What Killed the Cat?

Once again it's "MAGICAL MONDAY!"... What will YOU do that's "magical" today?

So, we've all heard the phrase, "Curiosity killed the cat", right? And, I'm sure - in spite of their 9 lives - that this has been true on occasion. But, it IS fun (even for a non-cat person) to watch a cat that has "zeroed-in" on some "target" due to this curiosity.

In today's podcast ( http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 ) I share the tale of me watching such a cat recently. I was sitting in a room with a group of young men and the cat spotted a moth that was flying about the room and, pretty quickly, began to "stalk" it's prey. The moth was mostly keeping to the higher parts of the room and, regardless of how far up the wall the cat would stretch after climbing on the back of a chair, the moth still remained out of reach. One of the boys stated, "That cat will NEVER catch that moth!" to which I replied, "Don't be too sure." The cat preceded to climb on the back of the couch that I was sitting on and looked up and patiently watched that moth flitter about the room. And, guess what? Believe it or not that moth basically fluttered right down within the cats reach and, yes, the cat DID catch that moth!

A couple of things came to mind almost instantly with this....NEVER say NEVER and, also, NEVER GIVE UP!

How many times do we find ourselves either listening to others tell us that we will NEVER accomplish what it is we have set out to accomplish OR to that little negative voice within ourselves that says the same thing? STOP LISTENING to the negative voice!

Now, really, I have NO IDEA what was going on inside of that cat's head when it was watching that moth but I really didn't see any indication that it even considered for a moment that it WOULD NOT get what it was after - that moth!

We need to develop that same determination in our own lives and STOP living a life of "if I ever achieve this" and START living a life of "when I achieve this"...BIG DIFFERENCE in the two, wouldn't you agree?

Sure, curiosity may have killed the cat but think about this: how much SUCCESS did that cat experience along the way and up to that point?

Be sure to listen to the podcast to get other thoughts on this topic and, until next time, always be sure to...

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

Mike

On Your Mark, Get Set...GO!

On Your Mark...Get Set...GO!

It's time. I've been talking and planning on trying to get back to a more consistent schedule with my podcasts and it's finally time to stop talking and start talking.

Yeah. It's time to stop talking ABOUT it and start talking AS PART of it! Know what I mean?

So, beginning Monday, January 9, 2012, I am starting - once again - to get back to my DAILY, 5 minute podcast (daily being Monday - Friday).

What does tht mean as far as my blog?

What I plan to do is a "week in review" blog post where I give a summary of the podcasts topics for the past week instead of a blog entry every day about that particular day's topic.

My current job simply makes it hard to do both and I am recording podcasts 10-15 days in advance in order to do this -- BUT I AM DETERMINED TO GET BACK ON TRACK with my efforts!

Please let me hear from you as you listen to the podcast and/or read the blog.

Thanks!

And remember...

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

Mike

Reaching Out for Something Better

"Reaching Out for Something Better"

In the last entry I discussed how I - along with likely everyone that is reading this blog - seem to have this "something" in me/us that causes me/us to feel that there is something 'better" out there for us and that WE MUST GO AFTER IT if - IF - we really DO desire to do so.

No one else can do it for us, remember?

Is this a BAD thing? The reason I ask is because I am sure that some of you might even feel guilty for wanting something "better". Why is that a bad thing?

Some will even try to make it a spiritual matter and talk about the Bible teaching that we shouldn't want something "better" than what we have and that we should be content. Well, I DO know what the Bible says about that and, my friend, you are taking things out of context if you feel that we should not strive to better ourselves. "Nuff said about that for now.

Listen to me for a moment on this - by bettering ourselves and our situations we can position ourselves to help even MORE people than we are able to do right now. Make sense? Think about it.

Think about this as well - do you not want things to be better for your kids? Do you not EXPECT them to better themselves in many areas?

OF COURSE YOU DO! And "we" do as a society as well!

If you come across an individual that is 35 years old and is still wearing diapers and sucking on a baby bottle (for NO reasons that has to do with any kind of mental impairment or physical impairment) - WOULD YOU NOT BE APPALLED AT THIS?

Yes, you would! But, could this not happen if - first of all - this person's parents never expected them to move beyond that stage in their development when it was time? And, would you not also agree that the individual themself would desire to move on from that activity once they realize that those around them have done so?

I mean, seriously, do you not think that when this individual started kindergarten they MIGHT notice that no one else is going to class wearing diapers and sucking on a baby bottle? Even if they were a bit stubborn, do you think they MIGHT begin to want to "fit in" a little better by the time they reached 5th grade or so?

OF COURSE THEY WOULD!

Now, I know that was a simplistic example but, again (I've said this many times before) the profound can be FOUND in the simple!

Too many of us have given up. Would you agree?

My guess is that even YOU have "given up" from time to time on this whole process of "bettering yourself".

Another way to word that is "personal development". Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, NOW I get it!

Believe me, there are many other ways to "better yourself" beyond just the personal development and there is still that "something" in me/us that propels us forward to try to identify that "something" and go after it.

But, bottom line - if we don't even have the desire to better ourselves by improving our mindset then, by my way of thinking, we are destined to stay right where we are.

Diapers, baby bottles and all.

Give some thought to that and see if you don't agree. Friend, you wouldn't be reading this at all if you didn't have the desire to find something positive to help with your mindset.

And I thank you for taking the time to read THIS particular article.

And, yes, I will be continuing my discussion on this in the days and weeks to come.

As always, I also welcome your comments and thoughts but I DO prefer that you post them on my Facebook fan page:

www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity

I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

What Would YOU Be Doing?

I'm going to do my best to keep this rather short today. I know I tend to "rattle on" with my thoughts and ideas and, the ideas I share on today's podcast (http://www.michaelspillman.com/) are short and to the point as well.


Here's what I need you to do IF you haven't done so already. One day last week I posted a video on the Facebook fan page for Future You University (www.Facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity) about a janitor that was also a millionaire. Have you watched it yet?


Here's the direct link:


http://news.yahoo.com/video/seattleking5-15751314/millionaire-janitor-buys-school-new-track-24921293

If not, be sure to do that - preferably BEFORE you read the rest of this blog - as soon as you can so that you can "get" what it is that I'm talking about today.

Now, after watching that video, answer the following two questions as honestly as you can:

1. IF MONEY WERE NOT AN ISSUE, what would you be doing with your life right now?


2. Why are you NOT doing what you came up with as an answer to question one?


Hey, if you ARE doing what you would do in response to number 1, I'd LOVE to hear from you. Other than that, that's all I am going to share today. Take the time to watch the video and then come up with HONEST answers to these two questions before your head hits the pillow tonight.

Come back tomorrow and we'll take this discussion further. But, until then...

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

Mike

"Choose Responsibly!"

"CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY!"

Your first thought may be, "Choose carefully!", which is also very important to remember but, today, we are going to focus on the "responsibility" aspect of our choices.

When I chose the picture for today's blog article it made me think of the old "Let's Make a Deal" program with Monty Hall. (Yes, I know there is a remake on television right now but I prefer the original on ALL of these game shows).

There were CHOICES that the contestants had to make all through the program and it would come to the grand finale when the top contestants would CHOOSE their final prize (one of which was the GRAND PRIZE for the day). Door #1, Door #2 or Door #3?

I vividly remember yelling MY choice at the t.v. when I was a child but I'm sure YOU have NEVER done anything like that, right?

Now, think about this...how many times have YOU said (or heard someone else say) something like, "Oh, that's the one I WAS going to choose!" once it has been revealed that you picked the wrong door?

20/20 hindsight, right?

We can do that in just about any and every area of our lives, can't we? I know I can!

So, yes, not only is it important to CHOOSE CAREFULLY when it comes to the choices that we face every day but SPECIFICALLY when it comes to CHOOSING what we allow into our minds, but, even more importantly is the fact that we must choose RESPONSIBLY!

Why? Because, again, what we CHOOSE to allow into our mindset will not only impact US but it will also have an impact upon EACH and EVERY person that we come into contact with throughout each and every day. And this starts with those that are closest to you.

RESPONSIBILITY for CHOOSING what we allow into our minds.

Let that concept sink in a little and I'll continue this discussion tomorrow. But, until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Avoid the Flatline

Avoid the Flatline

Oh yeah, when you or someone you love is in the hospital you DO NOT want to see that pattern shown above. You don't want to see the dreaded "flatline"!

You WANT to see the "ups and downs" that indicate that your heart is pumping and working showing that you are ALIVE!

Now, surely, you are catching the obvious comparisons here, right? I've already talked about the "pattern of life" that we often go through in our own lives when we experience the "ups and downs".

We think we'd LOVE it if all we ever encountered were "up times". We AVOID the "down times" as much as possible yet, just as with the EKG readout, the "ups and downs" in our own lives are also indicators that we are ALIVE!

And, just like in the hospital and on the EKG readout we should also AVOID THE "FLATLINE" in the pattern of our life!

Many people flatline when they have hit an extended down period in their lives but it is also possible to "flatline" when things aren't so bad. That's right. It's easy to "settle for the mundane" or "the easy". It's easy to want to live life without "rocking the boat" or creating any waves.

BORING!

And dangerous IF you want to avoid the "flatline".

Hey, listen... whether you are settling for mediocrity or stuck in a down period, whatever you do - DO NOT FLATLINE!

In other words, do NOT give up and do NOT settle.

We see the dangers of this type of "inactivity" all around us. A body of water that does not have flow ("life", energy) becomes a STAGNANT pool of FILTH and DISEASE! A person that is inactive WILL face health issues and this is really evident in those that are confined to nursing homes when they are unable to move about. They MUST be moved or they will develop all sorts of bed sores as well as other ailments.

MOVEMENT IS A MUST FOR LIFE!

Again, even if you are in an extended down period - DO NOT GIVE UP! Look for those small "up-ticks" in your day. It may be the smile of a friend or the sunshine or whatever it is. LOOK FOR THESE THINGS in your day so that you DO NOT "flatline" and become stagnant!

Remember, "As long as there is breath there is hope!" - DO NOT EVER FORGET THAT!

Tomorrow, in the concluding article for this series I will discuss the HOPE that we still have even if we HAVE "flatlined". Be sure to join me for this important discussion.

Until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Your Information Diet

"YOUR INFORMATION DIET"

Simple task - tell me about your diet.

"Oh, but I'm not currently on a diet."

Sure you are. Tell me about it.

"No, see...you don't understand. I TRIED a diet but it didn't go very well so I quit."

Regardless, you are STILL on a diet. Whatever it is that you eat from day to day IS your diet! Now, when we look at it that way some of us might feel like crawling under a rock and hiding, right?

I hear people say, "I'm going to go on a diet" or "I'm going to start a diet" and, though I understand what they are trying to communicate, those words used are actually wrong.

The correct thing to say would be, "I'm going to CHANGE my diet" or "I'm going to IMPROVE my diet."

Get it?

Good!

Why is this so important? Well, first of all you can relax. We are NOT going to be talking about your nutritional diet in this series of discussions. We're going to be talking about your "mental diet" or your "information diet".

So, right off, let me ask you the same question that I asked before BUT this time in reference to your "mental or informational diet".

Tell me about your diet.

The thing is, most of us THINK we know about our "mental/informational diet" but, in reality we really have no idea.

It's time to find out!

Step one: FIND OUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE.

What do I mean by that? Simply go through your program guide (whatever or however that is available to you) and look through a 24 hour period and see how many "news programs" are on the air during that time period. However, DO NOT count your cable channels but ONLY count the "national" channels (NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX).

Seriously. Give it your best shot and see what you come up with.

I'll share mine with you during the next podcast/blog article. I thought I had a pretty good idea how saturated this type of programming was but I was still a bit shocked when I actually took the time to put it down on paper.

Do that and then come back tomorrow for the next entry on this topic and we'll see what you and I both do with what is available.

Until then...think about the old computer acrostic, "G.I.G.O" which stands for "garbage in, garbage out". It's a simple reminder that a computer is only as good as the programming. If you program "garbage" into the computer then guess what you'll get? GARBAGE!

The same is true when we think about our mindsets. Positive or negative?

Think about it.

And until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

"Merely Existing OR Truly Living?" (Conclusion)

"Merely Existing OR Truly Living?" (Conclusion)

"DON'T FORGET TO LIVE!"

As I conclude my thoughts on the topic of "Merely Existing OR Truly Living?" I hope that you have really taken a close and serious look at your life and asked yourself that very question in regards to your own life.

"As long as there is breath there is hope" has been one of my sayings that I have shared many times in the past and I know I will continue to share it many times in the future. The premise simply being that, as long as you are alive, there is ALWAYS the potential to improve your situation and make things better.

Are you ALIVE?

Are you LIVING?

No, I don't mean purely in the physical sense. I'm not asking if you have a heartbeat as you read this. (It would be quite a story if you DIDN'T have a heartbeat as you were reading this!).

In yesterday's blog I closed out with this quote that also came from the movie, "Tuck Everlasting"... "Don't be afraid of death but rather be afraid of the unlived life."

What do you think of when you think of living a life without regrets?

Is it simply trying to live life without doing much of anything wrong and, if you DID do something wrong, making sure that you reconciled the situation as much as possible?

For me, when I think of the idea of "living life without regrets" DOES take the previous thought into account BUT, in my mind, there is so much more to the equation. Let me explain...

I DO NOT want to come to the end of my life and have a long list of "what ifs" or "I wonder's". Do you understand what I mean?

I don't want to still ask myself, "What IF..." I had done this or that. I don't want to be wondering what would have happened IF I had stepped out - in spite of the fear and the unknown - and followed my heart and/or my dream.

Fear is truly an amazing emotion.

Think about this - fear can make you move like you've never moved before! For me, that type of strong emotion comes if I come across a snake unexpectedly. For example, my wife and I were walking a few years ago and it was just about getting dark when a very small (but still very poisonous) copperhead snake cross right between our feet. I didn't see it but I didn't HAVE to see it when I heard her say, "There's a snake!" Friend, she didn't yell it, she didn't say it with excitement. She said it in a very normal and calm voice. But, for me, it didn't matter! I didn't have to see the snake or know where it was. All I had to do was hear the words, "There's a snake!" and I was IMMEDIATELY "high-stepping" and doing it quickly! (Stop laughing!). Yes, she laughed hard and long at my immediate reaction to the situation but I really had NO CONTROL over my actions. FEAR MOVED ME to MOVE and to do so QUICKLY!

Now, let's look at a different scenario. Thank goodness I've not really had this one happen to me, but let's say I'm walking through the back yard and I come upon an adult copperhead that is coiled up and ready to strike. Very likely the very same emotion of FEAR that caused me to move and move quickly in the previous example would likely cause me to FREEZE in my tracks and make it to where I couldn't move no matter how badly I wanted to.

Same emotion with two different reactions.

Which will you allow into your life?

Will you allow the FEAR of the "unknown" or the FEAR that comes from past failures cause you to "freeze in your tracks" and keep you from making any more progress in your life? Go back and look at the examples I used yesterday about over-protective parents and realize that FEAR can definitely put us in the category of "merely existing" instead of "truly living".

Or, perhaps, you will allow the FEAR of dying with regrets ("what ifs" and "I wonder's") push you forward REGARDLESS of the past failures or the fact that you are not sure of what may happen.

Which ever form of that fear is the greatest will determine your action.

Yes, fear CAN be a great motivator and, if that is what it takes to get you started, then let that fear of dying with regrets get you going.

Then, guess what? You will begin to see that there was nothing to fear in the first place (as far as "the unknown") and you will begin to LIVE life and cease to merely exist.

Oh, I'm sure that we ALL will die with SOME regrets when it comes to an "unfinished list of things to do and see". But, just think of how wonderful it will be to look at that list (even if it's in our head) and KNOW that we sure enjoyed living life as we checked off as many as we could!

HERE'S TO LIFE AND LIVING!

And it all starts right now. Today.

Until next time...

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

Mike http://www.michaelspillman.com/

"When the Going Gets Tough" - Part 4

"The First 'R' of the "3 R's of Change"

As we continue to talk about the fact that, when we face tough times and situations, we likely need to make some changes in our life we must begin to challenge ourselves as to the WHY of our situation.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a tough situation due to circumstances beyond our control such as the tornado example I used in yesterday's article. Even at that - even though we had no control over the tornado - we find ourselves, out of necessity, having to make changes in our life!

But again, if we are going to be totally and brutally honest with ourselves, there are many times that we have to face the fact that WE are to blame for the tough situation in which we find ourselves. Perhaps it's due to poor choices and decisions or due to our own negative attitude towards our job and/or others around us.

But, regardless...WHAT NOW?

Today I want to introduce you to the first "R" of what I like to call "The 3 R's of Change" and that would be...

RETREAT!

Let's get something clear right from the start of this part of the discussion - retreat and surrender are two totally different things!

Surrender means that you have given up and given in. You have ceased to fight.

"Retreat" means that you have decided that you need to withdraw from the situation so that you can "step back" and take another look at what is going on and what you are doing in regards to the situation.

I don't really want to get too detailed on this today because I will be revealing the other 2 "R's" of change tomorrow and they all tie in with each other. However, we can still focus on this part and work on it right away...

YOU MAY NEED TO RETREAT!

Do any of you remember that old commercial where the housewife was surrounded by her hectic surroundings of the day? The kids were fussing and fighting, the dog was barking, the phone was ringing and on and on it went. The commercial ends with her calling out, "Calgon take me away!". It was an advertisement for some sort of bath salt and she longed to get in that hot tub and just soak and GET AWAY from her hectic surroundings.

We ALL need that from time to time and, sometimes, when we are in the middle of tough times we especially need to retreat.

Do NOT misunderstand this point...this is NOT running away from the situation or your problems! Not at all!

I'll clarify this even more in tomorrow's podcast and blog article but it is NOT running away or surrendering.

My friend, "retreat" is just the opposite of giving up or running away.

So, for you today, perhaps you just need to take a step back and take a deep breath. Don't give up and don't run away. That never accomplishes anything, does it? Why? Because the problem or tough situation is still there.

Be sure to join me tomorrow as I revel the other 2 "R's" of change and, until then...

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

Mike

When the Going Gets Tough - Introduction

"When the Going Gets Tough - Introduction"

A couple of things first before I get on to the discussion on today's topic, o.k.?

First of all - I'M BACK, BABY! Oops, sorry for the burst of enthusiasm there (actually, no, I don't really apologize for it!). But, after a 6.5 month lay off from doing my podcast and, in conjunction with it, my podcast on a "regular" basis I've decided it's time to get back on track and "do this thing!"

It was two years ago today (March 2, 2009) that I began my very first podcast on "Hope" so I thought it appropriate to get it going again on the anniversary of this occasion.

(Too, let me also say "Happy Birthday" to my son, Jeremy today!!)

Let me tell you about something new that I'm doing WITH my daily podcast that some of you MIGHT find helpful. While I record my podcast I am also now video taping it as well.

Yeah, that's right, now you get to WATCH my beautiful face while I do the podcast. The good news? IT'S YOUR CHOICE! So, if you decide to do so... all bets are off, o.k.?

Now, that being said, I'm going to mention something about it before someone fusses about the "low tech" approach to the video. Hey, just watch the first one with this topic and you'll see what I'm talking about. Go to my YouTube channel to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/moustachemike?feature=mhum

Anyway, I start the thing out holding up a piece of paper with the "podcast logo" on it. Awesome, huh? Here's the deal. I have a real problem transferring these videos onto my "movie maker" without it freezing up on me. When I am able to use the "movie maker" I can add graphics (such as an actual "podcast logo graphic") as well as overlay website addresses, etc. on the video.

HOWEVER, when I try to do this with a video that is not broken down (like I had to do with my series on "The Promise of Hope") it freezes up and is unable to be used. So, at least for now until I get something else figured out, I need to just upload the video without using any kind of "movie maker" program. So, it's not "high tech" as far as visually BUT I do think it's of value "content-wise".

Here's a free little life lesson for you that connects with this: "PRETTY stuff doesn't always mean it's GOOD stuff!" Right? 'Nuff said about that. Let's move on to the topic at hand for today.

"WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING"

We've all heard that one before, right? And though it is a good "motivational" phrase that may be able to encourage some, it's not always true, is it?

Simply put, what about in YOUR life? Is this always true? Hey, you can answer honestly because I nor anyone else reading this can hear your answer.

We may WANT it to be true. We may FEEL THE NEED for it to be true so that we can live up to someone else's expectation of us. We may WANT IT TO BE TRUE due to our OWN expectations that we place on ourselves.

But, bottom line, it's NOT always true. We DON'T always get up and get going. We DON'T always have this powerful mindset firmly in place so that it may propel us forward with "guns a'blazing".

How does that make you feel?

For those that may be reading or listening to my thoughts for the first time you will soon discover this to be true - I'm real. What I mean by that is that you won't find a lot of "fluff" here. Just honest and, hopefully encouraging, thoughts and ideas.

Hey, but even though I hope the things I share here are encouraging that doesn't mean that it won't "hurt" sometimes. THE TRUTH OFTEN HURTS, right?

So, for the next few podcast and blog posts, I'm going to examine the FIRST PART of this phrase and look at some possible "ending phrases" that we all look at whether we like it or not.

"When the going gets tough..."

Join me for my next podcast and blog entry as I share thoughts on one such ending to that phrase.

Oh, by the way, until my podcast gets finalized/approved over at iTunes, you can go here to here it (and I hope to have the rss feed button up on the right hand column of this blog very shortly):

http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml

Alright friends, I am glad to be back doing what I love and I hope you will join me as often as possible. Please feel free to leave comments here, on the fan page at Facebook, on the website (www.FutureYouUniversity.com) which can also be accessed by simply going to www.MichaelSpillman.com or by sending an e-mail to me at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

And, as always...

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

Mike

New Videos Posted on "The Promise of Hope"

I've posted a couple of videos (so far) on a new series I'm putting together on "The Promise of Hope".

I - like many - are going through some difficult struggles right now and just felt the need to express some thoughts that I've been having on this important - and much needed - topic.


The thoughts found in these videos really have come from my own personal "battle of the mind" and my realization of the fact that I must WORK HARDER at controlling the negative thoughts that I've allowed to sneak into my mind.


So, my friend, I DO understand - I've been here before and I'm here again and, because I've been here before, I KNOW I can come out on the other end as a "survivor" of these struggles.

So far I have only completed two videos on this topic and they can be found on the fan page of Future You University


http://www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity


OR by going to my youTube channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/moustachemike?feature=mhum



Keep your eyes open and your heads up and, as always...



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




Mike

Fighting Desperation

Well friends, it's been a while since I've posted anything on here but I "got the itch" and HAD to do some more stuff since it's been so long.

I have recently posted four videos (one of them is a 3-part series with the same name as this article) on the Future You University fan page (you can access that via http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/). They can also be found on Youtube (just search "Mike Spillman" and you'll find them..."Mike Spillman's 'Two-Minute Drill').

Anyway, this last set on "Fighting Desperation" is one that I think most - if not all - of us can relate to as many struggle through the tough economy.

In part 2 of this series I break down some figures to help us all "shake free" from the "mind-freeze" that can come from desperation. When I break something down like this it helps me to see the REAL possibilities that are available TO me and FOR me - even when I struggle.

In part 3 I encouraged each of you to share some ideas on different ways that a person can put an extra $500 - $1000 in their pockets each week.

TOGETHER we can all help each other make it through these tough times AND feel good about helping in such a way!

Again, whether it's a T-shirt, an e-book or ANY kind of product....selling 10 @ $20 each day (OR selling 20 @ $10 each) will put $1000/week in our pockets! And, yes, you can bring that down even further if you need to by selling 10 @ $10 or 20 @ $5 each in order to put an extra $500/week in your pocket.

Here's one that I'd like to share. It's simply sharing a link to a FREE e-book (nope, I didn't even have to write this one!). Too, there is a LOT of SUPER information for ANYONE that either is or would like to get involved in some sort of on-line activity.

It costs you NOTHING to check it out and downloading the FREE e-book costs you nothing as well! Too, your not even asked to provide any e-mail address or other information in order to download this.

Check it out for yourself:
http://www.supertips.com/ultimate/x/?id=6015

NOW, HERE IS WHERE YOU COME IN....

Please leave thoughts and ideas that YOU have that can help others in this tough time. Just leave a comment for others to read and let's all share/brainstorm together to get our minds moving - once again - in a POSITIVE and POWERFUL direction!

Thanks for your help and, as always...

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

Mike

How Do I Close the Gap?

"How Do I Close the Gap?"

Sometimes we take note of people in the news that are wealthy beyond our imagination and wonder why that can't be us.

So many times we also begin to "attack" that wealthy person (knowing very little - if anything - about them) so that we can feel better about why we are where WE are in relation to where THEY are!

I mentioned an article in the podcast about "Myths About Millionaires" and I've posted it on the fan page on Facebook - go there to check it out. (If you're not a member, go to http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com and click on the contacts tab and join up to become a member of our fan page there).

Hey, listen - you and I have both known this for a very long time...the easiest way to try to make ourselves feel better is to try to tear someone else down! We see it all of the time and, let' admit it, we've also DONE it from time to time.

But, may I suggest that we look at this a different way?

Perhaps, instead of "pulling them down" we need to STEP UP!

It is interesting that, with the article I mention, the comments that people left about the article just emphasize what I'm saying even more. Whining and complaining and the majority of the those leaving comments have NO IDEA what they are even talking about.

Why not let it be DIFFERENT with YOU?

Again, you don't have to be a millionaire to change your life, right?

What amount of money would make difference in your monthly budget? Would $1,000 a month make a big difference in your life? My guess is that it would! That's an extra $12,000 per year!

Whatever is needed in your life - what are YOU doing about it?

Are you sitting on THIS side of the gap looking over at the OTHER side and just whining about it? Are you just sitting and WONDERING how come things are the way that they are?

OR are you ready to start putting some plans - backed by ACTION - into place so that you can "close the gap"?

Guess what? It's all up to YOU!

Hey, you should know by now - if you don't already - that this is the main point of just about everything I say. YOU. No one else so stop looking around. YOU.

What will YOU do?

Start today and, as you do so...

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

Mike

Boots or Flip Flops?

Boots or Flip Flops?

My guess is that we've all heard the phrase, "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps". The idea behind it being that you need to get your boots on, lace them up and get up and get going (bootstraps = laces). With that thought in mind, here is my quote for today's thoughts:

"It's hard to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps if you're wearing flip flops!" - Mike Spillman

Yeah, I like it.

Now, first, let me say this - I understand that we live in a world in which we really DO rely and depend upon each other. We are not an "island" and we should do all we can to help each other out in this journey called life.

HOWEVER (and this goes back to yesterday's discussion) this does NOT mean that we should sit around on our rear ends with our hands out waiting for someone else to do it all for us.

So, even though we need each other, my thought today is that we need to stop whining and complaining and we need to stop waiting for someone to dump success in our laps. We need to GET OUR BOOTS ON and GET AFTER IT!

I mean, really, what are you waiting on?

But, here's the deal: It's hard to do that if you're wearing flip flops!

Huh?

Can you imagine someone showing up on a construction site for their first day of work wearing a pair of flip flops? (I bet it has happened somewhere, sometime!).

Have you seen some of these reality shows where some rich kid that has never done a day of work in their life had to do some outdoor work and one of the girls would show up wearing expensive high heels?

UNPREPARED!

In these two scenarios the person involved will NOT be able to get the work done that needs to be done.

So it is in the pursuit of our goals and dreams - what are YOU doing to prepare yourself so that you can "get up and get after it"?

Too many times I hear people talk about this or that in their life that didn't work while trying to move forward in this pursuit. Upon further questioning, many times I will find out that they really didn't do much of anything for this "new endeavor" to ever even have a chance to produce positive results.

You'll see this online a lot with a lot of the "scam" threads that you see about this or that "work from home opportunity". Now - granted - there ARE many scams out there. However, what you find on many of these are people that bought a product and never even put the thoughts and ideas into practice and then called it a "scam" because it didn't work!

I see this all the time!

One particular real estate group that I am working with has a discussion board and, constantly, I see people ask, "What do I do?". It's obvious that this person hasn't even read the basic information that is provided or available to them -yet, they want someone else to tell them what they need to do. First of all, READ THE BOOK!

See what I mean?

Quit wearing your flip flops, get your boots on and GET AFTER IT!

Now, friend, there's nothing wrong with asking for some help. We ALL need that from time to time. There's nothing wrong with seeking some guidance in ANY area of our lives. But (and I think you are following me on this, right?) at some point in time we need to get out of the nest, spread our wings and FLY!

Can you imagine seeing a 25 year old man on a bicycle with their 55 year old dad running along beside him holding the seat helping him ride his bike?

So, what about you? Boots or flip flops?

The choice - as always - is YOURS!

And, as you lace up those boots....

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

Mike

On the Right Track?

On the Right Track?

Today's quote comes off of a plaque my daughter-in-law found in a restaurant store the other day. Here it is:

"Even if you're on the right track you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

You see, it is a WONDERFUL thing to KNOW that you are on the right track! This indicates that you have been doing a lot of things in the RIGHT way to ensure your success!

You've stayed on course and kept focused on the path that will lead you to your goals and dreams!

However, sometimes (going back to what we talked about last week) the fear of making a mistake and maybe getting OFF course and OFF of the right track - even momentarily - can paralyze us to the point of not making any progress at all!

So, we may be on the right track but we're not making any movement ALONG the track toward our goals and dreams!

And, if we do that long enough, that train is going to come along and run us over and likely knock us OFF of that track!

So, being on the right track is not enough, is it?

We can "feel good" about being there, but "feeling good" ain't going to get it done (as we say down South)!

So, keep reading those positive books and articles, keep listening to those positive podcasts and CD's or MP3's and keep your eye on your goals and dreams so that you DO move toward them each and every day.

Exciting? YES! Scary at times? YES!

But, hey, it's YOUR life! Why not "go for it"?

And, as you do...

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

Mike

The Power of Choice!

The Power of Choice!

Make no mistake about it - the power of CHOICE is a very POWERFUL thing we all possess!<>

Some treat this possession with great care while others use it lightly - not understanding (or, perhaps, not caring) the power of this possession.

This great possession - the power of CHOICE - will determine the direction of your day, week, month, year and life. Now, will anyone try to tell me that this is NOT a great and powerful possession?

You have it and I have it. We all have it. We all use it or abuse it.

What about you?

Now listen, in order for all of us to "get real" with this and in order for me not to come across as unrealistic I must say that there are times that we make wise choices and there are times that we make unwise choices.

Just because we may understand the POWER of choice does not mean we will always make the best choice. Aren't there times that you made an unwise choice but, at the time, you thought it was the RIGHT choice?

Those that abuse and fail to understand the power of this great possession are those that really don't put much - if any - thought and consideration into their choices. Many times they are perfectly happy to allow OTHERS to make their choices for them. This is a LAZY way to exist. I won't say it's a lazy way to "live" life because this is not living at all - it is existing.

So, where do you fit in?

Hopefully, even if you have been in the category of the "lazies" you have been working hard at transitioning to the category of one that truly understands the power of choice. But, again, please understand that this will not make you immune to bad choices.

What do YOU do when you discover that you have made a poor choice? Give up? Blame someone else? Sit down right where you are and throw a "pity party"? All of the above?

Here's the oddity about choices. Once made and acted upon, they cannot be changed. (Notice this - they can be made and changed BEFORE they are acted upon, but once they are acted upon, there is no changing them). HOWEVER...even once they have been acted upon and you realize it was a BAD choice, you CAN go back and decide to choose a different path.

That, in itself, is VERY POWERFUL!

Now, even though we can go back and decide to choose a different path doesn't mean that all of the impact of the bad choice will disappear. It won't!

But, here is a choice even about that: Even with the impact of a bad choice raining down on your head you have two choices - 1. Stay there and have your "pity party" while you suffer the negative consequences OR 2. Realizing that you are going to deal with the consequences regardless, you can retrace your steps and go back and make a decision that will take you down a better path even while the impact of your original bad choice still comes down all over and around you.

So....are you ready for this? Even though you make a BAD choice you still have a CHOICE as to whether or not you go back and CHOOSE to correct your original bad choice!

Wow!

Too many people think that once they have made a bad choice that they are STUCK!

WRONG!

Now, again, consequences may have to be paid for a very long time. For example, maybe you are one of the thousands of people that got into a loan situation for a house that, once those balloon payments rolled around, found out you couldn't afford that house after all and you ended up going through a foreclosure. "OH NO! MY LIFE IS RUINED!"

No, it's not.

Yes, there will be CONSEQUENCES to pay for a very long time - but your life is not over and it does not prevent you from learning from the experience and now making wiser choices.

I know that to be true because I went through it about 20 years ago. Never forget, "As long as there is breath there is hope!"

If you have not done so, go and listen to the podcasts for this week and tie all of this in together. Even if you don't like where you are right now -- it's not the end! You CAN make corrections and changes (which, in itself is a choice) to improve your situation.

I'd love to hear from you at anytime with your thoughts and your own experiences in this area. Just shoot me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

Also, don't wait - it all begins TODAY!

And, as you go through your day with a positive mindset, don't forget to...

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

Mike

FutureYouUniversity.com

Live a Life of Truth

Live a Life of Truth

Truth.

One definition found at dictionary.com for the word TRUTH is "conformity with fact or reality".

That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? What we SAY or DO - if it's based on TRUTH - will conform with FACT or REALITY.

IF it's based on truth - don't miss that point!

All week long I have been discussing our tendency to live a life of lies in many areas and, particularly, in the area of our own progress or lack of it toward our goals and dreams.

We do it to make ourselves feel better yet, in the end, we actually feel worse. We not only make ZERO progress, we actually take several steps back when we live this life of deception.

So now - as always - it is totally up to YOU as to whether you want to keep living that way OR change and live a life of TRUTH.

Yes, sometimes the truth does hurt! But again, how has living a life of lies and following the path of least resistance worked out for you so far?

Unless you've gotten so far away from truth that you've become callous to it - the more you've lived a life of lies the more the truth hurts when you are exposed to it and challenged by it!

There's no where to hide when you remove the excuses, is there? It's basically you standing there naked before the TRUTH about you and your efforts.

But now think about it this way... this can be very exciting and one of those "life moments" that can change the course of your own personal history!

IF you decide to act upon it.

Once you begin to live a life of truth - even when it hurts and even when you'd rather take the easy way out and lie to yourself - the easier you will find it is to live this life of truth!

You will become disciplined and better prepared for this journey toward your goals and dreams.

Hey, have you ever began a workout in order to get in shape? Was it easy at first? Was it fun at first? Did you quit right off?

Many do quit too soon because of the very fact that it's not easy or fun. So, they give up and continue to live the unhealthy life that they have lived for so long and THOUGHT they wanted to get away from. Until they found out that it wasn't going to be easy!

But then there are those that fight through the pain and the sweat and the unpleasantness of getting your body to do what it is unaccustomed to doing - MOVING! Those that stick it out begin to see results and begin to find that the longer they do this exercise routine the easier it becomes. And, yes, torture becomes more of a challenge and even fun along the way.

Why? Because you're body (and mind) has begun to adapt and make the changes that come with the discipline practiced to fight through the first and most difficult part of the program.

So it is with living a life of truth.

You can give up and quit because it's not easy or you can tough it out and DISCIPLINE yourself to stick to your decision to make positive changes in your life.

And, yes, you CAN do it!

And I'm here to help you any way I can. Just remember that deception and denial will lead to nothing but disaster and that TRUTH can actually set you free!

Think about it and then begin to live a life of truth!

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

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

Mike

Believe in Yourself and Others

Believe in Yourself and Others

Here's a couple of interesting things to consider as we begin today:

- Everyone around you can believe in you (family and friends) but if you don't believe in yourself you WILL NOT achieve much success.

- Even if NO ONE around you believes in you, if you believe in yourself you can and likely will achieve much success.

Take a moment and really look that over and consider what that means in your own life! It's a very POWERFUL observation that can make all the difference in your life. The difference being IF you believe in yourself!

This is a message that we all need to hear and, obviously, was one that I needed to be reminded of a week ago as I was on my motorcycle. If you don't know what I'm talking about then go back and listen to the podcast and read the blog entries for the past couple of days.

You see - so that I can emphasize this - even if NO ONE ELSE believes in you but you BELIEVE IN YOURSELF you can, and likely will, achieve great things in your life!

The problem comes in fighting off the feeling of doubt that will try to creep it's way into your life because of the negative thoughts and feelings of others around you. We MUST put up a "barrier" around us to keep these poisonous thoughts from creeping into our minds. Again, this is an absolute must!

Going back to an illustration from yesterday, we must make sure that our filter is clean and working! Just like an air filter on an automobile or air conditioner (or any machine) that is designed to filter out the dirt and dust that can ruin the engine we must do the same thing and filter out the negative influences that can ruin our positive mindset. And, just like the air filter, we must constantly check to make sure that our "filter" and clean and working at the highest capability.

STOP DOUBTING YOURSELF. No, I'm not "yelling" at you, I'm putting those words in capital letters so that you can "feel" the importance and significance of those words.

You are unique. You are special. You are one-of-a-kind and you are capable of accomplishing great things. (Go back again to the "7 Daily Affirmations" that I covered a couple of months ago.)

Without this belief you will never accomplish what you were put here to accomplish - so, dump the doubt and move on in a powerful and positive direction of BELIEF!

Now, here's the other side of the coin. You must also learn to believe in others.

Yes, even though no one else may believe in you and the fact that you believe in yourself will propel you to great things, you must also come to the understanding that you have to believe (and rely upon) others.

Now, I don't know about you, but this one is tough for me at times. And, if you are a "type A" personality it is likely the same for you.

"If you want something done right you have to do it yourself!"

Yes, that's a thought that those of us that fit that "type A" category believe in very strongly. But, it's also a believe that will keep us from reaching our full potential.

Somewhere down the line we have to learn to find dependable and trustworthy people and then BELIEVE in them and let them help.

And, my friend, (at least for me) this is hard to do!

You see, I can even break down that "find dependable and trustworthy" part of that thought and come to the conclusion that I can't FIND anyone that would fit both of those categories!

Yeah, some of you are smiling as you read that because you are either the same way or you know someone that is.

But for me, it is a message that I needed to be reminded of - "Believe in yourself....AND OTHERS!"

It's a process but it's a process that I must be dedicated to each and every day so that I may improve in this area each and every day. A little at a time. A day at a time. One step at a time.

But it IS something that MUST be done!

And the same is true for you today.

So, join me in this endeavor to "Believe in yourself and others" so that we can all celebrate our achievements that will make this world a better place.

And, as you do so each day, don't forget to...

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

Mike

"Ask and..."

Ask and...

...it shall be given to you.

That's the first of the 3 parts of the concept we began talking about yesterday: "The Concept of A.S.K." , a Biblical concept which, I believe, can be applied to all areas of our lives and one that I believe can get us back "on track" to living the life of our dreams and our passion.

Yesterday we talked about raising the level of our expectation. But, the question is this: how do you know that your level of expectation NEEDS to be raised?

You have to ASK the right questions about your life and be willing to find the answers!

We should ALL be constantly asking ourselves questions about what we are doing and/or trying to accomplish in and with our lives so that we may stay "on course" or "on track" in this pursuit.

What questions should we be asking?

1. Why am I here? What is my PURPOSE for being on this earth? Hopefully you have come to realize that you are not here for you alone! We are all connected by those around us and the ever decreasing size of our world thanks to the technology that exists today.

Last week we talked about the fact that you are UNIQUELY you! There is NO ONE ELSE in the whole world like you! You leave a very unique "life fingerprint" on your world and the question we asked concerning this was, "What imprint are YOU leaving behind?".

It's pretty much the same question just worded differently.

2. What Am I Doing to Fulfill This Purpose? Once I understand what my purpose is (you may never come up with the complete answer and you will likely see the answer slowly unfold before you over the course of time) I must then ask myself the question of, "What am I doing about it?"

3. HOW Will I Fulfill or Continue to Fulfill This Purpose? This is the "what action is needed" part of the equation - WHAT DO I DO?

Are you serious about asking these questions? Will you spend the time necessary to adequately explore the possible answers to these powerful questions about your life?

4. Will I? This is likely the most important question that MUST be answered. You see, going through the process of discovering your purpose and what you must do to fulfill that purpose is a wonderful - and needed - thing in our lives. However, if we are not willing to actually DO something about it, it really doesn't amount to much, does it?

You see, the part of the "A.S.K. Concept" on this part is, "...and it will be given to you."

Do you expect it to just be dropped in your lap? I hope not! But many do!

The answers WILL be revealed to you IF you sincerely want to know the answers! You may ask, "Why would anyone ask a question that they don't want the answer to?" It happens all of the time and you likely even do it from time to time.

Sometimes the "action" of asking the questions pacifies us to the point of "feeling good" and thinking we have done all we need to do. Sure, we may be willing to ask the questions - but are we willing to really look for the answers?

And, then, when the answers are revealed are we willing to take ACTION with those answers?

"Ask and it WILL be given to you!" That's a promise for those that genuinely ask.

This is more difficult than one might think. It takes the willingness to be 100% honest with yourself and really look deep at who you are and why you're here and what you are or aren't doing about it. And then, the hardest part... the decision to take action on what you find.

I wish you success on this journey that we are discussing this week. Make no mistake, the journey will go far beyond this week, my friend! This journey will likely take you weeks and months if not years but, in my opinion, it is one we MUST all take if we are serious about living up to our potential and living a life of passion. This also will lead to living the life of your dreams.

And, as you travel this journey, always remember to...

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

Mike

Breaking the "NO" Habit!

You've probably seen the following saying: "The best way to break a habit is to drop it!", right? As corny as it sounds - it's TRUE!

Again, I encourage you to check out the article about Phil Keoghan in the February issue of SUCCESS magazine or access it via www.Success.com (on the main page in the left column click on "current issue" and then click on February 2010 and scroll down and find the article) OR just go to our FYU Fan Page on Facebook where I have already posted it for your convenience.

Yesterday we talked about the need to start "Living in the 'YES!'" and today we want to talk about doing so by BREAKING the "no" habit that many of us have gotten too comfortable with.

Again, part of what Phil shares is this: “People become very good at what they practice. If you practice building a ‘wall of no’ up in front of everything you’re trying to do, you’ll be very good at building that wall. The more you practice, the thicker the wall becomes; the more resilient it becomes, the harder it will be to push that wall down.”

So, if this is true - and I do believe it is, don't you? - then we need to make a shift in what it is that we practice! Wouldn't you agree?

Instead of practicing telling ourselves NO all of the time - let's start examining the great potential of getting in the habit of saying YES in our lives!

We - I speak for myself and assume that many of you have experienced the same - have gotten ourselves in the habit of telling ourselves why we CAN'T do something and we need to shift our mindset to start thinking of ways that we CAN!

"Can't" or "No" is easy! It requires no effort and no risk. It's the easiest way out - the path of least resistance. When considering our future or ANYTHING do we really want to take the path of least resistance? Do we REALLY want to take the easy way out?

Likely, if you are reading this blog - you would answer, "NO WAY!" - and that is one time that answering "NO" would be a good thing!

Well, listen, I have to get on with today's business, but I hope you have been stirred up a little to start breaking the "NO" habit and to begin living in the "YES!".

And, as always, as you do so...

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

Mike