Last week I wrote about 10,000 hours of practice. Today I’m going to write about the power of positive practice – or the power of repetition – and how many to do if you want to move ahead.

Now, let’s say you’re a martial artist and you want to know how 10,000 hours of practice applies to you.

Well, in order to become legendary, you’ll still need 10,000 hours. But in order to master a number of different skills along the way, you may be better off concentrating on overall repetitions.

In Chinese martial arts, for example, it’s common for the old masters to say, “Do 1,000 repetitions of this movement everyday and you’ll own it.”

And if the student will commit to 1,000 reps a day, within a year he’ll be a force to reckon with in that particular skill.

Why? Because the average person won’t even commit to 100 reps a day, much less 10. If you’re the person who’ll do 1,000 – you’ll be so smooth and quick that even if the person knows what you’re going to do, he still won’t be able to stop it.

When I had my school in California it was common for me to teach a move that I had worked on for 10-20 years. It was also common for the non-champion student to go off and practice the move two or three times, then turn to me and say, “What’s next boss?”

“What’s next? WHAT’S NEXT??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”

I have a friend, Mitch, who was 0-13 as a martial artist. Then his coach took him aside and told him the secret to winning. “Practice everyday – more than anyone else.”

A month later a world champion told him, “1,000 kicks per day, per leg.”

Mitch followed what these champions told him. And within three months he wasn’t just winning, he was destroying everyone. His matches weren’t even close.

270-straight wins later, Mitch knew the secret of his success wasn’t positive thinking – it was positive doing.

It was Positive Practice.

Another martial arts friend, Jack, gave me a tool as a gift. And along with the tool the advice, “Practice your first move with it 200 times a day for 10 days.”

The first day I was clumsy with it. The second day less clumsy. The third day, much better.  And after ten days and 2,000+ reps, I was incredibly fast compared to when I started. And I still have a long way to go if I’m going to master this tool.

When it comes to a major skill, you’ll need 10,000 hours to achieve mastery. But you can master sub-skills – or small parts of the big puzzle by doing 50, 100, 200 or 1,000 repetitions per day.

My friend, Pete, told me the story of how he became a great pitcher. “My Dad had me throw 50 pitches a night through a tire hanging from a tree in our back yard. And I didn’t get my evening meal until all 50 pitches went through the tire. By the time I was 16 I could put the ball in the strike zone anywhere I wanted.”

If you think in terms of hours, one hour of practice per day will get you to 10,000 hours in 27.39 years. 30 minutes a day will take you 54.79 years.

But if you spend two hours per day – you’ll get there in 13.69 years. Three hours per day will get you there in 9.13 years. Four hours per day will only take you 6.84 years. And if you put in eight hours per day you can reach mastery in 3.42 years.

Putting in an hour a day may seem impossible to you – especially over 27+ years. That’s when a gentle reminder about concentrating on the number of repetitions per day makes the whole ball game much easier to play.

Most days I walk four miles at a pretty good clip, usually in less than an hour.

10,000 hours of walking will take me 27 years or so, unless I go to eight, 12 or 20 miles a day.

10,000 miles at 4 miles per day will take me 6.84 years.

And if I concentrate on doing 1,000 miles – well, I can crank that out in 250 days.

Earl Nightingale once wrote that a half-hour per day of reading on a single subject would make you a world renowned authority on it within seven years. That’s 1,277.50 hours.

And just think what you’d know if you read ten times that amount.

For those in search of mastery, for those who gain meaning from being on a journey, the power of positive practice is something to embrace.

To see the power of these principles applied par excelence, make sure you read a copy of The Unbeatable Man.

Along with your order you’ll receive a copy of The Power of Thought Vibration – a CD you’ll want to listen to again and again for guts, guidance and good fortune.

Best,

Matt Furey

P.S. Anything in life that you want to become good at can be done by following the Law of Practice – a cornerstone of The Unbeatable Man philosophy.

What do you tell the person who feels defeated? Who feels beaten down? The person who’s lost another one?

There are many answers to this question that I cover in my new book, The Unbeatable Man. Believe me now and listen to me later, I know what it’s like to pick myself up after defeat – over and over again. And that’s why people can relate so deeply to my story.

Here’s an answer to the question about defeat that is NOT covered in my book:

Last weekend the head coach for a young football team that finished the season with an 0-8 record, called all the parents forward when the final whistle blew for the year.

The coach then told the parents, “I don’t care if the boys win or lose. What I care about most is that the boys have FUN and form good relationships with their teammates.”

Admirable qualities, yes. But come on, coach. If you really want to teach the boys to have FUN – then teach them how to give everything they have on the journey toward victory.

If you make giving your best effort the goal – winning and losing will take care of themselves – and you’ll most likely win far more than you would if winning was the goal.

On the other hand, if FUN is the goal – UGGH! Not good. Not good at all. Fun is what losers pretend they’re having when everything goes wrong. It’s an excuse. “Ah, it doesn’t matter we lost 40-0, so long as we had FUN.”

Huh?

Sadly, many coaches today have bought into the “fun comes first” idea of training. It’s ALL wrong.

Fun is a secondary benefit that comes of it’s own accord when you give the game everything you’ve got. Same goes for relationships.

Want to have fun? Want lifelong friends? Then train your ass off to become great and you’ll achieve all of them.

Last night the Phillies looked like they were having a ton of fun beating up on the Yankees. But I’ll bet you their goal wasn’t fun. It’s winning the World Series.

Make sure you grab one of the remaining hard bound copies of The Unbeatable Man NOW – along with the FREE CD entitled, The Power of Thought Vibration – which you’ll want to listen to again and again.

The Unbeatable Man will instill and install the correct winning attitude toward success as well as setbacks. It’ll help you bounce back after every mistake or failure – and it’ll keep you primed and ready for more when you’re victorious.

Become The Unbeatable Man today.

Matt Furey

P.S. Here’s a note i just received:

Matt,

I just read the Unbeatable Man. I couldn’t put it down and you wrote in such manner that I felt I right there with you at the state finals. But when you continued about how to learn lessons from your losses as well as your victories it was powerful. So powerful that I starting a new journey on a change in my career it gave me confidence. I have been an accountant/budget analyst for almost 30 years for the government. I retire in less then four and want to go into Holistic Health. I started taking classes and feel like a fish out of water, but as I read your book, I know this fish will become a shark and succeed beyond my own expectations. Waiting for the next book………..

Bill B.

I’m in Biloxi, Mississippi right now looking at all the old cars known as Cruisers. Got some real dandies that made me want to own one, especially the 1963 red convertible Cadillac.

But nothing compares to the note I just received from a reader of The Unbeatable Man. My comments will follow:

Dear Matt,

My name is Pierre Provost.

I got your book, The Unbeatable Man, in the mail yesterday. Amazingly I read your book in one sitting like a tiger devours its prey when he is hungry for the kill.

You nailed it on the head on page 77 when you describe what you need to do to become a champion like Dan Gable. Then at the botton of page 78, you talk like a zen master about how you feel your opponents body. As you unlock the mind of your opponent, you open the door to victory.

Now I bow to you dear master as the student and will get up each time you apply your duck-unders. I’m back up for the next round in our journey.

Your friend,

– Pierre

MJF: Thanks a million, Pierre. You’ve brightened a sunny day to a whole new level. I’m sure you’ll find a lot more gems when you read it a second and third time.

Reminder: I’m giving away a free CD entitled The Power of Thought Vibration, a 49 dollar value with each order, while supplies last. Devour The Unbeatable Man like a tiger. Go to theunbeatableman.com

You hear a lot about the Law of Attraction – and it is a LAW.

But there’s another LAW that I have proven over and over again that you MUST know if the Law of Attraction is going to work for you.

I reveal this LAW in The Unbeatable Man – and when you use it, your life will take a dramatic, automatic turn for the better. Every single time.

After I learned this LAW I was catapulted toward success at an ever-accelerating pace. This LAW served me well as an athlete, where I won a national title in college. It served me well when I opened a business and when I won a world title in shuaijiao kung fu in China.

It’s helped me learn foreign languages, write best-selling book and coach frustrated LOA people to become great.

Chances are you don’t want to learn this LAW. Chances are you’re already successful enough, happy enough and totally fulfilled in every area of your life.

But just in case you’re always LOOKING for the edge, no matter how well you’ve done to date, then I recommend you read, devour and practically memorize the story of The Unbeatable Man.

No matter what your endeavor, your goal, your dream, The Unbeatable Man will guide you and mentor you to far greater success.

How do I know?

I know because of the ton of testimonials already pouring in about how the book has already helped people like YOU.

For example, earlier today, I received the following note:

Matt,
Yesterday my son Trey (17 years old) ran his cross country race over a minute FASTER than last week. Your book helped him get his head straight.
Thank you very much.
Charles

Claim your copy of The Unbeatable Man NOW and I’m going to toss in a FREE CD on The Power of Thought Vibration. This CD features an interview with me in which I reveal more secrets in one riveting hour than you’ve ever heard anyone rattle off before.

theunbeatableman.com.

Matt Furey

P.S. If you’ve already ordered The Unbeatable Man – I’ll make sure you get a copy of this CD, too.

When I began in business in 1987, I painted a quote on the wall of my gym. The quote comes from Muhammad Ali – 3x world heavyweight boxing champion.

“Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

It’s the last sentence from a longer quote of Ali’s that goes as follows:

“I hated every minute of the training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'”

Many of the clients I trained looked at the quote and got the message. Others didn’t.

The ones who got the message succeeded. The ones who believed they didn’t need to suffer at all – well, they never got anywhere.

Suffering is a state of mind that you go through on the way to focused bliss. Think about the foregoing sentence for a moment.

I may be wrong, but I think I know what Ali meant when he said he hated every minute of the training. I don’t think he “literally” meant what he said.

I believe what he meant was: When I wasn’t focused on my goal, the training was hard. Unbearable. Brutal. I hated it. It was insufferable. But as soon as I put my mind on the goal, I could handle it. I could bear it. I stopped suffering. I could endure the training. I could keep going.

As a college wrestler, I discovered this truth during practices where my side ached in pain; when my sweats were soaked and dripping with perspiration; when my shoes were sopped and left a slosh with every step.

I wanted to quit. I wanted to call it a day.

But a message came to me in the midst of my agony. The message was as follows:

“Fure-cat, put your mind on your goal and all will be okay.”

I did this.

I started thinking about getting my hand raised. I pictured being written up in the newspaper, interviewed on television – and so on.

Next thing I knew – not much more than a few seconds later, the side ache was gone. The pain was no more. I ran as if in a state of reverie.

Best of all, by doing this, when it came time for competition, a funny thing happened: I won the tournament, got interviewed, got written up in the papers.

Strange.

Not at all.

Before you begin working toward a goal – all you see is the finish line. All you see is the celebration. Then, when you’re challenged to see how badly you want it – you may have a tendency to forget the finish line. The trick is to keep your eyes on the prize while also staying focused on what you’re doing in the present moment.

Some goals come easier than others. Champions understand this. But the achievements champions prize more than anything, are the battles that tested them with every fiber of their being.

Think about this today.

Are you suffering in anyway. If so, refocus and watch the pain dissipate. Keep doing this and the prize will go to YOU.

“Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a CHAMPION.”

Matthew Furey

P.S. If you want your day to be less stressful and more productive, be sure to pick up your copy of my smashing best-seller, 101 Ways to Magnetize Money

This morning, after working out with my son, Frank, at our summer home on Hainan Island in China, he asked me a couple questions.

“Daddy, how long did Larry Bird practice to become a great basketball player?”

“Everyday,” I said. “He practiced when his teammates were there – and he practiced when no one else was around. He practiced during the season. He practiced in the off-season.”

“And how long did Dan Gable practice to become a great wrestler?”

“Same as Larry Bird. Everyday. When others were around – when no one was around.”

“And how long do you think I’ll need to practice to become great in something?”

“Same as Larry Bird,” I said. “Same as Dan Gable.”

Believe it or don’t, I have just given you a LAW that is more important than all the other LAWS of Success.

Why do I say this?

I say it because even the Law of Attraction requires constant practice and refinement – just like shooting hoops or practicing takedowns. If you want positive results – you practice the positive.

If you want negative results… then no practice is ever necessary.

Matt Furey

P.S. You know what’s cool about my best-seller, 101 Ways to Magnetize Money? You learn 101 Ways to PRACTICE getting positive results. Make sure you begin using this program now so you start making a higher percentage of the shots you take in life.

Competition is a good thing. A great thing. It brings out the best in a person. It shows a person where his true weaknesses are.

Yet, after a competition, there is an enormous danger. The person who loses may consider himself a failure.

It is one thing to say to yourself, ‘I didn’t do well today, but I’ll do better next time. I wasn’t myself today, but I’ll improve on this. I didn’t win today, but I’m still a winner inside.’

I realize it’s hard to do sometimes, especially if you really wanted to win – but it must be done for you to move to the next level.

The best athletes, salespeople, entrepreneurs and so on, don’t compete with others as much as they compete with themselves. Afterall, once you’re better than all your competitors, how can you continue to improve if your focus is simply about ‘beating the others.’

When I was in college my father told me to ‘make yourself your greatest opponent.’ He was right.

In order to do this you must go back in time and picture your best moments, your greatest successes. You must relive the feelings of confidence you once experienced.

Doing so is the same as a good friend reminding you of your value; that you’re someone special. Only difference is that NOW you are being a friend to yourself. You’re going within and finding the BIG SELF who inherently knows that you came into this world to succeed.

I once knew a businessman who was very successful for more than ten years. Then the demand for his product died off and he had to close up shop. He thought of himself as a failure; that he was a loser.

I talked to the man and said, ‘My goodness, you had 10 years of success. I wouldn’t call that a failure. Close this shop and move on. Figure out a way to tap into  another current trend and you’ll be off to the races again.’

He listened. And he succeeded once again.

There are great athletes who go undefeated until the ‘BIG SHOW.’ Then, if they lose the big show, they feel like total failures. But they’re not. They simply lost one game.

So long as these athletes gave it everything they had in that game, they can hold their heads high. And if they didn’t give it everything they had, they can declare that ‘next time will be different.’

Do as Dr. Maltz always says. Instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses and feeling badly when you’re not at their level – ‘keep up with yourself.’

Make yourself your greatest competition.

Want to get the most out of yourself. Then dig into Dr. Maltz Zero Resistance Living program. This 12-week course will change your life for the better. Loaded with exercises and  drills that make your imagination mega powerful – build your confidence and create the life you’ve always wanted. Go NOW and find out how to improve upon your best days of your life.

Best,

Matt Furey

P.S. Also, be sure to look into the Psycho-Cybernetics Super Human Success Group.

Regardless of who you are, when you hear “try easier” you’ll stop and think. You’ll consider what it means.

It’s a favorite line of Tampa Bay Rays manager, Joe Maddon, who guided them to the World Series a year ago.

Right now the team is in a slump – and Maddon is quick to recognize why. They’re trying too hard. They’re uptight. They’re not relaxed.

Players are gripping the bat too hard instead of relaxing and letting the mechanics of their swing work the magic.

One thing I can guarantee you, if their bodies aren’t relaxed – neither is their breathing. The two go hand-in-hand. Stifle your breathing, tense your muscles – and choke the life out of your skills.

Yes, there are many people who don’t play the game of life with a high level of enthusiasm. At the same time there are plenty of others who’ve bought into the “try hard” notion – and they’re getting nowhere.

The secret of success in almost any endeavor is NOT to stop breathing, get tense and feel a sense of hurry, worry and stress.

Putting yourself into a state of panic isn’t the answer.

Anything in life can be improved if you’ll relax your body and breathe more deeply.

You’d think athletes know this better than anyone. But they don’t. One of the reasons for major injury is precisely because of the “try harder” mentality.

When an athlete tries harder, he locks his muscles rigidly into place, stops breathing, then wonders why he got pancaked yet again.

If you’ll recall the moments in your life in which you were in flow, you’ll quickly note how your body was relaxed and you were breathing naturally.

Even right now, as you read this, you can take note of what is going on in your mind and body.

If you’re opposed to what you’ve read, you’re probably not breathing very deeply. Your muscles are probably tight, too.

And if you agree, you’re breathing a sigh of “aaah.” You’re thinking, “Doggone it, that’s so true. I never thought of it that way. But it’s right.”

“Try easier” does not mean that you don’t give it all you’ve got. Quite the contrary. You give it MORE than you ever have before because your mind, body and spirit are aligned.

When you breathe deeply you’ve let spirit into your body. When you relax, you let nature move through you. And when you’re able to effectively react to whatever comes your way – you’re way ahead in the game.

Try easier.

Breathe deeply and relax your body.

Remove self-imposed struggle and resistance from your actions – and watch your results soar.

Matt Furey

P.S. Right now we have 8 Zero Resistance Living Courses left – and once they are gone, they will no longer be available. Claim this collector’s item while supplies last.