Decisions - Part 2: Who Are YOU Listening To?

PART 2: "Who Are YOU Listening To?"

In today's podcast and blog entry I want to begin to discuss ways that ALL of us - regardless of age - can do to do better in making WISE choices and decisions. Adults are not immune to making HUGE mistakes!

Let's use this example to get started today...

You are traveling in your car and you come to a section of highway that splits off so that you have a choice of going one of two ways. What do you do? Which way do you go?

It depends on where you want to go, doesn't it? If you KNOW where it is you want to go you will KNOW which way to go!

In the same way, if you really don't care where you end up, one road is as good as the other - it really doesn't matter.

So, really, the beginning point in making the right choices is simply this:

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?

What do you want to achieve in your life? What are your plans, hopes, dreams? Where do you want to be five years from now? You've heard all of that before, but perhaps now is the first time you've really seen the importance of thoughts like this.

You see, if it really doesn't matter to you where you end up, then ANY choice - wise or unwise - is as good as the other. However, if you KNOW where you want to go with your future then you will do better at making the RIGHT decisions that will help you get where you want to go and you will also do better at AVOIDING the WRONG decisions - or poor choices - that might take you off of your desired path.

So, what do you want for your life? You may not know EXACTLY what it is you want to accomplish in your future, but you should have some idea of what you want your future you look like. USE THIS AS YOUR MAP AND GUIDE as you travel this journey of life with it's twists and turns.

Now then, once you have taken a good look at this first, general principle that is necessary for ALL of us, then everything else you do should be an extension of it, right?

Where you want to go will also help you decide who it is that you listen to - whose voice you will hear. So, let's list it as the #1 deciding factor in making wise choices (again, the first part of this is the main foundation - it is THE starting point of all areas of your life!)...

Who Are YOU Listening To?

There are a lot of "voices" out there. There are a lot of people that are more than willing to give you "advice" on what to do with your future and, again, this for anyone at ANY age!

As you go back and look at the listing of people who made some TERRIBLE decisions from yesterday's podcast and blog you can KNOW that, with each of these situations there were those that were willingly giving "advice" or telling those involved "what to do".

Would you agree that, in those situations, those involved should NOT have listened to those voices?

Here's the deal - the best way to NOT hear those voices is to separate yourself FROM those voices!

It's just a fact of life - you will become like those that you surround yourself with. It's true! Regardless of how strong you think you are or what you think your ability is to "stand above" the crowd, you will become like those your surround yourself with.

So, if you hang around a bunch of losers, guess what? YOU WILL BECOME A LOSER!

"Oh no, not me!" Those words have been spoken by many a person headed for failure.

If you hang around people that make poor decisions - STUPID decisions - what do you think you will do?

You see, if you KNOW where you want to go with your life then you will also choose carefully those that you "travel" with along the way! Think about that!

Those that have NO DIRECTION in their life will try to persuade you to do the same and be the same. They DO NOT LIKE for anyone to have that kind of focus in their lives and they will do all they can to bring you down to their level - THIS IS A FACT!

Remember, "Life is a CHOICE - CHOOSE WISELY!"

Our friends are some of the biggest influences in our lives - think long and hard about that and consider the friends that you spend time with on a daily basis. Now then, regardless of where you THINK you are headed - based on these friends, where ARE you headed?

This is not always an easy task. Please know that from the beginning. Making necessary breaks is a very difficult thing to do and those "friends" will not allow that to happen without a fight.

But remember: this is YOUR life and YOUR future. That being so, it is up to YOU to make wise decisions beginning with those that surround you and have influence on you.

Too, take into consideration your ability to surround yourself with positive information through blogs and podcasts like this. Consider the fact that you can associate with many great and influential people without ever actually meeting them! I never got to shake Jim Rohn's hand although I did have the opportunity to hear him speak on a few occasions. HOWEVER, I can still be influenced by his words even though he passed away this past December.

Finally, remember this. Although we are talking about your future and the importance of you making plans for your future, remember that you make progress on that journey ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Just today. That's it. YES, know where you want to go! YES, make those plans. But understand these two things:

1. What you do TODAY affects all of your tomorrows!

2. TODAY is all you have. Make wise decisions TODAY - one day at a time!

And, please know this - I am here to help you in any way that I can and so are many others. Do not hesitate to contact me at any time by sending me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

And as you travel along this journey, never forget to...

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

Mike