MORE Great Information to Share With You - PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!

Wow, you DO want to pay attention to this one!!! If you are taking the time to follow my blog or even just to check in on a regular basis then YOU will be one of the first to know about this exciting information release.

Here's what you need to do:
1. Go to my web page at: www.FutureYouUniversity.com
2. Click on the right side link to "F.Y.U. Class of 2009"
3. Read about this UNBELIEVABLE offer
4. SHARE with me you comments, ideas and suggestions

Will you do that for me?

If you are still not sure if you want to go check this out or not (by the way - NOTHING IS FOR SALE IN THIS OFFER at this time!) let me ask you a simple series of questions:

"Do you like what I am doing? Is what I am doing helpful to you? Are you benefiting from what I am doing?"

If you answer "yes" to ANY of these questions, then I promise you - YOU WANT TO CHECK THIS OUT!

Hopefully, you will also see how special you are to me!

Mike

New Promotion Announced!

If you listened to my podcast for this Monday then you know that I have a new promotion for THIS WEEK ONLY (now through Sunday night, April 5th).

Here it is:
1. For every NEW person that signs up at www.FutureYouUniversity.com and requests a FREE REPORT they will receive the free report PLUS a t-shirt (see them at www.PrepareTheFutureYou.com)
2. For every person that does the above (#1) AND says YOU referred them....then you, too (the referrer) will receive a t-shirt.

Now, obviously, I haven't hired a bunch of lawyers to get this set up in fine print (why would I wan to anyway?) but, you (the one making the referral) should be someone that I have had contact with in some way. Either you being a "follower" on my blog or someone that has received the report before or has e-mailed me for other reasons at: mike@FutureYouUniversity.com

Make sense?

THIS JUST IN: BONUS GIVE-AWAY
My wife and I came back with 2 copies of Success Magazine featuring John C. Maxwell. We already have this issue since we subscribe to it. THE FIRST TWO (2) PEOPLE that send an e-mail to me at the address listed above and asks about the magazine will receive one of these two. Free of charge. No obligation. We just feel the need to share it with someone else.

Cool?
Hope so!

Here we go....
Mike

YOUR Amazing Race!

Wow, I'm "pumped"! As you know, my wife and I attended the "Success Symposium" in Dallas this past Saturday and - IT WAS AWESOME!
I'll be sharing a lot of good stuff from that over the next several days and likely weeks!

It was also great to meet Angie Strader (http://www.theworldneedsmorehappy.com/) and her husband, Tommy while we were there. Great people! I had the chance to do an interview with Angie during lunch and I will have that up on a future podcast very soon.

Last night (Sunday) as I was preparing thoughts for my podcast, I was watching the last half hour or so of "The Amazing Race" and it just hit me....WE are all involved in our own "amazing race"! So, I "scratched" what I thought I wanted to talk about and went with this idea. And, I must say, if you listen to that podcast and can't tell I'm pumped then you might need to check your hearing! ;)

Listen friend, we ARE all involved in this race - this JOURNEY - are we not? Every day, good and/or bad, is part of this race/journey that takes place before us each and every day. Here's the kicker - WHAT WILL YOU DO in YOUR race?

Yup, you'll hear me say it again - IT'S YOUR CHOICE!

Some of you may still be sitting on the sidelines and....
- stretching...preparing to enter the race (how long are you going to stretch?)
- wondering if you should enter the race (hello? it's YOUR race, remember?)
- dreading the race and the pain that might come with it (a life without some pain does not exist...those that have no pain are no longer with us!)
- watching....you can't run a race from the sidelines - GET IN THE RACE!
- comparing yourself to other participants -- you are YOU and it's YOUR race!

No one else can run it for you! No one else is you - YOU live and participate in YOUR race in YOUR world. But whatever you do - DO IT! (Why not now? - remember?)

It's AWESOME to experience life. Yes, even the "bad" or "down" times help us to know that we are alive!

So, get off the sidelines and enter YOUR race.
When you "hit the wall" - keep going!
Remember, all races are done the same way - ONE STEP AT A TIME.

Here's to YOUR AMAZING RACE!

And....
"Make it an AWESOME day (and race) - Who else is going to do it for you?"

Mike Spillman

FUN FRIDAY (Boredom Busters)

I'm actually typing this in and posting a little early since we are leaving for Dallas for the Success Symposium. I had planned to just wait and do this before we left, but I don't want to take the chance of having to rush to get it done. So......here we are.

One thing I'd like to ask first... I mention in the podcast that you can now actually access this blog by going to the main page: http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/ in two ways. One, when you sign up for the FREE REPORT you will automatically be taken to this page. Two, if you look in the upper right hand corner (or in the right column) you will see a link that reads, "Mike's Blog". This main site will continue to evolve and will be the MAIN site with information on my upcoming seminars, my audio stories for children with a positive message, my upcoming book and many more things. Anyway, you can still access this site (obviously) by going to the address that brings you directly here. Here's all I ask....if you do want to access the site via the FYU page, please do so via the link (unless you want the free report). Thanks!

Now back to today's podcast. I mention a website that I went to that had the items on it that I shared in the podcast. In case you would like to go check it out yourself, it is: http://www.discoverfun.com/

Main thing is this - HAVE FUN and SHARE THE FUN!
SMILE and SHARE YOUR SMILE!
LAUGH and SHARE YOUR LAUGH!

Hey, you go to work and sneeze and spread your germs all over the office, so why not "spread" the "virus" of happiness and joy?

One thing I also mentioned is that I will be getting a chance to meet and interview Angie Strader of http://www.theworldneedsmorehappy.com/
Go check out her page and become a part of her movement to share and spread more happiness!

Whatever it is....DO IT!

You'll be glad you did. (And so will others)
[disclaimer: Some poopy-heads won't enjoy it no matter what you do!]

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike Spillman

Another "Thankful Thursday"

Wow. I don't know about where you live, but today, in Mountain View, Arkansas it's a BEAUTIFUL and absolutely GORGEOUS day! The flowers are blooming, the trees are continuing to bud and leaf, the sun is shining and the birds are singing their songs for all to hear.
I am so thankful for stopping for a moment this morning to absorb it and take it all in.

What about you? Maybe it's raining where you are. Maybe it's cold, maybe you're stuck indoors and cannot even SEE what it's like outside. Regardless, find something (or someone) to be thankful for - it's easier to do than you think...especially when you begin to form the habit of being thankful.

Hey, be ready for "Fun Friday" on the podcast tomorrow! What will we be doing this week? Well, I looked up some fun things to do - or "boredom busters" as I have chosen to call them and I will be sharing some of them with you. Some are interesing, some are just plain ol' weird! Hopefully, some will make you smile and even chuckle - and hopefully some will help you realize that, yes, even in the middle of a "boring day", you can do SOMETHING to brighten things up a little.
Such as......"the booty shake"!!! (Come on, MJ, you can do it! She knows who she is).

I am excited about our weekend in Dallas, Texas for the Success Symposium!! We will actually leave this afternoon to go down to my in-laws along the way where we will "drop off" our son as we then head on to Dallas tomorrow.

I will still post a blog for tomorrow before we leave for Dallas and I have actually already recorded the podcast for tomorrow -- so I THINK I'm about ready for the trip.

Whatever the weather, whatever the circumstances, whatever your plans this weekend.... remember to be THANKFUL and.........

"Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike Spillman

FYU functional now thanks to my friend!

Wow, finally!
Again, the page is under construction and I plan to do a LOT more with it, but at least now it's back to where people will be directed to THIS page whenever they fill out the form for the free report.

I want to say thanks to FRANK (that's all I'll say for now until I have his permission to totally blast his name everywhere!!!) for his help. You know who you are, Frank (at least I hope so! ;) )

Frank is an incredible guy that has helped me in several different ways. He is very unselfish and willing to help in ways that have been helpful beyond my wildest hopes.

Who is this masked man? Perhaps sometime soon I will be able to devote a whole blog article to "Frank, the Helpful Man Behind the Curtain"

Until then -
Make it an AWESOME Day! (who else is going to do it for you?)

Mike

FutureYouUniversity.com update...

Well, the main page of F.Y.U. is up, but still having some problems.....argh!

The main thing I wanted to do is to get the page up so people can sign up for the free report. I DO still get the request, BUT....instead of then taking you to this page (my blog) it sends you to an "error" page and I haven't quite figured out why (yes, the frustration continues! :) )

I will be making this page (FutureYouUniversity.com) much more involved and I plan to have ALL of my main information and plans listed on that page. I'm working on it, but, as I have said, I think I am "tech-challenged"!!!!

Thanks for your patience and continued support!

Mike

Frustrating Challenges!! (We ALL Have Them)

Wow. What a frustrating past few days I've had. Yes, even people like me that try to focus on the positive and tries to share that with people like you, have frustrating days!

It seems like one thing after another has not gone the way I would have preferred and, due to that, I've not slept well in about five nights which has tended to keep me "on edge".

One of the things I discuss on today's podcast is the fact that I was trying to update and improve my web page (http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/) and something happened to where it's not even up right now. SO DON'T GO THERE expecting to find anything at this point. I will update the status of that page on here so you will know when it's available again.

You want to hear "the kicker"? Now this is really kind of funny if you allow yourself to look at it this way - and it's the only way I know to look at it at this point. After recording this podcast and talking about "Frustrating Challenges" I went on to the next step in order to upload the audio so that this podcast would be available for you to listen to. Guess what happened? My internet connection went down during this process and was still not working by the time I finally decided that I needed to go to bed. So.....the podcast has been "made public" a little later than I had planned. My apologies for anyone that tried to check on today's episode only to find it not available.

I share a few quotes on today's podcast that can help us think about those "situations" as well as those "people" that bring frustration into our lives - I think you will enjoy these and benefit from them as well.

Oh yeah, one positive thing that happened during all of this.... after recording this podcast and before my internet connection went down I received a message from one of my listeners that was very complimentary on what I'm doing with this podcast. Do you know how helpful that was? Do you know how much I NEEDED that message at that moment? I have thanked the person that sent that message and I just want to encourage you in a couple of areas:
1. Don't allow the frustrating challenges cause you to miss the positive that still surrounds you
2. Don't pass on an opportunity to encourage someone - you never know what may be going on in their life and how much they may need that encouragement.

Well, that's it for today - enjoy the podcast, share the joy even during those "frustrating challenges".

And always remember to.....
"Make it an AWESOME Day! (who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Why Not Now? (Part 2)

In today's podcast I simply continue my thoughts on the subject that we began last Wednesday. I feature some quotes out of Seth Godin's book, "Tribes" (which, by the way I HIGHLY recommend for reading - it is an AWESOME book!)

Please understand - I'm not talking about just walking away from your job with no plans or preparation. Some people hear or read things like this and think that is what people like me are encouraging them to do - IT IS NOT! I hope I made that clear.

But, on the other hand, some people plan and plan and plan and plan and never ever make the move even with all of these plans in place. We are many times paralyzed by F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real).

I do not want to live my life with regrets. I do not want to come to the end of my life and say, "You know, I sure wish I had............" (fill in your own blank)

I also do not want live my life continually saying, "One day, I'm going to .........................." (again, fill in your own blank).

The time is NOW because NOW is all we really have. I could type more, but please listen to the podcast and BEGIN (whatever that means for you - we are all in different "stages" in this process) TODAY to make your move for your future!

Until then, my friend....
"Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

"New & Notable" on iTunes!

Wow - I'm very excited! I just checked iTunes tonight and found my podcast listed as "New & Notable"!

Thank YOU for helping make that possible!!!!

Just had to share my excitement with my "supporters" - thanks again! :)

Mike

Fun Friday - Part 3 - Funny Names for Towns

Hey everyone, it's FUN FRIDAY - do the "Booty Shake"and have a blast today!

I invite you to listen to today's podcast as I go through a list of some funny names for towns - mostly in Arkansas. (Hey, I live here so it's o.k. to poke fun at my own state!)

I talk about places like "Cooter, AR." and "Goober, AR." as well as "Knob Lick, MO." plus quite a few more - check it out, I think you'll enjoy it and probably even have a little chuckle.

Here's the deal - "It's not where you live that determines who you are." I made that up myself! Not too shabby, huh? But it's true - we all have the ability to CHOOSE which direction we want our lives to take. Yes, it may be harded for some than it is for others, but we all have a CHOICE!

Don't let your "surroundings" be an excuse in your life - that's right, I said "excuse". Perhaps, on the other hand, turn them into a "reason" for moving ahead.

Remember, Monday we will be discussing more the thoughts on "Why Not Now?" and I hope you'll check that out as well.

Listen, have a SUPER weekend - enjoy every minute of it and....

"Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

"Thankful Thursday"

Let's see...Monday was "Magical Monday",
Tuesday was "Terrific Tuesday",
Wednesday was "Wonderful Wednesday" and today is
"THANKFUL THURSDAY"
(of course, tomorrow will be "Fun Friday!").

So, the question for today is: What do YOU have to be THANKFUL for? We usually focus on this around the holiday season - Thanksgiving (on a Thursday, no less!) specifically - but why not now, 4 months later?

Find it (what are you thankful for)
Acknowledge it (yes, even audibly - say it out loud)
Share it (especially those that are close to you)
Receive it (listen as others share their thanks as well)

And, as always....regardless of the day....

"Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike

It's "Wonderful Wednesday" - WHY NOT NOW?

Yes, Monday was "Magical Monday" and today is "Wonderful Wednesday"! So, how is YOUR Wednesday? Rather, what will YOU make of your Wednesday?

In today's podcast we go a step further in our question of "Why?" As you remember, on Monday we discussed the question, "Why not me?" and today we discuss the question, "Why not now?"

This is will be the first of a two-part discussion because I feel that there is so much more that needs to be discussed about this topic. I do believe that it is SO important in these "difficult times" for us to focus on the POSSIBILITIES rather than the "perceived limitations".

Were you amazed at the well-known and powerful companies that were started during past recessions? Don't you know that there were those giving "advice" to these companies to NOT take that step forward?

What about you? Is that happening to you? Has it happened to you? My guess is that the answer to at least ONE of those questions would be, "yes". I know it is for me! I have - in the past - allowed others to talk me out of "making my move". Perhaps to be even more correct in my wording I would have to say that I (not others) have talked myself out of "making my move".

Likely this is true for you as well.

But what are you waiting on? What are you waiting for? There is no time like NOW!

I encourage you to - on the same sheet of paper that you wrote the words, "Why Not Me?" - also write below that question the words, "Why Not Now?"
I also encourage you to get out a piece of paper and make two columns. On the left side write down your answer to the question, "What am I waiting for? What do I think has to happen before I move forward?" Be honest. Be open. Be real. Force yourself to write those answers down.
On the right side of the paper and across from each of your "answers" (not reasons, you notice) write down when those things will happen. In other words, if - for example - in the left hand column you wrote down, "$25,000 in the bank" - then, in the right hand column write down WHEN that will happen. Put a date on it. I mean, hey, if THAT is something that you are waiting on before you make your move, don't you think you should have a "time stamp" on it?
Then, perhaps, also write down WHAT you are doing to make that happen. What are you doing (using our example above) to gain that level of $25,000 in your account?

WHATEVER IT IS - are they simply obstacles that you have put before your path to progress?

Why would we do that to ourselves?

We'll talk about that in Monday's part 2 podcast of "Why Not Now?"

Until then - be open, be honest, be real with yourself. Until you do, you'll never have the courage to move forward in your life.

Hey, why NOT you? And, why NOT now? Think about it and......

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike Spillman

Things That Make You Go, "Hmmmmmm"

This is just pure fun here -- if you have something you'd like to share with me just for "fun sake", please send it to me at: mike@FutureYouUniversity.com


I was watching a commercial the other day and it stated, "85% of women agree that dandruff on a guy is unattractive."

So, it made me think --- What about the OTHER 15%?????
What are THEY thinking?

"Dandruff? That guy has dandruff??? WOW!! HE'S HOT!!"

Hmmmmmmm..............


Mike

Why Not ME? (plus added BLOG BONUS)

For today's podcast I discuss something that I have discussed in various articles and blogs on different sites in the past.

Yet, it is still SO VERY relevant as we continue on our path to improving our future. Why? Because if we don't ever allow ourselves to realize that WE HAVE THE POWER AND THE POTENTIAL to accomplish what we desire in our lives -- nothing will ever change. All things will remain the same.

Remember, often we "listen" to all of the negative talk around us and choose to believe it about ourselves. It could be hearing those that have told us in the past, "You'll never amount to anything!" to even those around us now that might say, "What? You think you're going to do WHAT with your future? Give it up! You'll never move beyond the job you have now and you might as well stop dreaming and accept reality." - Ever hear anything like that before?

But - it's YOUR choice! It's up to YOU! Ask yourself the question: "WHY NOT ME?" In the podcast I encourage you to write those words down on a piece of paper in bold print and post it where you will see it many times a day. As you see that, make sure you allow that message to get through to your brain and maybe even say it out loud - "WHY NOT ME?"

Here's the BLOG BONUS. This is simply something that I thought about after I completed my podcast and wanted to share with you...

What do you focus on? Think about that for a second as I share a little more about what I mean. How many of you are like this -- you can have 100 people tell you something positive about a job you have done, etc. and have ONE person say something negative about it and that ONE is what you focus on?

We forget or dismiss the 100 and focus on the ONE - why?

Sure, some of it MIGHT be "human nature" - but does it have to be that way? I have to admit that I have struggled many times with the same thing, but I am getting better at it. One way that I have helped myself improve in this area is to realize this: I AM GOOD AT WHAT I DO! Sure, I appreciate the compliments - but I should not allow the compliments determine in my own mind whether I did a good job or not. (Yes, feedback is always good - but, again, be careful with how you use it).
Someone shared this formula with me several years ago along this same line. There are 10% of people that think you can do NO WRONG. There are another 10% that think you can do NOTHING RIGHT. Don't pay a whole lot of attention to either of these groups, but rather realize that it's the other 80% that will help you in honest feedback.

I have used that and it has been very beneficial for me.

So, once again - WHY NOT ME? Wednesday we will take this a step further and examine the question, "Why not NOW?"

Until then - Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)

Mike

Facebook Flairs I Have Created to Share

Here are a couple of FLAIRS I made for Facebook and I thought I'd share them with you..... you can find them fairly easy on Facebook - just search by using some of the words on the flair - SHARE THEM, SPREAD THEM, USE THEM!

Also, the "mind is a battlefield" one in the post from the other day is also a FLAIR I created on Facebook and is available for you to use.

Mike

Friday the 13th = "FUN FRIDAY!"

Friday the 13th is just another day in the month! Hey, one of my brothers got married on Friday the 13th and they've been married something like 127 years...... well, maybe not QUITE that long, but you get the idea.

And, on top of all of that - IT'S FUN FRIDAY so get on up and CELEBRATE!!

I'm not going to put much here today but I simply want to encourage you to listen to today's podcast and allow yourself the opportunity to LAUGH and, yes to L.O.L. (Laugh Out Loud)! Think about it - another way to cause those around you to stop, look at you and wonder what you're up to - don't you love it?

And, of course, find out how YOU can win a t-shirt by listening to today's podcast.

Today, just for fun, we'll take a look at some "interesting" signs that actually exist. I share some with you that I have actually seen as well as some that I got off of the internet. Become aware of opportunities like this (funny signs that aren't meant to be funny) to smile and laugh and.....

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike Spillman

Don't Miss "Fun Friday"

My wife sent me this "booty shake" bear on my facebook page and I HAD to share it with all of you in preparation for tomorrow's "FUN FRIDAY" podcast!

Yes, that's right -- among other things (like giving away some t-shirts) we will, once again, do the "BOOTY SHAKE"!

Be sure to join me!

"Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Peace of Mind (in a world of chaos)

In today's podcast I share with you 3 specific things you can do that will help you gain PEACE even in a world that is full of chaos.

Can you relate?

I'm sure you can - we all struggle from time to time with people, events or things that tend to rob us of our peace. The result? A life full of turmoil - and that, my friend, is not the life that you, nor I wish for ourselves or our families.

Let's face it - OUR MIND IS A BATTLEFIELD! It's a common struggle for us all everyday - controlling (or patrolling) our minds to keep them as free as possible from the negative pollution that surrounds us.

George Washington said this about peace:

"There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet the enemy."

Let's change that up just a little bit so that it will apply to what we are discussing today.

"There is nothing so likely to produce PEACE OF MIND as to be well prepared to meet the enemy."

So, the 1st step in gaining peace of mind is to IDENTIFY THE ENEMY! (worry? distrust? doubt?) What is it for you? Identify it so that you can...

2. Meet (and DEFEAT) that enemy! Do battle by filling your mind with right and positive things!

And, finally -

3. Give peace a chance! (Yeah, I know it's a song.) Give your mind a break and see what happens!

Yes, it IS possible - BELIEVE IT AND WORK/FIGHT FOR IT - to gain peace of mind in a chaotic world.

I shared the following item on the podcast and mentioned that I would include it in today's blog so that you can focus on it and absorb it a little better. The author is unknown - but it is really good stuff!

Symptoms of Inner Peace
A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experience
An unmistakable ability to enjoy the moment
A loss of interest in judging other people
A loss of interest in judging self
A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others
An inability to worry (this is a very serious symptom!)
Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation
Frequent acts of smiling
An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than to make them happen
An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

These are the kind of "symptoms" that are GOOD to have, wouldn't you agree!

Together, we can do even this ----

Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)

Mike

NOW ON iTUNES!

Thought I'd share this information with everyone....

YOU CAN NOW FIND MY PODCAST ON iTUNES!!!

(Although, at this time, my "album art" is not showing up....hmmmmmm.)

Just type in:

Future You University

in the search and click "show all" in the "podcast" category that comes up and you will find me there!


Thanks for your continued support!
Mike

It's YOUR Day and It's YOUR Choice!

It's Monday! How do you feel about that?

So many of us DREAD Monday's and, if we REALLY dread it a lot, it begins to even affect our weekend.

Isn't there something that we can do about that? SURE THERE IS!

You see, regardless of the day or the situation, we need to CLAIM OWNERSHIP of our day - "It's MY day!". (I can't help it, but that commercial of people sticking their heads out of their windows and yelling, "It's my money and I need it now!" just flashed through my head!)

But, in the same way, it IS your day - and you need to CLAIM IT NOW!

Yes, you can choose to MAKE IT (take action!) an AWESOME (not mediocre) day - it's up to you. I want to encourage you to stop "allowing" others to impact your day to the point that you give them "ownership" over your day. How often do you think or utter words such as, "That person ruined my day"?

That's only possible if we allow it to be possible. I, personally, belive it to be IMPOSSIBLE! No one has that power over your day. Oh, I know that they can sure do everything within their power to "rain on your parade" - but it's your choice as to whether you will allow that or whether you will dance, celebrate and have your parade anyway!

IT'S YOUR CHOICE!

What do you choose for YOUR day today?

I encourage you to "Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike Spillman

"FUN FRIDAY!"

Wow - I just had a BLAST recording today's podcast entitled, "FUN Friday!"

If you haven't had the chance to listen to it - make sure you do as soon as you can so that you can add to the things that can make you put a smile on your face, do something a little crazy and maybe even laugh out loud!
(By the way - I finally figured out how to put that button up on the upper right hand column with the "orange-ish" XML button there so that you can click and access the podcasts).

A few months ago I - along with my wife - realized that we just weren't having much fun day to day. Nothing bad was happening, but we were just getting lost in the "hum-drum" day in/day out activities and weren't having as much fun as we could or should.

So, I came up with the WONDERFUL idea (yeah, I know, shamless self-promotion, huh? But hey, it's my blog and my idea! ;) ) that, whenever any of us - me, my wife or our son, Jordan - called out, "Booty shake!" that all of us HAD to stand up wherever we were and regardless of what we were doing and REGARDLESS of whether we wanted to or not and SHAKE OUR BOOTY. No, no music - just "booty shaking"!

Do you know how hard that is to do without smiling, laughing and maybe even just "cracking up"? You tend to let loose and "ham it up" a bit!

If you don't believe me - try it out for yourself! Now, if you listen to today's podcast I even provide some fun music to do this with (can you say, "K.C. and the Sunshine Band"??) - BUT the key is to get "brave and bold" enough to step on out there and do it even when there is NO music to be heard!

So what if others look at you funny?
So what if they laugh "at" you instead of "with" you?
WHO CARES???

(Disclaimer: Now, obviously, one should use a little common sense in this excercise so as to not get themselves fired from their job. If you DON'T (use common sense) and you DO (get fired) - IT AIN'T MY FAULT!)

So, anyway - I dare you to do the "booty shake" RIGHT NOW wherever you are - no matter what is going on around you (but again, read the above mentioned disclaimer!).

Don't limit your fun to Friday - make it a habit!!

YOU can have an AMAZING IMPACT on many people around you just by deciding - yes, making a DECISION - to smile and enjoy the day!

So, until next time.....DO THE BOOTY SHAKE and ....

"Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

What Are YOUR Dreams Worth?

Again, this entry will go along with my latest podcast - but it will not cover everything mentioned there. That link to the podcast (same as in the first entry) is: http://mspillman.hipcast.com/rss/future-you-university.xml

Today, on our way home for a High School state tournament basketball game I saw this sign in front of a church building (you know, those signs with changeable letters that many churches have out front?) - "Everyone loves the harvest - no one loves the plowing" and I thought, "Wow, how profound!"

As a matter of fact, it completely took me in a new direction for the podcast that I had already planned - but that's nothing unusual for me!

We all enjoy eating the fruit of the harvest whether it be watermelon, fresh peas, lettuce or whatever it is that you enjoy. But, how many of us enjoy the hours of hard work out in the sun that MUST take place in order for the harvest to take place?

NOT MANY!

But, if you want the harvest you prepare the soil, plant the seed, keep the weeds away, water and all of the other things anyway.

What are your dreams worth? Are you willing to put in the time and effort to make them come true? Are you expecting things to just drop into your lap? If so, join the millions throwing down their money with the hopes of one day winning the lottery!

Bottom line: You must be willing to put some ACTION into your DREAMS!

What's it worth? Is it worth turning off the television? Is it worth some exta time even AFTER you return home from your "real" job?

Only you can decide. If you listen to my podcast you will hear some trememdous quotes that I found on "persistence". The "value" that you have placed on your dreams will determine the level and amount of your persistence.

What's it worth? You decide and....

Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)

Mike Spillman

There Is Hope - and TODAY IS THE DAY!

Wow, what an awesome day this has been!

First and foremost, I finally got my podcast up and running and I am VERY excited about finally getting this step done.

I'm still trying to figure out how to show that on this blog page - but I haven't figured it out yet. I suppose, if nothing else, I can list the link to the feed for my podcast this way:

http://mspillman.hipcast.com/rss/future-you-university.xml

I'm not going to go back over everything I talked about in that podcast entitled, "There Is Hope" but I do want to simply "touch base" on a little of it to share with you here.

In the podcast I quote a few other people on their thoughts about "hope" and I also share one that I came up with myself which is: "As long as there is breath - there is hope." (not too shabby, huh?)

Don't ever forget that! No matter how dark things may seem - no matter how hopeless they may appear --- as long as you have breath, THERE IS HOPE!

Listen to the podcast and then begin to look around you through the "eyes of HOPE" as opposed to looking thorough the darkness of doom and despair.

Please feel free to leave comments and/or ask questions - I'd love to get your feedback and hear from you.

Oh, and by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my son, Jeremy, who turns 22 today!

Until next time - "Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

M. Spillman