What IS a "Resolution"?

Here we go again. Many (you are likely one of them) will be composing a list - even if it's just mental - of "New Year's Resolutions" that they plan to keep for the whole year of 2014. This list of "resolutions" usually consists of changes that require MAJOR discipline to make those changes which, also, are MAJOR.

 

Most of us also know that there are MAJOR problems in keeping these "resolutions". Many even joke about the fact that those "changes" (how can they be changes when nothing has changed?) won't last longer than a month or maybe even two, into the new year.

 

Gyms (work out facilities) will be swamped with new clients. One of my brothers started work for a company that had their own gym for their employees and he started right around the start of the year. He could hardly find machines available for his workout due to the crowded conditions. While talking to one of the workers at the gym the worker told him, "Don't worry. Give it about a month and you'll have access to any machine you want." And, he was right.

 

WHY?

 

Why do we do this? Why do we go through this yearly process only to fall extremely short each year?

 

Why do so many do nothing more than make a mental list of these changes that they say that they want to make?

 

Bottom line: we're not that serious about the whole thing! Oh, I can hear some of you almost yelling at me through the computer that you ARE serious and that there are just things that "get in the way" every year that prevents you from seeing your "resolution" through.

 

I also think that many are not serious because most do not understand what a "resolution" really is. We attempt these "resolutions" half-heartily (yes, I can still hear you) fully expecting that we won't stick to them for very long.

 

So, what IS a resolution?

 

Here is the definition of the word, resolve, from dictionary.com... "to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something): I have resolved that I shall live to the full."

 

"Resolve" is the root-word for "resolution". Go ahead and look up the definition for the word "resolution" and you will find a similar definition somewhere in that list given.

 

So, with all of that being said, let me give a few suggestions on making these resolutions which should also help you actually have a little more success at the changes that you wish to make:

 

1. Come to a DEFINITE or EARNEST decision about whatever it is that you desire to change. This would suggest a "whatever it takes" mentality! Too many give up too early and never see success. HINT: Make sure that this goal is something that, even though it may "push" you, will be something that is actually reachable.

 

2. Make a list of only ONE or maybe TWO "resolutions" on your list.

Too often we make too big of a list and do not dedicate ourselves to any of them fully. For example, if you have a list of 10 New Year's Resolutions, how can you be "definite" and "earnest" in all 10 of these? Honestly, you can't! SHORTEN YOUR LIST! Decide what really IS most important to you. Decide what you HAVE arrived at a "whatever it takes" attitude towards and then attack it full force.

 

3. BE SPECIFIC!

"I want to lose weight" or "I want to make more money" is not specific enough. In order for you to determine IF  this goal is something that you CAN have the correct "whatever it takes" attitude about, you must get as specific as possible. One way to do that is to start with your end goal and work backwards. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds over the next 12 months then break that down to how many pounds per month that would be (4.2 lbs. per month) and then even go further than that and break it down per week by either dividing the 50 lbs. by 52 weeks OR by taking your pounds per month and dividing that by 4 to get an idea. Watch this: if you divide it by the 52 weeks then it comes out to only .9 lbs per week and if you divide your monthly figure by 4 it only comes out to 1.05 lbs. per week. Doesn't that help you see this goal in a whole new, REACHABLE light?

Do the same thing with money. Again, if you want to increase your income by $20,000 over the next 12 months you will find that this comes out to $1,666 per month or (divided by 52 weeks) $384 per week more. If you are DEFINITE in your resolve you WILL find a way to make this happen!

 

4. Stay away from ALL negativity!

Do not share your resolutions with ANYONE that will not support your decision. Do NOT share your goals with anyone that will say to you with a grin on their face, "Biting off a bit more than you can chew, aren't you?" You may be surprised at who may actually say that to you so, if you get surprised this way, STAY AWAY from that person if at all possible.

Search on the web or the library for books, recordings, articles about how to successfully achieve what it is that you are trying to achieve. BE CAREFUL IN YOUR SEARCH! Yes, there are a lot of people that prey, specifically, on New Year's resolutions.

 

5. DO NOT GIVE UP!

If you have followed the first 4 steps listed, then you should have the mentality in place and the DEFINITE mindset to achieve what it is that you wish to achieve. Will it be easy? Change is NEVER easy but, I do believe that by following these steps it will be "easier" than it has been for you in the past.

 

KNOW THIS: You DO have what it takes to achieve great things in your life!

 

I'd love to hear your response to this article by either leaving comments below or on the Facebook fan page or even directly at mike@futureyouuniversity.com .

 

Until next time, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

 

Christmas 2013

How To Make Things Happen

Before we get started, if you HAVE NOT at LEAST read and/or listened to yesterday's article - DO THAT BEFORE YOU READ THIS!

 

The information in yesterday's post is not just a one-day thing! Make it an on-going process that you involve yourself in and allow your mind to expand DAILY as you do so!

 

Now, let me also say this - today's blog article CAN be read and applied individually and can be applied to any and every area of your life. Make sense?

 

However, as part of this series that began last week, I really want to stress how important it is for you to be fully involved in this whole set and ESPECIALLY by connecting yesterday's information to what I share with you today from Bob Proctor.

 

Now, as I have been doing for the past couple of posts, I've highlighted in color the part of this post that comes directly from the notes I took from the presentation by Mr. Proctor so that you can differentiate between my thoughts and his. You won't find much "colored" words in this post (as you can already see for yourself) because, again, what I'm sharing with you from him is very simple and powerful and to the point.

 

So, in specific relation to the discussion from the last post about sharing one way to make the things discussed there become a reality, I share Mr. Proctor's response:

 

Things Don't Happen Unless YOU DECIDE That They Will Happen!

 

In other words, if you want that to become a reality in your life then you must first DECIDE to make it happen! MAKE A DECISION!

 

Listen to me! This "decision" cannot be a "half-hearted" response such as, "uh, o.k....uh, sure."

 

THAT IS NOT A DECISION!

 

It's much like what I discussed about so many people's "New Year's Resolution" that is done and gone within a month. That is NOT a resolution. There was no RESOLVE (root word) in the first place to carry that through.

 

So it is with a DECISION!

 

I'm talking an "I will not stop until this is done!" kind of decision. This, my friend, is a real RESOLUTION! "I will do whatever it takes!"

 

Do you have that ability? SURE YOU DO!

 

Is your desire that strong? Only you can answer that one. It IS within you, but only YOU can make that choice, that DECISION.

 

Look closely at what I shared from Mr. Proctor - "Things don't happen..."  This relates to EVERYTHING and EVERY AREA in and of your life!

 

If you've followed me for very long at all, you will know that I, many times, end my discussions with, "It's up to you! It's YOUR choice!"

 

As is often said, your "WHY" must be strong enough to bring about such a decision in your life Again, specifically in regards to the last blog article, you must be willing to answer the questions presented there..."How would your life change if..."

 

For things to change, YOU must change.

 

The only way YOU can change (and/or change the things in your life that you want/need to change) is to make a DECISION to do so.

 

So, you up for it?

 

Only YOU can decide.

 

Just know, whatever you do or don't do, a decision has been made.

 

Until next time...

 

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

 

Mike

Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

Two Great Questions

It seems as if the last few articles hasn't really "stretched" our mindset like some of the ones from last week had done, but that's about to change!

 

I am assuming that if you are still reading this that you are OPEN to expanding your mindset, especially in the area of MONEY since that is what we have been talking about all last week and this week. SO STAY WITH ME!

 

I mentioned on the podcast for this topic that I likely will do one on the meaning of the word "resolution" and the root word, "resolve" since so many seem to take their "New Year Resolutions" so lightly. Seriously, it's pretty much a joke and most people KNOW they really don't plan to do much - to RESOLVE - to make the changes that they say that they do.

 

Here's what I'm suggesting to you today - as we get close to the start of another year, why not set some BIG, HAIRY, AUDACIOUS GOALS fr the year to come? Why not push yourself like you've never pushed yourself before?

 

What do I mean? Well, let's look at these "Two Great Questions" that Bob Proctor shares in "The Science of Getting Rich":

 

     1. How would your life change if your MONTHLY income suddenly became your WEEKLY income?

    2. How would your life change if your ANNUAL income suddenly became your MONTHLY income?

 

Hey, you've come this far, so, again, STAY WITH ME! Go ahead and get out a piece of paper and write these figures down. Obviously go with #1 first and write down what your MONTHLY income actually is (take-home pay). Go ahead and do the math to see what it would actually come out to financially if that amount became your weekly income. Multiply that amount (your current monthly income) X 52 weeks to see what that would mean for your new annual income!

 

WOW! Now notice the part that says, "how would your life change if...", and be sure to do that part. What would that mean for you and your family? What would change in your life? Get specific! (This is a great project to do together as a couple and, depending on the ages of your kids, possibly involve them in it as well.

 

So, yeah, now allow yourself to really stretch yourself and go big with #2! Don't worry if that seems to be impossible but WHAT IF? What IF your annual income could become your monthly income? Write down the amounts and, again, be sure to answer the "how would your life change IF..." part of the questions.

 

Allow yourself to add to this, rethink, adjust and expand on this over the course of several days.

 

For now, don't worry about the HOW, just all yourself to look at those figures and KNOW that, indeed, it CAN happen in your life!

 

Allow yourself to dream and to get excited! Remember one of the quotes from Mr. Proctor from an earlier post where he said, "There is no limit on what you can earn."?

 

In our next article we will look at one way to make this happen that Mr. Proctor shares. Until then, become blown away when you see the difference in what IS and what CAN be!

 

Until next time, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

Money & Happiness

Yes, I am continuing my thoughts on Bob Proctor's "The Science of Getting Rich" and, as before, I suggest you go back and read all of last week's blogs along with the one before this to catch up and get the "full picture" of this discussion.

These discussion points came after I watched a video of Mr. Proctor talking about this book. (Again, you can likely easily find a free e-book of it on line). In order to make this a little easier for you to follow, I'm going to highlight the points taken from Mr. Proctor in color and the rest are my own thoughts. Get it? Got it? GOOD!

Money was never intended to make us happy!
Since it doesn't matter whether we have $$ or not to be happy - WE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE IT AND PLENTY OF IT!

Once again - just to clarify - the Bible DOES NOT say that money is the root of all evil. It actually says the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. O.k., that's out of the way (again).

Too many people think, "Oh, if I only had more money, I'd be happy!" FALSE! If you are not happy now or if you have not LEARNED to be happy now then having more money won't change that. Oh, it likely WILL improve things for a while but, likely, you will end up right where you were before...broke and unhappy!

For the most part, money DOES NOT change a person - it AMPLIFIES who that person really is!

So, if money can't make us happy and wasn't INTENDED to make us happy, then what WILL it or CAN it do for us?

Money is meant to make us COMFORTABLE!     
   The more comfortable we are the more CREATIVE we become!  
   The more CREATIVE we are, the more SERVICE we can render!  
   The more SERVICE we render the more MONEY we will earn!

Comfortable! As worry-free as possible. At peace. Wow, THAT'S what we're talking about! Most people, when asked what is their greatest wish, financially, will say something along the lines of "not having to worry about bills!".

Having your bills taken care of as well as having your retirement taken care of. That's pretty cool, is it not? THEN to be able to reach out and help people and organizations that you've always had a desire to help in a bigger way than you had been able to do before. WOW!

Do you know/understand WHY we can become more "creative" when we become comfortable? It's really pretty simple. Have you ever been worried about your finances (or the lack thereof) to the point that you couldn't sleep or couldn't think of anything else and maybe even felt like you could hardly even breathe?

When you become paralyzed by fear like that, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE for you to be creative. All of your thoughts and all of your focus is on SURVIVAL!

When you relax - when you are able to relax and be comfortable - then your mind can also relax and do what it does best...THINK. And when your mind is allowed to think FREE OF WORRY you may find that you are, indeed, a very creative person. Hey, bottom line, you are beginning to live your life with a whole new mindset! Instead of focusing on the "oh, I can't do that because I can't afford it" you begin to see unlimited possibilities because you are no longer focusing on the price tag!

Follow the path of thought above...we become CREATIVE and then, the more creative we become, the more SERVICE we can render! Do I really need to explain this to you? I don't think that I do BUT, just in case, let me just say that, again, you begin to experience what is possible with a "worry free mindset".

And, then, guess what? (Well, I guess you don't have to guess since it's spelled out for you above!).

The more service you render the more money you earn! Can you begin to see how/why some people just seem to have money coming to them without much effort?  Go back and read the quote from Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich" where he describes this very thing. (It's in one of the earlier blog posts in this series).

It explains how, what I've heard from many others over the years, can be true when they say, "Making money is easy!"

Let me ask you this: how much do you need? How much do you REALLY need? Can you imagine having the ability to GIVE AWAY thousands and thousands of dollars because you already have way more than you really need?  DOES THAT THOUGHT EXCITE YOU AT ALL? It sure does me!

Money makes a BIG DIFFERENCE in all the important areas of our life!

There's really no need for me to comment on that last sentence. YOU figure out what it means for YOU and YOUR LIFE!

So, you see, it doesn't have to be money OR happiness. It can, indeed, be money AND happiness!

Thanks for joining me - I'd love to get your feedback below or at our Facebook fan page! Allow your mind to open up and absorb these thoughts and then take action on the possibilities for your life!

Until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

The "Law of Compensation"

Hey friends, welcome back to the continuation of my series based on Bob Proctor's "The Science of Getting Rich". Again, you can likely find a free e-book version of this with a little searching and I'd recommend that you do so.

 

Too, if you haven't done so yet, go back and read last week's articles on this series - they all work together and, even though you can read these and gain something from them individually, it's better when you put them together.

 

So, let's get started with a definition of what, exactly, this "Law of Compensation" actually is.

 

The Law of Compensation clearly states that the

amount of money you earn will be in exact ratio to:

  1. The need for what you do 
  2. Your ability to do it 
  3. The difficulty there would be in replacing you

 

 

It's really a pretty simple concept, is it not? So, let's break it down and talk about "compensation" as MONEY, o.k.?  Now that we have set that down as what we are talking about let's ask the question: "HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE?"

 



The interesting thing is how many people don't understand this simple "law" and plan to make millions of dollars with no skill set or work ethic. Is this a major problem with a lot of our younger generation? Yes, it is. Let me clarify that I know it's not ALL of the younger generation but, you would have to admit that many young people have unrealistic expectations about money.

 

But, there are many older adults that are the exact same way. Bottom line is this: TOO many people expect to get rich doing nothing, knowing nothing and having nothing to offer.

 

Many people are out of work but yet refuse to go to work flipping hamburgers because "it's not enough". I understand that you cannot do what you need to do to support a family like that BUT it's a start! It's a chance and an opportunity to get into a position and show your work ethic and what you DO have to offer for that company. TOO MANY expect to get hired at a management position when, again, they do not have the qualifications to do so!

 

So, yes, going back to the "formula" for this "law" the first step is "the need for what you do". Right now a company may have a need for someone to flip burgers and cook fries. HOWEVER, they also have a HUGE need for someone that can come in, be responsible and add to the TEAM as a worker. THIS need will likely outweigh the need to have someone to flip burgers. Truth is, most anyone can flip burgers but not many people can be responsible and add to the team as a worker.

 

As simple as it sounds - even flipping burgers - again the "Law of Compensation" says that, not only is the first part a NEED for what you do but you also must have the ability to do it! So, yes, anyone can flip burgers but there is so much more that a company is looking for in the people that they hire.

 

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE MORE THEN YOU MUST HAVE MORE TO OFFER!

 

What skills do you have? What can YOU offer that not many others can?

 

Here's the deal...if you focus on these first two parts of this "formula" then the third part (difficulty in replacing you) will take care of itself!

 

So, here's the main question to tie all of this together....what can YOU do to make yourself irreplaceable?

 

You may not have the skills to go in at a management position right now. But here's the deal: while ANYONE can flip burgers and it is easily to replace the person that can only do that - YOU CAN OFFER SO MUCH MORE!

 

I've already discussed that but you MUST understand that even at a "burger joint" YOU CAN BECOME IRREPLACEABLE depending on what you bring to the company as a whole!

 

But will you?

 

Or will YOU - like so many others - pass up an opportunity because it's not "good enough" for you?

 

A lot more discussion can be had, I know. Be sure to listen to the podcast on this for other thoughts on this but let it sink in and cause you to give some SERIOUS thought to what it is that you have to offer and what you may need to do to INCREASE what you have to offer.

 

Join me again in the next part of the series and, until then, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

 Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

3 Questions to Ask

O.k. so are you ready to give your mind a little bit of a "rest"? I mean, hey, we've really been pushing the limits on what our minds are use to handling, right? (GO BACK AND READ ALL OF THE ARTICLES FROM THIS WEEK IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO YET. GO ON....)

Now, today we are going to look at something very SIMPLE. Here's the thing, though...even though it is simple to do it is also simple to NOT do!

Too, even though this is simple, many - if not most - don't do it. Why? I don't really know for sure but I DO know that some don't do it or won't do it just for the fact that it IS so simple!

Isn't that silly?

Too many people are looking for help and/or solutions but will pass up something "simple" because they feel that there has to be more to it than that! And they miss out. Friend, that's not just silly, that's just plain ol' STUPID! (Yeah, I said that).

This, too, comes from Bob Proctor's "The Science to Getting Rich" that I've been sharing thoughts from these past few days. Some of this is my own process but the 3 questions and formula presented are Mr. Proctor's.

Here's what I suggest you do with the following 3 questions to ask ourselves...apply these 3 questions to different categories in your life. Let me explain.

Get out a piece of paper (or likely sheets of paper) and on the left side write down these 3 questions:
1. What are you doing?
2. What works?
3. What doesn't work?

Then, across the top of your paper make several categories for your life. You could list "relationships" across the whole top of the page and then divide up different categories under that main heading like "husband/wife", "kids", "other family", "grandkids", etc.

Or, if you don't want to go into THAT much detail you could make your first category "husband/wife" or whatever that relationship is that is important to you, o.k.?

Perhaps another category across the top of your sheet of paper might be "work" and another might be "finances" while another might be "spiritual". You can come up with as many categories as you want and I encourage you to come up with as many categories as you can so that you can do as complete a job as is possible for your life.

This is a GREAT way to get a head start on 2014 as it draws near and it is a very COMPLETE and detailed way to take an honest look at your life. You ARE going to be honest with yourself, aren't you? If not, it won't do you any good and it will be a complete waste of time.

BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE!

The 1st question, "What are you doing?" is simply a look at what you are doing to make that part of your life the best it can be. So, for example, in your relationship (or in ANY of the categories) don't put "the best I can" for an answer to that! For one, it's too generic and, secondly, it likely may not be completely true!

Here's another hint for you guys out there: You might want to check with your wife or girlfriend to see if what YOU think is working really is working! :)

Alright, now are you ready for the magic formula to use once you have answered all 3 questions in all of the categories that you have put together? (By the way, you can always add other categories later on!).

Here it is: STOP DOING WHAT DOESN'T WORK and START DOING WHAT DOES WORK!

No, I'm not kidding around and, no, this is not a joke. I told you this was simple but yet too many people miss this completely!

DO IT! Fill out the information in each category and really spend some time THINKING about it IF it is something that is important to you.

By now you likely know that definition of the word "insanity" that says it's doing the same thing the same way yet expecting different results.

Get the point? Good.

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

Mike

Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

Increase Your Awareness

 

So, right off the start let me say this: if you haven't read the two previous articles, DO THAT before - BEFORE - you read this one, o.k.?

Now that you have either gone back and caught up or you were already there let me ask a question: IS YOUR MIND BLOWN YET?

Sometimes to expand, widen or simply to make more space one must use excessive force. It may require an EXPLOSION resulting in a BLAST!

So, yeah, sometimes you have to have your mind "blown" in order to "increase your awareness"!

Today I continue to discuss thoughts/ideas from Bob Proctor's "The Science of Getting Rich" and, likely, your thoughts will continue to be challenged and, hopefully, expanded.

Ready?

Let's continue.

According to Bob Proctor (and others as well), "If your goal is to get out of debt then you will always BE in debt!" Why?

Because that is what your focus is on!

That is what you are "attracting" into your life!

INSTEAD - start thinking about EARNING MONEY!




Have you ever thought of it that way? No? Why not?

Because you have never been CHALLENGED to think that way! Perhaps you've NEVER ALLOWED your thinking to be challenged in such a way.

Too many times we let our "old thinking" get in the way and we then wonder why nothing changes in our life. WHY WOULD IT? HOW COULD IT?

Take a look at something else that Mr. Proctor says about this:
"Whenever we get into the SUCCESS ZONE, everything in our lives start to change! But know this - you will be a bit of an odd ball, not part of the 'norm' and you will be 'out of the box' but it is THEN that your whole world will start to shift!"

That quote - by itself - is worth the price of admission, friend! (Yeah, I know, you didn't pay to "get in here" but, hey, you know what I mean, right?).

Mr. Proctor goes on to use the following example: AWARENESS: People making $50k aren't doing it because that's all they want to make. It's because they are UNAWARE of how to make $150k!

Think about that! If you will allow yourself to think with an OPEN (and, hopefully "expanding") mindset then you will see that this is TRUE! Most people cannot even begin to fathom how it could even be possible to TRIPLE their current income.

*WE MUST INCREASE OUR LEVEL OF AWARENESS!* 

I know I'm referring a LOT to specific things Mr. Proctor said on these things but, hey, WHY WOULDN'T I? He has studied this for YEARS and provides clear and specific examples of how this is possible and why this is true. I watched a lengthy video segment and these things I'm sharing with you now are the things that I wrote down that I wanted to be sure and remember.

I want to leave you with one more "segment of thought" from Mr. Proctor on this particular part of this work. Read it, re-read it. Examine it closely. Ask yourself if it is not, indeed, true. See how it applies to YOUR life.

Here it is:
We are the way we are because WE ARE NOT AWARE OF HOW TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY!
(This applies financially, physically, mentally, spiritually and in any other area of your life that you can think of!).

So, do YOU feel challenged at all today? Do YOU see the need to "increase your awareness"?

Imagine the possibilities.

And, as you do so, be sure to...

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

Mike

If You Call It...

"If you build it, they will come." Most all of us - depending on age - will instantly recognize that famous quote from the 1989 movie, "Field of Dreams". Do the research yourself if you don't know what I'm talking about and, do yourself a favor, find a copy of that movie and WATCH IT!

 

However, for the purposes of today's blog, I am going to share a bit different take on a similar quote:  "If you call it, it will come." - Bob Proctor

 

"It" in this quote refers to money. That's right, money. If you haven't done so, be sure to go back and read the last blog article that is the beginning of my discussion of Bob Proctor's "The Science of Getting Rich" and also be sure to notice the addressing of the whole "money is the root of all evil" misapplication.

 

The "warning" that I shared in that article also applies to this one - YOU NEED TO OPEN YOUR MIND TO THE POSSIBILITIES!

 

The notes I took after watching a video with Mr. Proctor sharing insights on this started off (for this part) with the words, "MONEY CAN'T TALK BUT IT CAN HEAR!" And then, the line that I used to tease you with in the title, "If you call it, it will come!"

 

Again, immediately, there are some of you that will want to push this aside and dismiss it as fantasy are "silly talk" but, again, I ask that you open your mind and consider the possibilities IF this is true.

 

I do believe 100% that it is true but I have to admit that I'm still working on putting that belief into total action. Hey, like I said before, it flies in the face of about everything I've ever been taught (and likely you, too!) about money and how to "get" money.

 

But, here's the thing - I have seen this, read this and heard this from many others besides Mr. Proctor! As a matter of fact, long before I even ever HEARD of Mr. Proctor, I had a friend's wife tell me the same thing (in general) about her own husband. She basically told me that "making money is easy" for him. THAT BLEW MY MIND!

 

You see, we tend to put OUR struggles and experiences onto anyone and everyone else and then WE struggle to accept that "making money is easy" for ANYONE! But how could I dispute what she said? There was PROOF right before my eyes! He had found "the secret" in the area of work that he was in and he had the ability to make money without the struggle that I was having at the time.

 

So, listen, when someone along the lines of Bob Proctor tells me that "If you call it (money), it will come!" then I need to PAY ATTENTION!

 

Too, long before Bob Proctor began to share this thinking there was a man by the name of Napoleon Hill that wrote a book entitled, "Think & Grow Rich" that had these types of thoughts in it's pages. (This is another book that you should be able to find for free as an e-book online fairly easily and I HIGHLY recommend that you snag it up!).

 

From that book, Mr. Hill says, "When money starts coming, it will come so fast and so furious that you will wonder where it's been hiding during all of those lean years!"

 

I have actually heard people say very similar things concerning money and their life so, because of all of the evidence, I would have to conclude that, indeed, this IS possible! It IS possible to earn as much as I want (see last article) and "making money" can be "easy".

 

BUT, in order for this true in my life (and yours as well) then I must PAY ATTENTION to, LISTEN to and DO what those successful people have done and continue to do. Right?

 

NOTE: Too many want what successful people have but are unwilling to DO what they have DONE in order to reach that level of success. And you?

 

Mr. Proctor also shares that, "It's not so much WHAT you do but HOW you do it." and that "People don't get rich by doing certain things, they do so by doing things a certain way."

 

Again, if you allow yourself to believe that this CAN be true in your life then wouldn't it only make sense to PAY ATTENTION to what someone like this says? OF COURSE IT DOES!

 

Here is a very specific "secret" that Mr. Proctor (among many others) shares with us about how to achieve these things: "Decide what you WANT, write it on a card, carry it with you and look at it several times throughout your day!"

 

Do NOT allow yourself to miss that! It is SIMPLE but the SIMPLE TRUTH is that MANY people will not do it because of it's SIMPLICITY! "They" will say, "Ha! That won't work! That's silly!"

 

But notice that "they" are not successful. Notice that "they" will stay where they are and never step out to allow themselves the change to improve their lives and the lives of their family. "They" do not have the qualifications to speak on such matters.

 

Do you understand that? There are always plenty of "They said's" out there. But, again, ask yourself this all-important question: "What are THEIR qualifications?".

 

Now, DECIDE what you WANT - write it on a card (get very SPECIFIC with this), carry it with you and look at it several times throughout your day!

 

Will YOU? Some will. Some won't and those that won't will continue to grip and complain about their sad state of affairs.

 

And YOU?

 

Join me next time as we continue with these thoughts and, until then, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

Future You University     "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

 

 

 

 

Change By Making a Change!

Not too long ago I spent some time watching some videos in which Bob Proctor shared insights on "The Science of Getting Rich".

 

Now, I had read the e-book before (I suggest you find a free copy of this on the Internet and download it and read it) and got a lot out of it but, for me, there is just something more powerful being able to SEE and HEAR the author discuss those thoughts. And so it was as I watched the videos that I mentioned above.

 

POWERFUL!

 

I took quite a few notes that I KNEW I would be sharing with you and this is the start of that "sharing". I must tell you that, for many, this will be a difficult thing to absorb simply because it is so contrary to our "normal" way of thinking. So I think I should post the following warning...

 

WARNING!

The following information will require the willingness to open your mind to accept thoughts and ideas that, at this time, may seem completely impossible.

 



This first part may seem quite simple but, as I have said many times before, do not miss the fact that, many times, the PROFOUND can be FOUND in something SIMPLE!

Here it is: "All that is required to put 'The Science of Getting Rich' into action in your life is a DECISION!" - Bob Proctor

Simple, right? But yet, if it is so simple then why is that so many people fail at this simplicity? Whether we realize it or not, there is not ANYTHING that we do that is not done without a decision on our part!

We may like to say, "Oh, I wasn't thinking, I just did it!" But that is actually not true! The very fact that your body did what it did was due to your mind telling your body to do what it did. That's right, you had to THINK first!

A DECISION.

Many like to think that they are "open minded" but, in reality, they are not. Too many DECIDE that something is "impossible" instead of making a DECISION to open up their mind to the possibilities that may lie before them.

Are you ready for another simple - yet PROFOUND - statement?

"To Change Your Life, You Must CHANGE YOUR LIFE!" - Bob Proctor

You see, many people (maybe even you?) try to do all kinds of things to change their life without actually making changes IN and TO their lives! When you look at it that way it DOES seem rather silly, doesn't it?

I have often asked people in the past - young and old alike - that told me that they desired to make changes in their lives, "So what are going to do differently? What are you going to change? What friends are you going to change? What places that you go are you going to change? What, specifically, are you going to change?"

And, honestly, most of the time those questions were met with puzzled looks as if to say, "I want to change, but I don't want to change THOSE things!" Hmmmmm. Go back up a few paragraphs and read, again, Mr. Proctor's quote about changing your life.

Now, I used the previous thoughts from Mr. Proctor to lead up to this last, "mind-blowing" quote that he shares concerning money. Yes, money and no, the Bible DOES NOT say that money is the root of all evil. It says that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Look it up yourself in 1 Timothy 6:10.

Try to wrap your brain around this one: "You CAN earn ALL YOU WANT!" - Bob Proctor

Now, for some of you, I just lost you due to what I just shared with you. Why? Because that is just so foreign to our way of thinking and it's so foreign to what you likely have experienced in your own life.

Human nature tends to be that we cannot believe anything to be true that we have not seen or experienced to be true in our own lives. (That quote is mine!).

Just spend a little time thinking that through and you come to realize that what I am saying is, indeed, true. We cannot fathom what we cannot see.

The sad part of this is that we DISMISS such things as "impossible" and, because of that, we MISS OUT on many glorious and wonderful things in this life.

I told you that this would require you to "open your mind" a bit more than most of us are accustomed to doing. Let me end this by adding my own little "twist" to the main focus of this article:

"In order to CHANGE YOUR LIFE you must CHANGE YOUR MINDSET!" - (Yeah, that one is mine, too!).

So, if you are "willing and able" to do so, be sure to join me in the next blog article as we continue to explore "The Science of Getting Rich" by Bob Proctor. Until then, be sure to...

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

Mike

Future You University    "Like" FYU on Facebook!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

You Just Never Know

You just never know.

 

I just completed a multi-part series on "The POWER of ONE DAY!" and, yet, this still fits right in with that whole train of thought.

 

Think about it. When you consider the number of people that cross your path in a day and then multiply that by either 30 or 31 days per month and you begin to realize that, indeed, there really IS NOT any way that you can know what is going on in each of those people's lives!

 

If you've never done so, go back and find the blog post entitled, "The Power of Positive People" on Sunday, October 6, 2013. In that post I talk about Herman, the man that mows my yard. Go on, read it if you haven't done so yet!

 

Now, instead of mowing my yard, Herman is taking care of the MANY leaves that have fallen in my yard. I LOVE where I live with two HUGE oak trees - one in the front yard and one in the back. However, though these trees are wonderful for the shade in the summer they dump a LOT of leaves when fall comes around!

 

Anyway, I was gone all day today and Herman finished the job in my yard that he began yesterday. I noticed a little "urgency" in the call from Herman's wife that asked me to be sure to drop the money off by their house when I got home (which I had already planned to do) and I did so gladly.

 

When I handed Herman the "agreed-upon-amount" for the job done, he looked at me and said, "Mike, you don't know how much I appreciate this!" I didn't think anything about it because I was paying Herman for a job that he agreed to do. I guess he could see the confusion in my face when I said, "Well Herman, you did a great job." Herman went on to tell me how that, financially, he was behind right now due to different things and that the money I was giving him was especially needed on this day.

 

I had no idea. I thought I was just simply paying Herman for a job that he had agreed to do and yet, Herman was thanking me.

 

You just never know.

 

And we don't! We are all connected and we all NEED each other, friend! When you do business with someone (I think especially with local, small businesses) you just never know what a difference YOUR business makes for that establishment.

 

So, once again, I am so glad I got to spend a few minutes with Herman today.

 

Keep your eyes, ears and hearts open to the opportunities that surround you every day, friend.

 

Why? Because you just never know.

 

And, as always, whatever you do, be sure to...

 

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

Mike

 

Future You University          "Like" FYU on Facebook!          MichaelSpillman.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Listen here for a special, short Thanksgiving message just for  you!

 

 

And, as always,

 

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

Mike

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 7: Summation)

 

I hope you have enjoyed and benefited from this series.

 

"Enjoying" does not necessarily mean "enjoy" in the way that we usually associate that word. Sometimes we are faced with things that make us uncomfortable because they make us take a close look at things in our lives that may need to be changed. It might make us squirm BUT we "enjoy" it because it did, in fact, challenge us to improve our actions and our lives.

 

Again, if you have not read the previous posts on this, PLEASE take the time to read them and also send me your thoughts/feedback on this series. That would mean a LOT to me and it would be a big help as well.

 

Let's sum it all up. No, I'm not going to go back and do a "review" but, instead, I want to just tie it all together in a way that, hopefully, will help us all - myself included.

 

If you've spent ANY time with me at all then you know that I emphasize the importance of TODAY quite often. And so it is with this whole series.

 

I could go on and on urging us, with specific examples, of why it is so important to take advantage of today. Why? How? Because it's that important and simply due to the fact that the need and urgency is endless.

 

However, let me simply say this: TODAY MATTERS.

 

Even more importantly, WHAT YOU DO TODAY matters!

 

Stop wasting your days. Stop thinking that there is nothing more to life. Stop thinking that the mistakes you have made in your life cannot be overcome. Stop thinking there is nothing you can do. Stop thinking that it's too late.

 

Start realizing that today is a new day. Start taking advantage of this new day that you have. Start making definite decisions to make the changes necessary to correct whatever needs to be corrected in your life. Start taking one step at a time, beginning TODAY!

 

Friend, I can never "over-emphasize" enough what YOU can do in this one day!

 

Here's the great thing about this as well: You don't have to worry about tomorrow or the next day - JUST TODAY! That's all you can control.

 

So, with that being said, I CHALLENGE you, I ENCOURAGE you to take care of TODAY.

 

There is POWER there, my friend. Look at it. See it. Feel it. KNOW IT.

 

Now, start LIVING it.

 

TODAY.

 

And, as you do so, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

Future You University          "Like" FYU on Facebook!          MichaelSpillman.com

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 6: The Day of Your Death)

In this series we have talked about many things. We have talked about events in history that most anyone would know due to the impact that it had in history. I talked about the assassination of John F. Kennedy but we could also talk about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

 

We have talked about the importance in understanding the IMPACT that each of us - YOU and I - have on those around us. What we do, either good or bad, positive or negative, can make all the difference in the world FOR the world of those that cross our paths every day.

 

We have discussed this idea and how it relates to the problem of bullying. I hope and pray that this part of the series, in particular, will be something that will help SOMEONE along the way.

 

In our last blog post I even talked about the POWER of the day of your BIRTH! Go back and read it if you haven't done so already.

 

As a matter of fact, if you haven't had the chance, take some time and read each of these that have been posted so that you can "feel" the thought behind everything that has been shared.

 

Now, today is going to be a little different. Today we are going to discuss the POWER of ONE DAY with that day being the day that you die.

 

Sounds morbid, I know but I hope you will stay with me and follow along with my reasoning.

 

Can I share something personal first? As I type this out on a Monday I do so following news that my Dad passed away last night. He had been battling with cancer and I got to visit with him last Tuesday. I'm not going to say much more about it but, please know that when I speak on this topic it is FRESH in my mind and in my thoughts, okay?

 

Yes, more than likely, the day that you die may be a sad day for those that know you. I mean, YOU HOPE SO, RIGHT? I have actually been to a few funerals where there were no more than two or three "mourners" which, to me, is a sad thing to see.

 

In reality, what I'm talking about is not actually the fact that the day of your death is so powerful as much as it is a marking of your LEGACY that is so powerful!

 

Did you notice that the picture of the tombstone at the top of this entry is BLANK? And so it is with your life, friend. Sure, you could go ahead and have your name and the date of your birth put on ahead of time - you know those. However, you do not know the day that you will die and, even though this is not "written" on the tombstone, what is said ABOUT you with that tombstone has not been written - or FINISHED being written - yet.

 

A person's death can do many things. I've seen many times where a person's death actually brought a family back together when there has been separation due to arguments or other division. Even if not that, a family is brought together and, even though the situation may be sad, the family gets to visit and catch up with what has been going on in the lives of those gathered.

 

Here's the main thing I want to address and I am not going to spend a lot of time on it: THE POWER OF THE DAY OF YOUR DEATH POINTS TO YOUR LEGACY!

 

There is POWER in what is possible to live on through the lives of your children and grandchildren. There is POWER in the influence that you are able to leave on and in the lives of those that you have had contact for a period of time.

 

Friend, we NEVER know the full impact of the lives that we have touched and we will NEVER know. However, this kind of influence and impact is often seen when people gather to remember one who has passed.

 

What about YOU?

 

Are you leaving a legacy of positive impact? Or are you leaving a legacy (yes, it is still a legacy) of "well, I'm glad to see him gone!"? That's sad, but it's real!

 

As I talked about in yesterday's entry, each and every day that you wake up and take a breath YOU have the chance for a "do-over". YOU have a chance to correct what may need to be changed concerning your legacy. Each and every day!

 

Every day YOU have the opportunity to allow your LEGACY to grow and expand to those that you may not ever even meet. It is called "the ripple effect".

 

Yes, the POWER of ONE DAY!

 

But do NOT miss this point. The one day that is being discussed in this post is a combination of each and every day that has come BEFORE the day of your death.

 

That's how this works.

 

I did not see eye to eye on a lot of things with my Dad. But I am thankful that my Dad - my father - instilled many strong and powerful characteristics that have served me well and have actually been passed along to my own sons.

 

And I believe they will be continued to be passed along and instilled for generations to come.

 

THAT'S AWESOME!

 

So, friend, take advantage of TODAY so that "that day" - the day of your death - will show "the POWER of ONE DAY" as those gathered remember your life that came before that final day.

 

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

 

Mike

 

Future You University          "Like" FYU on Facebook!          MichaelSpillman.com

 

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 5: Happy Birthday!)

 

The day that you were born changed the world FOREVER!

 

Friend, regardless of the surroundings or situations surrounding your birth, it is a FACT that the world was changed forever. Stay with me on this for a few minutes, okay?

 

You impacted the nurses, doctors and any other hospital staff that helped bring you into this world. Regardless of the situation surrounding your birth, you changed the world of your parents forever.  YES, parents!

 

Even if your biological father was not a part of your life (or even there for your birth), his world was changed due to his choices of NOT being a part of your life. Regardless, he was a part of YOU being brought into this world. The same is true for your biological mother. Even if you were immediately put up for adoption, YOUR BIRTH CHANGED THE WORLD FOREVER!

 

Some say they wish they were never born (STOP THAT!) and some - many of us - wish we could just go back and do it all over again.

 

Well, friend, that is impossible but, at the same time, it is indeed something that can be done.

 

Let me quickly explain. Although it is impossible to go back and be physically born all over again, the fact that you are alive and breathing today signifies the fact that YOU - yes YOU - have another day to "start over" and do today better.

 

"As long as there is breath, there is HOPE!" That's one of my favorite quotes that I've come up with over the past several years.

 

Every day is a "re-do" and every day brings the hope of change! It is also continues the idea that every day of your "re-do" or "re-birth" is a day to change the world and those that will come across your path today and EVERY day.

 

Make sense?

 

So, you see, there IS power in not only TODAY, but every day that you have since the day that you came into this world - the day of your BIRTH!

 

Make the most of it and, as always, whatever you do be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

Future You University      "LIKE" FYU on Facebook         MichaelSpillman.com

The POWER of ONE DAY! (part 4: BULLYING cont'd)

If you've not done so, please be sure to go back and read the first 3 installments in this series so that you can be "up-to-date" on everything leading up to today's blog entry.

In the last blog I talked about the fact that bullying has been around for a very long time - perhaps even since the beginning of time. Does the fact that this problem has been around so long leave us with no hope of being able to do anything about it?

NO!

Before I get started with some suggestions of what we CAN do let me first state that I don't think we will ever completely rid our world of this problem. Again, that doesn't mean that we throw our hands up in despair thinking that there is nothing we can do if we can't stop it completely. There are a LOT of problems that have been around in our world for a very long time that we have the power to IMPROVE even though we cannot rid our world of them forever. Crime, for example, is one of those problems that fit this thought.

Along that same line let me also say that all the rules and laws in the world will not rid our world of this problem. So, am I saying that we should not have consequences in place for those that bully others. Not at all. I just want to make sure that we understand that, though it is important to have rules and punishments in place to serve as deterrents, these will still never stop the problem completely. Again, look at crime of any kind and you will see this point played out.

All of that being said brings me to this main point: IF WE ARE TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THIS AREA THEN WE MUST REALIZE THAT THE ANSWER MUST START WITH US!

The solution - the ANSWER - must begin with you and with me. We cannot wait for others and we cannot wait for and expect rules and laws to do it for us. WE, friend, must take action and we must take action NOW!

So, here are a few suggestions that I have to help. I would love to hear your feedback and additional ideas that you may have about this as well.

1. ADULTS must set the example! Young people often (if not always) pick up their ideas of how to treat others from their parents or other adults that are around them. This can be parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles as well as people like teachers and coaches. How do THESE people treat others? I have seen, heard and experienced some of the most hateful and rude actions and words come from adults. And, sadly, many times in the presence of a young person. What do you think the young person learns from what they observe from YOU?

2. ADULTS must be AWARE!  There are several ways that we, as adults, must "open our eyes" and be aware at how prevalent this issue of bullying really is in our world. Here are a few examples:

     a. Be aware of your surroundings - I know that some will think I'm going a bit far in this but I feel that this is part of the problem. We don't want to see things as they are and then we want to scratch our heads and wonder what the problem is. Pay attention to what is coming into your home via your television, for example. Have you ever paid attention to how many television programs have "misfits" in them? Sure, sometimes the programs do this and try to teach a lesson on "acceptance" but, often, it is done for comedic purposes. Adults, what are YOUR comments about such a character as you watch a program like this? What kinds of comments come from YOUR mouth? "Oh, but it's just a television show!" Sure it is, but the words that come from your mouth are REAL and the ears that travel into the minds of those young people around you are REAL as well!

     b. Be aware of MORE surroundings - Call me old fashioned and/or nosey but, friend, I think it's time YOU got a little nosey and became aware of what is going on in the life of your child (pre-teen, teen and even college age) when it comes to social media. Yes, I understand that if one of your children are college age and have purchased their own phone, etc. that this presents a different approach but, it still should involve YOU - the adult - in helping that young adult conduct themselves in a positive way. For those of you with children at home - GET NOSEY AND GET INVOLVED! Do NOT allow "out of view" access to the Internet in your house. Again, call me old fashioned if you want but I believe this problem DEMANDS some extraordinary actions on the part of adults! Along the same lines, do NOT allow "unchecked" use and access to texts. In my opinion you, as an adult, should require periodic, unannounced checking of your child's phone for two reasons: 1. to make sure they are not taking part in bullying and, 2. to make sure they are not being bullied. WAKE UP and get involved in the life of your child!

3. ADULTS must STAND UP and take the LEAD! Everything I've talked about so far has been about us, as adults, taking more responsibility in this area. As adults we must understand that this problem is NOT going to go away by itself. As adults, especially as parents we must not fool ourselves into thinking, "My child wouldn't do something like that!". It may be true that under most situations your child would NOT participate in bullying. But, again, going back to my last article, sometimes a person can get involved in bullying as a way to keep from being bullied and/or to feel like they, themselves, are being accepted and that they belong, even if that "belonging" is with a less than desirable group of people.

We, as adults must wake up and get involved in the lives of our children and the children that come into our care in any way. We must be involved so that our young people will have SOMEONE that they feel like they can talk to if they feel that they are being bullied. The same must be true for the young person that has begun to bully others and doesn't like how it feels but doesn't know how to stop without being an outcast (see last paragraph).

We, as adults, must also wake up and get involved and provide an opportunity for the bully to express what is going on in their life as well. I firmly believe that bullying is a REACTION or an ACTING OUT due to a problem in that person's life. Instead of immediately condemning the one that bullies, we need to also try to do all we can to help that person. Does that make sense? There is an issue there that needs to be addressed!

Have I stressed the fact enough that this all begins with ADULTS?

We cannot teach and/or correct if we don't first SHOW, by our actions, what it is to respect those that are around us.

I look forward to your comments and thoughts. In my next article - part 5 - I will "change speeds" and look at the POSITIVE things that each of us can do in our lives that very well may change OUR lives (and the lives of those around us) forever.

Friend, just remember, you and I hold so much POWER in what we do and say each and every day. Don't EVER forget that.

Be sure to join me in my next part of this series - you won't want to miss it!  I also encourage you to check out the podcast by either going to the feed on iTunes or the RSS feed.

Until then, whatever you do, be sure to...

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

Mike                       Future You University        "Like" FYU on Facebook!      MichaelSpillman.com