Addressng the "YOU Fund Me" Mentality

It has probably been a week now since I published the podcast and Vlog on this topic. That is one reason I really suggest that you listen/watch those along with reading this article. I do not have a script that I follow and, due to the time that has gone by, there will definitely be some different and/or additional thoughts on this topic that you won't get by just accessing this topic via one channel. 

This thought all came about from what I witnessed one day a little over a week ago. Sure, I'm used to seeing people with signs asking for donations standing by the entrance/exit to one particular store that I go to at least once a week. However, on this particular day, I exited this store by a different way and found a guy holding up a sign that said, "EMERGENCY" across the top with an elderly person wrapped up in blankets and in a wheelchair a few feet away. I slowed down for a moment thinking that this might be a real emergency and then read the rest of his sign, "Cancer Co-Payment Needed". 

Others - including my wife - told me that they have seen this same guy with the same "EMERGENCY" word scribbled at the top of a sign but with different "needs" addressed on the rest of the sign.  One thing I thought was, "If this was a REAL emergency, I think he would likely find other ways to try to raise the money besides standing where he was holding up a sign". 

One thing I thought was that he might even try one of those "YOU Fund Me" approaches that I see others use so often. (Now, obviously, I have changed the name of one particular source, but I think you get the idea).

Long story short, I went to the main page of this "YOU Fund Me" group and read several "success stories" of some that had used this approach and I became a bit frustrated. 

DISCLAIMER: Yes, I do know and understand that, at times, this is a valuable tool to help with certain needs.  

However, I noticed many that featured people that received this type of funding for things that weren't necessities but, rather,  "wants".  Yes, they may have been "noble" or even "honest" but they were things that people used to accept the responsibility of raising the wanted funds themselves. 

For example, one "success story" featured a young lady that had received funding to further her education while another featured a young man that belonged to an organization of "scouts" that had received funding for a particular project that he needed to do with this organization. Both of these situations are "desires" or "wants" and not necessities. No, higher education is not a "right" or even an absolute necessity. It is a desire - yes, a "noble" or worthy desire - but, again, one that people used to do whatever they had to do to accomplish the funding of that desire.

WHY?

This mentality and approach is killing our society in the United States of America and, it doesn't matter where you are from, it will kill your society as well if allowed to take root in the mindset of it's people.

This goes along closely with one of my recent articles, "Water Your Own Grass". If you've not read it yet, take the time to do so.  

Yes, we are here to help each other along the way but, friend, we MUST NOT expect others to take care of things for us in our own lives that we can - and should - take care of ourselves.

We need to teach the RESPECT and PRIDE to our children that comes in putting in the effort that it takes to ACHIEVE these things on our own even though, at times, it may be difficult.

Again, please take the time to listen and/or watch the podcast and/or Vlog (links below) on this topic for much more discussion.

There is a sense of accomplishment that is being neglected when we look to others to fulfill our efforts for things that we want in our lives and, yes, even those things that we need.

Think about it and, until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

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CHANGE Happens!

I have already posted the Vlog and podcast that I did for this topic earlier this week and I'm just now getting to this blog article. So, that being said, you need to BE SURE to listen/watch one or the other. WHY? Because I don't have a script that I follow and there will be different/additional thoughts and ideas shared in the podcast and Vlog than there will be with this article. (Check out the links at the end of the article).

I'm not sure how much I've shared via my blog articles about the changes that have taken place in my life since the start of this year (2018). I did not label them as "New Year's Resolutions" but, rather, just a "redefining of my direction" and my future. 

Just a quick review: I have been in the insurance business off and on for several years now and joined up with an agency shortly after the start of the year that I believe will be the best connection that I could have possibly made in this industry. Along with that, I have also made positive plans to be a part of the John Maxwell Team by the end of 2018. 

This insurance business is the "vehicle" that I have chosen as my way of getting from where I started the year to where I want to be at the end of the year. (Go back and read the articles about "What Do YOU Want" and the "Journey" series for more information).

This past Monday morning I found out that the person that was my "manager" and was also the one that hired me into this particular "branch" of this agency had quit. Boom! Immediate and with no warning. WOW!

A few years ago that would have thrown me for a loop and caused me to stress out about what was going to happen next! And, I'm sure it probably has done that to some people in this group. 

Why do I say that? Because CHANGE is something that makes us very uneasy and it is also something that, many times, we do not know how to handle.

Look at that graphic at the top of the article again. If you have lived for very long then you know that what is said there is absolutely true! One of the few constant things in life is CHANGE!

Everybody and every thing changes every single day. (Listen to the podcast or watch the Vlog for a more in depth discussion of that thought).

What do YOU do when CHANGE comes your way? And friend, if you say that it hasn't - it WILL.

This next statement is also a FACT - "With change comes opportunity." And, many times (if you are determined to approach it with a positive attitude) that opportunity can be a BETTER opportunity.

That is the case with the change that has taken place this week with my insurance business. It has now ended up to where the person that is now my "manager" is, to be honest, a better equipped person to do so. He already has infused "new blood" into this whole thing which will provide me with even more opportunities to be successful. 

Again friend, CHANGE WILL COME. Prepare your mindset in a way that will keep you from "freaking out" or crumbling under the pressure that COULD come with that change. Preparation is the key to this situation as it is with most every situation that you face each and every day. 

What will you do? What have you done? I'd love to hear your comments on how you have handled change in your life. You can leave them here but I would prefer that you leave them on the fan page on Facebook .

May you find a better opportunity before you with each change that comes your way.

Until next time...

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

Mike

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

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Water Your Own Grass!

THIS (the quote found in the above graphic) is a LIFE LESSON that we all need to learn and that we need to be sure to teach our children and grandchildren.

At the same time, THIS seems to be a LIFE LESSON that has NOT been taught to many in our current society. (When I say "our" society, I'm referring to those in the United States. I have no idea what your society in another country may be like but I DO know what is going on here in the U.S.).

Too many want what others have without putting in the work that the others put into what they now have. Make sense? 

We've discussed this principle before: Many look at a successful person and say, "I want that!" but are unwilling to do what that person did to build that success.

There are many in our society that do not even hesitate to admit that they have no desire whatsoever to do any work towards that kind of success at all. They simply WANT what others have because they do not think that it is "fair" that others have more than they do. What a warped sense of reality!

Hypothetically (and, often, even literally) they look over their fence into their neighbor's yard and notice how nice and green it is. They notice how thick and healthy the neighbor's grass is and also how beautifully the yard is landscaped. Then, they take a look at their own yard and notice just the opposite. They make note that their back yard doesn't even have grass growing in it because of the fact that their five dogs have worn it down. They also notice mounds of dog poo throughout  the yard but, yet, they make no effort to clean it up. They also notice that there is trash and paper shredded all over the yard because they have left trash in the back yard and then the dogs have ripped that trash to pieces. And, finally, they also notice the scattered beer and/or cola cans scattered all over the back yard.  And, yet, they don't think it's right that the neighbor's yard is so much nicer

Of course, they may or may not have paid attention to the fact that the neighbor has put in countless hours maintaining their back yard. The neighbor actually has a dog but that dog has not destroyed the back yard. The neighbors do not leave trash in the back yard so, of course, there is no trash for the dog to tear up and rip to shreds. Oh, and by the way, not only has the neighbor spent a lot of TIME on that back yard but they have also spent a bit of MONEY for the landscaping, etc. They take pride in their yard and the work that they have put into making it beautiful and enjoyable.

As the graphic above says, "Stop staring, stop comparing, stop complaining Start watering the grass you're standing on"

WATER YOUR OWN GRASS!

You likely are not one of those people wanting what everyone else has without putting in the effort to receive it but, we must all be careful to not allow this attitude to creep into our lives and mindset. 

One main way to do that is for YOU to take care of YOU and, by doing so, you won't have time to worry about anyone else and what they do or don't have. 

Make sense?

Sure it does. 

So, even if you don't suffer from this "lack mindset", be sure to teach the truth of the "water your own grass mindset" to future generations. This is a MUST!

If you haven't done so, take a few minutes and listen to the podcast (links below) and/or watch the video (see the YouTube link below). Although this is on the same topic, I did the podcast and video several days before I wrote this article which means that there is different material and thoughts available there.

Thanks again for joining me and, until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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

YouTube
 

Are You Giving "It" Your Best OR Is Average Good Enough?

This blog article, the podcast (iTunes & RSS feed) and the video version (Vlog) were all done at separate times, so be sure to listen/read ALL avenues of this topic because each will be unique in it's own right!

AVERAGE.  Average is neither good or bad...it's "in-between". It's just "there". As I read from one person, "Average is the same distance from being good as it is from being bad."

Ouch!

We live in a world that seems to be o.k. with just being "average". Yes, I know that this doesn't apply to everyone. You, for example, don't fit into that category or you wouldn't be here spending the time to read this article. Average people don't do things that require anything "extra" from them. "Above average" people do things that average people will not. It's not that they can't...they just won't. 

Here's the thing: If average people would just keep their "average-ness" to themselves then, as bad as it still would be, the rest of us could just move effortlessly through the quagmire of this affliction. But, sadly, that is not the case. Notice this quote from John Maxwell...

"Average people want you to stay average."

You see, it's not enough for the average person to be satisfied with this being their own downfall. Nope. They don't want anyone else around them to escape from this mind-numbing lifestyle.

This is true of every form of negativity. Negative people aren't satisfied with keeping their negative thoughts and actions to themselves. For whatever reason they feel the need to "spread it" to anyone and everyone around them. It's as if they don't want anyone else being any happier than they are. And, friend, they tend to NOT be happy about anything.

An "average mindset" is also a form of negativity and you MUST be aware of the dangers of spending your time with those with this mindset. IT WILL BRING YOU DOWN AND KEEP YOU WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE!

Yes, it IS that "dangerous" to those that want more, dream more and plan to BE more. 

To change up a famous quote from "Forrest Gump"...."Average is as average does." 

There is NOTHING wrong with striving to achieve more. Think about this...only those who have done so have made positive change in their lives and, in turn, in our world.

Think long and hard about that fact and then also think about this...

Average people would likely not be missed if they were no longer "there". What I mean is this: An average person who does an average job would likely not even be missed if they stopped showing up for work. Why? Because there was nothing special about what they were doing and it is very easy to replace average with another person that seeks nothing more than just being average.

That's really very sad, isn't it? 

Rather, “Be so good they can't ignore you." - Steve Martin

It's YOUR move, friend! Don't settle for less because YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE!

Until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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

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