Want a BREAKTHROUGH?

 "Remember WHO You Are" video 

CLICK HERE for the video

Go HERE to listen to the podcast

As always, if you've not done so, please read the previous two articles in this 3-part "Mini-Series". All three of these articles come from the video that I have listed above (you should watch that video, as well). 

To help you out, HERE is the link for the 1st article in this series titled, "You Gotta' Have Faith!"...you can click HERE for the second (most recent) article titled, "Do Something TODAY!".

I'm guessing that, if I were to ask for a show of hands for all who would like a "breakthrough", I'd see each and every one of you reading this with their hand in the air, right?

Here is the quote that I pulled from the above mentioned video that stuck with me on this point: "There is no BREAKTHROUGH without a BREAKDOWN." (paraphrased by me)

Have you ever heard the phrase "overnight success"?

Yeah, 99.9% of the time it's just not an accurate description of a band, singer, business, etc. Sure, they may "burst onto the scene" what seems like overnight. This usually means that this is when they become known after being "unknown". 

However, most of the time this person, group or business (and whatever else it may be) has been grinding and struggling for years just trying to "make it". Just because they have not been known on a "big stage" doesn't mean that they have not been working hard for a long time.

Oh, but wait! Someone that wins the lottery could be considered an overnight success, right? Nope. Chances are (more often than not) that the person that won that lottery will be worse off in a few years than they were BEFORE they won that lottery. 

Why? Because they haven't been through the struggle that has helped them learn what it takes to "make it" and to be wise with the money that they have collected over time. Sure, they may have struggled before they won that lottery but seldom have they struggled to the point of learning how to handle such sudden financial gain. 

We ALL want a "breakthrough" but not many of us are willing to go through the "breakdown" first in order to achieve what's on the other side. 

I was at a business convention once where the speakers would start off by telling a short story of how they got to where they were. One, that I had visited with personally on a few occasions, simply said something along the lines of, "I'm not even going to tell you what I did to get where I am (he was a millionaire) because I know none of you would do it." Knowing a little about his story, I knew he was right!

Many want the  success but most are not willing to do what it takes in order to obtain that success.

 There are so many listed quotes that are supposedly said by Thomas Edison that are similar to the one in the graphic above but, you get the idea of what he is saying. 

Was Mr. Edison an "overnight success"? Not even close! But he WAS, most definitely, a success!

Here's one last quote that I want to leave you with today along these lines...

 Has the "breakdown" beaten you down to the point that you are ready to quit right before you have your "breakthrough"?

Think about it and keep LIVING IN FAITH and DO SOMETHING TODAY that you will push your towards your BREAKTHROUGH. 

Until next time, remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

Do Something TODAY!

 "Remember WHO You Are" video 

CLICK HERE to watch the video 

(Listen to the podcast for this topic HERE)

Do something TODAY that TOMORROW will thank you for!
Do something TODAY that NEXT YEAR will thank you for!

 

As always, if you've not done so, go back and read the previous article and listen to the previous podcast for the 1st of this most recent 3-part "Mini-Series". That will help "connect" these together. Also, I'm not going to write a very long blog article (the podcast was fairly short as well) on this topic because I have recently discussed the importance of TODAY. 

The two lines above the first paragraph are what stood out in the above listed video after covering the first main impression that was covered in the previous article and podcast. 

Have you ever heard or read this phrase? 

"TODAY is the TOMORROW that you worried about YESTERDAY!"

 

Listen, it doesn't matter if you are having fun or not, the fact is, TIME FLIES either way! It seems to pass by even faster as I have gotten older but, the fact remains that time passes at the exact same pace for EVERYONE, regardless of what we may think.

 

The late Charlie "Tremendous" Jones once said, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.” 

 

The late Jim Rohn also said,"The difference between where you are today and where you'll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you've read." I also remember hearing him talk about the fact that five years are going to come and go for us all but the difference will be what we decide to do TODAY, each and every day, over those next five years.

 

Jim Rohn also emphasized the importance of TODAY in this quote:  “Either you run the day or the day runs you..” 

 

The choice is yours. What will YOU do TODAY?

Until next time, remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

 

You Gotta' Have FAITH!

 "Remember WHO You Are" (YouTube video) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knkrXr-swbI

You may want to take a look at that video link above because this ONE video has given me the material for this and the remaining two episodes/articles in this new, 3-part "Mini-Series".

I also want to encourage you to go HERE to listen to the podcast that goes along with this same topic. Same topic, additional/different information than you get by only reading this blog post. 

As I start this new 3-part "Mini-Series" with thoughts that I gathered after watching the above mentioned video a few months ago, I want to share with you the first thought that caused me to pause the video and write it down...

We want faith to take place but we don't want to operate IN faith (WOW!)

Now, as you read over that sentence you may think, "Uh, Mike...what's the difference in the two?"

My answer: "BIG difference!" 

I'll start off by making a very simple comparison that may help us all to "get" this part. How many start off each new year with their "New Year's Resolution" with the #1 thing being, "I want to (or I'm going to) lose weight!" And, likely, they become very adamant about doing so with every passing year that they don't accomplish this "goal". TALKING ABOUT or PLANNING to do something is far different than actually DOING that thing, right?

So it is with the idea of WANTING faith in your life or SAYING that you WANT to "live in/by faith" as compared to actually living (operating) IN faith as stated above.

Here's my simple "explanation" (not really a definition) of FAITH:  Trusting or believing in something that you cannot see. 

What??? Are you CRAZY? 

Think about it...if you can see it or know that it is there then there is no faith required, right?

Here's another simple (and silly) example that may help. Let's say you are on one side of a ravine and your friend is on the OTHER side of that ravine and that the depth of that ravine is 1,000 feet. In other words, step off of your side of the ravine and you will die when you plummet 1,000 feet.  

You WANT to get to the other side to be with your friend but, there's that gap between you and your friend. You say, "I wish there was a way for me to get from here to where you are!!" to which your friend replies, "There is!" Excitedly you exclaim, "Just tell me how or what to do and I'll do it....hurry up and tell me!!!"

Your friend says, "I know you can't see it but there is an invisible bridge over the ravine that connects the two sides and all you have to do is walk across."

What would you do?

A LARGE part of what you would do depends on how much you actually TRUST your friend, right? And, even then, it would still be very difficult to step out onto something that you cannot see to walk across. EVERYTHING in your body and mind would be screaming "DON'T DO IT!" as a way to try to protect you from what would seem to be certain death.

Sure, you still might be scared even if you COULD see  that bridge but it would not take FAITH that it is there in order to be able to take that first step. 

Living IN faith or BY faith is a lot like that. First of all, it DEMANDS trust and it also has SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE even thought you cannot really "see" the answer. 

Yep, I'm going to bring in some scripture from the Bible because God's Word is the foundation for my life. It is my anchor and it is what gives me a solid foundation on which to walk in and through this life. 

So, right off, there is TRUST involved and that TRUST is based on what you do or don't believe about God and His Son, Jesus.  It's your choice but, as I share these thoughts with you, understand that this TRUST that I'm talking about will determine if you do or don't live in or by faith. It's just like the trust you either do or don't have your friend in the example above.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV)

Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for. It's not just "wishful thinking" or a "false hope". This faith has substance and that substance is supported by your TRUST and your BELIEF. I'll tie all of this together in a minute but let's go to the next part first.

Faith actually has EVIDENCE of things not seen! It's not a "blind faith" but one that has substance and evidence! 

You cannot SEE the wind but you can see EVIDENCE of the wind, right? 

So, living IN or BY faith has substance based on your TRUST in the one that you follow or listen to, just like your friend in the above example. Honestly, if you don't believe in God or trust God then you will not and cannot have FAITH in God. It is impossible. As a matter of fact, just go a few verses further down to verse 6 and you will find this: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him..."

The evidence is there. The substance is there. You may have this evidence based on things that have happened in your own life. You may have evidence based on things that you have seen or have been told about things in the lives of others. 

No?

Well, just keep reading in Hebrews 11 and you will read of person after person after person that lived BY faith or IN faith and what happened in their lives. This chapter is often called "The Hall of Fame of Faith" because of these things.  

So, getting down to the nuts and bolts of all of this, TALK IS CHEAP. Whether you are talking about what you want/plan to do as part of your "New Year's Resolution" or stepping out and living IN or BY faith. 

The choice is yours but it WILL require TRUST in order to take ACTION. 

Join me next time as I continue on with some thoughts from this video. We will go from talking about FAITH to actually DOING SOMETHING TODAY (taking ACTION). 

Until next time, remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

Your "Circle" Matters

As always, be sure to go back and read the previous 2 articles that go along with this one. Why? Because they form a "mini-series" and today's blog article is the last of this 3-part series. You need to be caught up/up to date on the thoughts that have preceded this article to get the most out of the series.

 

I want to start this one off sharing something that I saw on another commercial. As part of the commercial script, the lady says something along the lines of:   "It's important to surround yourself with the right people."

Now, I already knew this but it was a good "memory jogger" that made me decide to do a blog article/podcast on that truth.

You've probably heard it said many times that we are most like the 5 people with which we spend the most time. When you think about that idea it might SCARE YOU or it may ENCOURAGE YOU. Which is it for you? Do you WANT to be like those people in your "circle"?  

By the way, this is often referred to as your "circle of influence". That's a great description because that's exactly what it is!

When it's stated that you are most "like" those people it means that you are influenced by those people in EVERY area of your life to the point that you "mimic" their thoughts and attitudes and, yes, even their ACTIONS in your own life. Give that some SERIOUS thought, friend!

You tend to adapt the same mindset and attitude with your...Finances, Physical Fitness, How you Present Yourself Physically (and every other way) and even your mindset and attitude with your relationships (spouse, friends, co-workers, etc.). 

 

This "circle" also shapes your thoughts on living a FULL life without regrets (the previous two articles).

So, yeah, YOUR "CIRCLE" MATTERS!

 What influence do YOU have on YOUR "circle"? If you take a look at your circle and decide it's not what you need in your life, you can do one of two things: change your circle or, through your influence you can try to CHANGE the mindset and attitude of those in that circle. 

Maybe YOU are the CHANGE that your circle needs. Perhaps YOU are the one that, through your own mindset and focus, can help change the way your "circle" talks, acts and even thinks. Notice this list of things that Paul encourages the Christians in the city of Philippi to think about and focus on as a way to encourage each other (their "circle").

 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.  (Philippians 4:8)

In the last article I also referred to what the writer of the book (letter) of Hebrews encourage the group there to do as a way to help strengthen each other while going through a lot of struggles... "but exhort (we, today, would use the word "encourage") one another daily, while it is called “Today,” (Hebrews 3:13)

Here's another section where the same writer passes this advice on to the same group of people on how to continue with this daily encouragement..."And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and  good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting (encouraging) one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25) 

The phrase, "stir up" is often used in a negative way. Usually it's something that is bad (and often intentional) and may be used in phrases such as, "Wow, you sure stirred up a hornet's nest!" If you know anything about hornets then you KNOW that that is NOT a good thing! Yikes!

However, in this section of scripture from the Bible, that phrase is used in the opposite way. The advice given is to "stir up" GOOD things such as love, good works (good activity, activity that brings about good/positive results), not "skipping out" on spending time together as a way of encouraging each other.

Now listen, sometimes you have to just understand that your actions may not impact those in your current "circle" the way you need. Take a look at what is said in this graphic...

So, yeah, sometimes you will need to actually CHANGE the people with which you spend your time. Oh, believe me, I understand that this might be very difficult and, at times, may be even seemingly impossible, depending on who that person(s) may be.

But, keep this in mind. If YOU start living your life the way that the above Scriptures suggest then, guess what? YOUR mindset and attitude will improve in such away that you will begin to ATTRACT the "right  kind" of people that will also have the same approach. What will you have then? A "circle of friends" that will encourage you and spur you on just as you will be doing for them. 

So, just in case you haven't quite caught on to this truth, let me leave you with one more graphic using the thoughts found in 1 Corinthians 15:33..."Do not be deceived (don't fool yourself!), bad company corrupts good morals."

You may want to listen in on the podcast to catch some of my "Southern Expressions" that express this same thought. You might get a kick out of it! 

To sum this "mini-series" up: In order to live your life FULL and to die EMPTY (with NO regrets) then you must understand the importance of living TODAY to the best of your ability. One major way to do that is to surround yourself with people that will strengthen and encourage you each and every day. Carefully choose and develop your "circle" to be challenged to live in a way to get the MOST out of your life. 

Until next time, remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

The RICHEST Place in the World

If you haven't done so, be sure and go back to the last article that I posted entitled, "Live Full and Die Empty". It goes "hand in hand" with this article and the thoughts included in this article. 

After you have read it (maybe you need to "refresh" even if you have already read it), then look at this very somber - but TRUE - statement made below... 

""The richest place in the world is the graveyard.
You know why?
Because in the graveyard, you will find...
Inventions never invented
Books never written
Ideas never nurtured - And dreams never lived."

"Remember Your Dream" by "Motivational Instinct" CLICK HERE to watch on youtube 

Like I said with the last article, I don't want to die with regrets. I don't want to die with things left undone that I had opportunity to GET done.

Now then, chances are, if I have goals and dreams that I am constantly and consistently working towards then there WILL be some things left "undone" but, my friend (and this is a very important point!) I will have left this earth MOVING TOWARDS something MORE in and for my life! That, in my opinion, would qualify as "dying EMPTY" with NO REGRETS!

For ALL of us...for you and for me...the ONLY way that we can accomplish this is by doing all we can TODAY! 

In the Bible, the writer of the book of Hebrews (or the letter that he wrote to the church there) needed to help the Christians there "stay together" and help each other remain strong in their faith. In Hebrews 3:13 he emphasizes this by saying, "but exhort (encourage) one another daily, while it is called “Today...”

Notice he said to do it DAILY but - don't put it off - do it while it is still called "TODAY".  

Listen friend, I'll say it again: The ONLY way that we can accomplish living our lives fully and leaving no regrets is by doing all we can TODAY!

One way that helps tremendously (the writer of Hebrews refers to it as well later on in chapter 10 in verses 24 and 25) is based on those that make up our "circle". 

We'll talk about that part of the picture in the next article.

Until then, remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

Live FULL and Die EMPTY

Oops!

You've likely seen the above picture before. GOOD IDEA with POOR EXECUTION! Can you imagine how the person that got this tattoo felt once they realized the mistake that was made with a PERMANENT tattoo? 

Now listen, I could do a whole article on the thoughts of making sure you don't mix "poor execution" with a "good idea" but that's not what this particular article is about.

Don't take this too literal with the tattoo example above, o.k.? But, here's the thing about living live with NO REGRETS (what the tattoo was SUPPOSED to have spelled out)... sometimes YOU SCREW UP or someone else does something that screws things up for you!

 The following is not an exact quote but it's something that I see from time to time on a commercial trying to get people to take action and buy this particular product. Whether I like the product or not has nothing to do with the TRUTH that is found in this part of the ad:

Don't Regret What You Didn't Do
YESTERDAY
Take Action and Feel Great About Saying
YES TODAY

Don't live your life in regret. That's something that most of us probably have said or believe yet, for whatever reason, most - if not all - of us do, indeed, have many regrets.

As I write this article, I'm 62 years old (closer to 63) and, as I look back over my life, I regret the opportunities that crossed my path that I didn't "jump on" for whatever reason. 

What are YOUR reasons?  

I really encourage you to go back and listen to the "People of Passion" podcasts that I've put out so far. You can read my last article for the links to each of these first three. EACH of these ladies talk about some sort of hesitation in making a move in their life based on their PASSION. Each discuss things that could have held them back and that COULD hold them back even now.

Is it FEAR? "What if I screw things up?" "What if my (friends, family, spouse, etc) think I'm crazy for doing this and what if they continually tell me I shouldn't do it?" 

Here's another one that is based on FEAR but in a way that most of us won't admit: "What if it DOES work well and I don't know what to do or how to do it? What if I screw it up then?"

What is it for you?

Again, I do believe that you must have "good execution" to some extent but, at the same time, you could also end up continually trying to make sure that you have that "good execution" covered in every possible way to the point that you never take action. It's called "paralysis by analysis". 

Very simple example that you can take and apply to your own situation. You may decide you want to try to bungee jumping and get so excited that you go and jump off of a cliff...without making proper preparations of actually HAVING A BUNGEE CORD attached to your body. Yeah, that won't work.

You could also decide that you like the idea of sky diving and, just like the example above, jump out of an airplane only to realize (too late!) that you should have made sure you actually had a parachute!

There is a delicate balance between "good execution" (preparation) and boldly taking a step out in the direction of your goals and dreams.

 

  "LIVE FULL AND DIE EMPTY" is a phrase that is often attributed to Les Brown but I've seen many others say it and even at least one other person write a book by the same title. It doesn't really matter WHO said it but, rather, what matters is whether or not you are able to step up and out and live the idea.

Hey listen, I've made a LOT of mistakes in my life and, to be honest, many of them have been financially costly. HOWEVER, I do my best to NOT allow regret to be a part of those moves. Why? Because I stepped out and took a chance.

Do I wish that these mistakes had turned out for the better? Of course I do! But they didn't and I survived. And, most of the time (if not ALL of the time), I learned some valuable lessons in the process. I'm not just saying that...it is a fact, friend. 

I'm going to be doing a couple of more articles/podcasts that tie into to this concept but, until then, I want to leave you with one other POWERFUL thought to keep in mind on all of this:

"You can face everything and RISE or you can fear everything and FALL."

Until next time, remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

People of Passion Series (1 - 3)

I recently began a new podcast series entitled, "People of Passion" and, as of this article, I've had 3 special guests for this series.

In this article I will simply be directing you to the podcasts that I have put together for this series to this point and I do hope you will take the time to listen in. Unless you know these people personally, you likely have never heard of them and that's exactly what I wanted.

These are "real", every day people that have impressed me with what they are doing in their lives to make an impact in their world.

You can GO HERE to listen to the "Series Introduction". This will give you more information about the purpose of this series.

 

My first guest for this series is Kim Tatum. She discusses her desire to "do something more" once she came to the point of retirement. Do YOU often feel that you are being "called" to do more than just sit by the wayside? GO HERE for this interview.

 

 My second guest for this series was BJ White. What interesting things she shared with me during this interview! Be sure to listen in with a very entertaining story about her and the number 7. Be inspired by her decision to walk away from her career to follow her dream. Listen in by CLICKING HERE. 

My third guest for this special series was Jean Peterson. This interview was so much fun and also very inspiring. Listen in by CLICKING HERE and be inspired as well.

I do still have a couple of people lined up that are working with me around their schedule and I hope to have them available in the month of September. One is a single mom that is involved in foster care in a very "real" way and the other is a gentleman that has experienced MASSIVE success in the online business world. You won't want to miss either of these!

I plan to do some other podcasts before I get a chance to have these last two interviews so be sure to be watching out for those.

Until then remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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 in CONTROL Without a "Plan B"?

At the end of my last article I asked the question (or similar): "What CONTROL do you have over your current situation/job?"

Sure, consider the obvious things such as being told when you can or cannot go to the restroom or take your lunch break. Depending on the schedule, do you even GET a lunch break? Wow, how about trying to schedule your vacation only to be told that you can't because of some "reason" that those "in charge" decide that they want to do first?

Are you able to participate in your child's school activities? Even if it's just trying to get off a little early to do so? How many days can you take off to take care of a child that is sick and has to stay home from school? 

But let's go a little deeper on this thought...

What control do you have over actually KEEPING your job?

Yes, I understand that there is a LOT that you can do to make sure that you not only keep your job but get promoted with your job. A lot of people want to do the minimum and expect the maximum in benefits by doing so. It just doesn't work that way.

I'm referring more to situations like what I discussed in the last article and podcast about my own personal recent situation. 

The bottom line - the TRUTH - is that you DON'T have control when it comes to the actions of those above you that could greatly impact your ability to keep your job. You DON'T have control over whether or not your company decides to shut down and move the company to a foreign country. You DON'T (and DIDN'T) have control over the government forcing your company to completely shut down which put you and everyone else out of work. For how long? Again, out of your control. 

So, yes...you DO have some control over your own actions and abilities. Your habits and your work ethic. But, beyond that...how much control do you actually have?

The only real way to GET 

(and maintain) control is 

to TAKE control!

This may surprise you but, in this article, I have no solutions for you on this problem. I have no suggestions for you. 

Why? I honestly have yet to find something that has worked for me. Now, I know others that have done GREAT things with a "Plan B" and, yes, have also developed a "Plan C, D, E, F", etc.  I'm working on some things right now and...if they work out for me, I'll let you know. 

Here's the thing: There is PLENTY of information out there about "side gigs" and putting together a "Plan B". Again, COVID really brought the need for such to the fore-front. 

BOTTOM LINE: Don't wait to begin your search when you are under pressure to MAKE something happen! That generally will cause you to make poor decisions and it will also remove your ability to be patient with the process.

I do have something planned that might be of assistance to you in this area. I am currently working on a series entitled, "People of Passion" in which I will be interviewing a few people that I have connected with either personally or via online sources that have exhibited a sense of happiness and passion in their lives. Some of these are also involved in some "Plan B/Side Gig" opportunities and some are not. Be watching for that!

I'll leave you with this: "If you are not in control of (fill in the blank), chances are, someone else is."

Until then remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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   

 

A "Plan B" IS Necessary - My Personal Story

 In the last blog article I discussed the question, "Do you NEED a 'Plan B'?" Again, "Plan B" referring to having a "back up" plan or source of income in case your "Plan A" (main plan or source of income) falls through.

You will have to decide that for yourself but, in my opinion, the answer is a great big "YES!".

In this article as well as in the podcast I've done on this topic (see links below) I will discuss my personal, most recent, story about my last "job" and how that situation has, once again, emphasized to me and for me the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY to have a "Plan B" in place and, more than likely, even a "Plan C, D, E, F and G" , if not more.

 

Some of the time frame on this may not be completely correct but, I'll do my best to be as accurate as possible. The main focus of sharing this with you is to help you understand what could happen to you - IF it hasn't happened to you already.  

Back in November of 2021 I answered an ad that I had come across for a job that, to be honest, seemed too good to be true. It was for a job to where I only worked two days a week and had the ability to make $100,000 + my very first year. It was for the position of being a sales consultant (official title was "Clinic Consultant") to close on a $5,000 product offering. 

I applied but, to be honest, I didn't expect much and definitely didn't expect it to actually be a legitimate job opportunity. However, I DID start noticing commercials on my local television channels for this particular company and for the office from which I would be working. That increased my "faith" that this may, indeed, be an incredible opportunity.

Long story short, I was interviewed by a couple of managers, hired and went to a 4 day training at which I caught COVID which delayed my start by about a week. 

I finally started my work the first week in January of 2022 and, after a nervous and slow start for the first couple of weeks, I began to "hit my stride" and began to have some INCREDIBLE results for the two days that I was working for the week. WOW! I was excited and thankful for such an opportunity.

I had already told my wife that I KNEW that I needed to get a "Plan B" in place because this was a job that relied on me being physically present to do the job and it was all commission. In other words, if I didn't work, I didn't make money or even have the opportunity to make money.

In March I noticed that things began to change. Instead of "screening" being done in such a way that the majority of the people I met with being able to actually pay for the product, I was seeing more and more people that were on fixed incomes that had no way to be able to do so.  This greatly was impacting my commission checks and, from what I could tell, it was affecting everyone in the company that held the same position that I did in different offices. 

Even though my commissions took a big hit - probably cut in about half - I was still able to maintain a reasonable amount of income with promises of "it would get better". I was beginning to feel uncomfortable due to the "rah rah" talk that I was hearing that would be similar to someone on a sinking ship stating that "all is well". 

Fast forward to the end of April and everyone in the company that held the same position had their "days to work" cut in half. In other words, I went from 2 days a week (8 days a month) to 2 days every 2 weeks (4 days a month). Again, "Oh, it's going to get better!"

For various reasons, my clientele dropped by about 80% and my commission dropped by about 90%. I knew this was a sinking ship and it was confirmed when, on one of my "off" days, I dropped by the office and found someone there that was about to go to training to take my spot.

I had never had any problems, never been "written up" and had produced well. My managers were not even aware of this move and I discovered that this was happening to others as well.

So, I was out just like that with no "Plan B" in place.

None.

So now I've been scrambling to try to get something going that would enable me to make some good income and also allow me to still work on developing a "Plan B, C, D, E" and so on.

You tell me...after reading that story, would you agree that it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to get a "Plan B" in place?

COVID-19 should have made that very clear to EVERYONE. If you don't know what I'm talking about due to when you read this article, do a little research but, businesses were shut down and not allowed to operate, people were sent home with no way to make an income and MANY of these businesses went OUT of business after being in business for decades.

What if you get sick or hurt and you can't work? What if your spouse or a parent or a child becomes ill or injured to the point that they need YOUR care and attention that would prevent you from working a "regular" 9 to 5 job?

I will continue this discussion in the next article but, until then, ask yourself this question: "How much CONTROL do I actually have over my current situation/job?" 

Be watching for it and, until then remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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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Question: Is it IMPORTANT and/or NECESSARY to Have a "Plan B"?

 "Plan A" would be your #1 plan for whatever area in your life is being planned an/or discussed. This could be your career path that you plan to choose, for example. 

"Plan B" would be your "backup" plan that comes to be if your "Plan A" or #1 plan doesn't work out. Again, this could be applied to your career path that you have chosen.

Before I get deep into this discussion let me address something that I strongly believe. There are SOME situations that should NOT have a "Plan B" in place. Sometimes we may need to "burn our bridges" or any way of retreat or escape in order to avoid not giving "Plan A" all that we have. In my opinion, a marriage is one of those things that should not have "Plan B" in place. I believe that too many people approach marriage with that "Plan B" approach in place all along. I actually heard a young lady tell me once about her desire to marry a certain young man, "Oh well, if it doesn't work out, we can just get a divorce." How sad

I could do a whole different article on that but, for now, I need to stick to the main focus of this blog article: Having a "Plan B" in place when it comes to your career or source of income.

So, "Plan B"...do you have one? Do you NEED one? It would be great to be involved with a panel discussion on this or even a Q and A session with you in the audience. I'd love to hear your thoughts/answers on those two questions.

If you would, share those thoughts/answers on my Facebook page...I'd love to see what you have to say.

I will be doing a podcast on this topic very soon. In my next article I will share with you my most recent experience in this area. Be watching for it and, until then remember...

YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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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Success Factor #5: DON'T YOU DARE EVER GIVE UP!

 In this conclusion of my "Success Factors" we will discuss the importance of NEVER GIVING UP! You can see the previous titles in the image above.

Remember, when we talk about "success", that word can mean different things to different people. SUCCESS can be applied to any area of your life...YOU decide what that means for you - these factors will apply no matter which way you decide to apply them.

                                                                          

Remember, "changing direction" does NOT equal failure! Failure only comes when you decide to "wave that white flag" and surrender...to QUIT. 

 

I'm sure that, by now, most of you are familiar with Thomas Edison's journey through many "failures" that led him to success. (If not, do some research and discover it for yourself - you will be amazed!) 

Too, it's important to understand that your goals and desires - or what is even important to you - may change over time. Does that mean that you are a failure? NO! Honestly, if those things DON'T change for you then, in my personal opinion, you are not maturing as you age.

I plan to do a video soon sharing my own personal journey and "where I am" now after 13 years on this particular journey with "Future You University". Be sure to check out updates HERE.

 

I've been with a new company now for about two months and I probably had the worst week on ANY job this past week. It was BRUTAL! I would be lying if I told you that I didn't have a hard time maintaining a positive mindset because it was VERY difficult to keep my focus on the positive.

Some might consider quitting and finding something else to do after such a week. Although I had a hard time maintaining a positive mindset, the thought of QUITTING never entered my mind! This is a "commission-only" sales position and, that being the case, there will ALWAYS be great weeks and there will also be "sucky" weeks like the one that I just endured. 

 

You simply push FORWARD, regardless. 

As you can tell from the date at the bottom of the graphic below, I came up with this statement a little over 11 years ago...and it is still true today and it will ALWAYS be true.

In the podcast that goes along with this particular "Success Factor" (see links below for podcasts), I discuss how I've taken a step back from "pushing" so hard on some things like I have done in the past and that I am now attempting to do better at enjoying what is available for me TODAY...right now. Take a listen, I think you'll be glad that you did since I don't follow a script. You will hear other thoughts and ideas than what I am putting in this article and I do believe that you will benefit from that additional material. 

Here's a quote that I pulled from that podcast: "If you do not quit - stop - trying to live your best life and to share your best life so that you can IMPACT those around you in the best way possible, then you will never, ever be a failure."  

 

 

 

Now then, the following is for "the believers" out there. Obviously, even if you are not a "believer", you can still read what I put below but, if you don't like it, then just skip over it and take the positive information that I have provided for you in the article. Don't allow yourself to "get your feather's ruffled". This may not be for you!

 

For the believers out there, I want to leave a couple of encouraging thoughts that apply to those of us that seek to follow God and His Son, Jesus as we strive to make our world a better place by doing so. Take comfort in the words found in Galatians 6:9 - " Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (NIV)

 

And then, finally, I hope you will enjoy and celebrate in the truth found in this video. You will hear the words, "So, keep your head up...don't you give up...Jesus is coming back!".  Don't ever forget that truth, friend! 

Until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, 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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