1: “Shelley was speechless,” says Mike Oppedahl, the managing partner at GiANT Worldwide.

He had just introduced the 5 Gears tool, which we’ve been exploring this week in RiseWithDrew.

“Shelley is a rock star,” he says in Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram’s book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.

She’s “like a cruise missile as it pertains to … continue reading

1: What do you do when the battery turns red on your phone?  You recharge it.

Yet, many people who are tired and overworked just trudge forward.

Which begs the question, “Why do you think you can force yourself to run well on empty?” Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram write in their book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.

“People … continue reading

1: Each day when he’s not traveling, Kevin Deshazo, CEO of Fieldhouse Media, drives his son Gabe to and from school.

“While in transit I normally check my phone at red lights for emails and posts, trying to see what the world is up to,” he explains.

“Everything changed,” he says after learning about the 5 Gears framework.

The 5 Gears is both the title and the central metaphor … continue reading

1: “I love professional wrestling!” the man said.

Jeremie Kubicek raised his eyebrows.  “Alright then,” he thought.

“The funny part,” he writes in The 5 Gears, the book he co-authored with Steve Cockram, “was that his answer was the last thing I thought he would have said.

“If he had stated, ‘I like to collect stamps,’ that would have matched up to my expectations based on what he … continue reading

1: Jennifer’s father was ill.
“The two things that he could do to improve his physical condition most significantly are to eat better and exercise,” she tells Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram, who write in their book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.
And, “the two things he refuses to do are eat better and exercise,” she says.
Jennifer … continue reading

1: Question: What’s the first thing you do when you wake up each morning?

For many people, the answer is, “I check my email.”

“Do you catch yourself needing to ‘catch up on the day’ really fast before getting in the shower or getting dressed?”  Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram ask in their book The 5 Gears.

If this is you, “do you know what you are doing … continue reading

1: “Have you ever looked up at the clock after working intensely on a project and been amazed at how quickly the time has flown by?” Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram ask in their book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.

“That is 5th gear,” they note.

Also called “in the zone” or “in flow,” 5th gear is your ability … continue reading

1: This was no ordinary rental car.

Jeremie Kubicek sat on the right side of the car, staring at the steering wheel in front of him.

An American raised in Oklahoma, Jeremie had just moved to England, making every aspect of daily life—including driving—a new adventure.

“Learning to drive on what the English call the correct side of the road is one thing,” he writes in The 5 Gears: How … continue reading

So far this week we’ve covered getting up an hour earlier to experience a “Miracle Morning.”    

Terrific.  That’s step #1.

But – will we be energized and ready to go?  

Today started lasted night, says Brian Johnson, creator of the Optimize Mastery program, year-long learning program I’m currently participating in (and loving!).  

In other words, the choices we make tonight will determine our level of energy and … continue reading