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   

How I Know When I'm On The Right Track

What gets YOUR attention? What is it that "wakes you up" and causes you to think or say, "Hey, maybe there's a message that I need to be paying attention to?"

Hopefully you are not someone that would just look blankly at me if I were able to ask this question to you face to face. 

Very quickly I want to share with you something that happened to me over the past week or so and also share (again) something that happened to me several years ago that was very similar. 

When I was getting ready for my recent LIVE event I came across a quote by Napoleon Hill (posted in the last article) that read, "Don't wait. The time will never be just right". Cool, I knew it would fit in with the night's discussion so I put it together in a graphic format and went about my day. 

I don't remember how many days went by from when I first found that quote for this event but, in a very short period of time I came across that EXACT same quote again and through a different source on the Internet. "Wow, that's interesting" I thought to myself. 

So, again, I did the LIVE event three days ago (from the day of this article) and did the blog article yesterday that featured this - and other - graphics that I used from the event. The, yesterday - guess what? - the exact same quote by Napoleon Hill showed up once again. 

Friend, when a message keeps appearing to me like that then, one, I know I need to pay attention because it is obviously something that I need to apply to my life. And, two, it also "tells me" that I am on the right track with this particular thought!

Here's another example from several years ago that I have shared on more than one occasion via my different avenues of communicating with you. I was out on a ride on my motorcycle (my favorite time to just think with no interruptions) when I came across a sign in front of a church building that read, "Believe in Yourself". (By the way, I got this part reversed in the video recording as well as the podcast but I did catch this on the podcast and corrected it). 

A few more miles down the road and, you know it, the EXACT same message appeared on another sign and, no, this was not some kind of special "Believe in Yourself" day. Yes, after seeing that exact same sign with the exact same words I did think, "Hmmmm...interesting." The thought changed from "interesting" to "Wow! That's something I obviously need to hear/see/receive today!" when I saw the exact same thing on third sign! And then, to complete the message, about three miles from my house as I was driving through my home town, I glanced at one of those "scrolling marquee" signs just in to time see the words, "And Others". 

My "message" was complete! "Believe in Yourself...and Others". 

What's my point? Simply this. I KNOW I am on the right track with a thought or I am being PLACED on the right track when I see such a thought repeated to me in a short span of time.

What about you? 

Sometimes we can get so busy and caught up with "stuff" that we just don't pay attention.

So, today, I simply want to encourage you to just "pay attention". No, don't search this stuff out but DO be aware of these "messages" that may come your way.

Have you had such experiences? I'd love to hear about them! Specifically, if you would, please to to my "fan page" on FBook and leave the comment there.

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

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

Mike

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

Change Your _______, Change Your Life!

I'm sure, like me, you've heard all kinds of ideas and thoughts on how to "change your life", right? 

So, who is right? Like the image above says, "I want to change my life - but HOW?"

I recently have come across a couple of more that, on the surface, seem a bit "funny" in what they claim will change your life. One says that "changing your WATER" will change your life while another says that "changing your BLENDER" will change your life. 

Again, on the surface, these both seem a bit odd but, at the same time, when I (you) understand that they both are basically stating that, by changing what you put IN YOUR BODY, you can change your life, they make a bit more sense. Don't they?

There are all kinds of ways that we can change our life in a physical way and, yes, what we put INTO our bodies is a big part of that as well as what we DO WITH our bodies (such as exercise). And, as a benefit of that, our attitudes will often improve and we have a "brighter" outlook on everything around us. 

But what about NOW? What about "where I am" right now, regardless of the amount of exercise I am (or am not) getting? Yes, I understand the need for being more careful about what I put INTO my body, but what about TODAY while I'm still trying to improve in that area?

Here we go, friend Once again, it's going to sound "too simple" but, like I've mentioned before, "Many times the PROFOUND can be FOUND in the simple!" - don't miss that point. So, here it is: "CHANGE YOUR MINDSET, CHANGE YOUR LIFE".

Here's a shot of the little card I have on my "focus board" that reminds me to FOCUS on what is important. It's one that I've shared with you before but I want to use it again, as a reminder of this fact...

Take a close look at this and I honestly believe that there is not any way that you won't see what I'm saying is TRUE. (Notice: I didn't say it was easy, I said it was TRUE.)

Part of this process is something that you are doing right this very moment - reading this blog article about having and maintaining a positive mindset and attitude.  Another easy step that you can add to that is to listen to the podcast that goes along with this article by clicking HERE for the iTunes access or by clicking HERE for the RSS feed. 

That's right, daily - DAILY - simple, small steps repeated (guess what? DAILY) consistently will lead to CHANGE. That is true in any area of your life, good or bad  It's never too late to break a bad habit and it's never too early to develop a good one. And, friend, THIS is a good one!

The only way that you can change your BEHAVIOR (what you DO) is by first changing the way that you THINK which will develop the foundation of your BELIEFS. 

Do you want different RESULTS and a different/better life? Then it is imperative that you change what you think and believe and then, as a result, change what you DO.

DO and LIVE what you BELIEVE or you will be miserable. 

Again, be sure to listen to the podcast to get additional input and thoughts on this topic and  NEVER, EVER give up on improving and changing your life. If you haven't done so, go back a couple of articles and read the one on "The 4th Quarter" as well as the last one on being SO positive that negative people won't even want to be near you. 

Get it? Got it? GOOD!

Until next time, whatever you do, 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

BELIEF Without ACTION is WORTHLESS!

"ACTION! - Faith Without Works is Dead! - Belief Without ACTION is Worthless!"

 The Bible states, "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:20). The basic discussion behind this verse is the idea that, you can say anything you want but, without SHOWING what you believe by your ACTIONS, your words mean nothing.

Let's talk about that angle first. You can SAY that you love someone but, friend, you can SAY anything you want, but it's what you DO that REALLY shows if you love that person or not. You can SAY that you CARE about someone but, again, it's what you DO that truly shows what you really feel. 

Someone can say the words, "I'm sorry", and say them again and again and again but, if they never change their actions (which would indicate remorse and the desire to do things differently) then, quite honestly, their words are empty and hollow. They mean nothing. 

For years I have said the following: "You live what you believe." 

The same is true when it comes to what you SAY about what you want to achieve in and for your life. Talk is great! Getting "fired up" by listening to a powerful speaker is great but, if that's all that ever comes from it then, honestly, what has it helped you accomplish?

Have you ever grown tired of listening to someone continuously talk about what they are GOING to do? Maybe you have grown tired to the point that you finally said something like, "When are you going to stop TALKING and start DOING?" 

How about yourself? Are you holding yourself to that same standard? Do you need to ask YOURSELF when you are going to stop TALKING and start DOING? 

Several years back, while working with one of the churches that I did as a minister, I developed a program that I called "Dreamers and Doers". The idea behind it was, simply, to try to get a group of people to go beyond TALKING about things that needed to be done or that "we" wanted to happen and to start DOING things to actually make those things HAPPEN!

The difference between DREAMING and DOING is...are you ready for it?...ACTION! 

Many people give Napoleon Hill a "bad rap" by saying that he believed that all you had to do was believe something and it would take place. People often misquote/misapply the his idea that what the mind believes, one can achieve. However, if one would take the time to actually read his book, "Think and Grow Rich", they will clearly see that Mr. Hill points out that ACTION is an absolute necessity in this process. ACTION! 

Hey, don't ever forget that, even if you "take two steps forward and one step back", you are still making progress. So, here's an easy equation to remember: BELIEF + ACTION = PROGRESS.

Once again, if you haven't done so yet, you need to listen to the podcast on today's topic. Just click one of the links at the bottom of this article to do so. There is SO MUCH MORE information and additional thoughts that I share with you there that is not found in this article. 

If you listen by going to iTunes, please take a moment and leave a review - I thank you in advance! Also, be sure to stop by the FYU fan page on Facebook and let me know that you left that review AND to just say "hello" and let me know that you are benefiting from Future You University. 

As always, THANKS for joining me today and, please, share this with as many as possible and always be sure to keep moving forward, closer to your dream!

And, until next time, whatever you do,  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

YES, You Can! (Saying "YES" to Life)

YES YOU ARE - YES YOU CAN - YES YOU WILL

Listen to me, now... if you haven't read and/or listened to the first part of this series, DO IT NOW! It is vitally important for YOU to understand, realize, accept and PROCLAIM that you ARE capable and able of accomplishing great things in and for YOUR life!

Be sure to go back to that last article and copy and print those 7 Daily Affirmations that I have for you there and begin to state them - OUT LOUD - each and every day so that you can begin to internalize the beliefs that you find stated there. 

You must first understand and CLAIM this very important fact: YES, YOU ARE!

You see, once we get to where we can begin to at least feel that, "You know what? I am beginning to feel that I actually AM capable of great things!", we can then begin to act more productively and more positively in everything that we do. We can then begin to understand, believe and PROCLAIM that, since I AM capable, then it is true that YES, I CAN actually accomplish these things in and for my life!

Listen, I love the story of the train that said, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" as much as the next guy but, can I be brutally blunt here? (Again, it's my blog so, yeah, I guess I can, right?) Although I understand the idea behind this "I think I can" statement, let me say that I think it is a bunch of WIMPY GARBAGE!

You are capable of far more than stating, "I THINK I can" with your fingers crossed!

Step out of the WIMPY SHADOW OF DOUBT (hey, I call it like I see it) and begin to proclaim, instead, the fact that... 

There is a BIG difference in "thinking" and "KNOWING" something to be true. Wouldn't you agree with that? Hey, listen, if you're not sure how to answer that, then think about this: Ask you husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend or whatever your situation is the following question: "Do you think I'm the one for you?".Now, you tell me if you want to hear them say, "I THINK so" or "I KNOW so!"?

A leader that expresses, "I THINK this is the way we should go" as opposed to, "I KNOW this is the right way!", will not have as many people (if any) follow them with any confidence.

"I THINK I can" leaves too many opportunities for excuses. "I KNOW I can" leaves no room for doubt or the need for ANY excuse!

The questions really is this: Do you really WANT to?

Wow, when you really think about it, once we established the fact that you ARE capable and able to accomplish great things in your life, THAT ALONE removed any and all excuses.

That may scare you. That may cause you to tremble, because too many of us have grown to rely on and get really comfortable with those excuses!

So, you see...YOU ARE capable of those things, but WILL YOU TAKE ACTON to DO those things?

I wish I could answer that for you. Well, actually, I DON'T wish I could answer that for you. I don't even WANT to do that for you. It has to come from WITHIN you and it has to be YOUR thought and decision. NO ONE ELSE can do it for you...not now, not ever...YOU.

Be sure to listen to the podcast. I recorded it two days before the time that I'm sitting down and writing this article and, from what I can remember, it's a whole different thought expressed (to a large extent) than what I'm putting down in this article. That's why I always encourage you to read AND listen! It's on the same topic but it's "additional material" since they are  done at  different times and I don't have a script that I use.

GET THOSE DAILY AFFIRMATIONS OUT AND MAKE THEM A PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE!!! I can't express enough how important this is for you in this process. 

Know that you ARE able to accomplish great things and then KNOW that you CAN do these things as well...as long as you decide that you really DO want to achieve more than you have. If not, stop talking about it and stop pretending. 

Harsh? Perhaps.

True? Absolutely.

We'll finish up this series in the next article (and podcast) with the "call to action" entitled, "Yes, You Will!"

Until then, 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     "Like" FYU on Facebook!
   

Podcast on iTunes     Podcast RSS feed

YES, You Are! (Saying YES to Life)

This week, in this new series on  how to "Learn to Answer Life With 'YES!'" we will be discussing the following three, specific topics:

 



YES YOU ARE  - YES YOU CAN - YES YOU WILL

 

Think back for a moment to when you were a young child. Sure, you may have been told "no" about many things (often for your safety and to help you learn important things) but, at the same time, you may have also been encouraged with words of "yes" about what you could accomplish.

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? Astronaut? Fire fighter? Cowboy? Professional athlete? I understand that what I'm about to say is not true in all situations, but it is true in many. You may have been encouraged in these "dreams for the future" with words such as, "You can do ANYTHING you want to do and BE anything you want to be!"

 

Awesome! There were no limits and we were free to dream and imagine!

 

Yet, somewhere along the way, those powerful and positive words of encouragement became tempered with words such as, "be realistic" and "more logical".  We were told that those "dreams" were alright for dreams but we had to start thinking about "the real world".

 

And, our "yes" became "no".

 

And, as you think back on this, you may also remember or realize that the word "no" seemed to become more and more prevalent in our lives as we grew up. It seems that we began to hear the word "no" more than we heard the word "yes".

 

You may have had big and exciting plans for what you would do once you graduated High School (which may or may not have included going to college) and - either way (college or not) - you either became discouraged or, again, got told "no" by hearing again and again that your "plans" were not "realistic".

 

After a while you just feel like giving up, don't you?

 

Perhaps, even as an adult, you have had some big and exciting goals for yourself that you've wanted to achieve. And, as is often the case, it is possible that those dreams and goals were "shot down" by others around you by, once again, telling you that it was not "logical" or "realistic".

 

THIS SERIES IS FOR YOU!

 

And, specifically, this first article is REALLY for you! It's time - it's actually PAST time - to start answering life with "YES" once again!

 

Understand that you - yes, YOU - ARE capable of doing and achieving great things in and for your life! As a matter of fact, I want you to take a look at this next graphic that I put together several years ago. I've shared them before but, you may not have seen them when I did so, so I wanted to share them with you again, ESPECIALLY in connection with this topic.

 

I want you to make a copy of this graphic and post it somewhere that you will see it EVERY day. I also want you to read each one of these "daily affirmations" (daily means exactly that...DAILY) out loud before you get going on your day. Yes, you may feel a little "strange" doing so when you first begin but, friend, stick with it and you will soon find yourself saying these loudly and with great belief in what you are saying!

 

YES, YOU ARE! Notice the emphasis on the words, "I AM ABLE..." Right from the start you find the statement about yourself that you need to begin to believe - I mean REALLY believe: "I am somebody SPECIAL!" And, that being so, you ARE able to accomplish GREAT things just as is stated in step #2. And, in the process, you will also accomplish what you find in #3: I AM ABLE to TOUCH and CHANGE many lives for the better!

 

These are POWERFUL and, as the heading for these indicate, they are also LIFE-CHANGING and LIFE-DIRECTING.

 

We'll discuss more in detail in the next segment about what you actually CAN get done but, friend, let me go ahead and say this now: STOP MAKING UP EXCUSES and STOP BELIEVING these excuses that tell you that you CAN'T!

 

You ARE able and capable...YES, YOU ARE!

 

You MUST instill this believe into your life...into your subconscious so that, even when you don't "feel" that is true, you will still KNOW - deep down - that, indeed, it IS true.

 

I'm excited about this series and I hope that you are as well. DO NOT MISS THIS ALL-IMPORTANT STEP of posting these "7 Daily Affirmations" and making them a vital part of your DAILY activities.

 

You ARE capable but will YOU do "small things" such as this that will actually make a difference? You will IF you really ARE determined to achieve what it is you have set out for yourself and for your life.

 

Join me for the next article on, "YES, You Can!" and, until then, 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    "Like" FYU on Facebook!

Podcast on iTunes    Podcast RSS feed

Fear is a Liar

False Evidence Appearing Real

Have you ever been afraid of something that didn't even exist? Have you ever spent time being fearful of something that, later on, you found wasn't anything to be afraid of in the first place?

 

If you haven't done so, read the last blog article...it "sets the stage" for this week's series.

 

Now, using the example I used about "the boogie man" from when we were kids, you will understand how "fear" can really create a "realistic" belief. Yet, it is only imagination appearing real.

 

Fear often brings about the "What If" syndrome, but only on the negative side. FEAR causes us to ask, "What if it doesn't work?" "What if I get turned down? "What if I get rejected?" "What if it doesn't turn out the way I want?" "What if I fail?"

 

FAITH (belief), on the other hand, asks these same questions with a positive view. FAITH causes us to ask, "What if it DOES work?" "What if I they say 'yes'?" "What if I get accepted?" "What if it DOES turn out the way I want?" "What if I succeed?"

 

Fueled by negativity, our minds tend to look at the down side of events and possibilities. Fear causes us to worry about and focus on results that, often, never even happen.

 

If we could just understand and KNOW that FEAR IS A LIAR then, perhaps, we might move forward with more confidence.

 

Again, even if you DO take two steps forward and one step back, you are still AHEAD of where you were when you started!

 

Do not allow fear - FALSE FEAR - keep you from living and experiencing all that life has to offer. We were not made to be afraid, friend, we were made to CONQUER fear and move forward!

 

So, yes, FACE YOUR FEAR and you may find that there was not anything to fear in the first place!

 

Life was meant to be LIVED, not FEARED so, friend, now is the time to get going.

Hey, be sure to listen to the podcast on today's topic by clicking on one of the podcast links below. And, if you would, please be sure to share this article along with the podcast. Thanks!

 

Here's to your FACING and DEFEATING fear! And, as you do so, whatever you do, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike



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"F" in BELIEF

- FORGET -

 

We now come to the last article in this series on the word, "BELIEF". I'm not going to take the time to go back and recap all of the other letters and words that I've used during this series. All you need to do to catch up is to go back and read each article yourself.

 

If we are going to stay focused on what we believe what will or what can be, then we MUST be able to FORGET the past.

 

Sometimes we have a hard time looking past our current circumstances because we connect our those current events to the past. For example, we may feel that things will not or can not get any better in the future because we have experienced these negative circumstances in the past.

 

"Why should I expect anything different or any better?"

 

Sometimes we just simply have a hard time ridding our memory of what WAS, which keeps us from looking to what CAN be.

 

Let me ask you a question: When you look ahead to your goals and dreams, do you not look at something BETTER than what it is right now? Do you not look at some improvement in your life? I can answer that for you - OF COURSE YOU DO! I have never met anyone in my whole life that planned on things being WORSE in their future

 

Now, sometimes that is what happens, but it is not what we all hope, dream and plan for, right?

 

With that being true (and it is), then you understand that things can CHANGE and that they can be BETTER than they are right now. Follow me here and don't get lost. In order for that to happen, then you also must understand that YOU can be better than you are even at this point in your life.

 

Make sense?

 

The whole premise of my quote, "As long as there is breath, there is hope" revolves around this BELIEF. Every day is a day of HOPE and OPPORTUNITY, regardless of what has been a part of your past life.

 

Sure, things may be tough and there may be things you need to do and CAN to do to correct some things from the past. HOWEVER, you can NOT go back and relive the past. You can take steps to heal and you can take steps to improve and, friend, that is a sign of one that has LEARNED from their past.

 

Just remember that you LIFE is in your FUTURE and that FUTURE begins TODAY.

 

Keep moving on to your goals and dreams and belief and, as you do so, also be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

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"I" in BELIEF

 

- I -

 

The word for today is "I", the personal pronoun indicating "me" or "myself", for example. (Yeah, it's a single letter and a "word" as well!).

 

 

As a quick recap, we began with the letter "B" and the word "beyond". Belief is the ability to look and see BEYOND our current circumstances. We then used the letter "E" for the word "events". Our current circumstances are made up of daily events and, occasionally, bigger events that come our way from time to time. Closely related was the letter "L" for the word "life". These events make up our life! Life DOES happen...good or bad. And it's what we DO with this life that we experience each day that shows what our BELIEF actually means to/for us.

 

Yes, others can encourage you along the way (like with blogs and podcasts) but it is still ultimately up to YOU to determine your reaction to the events that make up your life. Do YOU have the ability to see BEYOND such events?

 

"I am responsible for my own actions".

 

We can't blame anyone else and we should not try to come up with any excuses. It is up to ME for I am the one that determines my path. NOT my circumstances, NOT the events that make up my life.

 

I will determine where I go from here. No one else.

 

This is short, but this is likely the most important word to consider in this process. We can talk all we want about our belief but, friend, talk is cheap.

 

I show what I believe by what I decide to DO.

 

And, just as a reminder, you DO have the power and ability to live your belief!

 

Until next time, always be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

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"E" in BELIEF

- EVENTS -

 

In my last article I began this series by using the word, "BEYOND" for the letter"B" in the word, "BELIEF". Go back and read that if you haven't done so yet, but I'll give you a very quick recap: We must be able to look, think and act BEYOND our current circumstances in order to reach our goals and dreams.

 

Today I want to use the word, "EVENTS" for the letter "E" in the word, "BELIEF".

 

Dictionary.com has the following as the first definition of the word, EVENT: "something that happens or is regarded as happening; an occurrence, especially one of some importance. "

 

Wow, when you look at that definition you see how "broad" and "general" an "event" really is! Look at that: "something that happens" and/or "an occurrence".

 

So, here's the point: EVENTS HAPPEN EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE and SEVERAL TIMES DURING EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE!

 

Some events are good, some are not so good and some are "neutral" in that they are really neither good or bad. For example, getting out of bed is not necessarily good or bad. However, the REASON you got out of bed might make it one or the other.

 

Did you get out of bed due to a sick child? Did you get out of bed due to a noise that you heard in your house that you needed to check out? Did you get out of bed due to some emergency?  Or did you simply get out of bed due to the fact that the alarm clock went off and it was time to get up and get ready for work?

 

Makes a difference, doesn't it?

 

As you can see, depending on the event, your day can easily swing from one end to the other on the "positive attitude" pendulum.

 

Sometimes we allow the "small" events to have more impact on us than they deserve. Have you ever allowed some small event to "set you off" on some negative thought process that even spilled out into verbal negativity? Sure you have...we all have.

 

If we allow ourselves to go unchecked on our response to such small events then how will we combat negativity when those events that are truly "life-changing" come our way?

 

Want to check something out for yourself? At the end of the day, sit down and write down as many "events" as you can that occurred during your day. Now, listen, I understand that this list could get VERY long, very quickly, if you write down every little thing that took place today. But try to go through your day and try to "track" your reaction to the "events" of the day.

 

Start with getting out of bed. That's right, write it down and write down how that went for you. Were you in a good mood? Bad mood? Did you wake up dreading the day or were you excited about the day ahead?

 

If you went to a job, did anything happen along the way that impacted you one way or the other? For example, if you had the radio on, what did you listen to and how did that influence you? Happy music? Positive information? Negative news and commentary? What about the journey to work, itself? Traffic? Smooth sailing?

 

What about when you arrived at your job? Did you share a positive attitude when you walked in or did you allow any negativity that you may have already collected influence what happened at that point?

 

See what I mean? Just adjust it to where it applies to YOUR day and see how it went. Be honest with yourself so that you can really take a look at how you are allowing events to mold your attitude through the course of a "normal" day.

 

We must develop the ability to look BEYOND our current circumstances and the EVENTS that make up the structure of those circumstances.

 

Think about it, dig deep and map out a plan.

 

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

 

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

 

Mike

 

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"B" in BELIEF

- BEYOND -

 

Today I'm starting a new "series" taking each letter of the word, "BELIEF", and applying a word to that letter that applies to the word, BELIEF.

 

As you can see, today, for the letter"B", I will be using the word, "BEYOND".

 

When I think about what it takes to believe (to have belief) or to have faith, one of the first things that comes to mind is the ability to "see beyond" how things are at the moment.

 

Think about that for a bit. Anything - and I mean ANYTHING - that you set out to accomplish is based on BELIEF or FAITH. How can I say that? Why do I say that? Because it's TRUE!

 

When you start on a new job, you believe that it will turn out good and that you will do well with that job and, perhaps (if you choose), even advance through that company with that job. Let me ask you something: Isn't that based on "belief" or "faith" that it WILL happen? You have no proof that it will happen for you yet, you choose to believe that it will turn out that way. Right?

 

When you stood before a minister and a room full of people and you pledged your love "until death do us part", did you not do so based on belief or faith? Sure you did! The odds were actually against you and, it may not have worked out for you as you had planned. Maybe it did. The fact is, on that particular day, you BELIEVED that it would.

 

There is a difference between HOPE and BELIEF. In my mind, HOPE is akin to "wishful thinking". HOPE is something that you do with your fingers crossed. BELIEF, however, is something that you understand requires YOU to do YOUR part in the process. It is believing that, if you do your part, things will work out.

 

Does that mean it always works out the way that you believed that it would? No, it does not. Sometimes it doesn't work out the way you believed that it would and there are even times when it turns out far better than you believed.

 

The key is this: When things do NOT turn out the way we had believed (or maybe even hoped), then we must continue to look BEYOND what IS and look at WHAT WILL BE if we do not give up.

 

We must look BEYOND our current circumstances and look - with BELIEF - at what WILL BE if we continue on doing our best at every endeavor.

 

Do NOT give up, don't you DARE give up!

 

The ability to look beyond...it is the cornerstone of belief.

 

And, as we work on doing our best and being our best, let's always be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

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You Are Capable!

 

I love that quote in the graphic above. Read it and pay close attention to your immediate response.

 

I'm not sure WHY we do it, but many of us DO it.

 

Do what, exactly? Doubt ourselves. So many of us have a struggle accepting what is said in that graphic. What was YOUR initial and immediate response to what you read? Be honest with yourself...no one else is going to know, but YOU MUST BE HONEST with yourself IF you are planning to move forward in this progression of a more positive mindset.

 

Yet, to some extent, I DO know why so many of us doubt ourselves. It's because we've been "beaten up" over the years. We've experienced temporary set backs and perceived "failures" and it has become difficult to believe that anything good can actually happen to us and for us.

 

We WANT to believe it but we just can't seem to get past the doubt that it CAN actually happen to us. Others? Sure, we don't have much of a problem believing that someone else can have something good in their life...we even often feel that they DESERVE it as opposed to us....who, for whatever reason, DON'T deserve it. Or so we feel.

 

I may have used the following graphic before but it seems to really apply in today's thought. Take a look:



 

For whatever reason, we find it easier to believe in others than ourselves. We have no doubt that THEY can achieve any thing and every thing, but not us.

 

STOP DOUBTING YOUR LIMITS!

 

Belief (that you can) is not based on what you can SEE! It really doesn't take much belief or FAITH to act on something that is clearly seen. Acting on something that is clearly seen removes most - if not all - risk. No risk doesn't require belief or faith, friend.

 

The Bible (in Hebrews 11:1) defines faith as, "...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

 

HOPE combined with EVIDENCE!

 

Wait a minute, it says "evidence of things not seen"...how is that evidence?

 

There is evidence of things that we cannot see around us each and every day, friend. Electricity and the wind are just two - very simple - examples.

 

Again, FAITH - BELIEF - demands that we "step out" without "seeing" everything fully. Risk is a part of the equation but, what is truly valuable without some level of risk involved?

 

Stop doubting and begin to believe that, indeed, you ARE capable of more than you know.

 

Keep your head up and keep moving forward 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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What Successful People DO

Easy to do - Easy NOT to do.

Simple, right?

Sometimes the most simple things are the most difficult things.

 

Here's something simple to think about: Do you listen when a successful person says, "That's what successful people do..."?

 

Simple to listen and consider but also just as easy/simple to ignore.

 

I heard a guy - who was fairly successful in what he was doing - say that many times people would say to him, "I want to experience the success that you have!". Now, he wouldn't respond to all of them this way but, from time to time he would say, "I have a lot of people tell me that but, let me ask you a question: Are you willing to do what I do?"

 

I've heard this said before many times as well - Those that are successful are those that are willing to do things that others aren't.

 

I think back to when I was in college and how I would wait until the last night before a test to try to "cram" all of that information into my head. That never worked very well! It would have been EASY to study a little each day so that I wouldn't have to try to "cram" it all in over a few hours. BUT, it was also too easy for me NOT to do that and for me to find plenty of other things that were a lot more fun to do than study!

 

Do you remember the movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness" which starred Will Smith and his son, Jaden? It was based on a true story about the struggle of Chris Gardner and how he was able to become a success even after being homeless with his son. (By the way, if you've never seen this - WATCH IT!).

At one point of the movie, while going through an internship program, this gentleman discovered that he could make a lot more phone calls to potential clients IF he never hung up the phone. Instead of hanging it up after each call he would simply "push the button" on the phone with his pencil eraser and move on to the next one on the list.

 

That's easy enough to do, right? But it's also easy enough NOT to do and, guess what? The others in that same program did NOT do it and that is why Mr. Gardner was able to succeed.

 

You can apply this to ANY area with which you want to be successful.

 

Eating better, exercise, reading more, writing that book, parenting, changing a bad habit, etc.

 

So, as always, it's totally up to YOU!

 

Success - whatever that may mean for you - is within your reach. What you do with it and about it is, again, up to you.

 

Easy to do - Easy NOT to do.

 

 

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

Mike


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