’ll find other articles you like if you browse through the archive. I’m pretty proud of a few of them! :)

Keep commenting and feel free to email me anytime with comments or suggestions. And welcome!

Matt Stefani Says:

April 22nd, 2007, 20:39 pm

Hi Leo,

Congratulations on your wonderful achievements. I’ve been reading your blog regularly for a month now. I’m very impressed with it, it’s simplicity and your way of thinking & writing. You inspire and motivate me to make positive changes in my life. Add me to your ever-growing fan list ;)

Right now, my life is not any way near to where I would want it to be. I get up late everyday, I smoke, I’m not organised at all, I don’t do my tasks on time, don’t exercise at all and usually have a high level of stress throughout the day. I have tried to wake up early and quit smoking many times. I could not wake up early even for a single day and although I quit smoking for a few days on a couple of occasions, I was back to regular smoking each time. But now, I think water is going above my head. I’ll have to change otherwise I’ll be this neurotic blob for the rest of my life. And, after reading your story I feel that it can be done.

I have bought ‘Getting Things Done’ and have started reading it. Also I’ll take one habit (waking up early will be the first) and will try to do it for 30 days. I’ll let you know how it goes. Please keep writing those beautiful posts!!!

Leo Says:

April 22nd, 2007, 23:18 pm

Thanks Matt! It sounds like you’re off to a great start … don’t get discouraged … celebrate little things, like that fact that you’re taking the first step … and when you take the next step, celebrate that too. Don’t worry about how much you want to do, or how difficult things are … you can do this, especially if you start out with the most important habit: positive thinking.

Heather Says:

April 30th, 2007, 17:29 pm

I love your blog. I did the weight loss thing a long time ago the same way and it definately works! Tell yourself to do it everyday and don’t over do it and slowly it builds into a real habit. I don’t know why I am having such a hard time this time around. I am having a hard time, but I signed up for the May challenge and just need to read your blog more often for inspiration.

You are a terrific writer in both style of writing and your content. Thanks!

Leo Says:

April 30th, 2007, 18:11 pm

Thanks Heather! I appreciate the really nice comments. Thanks for joining the May Challenge and I wish you the best of luck. I have a feeling you’re going to be successful.

Magui Says:

May 11th, 2007, 15:07 pm

Hi Leo! I love your words and subscribe you. I´d like to be like you. Bye.

Georgio (New Zealand) Says:

May 20th, 2007, 7:28 am

Leo you are the man! You have a beautiful family and you are a fantastic inspiration and role model for them and for people like myself. You have shown that it is possible to move forward by applying basic principles that all of us can do. Thanks. Keep up the awesome living mate.

Marcia Says:

May 31st, 2007, 9:12 am

Dear Leo

I love your blog. Only been here a couple of times and kept forgetting to add it to my google reader. Have now done so and added you to my sidebar.

You write such great articles and I see with your comments to your readers that you’re a really nice man. And you have a beautiful family.

All the best
Marcia

Sara Says:

May 31st, 2007, 23:57 pm

Hi Leo…I truly love your website! I could just read and read and read. It is nice to know I am not the only loony bean who is crazy organized! :) I am going through all sorts of transitions right now in my life and I am getting so much from your articles about simplyify my life, turn my passions into a career, making the most of my finances, and just friendly reminders about how wonderful life can be when I am not stressed and messy and when life isn’t cluttered. Thank you for the time you have spent on this website. You rock! :)

Lesley Says:

June 1st, 2007, 8:37 am

Thank you Leo! I’ve just signed up for the June challenge. I am so inspired by your story. I am undergoing a period of transition and this site is helping me focus my energies in a positive, forward moving direction.

Lesley

Tom H Says:

June 5th, 2007, 3:12 am

It’s amazing how much your story parallels significant pieces of my own. I’m single and without children, and I’m a new capoeirista instead of a new runner, but I’m an ex-smoker, NaNoWriMo finalist, newly early rising bike commuter, and I’m working on clean-as-you-go. Still acquiring debt, though, because amidst all this I returned school to finish my BA, and now I’m halfway through a MA in mathematics with my eye on a PhD.

I credit my changes to treating everything I do in my life as an experiment. I’m finding that your blog is helping me take the successful experiments and make them more habitual. Keep up the good work, and congratulations!

Shaks Says:

June 7th, 2007, 13:06 pm

Great work mate, you’re a real inspiration, keep it up!

HopefulGirl Says:

June 7th, 2007, 18:53 pm

Thank you for doing all of these things and inspiring others who desire to change. When you look at the list as a whole, it is hard to swallow. But like you said, I am going to try to change piece by piece, step by step.
Thank you!

21st Century Mummy Says:

June 8th, 2007, 11:03 am

I have just come across your site thanks to a mention in Innocent Drinks’ newsletter. It’s thoroughly inspiring. Thank you for sharing with us.

Sandi Says:

June 10th, 2007, 11:38 am

Leo,

As a professional coach who works with clients on many of the issues you’ve mentioned, I have to say that I am both impressed and inspired by what you’ve accomplished in the past year. That you’ve done so publicly and it seems sometimes vulnerably makes it that much more inspiring!

As a coach I know it’s much easier for me to inspire change in others, while some of my own not-so-great habits remain. Thank you for reminding me to step back and take it one habit at a time. I’m waiting for my copy of GTD to arrive in the mail. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Thanks again,
Sandi

Qual Says:

June 11th, 2007, 14:38 pm

Very inspiring. Thank you.

Cassio Says:

June 13th, 2007, 16:26 pm

Simply one of the bests sites in the whole Internet. Congratulations and thanks a lot for helping me start changing some habits.

bluffy83 Says:

June 14th, 2007, 0:07 am

just dont agree on one thing..

Became a vegan. In August 2006, I decided to become vegan. I first cut out meat, and then slowly transitioned to a 99% vegan diet. I don’t drink milk or eat eggs. Now, I am vegan most days, with some days when I have little choice but to eat cheese or something with traces of milk products. I hope to be 100% by the end of this year. I am eating healthier than ever before.

why become vegan can make u healthier? for save ur money.. YESS.. but to become healthier… err i dont think so.. u can eat almost every thing.. the problem is the way u eat them..

lll. Says:

June 14th, 2007, 12:49 pm

Leo,

I have just stumbled across your site as part of a search on getting things done (yep, am struggling with motivation and in the middle of some really huge changes - welcome, but scary nonetheless). I am so impressed! Wow - deep respect to you and your wife - who looks like a fab lady - I cannot believe she has had 6 kids! Everything you say just resonates with me - I’m trying hard to live ‘mindfully’ and to connect with bits of myself that I think have been suppressed by the daily grind of corporate life. Thank you so much for the inspiration - it’s a real gift!

Coach Levi Says:

June 14th, 2007, 15:18 pm

Awesome, keep it up with the marathons and triathlons!

Yana Says:

June 17th, 2007, 0:57 am

Love your content, would it be okay if we published some of your writings on our site? and of course provided a link to your site.

http://www.fabulously40.com is an on line sorority for women in their prime, I think your input will be very valuable.

Please let me know. Thanks

Natalie Says:

June 23rd, 2007, 2:06 am

Hi Leo
Your site is awesome!I was sold when my partner came home from work and clicked it up for me to check out. The “how to be a great dad-12 awesome tips” popped up on the screen and I was sold. I read it and my darling could have written most of the tips, he’s an awesome Dad. Its like he has a great role model/buddy online via this website. Your tips are being read and used by our whole household now.Many thanks to you and your family for sharing with us what works…and also the lessons from what doesn’t.Keep up the great work and we’ll keep reading.

Shine Says:

July 15th, 2007, 22:58 pm

Hi, I am a new blogger and a new reader of your site and would really like to send you a note of thanks and appreciation. Your site is such a good read full of insightful reflections and experience sharing. Nice meeting you and I will definitely visit often. Cheers.

Tarun Says:

July 25th, 2007, 9:45 am

Truly inspiring …. you give me hope . I have tried a few like excercise routine , declutter, organise, etc but met failure or partial success. You give me hope to keep trying - I may luck out some day !
By the way, are you in Asia ? ( I live in Singapore )

Pril Says:

July 26th, 2007, 14:34 pm

first off Leo you have a beautiful family! I can’t wait to have my own family one day!
So change does start with the stop smoking october 2rd 2006 :) i have cheated a few times but now i do see that is is a habit and it can be broken. I haven’t added much of any other habits lately i havebeen at a stand still or more overviewing my past year or so! got to let it soak in! and WOW the changes i have made in the past year! amazing! so I stumbled on this site and get excited for your articals. I have no kids but i still read the how to be a good parernt how to have fun with the kids!
do ever run out of idea! lol i know they are endless you seem to grasp them all fairly well!
I admire your post and your way of thinking. I can never agree 100% for i’m a different human but i agree with most of your writings!
Have a WONDERFUL day!

gina Says:

July 27th, 2007, 11:08 am

Wow, Leo. I stumbled upon this website, and your goals are closely matched with mine. I was on track doing all of these things (except the smoking) but then Hurricane Katrina changed my life. It broke my habits because my lifestyle (house, job, everything changed) I am finally back in New Orleans and slowly am working my way back to being where I was two years ago.
I am now exercising every day and eating right and just ordered the GTD book you recommended. Any tips on restarting your life would be appreciated. I can’t wait to go on this journey again. I’m so glad to have found you and know that it’s not an accident.
BTW-I’ve never left a comment for a stranger, so know that you’re special. I wish you had a podcast.

The Bird Man Says:

July 30th, 2007, 16:16 pm

The world needs more people like you.

MikeTheory Says:

July 31st, 2007, 18:51 pm

I found your website a while ago and love the site. Like many of your other readers, your goals and aspirations closely match mine. I am very into simplicity, productivity, and exercise, and your site helps give me much motivation! Thanks, and keep up the great work.

Nishandan Ganesalingam Says:

August 3rd, 2007, 20:50 pm

Wow, what a wonderful story. I am very happy for you. This is great inspiration for me.

Junior Says:

August 7th, 2007, 0:51 am

Hi Leo!

Gotta say first that you have such a beautiful family! Nice job man!

Anyways, this is one of the best blogs I have come across on the net. Sincerely. I myself started at the end of December 2006 to change my life. When I began my journey of a 1000 miles, I was smoking cigarettes, drinking beer and just wasting my wonderful intelligence on absolutely nothing. I also weighed 396 pounds. I am 6′3″ to give you an idea of how big I am/was.

Since then, I have lost about 55 lbs, and have started learning and studying soo many new things! It is exhilarating! My research is what led me to find this blog actually.

Since December of 2005 I have started to read A LOT MORE. I signed up for Martial Arts Instruction (Tae Kwon Do). I began playing Music on my lovely Fender Stratocast Guitar and taking lessons, mostly in the Rock/Blue/Country styles (I still have a long way to go before I can be making sweet sweet music). I have also started eating right and getting up early in the AM to get my exercises out of the way early. I have also been taking steps to conquer Severe Depression that I have lived with for as long as I can remember. Mostly practicing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. And most importantly to me, I have jumped started my education. I will be attending college starting in September to get a degree in Philosophy.

I just really wanted to thank you for your dedication to helping people like me reach our goals. You are a great man, keep up the fantastic work!

~Junior

P.S. I will be donating to your cause as soon as I can afford to do so. :-)

SJ Says:

August 13th, 2007, 16:12 pm

Wow, that’s an amazing story.

You *have* accomplished a great deal in less than 2 years.

Your story has inspired me to try harder to accomplish a few goals of my own.

Sonny Says:

August 14th, 2007, 12:09 pm

Hi Leo,
Well all i can say is what a wonderful blog, i’m happy to have stumbled across it.

I am on 21 days of my quit and reading your blog has inspired me immensley, you have given me the strengh to fight on.

I hope you don’t mind but i have posted the link of your blog onto a support site, whereby my friends i’m sure will benefit from reading your story.

Well done for all you have accomplished and thankyou for sharing its very inspiring.

Love & Light Sonny x

Deepak nali Says:

August 15th, 2007, 3:01 am

Hi Leo,

Its really inspirin me,now i gonna said io myself i am going to do it,previously it was like i will try to do it.

Thanks, a lot buddy, keep going its inspires people like me,who want to change,but not able to give a try to achieve.

Let me start my day,tell u the progress in a week,what i changed.

Seth Says:

August 15th, 2007, 15:42 pm

Leo–

I just found this site through Digg, and it is exactly what I have been looking for. I have definitely not lived a Zen life so far, but in the past few months I’ve been very focussed on how I can simplify and declutter.

I just subscribed to the RSS feed so I can’t wait to see what else you come up with.

Thanks again!
–Seth

Les Says:

August 27th, 2007, 21:36 pm

Wow…namaste.

I found your site and am avidly reading through it. I and my partner have five children at home, I am in naturopathic medical school, and I have been trying to simplify things. I am impressed by what you have done, and I love your writing!

Michael Hicks Says:

August 29th, 2007, 10:25 am

You should add The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to your list of must-read books. The 7 Habits and GTD make a great combination. I think you would appreciate most of the wisdom that Covey has to offer.

Mike

Faith Says:

September 8th, 2007, 7:59 am

I admire you . I truly do. Not all of us are motivated enough to make changes in our lives, but after reading what you have done, block by block, I have committed to doing it your way - one step at a time. wish em luck

Liara Covert Says:

September 13th, 2007, 9:00 am

That’s a heart-warming story that offers a very personal take on success. Thanks for sharing it with the world. Offering such examples reminds people they can learn to take initiatives to turn their lives around for the better. All the best!

BLink Says:

September 19th, 2007, 11:20 am

Am so proud of you and all your accomplishments. I love reading your blog. You are an inspiration to many. Keep up the good work.

Remember always that by changing your thoughts and attitude and acceptance of all things living can actually cause the change.

Love to you and your family (whom I have not yet met).

Adios esta la der!

Raffaele Santopaolo Says:

September 26th, 2007, 7:55 am

Here I’m a fan from ITALY. . . southern (Naples)

I’m just wondering when are you coming out with a BOOK….

of course the title ll be ZEN HABITS

Gov Says:

October 12th, 2007, 1:29 am

Hey
I found your site today
It is great and source of inspiration
and you have great family too
So which country are u from ? Live in US?

Michael Vu Says:

October 24th, 2007, 22:18 pm

Very inspiring… I’m so lost… =|

Faith Says:

October 25th, 2007, 16:15 pm

I’m so glad I found this site! It’s heartening to think that you could make such positive changes relatively later in life. I’m a mom to four and realizing that I need to make some changes for the sake of my family.

Liza Jolie Says:

October 29th, 2007, 3:35 am

Hi Leo,

I want your blog to review in our community and has mailed you one request for that. Please go through that mail and give me your feedback on that.

Thanks,
Liza

Alan Crisp Says:

November 1st, 2007, 8:42 am

A nice site to visit and found by accident (maybe). It certainly provides some good food for thought. It gave me pause for thought about simplification in life. I’m a Clinical Hypnotherapist and am studying psychology and think I know a bit a bout this kind of stuff and so I think mine is a qualified comment.

Alan

Nicholas David Says:

November 5th, 2007, 10:04 am

Love this website. Nice new theme.

Richard Ng Says:

November 6th, 2007, 0:52 am

Your website is now my daily inspiration, you have shown me that it is not just about qualifications but results that make one qualified to blog about the topic of choice.

Great Job!

Jamaaludeen Khan Says:

November 6th, 2007, 10:08 am

Hi Leo

This is quite inspiring. I’m going to read some more of your posts (already open in other tabs) and I’ll share them with my wife too.

You never mentioned which part of the world you’re in…

christine W Says:

November 6th, 2007, 11:32 am

I found your website a few days ago and have to tell you it is truly amazing:) It almost made me teary eyed with happiness. I need alot of help with my work habits and procrastination.

I am heading to work today to try your email recomendation of “clearing your inbox” and have already started number 1 on the things to change your life list “waking up early”. I work with animals at a veterinarian office and am a practice manager. Some days are very challenging and just to know there is a web site to help is great! Thank you for all your tips. Your on my faves so I can access you everyday:)

Coffee and my new zen site each a.m. is a mandatory start of my day now. You are an inspiration to all of us. Have a lovely day:)

Mikey Says:

November 7th, 2007, 10:42 am

Amazing accomplishments.
I could only hope to do 1/10 of these. I am new to this and originally tried doing to much at once. After reading how you started slowly, it has helped keep my spirits up for my ‘lofty’ goals.

Thank you for your time and efforts to this site. :)

Alex Says:

November 12th, 2007, 23:26 pm

It was so cool talking to you on ustream.tv while Darren was on. I love the site keep it up.

Bhagya Santhosh Says:

November 16th, 2007, 8:18 am

Hi,

Although you modestly say that you are a regular guy…How can you be a regular guy when you have achieved SO much?

Your story is as inspiring as your posts. Hope at least after reading this I will upgrade my life for the better.

Varun Says:

November 19th, 2007, 20:10 pm

Hi Leo, you would have heard this many time(i can see how many times..lol) but i still want to say it one more time, Congrats for putting your life together, and big thank you for your work and contribution. Hope you and your family have a long and happy life.!!

Jonathan Says:

November 19th, 2007, 22:54 pm

I agree with Bhagya. No regular guy can take care of six kids and still find time to create a successful blog. You’re amazing, Leo!

Shantanu Says:

December 28th, 2007, 12:00 pm

Hi Leo,

great going! thank you for sharing your ideas and success with us. Ur writing style is simple and down-to-earth. wish ya all the best :)

do you really stay in Guam!? isn’t it a small island in the Pacific? must be very beautiful…we would love to see pictures from there!

terence Says:

January 4th, 2008, 3:43 am

You know…i didn’t get through your self-promoting list in the beginning but it was just that. who gives a shit about your accomplishments (though i do give you credit for mentioning that it may taken as bragging). frankly, i didn’t get through your wonderful accomplishment list as I was thinking the whole time ’so what?’….talk to me about doing something good for OTHERS….Hello…..!!!

Andrew Brunelle Says:

January 7th, 2008, 0:44 am

I believe you are doing a great job and are a great role model to others who wish to emulate this sort of lifestyle. I sure hope this blog becomes more and more popular. Use the word of mouth marketing and SEO to your advantage. You certainly have the quality here. Have a very Zen day.

David LaFerney Says:

January 7th, 2008, 2:41 am

Congratulations on all that you have accomplished. You deserve to be proud of yourself and the lovely family that you are blessed with.

Life is good, keep it up.

Cosette Rae, NCTMB Says:

January 9th, 2008, 11:26 am

Hi Leo:

As a counselor and holistically zen centered life coach, I feel qualified to state that it is not always credentials that make the difference in people’s lives. I believe that change comes about as we connect at a genuine and authentic level with others. Clearly your writing resonates with people seeking increased fulfillment in their lives and I applaud you for populating the web with such excellent content. Most importantly, I honor who you are and how I feel about life when I read your blog.

Warmly,
Cosette

David P. Says:

January 24th, 2008, 20:59 pm

Leo,
I stumbled blindly upon your site today, and must say I find it refreshing and true… probably more so as i find my self on a parallel journey, which all began with.. believe it or not… quitting smoking…

cheers
d&k

mamalove Says:

January 28th, 2008, 21:48 pm

Wow, what a great site! Subscribing ASAP. This is just the thing I need to read…positive, focused, simple. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Danni Freeman Says:

January 31st, 2008, 8:42 am

Thank you.

I found your website by accident by typing ‘declutter’ into the web search. I sat at my desk at work and mesmerised over the pages. That night I went home and decluttered a room in my house. I was amazed at the amount of ’stuff’ we held onto. It will be donated to charity this weekend. My next goal is to wake earlier.

You are a true inspiration x

linlee65 Says:

February 2nd, 2008, 15:29 pm

Believing that there are no coincidences, I “just happened” upon your blog today. What a find. Even my resume is eerily similar to yours. (The “paying” job I took was in public relations, where I practiced my craft while siting in someone else’s office.) I stopped writing several years ago when my husband unexpectedly died. The event became a mini-death for me, as well. However, I never let up on my reading! Now, I am ready to begin anew. A friend told me I could find others like myself on the Internet, so I dipped my toes in the water, and what do I find but an ocean full of friendly, polished thoughts and ideas like your blog. I know I will be enjoying this journey with a cohort like you!

Write on…

Linda Schanbacher

The Bald Guy Says:

February 13th, 2008, 21:22 pm

I have come across your blog several times almost on accident. The subject matter is very useful and seems to fit the problem I am having at the most opportune times. It’s nice to see with some hard work and dedication a person can achieve a large amount in a very short period of time. I don’t think I’ll start running any time soon but I already have a flat stomach so maybe it’s a trade off;p. Keep on writing genius material and I’ll keep on reading.
Sincerely,
Gregory Johnson

Joel Says:

March 3rd, 2008, 2:09 am

Leo! I did not even know that you live in Guam. It was only when I saw “Marianas Cablevision” in your spreadsheet that I decided to read about you. (I encounter Zen Habits at Lifehacker and del.icio.us, you see.)

I used to live (and teach) in Guam for 6 years. I’m proud to know that Zen Habits is based there.

Hafa Dai!

Heidi Says:

March 6th, 2008, 9:13 am

Hey, I was wondering, did you get to your goal at the end of 2007?

What blogs do you read that keep you inspired to work out? I really need to lose weight (at least 100lbs, if not slightly more), and since I’m not yet ready to give up on my comfort foods, I was planning on weight lifting, in the hopes that the muscles built would burn the fat. Unfortunately, I don’t really have any motivation to exercise currently. Well, at least not beyond the idea that being thin will make me beautiful, which is an illogical fallacy. Beauty is how you feel, not how you look. I could be stick figure thin and still believe I’m ugly, if I don’t feel beautiful. I logically know this, but I just don’t subscribe to this belief system yet. I’m hoping to one day, though.

I would like to start exercising daily, but it’s really hard for someone like me who prefers to spend her time reading blogs on the Internet. Part of the problem has to do with my being fat. It’s uncomfortable to exercise, which is a huge sign that I need to work out more (or start doing it, anyways), which sadly makes me unwilling to exercise. I logically know that I need to exercise in order to be more comfortable standing still for long periods of time, but I’m rather…unmotivated about it, I guess.

I figure I’ll ask my dad later what I can do to gain muscles in my legs/back, since if I get the job at a large office supply chain, I’m probably going to have to be standing for long periods of time when I’m helping customers. I figure that job will help me get in shape, but I ought to do something outside of work to make work a far less stressful situation when it comes to standing/walking and all that (redundancy done on purpose because that’s what they taught me in High School. I’m sure I was taught wrong in this case. Am I right? Do you know?).

Also, do you type up your posts in any form of note editor or word processor before posting them? If so, what one do you prefer? Does it come with spell checking?

I ask because I’m looking around for a lightweight editor, partly to replace Notepad++ (which is, sadly, too bloated for my use), and partly because Word takes forever to load on my computer (512MB of RAM is not your friend. I’m hoping to get more this weekend, though!).

Heidi

Jonathan Mead Says:

March 7th, 2008, 19:43 pm

Leo, your success is inspiring to me. You’ve inspired me to create a similar synopsis of my successes on my about page. Thank you for sharing your story with me. =)

Sunil Says:

March 10th, 2008, 11:21 am

Wow..I stumbled across this site , while I typed “morning routine with kids” after a having a really stressfull morning routine , getting my kids ready for school, getting in late to work, and Leo, you are truly an inspiration…….keep it up , dude!

Ron Pemberton Says:

March 13th, 2008, 0:40 am

You seem like you would be a really cool guy to know. And your site is absolutely beautiful! Did you design it yourself? - and if not, could you tell me the designers name?

PS- excellent articles and one of my top ten favorite sites.

Thanks
Ron

Tito Says:

March 16th, 2008, 14:55 pm

Man, its beautiful that you’ve managed to undergo such simple, such profound, and such loving transformation. I wish you the best, and that your influence spreads widely… and that some of it rubs off on me!

SpaceAgeSage Says:

March 18th, 2008, 11:32 am

I saw your site in Real Simple magazine’s list of best blogs this morning and dropped by to see what you are about.
My husband and I are going through major internal and external changes ourselves, so it is refreshing to see another freelancer out there expanding the boundaries of the self.
I look forward to reading the site, especially about earlier rising. My mom lives with us, and I do most of the care taking, so those early mornings might help me find some time for myself and my writing. I have a novel at about 84,000 words that I really want to finish, too. Thanks for opening up to the world and allowing us to learn.

Amber Says:

March 23rd, 2008, 17:50 pm

Leo, I am so thrilled to find your website! You are such an inspiration and you have a beautiful wife and family! I cannot wait to sink my teeth into all the info on your site.

I attended Simon Sanchez High School in Guam and returned to the island in 2005 for a month after leaving in 1986. Guam and its people stole my heart from “hello” and I dream of taking my husband and kids to “my” island one of these days.

By any chance are you related to Anthony Babauta (he’s