Why NOT Think Big?

I love the picture in this graphic! Obviously, that's not Donald Trump and Donald Trump is no longer a kid. HOWEVER, that is the mindset that most - if not all - of us had when we WERE just kids.

 

Think back (you can still do that, right?) to when you were young and your imagination was your friend! Whatever you imagined, you could actually "see" with your "minds eye" and you could easily see YOURSELF doing in that picture! You may have even "dressed up" for the part (even if you didn't have what you needed to actually wear the right stuff!).

 

Did any of you pretend to fly and even wore a cape made out of a bed sheet, a towel or anything else you could get your hands on? Could you actually fly? NO! But did that stop you from "seeing" yourself flying all over the world?

 

Did any of you ever pretend to ride a horse with nothing but an old broom stick or mop handle as your "horse"? Were you actually riding a horse? NO! But did that stop you from "seeing" yourself riding all around the "Wild, Wild, West"?

 

Did any of you ever get in a box and imagine....

 

Well, what DID you imagine in that box? Perhaps it was a cabin out in the woods or maybe a race car! Maybe you saw yourself in a cave of some sort or, perhaps, it was a boat and you were sailing the high seas!

 

With our imagination, we had NO LIMITS on what we could do, where we could go and even who it was that we could be!

 

NO LIMITS!

 

So, what happened?

 

We now allow the smallest set back to "shut us down".

 

Hey, if you learned to ride a bicycle as a kid, did you stop after your first crash? Notice I didn't ask IF you crashed, I asked if you stopped AFTER your first crash.

 

I can answer that for you due to the fact that I first said, "if you learned to ride a bicycle...". You see, if you learned to ride a bicycle then you DID crash and, likely, more than once!

 

WHY? Because your DESIRE to ride that bike was GREATER than your FEAR of crashing!

 

Do a little research on Donald Trump. Who cares if you like him or not? It has NOTHING to do with the fact that he overcame some serious setbacks in 1991 and, instead of folding and giving up, he kept "thinking big' and continued to BE big in the business world.

 

Yes, friend, DARE TO DREAM BIG AGAIN - just as we talked about in yesterday's article. Don't give up and don't stop THINKING BIG!

 

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

 

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

 

Mike

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Failure IS an Option!

What we USUALLY here is, "Failure is NOT an option!"

 

I understand and appreciate the determination that comes from such a statement. I like to know that this would be the attitude that my surgeon had before doing something major to my body. Know what I mean?

 

That determination is NEEDED when trying to achieve what you set out to achieve.

 

However, it can also be the attitude that CRUSHES you when you fall short......when you "fail".

 

When you have told yourself - or you've been told by others around you - that "failure is NOT an option" then, how do you feel when you DO fail (or fall short)?

 

Believe me, I have not forgotten that I have said many times that failure is NOT a definition of who you are...it is simply an EVENT as long as you pick yourself up and keep moving.

 

FAILURE DOES EXIST and it is that FAILURE that has spurred many great people to create and/or invent many of our greatest inventions and thoughts!

Do some research on people like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Abraham Lincoln and even jump forward several decades and take a look at Michael Jordan and Donald Trump. These are but a FEW of a long list of "famous" and successful people that encountered MANY struggles that would be considered as failures.

Their "secret to success"?

THEY REFUSED TO GIVE UP and they also REFUSED TO LISTEN TO WHAT OTHERS SAID ABOUT THEM.

I wonder how many "failed attempts" at flying the Wright brothers experienced before that ONE well-known and short flight took place? Or, what about Alexander Graham Bell? Do you think he successfully got someone to say "hello" on the other end of his contraption that we now call the telephone? I can answer that for you: OF COURSE NOT!

History is not full of stories of those that quit and gave up.

History IS full of stories of those that took FAILURE and used it as FUEL for their journey to SUCCESS.

And, by the way - DO NOT MISS THIS POINT - this also applies to those that REFUSE to give up when a marriage gets tough or when being a parent gets tough! History may not record your name but, more importantly, your FAMILY and those that LOOK TO YOU will remember!



So, yeah, failure IS an option but it's what you do with it that matters in the end.

 

Keep that in mind and, as always, be sure to...

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

Mike

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Fight Through the Darkness

Let's take some time to "get real".

We ALL have problems and "bumps" along the way that can easily derail us if we allow them to do so, right? Sure we do!

However, sometimes we put others on a pedestal and assume that they have no problems or "bumps" in their lives - NOT TRUE! As a matter of fact, if you follow any great "leader" in any industry, you will find or hear discussed struggles that they have gone through and/or ARE going through.

"Google" any persons name that you want to look at that is "famous" and do some research and you will find this to be true. Donald Trump, for example. I remember a time when he hit rock bottom and was basically the laughing stock of late night television. He has rebounded, has he not? I used the example of Sam Walton, founder of the Wal-Mart stores, on today's podcast. Back in 1987 the stock market crashed in a big way. I'm not sure the exact number concerning the amount of money that Mr. Walton (among others) lost in that one day - BUT IT WAS HUGE! His response? "Those are just numbers on paper" - or something very similar to that.

So you see, even these "titans" in the business world have to deal with setbacks and struggles. Why should you or I be any different?

In today's podcast I go further into the story of how I went from $32,000 in one year to only $5,000/year in income the next. I can tell you that it was painful to relive this and share it with you. So, why do it?

1. I want you to know that I, too, have problems in my life. I am not immune.
2. I want you to know that the things I say are not just a bunch of "hype" or "rah-rah" as I call it.
3. I want you to know that when I say things like, "Where there is breath, there is hope!" - I mean it and I know what I'm saying on this to be TRUE!

In my darkest times it was truly hard to keep hope.

In 1991, after the birth of my youngest son I did finally land a new job in another state. This job allowed us to climb out of debt and get back on our feet. It wasn't easy and it took a lot of self-discipline on the part of my wife and I as well as a designed plan that we came up with to make this happen. We did so and then the bottom fell out again as I was fired from this job. I was hurt. I was bitter. I was angry.

Time gets away from me and I can't exactly tell you what year that was, but I was not at this job very long - not even a year - when this happened. The spiral of debt and my struggle with depression hit again. However, this time, as hard as it was, I seemed to be more determined not to allow the depression to gain hold of me (I'll talk more about this in tomorrow's podcast) but it still was very, very difficult.

It was during this time that I seemed to hit one of my lowest points. A time when, laying in bed with my wife with tears streaming down my face I said, "I've lost all hope." To which my wife replied with something along the lines of, "We can't lose hope! If we lose hope we don't have anything!" Powerful words!

Bottom line...we made it out of those times, landed another good job after a period of time and have left those times of desperation in the past. Yet, I felt that it was important to share them with you and to encourage YOU to "Fight Through the Darkness!".

And now? My life is still not immune to struggles. As you know, my wife almost died from a heart attack three weeks ago tomorrow. That hit hard! And now also comes the wading through the mountain of medical bills that have come as a result of that struggle.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I'm going to handle this - but I will! I WILL handle this and I WILL NOT allow this to pull me back down. NO WAY!

I REFUSE to give in to doubt and pity and negative thinking!

So, in all reality, you will be with me as I go down this road - and I have no idea where this road is headed. But, here's the key - I AM PREPARED FOR THE JOURNEY.

Have you adequately "packed your bags" for the journey? A journey that has many twists and surprises in store for you? Some good. Some bad. But all a part of life?

Are you prepared - HAVE you prepared yourself to - FIGHT THROUGH THE DARKNESS?

I'll be here. Let's help each other as we go through this journey together.

And, all along the way, be sure to remember to...

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

Mike

PERSISTENCE Brings SUCCESS!

This is a FACT! There is PROOF of this being true!

One of the things I LOVE about the Napoleon Hill book, "Think & Grow Rich" which we are using in our podcast discussions, is that he gives SPECIFIC guidelines and suggestions for us to follow IF we are serious about moving forward with our plans.

Again, are you PERSISTENT enough to follow through and KEEP following through on these?

Here is proof of this very thing in chapter 8. He gives FOUR (yes, only four!) steps to follow with the following heading:

HOW TO DEVELOP PERSISTENCE

1. Have a DEFINITE PURPOSE backed by a BURNING DESIRE to see it through!

2. Have a DEFINITE PLAN that is expressed through CONTINUOUS ACTION!

3. Have a mind CLOSED TIGHTLY against NEGATIVE and DISCOURAGING INFLUENCES!(even those from family and friends)

4. Have a FRIENDLY ALLIANCE with one or more people who will ENCOURAGE you to FOLLOW THROUGH on both your PLAN and your PURPOSE!

Now, I paraphrased these a little - but the main focus and point is still there. Do you want to learn how to develop persistence? HERE YOU GO! HERE IT IS!

Listen to the podcast as we discuss each of these steps a little more than I will do here but, notice the emphasis on PLAN and PURPOSE!

The need to close our minds TIGHTLY against the negative influences is a KEY POINT OF SURVIVAL to anyone that wishes to improve their lives - is it not? That's why I'm so glad you are taking the time to read this and follow along with the podcasts - YOU NEED THIS - WE ALL NEED THIS - I NEED THIS! Again, this is KEY!

I also read a quote that I found in Success magazine (by the way, this is an EXCELLENT magazine that I suggest you subscribe to...if not, check out their articles on-line at http://www.Success.com - you'll be glad you did!) that was from Donald Trump. Notice what he says...

"The number one key to being a successful entrepreneur or businessperson is, 'How do you respond to adversity?' When faced with a hardship, do you crumble and quit or do you stand up, take action and push through?"

Hey friend - only YOU can answer that question, but answer it you must!

Thanks for joining me today and, as always...

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

Mike Spillman