Carpe Diem . . . And Live Happy!

A Healthy Resolution

2010-02-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

Over the past two months I have heard the following phrases from many people: “Todd, as soon as the crazy holiday season is over, I am going to start taking care of myself.” “With this busy time of year, it is hard to find time to get to the gym. I’ll start in January when things calm down a bit.” “I am going to focus on eating healthy in January because it is too difficult with all the holiday goodies and social gatherings to eat healthy.” “2010 is going to be the year I get on track with my health and fitness.”

Well, here we are. 2009 is over, the holiday season is complete and it’s time for you to fulfill that promise you made to yourself about getting on track with your health and fitness for 2010.

I often see many people verbally commit to a healthy lifestyle starting on January 1, but many times they fall short on fulfilling that promise because they missed a key step in what it takes to live a healthy lifestyle. They don’t make a plan to fulfill their resolution.

Let me spin it to you this way. Let’s say your friend wants to build a new house from scratch and construction is set to begin on January 1. In the last week of December you ask to see detailed plans of the house to see that everything is mapped out from foundation to roof, exterior to interior, plumbing to paint, etc. However, your friend doesn’t have any detailed plans for the house; he is just going to “start” building in January. He has no idea what the building schedule is going to be, but he is just going to play it by ear on a weekly basis. He’s not clear on what materials are going to be used, has no permits and doesn’t even have a contractor or any other professionals lined up. Chances are your friend is not going to get very far, right?

Your New Year’s resolution to get fit and healthy is no different. If I were to ask you what your plan is to make health and fitness a lifestyle in 2010, and you don’t have one, that is no different than starting construction on a home without detailed plans. Saying you are going to “start” a fitness program in January is great, but without a well laid-out plan, how do you expect to make it happen? Without a plan, your resolution is nothing more than an idea. Instead, take action, make a plan and commit yourself to success.

Your action step today is to think about what it is going to take to fulfill your resolution. What lifestyle changes are necessary? What eating habits need to change? Are you going to stand tall when the hedonists who try to lure you off track? What needs to change in your schedule to accommodate your new workout regimen? Have you joined a gym or hired a personal trainer? How much alcohol and sugar are you cutting out of your diet? What is your plan for staying motivated? Do you have a specific goal? Are you committed to 365 days? The answers to these questions are going to determine your level of commitment. That is what your plan is all about, commitment to success!

There are many resources available to help you setup your plan. Set up a consultation with a personal fitness professional for help with your exercise and nutritional program. Find a friend with a similar goal to help hold each other accountable. Get a book on time management and scheduling to help prioritize and organize your busy schedule. Take a nutrition class to learn how food works as fuel in your body. You have everything you need to be successful in 2010; the ball is in your court and all you need is a plan for your commitment to success.

This year when you make your resolution, don’t just utter an empty promise to yourself. You deserve much more than that. Let’s all do our part to help get America back on track and become one of the healthiest countries in 2010! Get rid of the excuses, take charge of your life and make this the beginning of your journey to lead a lifestyle of health and fitness. My best to all of you in 2010!

Burn Fat While You Sleep

2010-02-28T20:49:00.002-08:00

Now that I have your attention, let me clarify . . . there is a catch. If you want to burn fat while you sleep you need to work hard while awake. I guess it’s not just about working hard, but more about working efficiently to get your fat-burning machine rolling. So how do we “burn the midnight oil (or fat)” while sleeping? You may be surprised, but it doesn’t happen by running for hours on the treadmill, elliptical trainer or stationary bike.

While cardio endurance training has its place in the world of fitness, it is not ideal for maximizing your fat-burning potential. In fact, long periods of cardio training can trigger the body to burn lean muscle for energy. Sure, you are burning calories (energy), but there is a difference between burning calories and burning fat. If your goal is to burn fat, tone up and create a shapely body without sacrificing lean muscle mass, you need to increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR). The RMR is the amount of energy your body burns while at rest. If you are able to boost your RMR, the fat burning process will continue even after you step out of the gym.

So, the answer is to shift towards more anaerobic interval training where you perform a series of high intensity exercises followed by short rest periods. Various studies have shown that this type of training not only increases aerobic capacity, but also burns more fat over a 24 hour period than traditional endurance training. There are a number of ways you can stack exercises into metabolic circuits, but one of the simplest ways is to use a Tabata circuit.

Tabata is simple; perform an exercise for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest period. Repeat this 8 times for a total of 4 minutes. Because the exercises are performed in short 20 second bursts, it is important to go 100%. Give it a try at the end of your next workout with jump rope, going all out for those 20 seconds of work. This may be the most intense 4 minutes of your entire workout.

The way I see it the simplicity and versatility of kettlebells make them the perfect tool for this type of training. Kettlebell circuits are perfect for boosting metabolism and burning fat without sacrificing lean muscle mass. For those of you who are looking for more of a challenge, string 4 or 5 tabata “mini-circuits” together and run through them back-to-back for a 16 – 20 minute workout. Here is a sample workout of kettlebell exercises that you can stack in 4 minute intervals:
* Swings
* Clean and Press
* Front Squats
* Snatches

Whether you use kettlebells, barbells, dumbbells or body weight, I recommend choosing full-body exercises to get more bang for your buck. Using more muscles allows you to increase intensity without risking overuse injuries to one particular muscle or joint. You will be burning fat while building lean muscle, which will keep those arms, legs and buns toned.

This type of training is very intense and they really get the heart pumping. As usual, consult a physician or other fitness professional before training and start at the level that is right for you. Once you have a clean bill of health, grab a kettlebell, a stopwatch, get creative and have fun. These workouts will wipe you out, so be prepared for a good night’s rest. Combined with proper nutrition, your body will be burning fat while you are dreaming of your next workout!

K.I.S.S. Excess Weight Goodbye

2010-02-28T20:49:00.001-08:00

14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham was attributed with coming up with the theory that the simplest explanation or strategy tends to be the best one. This principle is know as Ockham’s Razor. Today, you might be more familiar with the K.I.S.S. philosophy, or Keep It Simple, Stupid, which implies that simplicity is a key component in success. How does Ockham’s Razor and the K.I.S.S. principle relate to getting healthy and fit? In my experience I have found that keeping things super simple is the best way to get the results one’s looking for.

Today we are flooded with so much information when it comes to health and we tend to believe that the more complex something is the more valuable or beneficial it will be. I typed “health and fitness” into a search engine and clicked on the first link that came up. I was taken to a page that wanted me to fill out a BMI calculator to assess my health risk, a metabolic calculator to measure my metabolism and a weight loss calculator to determine my desired caloric intake. There was also a blood glucose tracker and a high blood pressure manager for me to utilize. Another site suggested I figure out my max VO2 to determine the specific number of minutes I train in an ideal heart rate zone. As a fitness professional I understand the science of exercise physiology and use it in my profession. But you don’t really need all those complicated equations or scientific data to get in shape and stay healthy. While it is important to set a baseline such as body composition for tracking progress, unless you are an elite athlete, I recommend holding-off on all those other numbers.

When it comes to the actual workouts, there are thousands of exercise programs out there. Gyms are filled with all sorts of fancy equipment that were scientifically designed to help you get the body you want. With all the programs, exercises and equipment out there, it can be hard for someone to even get started. Again, try not to place too much value on that which is complex.

Trainer Chris Jantz at Powerfit Personal Training says that a good trainer should be able to get someone fit “in a phone booth with no equipment”. Bodyweight exercises such as pushups, pull-ups, squats and sit-ups have been around for thousands of years. Even athletic training can be super simple. You want to increase your power or vertical leap? Hit some simple squats and deadlifts. Kettlebells have been getting Russians fit and strong for hundreds of years. Trust me, it doesn’t get much simpler than a cannonball with a handle. Oh, and don’t forget about running. That goes back to the caveman days when they had to track prey for miles just to get a bite to eat. Speaking of food, keep your nutrition plan simple and forget about the complicated diets. Eat balanced meals with quality lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Go back to drinking good old fashioned H2O before spending your money on those fancy wonder tonics that promise optimum health.

If you are looking to get on track with your health and find yourself stuck in information paralysis, just remember the four pillars of human movement; push/pull, rotation, change of plane and locomotion. When it comes to losing fat and building muscle, all you need is your body and something heavy to lift. Don’t make living a healthy life more complicated than it is. Whether you use Ockham’s Razor to shave off unwanted fat, or you K.I.S.S. that excess weight goodbye, remember to keep it simple!

REASONS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

2010-02-28T20:47:00.000-08:00

Lately I've had a lot of people ask me for some tips on finding motivation for getting in shape and accomplishing fitness goals. It’s no secret that healthy eating and exercising on a regular basis is the logical thing to do. However, because we are humans, we do not make decisions based on logic. All the medical data, exercise and nutritional information out there telling us why we should exercise isn’t going to get us moving because it is based on logical facts found through case studies. When it comes down to it, all these facts and data don’t mean much to us because, well, they are just facts and data. This makes it easy to talk ourselves out of any physical activity.

I have found that most people are driven by emotion rather than logic. Therefore it is important to find an emotional stimulus that gets you going (and keeps you going when the sweat and tears start to come). The only way you are going to find that emotional stimulus is to look deep within yourself. When you look within yourself you won’t find facts or data, you’ll find reasons!

Our reasons for taking care of our health need to be more important than the alternative. It doesn't matter what friends, family, doctor, society, Oprah, Dr. Oz or anyone else says you should do. Your health and fitness is a personal quest. Unless you have a deep, burning desire within you to get your body moving, all the logic in the world won’t work for you as motivation.

Getting on track with your health is not about seeing a certain number on the scale. It's about the empowerment that accomplishing that goal will give you. It’s not about having a BMI within a certain range that the doctor says is “normal”. It’s about having energy and vitality to spend time with your kids, grandkids, spouse, friends, etc. It's not about fitting into a certain size of jeans, right? It's about the feeling you get when you button those jeans up, check yourself out in the mirror and say “damn, I look good!” Your reasons for health need to be meaningful to YOU, and only YOU.

So, you want some motivation to get in the best shape of your life? The first thing you’ve got to do is look within yourself. When you have strong enough reasons, the motivation will appear. Then you can approach your workouts with passion, purpose and strong intent. My best to all of you!

Sugar 101

2009-10-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

The packaged white and brown sugars we use to sweeten our lattes and baked goods are simple and refined sugars. This means the sugar is depleted of its vitamins and minerals making it a refined or simple carbohydrate. In lieu of getting overly technical and giving you a college course on biochemistry, here are some simple explanations on t he affects of sugar why it should be limited in your diet.

Affects of excess sugar:

1. Sugar turns to fat – Excess sugar is stored in the liver. Our liver has a maximum capacity, therefore daily consumption of refined sugars causes the liver to expand. Once filled to max capacity, the excess sugar (now called glycogen) is returned to the blood and stored in the body as FAT! People store their fat differently, but the trouble areas for many are the belly, butt and thighs. If those are your trouble spots, think about your sugar intake!

2. Sugar affects you organs – Along with storing fat in you trouble spots, the fatty acids also make their way to your active organs; heart, liver and kidneys, (you can’t see this fat when you look in the mirror). Excess fat that accumulates around your organs cause them to slow down. This affects your entire body because not all components are functioning as they should. The result is high blood pressure and increased risk of kidney, liver and coronary heart disease.

3. Bone and Teeth Decay – Consuming sugar on a daily basis creates an over-acidic condition in your red blood cells. Our bodies are designed to cure imbalances, so it uses minerals from your bones and teeth to counter the acidic overload in the blood. Most of us are familiar with the dental issues caused by excess sugar (cavities and tooth decay), but you may not be aware that your sugar addiction is also weakening and decaying your bones. This causes more issues down the road such as osteoporosis.

4. Sugar rush followed by sugar crash - Ingesting processed sugars causes your blood sugar levels to elevate. As stated above, our bodies know how to cure imbalances, so when we have elevated blood sugar our pancreas releases insulin to lower and stabilize the blood sugar levels, hence the sugar crash (hypoglycemic state). Most people respond to the sugar crash by eating or drinking something with, well, more sugar. The problem is that while in the midst of a sugar crash our brain releases the stress hormone cortisol, which signals the release of more stored glycogen (blood sugar) from the liver (Diabetes is a result of prolonged cortisol secretion). This and the fact that you just ate or drank something sweet causes the whole process to repeat, spiking your blood sugar levels once more. It is like a never-ending roller coaster.

I can go on and on, but the bottom line with processed sugar is this – it is NOT nutritious and we do NOT need it in our diets. The over-consumption of sugar is a major health issue and is part of the overweight and obesity problem in America .

Applying the knowledge - It’s challenging to cut sugar out of your diet completely; and we all need a little treat every now and then. Here are a few practical tips regarding sugar in your everyday diet.

1. Balance is key – With all things regarding nutrition, you want to always consume a balanced meal. Don’t eat sugars alone. Combine them with protein, carbs and healthy fats. (Ex: Eat some cottage cheese along with your fruit).

2. Moderation is key - Don’t overdo it. Do you really need 6 packs of sugar in your coffee? If you don’t like the taste of coffee, try drinking water. J. This brings me to the next tip . . .

3. Don’t drink your sugar – Stay away from the high sugar fruit juices, sodas and energy drinks.

4. Use alternatives to processed sugars – Unprocessed and unfiltered honey is a great alternative. Eating fruit, using stevia or raw date sugar are other sweet alternatives as well. Keep in mind these are still sugars, so balance and moderation are important.

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

2009-10-02T08:28:00.000-07:00

Eating the right foods before and after a workout can greatly enhance your results and help move you closer to your goals.

Pre-workout: The goal of the pre-workout meal is to provide enough energy to keep you moving throughout the workout. This meal isn’t going to be much different from your other meals; a balance of protein and carbohydrates. The amino acids from protein are the building blocks for muscle. Carbohydrates are the fuel that makes our bodies run and will ultimately be used as energy to contract your muscles during exercise (ATP). But remember, not all carbs are created equally. All carbohydrates are rated based on the effect they have on our blood glucose levels. The rating system is called the Glycemic Index (GI). In a nutshell, the quick digestion and absorption from high GI foods cause a greater rise and fall of blood sugar levels. Lower GI foods are slower to digest and absorb, keeping blood sugar and insulin levels more stable.

So, what the heck does this mean and how can you use it to enhance your workouts? Consuming about 20 grams of protein and a low to moderate GI rated carbohydrate (slow digesting) about 60-90 minutes prior to exercise will give you the sustained energy you need to last throughout the workout. Eating 60-90 minutes prior to exercise will give your body the time it needs to digest the food and utilize the nutrients available for energy.

In addition to the pre-workout meal, I like to add some simple carbohydrates (usually an apple or orange) about 15-20 prior to exercising. The simple carbs provide my body with an immediate energy burst. This combination of pre-workout nutrition provides plenty of sustained energy for my workouts.

Post Workout: Catabolism (muscle breakdown) and anabolism (muscle building) are the biochemical processes involved in your body’s metabolism. Because exercise puts our bodies in a catabolic state, the goal of the post workout meal is to refuel the body and assist it in rebuilding the muscles, creating an anabolic state. This is important to understand because if you are in a catabolic state more often than anabolic, the result will be muscle loss and fat storage.

The sooner your body gets a nutritional boots, the sooner it can start the rebuilding process. I recommend consuming your post workout meal within 10-30 minutes following exercise. A quick-digesting liquid protein shake, such as whey, is ideal because the body will process and utilize the nutrients faster. I also like to add about 5 grams of L-Glutamine (amino acid) to my shake to assist in the rebuilding and recovery process. Along with the shake, get a high GI carb to replace the energy and nutrients that were used during exercise. The high GI carbohydrates will also create an insulin spike, which assists the body in transporting nutrients to your muscles. Some easy examples of high GI carbs are fruit, fruit juice or a sports drink. Go ahead and get your well balanced protein, complex carbs and healthy fats meal about 60-90 minutes after exercising.

Remember, working out in the gym is extremely important, but 80% of your results come from the fuel you put in your body. As with everything, these are general guidelines to healthy nutrition. While all of us, both men and women, pretty much have the same biochemistry, it is important to try a few things and see what works best for you. Be sure to consider any food allergies and/or illnesses you have that require special dietary needs. Listen to your body, become in-tune with what it needs in regards to your goals and fuel it appropriately. Doing this will get you on the track to optimum health!

Energized!

2009-10-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

As a fitness professional people often ask me what they can do to increase their energy levels so they can make it through their long, stressful days and still have energy to workout.

To answer this question I looked at my life to see what I do in order to maintain adequate amounts of energy throughout the day. On a typical day I wake up at 4:30am morning, start training clients at 6am, workout, take care of business tasks, drive here and there running errands, attend networking meetings and finish the day training my afternoon/evening clients from 3-8pm. So, what do I do to keep the energy up? Reflecting on the past week, here are 5 things that I believe contribute to my energy.

1. Water – Yep, one thing I’ve noticed is that I drink about 1 gallon of water/day. This is straight H2O, not tea, coffee, soda or other mixed drinks. Dehydration is often a factor in fatigue. Our bodies are about 55%-60% water. Every cell in your body relies on water; therefore H2O is a primary component for producing energy. I carry around a 1-gallon jug of water with me so I know I am getting adequate intake each day. Some of you might not like lugging around a gallon of water, so take this tip from one of my clients. Put 4 or 5 rubber bands around a reusable water bottle. Each time you refill the bottle take one of the bands off. Your goal is to end each day with no bands left on the bottle. This is a simple way to monitor your water intake without counting your refills.

2. Food – Without any gas in the tank I wouldn’t make it through my days. Between my own personal workouts and demonstrating lifting techniques and exercises for clients, I am expending a lot of energy on a daily basis. I don’t get good gas mileage so to keep from running on empty I need to refill my tank often. However, I don’t just shove whatever is convenient down my throat. My meals consist of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. Most of us think of calories as “bad, weight-gaining monsters”. But remember, not all calories are created equally. Just as a racecar uses high-octane fuel for performance, you want to stick with nutrient dense foods that are going to serve your body and mind with optimal energy. Stay away from the “empty calories”. Oh yeah, I almost forgot . . . you know that green stuff you get on your plate when you order a meal at your favorite sit-down restaurant? No, I’m not talking about the fancy garnish; I am talking about the broccoli, asparagus, squash and other vegetables that come with the meal. Instead of pushing that stuff off to the side, I actually eat it. I eat at least 5 servings of vegetables each day. If I don’t feel like eating them, I stick them in the juicer and drink them. Vegetables as a complex carbohydrate are a great source of energy, whether you eat or drink them.

3. Movement – My job is pretty physical and I am constantly in motion (which also leads to number 2 above). From an energy stand point, getting up and moving is beneficial because it gets your heart pumping and your lungs take in more oxygen, causing a bio-chemical reaction that produces and releases energy molecules. Just take a 10 minute walk at a pace that slightly elevates your heart and gets you breathing deeper and you are likely to create more energy. Taking 5-10 minutes to stretch throughout the day will get that blood moving through your body also. If you are not exercising on a regular basis you are limiting your energy potential. The beta-endorphins released from a 45-minute workout before work during lunch hour or after work can provide for a great energy boost. Doing this on a regular basis may also train your body to “gear-up” for exercise, rather than to “gear down” for inactivity.

4. Relaxation – Stress takes it’s toll on our energy. A few times a week I make sure to practice some sort of meditation to shut everything off – mind and body. Doing this allows me to get in a relaxed state of being and helps my mind to function more clearly. Taking some time to breathe, close your eyes and simply be in the moment will help you to relieve stress and save some energy. Don’t worry, you don’t need to become a Buddhist monk or practice the art of Zen meditation. Lying in the park looking at the clouds or sitting on the couch with your cat on your lap might be more your thing. Even if you only have 10-15 minutes, taking a time out will help you to re-energize.

5. Sleep – I used to underestimate the importance of sleep, but now I make sleeping a priority. Not only does a good nights sleep help to restore, repair and rebuild the mind, body and muscles, but it also helps to lead an energized lifestyle. I’ve learned over time that a good nights rest doesn’t only start when I hit the sack, but also has to do with when I get up. One of the major pieces to sleeping well is having a consistent internal clock. Getting up at the same time each day helps train my body and gets me in rhythm. Even on the weekends, limiting the hours you sleep in will help. Sometimes it’s tough after a long Saturday night, but if you want good energy on Monday, get up earlier on Sunday. Hitting the sack a little earlier Sunday night will better serve you than sleeping in late.

Fear Based or Passion Driven?

2009-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

The last five years of my life have been focused on living each day with passion. Not the over-the-top happy clouds and rainbows type of stuff, but more about getting up each day excited about the life I am creating. Instead of going through life trying to avoid certain things, I am now going through life trying to gain. Here is something I’ve learned:

A fear-based life is one of avoidance and evasion. Those who are passion driven are looking to gain and live life to the fullest.

Looking at your health is a good determinant as to whether you are fear based or passion driven. If I were to ask you why you exercise on a weekly basis, what is the first thought that pops into your head? Is it “Because you don’t want to gain weight; so you don’t get heart disease; etc”? While all these outcomes are important, they are focused on something that is trying to be avoided. Therefore they are coming from a place of fear.

Someone who is passionate about their health – I still can’t believe some people are not, because without health, what do you really have? – will answer the question like this; “I work out because I love how I feel afterwards; because I am working on my goal of losing 10 pounds; etc.” These answers are focused on what is to be gained.

If you go through life living in fear, you are always running away from something. The bummer about this is you will never get away from what you are running from. Again, we can look at exercise as the example. You may go to the gym because you know that regular exercise helps lower the risk of heart disease. The problem is you will never be fulfilled in your actions or accomplishments. There will always be that voice in the head saying that something such as heart disease might be right around the corner. Because of this you are always running.

On the other hand, when you are passion driven you are running towards something; you gain something each time you take action on your passion. Instead of being fearful of falling under poor health, be passionate about living a life of optimal health and wellness. Doing this will allow you to relish in your accomplishment of exercising every week and eating healthy. You get to celebrate everyday! And as a bonus, everything you were running away from will stop chasing you. You see, being driven by passion takes care of all those things that caused you to live in fear. You just have a minor mind shift and a greater appreciation for life.

When you are fear based you are focusing on what you DON”T want. When you are passion driven you are focused on what you DO want. Don’t let your fears keep you from your passion!

Acting your age.

2009-02-26T08:09:00.001-08:00

What does it mean to “act our age”? Who sets the rules as to the difference between how a 6 yr old, a 26 year old and a 66 year old person is supposed to act? Age really is nothing but a number. Something for us to keep track of how long we’ve been around. Young kids are excited and looking forward to getting older where as people in their mid twenties and up are dreading their upcoming birthdays.

I do not take exception to the passing of time, instead I choose to age with grace and dignity. As long as I make the most out of everyday, I will have nothing to look back at with regret. It is important to mature with the passing of time. This is part of growing, learning and developing ourselves as productive humans. Life experience is going to help us with that. But we don’t want to lose the natural spark of our youth. Be mature but youthful.

Don’t let your age be a “convenient excuse” for not pursuing a dream. Don’t let others use your age, whether you are young or old, to discourage you from achieving anything in life. Anything that is possible is possible for you, no matter where you are in life. Here are some examples of what I mean:

- Age 3: Tiger Woods shot a 48 score on an 9 hole golf course
- Age 8: Julie Andrews mastered an amazing four-octave singing range
- Age 8: Mozart wrote his first symphony
- Age 13: Anne Frank began writing her diary
- Age 14: Ralph Waldo Emerson enrolled at Harvard
- Ag 15: Paul McCartney was invited by John Lennon to join a band
- Age 19: Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft
- Age 20: Plato began studying with Socrates
- Age 26: Joe DiMaggio hit safely in fifty-six consecutive games
- Age 29: Ralph Lauren created the Polo brand
- Age 31: Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet
- Age 31: Bill Gates’ first billion
- Age 33: Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration on Independence
- Age 38: Coco Chanel introduced Chanel No. 5
- Age 40: Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity
- Age 46: Jack Niklaus won the Masters with a 65 in the final round (30 on the back nine)
- Age 50: Henry Ford started his assembly line
- Age 52: Ray Kroc bought and officially started the McDonald’s franchise (Until then he was a milkshake machine salesman)
- Age 55: Picasso painted Guernica
- Age 60: Dom Perignon produced his first champagne
- Age 64: Oscar Hammerstein wrote The Sound of Music
- Age 65: Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of Britain
- Age 71: Nelson Mandela was released from prison
- Age 72: Michelangelo designed the dome for St. Peter’s Basilica
- Age 75: Nelson Mandela was elected South African President
- Age 77: Bahadur Sherchan summits Everest, and makes it back down alive.
- Age 79: Benjamin Franklin invented bifocals
- Age 91: Frank Lloyd Wright completed his work on the Guggenheim Museum
- Age 98: Dimitrion Yordanidis completed a marathon in Athens in 7 hours, 33 minutes
- Age 100: Ichijirou Araya climded Mt. Fuji

Young or old, none of these people’s age had anything to do with what they accomplished. We all have the choice in how we want to live our lives. Some may choose to let their age limit their vision and belief in themselves. I recommend choosing to only act as old as you feel.

Living Miraculously

2009-02-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

Don’t wait for a miracle to happen . . . it has already happened. YOU are the miracle. YOU are the force that makes great things happen. You do not need to wait for some supernatural intervention to get what you want out of life; you just need to intervene yourself. Once you realize this you can begin to live a miraculous life; creating, achieving and experiencing all those things you dream about.

We all have an extraordinary ability within ourselves to accomplish anything we want. World peace IS possible; ending hunger IS possible; elevating the lives of those living in poverty IS possible; nothing is impossible! It just requires a basic understanding that we, as humans, are the driving force behind making all these things happen.

Be the miracle that you are!

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Living with Passion

2009-02-15T15:33:00.001-08:00

Focused, determined and intense; until recently this is how I lived my life. I’ve got to say, it has worked out pretty darn well up to this point. My focus keeps me from veering off the path. Determination keeps me moving forward when challenges arise. But as I reflect, I can’t help but wonder what being intense has done for me?

Somewhere along the way I picked up the idea that intensity is a good thing. From being an athlete to working in sales to running my own businesses, everything in my life has been done with great intensity. With this high level of intensity there have been great efforts. There is nothing wrong with effort, for that is what creates results. But recently I have learned (or better yet, discovered) that there is a difference between effort and too much effort. There is a difference between working hard and working too hard. In each case the latter keeping one from reaching their true potential. How so?

Well the way I see it, with intensity we are rigid. For me personally, I have notice that high levels of intensity create unnecessary stress. It is easy to become overwhelmed and a lot of energy is wasted. With my intensity I tended to take things to the extreme, which was not usually necessary for success. Although it appears that intensity may have helped to move me forward, could it be that is has held me back a bit?

I continue to ponder this question because as more opportunities become available I am noticing my life becoming easier. One might think this is contradictory because usually as our schedules fill our lives become more difficult to manage. (At least this is how it used to be for me). However, there is a difference in what I am doing now than there has been in the past. I am incredibly passionate about everything I am doing right now. The feeling of intensity has been replaced with passion. Because I am so passionate about my life and what I am creating, having such strong conviction in my actions and endeavors; everything is actually become effortless. Right now, I am allowing my passion to guide me; I am flowing. By doing less I am accomplishing more. Instead of me working intensely to become fulfilled, my passion is fulfilling me.

The more I explore my passion, the more passionate I become. I am finding more and more things that I am passionate about. As my plate continues to fill with projects and endeavors, my life is actually getting easier because I am living in my passion. I know now that if something is requiring too much of my efforts, if I begin to feel stressed and/or overwhelmed, it is not something that fits into the puzzle. I only have room for what I am passionate about.

So, now I live my life with focus, determination and passion. I am focused on living my passion and determined to do so for the rest of my life.

.

Self Worth

2009-02-12T13:53:00.000-08:00

What does this mean? How do we measure this?

One of the many lessons I learned from Jim Rohn is that we are all capable of increasing our value, our self-worth. He illustrates this point by talking about increasing our skills to increase our income. It is very true that the skills listed on our resumes can determine the size of our paychecks.

However, like many things we must learn to read between the lines and look deeper into the meaning of Mr. Rohn’s wisdom. On the surface what he offers is extremely important and profound. But it is important that we don’t associate our personal self worth, our value as a human being, with monetary gains or the accumulation of ‘stuff’. This is tough to do in the Western world because prestige and success are commonly measured by bank accounts and real estate.

When I worked in sales, the value of a representative was determined by the number of units sold. Those who sold the most were viewed as being highly valuable reps to have on the team. Managers who’s offices sold the more than others were put an a pedestal. In society we tend to determine one’s value by the amount of ‘stuff’ they have. Hollywood millionaires and billionaire entrepreneurs are looked at with a high level of prestige for having large expensive houses, vehicles, clothing and various other materialistic items.

I see Jim Rohn’s philosophy on increasing one’s value as something much deeper than increasing the back account or adding another Ferrari to the collection. I believe our self-worth and value is determined by the knowledge and wisdom we possess. It has nothing to do with the house we live in or the type of vehicle we drive; it is not about the designer clothes or the high-tech gadgets.

This morning I was thinking about this concept of one’s self worth or value. My take on it is simple, the more we have to offer, the more valuable we are. Therefore, the more we learn the more valuable we become. To me, self worth is measured by one’s wealth of knowledge, not by money or materialistic items.

I believe that we are only as valuable as our contributions to others. Yes, with money we are able to give others ‘stuff’. There are many incredibly wealthy people who contribute significant amounts of money to great charities. This is a wonderful act of kindness that is necessary in the world. The point I’m trying to make is the ‘stuff’ we collect in which society perceives as valuable doesn’t help someone as much as knowledge on how to get the stuff. It is like the old story of giving someone a fish versus teaching someone to fish. So if giving knowledge is more valuable to others, acquiring knowledge is extremely valuable to one’s self.

Now, this is what really blew my mind this morning when I thought a little deeper about this. When we measure our self worth in terms of money and materialistic possessions, if we give these things away, we are in essence lowering our value. This may tend to make us hoard and not share our spoils with others because if we give away our tangibles we are in essence decreasing our value. However, when we measure our self worth by the knowledge we possess, by our wisdom, when we share this with others we do not lose anything. We can give and give and give away our knowledge until we are blue in the face, yet it still remains with us. In fact, by sharing we GAIN more knowledge and wisdom. This is the greatest contradiction in life – by giving we gain! I increase my personal self worth and value by giving what I have to others.

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Living Unhurried

2009-02-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been learning lessons of the Tao Te Ching. I have been reading Dr. Wayne Dyer’s interpretation of the Tao in Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life. Last night I was reading about the 15th verse of the Tao, which Dr. Dyer interprets as living an unhurried life.

Lao-tzu writes:

The ancient masters were profound and subtle,
Their wisdom unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it.
One can only describe them vaguely by their appearance.

Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.
Alert, like men of danger.
Simple as uncarved wood.
Hollow like caves.
Yielding, like ice about to melt.
Amorphous, like muddy water.

But the muddiest water clears
As it is stilled.
And out of stillness
Life arises.

He who keeps the Tao does not want to be full.
But precisely because he is never full,
He can remain like a hidden sprout
And does not rush an early ripening.

This verse is very relevant for me today as I have many exciting things happening in my life right now. I am extremely hard working and driven; however there are times when my ambition gets to a point in which it becomes counter-productive. I am sure many of you can relate to this feeling of becoming overwhelmed.

Through my experiences I have learned that when we become overwhelmed we are living in a state of stress that prohibits us from performing at our full potential. Again, living in this state is non-conducive to our overall goals and objectives. It is important to dream big and pursue goals, but it is equally important to not let the outcome prevent you from enjoying the journey. There is a fine line between working hard and working too hard; between having a lot of exciting things happening and spreading yourself too thin. I constantly remind myself that life is about the journey, not the destination.

This is an important concept because sometimes the destination is not what we expected or envisioned. As long as we enjoyed the journey, learning as much as we can along the way, the destination really becomes irrelevant, right? But if we do not enjoy the pursuit, we are putting all our eggs in one basket. If the end result turns out to be anything other than what was initially sought out, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment.

In his book, Dr. Dyer writes, “You don’t really need to rush or force anything. Get in the flow of life and allow yourself to proceed gently down its stream.”

This is another fine line we must learn to walk. We don’t want to sit in the boat and let the current take us where it chooses. However, we don’t want to work against the current. We can use an oar to work with the current, paddling faster when needed, dodging obstacles as they appear, paddling to the shore to take a break for reflection and to re-energize. Sometimes we need to rest on the shore (take a break from life) and just watch the river flow.

Allow yourself to flow with the life you are creating. Everything that is happening is happening for a reason; everything has its purpose. Live with that flow, keep an open mind and enjoy yourself everyday!

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Pumping the Well

2009-01-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

Back in the day before water was available at the turn of a faucet, people got their water by pumping it from a well. Not as simple as turning on a faucet, but not extremely difficult either, right? However, the water usually didn’t begin to flow after just one pump. If any of you have ever tried to pump water from a well, it takes some time and effort. Usually after the first couple of pumps the only thing that the well produces is some air accompanied with a gurgling sound.

So, you pump, and pump, and pump and pump your little heart out, and still, no water. Finally you throw your hands up in discouragement and say, “That’s it, either the pump is broke or the well has gone dry”. You give up and leave thirsty.

Now, let’s say that there was someone close by watching you pump that well. As soon as you give up on your efforts and leave the pump, this person walks over and begins pumping. You see this and think to yourself, “good luck chump”.

Now here is the kicker, after only a few pumps the water begins to slowly dribble out of the spout. As the water begins to trickle, you also notice that the person is not pumping the well nearly as fast or hard as you were. This person is simply applying slow and steady pressure and the water is flowing plentifully! You can’t believe you’re eyes!!

You rush over to the well, cup at the ready to quench your thirst (which is greater than when you started because you spent so much energy pumping that darn well). However, the person at the well is not so generous and says that you must pay for HIS water. After all, he is the one who got the water to flow, right?

You argue, saying, “No, I was the one who spent all that time pumping the well. You just came along at the end and finished what I started. I did most of the work, not you. You only pumped the well half as long and half as hard as I did . . . if anything I have more right to this water than you!”

The man disagrees and responds with the following retort; “You are right, my friend; you did do most of the work. You are also correct in the fact that I simply came along and finished what you started. However, you are wrong in your thinking that this water belongs to you. As soon as you gave up on your efforts and walked away, you also conceded the benefits of your efforts. Therefore, the rewards belong to me. I simply picked up on what you were unwilling to follow through with.”

As I am thinking about this and putting it into words, I am reflecting on the lessons of the story. The first lesson is pretty obvious . . . don’t give up! There are times in our lives when we are soooo close to getting what we want, but we fail to follow through because it feels like our efforts are not getting us anywhere. We must always remember to never underestimate our efforts. As soon as you give up your efforts, you also give up your rewards. Pumping a well is like many things in life in that continued, persistent effort ultimately leads to success. Some things are a little harder in the beginning; starting an exercise program to lose weight, building a customer base for your new business, going back to school, etc. Like the pump, once the water begins to flow, it is easy to keep it going. The same is true with everything in your life. With persistence and determination our continued efforts, compounded over time, allow us to accomplish great things. Once you have momentum going for you in your life, it is easier for you to maintain a steady pace on your journey to success.

The second lesson that comes to mind is, while it is important to work hard, we must be careful not to work too hard. Now there is nothing wrong with effort, and all good things come with effort and patience. However, it is important to remember than while working hard is important, it is equally important to work smart. What the heck does that mean?

Well, Abraham Lincoln summed it up pretty well by saying “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Obviously it will still require hard work to swing the axe and bring the tree down. By making sure you have a sharp axe, you are avoiding working TOO hard. You see, if we attempt to chop down the tree with a dull axe, we are setting ourselves up for failure, even though our efforts will be great, (trust me, it takes a lot more effort using a dull axe than a sharp one – I learned that lesson through experience!). Maximum effort combined with minimal results leads to discouragement, which often leads to quitting.

Just as priming a pump helps to create the flow of water, continually working on yourself, your goals and growing as an individual will assist you in getting where you want to go. The small, seemingly insignificant things we do on a daily basis really help prepare us for future endeavors. Eating healthy makes exercising easier; building solid relationships helps you build your business in the future; learning to schedule your time efficiently helps when trying to go back to school, etc. These are just a few examples of how you can prime your pump and sharpen your axe for success. At first, the benefits may seem insignificant, but as you move closer towards your goals you will begin to see the benefits of learning to work smart. By doing this we can become more efficient and productive with our efforts, thus giving us more energy and better results!

So, whether you are priming your pump, sharpening your axe or just pumping the well, instead of working TOO hard and giving up . . . work hard, smart and efficiently!!

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Proud to be an American . . . again! (Again :-) )

2009-01-20T20:47:00.000-08:00

In college Political Science was one of my least favorite classes. When it comes to politics I try to limit myself to how involved I get. There have been instances in the past, and will be situations in the future, where my professional progress has and will be limited because of my decision not to get wrapped up in the “politics of business”. Yes, it is important that I have a basic understanding of what’s going on, how certain policies affect everyone and what not. However, I make it a point not to get too concerned with the overwhelming amount of details and views that exist for the mass amount of political issues. I understand that it is impossible to please everyone; I accept that I will not agree with every political decision made 100% of the time.

I preface this post because, as stated, I try not to get too involved with politics and wish not to propagate my own political ideals onto others. However, we have an exciting road ahead of us.

On November 4, 2008, I found myself fighting back tears of joy and relief as Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech to millions of people around the world. Never have I been able to watch someone on television speak with such passion, conviction and hope that chills run through my body. This man moves me, as I am sure he does with many of you. It wasn’t the talk of foreign policy, global warming or fiscal policy that got to me. I was inspired because he showed compassion, understanding and hope for everyone. I was inspired with optimism about Americans working together amongst ourselves, and with nations across the globe to make this a better place for everyone. I was inspired because he genuinely cares about getting back to what matters. I was inspired by a man who was passionate about working for the people of the United States of America and the world at large.

Fast forward to today, January 20, 2009. Watching the inauguration of President Obama was incredibly inspiring, optimistic and a perfect way to start the day! Here are a few thoughts that came to mind as I noted some quotes that came from President Obama’s speech to the world:

“The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history;”

Just as we have chosen the leader of the nation and changed the course of history, we too need to make the choice to be leaders ourselves. While President Obama and his staff work on foreign policy, health care issues and fiscal policies, let’s all work within our own capacities to help write our personal history. Let’s work on our own individual foreign policies; help your neighbor, build relationships, accept others for who they are and looking to others for inspiration and education. Let’s be our own health care providers and work on taking better care of our bodies through exercise and proper nutrition. We can also work on our individual fiscal policies by being careful not to live beyond our means; saving instead of spending; donating instead of wasting. If we choose our better history on an individual basis, we will play a major part in choosing a better history for the world.

“. . . greatness is never a given. It must be earned.”

Maya Angelou once quoted “nothing will work unless you do”; so profound, yet true. We must remember not to expect others to solve our problems. We don’t want to rely on others to fill our pockets with pennies and our bellies with bread. Yes, we have an outstanding individual who will help lead us back to prosperity. President Obama may help to open new doors, create new opportunities and make certain things more accessible to many. He may act as a beacon in the dark so we know which direction to point our ship, but it is up to each of us, individually and collectively, to work on keeping the ship pointed in the right direction. We are all captains, we are all crew members . . . we are all earning our greatness.

“They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions . . . a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. . . “

With all our individual aspirations and accomplishments we must remember that what we create and do for others is more important than what we do for ourselves. Our achievements are trivial, our triumphs are petty and our victories are insignificant if not done in the spirit of helping others. Yes, happiness, health and success is important on an individual basis. But the best way to attain these individually is to help others become healthy, happy and successful.

“Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”

This is not about being a Democrat or Republican. It doesn’t matter if you are pro-war or against it. It doesn’t matter if you are pro-choice or not. It doesn’t matter if you are black, brown, white or purple. It doesn’t matter if you pray to Jesus, Allah, Buddha or the man in the moon. We now have a leader who understands that not everyone will have the same beliefs and points of views. This is an important trait in a leader because that message will cascade from the top down. It is ok for you to not agree with your neighbor, whether next door or across the border. With all of our differences we CAN become a world united around peace, prosperity and happiness. We CAN write a better history for the generations to come. We all have an extraordinary opportunity to come together as one human race.

This is an exciting time to be alive!

Being Flexible

2009-01-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

I rarely watch the news on television. In fact, the only time I really catch anything from the talking heads on TV is when I am in the gym locker room. Every now and then the television will be tuned to CNN, CNBC or some other Negative Events Within Society station.

For some reason some of the news images that stand out in my mind are those on reports of hurricanes in the Gulf regions. Right now as I am writing this I am chuckling as I picture some poor field reporter standing in the middle of a category three hurricane, trying to report what is happening while his yellow poncho flaps violently about. The palm trees display the force of the wind because they are bent in large crescents, some with the palm branches actually touching the ground.

Usually once the storm has passed, the film crew is back on scene with the reporter detailing the devastation that was left behind. The camera shows us flooded streets, demolished homes and overturned vehicles. What’s interesting in the aftermath of a hurricane is that the palm trees are still standing. The high-speed winds caused telephone poles to splinter and break and metal sign posts to bend and fall, yet the palm trees remain rooted – strong.

It is the flexibility of the palm trees that keep them from breaking in the storm. The trees flexibility is what allows them to stand strong after a hurricane. This is something that I continually remind myself of as I journey through life. In order for me to withstand the storms of life, I need to be flexible and bend, sometimes all the way to the ground, in order to stand tall once the storm has cleared. Being rigid in my beliefs, thoughts and emotions will leave me weakened and bent like the rigid telephone poles and street signs. Failing to see another person’s point of view will leave my mind flooded with arrogance which is bound to drown my promise, just as the streets are left flooded after the storm. Like houses and other seemingly strong structures, reciprocating harsh and destructive energy will reduce you and others to rubble.

Instead I will be accepting to others points of view; considerate, thoughtful and understanding towards others beliefs; and I will offer kindness and compassion when approached with aggression. Instead of becoming defensive and fighting, I will remain calm and relaxed. I have released my ego and now I feel like there is nothing for me to prove to anyone. I find it more liberating to let go of an argument than feeling the need to win one. I want to remain open to all possibilities and leave room for love, success and happiness to enter my world. When you trouble yourself with resentment, hate, envy and other toxic emotions you are using valuable space and energy for more positive emotions.

My good friend is studying the art of Aikido. From our conversations about what he is learning, I have learned that one of the foundational keys to learning the art is learning how to direct energy. It is not about you creating more energy or using your energy; it is about using the energy created by your opponent and directing that energy where you want it to go. In essence, your opponent’s strength becomes your strength. This is what being flexible is about.

No matter what life throws at you, learn how to be flexible and remain steady, complete and unbroken, just like a palm tree in a hurricane.

Who’d of thought we can lean so much from a tree! :-)

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T.E.A.M. - Together Everyone Achieves More.

2009-01-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

Most great accomplishments can not be achieved by an individual alone. Even great artists such as Michelangelo relied on a team of people; patrons, assistants and craftsmen. If Michelangelo had not had his team to build scaffolding, mix paint, set plaster, clear debris, etc. we may not have the privilege of standing in the Sistine Chapel today looking up in awe and amazement.

What is a team? It is a group of people working together in order to achieve a common goal or objective.

Here are some important characteristics of a well developed team:

- Positive environment – This is the most important aspect of a team. Just as a bad apple can spoil a bowl of fruit, poor attitudes can be detrimental to achieving success.
- Find people doing things right – Bring you fellow teammates up and encourage each other.
- Help each other in overcoming obstacles – Don’t let obstacles deter you from hitting your goals. A team is a support system!
- Go out of your way to help a teammate – Recognize when your teammate needs help, and lend a hand; even if you are not the one who will get credit. (Although you may not be the one to score, you should still set a screen for the point guard and open up the path to the basket.)

On a team, individuals score, but the entire team is credited with the victory.

The greatest achievements are those that benefit others. Each one of us has the ability to do our part in helping others. It doesn’t matter if you sell products, provide services, are part of a community organization or sports team; there are many opportunities to enrich not only their lives, but the lives of others. We all have the opportunity to create success stories for ourselves and others.

I want to thank everyone I know for being who you are. Whether you believe it or not, you all enrich my life and the lives of others around you. Family, co-workers, clients, mentors, apprentices and teammates . . . you are all friends! Life is a beautiful thing and it is great to share every experience with all of you.

Carpe Diem my friends!

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Chasing Dreams

2008-12-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Every night we go to bed and have the possibility of dreaming. Every morning when we wake up we have the possibility of making our dreams come true. Each new day brings us the opportunity to pursue our dreams, passions and goals. Every time we get out of bed we have the possibility of turning what we dreamed the night before into a reality.

The possibility of having a dream come true is what makes life exciting.

Some people are afraid to pursue their dreams because they fear failure or disappointment. Because of this, they choose to only dream. Something that I strongly believe in is that there really is no such thing as failure. To be completely honest, there have been many endeavors in my life that I have not seen through to fruition. There have been things I have set out to accomplish that simply did not work out, or if they did the final picture was quite different than what I had originally expected. I just chalk those experiences up as being “one of those things”. The great thing is that I always learned something. As long as we are learning, we are successful. Everything I’ve learned, including what I’ve learned about myself has helped me with future endeavors.

Fear also comes from knowing that in pursuing your dream you may lose everything you’ve won. Chasing a dream often means letting go of something that you already have. Everything has its opportunity cost. A classic example is giving up your steady 9-5 job to live your passion in another career. A large majority of people choose to give up their dreams simply because they are afraid to lose the ‘steady’ paycheck that come in each month. Keep in mind that the paycheck is only steady as long as the company isn’t sold or shut down. For most of us, this is out of our control.

I recently read a book called The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. The book is about a young boy who is contemplating selling his herd of sheep to pursue his dream of traveling to Egypt to find treasure. As most of us do, the boy goes over the pros, cons and consequences he may face from making the decision to chase his dream. One thing he keeps telling himself throughout the book is that he can always go back to being a shepherd. Just like the boy in the book, we can always go back to what is 'safe' once we step outside of our comfort zones.

Also, once a dream is accomplished, there is fear in that there will be no reason to go on. This was a concern for some astronauts who made it to the moon. What’s left after you’ve been to the moon, right? The problem with this fear is that the dream is being viewed as an end result. It is important to have the proper perspective when chasing a dream. Focus on the pursuit of the dream, what we learn, who we become, how we grow. In reality, all of these things are the end result. It is not about actually landing on the moon. It is about the feelings that are experienced when on the moon. Once you’ve felt something you can always get it back. This is why it is important to keep dreaming!

When you pursue a dream you are subjecting yourself to persistence and courage. Remember, you can always go back to being a shepherd. But there may only be a small window of opportunity available for you to pursue your dreams.

Perspective

2008-12-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

My father sent this story to me this morning. I am not sure who the original author is, but I thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy!

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the
trip?'

'It was great, Dad.'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.

'Oh yeah,' said the son.

'So, tell me, what you learned from the trip?' asked the father

The son answered:

'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing?

Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

Appreciate every single thing you have!

Your Personal Vocabulary

2008-12-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

I think most of us are familiar with the phrase “Attitude is Everything”. I agree with this simple, yet profound statement. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do; your attitude has a direct influence on results. Those of us who are optimistic have an easier time finding happiness. Success is more attracted to those with a positive attitude. A healthy mind-set helps lead the way to a healthy lifestyle. Happiness, health and success are more attainable and realistic with a positive outlook on life. But what determines attitude?

Our actions have a great deal to do with our attitude. What we do on a daily basis has an effect on how we feel. But I think attitude management comes even before our actions. It all starts with out thoughts. And really our thoughts are nothing more than words or phrases we say to ourselves. Because of this, our attitudes are really determined by the words we think and speak.

Changing your vocabulary can increase the quality of your life. Dr. Wayne Dyer wrote a book titles, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life. It’s so true. This is because our thoughts create action (or non-action). Our action, or non-action, produces some sort of result, which in turn gives us a feeling; happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, etc. It is our feelings, how we feel in the present moment, which determines our future thoughts, actions and results. So the goal is to produce thoughts that allow us to act in a way that produces positive results. And the circle continues. This is the process of developing a positive attitude and an optimistic outcome for your life.

Here is the greatest thing about developing a positive attitude. Because it starts with your thoughts, which are nothing more than words or phrases, all you need to do is slightly change your vocabulary. When you change your vocabulary, you are in essence changing your perspective. The perspective is changed from looking down to looking up, forward instead of back. Here are some examples of life changing vocabulary:

Replace “Mistake and Failure” with “Learning Opportunity” and “Lessons”
Instead of viewing something as a mistake, change your perspective and look at it as an opportunity to learn. They say that the greatest success comes to those who make the most ‘mistakes’. This is because they have had more learning experiences and lessons than others. If you want to increase your success, double your rate of mistakes and begin viewing them as learning opportunities.

Replace “Difficult” with “Challenging”
The English language is amazing. There are so many words that essentially carry the same meaning but have a different psychological effect on our attitudes. Instead of using the word ‘difficult’ to describe something, try using the word ‘challenging’. I love to do this because when I view something as a challenge, I am excited to accept and rise above it; overcoming a challenge is rewarding. Also, the word challenge creates action – you can take on a challenge, you can overcome a challenge, you can defeat a challenge, you can conquer, triumph over and surmount a challenge.

It also creates specificity. For example, one may say that it is difficult to be in a loving relationship. That statement is too vague. It is too general and makes the issue larger than it is. A forward-thinking person is able to recognize and work on the one or two challenges that the relationship is experiencing. Whether that be spending quality time around busy schedules or effectively communicating to a loved one. The bigger picture is broken down into something smaller and more manageable.

It doesn’t matter what it is, by changing one word we are able to identify a specific issue, put it into perspective and take action on overcoming. Simply saying something is difficult doesn’t have the same effect.

Replace “Setbacks” with “Opportunities to Grow”
No matter what path or journey you are on, you should never view something as a setback. There are things that come along that may delay your attainment of an ultimate goal. However, what one may view as a setback is viewed as an opportunity to grow by another. Overcoming adversities are what allow us to grow. Welcome these opportunities to grow with open arms because once you stop growing you stop living.

Replace “Try” with “Do”
“Do or not do . . . there is no try”. Enough said. Well put Yoda!

Replace “Can’t” with “Can”
‘Can’t’ is probably the most pessimistic word out there and will actually damage your confidence. The more you tell yourself you can’t do certain things, the more you begin to believe it. Conversely, saying ‘I can’ will make you believe that you can.

I experienced this today in my cycling class. This was probably one of the toughest routines that I have been through in the class. The final 4 minuets of the class were excruciating. ‘Can’t’ was trying to creep into my thoughts and rob me of my potential. Instead of giving in to the thought of “I can’t go on” and stopping the pedals, I kept telling myself “I can get through this. I can finish strong.” Before I knew it, the workout was over and I was victorious. You see, the physical fight was easy. It was the mental fight that almost kept me from finishing.

One little three letter word is all it takes to turn your pessimism into optimism and help you realize your true potential. I can; we can; you can!

Replace “Should” with “Will”
There is no commitment in the word ‘should’. Commitment is a line one must cross. It is the difference between dreaming and doing. Instead of saying “I should workout”, “I should read”, “I should eat right”, say “I will all of the above”. Commit yourself to living a positive, productive and healthy lifestyle.

Replace “Hate” with “Love”
This is the most important word replacement you will make. Focus on what you love rather than what you dislike. Don’t hate the weather; don’t hate the traffic; don’t hate the holiday crowds. Save your hate for the true evils in life. We don’t encounter much worth hating on a daily basis to make this a key word in our vocabularies. When you focus mainly on what you love, you will find it easy to create happiness for yourself. Spend a day practicing replacing your hate with love. When something you would normally ‘hate’ creeps into your mind, instantly replace that thought with something you love. This is attitude management at its best!

Attitude is everything!

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Goals . . . What’s the point?

2008-12-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I had the privilege of sharing some thoughts and ideas with my good friend and mentor. For the most part our conversation was focused on goals. Not necessarily setting goals for ourselves or monitoring our own progress; the conversation was a little broader than that.

The wisdom of my friend coupled with my own learning and self-discovery brought us to a profound and important theory on goals. You see, it isn’t all about hitting the one major goal you set out to achieve. Life is too unpredictable, flexible and exciting to be too focused on that one major endeavor. The point of setting an ultimate goal in any area in your life is to enjoy the experience along the way. It is all about what you learn, who you meet, the lives you change and the person you become. As Joe said, it is not about achieving xyz, it’s about the path to xyz that make the goal worth while. You’ve got to enjoy the pursuit!

I don’t want to underestimate the power and importance of goal setting and striving for achievement. I also don’t want to come across as though I am encouraging quitting when you are close. My main point is that we need to make sure we are not getting too caught up with the end result. Setting goals is much bigger than that; it is more about how to use the goal to enhance your quality of life. Think of goals simply as a carrots dangling on a stick in front of us. If we are truly motivated we will find a way to get that darned carrot! However, there are some goals that we are not going to reach. Yet we don’t know this until we go through the experience and discover for ourselves that the aspiration may be a little out of out realm. (This discovery comes only with effort). So, we re-evaluate and reflect on the experience that brought us to the present state.

If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's OK. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot. – Confucius

When it comes to pursuing a goal, once you make one move towards the target you have achieved success. From there on you have no chance of failure or defeat. You have succeeded; you have BEGUN. Heck, by just setting a goal you have done more than 90% of the population; that counts for something, right?

Something else to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as a “set back”. Challenges: yes! But challenges do not set you back. If you take anything from reading this post, please take this; CHALLENGES SET YOU FORWARD! These are nothing more than speed bumps in your road to success. Obstacles allow for instant evaluation of your progress, growth and learning. Once a challenge is overcome, it accelerates your pace as you continue towards your target. Exciting, huh?

So, what’s the point? Here it is; the best way to learn, grow and enhance your personal, professional and physical life is to set goals in each of these areas. Setting and pursuing goals is all about constant and never-ending improvement. In Japan you may hear a single word spoken for “constant and never-ending improvement”. That word is “Kaizen. This is a combination of the words Kai and Zen. In this case, “kai” meaning “change” and “zen” meaning “good”. Hmmmm – change is good. :-)

Tony Robbins developed an acronym for us in the west - CANI - which stands for Constant and Never-ending Improvement. Thanks to him, it is simple for us to remember why we set goals in life. Ultimately, it is not about winning the race or being the top sales rep in the company. When you start to question whether or not you should set a goal, and what setting that goal will do for you, think CANI!

My best to you on your journey!

.

Abilities and Choices

2008-12-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Some people are blessed with great talent. Whatever talent it may be, it usually gives them the ability to perform at levels higher than others. For example, some people are naturally talented in athletics or a specific sport. Typically, the naturally gifted athletes in the world don’t require as much training as others simply because their bodies are built differently.

Also, some people have a natural ability to lead and motivate groups of people. People who are by nature very charismatic and enthusiastic can easily have an influence on others. Many executives, coaches and parents seek professional assistance to learn this ability; which comes as a natural gift to others.

There are many other talents in many areas of life. We can all learn anything to a certain extent, but for those who are blessed with natural abilities in a particular area have an amazing opportunity for success. The key word in that last sentence is ‘opportunity’. You see, being talented in a certain area does not guarantee someone success. One of the major keys to success in anything is using an ability we all share; the ability to CHOOSE.

We all have one ability in common; the ability to choose.

That’s right; this is one of the few things that we all share in common (at least all of us who are living in the free world). We all have the ability to choose whether or not we are going to use our talents to our advantage; we all have the ability to choose our own path in life; we all have the ability to choose to change our minds.

It is not our talents or abilities that determine who we are in life; it is our choices. Are your choices creating the life you desire?

What are you leaving behind?

2008-11-19T08:41:00.000-08:00

Here is something I’ve learned – Our actions matter! No matter how insignificant something we say or do may seem, it does have an influence on people around us.

A few months ago my fiancée and I were visiting Monterey. What a beautiful city that is. We spent a lot of time strolling along the coast line, catching the excitement at the wharf and walking down Cannery Row. We also made it a point to visit the amazing Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Maritime Museum. One evening we were walking back to our hotel after dinner and we passed a woman sitting on the street curb. She had obviously fallen on hard times and was asking everyone who passed by for whatever change they could spare for a cup of coffee or a slice of pizza.

There were some people who were throwing dollar bills down as they passed, although not taking the time to make eye contact. No words were spoken as they passed. Others simply ignored the woman, as if she wasn’t even there. Failing to make eye contact, let alone offer some change.

I didn’t have any money on me so I offered her what I could; I acknowledged her presence, gave a friendly hello and a sincere smile. Now don’t get me wrong, my actions did not cease this woman’s hunger. It is doubtful that my gesture helped to turn this woman’s life around. However, I believe that it did give her a sense of warmth inside because I could see the appreciation on her face. I could tell in those few seconds that she felt grateful to be acknowledged as a human being. Although my smile and “hello” to the woman seemed insignificant to me, I could tell that it was much more to her.

My short yet profound encounter with the lady in Monterey reminded me of a valuable life lesson; all of us have something valuable to offer others and there are many opportunities to share. After all, life is all about people and the relationships we build. Smile at the beggar on the street, wave to your neighbors, let the car on the highway merge in front of you, tell your co-workers how great they are, let your friends know how much you value their relationship, and so on and so on and so on . . . You will notice a sense of joy reciprocated immediately back to you.

Just as my interaction with the beggar in Monterey may have brightened her spirits, even if only for a few minutes, you have the ability to influence everyone around you in a positive way.

The fragrance of the rose lingers on the hand that casts it.
– William Shakespeare

Transformations and Changes

2008-11-18T08:36:00.001-08:00

For months leading up to the historic Presidential election, there was a lot of focus on change. On November 4th, 2008 the people of the United States of America set out and voted on what is bound to be a major transformation for the country and world as a whole.

The election really got me thinking about how important it is to recognize, adapt to and accept change. We should not fight the important transformations that happen in our life. If anything we should welcome change with open arms and open minds. Change often means heading in a new direction, one that you may not be quite as comfortable with as the path you are currently on. That is normal. Breaking out of that comfort zone for the right reasons will make you a better person. Becoming a better person individually will enable you to spread health, happiness and success to others.

On a personal level I am continually transforming my physical, professional and personal life. I continue to establish new relationships as well as strengthen current ones. I continue to build my arsenal of skills while pursuing other opportunities and endeavors. As each day passes I adapt to the physical changes I experience and listen to what my body needs to function at its highest capacity. The more I experiment, the more I experience. Becoming a well-rounded person and having the ability to relate a little to everyone I meet is my ultimate goal in life.

We all get to certain points in our lives where we can continue to go through the motions, perhaps even with a certain level of contentment, and never look to broaden our horizons. There are many junctions in our lives that can take us in countless directions. I am not saying that we should always veer off the path we are on. At the very least, I am asking that we recognize the forks in the road and consider visiting new destinations. You can always go back to the roads you are familiar with.

Once we stop learning we stop growing; once we stop growing we stop living!

.

Proud to be an American . . . again!

2008-11-18T08:18:00.000-08:00

In college Political Science was one of my least favorite classes. When it comes to politics I try to limit myself to how involved I get. There have even been instances in the past, and will be situations in the future, where my professional progress has and will be limited because of my decision not to get wrapped up in the “politics of business”. Yes, it is important that I have a basic understanding of what’s going on, how certain policies affect everyone and what not. However, I make it a point not to get too concerned with the overwhelming amount of details and views that exist for the mass amount of political issues. I understand that it is impossible to please everyone; I accept that I will not agree with every political decision made 100% of the time.

I preface this post because, as stated, I try not to get too involved with politics and wish not to propagate my own political ideals onto others. However, we have an exciting road ahead of us. For the last eight years America has been living with a “Don’t mess with Texas” mentality. No offence to the proud people of Texas, but that approach is not healthy and has not worked on a global scale.

On November 4, 2008, I found myself fighting back tears of joy and relief as Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech to millions of people around the world. Never have I been able to watch someone on television speak with such passion, conviction and hope that chills run through my body. This man moves me, as I am sure he does with many of you. It wasn’t the talk of foreign policy, global warming or fiscal policy that got to me. I was inspired because he who showed compassion, understanding and hope for everyone. I was inspired with optimism about Americans working together amongst ourselves, and with nations across the globe to make this a better place for everyone. I was inspired because he genuinely cares about getting back to what matters. I was inspired by a man who was passionate about working for the people of the United States of America and the world at large.

I do not speak of President Elect Obama in terms of politics. Just as I often reference other leaders such as President Kennedy, Henry Ford, Jim Rohn, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., I feel the same about Obama. He is the new leader of this great country we live in.

This is not about Democrat or Republican. It doesn’t matter if you are pro-war or against it. It doesn’t matter if you are pro-choice or not. It doesn’t matter if you are black, brown, white or purple. It doesn’t matter if you pray to Jesus, Allah, Buddha or the man in the moon. We now have a leader who understands that not everyone will have the same beliefs and points of views. This is an important trait in a leader because that message will cascade from the top down. It is ok for you to not agree with your neighbor, whether next door or across the border. We all have an extraordinary opportunity to come together as one human race.

This is an exciting time to be alive!

.

It’s your life . . .

2008-10-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

. . . you get out what you put in!

I noticed something interesting this morning. I almost talked myself out of going on a run this morning. I was up late last night because I was busy doing some work on my computer and my brain was tired from the night before. I also had a pretty busy day planned, so the thought of resting another 30-45 minutes was tempting. I actually caught myself giving ridiculous reasons for why I should skip the run.

Does this ever happen to you? Are you getting as much as you can out of the things you do? Sometimes it is too easy to sell ourselves short, cut corners or simply take the things we do in life for granted. It is easy to talk ourselves into skipping a workout today because we can make-up for it tomorrow. There have been moments in my past where I have fallen into the trap of taking the easy street.

You can only reap what you sow.

In anything we do in life, whether personal, professional or physical, our rewards and results will always be proportionate to the effort, work and passion we put into something. It is not only about doing the ‘stuff’ at work, home and the gym. It is also about the intensity in which you do the ‘stuff’.

If you only exercise one hour a week, you are only going to have one hour-a-week results. And if during that hour you spend most of your time resting, chatting with the opposite sex or drinking water, your results will suffer even more. Your results will vary with the intensity in which you exercise. If you want six-pack abs, you’ve got to do the sit-ups!

How did I feel after the run? Great! That 30 minute run created more energy for me than another hour of sleeping would have. I got to get out and experience the calm and cool morning air before the hustle and bustle of the weekend came to life. You see the run this morning was not only about the benefits to my physical health, but to my mental and spiritual health as well. Yes, my elation came at a price; getting up instead of sleeping in. But the pay-off for getting up to start my day was far greater than the price. What a difference in the day from deciding to get out of bed and experience life!

I don’t want to live my life just ‘going through the motions’. When someone asks me how I’m doing I don’t want my response to be “I’m getting by”. I do not want to take my life for granted. Instead I choose to put in some extra effort into my relationships, my work and my health each day. I don’t expect something for nothing. I know I won’t get six-pack abs without doing the sit-ups. I understand the benefits of tomorrow come from the work I do today.

Do you need a title to be a leader?

2008-10-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Some may answer this question with an affirmative ‘yes’. At work, one may think that being a subordinate to another person limits them from playing a leadership role within the company. In the sporting world, some athletes may feel that it is either the coach or the ‘star players’ job to lead the team to victory. Society may have led you to believe that status and wealth are what give someone the ability to make a positive difference in the world. I have to respectfully disagree with people who believe in these philosophies.

In fact, I will even go as far to say that those who believe a title determine leadership are completely missing the point of what makes a TRUE leader. If you require recognition, a higher salary or a fancy title printed on business cards to act as a leader, you will not be able to fully reach the potential of a great leader. You may have a certain level of success, but this success will be limited. This type of leadership is counter-productive because it is fueled by ego. Ego is the enemy of leadership because it only cares about the “I”. Successful leaders don’t focus on “I”, “me” and “my”. A true leader’s number one focus is “you”, “them” and “us”.

For about 5 years I worked as a Sales Manager for a direct selling/marketing company. Essentially my job was to recruit a team of people and train them to set up appointments and sell the products in people’s home. Like many direct sales jobs, the company was known to have a relatively high turn-over rate. Some managers in the company had a ‘churn and burn’ mentality. I won’t deny that this style of management had a certain level of success. But their success was associated with personal recognition, personal commissions and personal incentives. This is not leadership; it is personal success at the expense of others. Quantity over quality does not create a conducive atmosphere.

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business” – Henry Ford

I learned very quickly, (from my manager at the time, currently my fiancée), that it was important not to think about what I would gain from the sales people’s success. Yes, it was important for us to have office goals and incentives to strive for, but we couldn’t allow those personal incentives be the main motivating factor. Instead, we had to focus on each individual representative’s needs and desires. For the most part, we had a smaller team than many of the other offices, and because of this our overall sales volume was not as high as some of the larger offices. However, we did have some of the highest numbers in volume per rep and retention rates. People stayed with us longer and sold more individually than reps in other offices. Because of this, we were able to keep up with, and even beat some of the larger teams in overall sales.

Every week we would be sure to recognize as many people as we could, some for seemingly small accomplishments and others for great milestones. At the end of each campaign and/or year we sat in the back of the conference rooms and watched our representatives collect their trophies and get their recognition for a job well done. I remember Dan, Chris and Jackie, three of our top reps who I am still close friends with, accepting their hard-earned awards for the end of the year. Whenever the office collected a trophy, we made sure that each rep was able to share in the success. The trophies were always attributed to the hard work and efforts of each individual on the team. We knew the benefit of putting extra time and one-on-one attention to each individual. We understood that our success was a by-product of helping other people become successful.

Today as I write this, I am no longer a Sales Manager; the title is gone. I have no sales reps looking to me for guidance. Does this mean I am no longer a leader? How can I be a leader if there is no one to lead? Is there nothing for people to gain from me taking initiative and putting other people’s incentives ahead of my own? Of course not! You see, the leadership skills I learned did not leave with the title. Those are mine! As long as I continue to use the skills I will always be a leader. I don’t need a title, commission or recognition to be a leader.

It is important to understand that being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean you are leading a nation, company or athletic team. It means doing what 90% of other people don’t do. It means taking initiative and helping others. Leadership can be learned, but I also believe that we all have a natural leader somewhere inside of us. And everyday we are presented with opportunities to let our leadership shine.

Tomorrow as you go through your day, see if you are able to recognize the opportunities that come along where you have the chance to be a leader. Don’t let your ego talk you out of going out of your way to help someone or step beyond your comfort zone. It is natural for your ego to discourage you from doing something that is uncomfortable. The feeling of discomfort is what damages the ego. Your ego isn’t intelligent enough to realize that in the grand scheme of things, being a TRUE leader in life is what creates true happiness and success for you and those around you.

Simple, Basic, Elementary . . .

2008-10-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

Simple, Basic and Elementary; that was the mantra repeated throughout the session. Last night a couple of co-workers took me to a high intensity body conditioning class. The class was made up of various stations and routines that we were to work through for an hour straight. Between each station there were variations of lower-body workouts to be performed; with each one increasing in intensity as the class progressed.

As fatigue set in and the burning in muscles amplified it became more important to focus on the simplicity of the movements. When thoughts like ‘I don’t know how much more of this I can take’ started creeping in the instructor was there to remind us how simple, basic and elementary the exercise was. Having that reminder enable me us to focus on the movements, not the aches and fatigue. When we start to think of the discomfort, the sweat, the exhaustion and so on, we mentally make what we are doing more complicated than it is. Mentally we bring in elements that have nothing to do with the movements themselves. I caught myself several times thinking about more than just the movements. Luckily I was able to catch myself, stop for a second, regroup and refocus on how simple, basic and elementary the exercise really was. Because of this I was able to get a great workout that made my time worthwhile (thanks to my friends for introducing me to the class!). :)

As I was driving home after the class, I thought about how this concept should be applied to our everyday lives. In all areas of our lives, whether you are exercising, running a company, raising a family, etc., it is easy to make things more complicated than they really are. Sometimes we tend to believe that complexity increase the value of the things we do. It is a common fallacy to believe that if something is simple, basic and elementary there must not be much benefit to it.

Most people would agree that hopping on one leg or doing knee lifts are very rudimentary activities. Most people are fully capable of performing these simple, basic and elementary movements. And yes, doing either of these once or twice probably doesn’t seem like it is going to be very effective. However, these activities, along with similar rudimentary activities, performed continuously for an hour straight lead to a pretty darn good workout. This goes for anything in life; simple disciplines repeated over an extended period of time amount to success. You just have to keep doing what is simple.

I heard Jim Rohn speak about this philosophy a few years ago. He used the analogy of eating an apple a day to increase your overall health. It is true that if you eat an apple today you will not feel much different tomorrow. But when you eat an apple the next day, and the next day, and the day after that, week after week, month after month, now you begin to notice something. There are no complicated diet plans or complex supplements. It is the uncomplicated discipline of eating an apple a day. Simple, Basic and Elementary.

I encourage you to apply this philosophy to the personal, professional and physical areas of your life. Break everything down and focus on the simple things you can do on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis that will make living your life more efficient and productive. At work, it is not about answering all of you emails at as soon as possible; it is about simply answering one at a time. At home, it is not about doing everything in the book to be a perfect parent; it is about providing your children with the basic necessities, love and care that they need. In regards to your health, it is not about following complicated diets and counting calories; it is about the elemental process of getting your body moving. And if you continue to focus on that which is Simple, Basic and Elementary you are able to perform at your maximum.

Don’t make life more complicated than it is.

.

Take Inventory

2008-09-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I was talking with my fiancée about all the ‘stuff’ happening around us. We are living in a time of climate change, economic and political uncertainty and unstable world affairs. With all the negativity surrounding us it is important, today more than ever, to keep your focus in life on the correct things. Yes, it is important to keep an eye on the big picture. However, as individuals we must be very careful to not fall into the pit of negativity and trepidation. We must move forward, perhaps making some minor adjustments in our plans, and continually strive to live happy, healthy and successful lives.

Taking inventory of all the good stuff we have in life is a key component in the pursuit of success in our personal, professional and physical lives. I call this taking Personal Positive Inventory (PPI). Doing this on a daily basis really helps to keep things in perspective. It is so important for us to train our minds in a way that we always reflect on the positive and never dwell on the negative.

Reflecting on my PPI on a daily or weekly basis helps me to realize how wonderful my life really is. This provides somewhat of a shield to the negativity around me. It also helps to inspire and motivate me to continue doing things that bring happiness and fulfillment into my life. And it doesn’t take long. A few minutes of reflection while driving to work, sitting in the steam room or lounging in my living room is all it takes. In fact these events are what sometimes trigger my reflection.

Driving to work often leads me to reflect on everything positive in my Professional Life. For example, here are a few thoughts that cross my mind and keep me moving in the right direction in regards to my professional life:

- I have a job that supports my current lifestyle
- I get along great with all my colleagues
- My co-workers and managers recognize the value I bring to the company
- I get to utilize various skills I have acquired throughout the years
- I continue to learn new skills, thus always increasing my value
- I work with and meet a very diverse group of people from all over the world
- The company I work for provides financial education so our customers can potentially change their lives for the better, thus putting them in positions to help others change their lives as well.
- And the list goes on . . .

After a tough workout I like to relax for a while in the steam room. Doing this often leads me to reflect on everything positive in my Physical Life. Again, here are some examples of why I continue to move forward in my physical endeavors and well being:

- I am grateful that I have no major physical limitations
- I am grateful that I have no major illness or disease
- The above two reasons motivate me to continue to take care of my body
- I live in an area where I can enjoy activities such as running, tennis, mountain biking, kayaking or any other outdoor activity
- Parks, gyms and tennis courts are in convenient locations to where I live
- I am grateful that exercise and athletics became part of my lifestyle at an early age
- I am educated enough to know what is healthy and what is harmful to my body (and wise enough to intake the healthy over the harmful)
- So on and so fourth

As for my Personal Life, it is easy to be sitting at home and think of all that is good. Here are some of the good things I like to think about:

- I have a wonderful, loving relationship with my fiancée
- I have a great family (both immediate and extended family)
- I have great relationships that I continue to build with my friends
- I love the state, county, city, area, and house where I live
- My life is full of activities that I love to do
- My dogs are always excited to see me
- I get to control my own destiny
- I can go on for pages, but these are some of the most important

You can see why it is hard for me to get too caught up in the negative ‘stuff’ that media and others try to impose on me. By taking PPI it is a lot easier for me to stay focused on MY goals and not let circumstances control my life. I recommend that you spend 10 minutes today to take your Personal Positive Inventory. I guarantee that after only 10 minutes of writing, you will realize the overall big picture is a good one.

Generally speaking, my life has not been much different that anyone else. I have been up and down; I have gained and I have lost; I have laughed and I have cried. I doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, what you have or what you don’t have. I promise you this; the sun will rise tomorrow and bring us a new day. And you will wake up to the new day, everyday for the rest of your life. In the grand scheme of things, that is what really matters the most.

Carpe Diem . . . And Live Happy!

.

Task Management

2008-09-24T09:15:00.001-07:00

Last week at work was one of those hectic weeks we all have from time to time. I found myself to be extremely busy and somewhat overloaded with tasks. It seemed that for every one email I cleared out of my inbox, three or four more came in. I felt like I worked more hours than usual but actually didn’t really accomplish anything. Simply put, it was a one step forward, two steps back sort of week.

The weekend came and I had some time to reflect on the week that was. I knew that on Monday I would face the challenge of playing catch-up for what I wasn’t able to get done the previous week. In addition, to playing catch-up, I still needed to move forward and tackle the tasks at hand for the upcoming week. As I thought about it more, I came to a very simple realization; something that I used to teach sales people and managers when I was a Development Manager. I was mistaking my activity for accomplishment.

This is a mistake people often make. As a Development Manager for a sales company, I had to constantly remind the sales people that filing their paper work was not what would make them successful. Yes it is important to be organized. The problem is that a lot of people would shuffle their papers at prime times when they could have been calling or visiting prospective buyers. Although filing papers is technically a work activity, it is not the type of activity that produces results. It is a one step forward two steps back type of task.

When you feel overwhelmed in any area of your life, there are three types of tasks you can focus your attention on; the important stuff, the urgent stuff, or the important AND urgent stuff.

Important – Must be done in order to accomplish an overall objective.
Urgent – Should be done as soon as possible, but not imperative to an overall goal or objective.
Important and Urgent – Must be done immediately because the effect of putting off will have negative consequences.

On Monday I focused first on what was urgent and important. For example, my company is hosting an online webinar next week. In order to fulfill the seminar to a large number of students, we had to rent a special online meeting room to host the webinar. Because of the tight timeline we had, it was both important and urgent for me to get the ball rolling and secure the online meeting room. Ever hour that I would have put this task off could have potentially jeopardized the fulfillment of the webinar.

Once I got all my important and urgent tasks off hand, I then began to take care of my important tasks that were not necessarily urgent. I have a number of projects that I am working on and each project has a number of important elements. It was imperative that I focus on the most important pieces of each project so they would continue to move forward. Putting off the important stuff can create more stress because as a deadline approaches unfinished important tasks also become urgent. Focusing on the important stuff should take up about 80% of your time. If you find yourself always doing things that are urgent, you should consider brushing up on your time management and scheduling.

Lastly I focused on what was urgent, yet not so important. In my job, I get a lot of one-off requests and assignments. Answering emails is something that is urgent, but not necessarily important. Yes, I need to respond to each of my emails as soon as I can. But it is also important not to let the urgency of answering numerous emails get me off track. I can easily scan my inbox every half our or so and determine which emails are more important than others.

Being able to prioritize my time this way helped me to be much more efficient in my work. Although I am still playing catch-up, I felt that I accomplished more this Monday than I did all last week. As long as I continue to remember my priorities I will always be working in a productive and efficient manner.

Although I am using examples from my professional life to make this point, we all have various projects, tasks, etc. in the personal and physical areas of our lives as well that can potentially overwhelm us. Staying on top of our daily and weekly tasks management system will help us all to life happy, healthy and successful lives.

Take care!

.

The three ‘ations’ of success . . . (Part 4 of 4)

2008-09-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Inspiration + Motivation + Dedication = Greatness

Any of these three principles alone are powerful to possess. And in all of our lives there are many other variables that determine an individual’s success. Your attitude determines how you view others, which in turn has an effect on inspiration. It is much more difficult for a negative person to become inspired. Another variable that effects the equation are the people you associate with. Positive associations will help to instill inspiration, which in turn makes motivation and dedication easier for you find. How you view obstacles will determine your level of dedication to something. Another important variable is a person’s view of the past and their outlook on the future. When challenges arise, it is more difficult for a pessimist to stay motivated and dedicated to an overall goal than it is for an optimist.

This series of writings is my attempt to elucidate the importance and simplicity of a solid foundation for success. Understanding the basic principles of inspiration, motivation and dedication, and how they build upon each other, helps us to take on the challenges that present themselves in our pursuit to live happy, healthy and successful lives. Understanding where to find and how to use these foundational building blocks can help to deal with all the variables that appear on the path to greatness.

As I am finishing this writing, I am thinking about what exactly greatness means. In all actuality I am finding it hard to define greatness. When speaking of greatness in regards to one’s life, I do not believe we can look to the dictionary for a definition. You see, greatness for one person can not be determined by another person. It is not a title, an income level or a status symbol. It’s not about winning a gold medal, becoming CEO or owning the house on the hill. Greatness can only be determined by the individual who pursues it. And those who understand this concept realize that it is a never-ending pursuit.

This does not mean we can’t be content with what we have or where we are in life. All it means is that we must never stop growing; we must never stop giving; we must never stop achieving. Getting a promotion at work shouldn’t kill your ambition. Even if you move to the highest position within your company, there are many other aspects of life where you can find inspiration to do more. Perhaps you will find inspiration, motivation and dedication to share your success with others, helping people within your corporation grow and achieve more. Not only does this continuous pursuit build great companies, among other things it is how humanitarians change the world.

It is important for all of us to become inspired, motivated and dedicated individuals. As stated earlier, inspiration is everywhere. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for us to look in the mirror to find the motivation and dedication to accomplish anything. Dig down deep and start asking yourself ‘why’ questions. It may be helpful to ask some ‘why not’ questions as well. “Why have I not started the business of my dreams?” “Why have I not taken my health seriously?” “Why have I not shown compassion towards others?” By asking yourself these questions you are taking action. This action will lead you to find reasons, which is likely to turn into motivation. This motivation will cause you to take further action, which will lead to dedication. Once started this becomes a self-perpetuating cycle.

Recently I have realized the powerful impact that the three ‘ations’ have on life. In all of my personal, professional and physical endeavors, my life has been greatly enhanced by building upon this foundation. I recognize that when I experience a stimulus of creative thought or activity, I am in a moment of inspiration. Experiencing joy, happiness or any other positive emotion about the thought of doing something leads me to look within myself for reasons to act. I understand that making the decision of action must come from within and not from an outside source. Once I find strong reasons to push myself into action, I know I am motivated. My dedication to the reasons for action is what keeps my action persistent until I accomplish my ultimate goal. This is my path to greatness.

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The three ‘ations’ of success . . . (Part 3 of 4)

2008-09-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

Inspiration + Motivation + Dedication = Greatness

Dedication:

What is dedication? Well, for starters it is what makes all that inspiration and motivation worth while. You see, it is easy for someone to be inspired and/or motivated for a short period of time. These short bursts may lead to positive and productive results. However, what takes someone from living a good life to living the life of their dreams is continuous follow-through. This is DEDICATION!

Every year as the final days of December approach, people are naturally inspired and motivated to make some sort of change in their lives. Some people wish to kick bad habits such as smoking or drinking too much while other wish to develop good habits like exercising or reading. Other would like to spend more time at home with their families while some aspire to further their professional careers. The list goes on and on.

For example, you may get some inspiration to change your physical health. This feeling of inspiration might motivate you to become a member at your local health club. You may even decide to take advantage of the few free personal training sessions that a lot of health clubs offer to new members. Perhaps on the way home you stop at the health food store and purchase some fresh organic groceries instead of filling your pantry with high sugar, high fat, and high preservative items. This may continue for a few days, or even a few weeks.

But what happens a week later; a month later? What happens when your free personal training session expire? What happens when your schedule becomes crazy and you can’t ‘find time’ to eat right and exercise? What do you do on the days that you don’t have the energy to working out? How do you ward off the excuses that creep into your mind? What do you do when the inspiration is no longer present and the motivation runs out? Where do you find yourself a year or two down the road?

I don't mean to sound cynical, but the fact is that most people end up right back where they started. Unfortunately, these New Year’s resolutions are made without the full commitment of the individual making the resolution. In all the inspiration, motivation and excitement as the New Year approaches, people miss a key step in the process of changing their lives. They don’t make the decision to commit. Without commitment, there is no dedication or follow-through once the excitement dies.

Having patience is a key element in becoming dedicated to achieving a particular goal. Most people lose their enthusiasm for a goal because they do not instantly see desired results. If you get anything from my writings, please take this - there is no such thing as overnight success.

Eating one apple and exercising today is not going to change your health. Reading a few pages in a book today is not going to change your life. Putting in some extra effort at work for one day is not going to move you up the corporate ladder.

Becoming dedicated to the above mentioned aspirations is what allows you to produce the desired results. Changing your health requires creating a habit of eating an apple a day and exercising on a weekly basis – dedication to physical well being! Learning new skills and developing ideas comes from reading 10 pages of a good book each day, (which amounts to about 20 books/year) – dedication to personal well being! Advancing your career comes from being as productive, efficient and innovative as you can for every hour you are at work – dedication to professional well being! Your achievements are nothing more than a culmination of continuous effort over an extended period of time. Just as compound interest grows your bank account exponentially, your efforts compounded over time will dramatically enhance the value of your life. This is the power of dedication.

Commitment is a fine line we must cross; it is the difference between dreaming and achieving.

More to come . . .

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The three ‘ations’ of success . . . (Part 2 of 4)

2008-09-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Inspiration + Motivation + Dedication = Greatness

Motivation:

What is motivation? Motivation is a catalyst for action. This is what gets us out of bed in the morning and keeps us up late at night. It gives us enthusiasm about a particular goal and drives us into action.

So, what makes motivation different from inspiration? Well, for the most part, inspiration comes to us from an outside source. It is a feeling we experience. Motivation is similar in that it does relate partially to our emotions. We can ‘feel’ motivated. But there is more to it than that.

Although it is often a by product of inspiration, motivation does not come from an outside source. You can’t find motivation in a book; you can’t ask someone to motivate you. You can’t rely on others to drive you into action. When you do this you are seeking out inspiration. Motivation has to come from within one’s self. It is all about reasons. Your own personal reasons for doing something are what launch you into action. Once you know why you want something, the steps on how to accomplish or attain it begin to reveal themselves.

“He who has the why to live for can bear with almost any how”. – Nietzsche

It is all about the ‘why’. Why do you exercise 5 days a week? Why do you arrive at work early and stay late? Why do you invest so much time into building your relationship? Why do you choose to eat a banana over a doughnut? Why do you read a good book instead of watch TV? Why do you save money before spending it? Why . . .? Why . . .? Why . . .? Answer - You have personal reasons for accomplishing something that is meaningful to you and that will provide fulfillment in one or multiple areas of your life. You are acting now for something you will gain later. You are MOTIVATED.

Viktor Frankl spent approximately three years as a prisoner in a concentration camp during the war from 1942-1945, (I strongly recommend reading Man’s Search for Meaning). As we know, there were many people who fell victim to things that I wish not to discuss here. However, I bring up Mr. Frankl because he provides the best example of how motivation to do anything comes from within one’s self. Although his family’s fate had already been sealed, his own fate was still in his hands. He felt that he still had something to live for. Under circumstances that I can not even begin to fathom, he found motivation from within to keep himself alive. From Man’s Search for Meaning:

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

Some may believe that the prison guards were the ‘motivators’ of the camp. After all, if a prisoner didn’t follow orders (act), the consequences were dire. However, I do not consider this to be motivation. Again, I consider this is inspiration. Although not positively inspired, the guards inspired the prisoner with fear. And believe it or not, this fear (emotion) is what helped some prisoners motivate themselves to stay alive.
Frankl goes on to write:

The sort of person the prisoner became was the result of an inner decision, and not the result of camp influences alone.

It seems that each prisoner would have their own personal reasons for following the guard’s orders. They were motivated by the fact that they might get their miniscule ration of nutrients (I use the word nutrients loosely); perhaps not be beaten and humiliated was a motivating factor; the possibility of living another day must have been a huge motivator.

Although extreme, this is a good example of how an outside force can not launch you into action. The action comes from within. It is an incredibly sad truth, but there were prisoners in the same camp who could not find the motivation within to stay alive. If you see the future leading to a dark place, there is nothing that will motivate you into productive action. In Frankl’s words:

A prisoner who has lost faith in his future is doomed.

Inspiration gives us a taste of what success may feel like. But without the motivation to move forward, we will never experience the complete feeling of accomplishment. Action, which is triggered by motivation, is the fundamental key to all success. I guarantee that if you look deep inside yourself, you will find reasons for your actions. It is at this point when you will be a motivated individual.

More to come . . .

The three ‘ations’ of success . . . (Part 1 of 4)

2008-09-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

Inspiration + Motivation + Dedication = Greatness

Inspiration:

What does inspiration do for us? It gives us a sense of what accomplishing something might feel like. It is what causes us to get goose bumps on our skin, chills down our spines, butterflies in our stomachs and tears in our eyes. Inspiration gets your blood flowing and your heart beating faster. Inspiration is tied to our emotions. When our emotions connect with the stories, actions and results of other, we experience a mental and/or physiological stimulus. This is the power of inspiration.

Growing up in high school I was extremely passionate about athletics; football and basketball in particular. When it came to football there were two people I looked to for inspiration; Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith. Both of these guys were complete football players and the best of their time at the running back position. They ran with the combination of fineness and power. When not running the ball, the team could on these guys to protect the quarterback by making a tough block or catch a clutch pass for a first down. The way these guys carried themselves on and off the field was something to be admired.

Among other things, Walter Payton was known for his grueling off-season workouts; often running hills until he was bent over vomiting. Then he would run some more! Watching videos of Walter running his hills (all by himself) in the summer heat and watching highlight reels of him dancing past defenders on the field was a source of inspiration for me. Walter’s dedication and work ethic helped him to lead his team to a Superbowl victory and become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. (At least until this other guy came along).

Growing up as a Cowboys fan I made it a point to catch as many games as I could. Not the easiest thing to do when you live on the west coast and have a family of 49er fans. During the Dallas dynasty of the 90’s many games were won because of the performance of Emmitt Smith. I won’t deny that the Dallas Cowboys team of the 90’s was arguably one of the most talented and cohesive teams in NFL history, but that does not take away form Mr. Smith’s personal performances. If anything, he was a major reason why his teammates were so good. He was the type of player who naturally elevated the abilities of others.

Walter’s work ethic, Emmitt’s leadership, and both of these guy’s game time performances provided four years of inspiration for me in high school. It didn’t matter where I was or what I was doing; watching these guys made chills run down my spine. Although my athletic endeavors have shifted from football to other sports, even at this moment as I write I get a feeling deep in my stomach. This is a feeling that I am not able to explain. It is simply what I call inspiration. What a feeling it must be to see your grueling workouts in the summer pay off in the fall. How great it must feel to constantly deliver an all-star performance when your team is counting on you. I intuitively knew what Payton and Smith were feeling. In high school I wanted to experience that feeling on the football field. I was inspired.

My experience in high school, and many experience since then, have made me realize the importance of inspiration. I have also realized that for most of us inspiration comes from an outside source. We live in a world with a wealth of inspiration. The question is how do we find inspiration?

I don’t know if it is possible to seek out inspiration. It is not something you search for. (Although, I guess you can Google just about anything these days). In reality, I think that inspiration comes to your naturally when you least expect it. When you hear a story, talk to someone, read something or see something and experience the emotions or feelings outlined above, then you are in a moment of inspiration. This is how some people discover their true passion in life. It has found you!

Many great things have gotten their start because of the spark of inspiration. Sometimes the spark is as small as having a 2 minute conversation with someone or watching a quick video clip of a great feat. Other times inspiration will be triggered by larger events such as the landing on the moon or Lance Armstrong breaking the record for Tour de France wins after battling cancer. While some will be inspired by a nine year old tattoo artist, other will be inspired by a ninety-four year old exercise guru. Inspiration can come in waves, or be few and far between. The important thing is to RECOGNIZE inspiration when it crosses your path.

More to come . . .

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5 important elements for success . . .

2008-08-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

In all of my endeavors I have worked and networked with thousands of people. A lot of the people I have worked with and met over the years have had the exact same opportunities available as I did. Some of these people have gone on to create great success, but many of the people who were faced with the exact same opportunities have gone nowhere.

For example, when I worked for a sales company, I didn’t have any initial contacts to show the product to. The sales model was based on starting out with people you knew in the area and building your business on personal referrals. Because I was fairly new to the area, I did not have the required initial contacts to see in order to build the business. Yet, I was able to find people to see. I built my contact base to well over 100 people and became the top representative in the office. I eventually moved into a sales/development manager position and helped to lead the office to great success. Most of the people from my training class, who started at the same time as me and had the same opportunity, seemed to disappear after about a month.

When my fiancée and I started our real estate business we did not have the resources, connections or capital that other people had. We were completely starting from scratch. As far as we were concerned, we were pretty far behind the curve when we got started. Just as I did in the sales company, we were able to build a very successful business in an extremely tough sector and market while others were failing.

Basically what I have found is that you can have a number of people and give them all the same opportunities and potential for success. However, only a very select few will achieve success. Very few will come out on top; most will fail. Why?

Looking back on all these experiences I found a pattern. In the cases of people who failed to turn opportunity into success, it was because they were focused too much on the reasons why they couldn’t do something. We all have limitations, and there are many reasons we tell ourselves why we CAN’T do something. If we all have limitations, why are some people successful and others not?

Successful people focus on how they CAN accomplish their goals. What they CAN do to change their lives. What they CAN do to achieve happiness. This is where you want to focus your attention. Based on my experience and the experience of others, I put together this 5-step formula for success:

1) Have vision: There is a difference between SIGHT and VISION. A blind man can not see, therefore he has no sight. But is it possible for a blind man to have vision? YES!! One of the greatest traits you can develop is the ability to see something that is not yet there. Having vision means that you are able to create a clear picture of something you want to attain, develop or produce in the future. Some of the greatest monuments, works of art and structures would not exist if people did not have vision. Michelangelo said “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”. That’s vision. Thoreau said “it’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see”. 2000+ years ago when the pharos of Egypt looked over the land they saw more than sand. They saw great temples, monuments and pyramids; THEN they started building.

What do you see when you look to tomorrow, next week or next year?

2) Believe it can happen: Once you conceive it, you need to believe it in order to achieve it. In sales they talk about product conviction. The greater belief you have in a product, the more success you will have transferring that belief to your customers. Well, why not apply that sales principle to everything you do in life. The greater belief you have in yourself, the more confidence you have in yourself. Tell yourself you can do it! Success is not an accident.

If you have been watching any of the Olympic Games you will notice that the athletes that perform at that level never doubt themselves when preparing for or entering a competition. People who perform at that level know that self doubt can destroy years of training. Attitude is a major determining factor in your performance.

Where you are right now in your life is a reflection of you belief system. What do you believe you can achieve?

3) Develop your plan: We all know the phrase; if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Professional sports teams can’t win championships without game plans. NASA can’t launch a shuttle without a flight plan. In my business, we tell professional traders that they can’t win the markets without a trading plan. With anything in life, it is important to develop your plan for achieving success. This is important because it helps to keep a clear image of what you want to attain.

A major part of developing your plan is establishing and writing down your goals. Some people are afraid to set goals because they don’t want to be disappointed for falling short. If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's OK. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot. I think what Confucius meant by this is it’s better to fall short trying to reach a goal than it is to sell yourself short by not even striving for a goal.

In all areas of my life, personal, professional and physical, I have specific goals. Because I have something to strive for in all areas of my life, I am more enthusiastic and excited to get out of bed each day. I am living with a purpose and that leads me to live a highly productive lifestyle. Having a plan with goals is what allows me to take action in my life.

Setting goals does a few things;

There are always specific targets to hit
Goals allow you to stay focused. You are less likely to get distracted or de-motivated when you encounter obstacles. I will address obstacles as well, but it is important to note that in life, stuff happens. Stuff has happened in my life. I have faced major obstacles in my personal, professional and physical areas of my life. Stuff is going to happen in your life as well. If you keep your eye on the goal, obstacles appear as nothing but minor speed bumps on your road to success.

Goals allow you to monitor your progress
It is always good to evaluate where you’ve been, where you are and where you are going. Without a defined plan, there is nothing to analyze. People without goals are likely to be in the same place today that they were yesterday. Most likely they will be in the same place tomorrow also.

If you don’t know where you’ve been, or where you want to go, you won’t go anywhere. Having a plan and having goals allows you to chart your growth and monitor what areas of your life need improvement to eventually get you where you want to go.

Goals stretch you to realize your true potential
Most people don’t know what they are capable of achieving. The powerful thing about setting goals and developing a plan is you are able to realize just what you are capable of doing. Once you get out of your comfort zone you realize that it is not all that bad. Remember, it is better to shoot for the stars and hit the moon than to not even shoot at all. Funny thing is, when you do shoot for the stars and follow your plan, you are likely to find yourself amongst the stars more often than you would think.

You’ve got to plan to win!

4) Take action: Like I said, the plan is going to put you in a position to take action. Remember how I said ‘stuff’ happens in life. Well taking action allows you to reduce the amount of ‘stuff’ that happens to you. By taking action towards your goals, you are not waiting for things to happen to you. The worst thing you can do in life is allow things to happen TO you. If things are happening TO you, then you are not in control. Instead, you want to create things and make them happen. Now you are in control.

Also, don’t worry about doing everything right; just take action! In my opinion, doing something wrong is better than doing nothing at all. Even when you mess everything up you are moving closer to a goal than if you do nothing at all. This is how we learn and grow. No action = no learning, no growth. Thomas Edison didn’t know how to make a light bulb before he took action. He took action about 10,000 times before the light bulb came to being. However, he learned something on each of his attempts that helped to bring him closer to achieving success. And then there was light. :-)

Use your belief and vision to force you into action. Understand that action is the fundamental key to all success. Michelangelo saw the angel in the marble, but without him taking action and chipping away at the rock, it would be nothing but a chunk of marble. Spectacular works of art were created because he took ACTION. The museum isn’t going to fill itself; the pyramids aren’t going to build themselves; your life is not going to live itself. You need to live YOUR life. Success comes from action, not dormancy.

5) Expect and prepare for challenges: It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you will always be presented with challenges. In fact, a lot of times the only difference between success and failure is lack of follow through when faced with obstacles. The ones at the top don’t give in to challenges.

Sometimes when we look at successful people it is easy to be fooled. I just finished reading Lance Armstrong’s book about his recovery from cancer and fight to become a professional rider again. Let me tell you, it was a FIGHT! It wasn’t like he was all the sudden cured of cancer and ready to jump on the bike again. He was a completely different person physically and mentally. It took him months to even consider getting back on a bike. There were times when he started training again and had to push himself more than before. There was a point when he decided to get on the bike again and ride around his neighborhood. He was having such a hard time riding that he was passed by a woman who appeared to be in her 60’s just cruising along. Then he nearly passed out on a stranger’s lawn. Yes, the guy who won 7 Tour de France championships was passed by a 60 year old lady on a beach cruiser!

The point here is that when we see people who have become successful in their lives, it is hard for us to consider the challenges they had to overcome. We are only seeing the end result. When I worked as a sales manager a lot of our reps only saw the end result when our top representatives had great weeks. They just saw the high dollar amount sold at the end of a campaign. They were not aware of all the no sales, no shows, rude customers, etc. that the top reps had to work through. In fact, top producers have more obstacles because they are seeing more people. Often the difference between success and failure is how challenges are handled.

Two key things for you to remember in your quest for greatness;

You will absolutely face challenges: When faced with an obstacle you can either complain about how life is unfair, or you can accept and work hard to overcome the challenge.

Don’t lose enthusiasm when faced with challenges: Keep in mind that overcoming obstacles will make you a better person. Change your perspective and view the problem as an opportunity to grow.

Success sits at the top of a mountain; there is no ‘easy street’. KEY PHRASE: Overcoming obstacles is what makes something rewarding. The possibility of loosing is what makes winning feel so good.

I will leave you with this question to ponder; “What is holding you back from achieving greatness?”

I encourage you to allow your circumstances to motivate you, to push you forward. I encourage you to gain the feeling of empowerment that personal achievement provides. You are the only person who can turn your dreams into reality. THINK BIG! I believe in you. You can do it!

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Give it back!

2008-08-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

This past week the manager of a sales office in Fresno, Ca. invited me down to speak at his team meeting on the becoming a successful person. I was excited about the opportunity the share my thoughts with the sales team. I feel this information is not only helpful for those in sales, but it actually applies to all areas of life.

After the talk, I had the opportunity to speak with some of the reps one-on-one. I always like to chat with and get to know people on a more personal level. Most of the representatives approached me to say “thank you”. They were thankful that I took time to share my insights and lessons learned with them. This meant a lot to me. Obviously it is a wonderful feeling to be appreciated. More important than the feeling of appreciation was the fact that the information I shared could potentially change some people’s lives for the better.

The reaction I got made me realize how important it is to share what we learn with others. This is what life is all about; giving back. If we only use everything we learn and achieve in life for ourselves we are only utilizing 50% of our potential. The other 50% comes from passing what you learn on to others. When most people think of giving back, they think of donating a certain amount of money to a charity or cause. Monetary donations are extremely important to various causes; however, sharing your knowledge and experiences with individuals is more powerful and impactful than giving money. In my opinion this is the ultimate form of selflessness.

Sharing your knowledge, insights and experiences is like throwing a rock into a pond. When the rock hits the water it produces a ripple effect. The ripples are more prominent where the rock enters the water. Although the ripples fade as they move from the epicenter they will continue to stretch from shoreline to shoreline. Your knowledge and experiences are like the rock and the world is your pond. When you give back to the world what you have learned or gained from personal experience, the effect will be more prominent or immediate to people you speak directly to. Those people are likely to use and share their experiences, thus creating a ripple of knowledge that spreads to others.

Don’t let your rocks (knowledge and experience) stack-up on the shore. Begin tossing them into the pond of life and create a ripple effect that can eventually change the world.

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Go with the flow!

2008-08-18T22:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my fiancée and I went up north to spend some time with old friends and family. While we were visiting, my dad and I decided to play some golf on Saturday morning. Both my mother and father are fairly decent gofers. As for me, let’s just say that I am tennis player and not a golfer. :-)

Now to really humble myself, I will tell you my score that day – 123! For those of you who know golf, you are probably thinking that I should stick to tennis. If you don’t know anything about golf, let’s just say that a score of 123 is not going to get me on the pro tour; or a high school JV team at that. Even with terrible score I enjoyed the day and the sport none the less.

By the time we were on about the 15th hole or so, I started to notice the pattern of my shots. Some of my shots were going left and right like crazy. Some of my shots never left the ground and only rolled 20 yards at a time. There was even one shot that went almost straight up in the air and landed no more than ten feet in front of where I hit it. However, every now and then, I would hit a great shot with good trajectory and distance – and straight! I couldn’t help but wonder why most of the shots were of course (literally), but a hand full were actually on target.

With my fathers help, we realized that on the wild and crazy shots, I was simply trying too hard. When I was ‘TRYING’ to hit a perfect shot, or a really long shot, I usually ended up in the rough. When I wasn’t trying so hard, the shots were much better. When I was not as tense and rigid my body and mind were free to flow more naturally. I stopped fighting the flow and natural movement of my mind and body. Specific clubs are designed to produce specific results. I realized that my role as the golfer is to keep my body movement and the club in natural harmony. By letting my body flow organically, the club was better able to do the job it was designed to do.

My experience golfing reminded me of something I read in Deepak Chopra’s book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. Chopra talks about the “law of least effort”.

From The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success:
“This law is based on the fact that nature’s intelligence functions with effortless ease and abandoned care freeness. This is the principle of least action, no resistance. This is, therefore, the principle of harmony and love. When we learn this lesson from nature, we easily fulfill our desires.”

He goes on to write:
“Grass does not try to grow, it just grows. Fish do not try to swim, they just swim. Flowers do not try to bloom, they just bloom. Birds don’t try to fly, they just fly. . . It is nature for the sun to shine. It is nature for the stars to glitter and sparkle. And it is human nature to make our dreams manifest into physical form, easily and effortlessly."

As you can see, this concept that I discovered on the golf course can be translated to your everyday endeavors. In our busy lives, it is very easy to become overwhelmed, stressed and/or over-tasked. This kind of stress in our lives can cause our minds to over-think or analyze and our bodies to become tense. Most often when this happens it causes our performance, energy levels and overall quality of work to go down. When you are tense and anxious, you are spending energy in a wasteful way, which causes your results to be counter-productive.

Part of living a happy, healthy and successful life requires you to use your body and mind in the most efficient manner. It’s not about wasting energy and TRYING to fight the natural flow of things. What I mean by this is sometimes we focus too much energy and attention on trying to be perfect. There are some things in life where it is more important and beneficial to just do things rather than TRY to do things perfectly. Don’t become preoccupied with anything that keeps you from performing at your best level. Don’t obsess about living a perfect life.

My interpretation of Chopra’s Law of Least Effort means that we should not waste our efforts on anything that produces counter-productive results. Over analyzing, over thinking and simply trying too hard can actually prevent us from achieving a goal. Sometimes less is more; just as trying to hit a perfect shot in golf produced a counter productive result, trying to do everything perfectly in life can actually keep you from leading a happy and successful life. Life is about DOING not about TRYING. As the NIKE slogan suggests, Just Do It!

My parents are in town this weekend, so we decided to spend some time together out on the golf course. I remembered my previous experience and decided to let my body flow steady and smoothly. I worked in harmony with the club rather than trying to control it. The result was a better golf score – 108! The next day I played tennis. :-)

Just go with the flow baby!

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A few questions to ponder . . .

2008-08-14T17:07:00.000-07:00

Why is ‘society’ more interested in the negative rather than the positive?

The reason I ask why ‘society’ is more interested in this is because we are who determine what the media sells us.

Why is there such a big attraction to scandal?

Why is a tabloid magazine able to make millions of dollars off a picture of a celebrity car crash?

Why can a paparazzi make thousands of dollars selling that photo to the tabloid magazine?

Why do people slow down at the sight of a car wreck and make that the topic of conversation when arriving at a destination, yet driving through the breathtaking views of the wine country causes no gridlock or interest in discussion?

How come when a politician or celebrity has an affair it is the top story for two weeks?

Why was there a headline on the internet about the shortcomings of some Olympic athletes performances when making it to the ‘Games’ is a monumental accomplishment in itself?

Why do most people talk about what they dislike rather than what they like, or what goes wrong rather than what goes right?

Why do we learn more about foreign countries when there is turmoil or war than when there is peace?

I guess the main question here is, “why do we hear about more of the negative things that happen than the positive?

I can’t speak for ‘society’ as to what the attraction is to negativity. However, I can say for myself that I am more interested in hearing about the good in the world. I am more interested in the random acts of kindness than the random acts of violence. I am more interested in the businesses that are succeeding rather than the ones that fail. I am more interested in the people who are saving the planet, animals and energy rather than those who are destroying, hurting or wasting. I am interested in stories of people helping others rather than hearing about people hurting others.

I know that by focusing my attention on the good . . . no the GREAT things that happen in life, the perception I have of myself and the world around me is likely to be more positive. If I have a more optimistic attitude, I can be more helpful and can better influence others in a positive way. I want to be the rock that creates the ripple across the pond. If we get enough rocks, we can cause a ripple effect that goes around the world. But it needs to be the right ripple!

Let’s all do our part to stop the spread of negativity. Have compassion and sympathy for those who wreck on the highway, but let that accident remind you of how precious life is. This will help you to produce more positive thoughts and topics to discuss when you get to your destination.

I have a challenge for everyone. Go through one day without talking about or dwelling upon anything negative. If someone you are talking with brings up a negative topic, the housing crisis in America, oil prices, steroids in sports, or the latest celeb scandal, see if you can provide a positive response to their negative topic. Turn that conversation around!

After all, the only reason why most people talk about the negative is because they don’t know what else to talk about. It is the job of the positive thinkers in the world to show everyone else how much good there is . . . and to start spreading the good word!

.

Opportunity Knocks!

2008-08-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

Do you let your job description limit you from reaching your full potential?

It is not wise to draw a line in the sand that separates your responsibilities from your potential. It is important to always work toward fulfilling your potential. Something that will help you achieve success in your personal, professional and physical is learning how to seek out and take advantage of opportunities.

We have the ability to create more opportunities for ourselves than we realize. You know the saying ‘when opportunity knocks, open the door’. Well, why wait for opportunity to knock?

Just by pure happenstance you will have some opportunities that come along. But you don’t get to create those opportunities. Truly successful people know that it is important to control their destiny; therefore they seek out opportunities for themselves. They don’t sit indoors staring at the door waiting for opportunity to knock. Sometimes opportunity gets the wrong address. Sometimes it knocks on the neighbor’s door. In order to have control, successful people stand outside on the stoop and grab opportunity before it passes by. They research and track down opportunity. Or at least they recognize when opportunity is in the neighborhood.

A couple of months ago while I was at a conference for work, I heard a great story of someone who used the philosophy of seeking out opportunity to create great success. The conference I was at draws all the speakers and trainers that work for our company together for 3 days of education on personal investing. One of my duties was to pick up and drop off speakers who were flying to and from the conference. The great thing about this task is it allowed me to chat with and get to know some very interesting people. (It is amazing how great of a conversation you can have in a 10 minute drive).

On one of my runs to the airport I got to chatting with one gentleman about how some people make more out of their lives than others. He shared an interesting story with me about a friend of his who turned working at a fast food restaurant into something much larger. This friend of his started as a drive through attendant at a local fast food restaurant in Michigan. Most people in his position just show up to work, day after day, and simply go through the motions. They wouldn’t think of such an entry level position as an opportunity in disguise.

Well, this particular person decided to create an opportunity for himself. Instead of just showing up at his job and do the minimum amount of work required to receive his paycheck, ** Quick side note: Minimum work = minimum pay **, he found the opportunity to learn how the fast food business operates. He learned and applied the skills necessary to run a successful chain. To make a long story short, this guy now owns his own chain of successful restaurants in Michigan. And it all started with him accepting a job ‘flipping burgers’.

When opportunity knocks most people don’t expect to see a job flipping burgers when they open the door. Most people would not consider taking orders at a drive through window as the beginning of great success. My point is that there are people who know how to create an opportunity out of something as seemingly insignificant as flipping burgers.

So, don’t wait for you ship to come in . . . it is already here. It is time for you to take the helm with compass in hand and head for the horizon. Get in the habit of recognizing and creating your own potentially life changing opportunities. Remember, everything in life has a purpose and it is up to you to find that purpose.

Choice and opportunity cost

2008-08-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Choice and opportunity cost

One of my favorite subjects in college was economics. Part of my love for the subject came from the fact that I had two outstanding professors. Both taught the principles of economics in a variety of ways, using various analogies and examples to make complicated theories easy to understand. One of them even went as far as reading a children’s book to explain the law of diminishing returns.

With the subject of economics on my mind, I got to thinking about how some tools of economic analysis apply to our everyday life. One in particular that comes to mind is opportunity cost. This states that whenever you make a choice, you must pass up another opportunity; you must incur an opportunity cost. This is not only true in the world of economics, but also true in every choice you make that affects your personal, professional and physical life.

In one of my text books, the author made his point by explaining the opportunity cost of going to college versus going to work. For example, let’s say Jeff is deciding whether or not college. He makes his decision based on what he has to gain or lose by going to college. If he goes to college, it will cost him a vast amount of time and money. If he decides to go to work, he can save the money that would be spent on college, and make additional money from the job he gets. However, Jeff does not have any skills. It is likely that he will get an entry level job paying minimum wage. That may be fine for some folks, but Jeff has aspirations of becoming an architect. He knows that there is a lot of competition for architects out there and even the entry level positions are filled with people who have degrees, or are on their way to receiving one. One of these entry level jobs out of college is likely to be higher paying than a minimum wage position. Attending college will provide him the opportunity to compete for an architect position because he will gain skills and credentials in the field of architectural design.

Going to college is also likely to improve Jeff’s social life because he has some friends who are going to the same college. He is also bound to make more friends and develop different relationships. Some of these friendships may be maintained for the rest of his life. Other relationships he builds may provide for valuable networking experiences in the future. So in Jeff’s case, the opportunity cost of going to college is worth it; there is more value in him attending college than there is going to work straight out of high school.

Before I continue, it is important to note that the opportunity cost of decisions made is only in the eyes of the one making the decision. The above example is just one scenario. There are many instances where the cost of going to college may be greater than the value. The opportunity cost of going to college for one person may be completely different for another. KEY PHRASE: When faced with making decisions in life, you can look for guidance, but ultimately only you know the true value of your decisions. The value/cost ratio is going to be different for each individual person.

Everything you do and every decision you make has a cost and a value. Cost is what you give up; value is what you gain. In every decision we make it is very important to look at the value/cost ratio. People who are truly happy, healthy and successful make more decisions where the value outweighs the cost.

Take smoking cigarettes for example. What is the opportunity cost for smoking cigarettes? While it is hard for me to find one valuable thing about smoking, I can think of a number of costs; cigarettes are expensive, they cause cancer, they damage lungs which in turn hinders athletic performance, turn teeth yellow, cause bad breath, make clothes, cars and homes stink, cause wrinkles, and put off second hand smoke which is harmful to others, among other things. Simply put, the cost of smoking is too much. Personally, I have much more to gain from NOT smoking!

This is just one example of how you can determine whether the decisions you make are adding value to your life. Remember, whether you are choosing to do something, or choosing not to do something, there is always a value/cost ratio to consider.

Here are a few more scenarios where you may want to consider the opportunity cost. See if there is anything on this list that relates to some of the decisions you make. You may need to modify the list slightly, but the point it to determine which choices are going to give you the best value/cost ratio. Remember, what you gain (value) should always be greater that what you give up (cost).

- Exercising versus sitting on the couch
- Procrastinating on something versus getting things done
- Drinking coffee and soda throughout the day versus drinking water
- Reading a gossip magazines on your breaks versus reading a chapter from a good book
- Putting someone down for their mistakes versus building them up for their successes
- Getting to work late and leaving early versus showing up early and staying late
- Potato chips versus grapes
- Playing video games versus talking with a friend
- Being selfish versus being selfless
- Expressing hate versus showing compassion
- Lying versus the truth
- Doing nothing versus taking action
- Thinking negatively versus thinking positively

Isn’t this fun! :-)

You can’t rely on or compare yourself to others in order to determine the value of your decisions. It is up to you to choose which opportunities have the greatest value/cost ratio. With some decisions, the initial cost may appear to be greater than what you get in return. Just as Jeff did in the example above, we must look ahead to the longer term benefits of our choices. Once we can master this, we are well on our way to leading truly happy, healthy and successful lives.

My best to you all.

Habits

2008-08-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

For the last week or so I have found myself really reflecting on my habits. I have been thinking about how much our daily/weekly routines influence the direction of our lives. We all have habits, some good and some bad. I think the goal in achieving success in your personal, professional and physical life is to know which habits are moving you in a positive direction. At the end of the day, you want to have more positive habits than negative. After all, what you do on a daily/weekly/monthly basis is what creates the lifestyle you have.

Your established habits = you in the present. Therefore, if there are areas in your life that you'd like to improve, you probably need to develop some new habits. Don't focus too much on breaking an old habit. Instead, focus your attention on developing a more positive daily/weekly/monthly practice. The key question you want to ask yourself is, "do my current habits serve me?"

Some people have a routine of watching certain television programs in the evening. Perhaps while you prepare dinner you watch your local news at 6:00, followed by world news at 6:30. Your favorite syndicated sitcoms are on at 7:00 and 7:30, which provide some entertainment for you while you eat. Then at 8:00 your favorite reality show is on. At 9:00you tune in to one of the various crime dramas before turning in for the evening. This weekly evening schedule is fairly typical for some people.

My priorities have a major influence on the habits I develop. Remember, where I am right now in life is a direct reflection of my established habits. If my evening routine looked similar to the example above, it would behoove me to analyze my evening habit of watching 4 hours of TV and think about readjusting a few things depending on my priorities. For example, I could take the first hour and exercise from 6:00 to 7:00. Then I could spend the next hour hanging out with my fiancee as we prepare and eat dinner together. Perhaps in the next hourI could read a book and work on some personal or professional development. Or maybe I can enjoy one of my various hobbies such as practicing guitar or doing a crossword puzzle. If I shift my habits from watching 4 hours of television each evening to doing activities that enrich my life, I am setting myself up to live a happy, healthy and successful life.

Some of the habits you develop may be less dramatic than the above example; but any positive daily/weekly practice that seems insignificant will end up having a major impact on your personal, professional and physical life. Once again, it is not about breaking old habits, it is about developing new ones. Reading one chapter a day of a good book on personal or professional development may not seem like a major change. However, doing this everyday for a year will add up to about 15-20 books a year. So by developing a simple habit of reading 15-30 minutes each day, you can create an opportunity to acquire a lot of knowledge, insight and skills. The same is true with health and exercise. It is very easy to get in the habit of eating right and exercising everyday. It can be as simple as snacking on carrots instead of potato chips and jogging 20-30 minutes everyday. EVERYONE has 20-30 minutes EVERYDAY to get their heart rates up. If you think you don’t have the time, you may want to re-analyze your priorities because there is nothing more important than your health.

By focusing on actions that serve you in a positive way, you will naturally begin to let go of the habits that prevent you from moving forward. You are charting your own destiny with these habits. Your are increasing your value. The goal is to get to the point where instead of saying that you don’t have time to read and exercise, you find yourself saying that you don’t have time to watch reality TV because you want to get to the gym and finish the book you are working on!

Remember, your habits should serve you, not the other way around.

Patience, patience, patience . . .

2008-07-21T16:42:00.000-07:00

Today we live in a culture based on instant gratification. A few years ago, the express lane (10 items or less) used to be the quick way to checkout of the supermarket. Today, stores are adding self-checkout lanes for people who feel the express lane isn’t fast enough. Although these self-checkout machines undoubtedly cut the proprietors overhead, they also serve to speed the customers through the checkout process. Even the food being purchased at the supermarket provides us with a sense of instant gratification; instant soup, instant coffee, instant rice, etc.

I am not completely opposed to these types of innovations. In fact, from time to time I find myself taking advantage of their convenience. After all, the less time I spend in the grocery line, the more time I have available to read, hang out with my fiancée and do all the other things that are important to me.

However, we must be careful not to grow too accustomed to the FEELING of instant gratification. We must not let these innovations and the convenience they provide deceive us. It is important to not look forward to the feeling of instant gratification in everything we do. We must continue to work on and develop a high level of PATIENCE, because when it comes to achieving success there are no express lanes.

This is true for the personal, professional and physical aspects of life. There are no ‘get rich quick’ schemes in life; rags to riches do not happen over night. You can’t build a successful company in a week. You can’t achieve optimal physical health by taking a ‘magic pill’. Achieving success in these areas of your life require time and energy. You need to put in the hours and the sweat. You need to understand that your beer belly won’t turn in to six pack abs after 15 minutes on the treadmill. You need to have the discipline, persistence and PATIENCE to continually work towards achieving your maximum potential in all areas of life.

Remember to always think about what you have to gain. Working towards ‘delayed gratification’ is likely to make you a better person. You don’t learn anything from taking a magic pill. You don’t learn anything from playing the lottery. There is not enough time to learn anything in the express lane to instant gratification. The lessons you learn, the obstacles you overcome, the people you meet, the confidence you gain, the person you become and the life you create while on the journey to success is far more valuable and rewarding than succumbing to temptation instant gratification. Becoming a patient person will help you enjoy the process, one step at a time.

Small steps --> BIG RESULTS

2008-07-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

It has been said that only about 5-10% of people actually strive for and reach their full potential in their personal, professional and physical lives. The question I pondered today was ‘why can’t the other 90-95% reach the same level of success?’

I came to the conclusion that it is not a question of “can” versus “can’t”. It doesn’t have anything to do with race, religion, education, social or economic status. What it comes down to is choices. Happy, healthy and successful people simply make better choices than those who are not happy, healthy or successful. Furthermore, it is not only the actual choices that are made, but the repetition in which the choices are made. Making the right choices over and over again is what creates habits. So the equation is simple; more positive habits, and less negative habits = higher potential for success.

If someone is in the 90% of people who are not living a truly happy, healthy and successful life, the reason is simply because they are repeatedly making the wrong choices. Continually making these bad choices causes people to develop bad habits.

So, it all comes down to the habits we develop based on the decisions we make on a daily/weekly and/or monthly basis. It is not only about what you do today. It is about what you did yesterday, last week, what you are going to do tomorrow, the next day, next week and so forth.

I remember the first time I heard this philosophy from Jim Rohn. Practicing simple daily disciplines over a long period of time will create the success you want. On the other hand, simple errors in judgment repeated over time can lead you down a path of hardship and even failure.

That’s it! It is simply choosing to eat an apple instead of potato chips; simply choosing to exercise for 15-20 minutes each day instead of watching TV; finding something productive to do at work instead of surfing the net. And it is not about choosing these alternatives once in a while. It is about continually choosing the positive and productive activity on a daily basis. Simple enough?

We’ve all got a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other. This is similar to what I have written about before, the pull to do good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, success vs. failure. The demon will try to rob you of your promise by painting a distorted picture of what he has to offer. Choosing potato chips over an apple may provide a sense of instant gratification, but you are in trouble of developing a habit based on this instant gratification. In the long run, instant gratification hurts you more than it helps.

So, in every activity you do, choose to be happy; choose to be healthy; choose to be successful!

Reading Goals

2008-07-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

Last July I decided that I was going to set a yearly goal for the number of books I read. My initial goal was to read a book a week. Well, unfortunately I fell a little short. 365 days later I finished my 30th book for the year. I was 22 books shy of hitting my goal.

Now here we are in July again, and it is time to re-set my reading goal for the year. Again, my goal is to read 52 books, one a week, over the next 365 days. I can’t wait to share all the great insights and philosophies I learn over the next year with all of you.

If you are interested, here is the list of books I read this past year:

1) The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success – Deepak Chopra
2) The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz
3) How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
4) Awaken the Giant Within – Anthony Robbins
5) How to Develop Self Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking – Dale Carnegie
6) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling
7) Keys to Success – Napoleon Hill
8) Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl
9) Becoming a Person of Influence – John Maxwell
10) Getting Things Done – David Allen
11) The Inner Game of Tennis – Tim Gallwey
12) The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
13) Maximum Achievement – Brian Tracy
14) The Renaissance – Paul Johnson
15) The Spark - John U. Bacon and Lyn Heward
16) Over the Top – Zig Ziglar
17) How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life – H.H. the Dalai Lama
18) You Can if You Think You Can – Norman Vincent Peale
19) Unlimited Power – Anthony Robbins
20) The Pursuit of Happyness – Chris Gardner
21) Left to Tell - Immaculee Ilibagiza
22) Top Performance – Zig Ziglar
23) The Power of Intention – Dr. Wayne Dyer
24) Twelve Pillars – Jim Rohn
25) Seasons of Life – Jim Rohn
26) Live the Life You’ve Always Dreamed – Chris Widener
27) Safari to the Soul – Dennis Waitley
28) 22 Success Lessons from Baseball – Ron White
29) Blink – Malcolm Gladwell
30) Lefthanded Soldiers – Gary Eby

Focus

2008-07-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

This morning on my mountain bike ride I decided that I was going to reverse my loop. These alternate routes allow me to ride up the trails I usually ride down, and down the trails I usually ride up. Every now and then I do this to keep my rides exciting and challenging. It is amazing how different the trails appear when you simply ride them going a different direction. Because I was not used to riding the trails in this reversed route, everything was coming at me from a different perspective than I am used to. I had to concentrate more on dodging rocks, boulders and other obstacles I came across.

For about the first 15 minutes, I was REALLY focusing on not hitting the many rocks and other obstructions along the trail. I’ve got to admit, it seemed like the more I tried to avoid the obstacles, the more I ran into them. As soon as I felt like I was beginning to gain momentum, sure enough I would get my tire stuck between two rocks, spin out or lose my balance trying to navigate through the terrain. I started to become frustrated because I was not able to develop a steady rhythm.

The next park bench I came to I decided to take a break. As I was eating my power bar and regrouping for the rest of the ride, I remember an important philosophy that I learned somewhere along the way. KEY PHRASE: Focus on what you WANT to do and where you WANT to go, not on what you DON”T WANT to do or where you DON”T WANT to go. My problem was that I was focusing on NOT hitting the obstacles. Although I was focused on trying to avoid the obstructions, I was still focused ON them. I realized that by changing my FOCUS, I could change my experience.

I didn’t even finish my power bar because I was so excited to put this profound realization to work. I geared up, jumped back on my bike and hit the trail. This time I had much greater success. Instead of trying to not hit the rocks, I focused on the exact lines I wanted to ride. I completely took the rocks and other obstacles out of my mind. Now that my focus changed, the obstacles appeared to me as nothing more than part of the trail. Just as the trees and wildlife off the trial pass in my peripherals, so to did the rocks, boulders and other obstacles along the trail. The difference in simply changing my focus from what I wanted to avoid to what I wanted to accomplish was amazing.

I am grateful for reversing my mountain bike route and being reminded of the important philosophy that what we focus on in life can make a big difference in determining our happiness and success. Focus on what you want to do and where you want to go, not what you don’t want to do or where you don’t want to end up.

Here are a few thoughts I took from a recent book I read . . .

2008-07-09T08:24:00.001-07:00

- You don’t have to bring others down in order to build yourself up.

- When confronted with obstacles, do not adopt a victim mentality. Don’t give up, complain or make excuses about your circumstances.

- People who risk and fail usually still end up better off than people who stand on the sidelines.

- “He who has never failed somewhere, that man cannot be great” – Melville

- We are all human; therefore we will all have shortcomings, failures and imperfections.

- Greatness requires more than just doing great things. True greatness is a combination of accomplishments and character.

- Every person in the world has the same 86,400 seconds to spend each day. Truly happy, healthy and successful people spend each of these seconds wisely.

- Everything you do matters!

- You can program your mind for success by painting a clear picture of your goals.

- Spend most of your mental energy focusing on success.

- You can achieve all your goals if you don’t make and accept your own excuses.

Lessons from mountain biking

2008-06-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I decided to go on a evening bike ride. As usual, I started on the nice little warm-up trail that is on the way to the hill I climb. This trail gives me a good warm-up before I really push hard and start working to climb the main mountain. I was pretty excited to ride this day because I had spent most of the afternoon cleaning and repairing my bike.

After about 10 minuets into the ride my chain got derailed. Usually this is no big deal; I just guide it back on the sprocket and continue on my way. However, this time there was a minor issue. When I threw the chain it also bent and ruined my low-gear sprocket. As a novice mountain biker, I use my low gears quite frequently. So, only 10 minutes into the ride I had a decision to make; either turn around now while I am at the bottom of the mountain, or push myself to ride the trails without my low gears.

Well, like I said I was pretty excited to be out riding, so the decision was actually easy – I was going to finish my ride. I knew it was going to be quite a challenge without my low gears, so I set my frame of mind on getting a grueling workout.

I started out at the bottom of the hill using my mid-gears. When I got halfway up the incline, I noticed something. I was not struggling as much as I had anticipated. I decided to kick it up a little to see if I could handle the high gears. Sure enough, I was able to bike about ½ of my ride using my high gears.

The interesting thing about my experience on the bike is that I had no idea of what I was capable of doing. Because I was so used to using the low gears I assumed that I needed them to get up and over the terrain of the mountain. However, once those low gears were taken away from me, I was forced to step-up to the next level. Since I could not rely on the low gears as a safety net, I was forced to push myself.

- How do you realize what you are capable of doing?
- How do you find and achieve your full potential?

I’d like to say that the answer came to me that day on the trail. There is more to it though. You see, I was faced with a situation where I had to push myself to do something I normally would not have tried. However, I still had to make the CHOICE to continue riding. It was not the situation (opportunity) alone that forced me to realize what I was capable of. It was the fact that I CHOSE to step outside of my comfort zone and accept the challenge. Seemingly small decisions like these in life are what truly guide a person to reach their full potential.

Everyday there are opportunities that arise for us all where we have the either the chance to fulfill our potential or stay in our comfort zones. Learning to recognize these opportunities and accept the challenges can help you to achieve greatness in your personal, physical and professional lives.

What are you looking forward to?

2008-06-23T08:25:00.001-07:00

The other day I overheard my fiancée talking to her mother on the phone. She was talking about her grandfather, Joe, who had recently returned from the hospital after surgery. The surgery was done to remove a 4 inch tumor from his lung.

As for the surgery, everything went fine. You see, Joe is relatively healthy for a man at the age of 87. This is a guy who just a few days after having a minor stroke was out and about looking for work to do around the house. Kristen and I are convinced that Joe may potentially out live the two of us. :-)

From the conversation Kristen was having with her mother, it seemed that the surgery to remove the cancer has left Joe laid-up and feeling a bit down for a few days. Understandably so; I mean the guy had about an 8 inch incision running from under his arm to his hip. He us usually up and running around, tending to the garden, cleaning up around the house, building something, or out bidding and completing jobs for others. (Yes, he still does all these things at the age of 87).

Kristen gave some very helpful advice. She told her mom that Joe just needed some things to look forward to. He needed some help in focusing on things to come; some reasons to get well so he can do the things he loves again. Finding things to look forward to could help change his perspective. He could look at his recovery time as something necessary to allow him to do things he loves in the near future.

For the rest of the day I thought about Kristen’s concept of having something to look forward to. If I apply this idea to everyday life, it would be extremely beneficial. This is similar to goal setting, but on a smaller scale. It not about just going through the motions and doing your daily/weekly activities with no anticipation or enthusiasm. In my opinion, this is about getting excited about the little things in life. Looking forward to some of these seemingly smaller things are what get you out of bed on a daily basis. They give you something to be excited about while you are working on your much larger goals and aspirations. They also help to keep you balanced and happy with the life you live on a daily basis.

I though of a few things I do on a daily/weekly basis that I look forward to doing.

- Having a cup of coffee in the morning
- Going to the gym
- Playing tennis
- Mountain biking with my good friend on the weekend
- Reading books
- Writing for this blog
- Playing softball on Sunday
- Hanging out with Kristen in the evenings and weekends
- Overcoming challenges and being productive at work
- Watching the sun set
- Going for a walk with Kristen
- Playing with my dogs

All of these things are seemingly small and insignificant. However, I truly enjoy doing all of the above listed activities. Therefore, I can always have something to look forward to. If you can’t think of things you do on a daily/weekly basis that you look forward to, I recommend re-evaluating your activities. Make a list of what you are doing and what you could be doing that would make you go through everyday life with a bit more enthusiasm and excitement. Even if you only have one thing that you look forward to each day, you can wake up with a sense of passion and purpose. The point is to be always looking . . . FORWARD!

When you talk to yourself, what do you say?

2008-06-16T22:20:00.000-07:00

Personal daily affirmations can be very beneficial in helping to develop and maintain a positive attitude. Your attitude has a direct reflection on you happiness and success in life. Negative self-talk is likely to hinder your pursuit of leading a healthy, happy and successful life. Here are a few affirmations I like to tell myself from time to time. These simple phrases help me stay positive and moving in the right direction.

1) I will maintain a clam demeanor and peaceful state of mind in the hectic times of the present.

2) Without compromising my morals, I will strive for friendship with everyone I meet.

3) I will not desire attention nor will I envy others.

4) I will strive to attain the best traits from each person I encounter.

5) I am not afraid to be myself.

6) I will let others see what great character I possess.

7) I will not regret my past and will enjoy my plans for the future. Furthermore, I will not take exception to the passing of time.

8) My passion is focused on making a living instead of making money.

9) I understand that the person I become in pursuit of what I want is more important than material possessions.

10) I will reap the benefits of my high ideals hard work in an honorable manner, sharing my spoils with those less fortunate than me.

11) In the face of adversity, my spirit, hope, and determination will help guide me through.

12) I am not afraid of failure.

13) I understand that I can only control my mind and actions; beyond that, everything else in the vast universe is happening for a reason.

14) I will not trouble myself in seeking out explanations for things that are beyond my control.

15) I will show sincere compassion towards others.

16) I will always seek peace in the stunning beauty of the world.

17) I will not take my physical and mental health for granted.

18) I will continue to exercise my body and mind keeping both in peak condition.

19) I have the right to be here.

20) I have the right to be happy.

The more you recite affirmations like the ones above, the more you begin to believe them. Belief is the first step in making something a reality.

If at first you don’t succeed . . . try, try again!

2008-06-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

In a few months my nephew Garrett will have a new baby sister. My niece will go through the stages of growing up that every human goes through. She will learn to crawl, say her first words, taste new foods, and take her first steps. She will experience everything most children learn as they begin their journey through life.

When Madeline gets to the stage in life when she is learning to walk, she is bound to fall numerous times. When she falls down, I guarantee that her parents are not going to give up and say, “well, it looks like she just isn’t going to make it’. It is safe to say that they will encourage little Madeline to get up and keep trying. Even more, Madeline will not give up on herself! At that young of an age it is human nature to keep trying. Her instincts, aided by the encouragement of her parents, will not allow her to give up. Eventually Maddie will learn to support herself, put one foot in front of the other, and take her first steps.

All of us have gone through the process of learning to walk and we have all fallen numerous times. The key is that we have all picked ourselves up and tried again until we were able to put one foot in front of the other on our own.

Recently I have been thinking a lot about my past endeavors. I feel that my ambition, work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit have helped me create a relatively good life. However, there have been times in my ventures when I have not been at the top of the mountain. Depending on the point of view, one might even say that I have had several failures in life. There have been times where I have felt like a baby learning to walk, and I keep falling flat on my backside.

However, at the end of the day, the only person’s point of view that matters is my own. In reality I consider the ‘failures’ to be successful and important learning experiences. It is just as important for me, and all of us, to pick ourselves up from our failures and continue moving forward. Someone once said “you must learn to rebound from our shortcomings just as surely as you may have fallen into them”.

Continued effort alone is not enough. Einstein said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing multiple times and expecting different results. In order to avoid being classified as insane, it is important to learn from each failure and make necessary adjustments to produce a better result next time. As babies, before we learn how to walk we first need to learn how to STOP FALLING.

In order to be happy and successful in life, there are many things in which we need to learn what not to do as well as to do. Therefore we must always look back and have the courage to critique ourselves; recognize where we went wrong and learn from our mistakes. Doing this does two things:

1) It turns a perceived failure into a successful learning experience. Acquired knowledge is invaluable. Knowledge is one of the few things that can never be taken from you. This is extremely empowering. People with knowledge aren’t afraid of losing anything because they KNOW how to get it back.
2) It gives you ammunition for the next challenge. You can now move forward and use the newfound knowledge to create success. This is worth repeating: People with knowledge aren’t afraid of losing anything because they KNOW how to get it back.

Looking back at your challenges and hardships in life allow you the opportunity to grow and become a better person. Remember, it is your own point of view that determines whether something is a success or a failure in your life!

I'll leave you with this affirmation: I am dedicated to becoming a happy, healthy and successful person. It is MY challenge to achieve excellence!

P.S. Thanks for the chat mom!

A few lessons I learned on communication

2008-06-10T19:52:00.001-07:00

Where I work, most of my communication is done via email. Previously I worked at a sales company where the success of an individual relied heavily on good interpersonal communication skills. As a sales and development manager it was imperative that my communication skills were polished. Last week I was working at a conference for my company in which about 2,000 of our customers attended. I used this conference as an opportunity to practice and brush-up on my communication skills. Here are some of the things I found helpful in talking with people and sharing good conversations. These are just a few points that I noticed while talking with a wide variety of people this past week.

1) Don't talk TO people or talk AT people. Instead, talk WITH people.

2) Listen first. The best way to becoming a good conversationalist is to become a good listener. Being a good listener does not mean just waiting for you turn to talk. It means showing a genuine interest in people.

3) Ask open-ended questions. Doing this allows you to establish a comfortable level of rapport with people. In minutes you can feel comfortable talking with a complete stranger.

4) When you do talk, have something to say. Sometimes the person who is talking the most has the least to say. A good conversationalist knows that what she/he has to say is more important than how much she/he has to say.

5) Mirror and match, but remember to always be yourself. Mirroring and matching the other person’s tone, enthusiasm and body language can help to enhance the flow of a conversation.

For most of my life I was an introvert. Learning how to become an effective communicator was one of the greatest skills I have learned. I still have a lot to learn about becoming a good conversationalist. I welcome the opportunity and look forward to 'practicing' my communication skills with all of you.

Till then, take care my friends!

Use it – don’t abuse it!

2008-06-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Today while I was driving around running my Sunday errands I saw a blind man on the sidewalk corner, cane in hand, searching for the crosswalk flasher button on the light pole. He looked to be in his late 40’s, healthy and smiling. While at the stoplight, I watched him and began to think of the everyday challenges that this man faces just to get through his day.

I should take this moment to say that just because this man is blind doesn’t mean that he is not a happy and successful person. Being blind does not necessarily limit a person’s success. After all, look at what Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles accomplished as blind men. I assume that this man is just as successful and accomplished as any other person crossing the street. With that being said, my point is that it probably takes a little more time and concentration for the blind man to do some of the everyday things that people with vision do without much little thought and effort – such as pressing a crosswalk button on a light pole. As I drove off, the blind man on the corner seemed to have stuck with me throughout the day.

As I continued my errands, I paid close attention to all the people around me. I took note of the items in some families shopping carts at the grocery store; many of them filled with sugary, high-fat/low nutrient items such as soda, cookies, chips and Top Ramen. Walking out of the shopping centers I saw store employees on their breaks; leaning against the side of the building drinking a high sugar energy drink and smoking a cigarette. Driving through the parking lots and city streets, I passed fast food restaurants with countless people walking in and out; most of whom appear to be unhealthily overweight. (Just to be clear, I am talking about people who are overweight by choice, not because of a medical condition). In addition to what I witnessed today, I have also heard stories of children, teens and even adults spending hours in front of the TV or playing video games.

By the end of the day I concluded that the vast majority of the people I saw were obviously taking their health, and their bodies, for granted. It makes sense to me why in the early part of this decade, over 44 million people are considered obese and over 17 million have diabetes in the US. The majority of these people are fully capable of exercising and being active people. The only physical disability they have is the one they have created for themselves – laziness. It is incredibly sad.

This evening as I am reflecting on the day that was, I think about all the people I saw earlier. For some reason, I keep thinking of that blind man on the corner. That man, who I am likely to never see again, helped me today. Because of him, I am even MORE grateful this evening for the way I choose to live my life than I was when I woke up this morning. I am fortunate to be in good health, and am proud of the fact that I do not take my body for granted and my physical abilities for granted.

Some of you reading this may be saying, “Yeah, I am proud of the fact that I take care of my body and utilize it to be as active and productive as possible”. I tip my hat to all of you; for you all inspire me!

Conversely, there may be some people reading this who feel it hits a little too close to home. If that is the case I offer these two thoughts to you:

1) Don’t be offended by the words I write, as I am sure you are aware that my intentions are in good spirit.
2) If you ARE offended, use that feeling as motivation. Ask yourself why you are offended. Ask yourself what you need to do to join the “Yeah, I am proud of the fact that I take care of my body and utilize it to be as active and productive as possible” crowd. Then go DO IT!

Once you become a person who is grateful for your health and begin to use your abilities to the utmost potential, come back and read this post again. Pat yourself on the back as you proclaim your newfound health and vigor! Use your body for what it is made for – ACTION and PRODUCTIVIY. Don’t abuse it.

The more we work on ourselves individually, the better chance we have as a community, nation and world to become happy, healthy and successful. Let’s all do our part in decreasing these three diseases:

1) Obesity
2) Diabetes
3) Laziness (yes, it is a disease) ;-)

We can do it – and we WILL do it together!

Dream BIG!

2008-06-01T13:41:00.001-07:00

In the late 1940’s, Walt Disney had a dream and started making some sketches. Today millions of people visit his theme parks in the United States, Japan, France and China.

In August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. shared his dream in that, “. . . one day [we] live in a nation where [we] will not be judged by the color of [our] skin but by the content of [our] character”. Today we are on the brink of our nation being led by the first African American president.

What are you dreaming of?

When you dream BIG, and act upon fulfilling your dreams, the benefits have a ripple effect. You are most likely to create a better life not only for yourself, but for the world around you.

Look at what Disney’s dreams have done for millions of children around the world. Think of the joy you felt when you first saw those cartoon characters. Remember the feeling you had when you went to Disneyland or the joy you felt when you saw how excited your children or grandchildren were when they got to meet their favorite Disney character. Those feelings of joy and happiness are the result of someone else’s dream.

Where would Senator Obama be today if it had not been for Dr. King’s dream 45 years earlier? Where would our nation be? Today we live in one of the most diverse nations in the world, welcoming people from all walks of life. Corporate glass ceilings are being shattered by men and women of all races; James Bell – Executive Vise President and CFO of The Boeing Company, Kenneth Chenault – CEO and Chairman of American Express, and Catherine Hughes - the first African American woman to head a firm publicly traded on a stock exchange in the United States, just to name a few. The road was paved for these people because a man acted upon his dreams some 45 years ago.

If you go to work on YOUR dreams right now, think of where you will be 45 years from now! Don’t wait until your next New Years resolution; don’t wait until your kids grow up; don’t wait until the economy turns around. Start working on achieving your dreams today; or at least start dreaming today. Remember this, no dream is too big!

"If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's OK. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot. " - Confucius

Sweet dreams.

Circle of influence

2008-05-23T21:56:00.000-07:00

“If you can’t change your friends, change your friends”

The people you spend time with in our life will have a major influence on the type of person you become. I have found that it is important to associate with people who bring out the best in you, not the worst. Just as a rotten apple can ruin a beautiful bowl of fruit, negative associations are likely to diminish your character. This is why as a sales manager I would always stress the importance of a conducive, positive team environment. You are more likely to realize, and ultimately reach, your true potential when associating with people who help to bring out your best traits. A positive circle of influence can help you to achieve a happy, productive and successful life.

Jim Rohn has talked and written about the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. I would like to share with you the questions that Mr. Rohn suggests we constantly ask ourselves about the people we associate with:

- Who am I around?
- What effect are they having on me?
- What have they got me reading?
- What have they got me saying?
- Where do they have me going?
- What do they have me thinking?
- What do they have me becoming?
- And, most important; are you okay with the answers to the above questions?

Think about these questions the next time you are with your co-workers, friends, relatives and anyone else you associate with. Take note as to whether your circle of influence increases of decreases your productivity. Listen to the words and language that people use. Pay attention to the thoughts you have when you hang with certain people. Be aware of the feelings you experience around people. Ask yourself if the language, actions, thoughts and feelings you get from others are conducive with the direction you would like to go. Ask if the people you surround yourself with are enhancing or weakening your positive qualities.

I have realized that whether we work on it or not, we all continue to grow throughout our lives. Those who focus on their growth have more control over which direction they go; however, we all grow none the less. I have found that even though I may have been growing in the same direction as someone in the past, the destination was not the same. As my personal journey has continued, there have been some people I chose to limit my associations with. There has even been a person or two where I’ve felt the need to cut ties with completely. You may experience the same thing. It’s okay. It does not mean that I think I am better than those individuals, or that my way is the ‘right’ way. It simply means that there is a conflict in destination. It means that my way is the ‘right way for ME’. If my compass is set due west, it won’t do me any good to join the people who are headed east. Even more, I don’t want to join the group who has no compass! Who knows where these folks will lead me?

Remember, it is easier to get where you want to go in life if you surround yourself with people who are headed to the same destination.

Turn your knowledge into wisdom

2008-05-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

I believe that we all have the knowledge on how to feel good everyday and live a quality lifestyle. However, this knowledge alone will not suffice. Knowledge only becomes useful once it is applied. In order to live life to the fullest we must turn our knowledge into wisdom.

The way I see it, knowledge and wisdom are not the same. Knowledge means knowing; it is being able to distinguish between right and wrong, and what you should or shouldn’t do to become a healthy, happy and successful person.

For example, most of us are knowledgeable of the consequences of smoking cigarettes. It has been proven that smoking does nothing but damages your health. Besides the fact that smoking is carcinogenic for the individual actually doing it, second hand smoke also puts others at risk. Even more, smoking is highly unattractive as it causes stained teeth, wrinkles, and an awful odor. Although this is somewhat common knowledge, there are still millions of people in this world who start smoking or continue to smoke on a regular basis. Is this be because the smokers lack KNOWLEDGE?

If you lack knowledge, it can easily be acquired. We gain knowledge through personal EXPERIENCE; from paying attention to the consequences that follow certain actions (or non-action for that matter). For example, you are unaware of the consequences of smoking, you can simply read the Surgeon General’s Warning that is printed on every pack of cigarettes. Just by reading a few printed words, you have gained knowledge and have learned the consequences of smoking. Also, if you smoke a cigarette, or are around someone else who is smoking, you will experience first hand that it leaves behind an unpleasant odor. Just as with anything in life, by paying attention to your EXERIENCES, and the experiences of others, you are able to gain knowledge. The point I am trying to make is knowledge is easy; the challenge is applying the knowledge and turning it into wisdom.

Wisdom is applied knowledge. It is actually DOING, or not doing, what you know. Having wisdom means taking ACTION to create the happiness and success you want. The application of knowledge is a key component which separates a truly enlightened individual from others. When you apply your knowledge, and EXPERIENCE the feeling of the action, you gain wisdom.

I should take a moment here to clarify something important. Wisdom is not measured in terms of intelligence. You see, there are many people in this world far smarter than me who light up every day. Therefore I am not saying that smoking, eating fast food or watching hours of TV everyday means a person is ignorant. What I am trying to elucidate is when you ignore the consequences of certain actions, you are setting limitations upon yourself. You are not paying attention to your EXPERIENCES therefore you are sabotaging the opportunity to GAIN wisdom. Doing this is contradictory to living a health, happy and truly successful life.

You can recognize your knowledge and begin to move towards wisdom by simply taking small steps. If you feel the need to eat fast food one day, you can acknowledge your wisdom by making sure to exercise a little longer and harder that day and the next. It is okay to go out for some drinks if you limit yourself to only a few, thus sparing the hung-over feeling the next day. Doing this means that you are moving towards taking action on your knowledge, turning it into wisdom. Just as with anything else in life, it is up to you to DECIDE and take ACTION on what you know. Wisdom means making the DECISION to apply your knowledge.

How do you gain wisdom?
1) Learn from your mistakes and successes.
2) Learn from other’s mistakes and successes.
3) Seek more knowledge
Remember, wisdom is simply putting your knowledge to work. Therefore the more knowledge you possess, the more knowledge you can apply.

Personally, I have a lot of wisdom to gain. As I continue my journey through life, I am excited about acquiring more knowledge and am looking forward to turning newly discovered awareness into wisdom. I wish the same for all of you!

Focus a little each day . . .

2008-05-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I was visiting some friends in Palo Alto. I decided that I was going to spend some time downtown before arriving at their house. I made my way downtown and found myself a parking spot. When I got out of my car, I heard a loud HISSSSSSS. Sure enough, there was a hole in my front left tire.

I have changed a spare or two in my ‘relatively young life’ (that is for you M.F.) so there was no problem with that. I had a spare so there was no problem there; however I did not have a jack! So, to make a long story short, I had to call a service truck to come and change my tire for me. I was informed that the help would be there in about one hour.

This could have ruined the weekend for some people, but I wanted to make sure I did not let a flat tire affect my attitude. Since I couldn’t change the fact that I had a flat tire, I started to look at the positive side of my situation.

- If my front tire blew while I was driving 70 mph on the freeway it may have been a dangerous situation. Thankfully that was not the case. My tire didn’t start to leak until I was parked. (positive)
- It was a warm day, but I happened to come across a parking spot that was in the shade. (positive)
- I did not have to feed a meter for the space because it was free 2-hour parking. (positive)
- I was parked only about 30 feet from the entrance of a bookstore. This would give me something to do while I was waiting. (positive)
- The entrance to the bookstore was actually outdoors, so I could keep an eye on my car for when the help arrived. (positive)
- I didn’t have to pay for the tire change because I have free roadside assistance through my cell phone service. (positive)
- I remembered that I was in town to hang out with two of the coolest people I know and as soon as my tire was fixed I would be on my way to see them. (super positive)

Now for the simple point; there are usually more positive points to any given situation than negative. The problem is that some people tend to focus too much on the negative aspect making it bigger in their mind than the positives. They key is to pull out the positives in life. The negative piece shrinks and becomes less significant as you begin to find more positive pieces.

Below are some simple exercises that may help you learn to focus on the positive aspects of daily life. I have found that doing this really helps me to get out of bed with enthusiasm and excitement for the day. Also, there is nothing better than ending the evening with some reflection on all the great things that happened over the past 15 hours or so. You may start to notice how your attitude begins to change day by day. You will begin each day with increased confidence and cheerfulness. Doing these simple exercises each morning and evening can help train your mind to be more optimistic because you are FOCUSED on positive thinking. You can write your thoughts down on paper, or simply reflect to yourself mentally. Enjoy!

Morning:
Think about what you have planned for the day. Ask yourself what you are excited about for the day. What are you looking forward to? What are you going to gain by getting up and starting your day with enthusiasm? The idea is to pull the positive out of everything.

Evening:
Reflect on the day and think of the positives. Write down what went good for the day. Think of the things that made you feel happy. Remember conversations you had that made you feel good or laugh. Think of all the people you influenced or helped that day. Your objective here is to go to sleep with a sense of self-worth, achievement, and excitement to do it all over again the next day.

Doing this will help you to turn seemingly ‘bad days’ around. No matter what course the day takes, there are ALWAYS good things that happen. Remember, all you need to do is focus a little each day!

Think about what you think about . . .

2008-05-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

Where you have been and where you are right now in your life is a direct reflection of how you think. Having a positive attitude is likely to lead to living a good life and you are more likely to attract success. Your attitude from this moment on is going to determine where you will be in the future. Here’s why:

1) Being positive increases motivation.
Helen Keller put it best by saying, “No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.”

I believe that filling your mind with optimistic thoughts creates a surplus of positive energy. This energy helps to create a productive state of mind; also known as motivation. Positive energy is so powerful that it radiates from person to person. I am sure you have noticed that optimistic people ‘put off’ a different energy that negative people. There have probably even been times when another person’s positive energy has motivated you. By thinking positively on your own, you are able to create this energy yourself, thus increasing your motivation to do great things.

2) Motivation leads to action.
Motivation is what causes all those people to run down the streets when the bulls are released in Pamplona. Motivation is what pushes the sales rep to make call after call. Top athletes push their bodies to peak performance because of motivation. Why? Because having a high level of motivation to do something means that the result is going to benefit you in a positive way. Unless you want bulls chasing you around everyday, I recommend you become a self-motivated person by having a positive attitude.

3) Action leads to results.
This is what it is all about – the results. Anything worth getting is going to require effort. Effort = action. It is so empowering to know that you are in control. KEY PHRASE: Doing nothing leads to nothing; doing anything leads to something, and doing everything you can leads to greatness!

It is easier to overcome challenges because you are focused on the result. The runners in Pamplona are more focused on the end result, (not being gored by a bull), than the challenges that arise in pursuit of their goal. If someone loses a shoe or must navigate around an obstacle on their way to safety they don’t have time to stop and dwell on the issue. Their motivation is so strong that they overcome the challenge on the fly and continue moving forward – hopefully. Having a positive attitude will naturally help you to focus on results, thus keep YOU moving forward.

Your mind is the only thing that can stop you from achieving greatness. The good news is that you are in control of you mind! And remember, just because someone else does not believe in you, does not mean you have to believe them.

The answer is always ‘half full’

2008-05-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Something that I learned recently from one of Zig Ziglar’s books was being able to change people’s perspective and help them see the silver lining in any cloud. Recently I was able to apply this philosophy and see the results for myself.

I few days ago I had an interesting conversation with the clerk in the supermarket checkout line. She asked me how my day was and I responded enthusiastically by saying ‘It’s been great! How is your day?’ Unfortunately she did not share my same enthusiasm. She looked at me over her glasses and said, “Honey, I was here until 1:00AM last night, I came back at 11:00AM this morning, and don’t get off until 8:00PM tonight.” Although her tone seemed playful, I could tell that she was truly not feeling too excited about being at work so much.

I asked her why she is working so much. She responded in a more sarcastic tone with a little more attitude, “well apparently I am the only one around here who can get anything done!”

I decided that this lady needed a little help in positive thinking. I responded by saying, “wow, you must feel really good about being such a valuable employee. I know that a lot of people are worried about their job security because of the unstable economy. It sounds like you don’t need to worry about that because your manager needs you. That’s great!” Honestly, I was not sure what the reaction would be. I figured that I probably couldn’t make her attitude worse, so it was worth a shot.

Now, I am not saying that I changed this lady’s life right there in the checkout line, but I did, even if only for a moment, change her attitude. She looked at me slightly taken aback. Her scowl slowly turned into a smile as though she was really pondering the thought of being a highly valuable employee. As she handed me my receipt she said, “You have a great evening, honey” with a big grin. Furthermore, she seemed to greet her next customer with a little more enthusiasm and appreciation than she did with me.

There was another instance where I made an effort to change a co-workers perspective. I arrived at the office on a Monday morning and the usual conversations commenced – “how was the weekend”, “did you do anything exciting”, etc. One of my co-workers said in a negative and downbeat tone, “man, I need a weekend from my weekend”. In my opinion this is not the best way to start the workweek. After all, Monday morning can set the tone for the entire week. Also, in an office environment the attitudes of others are highly contagious. I decided to try and change this person’s perspective by focusing on something more positive because I didn’t want the negative germs spreading to me or my co-workers. I said, “The good news is another weekend is only 5 days away”.

This person looked at me like I just gave them the best news in the world. There was a huge smile and a slight chuckle with the response, “Hey, your right. I guess that is a good way to think about it”. It is amazing how something so simple can actually change someone’s attitude.

Everyday there are instances when we are presented with opportunities to help change other people’s perspective. It is a simple concept, and the more you think and try to help others do it, the more naturally it will happen for you. All you need to do is think of the glass as half full – and believe it!

The great thing about helping others see things in a more positive light is it helps to put things in perspective for you. As I am writing these words right now, my own perspective is changing. Earlier I was reflecting on the past few weeks of work and the challenges that I have faced. Simply put, it has been a very demanding month and it has been very important for me to continually look within myself, change my perception and continue to move forward with a positive outlook.

Sometimes all you need is a little change of perspective.

Kindness = Happiness

2008-05-01T21:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever helped someone carry their groceries up the stairs of their apartment complex? Have you ever offered a ride to a co-worker who is waiting for the bus? Have there been times when you have gone out of your way to help someone in need or just make another person happy? If you have, I imagine that you felt pretty good about helping someone else.

I am sure you have heard the phrases “no good deed goes unpunished” and “nice guys finish last”. If you choose to believe in these philosophies, you are choosing to live with a pessimistic outlook on life. And if you really do believe in these philosophies, I offer you the following challenge. Tomorrow when you wake up, make the decision, just for one day, to disregard your cynical beliefs. Go through the day performing random acts of kindness that you may not normally do. Hold doors open for others – regardless of gender, leave your waiter/waitress a larger tip than normal – regardless of service, smile and look strangers in the eyes as they pass on the street, and/or offer compliments and praise to people you work with. By the end of the day, you just may have a new philosophy; nothing bad can come from being a nice person.

One of the greatest things about life is that you’re not required to establish charities around the world to become a humanitarian. All you need to do is be committed to improving the lives of other people. If you make that commitment, you are also committing to improving your own life. Whether you offer someone a smile, a few dollars for bus fare, or a cup of soup, you are making the world a better place. In reality, simply being a nice person and helping others is a great way to increase your own happiness and well-being.

Some profound thoughts . . .

2008-04-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have had a lot of extremely insightful philosophies, ideas, and thoughts come into my mind. Some of these thoughts are triggered from conversations with people, something I read in a book, songs on the radio or just my own personal, deep reflection. I’d like to share some of these thoughts with you.

1) Today is more important than yesterday, but tomorrow is always the most important day of the week!

2) Inspiration + motivation + action = success!

3) Where you begin is not what matters; what matters is where you finish.

4) Mistakes are okay – that is how we learn.

5) Your thoughts determine your perception of life – If you don’t like the view, change what is in your mind.

6) The best way to improve yourself is to help others improve.

7) Your life is as good as the choices you make – if you want a better life, make better choices.

I encourage you to reflect upon some of these thoughts yourself for the next couple of days. If you continue to think about life philosophies such as these, and truly believe in them, they will naturally become part of your life. This type of thinking allows me to continually live a positive, productive and forward moving life. I wish the same for all of you!

Finish strong

2008-04-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

If you end each day on a negative note, those negative feelings are likely to carry over to the next day, hence waking up on the wrong side of bed. Likewise if you end the day feeling good, you are more likely to have a great night of sleep. The positive feeling from the previous night will carry over to the next day and you are more likely to wake up feeling good and ready to start your day.

Here are a few tips for finishing each day on a positive note:

-Don’t skip your exercise for the day: If you exercise in the morning, this is less of an issue. However, for those of us who work out in the evening, this is crucial for ending the day on a good note – especially on those extra stressful days. At the end of a stressful day it is easy, and tempting, to head straight home and grab a beer or glass of wine to unwind. However, I guarantee that you will feel better if you spend 20-30 minutes getting your heart rate up at the end of the day. Also, pushing yourself to work out at the end of the day does something for your self-esteem that is hard to explain. Simply put, it just makes you feel better!
-Don’t watch the late night news before bed: Unfortunately the media in this country has established that ‘news’ means ‘negative events within society’. It is not a good feeling to end the day by hearing about all the negative events that happened over the past 24 hours. When you go to sleep your mind will still be unwinding and processing all the negative information from the news program. It gives you a skewed perception of the world. I don’t know about you, but when I have happy dreams, it is easier for me to wake up feeling good. Happy thoughts equal happy dreams. I also recommend skipping shows like CSI, Law and Order, ER, etc. (Tivo for a rainy day!)
- Don’t go to bed mad: If you are in a relationship or live with a roommate, you are bound to have confrontations now and then. I recommend settling all confrontations prior to going to bed. Once a confrontation is resolved, you are able to calm down. This means lower blood pressure, which allows you to relax and sleep better. You will not wake up feeling anxious or resentful because the issue has been resolved.

We all go through life in 24 hour segments. We all follow the same cyclical routines; we wake up, do various events throughout the day, and go to bed. Then we start the cycle again. How you feel when you wake up in the morning is a crucial piece of this routine. Your feelings and attitude each morning may set the tone for your day, which in-turn effects your actions and thoughts for the day. By finishing the day on a positive note, you are helping to make it easier on yourself in setting the mood for the following day.

Finish strong and set yourself up for success!

I know I’m a lucky man . . .

2008-04-17T22:51:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been doing a lot of thinking about my life. I have been thinking about where I have been, my past successes and ‘failures’. (I use the term failures very loosely). I look at where I am right now with my life, my career, relationships, health, etc. And I think a lot about the future and where I am headed.

At the age of 25, I am relatively young. Through the course of my young adult life, there have been many highs and lows in both my personal and professional life. There have been times when I’ve felt absolutely invisible and other times where I thought I couldn’t be any worse off. Looking at the big picture, I wouldn’t consider my life to be better or worse than most of the people who are reading this blog. All of us have gone through the ups and downs of life, and there is more to come.

In my experience over the past six years, I have learned a few important lessons to help me manage my state of mind during the good times and bad. One thing I’ve learned is that although some things that happen are out of my control, I still have the ability to control my thoughts and reactions. It is not what happens to us in life that matters. What matters is how we react to what happens to us.

Something else I learned how to do is change my perspective. By actually viewing my situations as an outsider looking in, I am able to better analyze my situations and change my attitude about things – whether good or bad. Honestly, being able to change your perspective and see things from other people’s point of view is one of the most beneficial things you can learn.

The other day I heard a country song on the radio called “Lucky Man” by Montgomery Gentry. Based on my recent thoughts, the chorus of the song pretty much sums things up:

But I know I'm a lucky man
God's given me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and a piece of land
A few dollars in a coffee can
My old truck's still runnin' good
My ticker's tickin' like they say it should
I got supper in the oven
A good woman's lovin'
And one more day to be my little kid's Dad
Lord knows I'm a lucky man

Each day when you wake up, no matter what you have going on in your life, just be happy to have one more day. Be happy about having one more day to see what you can produce. Be excited about the fact that you have one more day to possibly change someone’s life in a positive way. Relish in fact that any bad things that have happened to you are now one more day in the past; each day you are moving forward. Everyday, welcome the challenge of learning something new, expanding your comfort zone, and becoming a better person. This is how you live a quality life everyday. It is not about the car you drive, your designer jeans, or the size of your home. You must convince yourself and believe that if you lose everything tomorrow you will still be able to wake up with enthusiasm and excitement for life.

Make the most out of your life - Carpe Diem!

How important is your health to you?

2008-04-15T21:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a VERY PROFOUND statement from Jim Rohn that pretty much sums it up:

“Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live”.

Don’t take your body for granted – it is the only one you get! Make sure that you exercise, eat right, and take care of your body. This is the most important thing you should focus on – everyday!

Your body is the most valuable resource you have; there is nothing you can do without it. Our bodies are the vehicles that take us through the roads of life. Just like a car, our bodies require regular maintenance to perform at their best. If you are unhealthy, you are unable to perform at your maximum.

This is true for both your personal and professional life. You will notice that when you reward your body with healthy food and regular exercise, it will return the favor. By making your health a constant focus every week, you can create the opportunity to live a happier, more productive and energetic life. So, wake up each morning feeling excited to be alive, eat healthy foods, and get up and moving!

Well, it’s been awhile . . . I need to re-balance!

2008-04-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a few days since I last put some of my thoughts together. For the last few weeks I have been extremely busy with work. I am working on some very exciting projects with my company, and they are requiring intense focus. Although I usually approach my job with this same intensity, I have noticed that lately my work has been coming home with me. I continue to work, or at least think about work, throughout the evening and on the weekends.

There are a few reasons why I am doing this. First off, I actually enjoy working. It gives me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Secondly, I love the challenge and the feeling of pressure to get something done. I appreciate the trust and confidence that others put in me to deliver a quality product within a certain period of time.

Even though I enjoy the challenge, my work is obviously causing an imbalance in my life at the moment. The fact that I have not written anything in about a week is good proof. This blog is not the only thing I have neglected this week. Normally I play a couple tennis matches each week. This week I didn’t play any matches, (although I did get on the court for about 45 min. to rally with a friend of mine). I have also put off reading. Once I finish reading a book, I usually begin a new one just a few days after. It has been about 10 days since I have finished my last book.

This week has reminded me of how important it is to live a balanced life. When things get really busy, it is important to step back, take some breaths, take a few hours off and re-vamp. I made sure that I would get back on track this weekend. I did not think or talk about work or check my email this weekend. I started reading a new book, went mountain biking, exercised and played some tennis. The result is very positive! Because I feel better, more balanced, the quality of my work will increase because there is an increased level of balance (happiness) in my life. I know that when it is time to get back to work, I will be refreshed and ready to go!

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
- Thomas Merton

So, based on my reflection on this past week, I leave you with this. In order to live a balanced, happy life, remember that moderation is always better than excess. Focusing too much on one thing causes you to neglect other things that make you happy. At the same time it turns something you enjoy doing, in my case work, into something that creates stress. Balance is the key! It allows you to get the most out of everything you do and helps you to perform at your highest potential.

The importance of personal growth.

2008-04-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

For the past six years I have been very proactive with my personal development. I have read many books, attended seminars and heard various speeches, and listened to numerous tapes/CDs. So, why am I so passionate about continually growing and moving forward? Well, I remember a phrase I heard from Jim Rohn six years ago which triggered my quest. KEY PHRASE: “Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job." Wow, how profound. This key to happiness and prosperity was passed down to him from his mentor. And now, six years after Mr. Rohn has passed it to me, here I am passing it along to those who are reading this right now.

Once again – Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job!
It doesn't matter how old you are, how much money or wealth you have, or your position at your company . . . your self development should never come to an end. The day you stop learning and growing as a person is the day you stop living.

In my experience, I have noticed that people avoid self development for various reasons. Some people are afraid to find their so-called faults or shortcomings. It is understandable that when we look in the mirror, we want to enjoy the view. So what do we do if we don’t like what we see?

One option is to never look in the mirror again. With this philosophy, you can refuse to recognize and deal with personal problems or things you are not satisfied with in your life. There is a word for this – DENIAL. Denial hurts you more than it helps, therefore I do not recommend this philosophy. Although you may find some success in avoiding the mirrors in your home, you are sure to catch your reflection in the rear view mirror of your car, the windows you pass, and any pools of water you walk by. In the long run, denial takes more energy and effort than you may realize.

I offer this alternative solution to denial. KEY PHRASE: If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change something, learn to accept it. Speaking from experience, personal growth has helped me to identify things that I didn’t like about myself and learn the skills to change them. I have also learned, through personal development, how to accept the things I can not change. While denial can hurt your confidence and hold you back, learning acceptance allows you to come to terms with something and move forward. Understanding the difference between acceptance and denial is a fundamental part in beginning your self development.

There are other people who I have met who associate personal growth with negative feelings. Someone may say, “If I need to change, there must be something wrong with me”. These same people might use the phrase “you need some serious help” in a condescending or sarcastic tone. In reality, the opposite is true. If you think you have nothing to improve in your life, then there IS something wrong with you. While it is okay to feel content, it is important to remember that you can always become happier, wealthier, smarter, more giving, more loving, etc.

I guess the main point I am trying to make is that we all have endless potential. It is impossible for us to max-out on what we are capable of doing or becoming as human beings. Because we have unlimited potential, we need to continuously search inside ourselves and tap into that surplus to perform at our maximum. This is what growing as a person is all about. Learn the skills; adopt the attitude; and develop the habits to unleash the potential within.

Self improvement should be a lifetime endeavor. Jim Rohn is one of many people who have helped me to see the power of personal growth. Whether the influence has been direct or indirect, I sincerely appreciate all those who have taught me such wonderful philosophies. I am grateful for what I have learned and am excited to continue my journey for many years to come.

Carpe Diem baby!!

Increasing you value . . .

2008-04-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

For the past six years or so, I have been very focused on work. Whether it has been running my own business, managing a team of sales people or working at my current job, I have consciously focused on how to improve myself in my professional endeavors. Here are a few things I have learned along the way on how to increase your value at work.

1) Take initiative –
When management or executives think of me, I want them to think of a person who is willing to step up and do things that others are not willing to do. I want to develop the reputation of someone who can deliver! Some people prefer to pass responsibility to another person. Sometimes it is important to delegate but it is also important to know the difference between delegating out of necessity and just trying to pass the buck. Some people tend to shy away from responsibility because they are afraid of failure; “If I don’t do it, then I can’t be blamed if it goes wrong”. KEY PHRASE: If you don’t do it you can’t be REWARDED when it goes right! Sure, mistakes will be made, but that’s how you learn. As long as you don’t repeat the same mistakes, you will continue to move forward. The person who evades responsibility or passes blame to others is easily overlooked when it comes time for promotions.

2) Help others –
The best way to get ahead is to help others get ahead. This goes for anything. If you want to make a lot of money, help others make money. If you want to be a happier person, help others to become happier. If you want to move up in your company, help others elevate their status. The worst thing you can do is think that by helping others you are hurting yourself. I truly believe that this is one of the biggest misconceptions of working in the corporate world. No matter what someone tells me or how many stories I hear, I refuse to believe that helping others will hinder of your progress to the top. Here is what happens when you help your co-workers:

- If you work closely with a team of people, all of your work will get done more efficiently.
- You can help to create relationships and a working environment that is more conducive to the company’s goals.
- People will notice how valuable you are. Selfless acts do not go unnoticed. Although you may not get instant recognition, helping others become better people will always come back to you favorably.

3) Think outside your department –
Yes, it is most important to focus on your tasks and specialty. However, it is extremely helpful to have a good idea about the roles of all other departments. This will help you to work more efficiently in your department. Although the end goal is usually the same, different departments have different objectives on how to accomplish the end result.

For example, as a Product Development Specialist, I need to have a close understanding of the IT department’s objectives and processes. At the same time, I need to consider what Marketing’s needs are and how they are going to promote the product to potential customers. How is the functionality of the product going to affect the Customer Service department? The better I understand the objectives and operational procedures of the other departments, the better I will be at my job. The more well rounded I am at work, the more valuable I am to the company. This also allows me to add skills to my resume, which is always a good thing to do.

4) Don’t gossip –
In my opinion this is one of the fastest ways to destroy your credibility with your co-workers. Trust me, you may think that you have a pretty tight group of gossip friends, but you are wrong. Everything you talk about at the water cooler is repeated to someone else. Avoid conversations that begin with ‘this doesn’t leave this room’ or ‘just between us’. When I talk to someone, I never want them to think ‘gosh, I wonder what he says about me when I’m not around’. As soon as that thought is in someone’s head, it is there for good. Don’t tear down your promise and credibility over meaningless office gossip. Not only does it reflect negatively on you, but it is just down right rude!

5) Always be productive –
There is a difference between busy and productive. Surfing the web and checking your MySpace account will keep you busy, but not productive. Here are a few things you can do to increase your value by staying productive when you have down time at work:

- Ask your boss or manager for more work - Take initiative – (I think I already covered why this is positive).
- Work on your skills – Ignorance is NOT bliss. If you are a receptionist, practice your typing/writing skills. If you are a customer service or sales person, read a book on how to improve your communication skills. I have a Product Development book at my desk so I can hone my skills when I get a few extra minuets in a day.
- Research your company – See how your company is performing. Look into sales reports, analyze numbers, see how you compare to your competitors, etc. This gives you a broader perspective on where the company is and where it can go. It also allows you to use your creativity and think of ways to improve business.

At the end of the day it is important that you feel good about the work you do on a daily basis. When you make a conscious effort to increase your value at work, it carries over to your personal life. You leave work each day with a higher self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth. Most of us spend in excess of 40 hours a week at work or thinking about our jobs/careers. That is a huge amount of time and it should be spent doing things that bring us up and move us forward. That is what life is all about – moving forward. Whether it is your job, relationships, or personal life, you always want to focus on ways to create opportunities to enhance your life.

Becoming a positive person . . .

2008-04-02T22:01:00.001-07:00

Here are a few key things I have learned that help lead to a happy and positive attitude. Doing these will not only help your attitude, but you can change the attitudes of others around you in a positive way.

Smile –
I once read somewhere that the expression on your face is more important than the clothes on your back. Your physiology has a direct influence on how you feel. Positive, happy and energetic people carry themselves in a way that reflects their attitude. Smiling and laughing helps to put your mind in a positive state.

Write down everything that is going right –
We all have times when it feels like nothing is going right. Sometimes it is at work, other times it is at home or with a relationship. When I used to feel like I was in a negative slump, I would write in my journal. I would simply title the entry “Positive Stuff Today”. The rule is that I can only write down things that I perceive as good. This helped to change my perspective; which in turn influenced my attitude in a positive way.

Associate with positive people –
The people you hang out with have a major influence on your attitude, hence the ‘circle of influence’. Because of this, it only makes sense to limit your associations to people who make you feel good. Remember the SNL skit with Debbie Downer? Spend most of your time with people who bring you up.

Getting to the top!

2008-03-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today I went on an amazing mountain bike ride with a good friend of mine. It has been a few weeks since my last ride and I was a little out of conditioning to climb the mountain. It just so happens that we choose one of the toughest uphill trails to climb. After only a few minutes of riding, my legs and lungs were burning. It was grueling!! I started to think of how I could end the pain I was feeling. All I had to do was turn around and coast back down the hill to the parking lot. The ride would be over, but so would the agony.

Suddenly, I caught myself. Instead of thinking of the pain, I thought of how good it feels to get to the top of the mountain. How I will feel about myself after the accomplishment of riding 6 miles and climbing over 700 feet in elevation. I thought of the spectacular view of the hills, meadows, wildlife and trees. I thought of how much fun it is to ride the downhill trails on the back side of the mountain.

As I thought of these things, I noticed my legs and lungs began to feel better. I started to push harder to get to the top of the hill faster. I simply changed my focus to the reward rather than the pain. I was not going to let the pain rob me of the reward. I knew that once I was at the top I would not be able to recall the sting in my muscles and lungs. The work that is required to get to the top would not compare to the rewards gained.

As expected, when I came to the crest of the mountain and started heading down the back trail, a feeling of exaltation came over me. In my opinion, the views at the top of the hill would be worth another 700 feet and 6 miles. My adrenaline increased with the increasing speed of my bike as I headed down the hill. I welcomed the exciting challenge of zigzagging through the trees, trying to avoid the many boulders along the way. What a great feeling! This is why I didn’t give up! This is why I wanted to get to the top!

My ride today helped me to remember something very important; any worthwhile reward is going to take effort. KEY PHRASE: The only way to enjoy the fruits of your labor is to DO THE LABOR! Don’t expect the things you want in life to just come to you or miraculously ‘appear’. Don’t expect a promotion without doing the extra work necessary to increase your value. Don’t expect weight loss if your not going to follow your workout regimen. Don’t expect a full harvest unless you wake up before dawn everyday to tend to the crop. Don’t expect to find yourself at the top of the mountain if you are not willing to put forth the required effort it takes. Instead, empower yourself. Take action, put in the hours and EARN THE RIGHT to enjoy the things you want.

Also, if you only do half the labor, don’t expect to fruit to taste very sweet. I once heard Jim Rohn say this KEY PHRASE: You can only reap what you sow. I could have turned around 3 miles into the uphill climb and gotten a little excitement about heading back down hill. But that excitement falls short in comparison to what I gained from reaching the top of the hill (and riding back down). A good question to ask is, ‘do I DESERVE ____________?” Have you put in the time, sweat, hours, tears, thoughts, energy, etc?

There is no easy street to greatness. All good things sit on top of a mountain, not at the bottom of a canyon.

Happy Trails!

What would YOU do with all the time and money in the world?

2008-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

That’s a fun question. I like to make a list of all the answers. It is very similar to the ‘To Do’ list you might write to accomplish various tasks before you take a trip, run your weekend errands, do the daily chores, etc. I like to use this same concept for things I’d like to accomplish in life. I call this my ‘Action List’ for life. It is a list of what would give me the most incredible life I could imagine. It is a great reminder of how mush life has to offer. I highly recommend developing an ‘Action List’ of your own. Here are a few simple, but important, principles to keep in mind when developing your ‘Action List’ . . .

1) Do not limit yourself when creating your action list.
Don’t hold anything back. If you ask yourself the correct questions, your list will grow very quickly. Tell yourself things like, “If I could go anywhere, I would go _______”. “In a perfect world, my career would _________.” “My life would really improve if I learned to __________”. Your list can never get too long. Never tell yourself that you have too much stuff on your list. If anything, you can never ADD enough to your list! As your dreams and ambitions grow, your enthusiasm for success will also grow. As Woodrow Wilson said, “We grow by our dreams’. Pretty exciting, huh?

2) Know your reasons.
The ‘why’ is much more important than the ‘how’. I like Jim Rohn’s philosophy – a strong enough ‘why’ will make the ‘how’ seem easy. I recommend making your list as specific as possible. The more specific you are, the better you can see yourself accomplishing something. KEY PHRASE: The reasons are in the details. Creating your ‘Action List’ should be like driving over the Golden Gate Bridge on a crystal clear day. Entering the city is much more exciting when you can see all it has to offer. You have a clear view of Alcatraz, all the sail boats in the bay, the shoreline ports, the Exploratorium Dome, the Transamerica pyramid building, Coit Tower, etc. On a foggy day the images are not as clear, so it is difficult to have the same feeling. You don’t want your ‘Action List’ list to be like a foggy day in the city.

3) Make your list consistent.
After you write your list, go back through and make sure you do not have any inner conflicts on your ‘Action List’. Inner conflicts are contradictions on what you’d like to accomplish. For example, the following items should not appear on the same list:

a. Eat junk food everyday
b. Live a long, energized, and healthy life.

If you have conflicting goals on your ‘Action List’ you need to choose which ones are the most important, (ask ‘Why”). Once I learned how to identify inner conflicts, and why it is imperative to avoid them, I felt much better about making sacrifices. KEY PHRASE: A small sacrifice may lead to a large gain.

4) Expect your list to change.
I recommend using a pencil instead of carving your ‘Action List’ in stone. It is important to take your goals seriously, but it is equally important not to turn your aspirations into commandments. There are no limits to how many times you can change your mind. Remember the objective of your ‘Action List’ is to brain storm everything you’d like to do in life. As you grow, your priorities, abilities, expectations, and desires will change. Today you may want to climb Mt. Everest and tomorrow you may read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and change your mind. That’s okay! This is what is great about life. You get to make the decisions. Don’t forget to update and add to your list as well!

Currently, I have 50 open items listed on my ‘Action List’. Here is an example of some of the things on my list:

· Learn to play the acoustic guitar
· Write a book on personal and professional development
· Own an apartment in Manhattan overlooking Central Park
· Be a top producer for my company
· Visit the seven ancient wonders of the world
· Attend a Dallas Cowboys football game
· Receive a standing ovation
· Visit the Louvre
· Become fluent in Spanish and German
· Have someone tell me I have changed their life in a positive way
· Attend all the major tennis championships (US open, French open, Wimbledon, Australian open)

As you can see, the items on my ‘Action List’ vary. Some of them are very long-term goals, yet others can be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. I recommend doing the same. The long-term goals help to keep you motivated and working toward something big. The shorter-term goals allow you to act instantly and celebrate success as you strive for future endeavors. You can create one big ‘Action List’ (which is what I do), or you can create separate ‘Action Lists’ for different areas of your life; personal, physical, professional, etc. You and your spouse may want to create an ‘Action List’ together. You can even get your kids involved and create a ‘Family Action List’. It might be a positive alternative to watching TV after dinner. Either way, I recommend taking about 20-40 minutes to sit down and put your dreams on paper.

If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.
- Henry David Thoreau

Become a forward thinker . . .

2008-03-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some important self-evaluation questions that I ask myself every couple of months:

1) What am I working towards? What is the next step/chapter of your life?
- The reason why I like to ask myself this question is because it forces me to continually think about moving forward. That is how I choose to live my life. Because I am always moving towards a goal, it is easier to wake-up each morning feeling motivated, enthusiastic, and passionate about getting the most out of the day. It doesn’t matter what the goal is; large or small, professional or personal. There just needs to be something that gets you out of bed each day with a sense of purpose.

2) Am I doing things that are increasing my value?
- I like to constantly ask myself this KEY QUESTION: Is what I’m doing right now adding value to my life? Are my activities moving me towards my goals or keeping me from achieving them? This is a great question to ask yourself if you ever feel board or find yourself spending a lot of time in front of the TV. The equation for me is pretty simple; do more productive things than unproductive things. As long as this ratio is in favor of positive productivity, I will continue to live a happy and successful life.

3) Do the people I associate with make me a better person?
- My circle of influence is very important to me. I have met some great people in my life. I make sure that the majority of my time is spent with people who bring the best out of me.

4) Where will I end up if I continue on the path I am on?
- Having foresight helps you to make smarter decisions. The best way to look forward is to remember the past. Think of the decisions you’ve made in the past. Remember, you are where you are because of the decisions you make. If you don’t like where you are right now in life, it is important that you do something different. For the next five years if you do the same things, make the same decisions, and associate with the same people that you did the last five years, don’t expect much to change. Likewise, if you are happy with where you are in life, you need to know what decisions you did make to get you where you are today. This can help you to avoid making bad decisions in the future. Winston Churchill put it best when he said, “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see”.

One important thing to remember when you look to the past. . . KEY PHRASE: Do not identify yourself with your failures. Look back and learn from mistakes. Learning from past misfortunes will turn used-to-be failures into valuable learning experiences.

A minor change can make a major difference . . .

2008-03-19T23:46:00.000-07:00

We all have things we would like to accomplish or change in our lives. Some people would like to break their bad habits; smoking, procrastinating, always being late, etc. Others would like to make lifestyle changes; pay off debt, lose weight, start a new career, etc. Accomplishing any of these goals requires some sort of daily life change. For most people, it is tough to make an immediate lifestyle change.

Somewhere along the way I learned a valuable lesson. When it comes to making major changes, getting started doesn’t necessary mean taking a drastic step. KEY PHRASE: A minor change can make a major difference. What does that mean?

When it comes to making changes or creating new, healthier way of life, it is more important to focus on the continuous daily responsibilities to achieve the overall big picture. A lot of small steps in the right direction will get you to the same destination as jumping in with both feet.

Also, starting slow and steady usually increases your probability for success. You are less likely to feel overwhelmed or get discouraged. You will be more motivated from the continued success of moving closer to your goal. Focusing on daily disciplines will help you to develop habits. Creating the right HABITS is what really triggers the long-term change. Here are some examples of what I mean:

If you want to lose weight: Focus on working out 30 minutes per day and eating smaller portions. Soon it will become a routine part of your life. As you start to get into a groove, you will start to develop a customized workout routine and a healthy diet.

If you want to quit smoking: Simply focus on smoking a few less cigarettes a day. If you normally smoke 5 times a day, only take 3 cigarettes with you in the morning. Each week or month, take one less cigarette. You can only smoke the cigarettes you have, right? Before you know it you will go from 5 per day to 5 per week.

If you want to pay off debt: Don’t focus on the thousands of dollars you owe. Instead determine a certain amount of money you can take out of your weekly paycheck, in addition to your normal payments, which you can dedicate to paying off some debt. Whether it is $20, $50, or $100, does not matter. What matters is the commitment to the predetermined number every week.

In order for this to work you need to be committed to the daily disciplines. Ultimately you are the only one holding yourself accountable. That is why it is important to focus on small steps that are EASY to accomplish. I am working on learning to play the guitar. People have recommended to me many different ways to learn. I constantly need to remind myself of the following KEY PHRASE: What is best for others may not be best for me. I have figured out which small steps work for ME in order to achieve the major goal of learning guitar.

So, whether you decided to take fewer cigarettes with you each day, or pop in a tic-tac when you get the urge to smoke, these small, steady, disciplines will help you create a healthy and happy lifestyle.

A few tips I'd like to pass along . . .

2008-03-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things to keep in mind in your journey to live a quality life.

1) Have vision – There is a difference between SIGHT and VISION. A blind man can not see, therefore he has no sight. But is it possible for a blind man to have vision? YES!! One of the greatest traits you can develop is the ability to see something that is not yet there. Having vision means that you are able to create a clear picture of something you want to attain, develop or produce in the future. KEY QUESTION: Do you see an acorn or an oak tree?

2) Believe it can happen – Once you conceive it, you need to believe it in order to achieve it. The greater belief you have in yourself, the more confidence you have in yourself. Tell yourself you can do it! Success is not an accident. If Tiger Woods or Roger Federer did not believe they could be the best, they wouldn’t bother showing up for their tournaments. Where you are right now in your life is a reflection of you belief system.

3) Develop your plan – Write down your goals. We all know the phrase; if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Some people are afraid to set goals because they don’t want to be disappointed for falling short. Instead of falling short, you are actually selling yourself short by not setting goals. Plan to win! Setting goals does a few things;

a. You have specific targets to hit
b. Goals stretch you to realize your true potential
c. Allow you to monitor your progress

4) Take action – Don’t wait for things to happen to you. Create things and make them happen. Also, don’t worry about doing everything right; just take action! Use your belief and vision to force you into action. Success comes from action, not dormancy.

5) Expect and prepare for challenges – It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, you will always be presented with challenges. Success sits at the top of a mountain so there is no ‘easy street’. KEY PHRASE: Overcoming obstacles is what makes something rewarding. Two key things for you to remember in your quest for greatness;

a. You will absolutely face challenges – When faced with an obstacle you can either complain about how life is unfair, or you can accept and work hard to overcome the challenge.
b. Don’t lose enthusiasm when faced with challenges – Keep in mind that overcoming obstacles will make you a better person. Change your perspective and view the problem as an opportunity to grow.

When all is said and done, keep in mind that things don’t just happen, people make things happen. It is your responsibility to create the life you want. You are the only person who can turn your dreams into reality!

What is your mission statement?

2008-03-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

I believe it is important to have a constant reminder of the person you’d like to become while you pursue your goals and dreams. A mission statement helps to provide a birds-eye view of where you are headed in life. For most of us, the journey through life is a winding path. It is normal to stagger off the path, or take the wrong fork every now and then. Writing down what you’d like to accomplish in life helps you to stay focused on your destination. If you ever feel overwhelmed, challenged, or out of sorts, you can refer back to your personal creed to re-align yourself with what is important and get back on track.

I recommend posting it somewhere that you can view it often; tape it to the mirror in your bathroom, hang it on the refrigerator, or tape it to your steering wheel (although, I do not recommend reading it while you drive). My personal mission statement hangs on the wall at my office. If the day feels like it is getting hectic or stressful, I can glance over and remember why I am doing the things I do.

A few key phrases from my personal mission statement:

1. I am interested in all persons, everyone has something to offer
2. I am not afraid to be myself or show what great character I possess
3. I do not regret my past
4. I will enjoy my plans for the future
5. I will focus my passion on making a living instead of making money
6. I will reap the benefits of my hard work and high ideals in a virtuous manner
7. I am not afraid of failure because as long as a lesson is learned there is no lack of success
8. I am in control my thoughts, emotions, and actions
9. I have the right to be here
10. I have the right to be happy

Break the cycle.

2008-03-13T22:35:00.000-07:00

The last few days I have been feeling a little more tired than usual. I noticed that when I have low levels of energy, my mental state is affected. My low energy the last few days has resulted in lower levels of enthusiasm, motivation, inspiration and positive thoughts. Yesterday I thought about what has caused my low energy and static mental state. I determined that the cause has been a lack of physical activity.

Last night when I got home from work I decided, ‘that’s enough; I AM TIRED OF BEING TIRED!’ Although I did not feel energized or motivated, I forced myself to go to the gym. The result – I did a highly intense workout and felt 100% better afterward. I had increased energy for the remainder of the evening and it carried over to this morning. I woke up, practiced some yoga, and had sustained energy throughout the day. At work I felt more productive, positive and energetic.

This experience is an example of a cycle that our minds and bodies continually go through. Two things I must remember as my personal, physical and professional life evolves are:
1) Recognize when I get stuck in a ‘down cycle’,
2) Force myself to break the cycle before it turns into a habit.

This is just one of the little challenges in life. It is why I constantly work on myself. I have chosen not to live in a numb state. Through my experience, I would like to share with you three important questions to constantly ask yourself:
1) How do I feel?
2) Why do I feel this way?
3) What can I do to change how I feel?

Asking yourself these three simple questions will help you to perform at your greatest potential. Remember, developing and living out a positive, productive and successful lifestyle takes continuous effort.

A few things to remember each morning:

2008-03-11T20:41:00.000-07:00

1) It’s a great day to be alive

2) Yesterday is over; each morning you get to start a new life

3) Your possibilities are limitless

4) Always be yourself

5) Live the day as if it were your last!

Can a bagel and a banana make a difference?

2008-03-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

I remember one day a few years ago when I went to get a bagel before work. Sitting outside was a man who I could tell had been down on his luck for many years. He was sitting on the ground hanging his head and holding an old, dirty sign that read, “Anything Helps”. Without thinking much of it I entered the shop and got in line to order. There happened to be a number of people in line and I started to get frustrated and impatient. Because it was taking so long to order I started to think “great, now I feel rushed and won’t be able to enjoy my breakfast. I am going to have to eat in the car so I am not late for work.” As my blood pressure rose, I glanced out the window and saw the homeless man. All of the sudden something hit me. WHY AM I GETTING SO IRRITABLE? Is waiting in line a few extra minutes really something to get worked up over? NO WAY!

What caused my attitude to change? My PERSPECTIVE changed. Instead of becoming more frustrated and impatient, I thought of how fortunate I am to have enough money to buy breakfast in the morning. Instead of stressing over having to eat in my car, I thought of how privileged I am to own my own vehicle. Instead of worrying about being late for work, I thought of how lucky I am to have a job. I thought of what it would mean to the man outside to be able to stand in line to buy a bagel. Before I realized, it was my turn to order. I got two bagels and a banana and walked out. I handed the man outside one of the bagels and the banana and noticed the sincere appreciation in his eyes. I don’t know how long it lasted, but he also had a look of restored hope. Although no words were exchanged, the message was clear.

The rest of the morning I kept thinking about the man’s sign. “Anything Helps”. Wow, that is really true. Even without donating large sums of money we can all give something to those less fortunate. Whether you donate used clothes to the Salvation Army or help serve at the homeless shelter, you can make a difference. Is it true that one or two hours of time spent, instead of watching TV, can make a difference in someone’s life? Of course, ANYTHING HELPS!

Helping others is also a great way to improve your own life. Even if you just sacrifice some pocket change or buy a bagel for someone, you get a great feeling that can last for days. You may find that you appreciate everyday life more and ultimately become a happier person. Also, helping those less fortunate than you will help to put things in perspective. Think of how lucky you are to have a roof over your head the next time you curse the rain; think of how convenient it is to own a car when you are stuck in traffic; remember the homeless man with the ‘anything helps’ sign when you get annoyed with the barista for not making your latte hot enough. Look for reasons to be HAPPY and remember to not sweat the small stuff!

Perhaps you will no longer be bothered with petty irritations.

Ease the tension

2008-03-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons these days why people have stress in their lives. Some people’s stress may come from their job, finances, family/relationships, etc. Although some people may not be able to avoid stress altogether, there are many way in which we can deal with or reduce our stress levels. Being able to manage stress can help lead to a productive, energetic, and happy lifestyle.

Some quick tips for relieving stress:
1. Take a deep breath - Stop what you are doing or what you are thinking about and take a few long, deep breaths. Deep breathing through your nose may help your muscles relax and relieve tension. Creating a calm and peaceful state of mind will allow you to work in a more productive and efficient manner.
2. Focus on solutions, not problems - Picture yourself feeling well and think of what would need to happen for your stress to alleviate. Then write down your plan of how to make that happen. If you are working on a solution you will feel more optimistic because you are focusing on a positive outcome.
3. Enjoy nature - Seriously, stop and smell the roses. It actually works! Notice the blossoms on the trees, take a walk in the park or enjoy a sunset. The peaceful splendor of nature will put your mind at ease and remind of what is truly important in life.
4. Exercise - Study after study has shown that as little as 20 minutes of physical exercise a day releases endorphins. These ‘feel good hormones’ can calm your mind and relax your body. For me, exercising is one of the most cathartic things when I feel a little stressed. Exercise is a much healthier alternative to unwinding at the end of the day than drinking some wine or a few beers.
5. Think of what’s going right - This will help to put things in perspective for you. Think of everything you have; your relationships, your home, your health, being employed, etc. Thinking of these things tends to make your problems shrink.
6. Learn the phrase, “Let me check my schedule” - Most of the stress in some people’s lives comes simply from over-committing and spreading themselves too thin. Don’t try to please everyone by accommodating their schedules. Don’t take on too much at once. Each day, make sure you have some time set aside to focus on YOU.
7. Ask for help - Speaking from personal experience, this simple concept may help to reduce your stress by half. If you are having a hard time with something, whatever it is, simply ask someone for help. You are not required to KNOW EVERYTHING. Any problem or challenge that you face has already been resolved by someone else. You just need to reach out to someone and learn how to accomplish what needs to be done.
8. Don’t spend time on things you can’t change - There are some things that we simply can not change. Learn to accept that you are not always in control and some stuff is just out of your hands. Remember, even if you can’t change something, you can always change how you FEEL about something.
9. Don’t procrastinate - Once I learned to stop putting things off, I noticed my stress levels decreased. Why? Because when you procrastinate, you are constantly thinking (stressing) about something that needs to be done. When you take action and just get stuff done, you no longer need to think (stress) about it. KEY PHRASE: The best way to get something done is to begin.
10. Smile or Laugh - Believe it or not, but even with all the prescription drugs available today, laughter is still the best medicine. Even if you don’t have something to laugh about, at least force a smile upon your face. When you smile, it puts you in a happy state of mind.

Are you focusing on the right reasons?

2008-03-08T21:55:00.000-08:00

Is it possible for a deaf and blind girl to become a prominent author, activist, and lecturer? Is it possible for a man with no legs to climb a mountain? Is it possible for someone to go from homeless to millionaire with only a high school education?

KEY QUESTION: What is holding you back from achieving greatness?
Some people focus too much on the reasons why they can’t do something. We all have limitations, and there are many reasons we tell ourselves why we CAN’T do something. However, all you really need is one good reason why you CAN.

Successful people focus on how they CAN accomplish their goals. What they CAN do to change their lives. What they CAN do to achieve happiness. This is where you want to focus your attention. YOU CAN IF YOU THINK YOU CAN!

A strong enough reason for why you can do something is more powerful than all the reasons why you can’t. By focusing on what you CAN accomplish, you are focusing on the end result. You can start to think of what you have to gain, the person you will become, the rewards you will reap, the relationships you will build, the lives you will touch, and the people you will influence. KEY PHRASE: How you think determines what you can accomplish.

As for the above questions:
Is it possible for a deaf and blind girl to become a prominent author, activist, and lecturer? Of course! Not only that, but Helen Keller was the first blind/deaf girl to graduate college.

Is it possible for a man with no legs to climb a mountain? You bet! New Zealander Mark Inglis was the first double amputee to summit Mt. Everest. And he did it at the age of 47!

Is it possible for someone to go from homeless to millionaire with only a high school education? Absolutely! Chris Gardner went from living in a BART station bathroom to running a multi-million dollar company without a college education. He was also the proud owner of two Ferrari’s (one of which he purchased from Michael Jordan).

What do these people have in common? They did not let their circumstances hold them back from achieving greatness. I encourage you to do the same – go earn that promotion, lose that weight, start the business of your dreams, or climb that mountain! What ever it is, don’t let your circumstances hold you back. Instead, allow your circumstances to motivate you, to push you forward. Allow yourself to gain the feeling of empowerment that personal achievement provides. I believe in you. You can do it!

Good news – most of our circumstances are not as bad as the above mentioned folks. Most of us have our vision, both of our legs, and a roof over our heads. Helen, Mark, and Chris were able to overcome seemingly impossible odds; you can do the same. You just need to find a strong enough reason.

Someone once said . . .

2008-03-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

"Life loves the liver of it" - Maya Angelou

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get." - Dale Carnegie

"It takes someone with vision of the possibilities to attain new levels of experience. Someone with courage to live his dreams." - Les Brown

"You are only limited by your imagination." - unknown

I woke up on the right side of bed!

2008-03-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up and had a hard time getting out of bed. There was a little voice inside my head telling me I should sleep in. After all, I didn’t have any urgent issues to take care of this morning before work. I could have easily stayed in bed for another 30-45 minutes and gone through a ‘morning routine’ to get ready for work. After laying there for about two more minutes something hit me. I realized that I was giving myself reason to STAY IN BED rather than to GET UP!

In the past, I may have conceded to the voice in my head and stayed in bed. However, I was able to catch myself, change my frame of reference, and think of reasons to get out of bed. I considered what I would gain by starting my day by doing things that are important to me. In a matter of minutes my mind changed from I SHOULD get up, to I MUST GET UP! Although there was nothing urgent in my schedule, there were important things I wanted to do – exercise, write in my journal, etc.

You see changed my frame of reference from feeling instant gratification about sleeping in to genuine happiness about doing things I am passionate about. I associated a feeling pain and discontent with staying in bed. It was keeping me from doing what truly makes me happy!

The result? I started my day with a feeling of achievement. I had already overcome a challenge for the day. I already had a victory, and some momentum to start my day . . . and it was only 6:30 am!! I felt good about myself for making the decision to do what truly made me happy.

Is this story REALLY about getting out of bed at a certain time? Of course not. There are people reading this who wake up hours before I do everyday. The true reason I share this story is because you all hear the same voice in your heads on a daily basis. At times the voice tells you to skip going to the gym, to eat a doughnut over of a banana, to procrastinate instead of getting stuff done, etc. Key question: Is the voice in your head leading you in a direction that adds value to your life?

Through personal experience I have realized that this voice in our heads is a thief who trying to rob you of your potential and feelings of achievement. It is up to you to defeat the thief. Remember, your life does not control you, you control your life. Be sure to make decisions that add value to your existence. Don’t become a victim of yourself; and as Jim Rohn says, “don’t let the thief in your mind diminish your promise”.

Welcome to my blog . . .

2008-03-05T22:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone. My goal is to use this site as a tool to continually improve all aspects of my life. I hope that you will find some of my thoughts helpful and insightful. I encourage you to add some of your own comments; for we all have something valuable to offer. Stay tuned as I have some great stuff to share. Be sure to check back soon as I will be adding posts on a regular basis. Thanks for visiting!