Seeing With NEW Eyes - The TRANSFORMATION (Part 4)

As always, if you haven't done so, be sure to go back and read the last couple of articles leading up to this one. I feel that the last one was particularly good.

And, by the way, it was completely different than what I had recorded earlier for the podcast on the same topic (part 3). That's why I strongly suggest that you also be sure to listen to the podcast (links below) to get a "full picture" of my thoughts as I continue to share on this topic.

You'll need to catch up to know what it is that I am discussing as far as this "TRANSFORMATION" that has been talking place in the lives of my wife and I over the past 7 - 8 months...and I'm not done yet!

This time, I begin by mentioning, again, that I had worked on a program that I felt very proud of and very strongly about concerning focusing on some main areas of our lives over the course of one year to see what kind of MAJOR impact/change it could have on our lives. "Project 141" means to focus on "1" thing once a day "4" - "1" full year. AWESOME! This was in November and December of 2020.

Now, fast forward to June of 2021 and, through a course of connections and other actions, I was introduced to a program (a "movement") that had been around for a number of years. Yet, I had never heard of it before and I was BLOWN AWAY when I discovered the main premise of this program. The idea is to focus on 7 main areas of our lives over the course of one year to see what kind of MAJOR impact/change it could have on our lives. Sound familiar? Oh, this program is called, "Oola". 

Take a look at the side by side comparison I put together to see how closely these two "programs" mirror each other and, yet, one had existed for years and the other (Project 141), 7 months before I ever had even HEARD of "Oola". 

 Coincidence? Some might think and/or say so but, what I have learned (and have said even before this that I believed) is that, in my opinion, THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS COINCIDENCES. 

**Want to hear something REALLY "coincidental"??? My wife is sitting in another chair reading a book while I am typing this article. She is actually reading, "The Attractor Factor" by Joe Vitale (which I will discuss further in this article) and I interrupted her reading and shared with her the "side by side" listings that you see above and then the paragraph right below that. She went back to her reading and started laughing and she told me that, the VERY NEXT SENTENCE that she read in this book mentioned something that caused Joe Vitale to ask, "Coincidence?" (In case you don't get it, read the first word in that sentence right below the graphic. 

THIS IS WHAT I'M TELLING YOU HAS BEEN GOING ON IN OUR LIVES OVER THE PAST 7-8 MONTHS! 

 During this past 7 - 8 month period this type of thing was happening literally every day and, sometimes, several times a day! The same scripture was being repeated to us over and over again from all different sources. I may have read a scripture in my Bible in the morning, heard the SAME scripture in a "randomly" scheduled podcast, heard it on an inspirational video that I watched and, then, the "preacher" focused on that exact same thing "at church" on Sunday! (This was especially true on the topic of "FEAR" that we especially noticed). 

 When I got done reading a book that I had gotten on the "Oola" program I began to search in my personal library for the next book that I was going to read. (I had committed to reading from a book - along with the Bible - EVERY day at the start of the year). I looked over my library 2 - 3 times not seeing anything that really caught my eye and then I decided to pull out the book I mentioned above by Joe Vitale, "The Attractor Factor". Now listen, some of you may already be "shutting the doors" to this because you may have a preconceived notion about what this book is - or isn't - about. I have to admit that I have had reservations on some of the things that I've been listening to (talked about in an earlier podcast and article) and, yes, even reading. 

QUESTION: If you ask for guidance and direction from God, are YOU shutting doors to things that He may be bringing across your path in order help do just that - guide and direct you???

Anyway, as I looked through the book I did notice that when I read it through the first time (back in 2007) when I first received the book that I had not underlined or highlighted one paragraph, sentence or even a single word! All I can say is, you should see that book now! "Underline City"!!

I know, without a doubt, that I was "supposed" to read THAT book at THAT time! There were just too many things that were "going along" with all of the other happenings in our life and it was continuing to impact me - and my wife - as we continued down this path. Accident? Coincidence? Again, I don't think so!

I'll close with one more example for this article but, know this, there are several more that I will be sharing over the next couple of articles. Here's the kicker: THEY STILL KEEP HAPPENING EVEN TO THIS DAY (remember my wife's reading that I mentioned earlier?). 

With this Oola program (by the way, let me know if you'd like to find out more...I've added a link to my website for more information on that program), I've been involved in what has been called an "Inner Circle Call" on Saturday mornings. On this particular Saturday morning I shared some thoughts that I had on the power that is found in Ephesians 3: 20-21 (look it up) and how it had impacted me that week when, one of the ladies on the call - B.J. - held up a mug that she had sitting on her desk with the EXACT same scripture on it! Again...you believe what YOU want to believe but, friend, I KNOW that it is NOT "just a coincidence". 

So, again, I'm going to ask the same question that I asked earlier... If you ask for guidance and direction from God, are YOU shutting doors to things that He may be bringing across your path in order help do just that - guide and direct you???

 Something to think about, isn't it? I'd love to hear from you and, if you would, please leave a note below the posting of this blog article link on my Facebook page (link below). I'd love to hear from you.

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    Project141  Oola Program

Decision Drives Direction

Right up front, let me give credit for the image above (as well as the article title and idea) to John C. Maxwell. I didn't read any article that went with this image so the ideas shared are my own, but I do want to acknowledge the origin of the image and title.

In my podcast, I end up saying, "Decision DETERMINES Direction", which is actually the same thing as the graphic and title above. Bottom line is this: Your decisions - on a DAILY basis - have a major impact on your life...for the rest of your life!

Everyday - every single day - we all have choices that require that a decision be made. Many we brush off as "not really important" but, at the same time, many of these "small decisions" that we make are bigger than we may think.

For example, getting into the habit of hitting the "snooze button" in the mornings may not seem like that big of a deal. By the way, it IS a choice and it reflects a DECISION that has been made! For one, those extra 10 - 30 minutes or so that we keep hitting that button are not "good sleep" minutes and that can affect you throughout your day. Too, this could result in you running late, being in a rush and throwing off the rhythm of your whole day. It may also be a reflection of your attitude toward your job (or whatever it is that you will be rushed to get to). 

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE - CHANGE DIRECTION!

Easier said than done? Of course, just like everything else I discuss through this blog and my podcast. However, you have a CHOICE that has to be made. You can keep whining and complaining and wonder why things aren't getting any better (doing the same thing you have always been doing) OR you can make the decision to CHANGE the direction of your life - and then DO it. 

It's just like when you map out your route for a journey that you plan to take. (Notice: You PLAN to take..as in, you make PLANS for the trip!) There are many different ways to get where you want to go. There are different routes - some that can actually take you in the opposite direction of where you want to go. Perhaps some are scenic routes, while another route may take you close to where a friend lives. It's up to you! What do you want to do and where do you want to go? Too, how quickly do you want to get there? Do you want/need to take the quickest route or are you more interested in taking your time and making several stops along the way?

So it is with life, friend! 

But here's the truth on this: keep going in the same direction that are going now and - guess what? - you will end up wherever it is that this particular "direction" is taking you. If you don't like where you're going - CHANGE DIRECTION!

I could spend a ton of time on this but I hope that I've done enough to spark some thoughts and ideas in your own mind. See how far you can take the application with this and, most importantly, apply them to YOUR own situation!

Too, I want to be sure and encourage you to take a few minutes and listen to the podcast that goes along with this topic. You can do so by CLICKING HERE for the iTunes access or by CLICKING HERE for the RSS feed. 

Be sure to join me for the next article in this "mini-series" as I examine how important it is to CHOOSE WISELY when needing to make those decisions. 

Until then, 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

RUTS: Get In or Get Out

Again, here's just a quick reminder of the things we've noticed about ruts...
A path or routine you follow day after day
A rut is fixed, rigid
A rut is not creative
A rut is not flexible
A rut cannot change easily
A rut is a route that is safe and gets me there
** "A rut is a grave with both ends knocked out"

Now, chances are, there are some of you (is it YOU?) that think that you couldn't ever get in a rut. If so, please go back a few weeks and re-read and listen again to the podcast on the series, "3 Dangerous Myths to Avoid" and be sure to listen to #3: "That Would Never Happen to Me!".

 

Yeah. I'm guessing that ALL of us get into some sort of rut at one time or another...don't think that you are immune to these pitfalls.

 

Too, there are some of you that think that you can stay in the rut and that you can "handle" or "control" that rut. Here's a FACT that you need to know:

You don't control or handle the rut - the RUT handles or controls YOU!

 

Don't let your ego keep you in that rut. More than likely, if you think that you can't get in a rut or that you are not in a rut, you ARE in a rut and the reason you can't see it is because the rut is so deep that you can't see over the "sides" of the rut!

 

Make sense?

 

Again, don't think you can "handle" the rut - YOU MUST GET OUT! The only way to do that is to take or develop a different route. Changes must be made! You don't have to turn your life upside down while doing this - you may begin a "new path" next to the rut and then pay attention to when that "new path" needs maintenance. If you don't, that path will, again, turn into a rut. And, at times, you may need to take a completely different direction.

 

We must always be alert and paying attention to that needed maintenance or we will continuously find ourselves in those defeating ruts.

 

Take the time to listen to the podcast to hear more of my detailed thoughts on this part of this series and, please, share both the blog and the podcast with as many people as possible. I appreciate your help.

 

As the "sign" in the graphic above states, "Choose your rut carefully...".

 

How about this instead: "Choose to get out and stay out of that rut!"

 

In the next article and podcast we will discuss how "duplication" and "repetition" can also turn into a rut. Join me then and, between now and then, continue 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

The Path Taken Today

The Path Taken Today

The path taken today determines...

How would YOU complete that statement?

Would you, like many, end it by stating that the path taken today will determine your future?

If you were to state such, would you be talking about your "long-term" future or just your "immediate" future?

This is going to be short and to the point so stay focused and pay attention to what I'm actually saying here, o.k.?

I'll give a nod to the fact that the path taken today may determine your immediate future but there is no way in the world that I'd even give a hint of a nod to the idea that it determines your long-term future.

How discouraging and depressing it would be (and IS for many that fall into this "often promoted yet WRONG" thought process) to think that once you've made a mistake your future is doomed because of that mistake.

Should we be careful in our choices? Sure.

But, here's the deal according to the way I see it and according to the way I've been forced to live it at times... Your FUTURE is less determined by a path that you take than it is by how QUICKLY you are able to determine if you are on a WRONG path!

Think about that for a moment.

Simple analogy - if you take a wrong turn on a trip are you DESTINED to stay on that route and continue down a wrong direction? Uh, NO.

So, for one, you can turn around and correct this wrong decision by going back to where you made a wrong turn and correcting that mistake by then taking the RIGHT path. Right?

Here's another analogy that you may relate to... have you ever taken a wrong turn and had your GPS constantly remind you to turn around? But have you also had your GPS refigure directions based on the direction you are going (even if it IS wrong based on the original mapping) and allow you to get "back on the right path"? I have on several occasions.

So, secondly, once you realize you are on the wrong path you still have the ability to make a few adjustments and get back on track to reach your original destination even if it IS not the same path you meant or intended to take in the beginning. (By the way, this could also be called a "detour").

In closing, if you've made some wrong and even bad decisions or have gone down the wrong path then WAKE UP and do something about it. There is NO reason to keep heading down the wrong path ESPECIALLY once you realize you're going the wrong way.

THAT, my friends, would be idiotic.

Wouldn't it?

Stay on track, friend and, as you go along this journey always be sure to...

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

Mike

Desire Determines Direction (Part 4)

Desire Determines Direction (Part 4 - Conclusion)

Here's a question to consider as we begin today's discussion: Do you even KNOW what your real "desire" or "dream" is for your life?

That may sound like a silly question and you may even answer right away, "Well, of course I do!" But do you really?

You see, again, so many of us THINK we are following OUR desires when, in reality, we're not following our desires at all - we're following someone else's FOR us. And, if you take the time to really think about it and you discover that this is actually true in your life, you may not even remember or even know what YOUR desire/dream really is after all.

This is purely a "guesstimate", but I'd say that at least 80% of us are not really following OUR desires and dreams, but someone else's. If I'm even close to being right - and I think I am - isn't that something to consider?

And, again, the thing is, most of that 80% don't even realize that this is true in their lives! Many f that 80% think they are actually following THEIR desires and then wonder why they feel unfulfilled and unhappy!

So, today, as the conclusion to our week's discussion on, "Desire Determines Direction" (if you're following someone else's desire or dream, which direction are you headed?) I want to try to help you focus in and discover - or rediscover - YOUR desire and dream for YOUR life!

I want to challenge you to really take the time to sit down and give this some thought - have you forgotten what your desire and dream is for your life? Has it been so long - have you been "off track" for so long - that you have forgotten what it was that got you "excited" about your life? Try to remember, try to think again of what it was that you wanted for your life and get a piece of paper and a pencil or pen out and get ready to go through a very simple process that will help you in this endeavor.

Let me just say here first, that sometimes, "life" just gets in the way and we do have to postpone some things from time to time. That doesn't make you a failure or a "slackard" as we say in Arkansas, it just means that "life happens"! For example, if you have young children at home, many times these children and all the things that go with it take center stage - as it should!

So, sometimes things may have to be postponed, but it's also important for us to keep our desires and dreams at the forefront of our thoughts so that, when the opportunity arises, we are ready to make some moves in order to make them a reality in and for our lives. You may even be able to do some things "on the side" (in the evenings or whenever) that might be slowly moving you in that direction. By keeping this at the forefront of our thoughts - even though other things are taking center stage - our minds will be open and aware of opportunities that, otherwise, we might miss!

Alright, do you have your paper and writing instrument ready? Here we go and keep in mind, get as detailed as you possibly can in this process! This will help you remember and reignite vividly your true desires and dreams for your life!

1. Write It Down! As best as you can, write down what your desire/dream is and get as specific and as detailed as possible. Don't just say, "I want to be successful". What does that mean anyway? For some, "successful" means raising a happy and healthy family while, for others, it may mean that PLUS running their own business. It's different for everyone so get as detailed and specific as you can as to what it means for you! See what I mean? Hey, don't worry about it if you fill up a whole page! What you may find is this - once you start thinking and writing down your thoughts it may all just "flow" line after line after line! This is good for it shows that your mind if opening up and pouring out the treasure that you have, perhaps, kept under lock for too long!

2. "Visualize" Living that Desire and/or Dream! What does it look like? Again, get as specific and detailed as possible. Don't worry about what anyone else might think about what you write - no one else needs to even see this! This is for you! As you write describe where you are, what your surroundings look like - both geographically and physically (your home, office, car and other surroundings). See and describe what YOU look like - your hair, your body, your clothes, your smile. See and describe how you FEEL! What about the people around you? Who are they? What do they look like? Picture it in your mind and transfer those thoughts down on this paper.

3. Your Why. Why does that image you just wrote down excite you? DOES it excite you? Why is this so important to you? Why is it a desire or dream of yours? Again, get as detailed and specific as you can. By doing so, you will clarify whether this is really YOUR desire or not! Honestly, only YOU know the real "why" behind your dream or desire. Perhaps you've never even shared that with anyone else - do it now on this paper and remember, no one else ever has to see this but you! So, release any inhibitions that would keep you from being open and honest about your "why" and free yourself by writing this down now.

4. What Now? It's a wonderful thing to think, visualize and talk about your "why" concerning your desires and dreams. However, if that is all we ever do then it will always remain simply a dream. So, it's important for you to know take the time (it may even take several days to do this part) to figure out exactly what has to take place - what has to happen - in order for you to actually arrive at the image you visualized in step 2. Do you need to take some courses of some kind? Will you need to get a loan for a business? If so, how and where do you need to check this out? Will you need to move to a different place? You are the one that will have to take the time to make out this list. And then, for each of these you have to break it down to what will be involved in that process.

For example, let's say your desire is to teach at a nursing school. I heard on the news last night that there is a BIG shortage of those that are able to TEACH nurses and, because of that, there is a shortage of qualified nurses to feel the need! So, if that were your desire you would write that down and visualize it as well as get specific as to "why" this is a desire of yours. Now, you will have to get specific as to WHAT has to happen. For one, you will need to check to see what the requirements are and what requirements you lack. You will need to also find out where you can go to take the classes necessary as well as the cost involved. Will you need financial aide? Will you have to relocate? Can you do some of this online? Will you be able to do this part time while you keep your job or do you plan to dedicate yourself to this 100% so that you can move ahead as quickly as possible? If you decide to go for it 100%, what will be the financial strain or need while you do so?

Get the picture? There is a lot more to this example, but I think I've shown enough to give you the idea of what you really need to do here. Again, specific and detailed!

5. Date to be Completed? By going through the process described in #4, you should be able to come up with a reasonable time line as to when you should be able to be living the life that you envisioned when you "visualized" your desire and dream. Yes, there may be some things that come into play that set it back from time to time - but for now, come up with a realistic idea of when this process might be completed.

6. What Now? Again, it's easy - and fun! - to talk about and dream about our desires and dreams. And, again, it's easy to keep them there as a dream and never really make a move to help them become a reality in our lives. Is that what YOU want? Do YOU want to still be talking and dreaming about this five years from now? OF COURSE NOT!

So, the thing you MUST do now (and this may be the hardest thing to do) is to figure out what you must do NOW to "get the ball rolling" on this process. What step - what first step - do I make today?

Perhaps it is a phone call to begin the process described in #5. Whatever it is, the important thing is to do SOMETHING that will begin this journey to reality!

The easiest thing in the world to do at this point is to do nothing! To put it off until "tomorrow" and then put it off again until "tomorrow" and on and on it will go.

Isn't it time to stop talking about it and start moving - actually MOVING toward your desires and dreams? YES, IT IS!

And you can do it! Just make sure the desire and dream is yours and, as the title of this week's topic states: "Desire Determines Direction"!

Now, get up and get going and make that desire a reality! And, in advance, congratulations for doing so!

And, every day along the way, never forget to...

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

Mike

Desire Determines Direction (Part 3)

Desire Determines Direction (Part 3)

Where are you headed? It depends on your desire, does it not?

Think about it...if one person desires to go to New York and another desires to go to California they will NOT be headed in the same direction, right? Pretty simple concept when we think of it like that - but not so easy to grasp when we apply it to our own lives.

Along that same thought, if your desire is to go to New York and you stay at home - will you make progress on your journey? You may say, "Well, DUH! Of course not!"

Seems pretty obvious when we use an example like that, right?

Yet, how many of us "say" that we have the desire to change the direction of our lives or state that we have a desire to achieve this or that and our lives and remain "sitting in our chair" never making a move in that direction? And, the sad thing is, many people in that situation whine about why nothing ever improves in their life!

As is true with everything that I share with you through the podcast and through this blog - THE CHOICE IS YOURS! It really and truly IS up to you!

"Oh, but I'll start tomorrow" you say. Wouldn't you agree that this is an indicator of what your desire REALLY is? Your TRUE desire would appear to be staying right where you are and not making any changes or progress in your life REGARDLESS of what you SAY!

What's that old saying? "Actions speak louder than words."

Jim Rohn put it this way: "Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure."

Notice the words, "our disciplines" and "our judgments" and understand that it IS up to you! No one else can do it for you. Sure, others can encourage you but only YOU can make the decision to put words into action!

Don't settle for the "instant gratification" of spending one more hour glued in that chair in front of the television watching mind-numbing junk....ACT UPON YOUR TRUE DESIRE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR FUTURE!

(Yeah, I was "yelling" that -- sometimes that's needed, wouldn't you agree?)

Tomorrow we will conclude this series of thoughts with some encouraging words to help us ALL live up to our words and by examining what our TRUE desires really are.

I hope you'll join me and, until then and as you go through you day, be sure to...

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

Mike

Desire Determines Direction (Part 2)

Desire Determines Direction (Part 2)

The definition of "desire" as given by dictionary.com is as follows for the verb usage: "to wish or long for; crave; want." And, for the noun usage: "a longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment."

I also wanted to find out the definition for the word crave or craving since it was used in both of these definitions. The noun usage of "craving" is defined as: "great or eager desire; yearning" and the verb usage for the word, "crave" is defined as: "to long for; want greatly; desire eagerly".

So, here's the question for the day - What is it that you "long for, want greatly and desire eagerly"? What is it that you crave that will "bring satisfaction or enjoyment"?

Only YOU can answer that question for only YOU know the answer to that question!

Again, it's one thing to SAY that we desire something in our lives and it's a whole different thing to actually live our lives in response to something that we don't actually believe deep down inside!

Think about it this way... have you ever changed your mind about how you felt about someone? Sure you have! But even more specifically, have you ever thought you were "in love" with someone only to discover later on that you either weren't in love with that person anymore OR that you discovered that, perhaps, you weren't really "in love" with that person in the first place.

You see, you can still SAY the words, "I love you" but your actions - even your body language - will betray you because you know deep down inside that it simply is not true. And, usually, if the person on the other end of this relationship is paying attention at all, they will pick up on the body language and other factors that even let them know that, although you say it, you really don't mean it.

You may feel that way about a so-called "desire" in your life. Maybe it WAS a desire in your life at one time. Maybe it was a desire that really wasn't your own but, you were more or less talked into it and you've tried to follow it anyway. Maybe you took some sort of "test" that would determine what your gifts and talents were and you have been trying to follow what was indicated SHOULD BE your desire.

Let's go back and revisit that "wake up call" from yesterday: You are where you are BECAUSE you have allowed it to be so!

Go back up two paragraphs and revisit the thoughts on "how" or "why" something may be a "desire" that you've tried to follow. Notice that in EACH of these situations that "fire" for that "desire" is not sufficient enough to keep you enthused.

Yes, it IS possible to really, truly believe that something IS a real desire of yours - your life's calling and have that change later. Early on you're "on fire" and ready to take on the world with your dedication to this "desire" and then you find that your heart just isn't in it after all.

What happened? Sometimes it's simply called "growing up" and, at other times, it is simply a result of you "peeling back the layers" on that desire only to discover that it is not quite what you thought it was. Think about this: how many college students change their major? Lots - if not most - of them! Why? Because they discovered through a process that this was not what they thought it was in the beginning and, perhaps, they discovered something else that seemed to inspire them even more!

Also, as we discussed earlier, it is possible that you were "talked into" this desire and you've tried to "live up" to whoever it was that felt that this was what you needed to do. THIS WILL NEVER WORK! Please understand that you might have some success in this area, but you will never feel the "connection" necessary that you must have to carry you on in a powerful way. Maybe it was a parent, a spouse or some other person that you highly regarded in your life. Regardless, your "direction" prompted by this "desire" will never lead you where you truly wish to go.

It's o.k. to change your mind and leave something that you thought was a desire. It's o.k. to stop trying to please everyone else. Actually, in both of these situations (or any others) not only is it o.k. it's NECESSARY for you to discover and follow YOUR desire.

You know what I'm talking about, right? YOUR desire! The one that effortlessly pushes you along in the direction of it's fulfillment!

DESIRE DETERMINES DIRECTION!

Here's the thing: not many people are dedicated and disciplined enough to "stay the course" even with a desire that is THE desire! It's hard because we live in a world of "instant gratification"!

One last example: You have decided to cut back on sweets, eat healthier foods and, as a result, lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Whether you realize it or not, this takes dedication AND discipline! But your DESIRE to be healthier is strong and you are determined!

But then, you walk in and one of your kids has left something out on the counter while they went back to their room to drop off their backpack. It's a nice big bowl of vanilla ice cream smothered in thick, chocolate fudge covered with whipped cream! WOW, that looks SOOOO GOOD!

What do you do? Your IMMEDIATE desire is to get a spoon and dig in, right? But your "long term desire" is to walk on past that bowl of ice cream and pass on this temptation. But, will you?

It depends on how REAL your "long term desire" really is.

If you were to go ahead and dig into that bowl of ice cream, what would your thoughts be? DURING the destruction of that ice cream you'd likely be thinking, "Oh wow, I know I shouldn't be doing this but it tastes SO GOOD!"

And, almost immediately upon finishing it off you'd think, "I can't believe I just did that!" and then you would continue to "beat yourself up" over your lack of self-control and discipline.

What will it be for you, my friend? Will you continue to give in to the "right now" or will you be dedicated to your "real" and "true" desires and stick it out for the long run?

DESIRE DETERMINES DIRECTION!

Which direction are you headed?

Think about it and join me for more on this topic tomorrow and, as you go along the day be sure to remember to...

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

Mike

Desire Determines Direction

Desire Determines Direction!

I want you to take a couple of minutes and write that down - DESIRE DETERMINES DIRECTION!

Now, if you have time, I want you to write it on three separate pieces of paper that you'll be able to post somewhere at your home (bathroom mirror?), somewhere in your car and somewhere at your work so that you can see it constantly throughout each day.

This series of messages this week goes "hand in hand" with the series that I just completed this past week on "TODAY Matters!" because the DESIRE you have TODAY will DETERMINE the DIRECTION of your FUTURE!

Do you want a "wake up call" today? You may have already gotten it IF your mind is really "gearing up" on what I'm talking about today and you've started thinking ahead on this line of thought.

Here it is: Could it be that you are where you are in your life due to your desire (or lack of it) in your life?

You see, NONE OF US (yup, myself included) likes to admit that something COULD be our fault - or at least partially our fault. But, in all honesty, we have to at least look at this possibility, wouldn't you agree?

A "spoken desire" is not the same as a "heart-felt desire". Think about that with me for a moment. Have you ever SAID "yes" to something that, deep down, you really didn't want to say "yes" about? There, in a nut shell, is the difference between a "spoken" and "heart-felt" desire.

When you really take the time to think about it, you likely do that a lot more than you want to admit! WHY DO WE DO THAT?

Let's continue the "wake up call". We NEED a "wake up call" once in a while, don't we? Yes, it makes us uncomfortable but, hopefully, the uncomfortableness will help us to review what is going on (or ISN'T going on) in our lives. So, here's some more...

Perhaps the reason that we express "spoken desire" that is not the same as our real, "heart-felt desire" is that we are either trying to impress someone else or ourselves. Maybe - and likely - even both.

You may say, "Oh, I don't care what anyone else thinks!" Really? I hear a LOT of people say that but I've actually met very few - if any - that really lived that way. Let's be honest, we DO care what others think!

And, sometimes we express these "spoken desires" as a way to appear more together than we actually are on different matters. For example, we may express a "spoken desire" about what we plan to do with our life over the next few years as a way to "keep up" or "fit in" with those that are around us at that moment. Don't you hate when you do that to yourself?

And then there are the times that we utter these "spoken desires" as a way to convince OURSELVES that we are more together than we actually are on different matters! You know what I'm talking about, right?

It's EASY to write down goals and dreams. It's EASY to fill out a questionnaire that is designed to help us discover our gifts and aide us in the process of planning some important goals in our lives. It's EASY to talk about what great things we plan to accomplish in our lives over the next twelves months!

Wow! Take a step back and just look at what all you just expressed about yourself! You're a real "go-getter" aren't you?

Why then is there that nagging pit in your stomach?

It's because, deep down, you know better. Deep down, where your "heart-felt desire" is located you know that that your REAL desire doesn't match up with your "spoken desire".

And then, when you follow that path of thought you must come to the conclusion that the reason you have not actually made changes in your life is because of you. OUCH!

Yes, you. No one else. No one else can be blamed and you can't point your finger at anyone else. It's you and your desire - or lack of it.

Do I have your attention today? GOOD!

It gets better, I promise! But we needed to start HERE with some honest talk to ourselves and about ourselves before we can move on to the next part of this discussion.

The good news is that you CAN boost that "heart-felt desire" to the point of it being a driving force in your life instead of letting that "weak desire" continue to lead you in a life of weakness!

You see, even now your desire is determining your direction.

Join me tomorrow as we move on to the next part of this discussion and really look at the thought of, "What IS My Desire?".

And, until then...

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

Mike

"Seek and..."

Seek and...

...you shall find.

Today I'd like to discuss the second of three "legs" behind the "Concept of A.S.K."

Yesterday we discussed the first, "Ask and it shall be given to you." We discussed the importance of asking some vital questions that we MUST be asking if we are serious about following the path of our purpose. And THEN taking action when the answers are revealed to us. And, be assured, they WILL be revealed if we do, indeed, want to know the answers!

Please notice that all three of these words - ask, seek, knock - are VERBS. That being so, they denote ACTION!

We discussed the idea that we must not ask and then wait for something to fall into our laps. No! When you look at it as a VERB then we understand that we must ASK with the intention of MOVING TOWARD the answers.... actively pursuing those answers. And then ACTING upon them once discovered.

Today is the same as we look at the idea of, "Seek and you will find".

Remember that, this too, is a VERB word and that it denotes ACTION! This is not a "passive search" but an "active search".

Why am I emphasizing this so much? Because it is IMPORTANT for us to understand! Too many times we may say we are asking the questions and seeking or searching for the right path for our life when - in all reality - we really aren't!

Many times we are "going through the motions" just to try to pacify either ourselves or someone else and we aren't really serious or we don't really have any intentions on changing ANYTHING in our lives.

Don't waste your time and don't try to do ANYTHING in this area to try to please or pacify someone else.

It is UP TO YOU and it has to be FOR YOU or it will never really work out for you.

YOU have to want it! YOU have to really want to know the answers to the questions we discussed yesterday. YOU have to really want to find the direction for your life so that you can life a life of purpose and passion. YOU!

Here's a fact of life: You will find what you are looking for - good or bad!

If you focus on the negative things in this world then, guess what? You will continue to see and see nothing BUT the negative things in this world. Your life and your world will seem to be nothing but a sea of negativity.

However, the opposite is also true and CAN be true even for those described in the previous paragraph IF they desire to make the needed changes to make it happen. If you focus on the positive things in this world then you will continue to SEE and EXPERIENCE the positive things that this world has to offer!

Oh, you will see the negativity from time to time but, because you are being ACTIVE, in your pursuit of the positive, you will easily overcome any impact the negative might have on your life and you will move on in a POSITIVE direction!

Again, it's YOUR choice!

Ask, and it WILL be given to you... Seek and you WILL find!

Whether this matters to you or not is up to you. For those that say that it DOES matter, answers and direction await!

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

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

Mike

PURPOSE

PURPOSE: –noun
* the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.
* an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal.

–verb
* to set as an aim, intention, or goal for oneself.
* to intend; design.
* to resolve (to do something)

The above definitions come from dictionary.com . Take a good look at the definitions and think about what that means for you and your life as we discuss the question:

"WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?"

What is the reason for your existence? What is the reason for you being made/born? I'm sure these are questions that you have contemplated many times before and you may have yet to come up with a satisfactory answer for yourself!

I CAN answer one thing about this for you with 100% certainty! Now, this may sound a big presumptuous - but I KNOW I can and I KNOW I can do so with 100% accuracy! Are you ready?

I can tell you with 100% accuracy what your purpose is NOT! It is NOT to just "take up space" while you are here. That, my friend, is one thing I am sure of!

Yes, you may have been told this at some point during your life or even perhaps all of your life. And, chances are, if this is the case that you STILL struggle with the concept that you are here for MORE than just "taking up space".

Yes, I know that you may have been told, "All you're good for is taking up space!" or some variation of that - and you may have began to believe it after a while and you may STILL believe it to some extent even today.

LISTEN TO ME - You are here for a REASON and there is a PURPOSE for your existence! This is also something that I can state with 100% certainty!

And, hopefully, over the next few days I can help you at least begin to understand what your purpose just might be in this life. But, be assured - YOUR LIFE DOES HAVE PURPOSE!

Here are a few quotes I shared on today's podcast (from http://www.wisdomquotes.com/):

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do." (Epictetus)
"Life is what you make of it. Always has been, always will be." (Grandma Moses)

I also shared a listed quote that comes from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 in the Bible. This is the section of Scripture that the group, The Byrds, used in the most popular version of this song ("Turn, Turn, Turn) when it was released on October 1, 1965.

The main focus of these verses? There is a REASON (and a time) for EVERYTHING! This includes YOU, my friend!

I really don't believe in accidents. I believe that everything happens for a REASON! I gave the example on the podcast about how our youngest son, Jordan (now 19 at this writing) was not "planned". This is often referred to as an "accident". This happened at a very difficult time in our lives when I was out of work and we had very little money. HOWEVER, I do believe that his birth was for a PURPOSE and not by accident! Listen to the podcast to hear more on this story - I think you'll enjoy it.

HERE'S THE POINT FOR TODAY:

YOU are here for a REASON! Your life has PURPOSE!

Know that! Believe that! Absorb that as a FACT and allow your subconscious mind to accept it as TRUTH so that it can then reaffirm that back to you as such.

Tomorrow we will try to look at what your purpose IS in life - in a general way. Though general (applies to us all) it may very well help you to become more specific in realizing your purpose in life.

Until then...

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

Mike

Practice With PURPOSE!

Practice With Purpose

The title that I actually stated on today's podcast for this message was, "Practice, Practice, Practice". However, after getting into the podcast I began to focus on the idea posted above - "Practice With Purpose".

What do I mean and why are we talking about practice?

Everything you do today is practice for tomorrow. That's right! Yes, I know that I always emphasize the fact that "tomorrow" doesn't actually exist and that all we have is today. That is true, BUT we must still prepare ourselves for every "TODAY" that we have, wouldn't you agree?

What is the PURPOSE of practice? Think about it. The PURPOSE of PRACTICE is to work through mistakes and correct them so that you don't make them "in the game".

That being said, we can now relax and understand that it is o.k. to make mistakes as long as we have a PURPOSE and we work to CORRECT those mistakes - make sense?

In today's podcast I share the story of a basketball team that I was on in Jr. High as well as Sr. High. We ran and we ran A LOT! Lap after lap after lap and spent very little time practicing plays, dribbling, etc. I would guess we spent as much time running (if not more) as we did in actual practice. And, guess what? WE WERE TERRIBLE! When we got into a game our ball handling skills were not what they needed to be, our plays didn't work well and, overall, we just didn't seem to know what we were doing.

WHY? Because, in my opinion, our PRACTICE lacked PURPOSE!

Sure, we could run up and down the court all night long with the best of them (and, by the way, we DID do a lot of running up and down the court trying to catch up with the other team!) - but that is not what would allow us to play competitively.

We moved to a different town for my Senior year. New school, new team, new coach and yes, new philosophy!

Guess what? We ran and we ran A LOT! But, guess what else? We won and we WON A LOT! If I remember right, we only lost 3 games that whole year.

What was the difference? At this new school our PRACTICE had PURPOSE!

You see, although we ran as much (if not more) than I did at my old school, very little of it was done with laps and sprints. Most of the running we did was in practice. We practiced FULL COURT (not half court like a lot of teams) so that we would run up and down the court while dribbling the basketball, getting set up to run the play, blocking out to get rebounds and also playing defense. By doing so, when we actually got "in the game" we knew what to do and how to do it and - guess what - we were also in excellent shape and could still run up and down the court all night long!

So it is with each and every one of us every day.

Yes, TODAY is PRACTICE but we must PRACTICE with PURPOSE!

Do NOT allow yourself to just drift through your day and use this "practice" idea as an excuse. "Oh well, Mike said it's o.k. to make mistakes, so I'm alright."

NO!

Again, the PURPOSE of PRACTICE is to learn from and correct those mistakes! We must ALL be learning from and correcting the mistakes that we make TODAY so that we won't make them over and over and over again. This will enable us to experience SUCCESS more often as we move toward our goals and dreams!

Your life has PURPOSE today because you understand and realize that you PRACTICE today with the PURPOSE of improving your tomorrow!

Isn't that AWESOME to think about? Wow!

So, it is up to you! Yes, we will ALL go through the day. We will ALL have the same 24 hours to use (or abuse) and we will ALL come to the end of our day even if at different times of that day.

When you lay your head on the pillow at night you can either feel FULFILLED because you lived a day of PURPOSE or you can feel EMPTY because there was no PURPOSE or direction in your life at all during the day.

What will it be for you?

PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE and, as always...

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

Mike