Key concept: Harajuku moment

In April 2013 I had a "196 moment." I'm guessing most people have such moments at some point in their lives, though they call it by other names..

Malcolm Gladwell apparently coined the phrase Harajuku Moment, which Tim Ferris, in his book, The Four Hour Body concisely described as when a nice-to-have becomes a must-have.

I had been diagnosed as diabetic.The fasting blood sugar of a healthy person will range from in the 90s to under 124, which is the bottom of the diabetes range. Mine had been ranging from the high 120s to as high as 155.

I was told that if my fasting blood sugar number (the number given by the measuring device after 8 hours of not eating) was over 200, I had to call my doctor. The primary fear was that the diabetes was getting worse.

The secondary fear was that it would no longer be manageable by diet alone, and I'd have to take insulin shots. I really didn't want to have to do that.

My 196 moment happened on April 9th 2013. My fasting number was 196! Not good.

Frightened, I knew I *had* to change things around, and I did. If you're interested in what I did and how, stay tuned. In an upcoming issue of my newsletter, Faster, Better, Smarter, Cheaper, I'll describe what I've done along with the results. Success leaves clues, and I'll let you in on mine.

The 196 reading meant that things were serious, but not quite serious enough that I had to see my doctor. Close... but 196 is not 200+.

My motivation hugely changed that day. And I never looked back. The result? My fasting blood sugar now ranges in the low 100s with occasional forays into the 90s! Control by diet is now pretty much a done deal.

What does this mean for you? It means that you need to recognize your own "196 moments" (your Harajuku moments) when they happen, so you can embrace them. It means that if you have a 196 or Harajuku moment, your life will almost certainly start changing. It is difficult to be the person you were before the moment after you've experienced the moment.

One harsh part about this is that 196 (Harajuku) moments are painful, and they can be scary. In this newsletter, we're going to search for ways to generate the potentially wonderful effects of having Harajuku moments without having to go through all that pain, discomfort and fear.

- Bal