Throw Your Phone Off A Tall Building
“I find television very educational. Every time someone turns it on, I go into the other room and read.” - Groucho Marx
Throw Your Phone Off A Tall Building
Don’t really throw those electronics off a tall building, I can’t live without them either. Although, you have to admit the concept of watching those things falling through the air only to end in an ear-splitting smash and shatter at the end, would be fun to watch.
With that said, here is what you phone is actually doing to you!
What I am actually saying is that in order to REALLY get a new awareness, it means putting down the phone, turning off the TV and walking away from the computer. Not completely of course, just cut down the time on all of the above so we limit the programming being funneled in through our eyeballs.
Start leaving your phone in the other room.
Wait, what?
Yeah, you heard me.
If you are anything like I used to be, then you charge your phone next to your bed each night. In fact, if I was still a betting man, I would put money on you using your phone as your alarm clock too.
Ha, you have that blank stare on your face like you just got caught...priceless.
You may not use your phone as your alarm clock all the time, but that face tells me that you do at least do some of the time. Well, KNOCK IT OFF! When your phone is charging next to your bed it tends to be the last thing you look at before going to sleep and the first thing you look at in the morning and sometimes in the middle of the night.
This is keeping you programmed how they want you to be programmed.
Uggh, I get a heebie jeebie shiver just thinking about how I was with my phone. Aww crap, here comes my nervous twitch again…just kidding.
Not too long ago my phone was almost always in my hand, I was always on social media and I had my phone charging next to me at night (And was my alarm clock). What was happening in the world around me, in my world, was completely oblivious to me. The damn thing was a permanent fixture in my hand, heck, I would even pull my phone out of my pocket thinking it was vibrating, staring at the screen expecting something to be there. You know, the “Ghost Vibration”.
It was a complete waste of my time, efforts and brain power.
Sound familiar?
Of course it does, because you can relate.
The last straw for me was when I caught myself waking up in the middle of the night to take a piss and checking my phone before going back to sleep. What…was…I…thinking? It was one of those complete moments of clarity in my life of awareness. I thought to myself, what the heck have I been doing.
It was shortly thereafter when I was at a business Mastermind in Austin where one of my friends Brian Fanale spoke of leaving the phone in the other room.
Genius! I thought
The funnier part of that comment was that very night I got in the hot tub with my phone still in my pocket…ruining it. It is hilarious now, but I didn't think so back then.
Leaving the phone in the other room has now become a necessary habit. No charging next to the bed anymore. No more checking social media before bed or in the middle of the night or grabbing the phone first thing in the morning. I am no longer a slave to that little, mysterious, powerful, addictive piece of touchscreen power. And let me tell you, it feels REALLY good.
In fact, one of my daily declarations is "I am a man that does not need to have his phone with him at all times."
Now it’s your turn…
Are you ready for this?
It’s time to kill your television. Of course, I don’t mean actually kill or destroy your television, that would just be a flat-out waste of money. Although, you should have seen yourself just now. You just looked like McCauley Caulkin screaming in the mirror from the movie Home Alone. Especially since you probably have some Wham-Bam, thank you Ma’am, 75 inch, 4K, Internet ready, smart TV that cost more than your first car.
Am I right?
When I talk about killing your television, I just mean watch a lot less of it. I know what you’re thinking, “but Tony, I will miss the new episode of the Walking Dead or the finale of Wanda Vision or Ted Lasso”.
Look, I am not saying to shut your TV off permanently, I am just saying watch less of it. Instead of binge watching 6 hours or 12 episodes of your favorite Netflix series, maybe watch one episode a day and do something more constructive with the rest of your time. Something like reading a book or playing a board game with your kids or going fishing or finishing a project around the house (Or your welcome to finish one of mine, haha).
The point is to leave the TV off more often than it is now.
You got this and I know you do, because if you are reading this, it means you are serious about change.
A great story about someone who killed his television comes from a story that iconic motivational speaker Jim Rohn told. In the story, Jim talks about a friend of his that was bragging to him about his brand new, top of the line TV. He told Jim that the TV only cost him $400 (Clearly the story was a few years ago).
“No, that’s not true, it cost you WAY more than $400. I think that TV cost you more like $50,000 a year”, Jim said.
“How do figure that?” His friend asked him
Jim explained, “Well, it’s not the cost of the TV, but the time you watch it that is costing you. If you took even 2 of those 3-4 hours a day you watch it and applied it to your business then you would make an additional $50,000 this year, easy.”
The man stopped in horror, knowing that what he was hearing was absolutely true. He was so inspired by what he just heard that without hesitation, he loaded the TV in his truck, drove it over to his brother’s house and dropped it off. Of course, this is an extreme example, but that man believed that if he had the temptation of the TV that he would not hit his goals.
This man literally dumped his TV in order to be successful. Do you think that you could do that? Think about whether you could do that if it meant your success.
By the way, we are not done yet; don’t think you are getting off that easy or that I am going to forget about your laptop or computer. No siree Bob, we are still rolling with this shit. The shit that is messing with you day in and day out.
Yeah, that’s right I am talking about your hours of surfing the internet, watching porn or buying on Amazon via your PC or phone (Yeah, I said porn, don’t pretend like you don’t look, even if just the girls on Tik Tok or those ripped guys with their shirts off…yeah girls, not leaving you out).
This is your chance, yes, your chance right now to make it different.
You know those times that happen every once in a while where you are completely in the zone? Those moments where nothing can interrupt you and the universe has you so laser focused that a massive earthquake wouldn’t shake you (Shake, haha, bad pun). That is what happens when you use your computer for good. Yes, you too can take a sledge hammer to the evil in your computer like a stake to the heart of a vampire (Unless you watch Twilight. Man, what a bad rap for my native Washington state).
What if you only used your computer for constructive times?
Let’s talk about what is constructive for your computer for a moment and no, it does not mean Googling the last Darwin awards or the funniest Tik Tok videos, c’mon man. Things like doing a budget or looking for a new house or writing a book or similar, that is constructive. Learning a new skill or taking a class or figuring out how to fix your closet. Those are better uses of your time.
Evaluate your computer or phone time…
Next time you start to pull up funny videos or the news or…yes, I am going to say it again…porn, then STOP IT. Turn off that dang computer or phone and walk away, in fact, go for a walk and clear your mind. Start using your computer or phone for only good, constructive things, not a distraction. Walk away man, walk away.
Ok, ok, having fun with your computer is not all bad of course, although, it must be in moderation. Let’s talk about how to see how well you are using your time.
Use a simple note pad or create a spreadsheet or similar. Wright down how much time you spend watching TV, on the computer/laptop or on your phone each day. Be honest with yourself and if you are on your phone while watching TV, that counts as time on both devices…log it.
The results you see are going to blow your mind, if you are honest about it that is. Then and ONLY then can you start to make adjustments.
You may find out that you are spending 3 hours a night watching TV and that is too much. Great, just start by cutting out 30 minutes a night at first, then add another 30 minutes and so on until you see the productivity in other areas of your life improve.
The same goes with your phone and computer. Let’s say you are spending 2 hours a day on your computer, but you still haven’t finished your monthly budget. Do you think you are using that time effectively?
Probably not.
Take a look at how you are spending your time on the computer and adjust.
Don’t make me come over there and throw your electronics off the tallest building.
Use them wisely.
It is easier that it sounds, but it starts with your choice and YOUR discipline.
ACTION: Track the time that you use on your computer/laptop or phone and discover where you can use it for something better.
If you like this and want to get these every week, make sure to subscribe at www.upgrade-newsletter.com.
Make sure to follow me on the major platforms for more ways you can upgrade your life, business, career, wealth or anything else you can think of.
