Curious about CANI! - Meet One of My Favorite Mentors

Back in 1987 I was hired by a motivational company to sell a pricey goal setting program. It was during this time that I started listening to tapes and setting serious goals.

One of the benefits for those who purchased the program - and I sold many - was a weekly meeting where we discussed goals and motivational/inspirational topics. Our leader asked me to review Anthony Robbins’ book Unlimited Power and also listen to one of his tapes, so I could introduce his approach to the group.

Well, I was hooked! So hooked that in the summer of 1988, when Tony brought his fire walk to Cleveland, I signed up and encouraged many of our goal setting group to sign up too. But that is another story.

So, what does this have to do with CANI and what is it anyway? This past couple of weeks, I have been re-listening to Tony’s older tapes and some of his newer CDs, and realized that ever since I started to practice CANI (the commitment to Constant And Never-ending Improvement) every part of my life has grown exponentially.

I am not sure that this is Tony’s own acronym, but I am sure that it works. In several of his programs, Tony describes CANI as the most important discipline we can embrace.

Just think of the areas in which we can commit to CANI:

• Lifelong Learning - there are always classes to take, books to read, and skills to accomplish. I cringe when I hear others say, “Oh, I don’t want to go near a computer.”
• Fitness - there is a great emphasis right now (and especially this time of year) on exercise and sensible nutrition. It isn’t a once in awhile activity. Make it a daily improvement.
• Family and Relationships - as much as we love our family and friends, we can always think of ways to improve our relationships. When was the last time you told someone how much you care about them by doing the extra and unexpected?
• Spiritual - have you reviewed your values and beliefs regularly? And, if when you do values clarification, do you also check to see if your actions correlate with your values. For example, if you value health, but smoke, drink excessively, overeat and rarely exercise, you actions are not supporting that value.
• Career - I hope that you love what you do for work, because then committing to CANI is fun and rewarding. What steps can you take here that could eventually turn your whole work life around?
• Financial - do you budget, or even know where your money is going? With all of the credit card and loan offers daily, it is tempting to get off-track and into almost insurmountable debt.

The above are only a few of the areas we can commit CANI to. But the beauty of this commitment is that by taking the small steps every day, your habits will change, and you will find that your whole attitude and life will change.

In Anthony Robbins’ words, “Live with passion!” And do practice CANI!