On Friday, I sent out a riddle. I offered the first person who responded with the correct answer, AND an explanation of why they picked what they did – a $50 gift card to Amazon.

From time to time, I like to do fun things where somebody can win something, and this is the first time no one has won.

A few people sent in the correct answer but without any explanation.

Sad story.

Here is the riddle, one more time:

The Facts:

1. There are five houses in a row in different colors.
2. In each house lives a person with a different nationality.
3. The five owners drink a different drink, smoke a different brand of cigar and keep a different pet, one of which is a Walleye Pike.

The Question:

Who owns the fish?

Some Hints:

1. The Brit lives in the red house.
2. The Swede keeps dogs as pets.
3. The Dane drinks tea.
4. The green house is on the left of the white house.
5. The green house owner drinks coffee.
6. The person who smokes Pall Malls keeps birds.
7. The owner of the yellow house smokes Dunhills.
8. The man living in the house right in the center drinks milk.
9. The man who smokes Blends lives next to the one who keeps cats.
10. The Norwegian lives in the first house.
11. The man who keeps horses lives next to the one who smokes Dunhills.
12. The owner who smokes Bluemasters drinks beer.
13. The German smokes Princes.
14. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.
15. The man who smokes Blends has a neighbor who drinks water.

This IS solvable with all the information provided.

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Here is the answer —–> Click here for an image of the answer.

**

Although some of you may have been too busy to try to figure it out, I know many of you, based on some of the emails I got (“I’d try Adam but I don’t want to embarrass myself!”) were too scared to even attempt this puzzle in case you were…W.R.O.N.G.

Enter…

FEAR.

Either fear of failure.

Fear of success.

Or fear of change.

THE PROBLEM WITH FEAR:

The problem with fear is that it doesn’t allow us to think about what’s possible…

Instead, fear keeps us exactly where we are. And the reason why so many of us choose to think about what can go wrong is because it absolves us from having to take any action.

Isn’t thinking about what’s possible way more exciting than thinking about what can go wrong?!

**

This reminds me of a few prospective clients that email me every month or so. And every time they email me they ask me another question or three about my program. And that’s totally fine! I am truly here to help.

But you know what? These people have been asking me questions for years now! Some more than others, of course. But without fail, every month or so I get the same people asking me questions.

You know why? Because asking questions FEELS good. It feels like they’re taking action when in reality they’re not. They’re not doing anything at all.

These prospective clients are in exactly the same spot they were in when they first emailed me.

Most prospective clients focus on the possibilities – as opposed to letting the fear hold them back.

So, all the while we’re taking action on a daily basis, and reaching goal after goal, these prospective clients are in exactly the same spot they were in asking question after question…

All because, fear in one way or another is holding them back.

**

Next time you find yourself saying no to something (maybe because of fear?) why not think of what’s possible instead? As we grow wiser, we become more cynical. We become more skeptical. We become more fearful…

And this can really limit us.

But thinking about the possibilities is WAY more fun because it inspires action.

**
Ready to take some action and make those possibilities come true? Join MyBodyTutor now!

I know. I know. I know!

BIG claim in the subject line. But, I believe I can deliver.

Here it is…

So a monk tells Joshu, “I have just entered the monastery. Please teach me.”

Joshu asked, “Have you eaten your rice porridge?”

The monk replied, “I have eaten.”

Joshu said, “Then you had better wash your bowl.”

At THAT moment the monk was enlightened.

I love this little story. Why? Because it reminds me to stop thinking so damn much, and just take the next action.

It’s so easy to get caught up in figuring out answers to questions like, “What’s the meaning of life?” and all sorts of other mind-numbing questions.

It’s also so easy to get frustrated and intimidated when we have a long journey ahead of us.

When something seems overwhelming (like trying to lose weight), we usually choose choice C: None of the above and do nothing.

Instead, let’s just focus on our very next meal. Our very next workout.

Focus on your very next action, your very next interaction, your very next task.

That’s it. That’s all you can do.

Although you can worry about eating poorly this coming weekend, there’s nothing you can do right now. Except, focus on your very next meal.

When in doubt…just wash the bowl.

Don’t ask questions. Don’t ponder.

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What camp are you in?

This reminds me of a few prospective clients that email me every month or so. And every time they email me they ask me another question or three about my program. And that’s totally fine! I am truly here to help.

But you know what? These people have been asking me questions for years now! Some more than others, of course. But without fail, every month or so I get the same people asking me questions.

You know why? Because asking questions FEELS good. It feels like they’re taking action when in reality they’re not. They’re not doing anything at all.

These prospective clients are in exactly the same spot they were in when they first emailed me.

Most prospective clients focus on the possibilities (as opposed to fear) because I make it easy for them to do that since I offer a 100% money-back guarantee.

So they sign up, get major results and move on with their life. All the while, these prospective clients are in exactly the same spot they were in asking question after question.

What camp are you in? Learn more about our ridiculous guarantee: You know you wanna click me.