That "In-Between" Week

That "In-Between" Week

It starts right after Halloween. You know what I'm talking about, right? The music. The decorations in the stores. The shelves already displaying items for the upcoming Christmas shopping season.

Honestly, that drives me NUTS! It's not even Thanksgiving yet and Christmas has already started taking over. Oh, I understand that it's all driven by the almighty dollar and that merchants have to get a "head start" on everything these days so that they can make their big money (hopefully) during this Christmas season. But the fact that I understand it doesn't mean that I have to like it!

Thanksgiving comes and goes and we are all reminded of our blessings and of all the things for which we have to be thankful. And then - (INSERT OMINOUS MUSIC HERE) - it's "BLACK FRIDAY" and the mad dash to the Christmas shopping season has begun for many!

The music is everywhere, the stores are all brightly decorated, all of the favorite Christmas shows are coming on the television and, yes, I begin to get excited about Christmas and all of the memories from Christmas past come flooding over me once again. I LOVE IT!

Some radio stations begin to have 24 hour a day Christmas music for about a week leading up to Christmas and then "BAM!"...it's December 26th, the music has stopped, the commercials are all gone and it's all done. Such a large build up and then it's gone.

This is why so many people struggle with Christmas - especially the "let down" that comes once it's over. Families go back to their own homes and many are now left alone in an empty house once again.

But, hey, New Year's is just around the corner! The hope and promise of a chance to start all over with a "clean slate" can sometimes help bring some excitement back into a life even after the joy of Christmas has passed.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Maybe you had to go back to work the day after Christmas. Perhaps you took your vacation during this time so that you could be with your kids while they were out of school.

What happens during this week "IN-BETWEEN CHRISTMAS and NEW YEAR'S"?

Stuffing ourselves on left overs? Sitting mindlessly in front of the television watching football bowl games that mean nothing except to those involved? Shopping those "AFTER Christmas" sales?

Many take this time to look over the past year as a new one approaches. And, upon doing so, many are saddened that, once again, they failed to achieve what they had set out to achieve almost one year ago at the beginning of 2010.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

My guess is that most of us - if not ALL of us - have some regrets about things that we failed to accomplish during the past year.

So what?

I mean, think about it - what are you going to do about it now? I mean, it's a bit late to lose 50 pounds during this last week after Christmas, right?

But...don't miss this...it's NOT too late to correct our mindsets and it's still NOT too late to RESOLVE to stop "wishing" and start "acting" in this coming year!

It's actually NOT too late to determine that, once and for all, you ARE going to start that new business! Why not take steps TODAY (why wait until January 2nd?) to actually move closer to making that happen? It' s NOT too late!

Yes, take inventory of your life. As I have said before, "LEARN from the past but don't LIVE in the past!"

There's nothing you can do about what you failed to accomplish. But there is a LOT you can do to make sure that you are not sitting in the same exact spot come the end of 2011!

I'm excited! I have begun taking steps to PUT INTO ACTION some things that I have been talking about and "planning" for several years now!

It's time to stop talking and it's time to start MOVING forward in 2011!

So, what will YOU do during this "in-between" time?

Don't waste it - use it to prepare yourself for a productive 2011.

You can do it! I'll help any way that I can, but it's still ultimately up to you!

As always...remember (and this applies to everything that we just talked about) to...

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

Mike

A Special Message from Mike

Updates and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

UPDATES and "Merry Christmas!!"

It's been a while since I last posted anything on the blog so I thought I'd spend a few moments and give an update while also wishing each of you a "Merry Christmas" with wishes for a "Happy New Year" as well!

As you know, I lost my job back in the middle of August (hard to believe it's been FOUR months since this has happened) and, due to the uncertainty of things, I felt I needed to cease doing my podcast and blog at that time. I didn't want to do a "hit and miss" podcast/blog...I wanted it to be consistent.

If you know anything about me at all then you also know that I am upfront and honest so I'm not going to change that now. The past four months have been very difficult! Without going into a lot of detail at this point I'll just say it has been very stressful financially, emotionally and spiritually. I've had to work VERY hard to keep a positive mindset and to practice the things that I have shared for you in past podcasts and blogs.

Truth? Some days I did alright in that area and some days I did not.

Surprised? You shouldn't be!

I have never said - and hopefully it was never implied - that EVERY day was going to be a GREAT and WONDERFUL day regardless of the circumstances. The whole focus on what I have done in the past was to help us all understand that, regardless of the circumstances, WE had CONTROL when it came to the positive or negative impact on our lives.

It is a DAILY struggle for us all - I don't care who you are or how you are doing in your life at the moment.

So, bottom line - in case you didn't know it already - I'm just like you! I struggle each and every day with my mindset and realize that I MUST continue to FIGHT to keep the negative out!

Sure, some days are easier than others and some days are just plain hard.

But the key is this: NEVER GIVE UP!

Remember, "As long as there is breath, there is hope."

I'll be sharing some more news about my plans beginning in 2011. I will go ahead and tell you that I should be starting my podcast and blog once again along with some other exciting things planned.

STAY TUNED!

And, friend, I do want to wish you and your family a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And, as always, whatever you do...

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

Mike

"Know Your Bills" Video

"Fighting Desperation" Video - Part 3

Fighting Desperation Video - Part 2

This video was a bit large to wait to upload it to the blog so, if you would, please go to my YouTube channel and check it out. Here's the direct link:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZF9RqCj4i8

Fighting Desperation Video - Part 1

Staying UP Even When You're DOWN

Fighting Desperation

Well friends, it's been a while since I've posted anything on here but I "got the itch" and HAD to do some more stuff since it's been so long.

I have recently posted four videos (one of them is a 3-part series with the same name as this article) on the Future You University fan page (you can access that via http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/). They can also be found on Youtube (just search "Mike Spillman" and you'll find them..."Mike Spillman's 'Two-Minute Drill').

Anyway, this last set on "Fighting Desperation" is one that I think most - if not all - of us can relate to as many struggle through the tough economy.

In part 2 of this series I break down some figures to help us all "shake free" from the "mind-freeze" that can come from desperation. When I break something down like this it helps me to see the REAL possibilities that are available TO me and FOR me - even when I struggle.

In part 3 I encouraged each of you to share some ideas on different ways that a person can put an extra $500 - $1000 in their pockets each week.

TOGETHER we can all help each other make it through these tough times AND feel good about helping in such a way!

Again, whether it's a T-shirt, an e-book or ANY kind of product....selling 10 @ $20 each day (OR selling 20 @ $10 each) will put $1000/week in our pockets! And, yes, you can bring that down even further if you need to by selling 10 @ $10 or 20 @ $5 each in order to put an extra $500/week in your pocket.

Here's one that I'd like to share. It's simply sharing a link to a FREE e-book (nope, I didn't even have to write this one!). Too, there is a LOT of SUPER information for ANYONE that either is or would like to get involved in some sort of on-line activity.

It costs you NOTHING to check it out and downloading the FREE e-book costs you nothing as well! Too, your not even asked to provide any e-mail address or other information in order to download this.

Check it out for yourself:
http://www.supertips.com/ultimate/x/?id=6015

NOW, HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN....

Please leave thoughts and ideas that YOU have that can help others in this tough time. Just leave a comment for others to read and let's all share/brainstorm together to get our minds moving - once again - in a POSITIVE and POWERFUL direction!

Thanks for your help and, as always...

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

Mike

Never Forget

The Last Hurrah

A Swift Kick in the Pants!

I'm a believer and I believe that God has a sense of humor at times. I'll explain more a little later - but first, let me set the stage.

You probably know from listening and/or following my blog that I have talked a long time about "stepping out" and making changes in MY life as I have encouraged YOU to not be afraid to STEP OUT and make a difference in your OWN life.

For me, I have made plans, set and reset deadlines to step away from my job as a minister. Hey, in my "religious circle" there are few - if any - benefits for us guys for retirement, insurance, etc. Too, it was just a feeling I had that it was time for a change.

Back a couple of years ago I began making plans on a professional motivational speaker career and I DO still plan for that to be a reality in my life but realized I needed more time and, honestly, some more $$ to make it happen.

A year ago today - as I type this on 8.20.10 - my wife had a heart attack and nearly died. As a matter of fact, she had to be "shocked" back to life at least 2 times that I know of. It was not due to poor habits like most - it was one of those freakish "1 in a million" type things. She survived and we were left with a HUGE pile of bills to pay ourselves. Remember, I said there aren't many benefits with my job.

Plus, on top of that, our youngest son just graduated from HS this past school year and, as a matter of fact, we took him to college yesterday (Thursday) to move in.

So, for one, my wife's "near death" experience opened our eyes to a lot of things as far as "stop talking and do whatever it is NOW" type stuff. Know what I mean? And, the bills also helped reinforce the idea that SOMETHING needed to be done to create more income.

So, when you put all of this together, I, again, have been talking about the "right time" to step away from what I'm doing and pursuing available opportunities full time.

Over the past couple of years I have set and reset several "deadlines" for this. They have come and gone. Recently I have even moved a deadline at least once just since actively pursuing opportunities in the area of real estate in this "delicate" market. I finally set a deadline for the end of this year BUT have also been talking with my wife about the fact that I WISH I could find a way to be free to go examine some of the properties I've found and - if they needed some repair - to be able to be there for an extended period of time (as needed) to get it done and ready for resale or whatever. But I just couldn't figure out how to get that done.

Now, here's where I see God's sense of humor come in. (Those of you that don't agree, that's fine).

This past Wednesday - one day before taking my son to college and us being "free" in that sense as far as not being held back here at all due to school - I was informed that I was being "let go" from my position.

HOWEVER, I was going to be compensated until the end of October - with NO OBLIGATIONS to the "present/former" job so that I could freely pursue other employment.

Yeah, I was shocked at first and then, it was like a burden had been lifted and a sense of peace came over me even in the midst of this discussion.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN WISHING FOR AND TALKING ABOUT!

To me, it's almost as if God (now, you have to know me and the fact that I have a vivid and humorous imagination) said, "Look, you've been talking about this for YEARS now. So, here you go (as he kicks me out the door) - THERE IT IS! NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?"

It's really rather funny and, honestly, my family has actually been laughing about the whole thing off and on.

Is it scary? YES!
But is it exciting? DOUBLE YES!

So now - I have my wish and I MUST stop talking and start DOING what I have talked about doing for the past few years.

AND IT WILL WORK AND IT WILL HAPPEN and I already have some great possibilities lined up.

Now comes the ACTION!

Without that, everything is dead!

So....this ends THIS particular avenue in this journey with Future You University. As I said on the podcast - you have NOT heard the end of F.Y.U. - that I know for sure! (By the way, if you HAVEN'T listened to the podcast - be sure to do so!)

I do thank those of you that have encouraged me along the way and have also submitted material for me to use along the way. I hope I have been an encouragement and a help in giving you a push to keep going.

The page, http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com will still be available although it will not be available in the current format. It will go to a "free page", so there will be some ads on there that aren't mine and you may not have access to everything as you did before. So, on THAT particular note, if you haven't downloaded the FREE report and anything else that you may want to hang on to - DO IT NOW before it changes.

And so it begins FOR REAL -- nothing like a good, swift kick in the pants to get you going sometimes!

Remember, each day is MAGICAL! You - yes, YOU - have the ability to turn your DAY and your LIFE around! That, being so, never forget that the day and your world is WIDE OPEN for you! And, be sure to express gratitude for all of the things that make your life what it is today.

And, one last thought...remember that, "As long as there is breath, there is hope."

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

Mike

Live the Dream

Live the Dream!

In yesterday's entry I talked about Jim Rohn's article (see the link in yesterday's entry) in which he says the difference between those living the life we WISHED we were living and those of us standing here wishing is our ability to dream.

No, not just any ol' silly dream. And, no, not a "half-hearted" dream, either.

He is talking about a VIVID dream of the life we desire. The kind of dream that is so VIVID and REAL that we can actually "smell the air" in our dreams!

The kind of dream that, as he words it, will PULL YOU FORWARD to LIVING that dream!

No, it's not because they have had better luck than you or any of the other tons of "reasons" you may want to come up with to try to make yourself feel better by "demonizing" those "on the other side".

It's your VISION and your ability to get excited enough about that vision to put ACTION behind the dream!

Can you? (Yes!)

Will you? (Only YOU can answer that one, my friend).

Stop complaining about the gap and start making moves toward CLOSING that gap by LIVING YOUR DREAM!

And, as you do so...

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

Mike

How To Close the Gap

How To Close the Gap

Yesterday we discussed the dilemma of HOW to close the gap between where we would like to be and where we are. What do you do?

As part of yesterday's podcast and blog I mentioned an article about "myths concerning millionaires" and directed you to the posting of it on the fan page on Facebook. For those that did not find it or for those that may be accessing this article LONG after it was typed up - here is that article link:

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/110333/millionaire-myths?mod=bb-budgeting

Today I share from an article by Jim Rohn entitled, "Achieving Your Dream".

Here is the link to that article:

http://www.jimrohn.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=1284&utm_source=jrn-8_2_10&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ezines

You can read the article when you get a chance - I read the article word for word in today's podcast. Why? Because no one says it any better than the late, great Jim Rohn!

Bottom line - to get from HERE to THERE...start doing the "uncomfortable" until it becomes "comfortable". More on that in tomorrow's podcast and blog entry.

And, all along the way, be sure to...

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

Mike

How Do I Close the Gap?

"How Do I Close the Gap?"

Sometimes we take note of people in the news that are wealthy beyond our imagination and wonder why that can't be us.

So many times we also begin to "attack" that wealthy person (knowing very little - if anything - about them) so that we can feel better about why we are where WE are in relation to where THEY are!

I mentioned an article in the podcast about "Myths About Millionaires" and I've posted it on the fan page on Facebook - go there to check it out. (If you're not a member, go to http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com and click on the contacts tab and join up to become a member of our fan page there).

Hey, listen - you and I have both known this for a very long time...the easiest way to try to make ourselves feel better is to try to tear someone else down! We see it all of the time and, let' admit it, we've also DONE it from time to time.

But, may I suggest that we look at this a different way?

Perhaps, instead of "pulling them down" we need to STEP UP!

It is interesting that, with the article I mention, the comments that people left about the article just emphasize what I'm saying even more. Whining and complaining and the majority of the those leaving comments have NO IDEA what they are even talking about.

Why not let it be DIFFERENT with YOU?

Again, you don't have to be a millionaire to change your life, right?

What amount of money would make difference in your monthly budget? Would $1,000 a month make a big difference in your life? My guess is that it would! That's an extra $12,000 per year!

Whatever is needed in your life - what are YOU doing about it?

Are you sitting on THIS side of the gap looking over at the OTHER side and just whining about it? Are you just sitting and WONDERING how come things are the way that they are?

OR are you ready to start putting some plans - backed by ACTION - into place so that you can "close the gap"?

Guess what? It's all up to YOU!

Hey, you should know by now - if you don't already - that this is the main point of just about everything I say. YOU. No one else so stop looking around. YOU.

What will YOU do?

Start today and, as you do so...

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

Mike

Boots or Flip Flops?

Boots or Flip Flops?

My guess is that we've all heard the phrase, "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps". The idea behind it being that you need to get your boots on, lace them up and get up and get going (bootstraps = laces). With that thought in mind, here is my quote for today's thoughts:

"It's hard to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps if you're wearing flip flops!" - Mike Spillman

Yeah, I like it.

Now, first, let me say this - I understand that we live in a world in which we really DO rely and depend upon each other. We are not an "island" and we should do all we can to help each other out in this journey called life.

HOWEVER (and this goes back to yesterday's discussion) this does NOT mean that we should sit around on our rear ends with our hands out waiting for someone else to do it all for us.

So, even though we need each other, my thought today is that we need to stop whining and complaining and we need to stop waiting for someone to dump success in our laps. We need to GET OUR BOOTS ON and GET AFTER IT!

I mean, really, what are you waiting on?

But, here's the deal: It's hard to do that if you're wearing flip flops!

Huh?

Can you imagine someone showing up on a construction site for their first day of work wearing a pair of flip flops? (I bet it has happened somewhere, sometime!).

Have you seen some of these reality shows where some rich kid that has never done a day of work in their life had to do some outdoor work and one of the girls would show up wearing expensive high heels?

UNPREPARED!

In these two scenarios the person involved will NOT be able to get the work done that needs to be done.

So it is in the pursuit of our goals and dreams - what are YOU doing to prepare yourself so that you can "get up and get after it"?

Too many times I hear people talk about this or that in their life that didn't work while trying to move forward in this pursuit. Upon further questioning, many times I will find out that they really didn't do much of anything for this "new endeavor" to ever even have a chance to produce positive results.

You'll see this online a lot with a lot of the "scam" threads that you see about this or that "work from home opportunity". Now - granted - there ARE many scams out there. However, what you find on many of these are people that bought a product and never even put the thoughts and ideas into practice and then called it a "scam" because it didn't work!

I see this all the time!

One particular real estate group that I am working with has a discussion board and, constantly, I see people ask, "What do I do?". It's obvious that this person hasn't even read the basic information that is provided or available to them -yet, they want someone else to tell them what they need to do. First of all, READ THE BOOK!

See what I mean?

Quit wearing your flip flops, get your boots on and GET AFTER IT!

Now, friend, there's nothing wrong with asking for some help. We ALL need that from time to time. There's nothing wrong with seeking some guidance in ANY area of our lives. But (and I think you are following me on this, right?) at some point in time we need to get out of the nest, spread our wings and FLY!

Can you imagine seeing a 25 year old man on a bicycle with their 55 year old dad running along beside him holding the seat helping him ride his bike?

So, what about you? Boots or flip flops?

The choice - as always - is YOURS!

And, as you lace up those boots....

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

Mike

Ask What You CAN Do!

Ask What You CAN Do!

In John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural Address we find the often-quoted phrase, "...ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

This is a very POWERFUL statement and it doesn't have to apply to the United States of America or to any government. This can be true of ANY situation that we find ourselves to be a part of whether it be a family, a job, a team, etc.

However, too many people sit around and wait for someone - ANYONE and often, EVERYONE - to do "it" for them.

It?

It can relate to a lot of things, but let's just say that "it" refers to just about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!

In other words, there are some people in our society that sit around and wait for others to do EVERYTHING for them! I know this will sound harsh, but it's true - people like this are leaches on society!

I've dealt with people that want something and, when that thing is supplied they want something more. It's never enough and it's never EXACTLY the way they wanted either!

All I'm saying is this: STOP WAITING OR STOP DEPENDING ON SOMEONE ELSE TO DO FOR YOU IF/WHEN YOU CAN DO IT FOR YOURSELF!

Please understand, I know that there are those that - out of necessity - MUST depend on their government (or other sources) to provide for them due to circumstances out of their control.

Hey, I'm not excited to share this, but there was a period in time when we had to sign up for and receive food stamps so that I could feed my family. I HATE THAT!

But, because I was able to do so, it was a short lived situation.

Some can't pull themselves out of that situation - I hope you understand what I'm saying - but there are many that CAN but that WON'T!

Why? Because it's easy to sit back and allow someone to do it for you.

But, friend, that's no way to live!

Again, this applies to ANY situation and not just to a government doing stuff for you.

What about your family? What are YOU giving to the overall working of YOUR family? You can't constantly be a TAKER!

And your workplace? Have you allowed the negative attitude of others to sway you into thinking that you should not do ANYTHING that's not asked of you? Do what your told and nothing more.

What a terrible way to live and what a terrible way to waste away a day!

And, by the way, you will likely not ever get a promotion either.

DO MORE THAN IS EXPECTED OF YOU and see what happens.

That's the attitude that is behind this quote.

ANY group (again, whether it be a family, school, workplace or government) is STRONG when it has those that are willing to DO and to SERVE without waiting to be asked.

What about you?

Why not approach TODAY with this mindset?

And, as you do so, always remember to...

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

Mike

On the Right Track?

On the Right Track?

Today's quote comes off of a plaque my daughter-in-law found in a restaurant store the other day. Here it is:

"Even if you're on the right track you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

You see, it is a WONDERFUL thing to KNOW that you are on the right track! This indicates that you have been doing a lot of things in the RIGHT way to ensure your success!

You've stayed on course and kept focused on the path that will lead you to your goals and dreams!

However, sometimes (going back to what we talked about last week) the fear of making a mistake and maybe getting OFF course and OFF of the right track - even momentarily - can paralyze us to the point of not making any progress at all!

So, we may be on the right track but we're not making any movement ALONG the track toward our goals and dreams!

And, if we do that long enough, that train is going to come along and run us over and likely knock us OFF of that track!

So, being on the right track is not enough, is it?

We can "feel good" about being there, but "feeling good" ain't going to get it done (as we say down South)!

So, keep reading those positive books and articles, keep listening to those positive podcasts and CD's or MP3's and keep your eye on your goals and dreams so that you DO move toward them each and every day.

Exciting? YES! Scary at times? YES!

But, hey, it's YOUR life! Why not "go for it"?

And, as you do...

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

Mike

Trivial Pursuit?

Trivial Pursuit?

This quote comes from my friend, Jim Ferguson: "In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.” (author unknown)

Think about that quote for a minute and, as always, see what it means for YOU and YOUR life!

What are YOU doing with your life? What are you NOT doing with your life?

When my sons were little - at different stages of each of their lives - I would ask them why they did something they were not supposed to OR I'd ask them why they DIDN'T do something they were supposed to do. Their most often used answer: "I don't know." I realized very quickly that I needed to do a "Barny Fife" on this (you know, "nip it in the bud!") and help them realize that "I don't know" was NOT an acceptable answer and that it was, actually, a LAZY answer! I would instruct them that they DID know why the did or didn't do something and that I was going to charge them $1 every time they decided to say "I don't know". Guess what? That answer stopped being used and, as uncomfortable as it was for them, they began to actually " 'fess up" to the reasons behind their actions.

Hey, friend - IT'S THE SAME WITH YOU!

If I were to ask you, "How's your journey going toward your goal?" What would your answer be? If you were to say, "Well, not as well as I'd like!" my automatic response would be, "Why?" And - my guess is - your tendency would be to answer, "I don't know."

Bologna! (BALONEY!)

You DO know why you aren't making the progress you desire! It's just easier to throw up your hands and say, "I don't know" than to get REAL and HONEST with yourself and face the real reasons.

Oh, and the quote? See how it plays a part in all of this?

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?

If you have not "mapped out a journey" then how will you have any idea where you are along the way and IF you happen to stray off course? How will you know?

YOU WON'T!

And that, my friend, produces the performing daily acts of trivia. No real focus. No real purpose. Just aimlessly wandering with no direction.

WAKE UP and GET BACK ON TRACK!

And, if you don't have a "track" (plan/path/map/goals) then, for goodness sake - actually, for YOUR sake and the sake of your future -GET WITH IT!

There. I'm done. What else can I say?

It's a NECESSITY!

And, as you go along your way, be sure to...

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

Mike

Stayin' Put Won't Get You There!

Stayin' Put Won't Get You There!

As the "theme" for the week continues with quotes, today I will share another of mine: "Staying where you are will NEVER take you where you want to be!"

Now, I know what I'm about to say is somewhat repetitive but, look at the picture above and ask yourself this question: "If the guy in the picture stays where he is and gives up, will he ever reach his destination?" NO!

Let's get down to it and ask it this way: If YOU give up will YOU reach your destination?

Um...in a word...NO!

Yet, every day, I'm guessing that thousands of people "give up" on reaching their goals and dreams. If you could see this visually as broken down cars on the side of the highway for everyone that has done this it would make quite an impression, would it not?

There would be car after car on the side of the road with their hood up and abandoned. Done. Finished.

It would be hard for those that are trying to stay focused on their journey to weave their way in and out of all the abandoned cars (abandoned dreams).

That's really a pretty sad picture when you think about it, wouldn't you agree?

I'm not sure that I'll ever look at an abandoned car on the side of a road (or out in a field, etc.) ever again and I hope you won't either. I hope it will be a VIVID reminder for us to NEVER give up on our goals and dreams.

I've done podcasts and blogs before about this journey and about the vehicle that is needed to take us on that journey. It never changes and the need always remains the same.

Just as it is true that cars will break down and trips may be delayed, unexpected things can and will happen in our lives that can delay or detour this journey on the way to our goals and dreams.

This is true in ALL of our lives. If it hasn't been true in your life then just hang on - it's coming!

I'm not trying to be negative, friend. I'm not trying to scare you. It's just a FACT that, if you live long enough, STUFF WILL HAPPEN that we wish would NOT happen.

But what you DO about that and with that is what will separate you from others. It is what will make the difference between your life being represented by another abandoned car on the side of the road OR one that is still moving forward.

Yep, you know it's coming and here it is: IT'S UP TO YOU!

Are you catching on that ALL of this that I talk about comes down to YOU making a DECISION? That ALL of this is a CHOICE that YOU must make.

That's the way it always has been, that's the way it is and that's the way it will always be.

So, again I ask, "What will you do?"

Me? I think I'll keep driving.

And as YOU do the same (you ARE going to do the same, right?)...

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

Mike

Just A Bump In The Road

Just a Bump In The Road

I've been using different quotes for my topics this week and today I'd like to share one that my 19 year old son, Jordan came up with the other night:

"The past is just a bump in the road to the future." - Jordan Spillman

Not bad, huh? Now, if he can just make sure that he remembers that in his young life he will be
WAY ahead of many others as they go through the "bumps" along the way!

You've likely heard this before: "Your past DOES NOT determine your future!"

And, even though you have "heard" it -- did you really HEAR it to the point of letting it sink in?

No matter WHO you are, no matter WHERE you've been and no matter HOW BADLY you've "messed up" you MUST remember that "the past is just a bump in the road to the future"!

And, yes, I know there are those of you out there that have messed up REALLY badly and you very likely may be paying the consequences of your actions for a very long time. But, you STILL have the ability to change the course - the path - of your future!

You see, that is what is MAGICAL about each day! There is found the TRUTH behind the thought that you can TURN each day AROUND! It is also what is so exciting when you consider that TODAY (and every day) is WIDE OPEN for you! And who in the world would NOT be THANKFUL for such wonderful opportunities each and every day?

As always, it's up to you!

You can sit on the side of "the road" on the journey to your future and cry out, "Woe is me!" while staying put OR you can correct the problem and move on down the road to your destination!

What will you do?

Will there be more bumps along the way? I can answer that with a very definite, "YES!".

But, as long as we keep on moving those bumps will soon be nothing but a distant memory of the journey to our goals and dreams.

And, never forget to...

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

Mike

Even When You Don't...

"Even When You Don't - You Do!"

- Mike Spillman

We're talking about some of YOUR favorite quotes this week but, until some more are sent in from you I will resort to using some of my own! Oh yeah, I have a bunch of them to share with you.

Don't think it's too late to get them in --- I'd love to have you share them with me and I will likely either carry this over to next week as well OR just store some of them up for a future set of podcasts. Either way - please send in your favorite quote along with a short note as to why it is so special and meaningful to you.

Sometimes we may be fooled into thinking that the way to NOT make mistakes is to simply DO NOTHING!

WRONG. That's the BIGGEST mistake you can make!

Sure, if you make a choice or if you make a decision it could be the wrong one and it could be deemed as a "mistake". And, I understand how someone could begin to shy away from making ANY choice or decision if the past several have seemed to turn out wrong.

I highlighted the word "seemed" in the preceding paragraph for a reason. Whether we realize it or not, we often determine something to be a "mistake" before the results of that choice/decision have had a chance to run its full course. Sure, it may bring a lot of problems and criticism, etc. into your life right now (who WOULDN'T think that it was wrong when it's like that?) but, you still don't know the final result.

For example, the person you do or don't marry is a decision that you simply CANNOT be 100% sure about one way or the other until years down the road. The one that you DIDN'T marry...well, you'll never know, will you? But, it may have been a blessing and not a mistake! And, the one you DID marry? Sometimes we find a completely different person once the honeymoon is over, right? Sometimes, even when you are SO happy on the wedding day and SO convinced that this person is the ONE FOR LIFE...you find out even years later that this may also have been the biggest mistake of your life.

Hey, good or bad - that's life, right?

So, what do you do? Just STOP getting involved in life and STOP making any decisions?

"Even when you don't - you do!"

The very act of attempting to STOP making a decision is a decision in and of itself!

Deciding to withdraw from life so that you don't get hurt is a decision that WILL hurt you.

So...bottom line - GET IN THE GAME! Bumps and bruises are just part of the game and only those that sit on the sidelines are the ones that have clean uniforms and no scratches!

I once heard the following observation about there being three groups of people at any event - in this situation, let's use a football game. First, there are those that are IN the stadium and that have paid good money to have a ticket to WATCH the game. They may really get into the game and be very passionate, but they still are only WATCHING the game. Then, there are those that are ON THE FIELD and that are actually PLAYING the game! It's not as easy as that person sitting up in the bleachers and sometimes the players get hurt - some worse than others, but they PLAY TO WIN and pain is just part of their participation. And finally, there are those that are OUTSIDE of the stadium. They decided - for whatever reason - NOT to buy a ticket but to sit and/or stand outside of the stadium hoping some of the excitement of even being this close might rub off on them. PLAY the game? No way! That's too dangerous! PAY for the game? No way! That's too expensive! Stand outside the stadium and neither PAY nor PAY? Well, they DO hear the crowd roar when something exciting happens! They have no idea WHAT happened, but they can hear the roar of the crowd and WONDER WHAT HAPPENED.

Friend, that is NO WAY to live life! As a matter of fact, that is NOT "living" life at all - it is merely existing on the sidelines WONDERING what happened.

LIVE LIFE and LIVE LIFE TODAY!

Don't let your past mistakes keep you from pushing forward. Hey, the only ones that AREN'T making mistakes are the ones in the grave.

Keep that in mind as you go for it! And...as you do, always remember to:

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

Mike

What Do You See?

What Do You See?

This week I will be focusing on some of YOUR favorite quotes - so get them in to me right away either straight through the message board on the website (http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/ - contact tab) OR via email: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

Here is a quote that my friend Brian Johnson sent to me a few weeks back and it will serve as the foundation of today's discussion:

"The question is not what you look at, but what you see." - H.D.Thoreau

Here's the thing - we ALL "see" the same thing but, yet, many "see" something completely different than others.

Huh?

I think you know what I mean, but let me explain anyway. When we LOOK at something we usually talk about what we "see", right? And, yet, we all know that we can LOOK at something and miss out on a lot of details or not "see" what's really there.

Have you ever had someone come up to you and purposely not tell you that they got a new hairdo or something else to see if you would notice. And you didn't?

Wow, sometimes that brings on some problems because you might get accused of, "not paying attention".

I'm sure you've experienced someone looking "at" you but not really "seeing" you.

In our world today - with the economic turmoil that is talked about to the point of nausea - many see nothing but problems. But, what do YOU see?

Are there problems out there? ABSOLUTELY!

But, many see OPPORTUNITY!

Notice what Winston Churchill said: "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

Two people LOOKING at the exact same thing but SEEING something completely different.

What about YOU?

What do YOU see around you?

Remember the story about "The Emperor's New Clothes"? The guy was absolutely NAKED but, due to the societal pressure surrounding the situation, the majority of the crowd complemented him on what they "saw" - a beautiful outfit! However, one small boy saw something completely different - he saw what really was true and made his observation known: "Hey! He's naked!"

Do NOT allow others to tell you what you "see"! Have the guts, the determination and the courage to "see" what others refuse to see!

What do you "see" in the following link of letters?

OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE

(Yes, I know I've used this before along with the quote used earlier - but, hey, they FIT!)

For whatever reason, the majority of people will read the above line as,"Opportunity is nowhere".

And, there a FEW people that will read the exact same letters as, "Opportunity is now here".

What about you?

What you "see" can impact each and every day of your life IF you will allow yourself to "see" what so many others simply refuse to "see" or are to lazy to "see".

Here we go with the same bottom line again - it's all up to YOU! Yes, it's YOUR CHOICE!

May we all truly open our eyes so that we may SEE!

And, as always...

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

Mike

The Power of Choice!

The Power of Choice!

Make no mistake about it - the power of CHOICE is a very POWERFUL thing we all possess!<>

Some treat this possession with great care while others use it lightly - not understanding (or, perhaps, not caring) the power of this possession.

This great possession - the power of CHOICE - will determine the direction of your day, week, month, year and life. Now, will anyone try to tell me that this is NOT a great and powerful possession?

You have it and I have it. We all have it. We all use it or abuse it.

What about you?

Now listen, in order for all of us to "get real" with this and in order for me not to come across as unrealistic I must say that there are times that we make wise choices and there are times that we make unwise choices.

Just because we may understand the POWER of choice does not mean we will always make the best choice. Aren't there times that you made an unwise choice but, at the time, you thought it was the RIGHT choice?

Those that abuse and fail to understand the power of this great possession are those that really don't put much - if any - thought and consideration into their choices. Many times they are perfectly happy to allow OTHERS to make their choices for them. This is a LAZY way to exist. I won't say it's a lazy way to "live" life because this is not living at all - it is existing.

So, where do you fit in?

Hopefully, even if you have been in the category of the "lazies" you have been working hard at transitioning to the category of one that truly understands the power of choice. But, again, please understand that this will not make you immune to bad choices.

What do YOU do when you discover that you have made a poor choice? Give up? Blame someone else? Sit down right where you are and throw a "pity party"? All of the above?

Here's the oddity about choices. Once made and acted upon, they cannot be changed. (Notice this - they can be made and changed BEFORE they are acted upon, but once they are acted upon, there is no changing them). HOWEVER...even once they have been acted upon and you realize it was a BAD choice, you CAN go back and decide to choose a different path.

That, in itself, is VERY POWERFUL!

Now, even though we can go back and decide to choose a different path doesn't mean that all of the impact of the bad choice will disappear. It won't!

But, here is a choice even about that: Even with the impact of a bad choice raining down on your head you have two choices - 1. Stay there and have your "pity party" while you suffer the negative consequences OR 2. Realizing that you are going to deal with the consequences regardless, you can retrace your steps and go back and make a decision that will take you down a better path even while the impact of your original bad choice still comes down all over and around you.

So....are you ready for this? Even though you make a BAD choice you still have a CHOICE as to whether or not you go back and CHOOSE to correct your original bad choice!

Wow!

Too many people think that once they have made a bad choice that they are STUCK!

WRONG!

Now, again, consequences may have to be paid for a very long time. For example, maybe you are one of the thousands of people that got into a loan situation for a house that, once those balloon payments rolled around, found out you couldn't afford that house after all and you ended up going through a foreclosure. "OH NO! MY LIFE IS RUINED!"

No, it's not.

Yes, there will be CONSEQUENCES to pay for a very long time - but your life is not over and it does not prevent you from learning from the experience and now making wiser choices.

I know that to be true because I went through it about 20 years ago. Never forget, "As long as there is breath there is hope!"

If you have not done so, go and listen to the podcasts for this week and tie all of this in together. Even if you don't like where you are right now -- it's not the end! You CAN make corrections and changes (which, in itself is a choice) to improve your situation.

I'd love to hear from you at anytime with your thoughts and your own experiences in this area. Just shoot me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

Also, don't wait - it all begins TODAY!

And, as you go through your day with a positive mindset, don't forget to...

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

Mike

FutureYouUniversity.com

Are You Happy Here?

Are You HAPPY Here?

We have been discussing the and exploring the idea of WHERE YOU ARE in your life. Right now. Today.

With the thought of "You are Here!" we began to ask the question, "Where IS here?" and you have been encouraged to do a little honest digging to figure out WHERE "here" really is.

As hard as that may have been for some of you, the REALLY difficult part comes with the realization that "you are where you have been going". I both love AND hate that statement! I love it because it "cuts to the chase" and really gets right down to it. I also HATE it for the exact same reason!

When we strip away all of the excuses (yeah, I know, you might try to call them "reasons") and stop playing the "blame game" as to why we are where we are - there 's no one else to look at but ourselves. Ouch!

You are where you are because of the steps that you have taken along the way.

Another way to think about these "steps" is to use a different word instead. Let's try this - you are where you are because of the CHOICES that you have made along the way.

Now we're getting somewhere!

One of the things I did in today's podcast to help us understand this a little easier by using a "real world" example was to have you go back through your day - up to this point - and list all of the choices that you have made thus far.

This is the EXACT same thing we can do - and NEED to do - in order to really see why we are where we are. So, for an example, I will go back through my day up to this point and talk about some of the CHOICES that were presented to me along the way.

1. Setting the alarm - Now, first of all, THIS decision (choice) was made before I even went to bed last night. So, THAT was a choice made.

2. Alarm - yes or no? I also had several choices to make even though I had SET the alarm. I could get up EARLIER than the set time, I could get up when the alarm went off OR I could hit the "snooze" button once, twice or however many times. I actually chose to get up BEFORE the alarm went off and enjoyed a peaceful 30 minutes or so sitting out on the front porch in the cool of the morning.

3. Order of Getting Ready - Should I eat breakfast first or shower and dress first?

4. What for Breakfast - What should I eat for breakfast (MANY choices can be made here. As a matter of fact, you may have seen a commercial on television that talks about how making the right choice for breakfast may lead to making wise choices along the way).

5. What to wear - Now, I probably don't spend as much time on this as a lot of people but it is still a choice that presents itself daily.

6. What time to leave - Again, the same choices exist as getting up in the morning or ANYTHING to do with time. I could leave early, leave at the time I had planned, or - due to a lack of proper planning - leave late and be rushed.

7. At the office - I have several choices available to me each day (as do you) once I arrive at my office. What should I do first? Check e-mail? Check for phone messages? Write this blog? Reorganize my "to do" list?

That is where I am currently - going through my decisions on #7...obviously, right now I have chosen to write this blog.

Again, the same thing is true of our lives in general!

Whether you are happy with your "here" or not - it is important to see how you got where you are AND to correct, change and/or "tweak" possible unwise choices that you made along the way.

You see, on ANY of the decisions that we make during the day we can always go back - after examining these choices - and see what needs to be changed! For example, if we find ourselves constantly running late in the morning and being rushed then we need to CHANGE what we are doing in relation to #1 on the list above. Why? Because what we are doing is not working and, likely, we don't like the end result!

Even if you are HAPPY with your "here" you still need to go back and constantly check that you are staying on course and not picking up any bad habits that could derail your progress.

I came up with the following saying a couple of years ago and, as a matter of fact, if you are on Facebook you can find it as a "flair" by searching "choices". I'm not sure if there is a way to narrow that down even more - let me know if you have problems finding it. Here is what it says:

"All choices require a decision. All decisions are a choice."

Pure and simple. Straight to the point.

That's what we all need, friend. Let's stop making excuses, let's stop whining and complaining. Let's start taking ownership for what we have or have not done and where we ARE. Thing is, whether you want to take ownership or not - it's all yours.

So, if you're happy with your "here" - AWESOME! Keep up the great work, stay focused as move closer to your goals and dreams.

And, if you're not - what are YOU (yes, YOU) going to do about it?

We'll have that discussion in tomorrow's podcast and blog entry so, until then...

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

Mike

How Did You Get Here?

Have you ever gone into a room and then forgot why you went into that room in the first place?

Oh, believe me - if it hasn't happened to you yet, it will! I have found that, the older I get, this seems to happen more often. And I don't like it!

Once, when I was in college, I took some sort of physical education class that involved a game played on a football field (I don't remember the name of the "sport") and combined elements of football, basketball (you could "dribble" the ball) and soccer. Really, it did! At one point in the game as I dove to make a spectacular catch in the end zone I struck my head on a telephone pole that was in one corner of the field.

The next thing I was aware of was my teacher leaning over me asking how many fingers she was holding up (yes, people really DO that) and my classmates all crowded around and looking at me as well. I knew how many fingers she had up but that was about ALL I knew! Class was dismissed and as I sat on the bleachers with my girlfriend I kept asking her why everyone was leaving and what had happened. I know I had to have gotten pretty annoying because I kept asking the same thing over and over again - "Why is everyone leaving? Why is class over? What happened? Where did I get this knot on the back of my head?"

I had no idea why I was no sitting on the bleachers instead of still participating in the game.

Now, that's excusable, right? I mean, I did receive a concussion and had a legitimate reason not to have any idea how I got where I was.

So, now let's get to the point of today's discussion...how did you get where you are today?

Again, when you look at the timeline of where you were when you began your journey to improve your mindset and your life and the desired destination on the other end...when you honestly determine WHERE you are you have to determine a few things about this discovery.

One of them - the point of today's discussion - is, how did you get here? How did you arrive where you are?

You may discover that you have not moved very much at all - WHY? What is it (the "how") that has caused you to move so little?

Let's hope that you have not found that you are actually in a "negative" situation. What I mean is a situation where you find that you have actually gone backwards in your journey. Even if that is so, you really should be asking yourself, "WHY did that happen and HOW did that happen?"

I saw a sign a couple of weeks ago that really hit it on the head. It read:

"You Are Where You Have Been Going"

Straight and to the point, wouldn't you agree? You see, when we get rid of all the excuses and quit playing the "blame game" we are left sitting alone with ourselves in this situation.

We are where we are because of the steps that we have - or have not - taken.

Often, when we lose or misplace an item we will go back and retrace our steps in an attempt to find that item, right? We will think about where all we have been and we will go back to each place - perhaps in the house - with the intention of finding that item somewhere along the way.

This is exactly what we need to understand in this situation. It is IMPORTANT to figure out WHY and HOW we got to where we are and the way to do that is to retrace our steps along the way.

Confucius said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." You are where you are because of the steps you have taken - or, again, NOT taken - along the path of this journey.

This is not always easy to accept! We don't like to admit our failures or that we have just been "lazy" in the process!

Hey, remember...the EASIEST thing to do is to give up and just slip back in to the "same ol', same ol' " - know what I mean?

Making a change in our lives (beginning with our minds) is a HARD process! It ain't easy!

The easiest thing to do is to follow the path of least resistance - DO NOTHING and go back to what you were doing before.

But think again about WHY you decided to make a change in the first place. REMIND yourself of that "why" - hopefully you wrote it down somewhere. If so, go back and read it again and get motivated to get back on your journey!

Tomorrow we will discuss the question, "Are you HAPPY with where you are?".

Be sure to join me on my NEW "High Five" podcast and then follow along in the blog.

Hey, all along your journey, be sure to...

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

Mike

You Are Here!

You Are Here!

Have you ever been at a theme park and, needing to know how to get to a particular ride, found one of those "you are here" maps? You know, the ones that show you where you are so that you can figure out how to get where you want to go. Make sense?

The same thing - same concept - applies to any journey you want to take using a map or a GPS device. In order to figure out how to GET SOMEWHERE you have to first determine WHERE YOU ARE!

Look around you and "see" where you are. I don't necessarily mean physically even though where you are physically is tied into this idea.

YOU ARE HERE!

Just picture yourself sitting right in the middle of that big star indicating where "here" is - there you are!

Here are some of the things we will be discussing this week: Where IS here? How did you GET here? WHY are you here and are you HAPPY with where you are?

Another visual image to consider is to think about your journey that you are on (you ARE on a journey whether you realize it or not, but it DOES help if you realize it!). I especially am talking to those of you that are attempting to take definite steps to improve your mindset and, thus, improve your life.

On a piece of paper (or on your computer) draw a straight line from left to right. On the left end put a small "x" and above that write, "where I was" and on the right end place another "x" and write "where I want to be". Now then, place a larger, red "x" where you think you are on this journey. Be honest with yourself - there's no one else to try to impress, this is for your benefit.

So...are you happy and/or satisfied with where you are?

Again, we will be talking more about WHY you are where you are and HOW you got there but, for now, really be trying to determine WHERE you are and how you feel about that.

Also, I mentioned in today's podcast that you might want to be working on filling in the blank on the following: "I am where I am because...................................."

(Be sure to read the extra note after I "sign off" from today's blog entry)

You may or may not have heard the phrase, "Where will you be when you get where you're going?" It's a good phrase and full of things to think about. HOWEVER, in this discussion we are not talking about where you are GOING...we're focusing on where you ARE. Right now. Today.

Think about that and be sure to join me again tomorrow as we continue this discussion. As always, I welcome feedback and your thoughts via e-mail: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

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

Mike

------------------------------------ EXTRA NOTE ---------------------------------------

Today I introduced "Mike's HIGH FIVE" podcast.

What is it? It is simply a shortened version of my podcast - instead of 11 minutes I have now "power-packed" it into a 5 minute podcast!

Be sure to listen and send me some feedback on what you think!

You can either search iTunes for either Mike Spillman or Future You University OR just go to http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com and click on the podcast tab.

Thankful Celebration!

Thankful Celebration!

That's right, we're still celebrating here - celebrating another day of livin' and another day of life!

And, on this "Thankful Thursday" I want to connect that celebration to the fact that each one of us has SO much for which to be thankful!

No, I don't want to hear your "yeah, but" lines ("Yeah, but, what about this or that..."). I know life is harder for some than for others BUT you still have some things in your life for which to be thankful!

Number one being - YOU ARE ALIVE! And, that being so, today is MAGICAL, WIDE OPEN and you have the opportunity to TURN YOUR DAY AROUND!

"As long as there is breath there is hope!"

I talked to my friend with cancer last night. He just recently found out that he had cancer and he was really quite worried about it and - like many - already had a "worse case scenario" played out in his head.

He's losing his hair and has lost about 20 pounds due to the fact that his appetite has really been messed up due to the chemotherapy treatments and, on top of that, he has diabetes which is really also going nuts with all of this going on!

But, guess what? When I was talking to him last night he had a smile on his face from ear to ear! I wasn't able to have an "in depth" conversation with him to dig deeper but one thing he said was something along the lines of, "You know, along with the bad there is some good!" - HELLO?

I mentioned to him that his attitude seemed to be better NOW than it was when he first found out that he had cancer and he replied, "Well, I don't even feel like I have cancer most of the time. And, besides, what are you going to do?" In other words, he was indicating that he had MADE A CHOICE of how he was going to allow his disease to have an impact on his life.

I love it when I have the chance to talk to people like this - what a great, powerful and positive example for the rest of us!

Now, does he ALWAYS have that attitude? He'd be the first to tell you that he doesn't, especially on those days when the chemotherapy takes a toll on his body. BUT, my guess is that his attitude is positive more than it is negative.

Here's the kicker... this guy tends to be one of the most negative people I know. That's right! There have been times in the past when I have had to dismiss myself from being around him just because of the negative poison that was continually spewing from his mouth.

Amazing, isn't it?

Perhaps - and this is only MY thought on this - the cancer has caused this friend to really notice what matters and what doesn't and to be THANKFUL for another day of life.

What about you? What about me?

Days come and days go. Time moves on regardless of your circumstances. It's the same for each of us - for ALL of us.

What we do with that time is a CHOICE.

Why not incorporate THANKFUL CELEBRATION into your day - starting right now - TODAY?

And, as you do so - this WILL become a part of your life...

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

Mike

Keep on Celebrating!

Keep on Celebrating!

How is your celebration going today?

Are you allowing the negative things that surround you each and every day to get you down? Are you allowing it to sway you toward "stinkin' thinkin' "?

Remember, it's a CHOICE!

And, yes, I do realize it's easier said than done. But, honestly, isn't anything worthwhile easier said than done?

And yes, let's just get real here - sometimes no matter how hard we try, regardless of how much "good stuff" we fill our minds with, LIFE GETS US DOWN.

But, I'm simply here to try to encourage you to GET UP and not GIVE UP when that happens in your life!

Notice these words from the song, "Don't let it get you down...don't let it turn you around..."

Again, what we ALLOW these things to do in our lives (and TO our lives) is the main thing!

DON'T let it turn you around and send you in the opposite direction of your goals and dreams! Don't allow these things to persuade you to give up on your goals and dreams and head back to where you were before. DON'T DO IT!

And, then the last verse of this awesome song:

Well, I can't be bothered with sorrow - And I can't be bothered with hate, no, no
I'm using up the time but feeling fine, every day

YES, there are some very real emotions (sorrow) that can take the wind out of our sails...but, again, even allow those times to celebrate life! If you are mourning the loss of someone close to you - celebrate the memory of THEIR life and then allow the fact that you can share those memories with others and help that persons memory live on cause YOU to celebrate YOUR life!

Sometimes we call it "sorrow" though when we become discouraged and disappointed. We feel sad when, in reality, it may very well be such strong discouragement that we become depressed. Please understand that I'm not making light of this - I've been there! - but I still want to encourage you to NOT ALLOW THIS TO TAKE ROOT IN YOUR LIFE!

There is too much to enjoy and celebrate in this life to have time to allow the negative influences to take root and control our lives in this way! Whether it be sorrow, hate, discouragement, anger....the list can go on and on! And, the thing is - LIFE GOES ON!

I'm going to talk more about this tomorrow but the point is made here - we are "using up the time" one way or the other! Time comes and time goes. "Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday".

A day will come and go in the life of those focusing on the positive things of life as well as those that allow the negative things of life to take root and rule theirs.

By choosing to celebrate ANYWAY we can continue "feeling fine, every day"!

So, come on - get on up and KEEP ON CELEBRATING!

And, as you do so...

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

Mike

I Just Want to Celebrate!

I Just Want to Celebrate!

So, what's the occasion? What are you celebrating? Birthday? Anniversary? Job promotion?

Here's the deal - why do we have to wait for those "special occasions" in order for us to celebrate? TODAY is - can be and should be - a day of celebration. Just because!

"As long as there is breath there is hope!"

That quote that I came up with way back in March of 2009 speaks to that very fact. LIVING and BREATHING is reason enough to celebrate!

The Bible says it this way, "This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!"

Why not get in the "celebration" mood and mode?

I hope that if you have been listening to the podcasts for this week that you have enjoyed the energy with the new song I have been using for the introduction and close. The song is, "I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth and you can even find a video I posted on the Future You University fan page on Facebook one day in the past couple of weeks.

I love the energy of the song! I love the PASSION of the song! Hey, I just LOVE THE SONG!

But the words...the words...yes, I even find a powerful message to help us stay focused and positive in songs like this!

Here is the basic premise of the song as shown in the chorus:

I just want to celebrate another day of livin'
I just want to celebrate another day of life

Just think about the POWER of this mindset in these words alone! The CHOICE to CELEBRATE another day of living and another day of LIFE!

Hmmmm....I wonder how your day would go if you approached it with this thought in mind? I wonder how your day would go if even five other people that you come across during the course of your day approached it with this thought in mind. What if everyone in your office had this mindset?

Hey friend, why not kick things off by making sure that YOU approach the day with this mindset?

I put my faith in the people - But the people let me down
So I turned the other way - And I carry on, anyhow

I actually already know the answer to this next question without ever hearing your voice, but here goes: Have YOU ever been disappointed in anyone in your life?

Of course you have! Now, the most important question on this is this: What did you do about it?

What good did it do to "stew" and "fume" about it? What good did it do to rant and rave to those around you about it? What good did it do...period?

Instead of letting those types of emotions poison both your mind and, yes, even your body - why not do what this song suggests and simply turn the other way and carry on....regardless!

Again, it's a choice that we all have. You can choose to allow the disappointment and hurt to have a deeper and further impact by allowing it to claim your mind and body for any length of time OR you can choose to "shake it off" and move on.

A friend of mine shared an acrostic with me one day - F.I.D.O. - "Forget It, Drive On!"

One other verse I want to use in today's discussion:

Had my head on the dollar bill - But the dollar bill flew away
But the sun is shining down on me - And it's here to stay

Now, as I mentioned in the podcast, I really have no idea what it means to have your head on a dollar bill. At first I thought that maybe it was a misprint but, upon looking at several different sources on the lyrics, they all say the same thing. I thought maybe it was supposed to be, "had my HAND on the dollar bill" - but I guess not! PERHAPS it is implying that this person had achieved a certain level of importance that would cause some to want to put his image on money. I really don't know.

However, I DO know the point!

Money, fame, fortune - if you achieve it you need to also understand that it is fleeting! Here today, gone tomorrow!

Some people don't handle that too well, do they?

What about YOU?

It doesn't have to necessarily be fame and fortune - it could be a job, a relationship and a wide variety of other things that can be "taken away" in a moments notice.

And, again, what you DO in response to this is a choice - YOUR choice!

I love the simplicity of this message - WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

We can focus on the disappointments and we can focus on the "what went wrongs", the "what if's" and the "only if I's" if we choose.

OR we can shift our focus and realize that we have survived and we WILL survive and that the sun is still shining - yes even in the midst of all of the mess - and it IS here to stay! Regardless!

FOCUS!

So, what will YOU decide to do today? Just focus on TODAY, remember?

Even in the midst of life's ups and downs we can still CELEBRATE! (Hey, where's that "bootie shake" music?).

And as you do so - this will come easily if you are celebrating - be sure to always...

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

Mike