Monday, March 31, 2014

The 3 P's of Success



Success can have a wide range of definitions and mean different things to different people. However, regardless of what it means for you, this applies in every way.
 
Whatever area it is in which you are looking to achieve success, these "3 P's" are an absolute must:
     1. Positive
     2. Patient
     3. Persistent
 
First of all, if you allow yourself to get negative, to fall into negativity, then you will struggle in whatever it is that you seek success. THAT, my friend, IS A FACT! Keeping a POSITIVE attitude about whatever it is that you are doing will help keep you FOCUSED and MOVING FORWARD!
 
A positive attitude will help you maintain a "can do" approach verses a negative, "CAN'T do" approach.
 
Listen friend, it is EASY to LOOSE your positive attitude very quickly! That's why it is so important to invest DAILY in this area by listening to and/or reading as much as you can throughout each and every day.
 
Secondly, you must be PATIENT! I've said it before but let me repeat: Reaching your goals (whatever they may be) will more than likely take you LONGER than you first thought that it would. You must be PATIENT and allow "things" to work together to achieve results. Many times our lack of patience will actually sabotage our efforts without us even realizing what happened.
 
Patience does NOT mean that you just sit back and wait for things to happen. NOT EVEN CLOSE! Patience is allowing things to work AS YOU CONTINUE TO WORK!
 
Which means that you must also be PERSISTENT. Yes, you must be patient but you MUST keep working while you do so. You must CONTINUE - be persistent - as you patiently await for the "harvest" of the "seeds" that have been planted  in whatever area it is that you are working.
 
Again, remember that it is DIFFICULT before it's EASY and too many people give up just before they break through that barrier.
 
Hey, by the way, make sure that you also listen to the podcast (links below) that go along with this. Even though they are on the same topic as the blog, they are recorded at a different time and there is not a script that is used. That means that you will hear similar but different thoughts there. It's like a 2-for-1 scenario!
 
So remember to be POSITIVE, PATIENT and PERSISTENT as you work your way toward the success which you seek.
 
And, as you do so, be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                         Start your home based business HERE
 

Friday, March 28, 2014

Results Matter

 
 
 
Ever know of anyone to try to pawn themselves off as an "expert"?
 
I remember a teen once that tried so hard to pass himself off as "smart" when he wasn't anywhere near that. He just wouldn't learn NOT to do that. Once, while at a summer camp, he stood in a cabin of his peers and told everyone that he had been tested and it came out that he was pretty much a genius!
Everyone laughed, he got his feelings hurt and he started arguing with them that it was true and he was still trying his best to convince them all of that even as the last one walked out the door. I stayed behind on purpose to try to help him, but he'd have none of it. (Oddly, what you'll find is that most people like this will stand by this lie as hard as they would any truth!).
I asked him if he realized that he was just making it hard on himself when he said stuff like that and that he really couldn't blame them for laughing at such things. He continued trying to convince me that this whole thing was true and that the rest of the guys were just mean. There was nothing that I could do to help him understand that there was absolutely no proof (results) that would ever point to what he was saying (please know that I knew this young man quite well).
 
Thousands of people have been "scammed" by those who have called themselves "experts" and were able to get these people to cough up hundreds of dollars to follow them and their ideas. They had pictures showing them in front of a fancy house, car or even plane. It had to be true, right? I mean, look at the pictures! The house, car and/or plane usually doesn't even belong to that person.
 
 
I once worked with a preacher that would have a type of "marriage enrichment" workshop from time to time. He obviously presented himself as an expert in the field to get these people to pay money to come hear him discuss this topic. Later, I found out that he and his wife had not slept in the same bed in something like a decade and that there was absolutely nothing to their marriage. This was also about the same time that it was discovered that he was having an affair with a younger lady whose husband was dying of cancer. Obviously he was NOT an expert in the area of having a successful marriage.
 
Talk is cheap! Results matter!
 
As you can already tell, I'm big on Dani Johnson! Even before this article I have mentioned her many times before. DO go check out her website and absorb all of the free material that is available there in the area of relationships, business, spiritual equipping and building a home business.
 
She IS an expert and she knows what she is talking about! And, yeah, she has the results (proof) to back all of this up! Just look over the countless testimonials that are listed on her page.
 
By the way, testimonials are another area that you have to watch and approach with caution. ALL of  "gurus" have some testimonials - but pay attention to what they are saying and pay attention to how many they have.
 
 
Dani Johnson has the MOST in this area of anyone that I have ever seen and I actually have heard directly from many of these people to know that it is true!
 
I want to encourage you to get on her page and, like I said, take advantage of anything and everything on there that you can find that is FREE! There's lots of it. Check it out, test it out and then delve into investing in what she has to offer for sale as well. (No, I don't get anything from it!).
 
Caution: She holds nothing back! She tells it like it is and will likely step on your toes. Mine are "sore" but, you know what? I - like most of you - NEED THAT from time to time!
 
And, by the way, although I'm not an expert in the way that she is an expert (and I won't call myself that anyway), I do feel that God has blessed me with the ability to communicate! I share with you the encouragement that I feel I also need to keep going on my journey to my goals and my dreams and I will continue to do so. I will also continue to point you toward those that can give you the "step 1, step 2, step 3 approach" to moving on toward success.
 
Dani Johnson IS that person.
 
And as you continue to learn and grow, be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Set Sail


We've likely all heard the saying, "Better safe than sorry!", right? But, maybe it's more correct to sometimes say, "Being safe can make you sorry!".
 
Like the graphic says above, "A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for."
 
Can you imagine someone building a ship and even gathering a crowd for a christening and then, when someone asks when they plan to take it out on the water, they get this reply: "What? Are you crazy? I'm not EVER taking it out on the water! I spent too much time and money to take a chance like that!"?
 
WHY DID YOU BUILD THE SHIP?
 
I used this example in the podcast (I do recommend that you always listen to the podcast for more thoughts - click one of the links below) of many that I have seen buy an expensive 4X4 truck or SUV but that never take it "muddin'" or hunting anywhere that may cause it to get dirty, muddy or perhaps get a scratch on it. WHY DID YOU BUY SUCH A TRUCK?
 
It's been shown that we have gotten so used to the idea of "anti-bacterial" EVERYTHING so much that, often, our kids get sick MORE than they used to. Why? Because by being so overcautious and overprotective our childrens' bodies have not had the chance to build natural immunities to the germs that they would normally encounter.
 
What's the point?
 
Just as a boat was not meant to stay in the harbor and just as a truck built to get in the mud was not meant to be kept on city streets and, yes, just as a child was not meant to always be clean - so it is with you and me and our lives.
 
WE WERE NOT MEANT TO PLAY THINGS SO SAFE THAT WE FORGET HOW TO LIVE!
 
Some are so afraid of rejection or getting their feelings hurt that they never develop close relationships of any kind because it's "safer" that way. WE WERE MEANT TO LOVE! Yes, we get our feelings hurt and we can get rejected along the way, but we were meant to have relationships and to LOVE!
 
Some young people are afraid to leave home and some parents are afraid to allow their young adults to leave home because of the unknown "out there". Yet, all humans were meant to step out on their own at some time in their lives! Yes, it is scary due to the unknown but it is also EXCITING for that very same reason! WE WERE MEANT TO LIVE and LEARN!
 
The same is true of jobs and business! Some are afraid to go for that promotion because they may get turned down and/or because it would require some learning of NEW things. But refusing to "go for it" and to reach out and stretch will cause those people to continuously live an unfulfilled life! WE WERE MEANT TO STRETCH AND GROW!
 
Whatever it is for you, friend, we cannot always cling to what we perceive as "safe".
 
You are resilient and amazing! Don't sell yourself short. You were made to "take it" and to keep coming back again and again and again.
 
So, "get out of the harbor", set sail, feel the wind in your face and LIVE LIFE as it was meant to be lived.
 
And always be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                         Start your home based business HERE

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Difficult Before Easy


You KNOW that it's true, right?
 
There are so many examples that we could talk about and discuss but, let's just boil it down to this: think of anytime you have EVER tried something NEW.
 
Yeah, remember now?
 
So, let's keep this short, o.k.?
 
Don't give up just because something is difficult. Whether it's relationships, employment, parenting, leadership or improving yourself in any way, DO NOT GIVE UP!
 
Remember, all things are difficult before they are EASY!
 
Stay strong, fight through it and do NOT quit! You may quit just as it was about to become easier and friend, you'd never know.
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 
 

                                         Start your home based business HERE
 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Challenge Brings Growth


Wouldn't it be great if that big, red "easy" button actually existed?
 
Wouldn't it be great if everything always turned out the way that we wanted them to turn out?
 
Wouldn't it be great if we found "that perfect job" for our lives the very first time and that it was easy to move up in that business without any stress or hard work?
 
Wouldn't it be great if.....by now you're likely saying something like, "Uh, yeah Mike, that WOULD be great but we all know that's not going to happen the way that you are describing!"
 
BINGO. But let me continue...
 
Wouldn't it be great if getting into shape and staying in shape was easy and required no hard work or discipline at all? Watch the advertising and you'll see more and more that a lot of companies are trying to pretty much promise that very thing in their advertisements. But, bottom line is that it just won't work!
 
GROWTH IS NOT EASY!
 
You can put that into any category of growth that you'd like and it still comes out the same - IT'S NOT EASY!
 
"Easy" is staying where you are and accomplishing nothing.
 
Easy is allowing others to do everything for you and literally take care of you in every area of your life even to the point of physically clothing you, bathing you, grooming you, etc.
 
Come on...you KNOW that's not what you desire for your life!
 
"Oh Mike, you're getting a bit extreme with your examples."
 
NOT AT ALL!
 
GROWTH IS NOT EASY! It requires learning new things, doing new things, stretching and challenging yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually.
 
But do not ever forget this point: GROWTH BRINGS LIFE!
 
Simple illustration: Ask your mother (if she's still alive - if not, ask any woman that has experienced this) if going through pregnancy and the delivery of YOU was easy? Though not easy, GROWTH BRINGS LIFE!
 
So, friend, take that "easy" button and throw it in the trash! Because in this situation "easy" = LAZY and DEAD!
 
Stay focused, stay strong and KEEP ON GROWING!
 
And, as you do so, be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                         Start your home based business HERE
 

Monday, March 24, 2014

Inconvenience Guaranteed



I don't know of anyone that likes to be inconvenienced. We like things easy and smooth. We DON'T like for things to be difficult and we don't like "bumps in the road".
 
However, according to Dani Johnson (and many others) it is pretty much guaranteed that you and I WILL be inconvenienced one way or the other. Which way is totally up to us!
 
"Success is NEVER convenient..." I can just hear the gasps of shock that came from some of you when you read that. Too many have the mistaken idea that success should never be and would never be an inconvenience but let's take a look at how this is true.
 
Success is inconvenient because it will always require you to be more and do more than most others around you! It will require you to step out of your comfort zone and push yourself in ways that you never thought possible.
 
But, doesn't that beat the inconvenience of FAILURE?
 
Isn't it inconvenient to not have enough money to pay your bills? Isn't it inconvenient to always be bored with your job and have to worry about KEEPING that job?
 
Friend, this applies to more than just money and jobs! It can also apply to relationships! If you want to IMPROVE your relationships it will require the same of you as I already mentioned above - it will require you to be and do more than most around you and it will require you to step out of your comfort zone! Failed relationships DEFINITELY are inconvenient and I don't even need to talk about how and why that is true!
 
So, as always, it is UP TO YOU!
 
You WILL be inconvenienced. HOW you will be inconvenienced is your choice.
 
Going back to the last podcast: CHOOSE WISELY!
 
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!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

                                         Start your home based business HERE



Thursday, March 20, 2014

Choose Wisely


"Make wise choices today!"
 
This was a daily encouragement that I would say as young men and women would pile out of the van or bus I was driving while working with a group of kids that were in foster care.
 
Did they always listen? Apparently not.
 
Have YOU always made wise choices. That one is easy - NO!
 
And, many times, we feel the sting and consequences of those poor choices. Some, obviously, are bigger than others but they ALL have consequences.

I've said it this way many times before: "What you do TODAY matters!"

My guess is that most - if not all - of us cried out, "I want to make my own decisions!" at some point in time while we were teens and living at home. A home, might I add, that we likely had nothing to do with providing, that likely included a place to sleep, shower, use the bathroom - INDOORS - and even had food to eat! Again, we likely had very little to do with any of that. Yet, we didn't want to abide by "their" rules...we wanted the freedom to make our own choices!

Sometimes it would be nice to not have to make so many choices again, wouldn't it? Sometimes we find that it would be quite nice to have someone else make the decisions for us. But, friend, it's just not that way anymore!

Some are still feeling the effects of poor choices and it continues on for years when it involves and includes children that, out of no fault of their own, become a part of those poor choices.

Let's get to the bottom line here: Although we cannot go back and undo those poor choices we CAN make better choices today that can do a couple of things -
     1. Better choices can bring about a process of healing that may be needed due to past poor choices.
     2. Better choices today can prevent us from making those same mistakes again!

Stop living in the past - that, alone, is a poor choice!

Live TODAY and make the best choices possible by putting thought - CLEAR thought - into the process. Yeah, you and I BOTH are capable of doing that, friend!

"As long as there is breath, there is hope!" -- I came up with that several years ago and it still applies today. TODAY you are alive and breathing. That means that TODAY you have the chance, the HOPE of making things better and making wiser choices!

So, get on with it. 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!     Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

                                         Start your home based business HERE

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Einstein on Mistakes


So, would you consider Albert Einstein a smart man? SURE YOU WOULD!
 
Well, apparently he was smart in a LOT of areas, including this one because what he says is absolutely TRUE.
 
Yet, when you think about it, it's actually rather interesting. Why? Because anyone that never tries anything new not only AVOIDS mistakes (as discussed in the graphic above) but, actually, makes a HUGE mistake by that very action (or lack thereof)!
 
I know, I know, some of your heads are just spinning right now. :)
 
Sure, if one wants to avoid mistakes and even criticism, one might choose to do NOTHING. Yet, at the same time, they make a HUGE mistake in that way of thinking and, oftentimes, face criticism for doing nothing!
 
So, the way I see it is like this: if you're going to make a mistake and get criticized ANYWAY, why not make mistakes and face criticism for actually DOING something?
 
I think me and ol' Albert would have had a good discussion on this one! Now, as soon as he started talking about math.....that's a whole other story!
 
And, by the way, the podcast (links below) is completely different than what I just put in this article so be sure to check it out, o.k.?
 
Go for it, friend. Get out there and make those mistakes and get criticized for DOING SOMETHING! Every great person has been there, done that.
 
Now it's YOUR turn!
 
And as you get out there go for it, 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

                                         Start your home based business HERE

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

What Trumps Mistakes?


Stop beating yourself up.
 
So many of these recent posts and podcasts have been especially for you. ("Who, me?").
 
Yes. This is for those of you that are attempting to make some positive changes in your life.
 
Yes. This is for those of you that dare to dream, dare to stretch and push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
 
Yes. This is for those of you that dare continue on through the comments from others that cry out, "Who do you think you are?" and "Are you crazy?" as well as many others.
 
Yes. This is for those of you that take two steps forward only to get knocked one step back and you keep going because you realize that you are still making progress even at that pace.
 
Yes. This is for those of you that have been knocked down 57 times and have gotten up 58 times.
 
Yes. This is for those of you that are TRYING.
 
That action, alone, puts you FAR AHEAD of most everyone else in this world.
 
Think about that as you keep on trying today and remember, this is for YOU.
 
And, as you continue along your way, always 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

                                         Start your home based business HERE

Major Setback?


I've never played the game of "Chess" and, honestly, I've never had a desire to do so. I have, however, played "checkers" many times (yes, I do know that they are not anywhere near the same) and have never gotten very good at that game.
 
I do know this about checkers: those that win and win often know how to think several moves ahead and, from what I understand about the game of chess, the same is true there as well.
 
I also know this about checkers: What you do NEXT is vitally important!
 
Friend, this is true in so many areas of our life whether it be games, relationships, education or work related. But it is especially true IF you've experienced a MAJOR setback.
 
My goodness, as I typed that last sentence it occurred to me that ANY major setback in ANY area of life sets up the importance of your next move.
 
Wise choices in the midst of adversity. That's much easier said than done.
 
Even though it is true that planning ahead for such situations and plotting out what your next move might be IF such a thing were to happen is a wise thing to do,  it still does not mean that you will actually follow through with your preplanned thoughts, and here's why: No matter how much you plan, you simply can NOT plan it out as if it were actually happening.
 
What does that mean?
 
You cannot make plans like this and include the EMOTIONS that will go along with that event if and when it happens.
 
Many times the best laid plans get sidetracked by our emotions. You see, when we make plans we are thinking RATIONALLY but when we include emotions and if those emotions take "center stage" then we begin to think IRRATIONALLY.
 
So, in ANY area, what you do next is of utmost importance.
 
Mistakes happen BUT that does not mean that your next move need be another mistake!
 
Final bit of advice: In ANY area of major setback, we must allow ourselves the chance to step back for a moment, catch our breath and think. Friend, that may not happen within the next hour or even day.
 
This is when it comes in handy for you to have planned out ahead of time. Because NOW when you are thinking irrationally due to your overwhelming emotions, you can sit down and read things through that were planned when you had a clearer head. What you wrote down before may not seem possible to you while you are still high on emotion but give it a little time and allow the "pre-planned rational mind" to have time to take root.
 
Then boldly move on knowing that you are not acting in haste or by emotion.
 
It's a big step. It's a necessary step and it's a step that you CAN make boldly if you've taken the time to plan.
 
Do it and, as you do so, be sure to ...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                         Start your home based business HERE

Monday, March 17, 2014

Who Do YOU Listen To?


If you needed some work done on your automobile, would you take it to your local librarian? If your child was sick, would you take that child to your local mechanic?
 
OF COURSE NOT!
 
Then why do we not see the same absurdness when we share our goals and dreams with those who either have no goals and dreams to start with OR have just given up on them?
 
We must be very careful who it is that we share this precious information with because it is, indeed, a TREASURE that should be protected at all costs!
 
Here's what I believe about those who would offer negative "advice" (that word is used VERY loosely here) to those of you who are fighting the battle that comes to those who dare step out for something better in their lives.
 
   1. THEY MAY BE BITTER - Sometimes those who have felt the sting of failure and defeat (they are defeated because they gave up and quit!) are bitter and they do not want ANYONE that they know to even dare try to achieve success. You can literally hear and feel the bitterness in their words, "What makes you think YOU could ever do that?"..."Who do you think YOU are?"..."Don't be stupid! That's just a waste of time!". It's a bit easier to spot these people since their bitterness is so obvious.
 
   2. THEY WANT TO KEEP YOU CLOSE - Others may not be so bitter as described above but, yet, they don't want you to feel success because they know that this would likely mean that you would "move away" from the relationship that you have with them. They do not want there to be any difference in what they experience and what you experience because, after all, "Misery loves company!". Too, if you have some level of success it makes them look bad! It also makes them feel bad because they see that all of their excuses are just that - EXCUSES! So, the easiest way to do that is to try to discourage you from trying such a thing. Just stay put here with me.
 
   3. THEY THINK THEY ARE HELPING YOU -  And, there are still others that actually think that they are helping helping you by discouraging you from stepping out and trying to do something to improve your situation and your life. They feel that by helping you see "how it really is" (based on whose knowledge?) they can help keep you from experiencing the pain and the sting of failure and, again, defeat.
 
Notice that, in all three of these examples, these people will use such words as "always" and "never" as in, "People that try this ALWAYS fail and lose money!" or "This type of thing NEVER works!" Overgeneralization is a key ingredient to the arguments of anyone that would try to keep you from pursuing your dreams.
 
Make sure that you DO NOT allow yourself to be swayed by those that have given up. Make sure you don't allow yourself to take advice about how to "play the game" from those who have never "been IN the game".
 
"Birds of a feather flock together" is another good saying. Now then, what group of "birds" do YOU want to be a part of? Find those who are striving and continuously moving toward improvement in their lives even in the face of roadblocks and setbacks and not those who have built a shack on the side of the road at the spot where that very first roadblock appeared.
 
And, as you do so, be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike



                                         Check out this AMAZING home business!

Friday, March 14, 2014

Celebrating #600!


Today, Friday, March 14, 2014 marks my 600th podcast!
 
Join me in a special podcast recording by going here (or here) and listening in and, PLEASE, once you have listened to the podcast go here and leave a comment.
 
I need it so that I can be encouraged by you as I continue to do my best to encourage you!
 
Thanks in advance and, as always, 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

                                         Check out this AMAZING home business!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

The Struggle of Learning

 
 
 
OUCH!
 
Guess what? Learning from your mistakes and/or failures is PAINFUL!
 
But, you know what is even MORE painful? Making the same mistakes OVER AND OVER AGAIN and never learning anything!
 
And, it's painful to watch as well.
 
Growth (which is really what learning promotes) is always a painful process whether it be in business (or any type of organization) or even physically.
 
I remember when I was a teen lying in my bed at night, on my stomach, kicking my legs because they hurt so much from the "growing pains" that I was experiencing. But it's not always physical when you are "growing up", is it? Emotionally learning how to deal with social skills as you go through those "awkward stages" of physical growth can sometimes be difficult to navigate.
 
But, just as in these examples I just shared, though "learning" and growth can be difficult they do go "hand in hand" and they DO produce positive results.
 
IF we don't give up and IF we don't miss out on the opportunity to LEARN from our mistakes and failures.
 
Seeing people do the same wrong thing over and over again is just plain painful to see. But, you know what? Whether they realize it or not, it's even more painful to live that kind of life.
 
So, "suck it up" buddy and GET ON with the process of learning and growing through your mistakes and failures.
 
You will make it as long as you don't give up and as long as you don't stop learning.
 
Yeah, now you get it.
 
Until next time...
 
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                         Check out this AMAZING home business!


Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A View of Hope


"As long as there's breath, there's hope" - Mike Spillman
 
Yeah, that's one of mine and it does actually fit into what we are going to talk about today.
 
Re-read the words in the graphic above and think about it.
     1. Have you made mistakes?  (Yes)
     2. Have you ever failed at anything? (see #1)
     3. Have you ever done anything right? (Yes)
YOU ARE HUMAN!
 
Whether you tried and failed or failed because you didn't even try doesn't really matter. What matters is the fact that, since you are a human and you are alive, there is HOPE for a turn around and HOPE for a celebration of success!
 
Mistakes and failure are a part of life! There is no way around that fact. But, as has been mentioned several times in the last few blog articles and podcasts, what you DO following your failures is what matters most.
 
I FAIL!
 
I STRUGGLE!
 
I don't always do what I set out to do and I don't always do "it" successfully. That's a fact.
 
BUT...I still know that the very fact that I'm alive and breathing points to the fact that I still have the chance to change things and make them better. I still have the chance to LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES AND FAILURE and make positive progress from here on out.
 
Will I still make mistakes and fail at times? YES. Again, just a fact of being alive.
 
BUT...hopefully I will continue to improve on what I learn from each of these negative episodes and I will begin to experience them less and less.
 
As we talked about in the last article, let each one of those failures become a stepping stone on your way to success.
 
HOPE.
 
We all need it, we all must have it in order to continue on. Take a look, see it, feel it, know it, believe it, bask in it and be grateful for it.
 
Beautiful, isn't it?
 
It's there for you each and every day that you are alive.
 
Take that fact and use it to your advantage and, as you do so, be sure to...
 
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                          Make money from home with Mike!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Stepping Stones to Success


Failures lead to success?
 
Not necessarily.
 
However, failures CAN lead to success IF you use them (along with the discouragement that comes along with them) as "stepping stones" to get you there. Don't you just love that quote by Dale Carnegie?
 
It may be hard for you to believe and it may be hard for you to even imagine that this could even be 10% true! But, it is true.
 
If you do any research on anyone that is successful, you will find that ALL OF THEM went through "failures" and times of discouragement. That's right...ALL OF THEM.
 
Those that you don't hear about are the ones that allowed the failure and discouragement  to get the best of them and quit. The ones you DO hear about are those that overcame and kept moving forward.
 
Is that possible for you? Sure it is.
 
Will that happen for you? That's up to you!
 
Now, even though no one else can do it for you ("it" being overcoming the discouragement of any failed event) others CAN help you keep a positive attitude. That's why it's so important to be careful with the ones with which you surround yourself.
 
If you surround yourself with pessimistic and negative people then, guess what? You will have a very hard time overcoming failure and discouragement. You will have a very hard time using them as "stepping stones". In fact, you will more likely use them as anchors tied around the neck of your goals and dreams to help drag them to the bottom of the ocean.
 
Yet, if you not only surround yourself with optimistic and positive people but also fill your mind with positive information (yeah, like this blog and the podcast that goes with it) then you WILL be able to use these events in your life as "stepping stones to success".
 
Only you can do it but, friend, you don't have to do it alone. Don't ever forget that!
 
Be sure to listen to the podcast for more and hear the story of a man that had one thousand "failures" before he experienced success. Would YOU have kept going?
 
So, again...CAN you do it? Sure you can.
 
WILL you do it? That's up to you but, remember, many before you have NOT done it but many before you HAVE done it and moved on to success.
 
Keep that in mind as you go through this journey and always be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                                          Make money from home with Mike!

Sunday, March 9, 2014

The Greatest Mistake


"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one."
 
We've talked about it before. The fear of failure can bring on the very thing that you fear...FAILURE! Many times, the more we focus on avoiding making mistakes simply leads to us making MORE mistakes!

Why keep talking about failure? Because it impacts the lives of most - if not all - of us. Some move on past failure while many others get stopped "dead in their tracks" due to this failure and fear of failure.

So, indeed, it IS something that we must discuss and address!

Have you ever been so afraid of something that you just could not move?

I've shared before that I am afraid of heights. You put me in certain situations and I simply freeze. I have to FORCE myself to move when I find myself in those situations. A different situation occured when I was a kid and I had a locust on my leg. I had never seen one before and I didn't know what it was! I froze and started screaming at the top of my voice...I COULD NOT MOVE!

Fear of mistakes and/or failure can literally do the same thing in our lives. It can also be literally debilitating.

Obvioulsy (easier said than done) we must learn to OVERCOME this fear and learn to move forward regardless. It's like I said in one of my podcasts last week: the way we overcome our fears is to FACE our fears.

It won't be quick. It won't be easy. But, if you ever want to move forward and get past your fear of failure then you MUST make that move.

You can do  it. You've proved that you can!

How do I know? Let me give you a few examples.

Now, unless you have some sort of disability that you were born with the fact that you learned to walk proves my point. You don't remember the routine but you failed plenty before you wre successful. You fell often before you learned to walk and way before you learned to run. You did not allow the fact that you "failed" many times keep you from trying. You did not let the fact that you fell down - and sometimes HARD and with PAIN - keep you from trying until you did it again and again.

Want more proof?

Did you ever ride a bicycle? If so, then you have more proof and, this time, you probably remember SOME of the routine that went along with that successful venture. But it was not a success right off! Even if you had training wheels on your bike you likely didn't do it right the first time. For those of us, like myself, that never had trainig wheels on a bike there were many "failed attemtpts" before we enjoyed the freedom of riding that bike. And I can tell you from what I do remember that some of those crashes were, indeed, painful. I know from experience of teaching my own sons how to ride that there was some FEAR involved. Heck, who wants to crash? It really came down to wanting to ride that bike MORE than being afraid of another crash. And, eventually...SUCCESS!

Friend, you can find all kinds of "firsts" in your life that will give you even more proof.

So, there you have it...PROOF that you've overcome this fear of mistakes and failure already in your life. So what's stopping you from doing it now?

YOU ARE.

Rid your life of that fear by taking action TODAY.

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


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

Mike


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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

No Fear of Failure



It's fun to dream, isn't it? Do you ever DARE to dream or have you forgotten how?
 
The magic of the "what if" is limitless! That's what makes it so magical.
 
So, take a few moments (be sure to listen to the podcast...I get pretty excited there!) and let's dream together. Put all "reality" aside....reality has no place in dreams, right?
 
WHAT IF...
 
What if you knew - 100% guarantee - that you COULD NOT FAIL...what would you do?
 
Take the time to answer that. Share that with someone if you'd like but, before you read any further - TAKE A MOMENT TO DREAM AND ANSWER THAT QUESTION!
 
Now, WRITE IT DOWN and hang on to it!
 
You see, too often we focus our attention to the opposite. Not only do we think about "if" we might fail we even go to the extent of thinking and even planning about "when" we fail.
 
Why is it acceptable in our world to think this way and be looked at (or thought of) like a lunatic if we dare dream of what might be possible if it was IMPOSSIBLE for us to fail?
 
Maybe - just maybe - if we focused more on the possibilities of the "dream" rather than on the negative viewpoint, we may find ourselves further along and closer to the "dream" becoming a reality than we ever thought possible before.
 
Then we can go from "WHAT IF" to "WHAT IS".
 
If that doesn't send chills down your neck then, as we say in the South, "your wood's all wet!".
 
Seriously though, if that doesn't excite you and/or inspire you then you need to check your pulse and wake yourself up. I mean that.
 
Get fired up and start living the dream once again!
 
WHAT IF.....?
 
And as you do so, be sure to...
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
 

                                     Make money from home with Mike!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Knowledge is Not Enough



You've heard the term "book smart" haven't you?
 
Simply put, it refers to anyone that is really smart and educated. However, that same person doesn't have much "common sense" to go along with all of that knowledge - with what they have learned from books.
 
Many people - maybe even you - have had to put up with people like this at their place of work. You know what I'm talking about, right? Some person that may be younger than you but, for sure, less experienced than you, is put into a position OVER and in charge of you.
 
Frustrating, isn't it?
 
They know a lot but, at the same time, they don't know much of anything when it comes to what is needed in your workplace.
 
The same is true when it comes to continuing to work toward our goals and dreams. However it is that you are working toward that - whatever your "vehicle" is that is getting you there - we must do more than just KNOW what to do. We must do!
 
"I know what to do" does not equate to doing it and getting it done.
 
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes" does not equate to doing it and getting it done, either.
 
The Bible says something similar, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
 
You can go back to the podcasts and blogs from last week and find this same theme. ACTION is necessary in any pursuit of improvement in any area of life.
 
Excuses can be made but they do not change this fact.
 
No one can do it for you. It's totally up to you and only YOU can make it happen in your life.
 
Stop talking and start walking.
 
One day at a time and one step at a time but GET STARTED TODAY!
 
And, as you do so, be sure to...
 
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 
 

                                     Make money from home with Mike!

Monday, March 3, 2014

Who's On First?


We can make any excuse that we wish to make but the truth is still the truth. The truth is found in the little blue box above.
 
No, I'm not saying that it is possible for you or me to get EVERY possible customer there is out there for us to get. BUT...I am saying that there are many that you and I both are mssing out on because someone else found them first.
 
You can have the absolute BEST product in the world but if you don't have anyone to show it to, tell about it to, share it with, it doesn't really do much for you.
 
I'm not here today to try to share ideas on how to advertise best. That's not my gig. I'm simply here today to encourage you to simply do whatever you need to do to make this work.
 
Stop making excuses. Stop the blame game and simply realize that we CAN control this to a large extent. Right?
 
First and foremost you MUST believe that what you offer is simply the BEST OF THE BEST OF THE BEST!
 
You MUST understand and believe that people out there WANT and NEED what you have to offer!
 
If not, what are you doing? Why are you even here?
 
Yeah, it's that serious and that important to understand and believe.
 
You got it. They want it. Now get out there and get it to them and, at the same time, make you AND them happy about the whole thing!
 
And, as you do so, whatever you do, be sure to...
 
 
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
 
Mike
 

                             Make money from home with Mike!