Mike's Quotes #37: Why Are YOU Here?

 “We were put on this earth FOR each other, not to HIDE FROM each other.” (9.01.14)

It's easy to "tuck ourselves away" in this life. Leave everyone else alone and be left alone. I understand that, I really do. However, if you are one that is striving to improve your life then, friend, it is basically impossible to not have an impact on those around you.

As a matter of fact, whether you realize it or not, you already do have an impact on those around you even if you think you are just "leaving everyone else alone". 

Several articles back I mentioned my belief that all of us are here for a reason. I believe that God put you here for a reason, a purpose and that your purpose involves touching the lives of those around you. I believe this to be true of everyone even though there are some that absolutely refuse to see this or fulfill their purpose while here on this earth.

I have also pointed out the fact that YOU are the only YOU in existence! There has never been anyone like you, there is no one like you now nor will there EVER be anyone like you again. You are unique! And, friend, that being true (and it is!), you add a certain "spice" or "flavor" to life that needs to be enjoyed and experienced by those around you. 

That's right...we need each other, so make sure that you don't try to "hide away" from the world. BE your gift to the world and leave a positive path that others can - and desire to - follow.

As you do so, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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

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Be SO Positive That...

From time to time I'll have people say to me, "Mike, I understand the importance of being positive but I just don't know how to do that when I'm surrounded by so much negativity!"

Anyone else relate to that? I DO!

First of all, let me ask you this: WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS? Let me explain what I mean.

Have you ever bought a certain "brand" of automobile and then, all of a sudden (so it seems), you notice how many other cars of this same brand are on the road? All of a sudden (so it seems), they are EVERYWHERE! 

The fact is, there are no more of these particular brands of automobile than there were before, but your FOCUS has changed to the point that you now NOTICE them more than before.

Does that example make sense? Now let me explain how that connects to the negativity that surrounds us each and every day.

I don't deny the fact that there are many negative people around us. Seriously, they seem (at times) to be EVERYWHERE! This becomes increasingly difficult if you find that a lot of that negativity comes from others under your own roof (from those in your family). 

But, do you think it's possible to change our focus to where, even though that negativity still exists, we don't notice it as much as we once did but, instead, we begin to notice that - HEY - there are also a lot of POSITIVE attitudes around us?

Now, I can't tell you whether you think it's possible or not, but I CAN tell you that it IS possible to change your FOCUS to where you begin to notice the POSITIVE more than you do the negative.

(By the way, this article is really very different than the podcast that I have on this same topic. So, you need to be sure to listen to it by clicking HERE or by clicking HERE.)  

 And, friend, the way that it begins is by doing exactly what you are doing right this very moment. That's right! Continue to immerse yourself with as much positive information as possible and you will soon find that you are drawn to (and others are drawn to you) others with the same positive attitude as you. This will help you focus on the POSITIVE and pay less attention to the negative. 

Listen, there are many others out there JUST LIKE YOU! That's right, there are many others that are seeking to increase the positive influence in their own life and they are looking for YOU! And then, guess what? When there are two of you combining "forces" you will find that you will attract others as a result.

Will you rid your life of all negativity. NO.

But, you WILL begin to focus less on the negativity around you and it will have less and less effect on you and your life. 

I want you to pay close attention to this FACT: It is IMPOSSIBLE for a positive attitude and a negative attitude to co-exist. One will "win out" over the other, sooner or later. 

So, if you are in a situation where those close to you (spouse, family, close friend) have a negative attitude, DO NOT GIVE UP! Surround yourself with other positive people (like I describe above) and continue to immerse yourself with positive information (like you're doing now and like you will do when you listen to the podcast) and, if you stick with it, you will begin to see that YOUR positive influence will begin to "snuff out" the negative influences around you. 

Easier said than done? YOU BET!

But it CAN be done and YOU CAN DO IT, friend!

I'd love to connect with you and encourage you directly so please feel free to connect with me via my fan page on Facebook by CLICKING HERE. 

Again, whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE UP! There are many that are waiting for YOUR positive influence to impact their lives in a powerful way. And, you will likely never know how many people you touched and whose lives you helped change for the better!

Be sure to check back for my next article coming soon. 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   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

Finding Your PURPOSE

"Find & Keep/Protect Our JOY & PURPOSE For Our Lives"

(Share & Teach Family and Others!) - PART 2 

 Back in August of 2010, my wife suffered a heart attack and had to be "shocked" back to life on two different occasions. This was not a normal event - my wife was not overweight and did not suffer from any type of high cholesterol or anything like that. It was literally a 1 in 1 million incident that happened. And, she survived and is doing well. 

However, after returning home from the hospital and still being in a very emotional state (which is normal following an event such as this) she would discuss with me how she felt that God had kept her here for a reason. The struggle she was having was that she could not figure out what the reason - or the PURPOSE - was for her life now. Through our discussions I found that she was searching for some BIG and tremendous "something" that she needed to do.

I shared with her that, perhaps, the "reason" that God kept her here was that I and the rest of her family NEEDED her to be here! I suggested that, perhaps, her "purpose" was to still be there for us because she was so important to "our world". 

You see, friend, I believe that THIS is the key to our search for our "purpose" for our lives. That key is the impact or importance that we have upon "our world". 

Think about it.

Yes, many desire to be known by people all over the world and, quite honestly, they are not truly "known" by those closest to them, including their own children. I'm not saying that this is always the case but we have seen it far too often in our world. And, YES, we NEED people to step out and lead and challenge and encourage us but, perhaps, at the same time, the TIMING needs to be adjusted.

Just a thought.

But, again, here's what I believe is the key for all of us as we contemplate our "purpose" in and for our lives...what is your impact and importance upon YOUR world?

Join me for a moment as we peel back the layers that make up "our world" beginning with those closest to us. Perhaps visualize this like the ripples on the water after tossing a pebble into the pond or creek.

First of all, it begins with your immediate family. This could be your spouse and your kids or, it may be your brothers, sisters and your parents. Sometimes these are some of the most difficult relationships we have simply because we ARE so close to them and, often, because we spend so much time with them. But they are important and you DO have an impact upon them. If you DO have children at home, please do NOT overlook the importance that you have in and for their lives. This gets especially difficult (at times) when they go through their teen years! But it still holds true.

Then continue on to the level that includes your closest friends. Then your other friends that maybe don't fit into that "closest" category but they are still good friends. Then continue on out to your co-workers, neighbors and all of the other acquaintances that you have in your life. That "circle of friends" expands rather quickly, doesn't it?

Now then, with each of these level of relationships, think about how YOUR impact upon them may influence THEIR relationships on each of those different levels in their lives! WOW!

Think for a moment about how the way you treat those around you - good or bad - can be passed on and on and on through these relationships. That, my friend, is quite powerful to think about and, hopefully, as you think about it, it will also challenge you to be a positive influence along the way. 

And, from experience, I can tell you that you may never know how powerful that influence has been in someones life. Or, you may find out years later about the power and level of that influence.

In my opinion, here's the answer to the question, "What is my PURPOSE in and for my life?" To be the best YOU that you can be in and for "your world". 

That, my friend, is more powerful than you may ever know.

Again, as a reminder, 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

What Is Your RESPONSE?

E + R = O

Event + Response = Outcome

 The "formula" or "equation" that you find listed above, comes from Jack Canfield and the meaning for each of the letters of the formula are listed below the equation. 

Be sure to listen to the podcast (links found below) to hear more information that can be found ONLY on the podcast. I do thank you for reading this blog, HOWEVER, reading the blog and NOT listening to the podcast is like eating just half of your meal. Make sense?

What you'll find here is the basic idea behind Mr. Canfield's formula...and it's TRUE. Follow through and you'll soon understand that, indeed (although not always easy), it IS the truth. 

1. EVENT - You and I cannot control the event - ANY event - that comes our way. The event is simply, "what happens" throughout the course of the day. An event may be good or it may even be considered bad. The event is what it is. I know that wording it this way may be a bit confusing, so I'll try to clarify this a little bit. 

     We ALL encounter "events" in our lives and, in each and every day. We cannot "change" or "direct" an event...we experience the event. An event may be something as simple as experiencing a good meal as part of your day or having a nice conversation with a co-worker or friend. It could also be something less enjoyable like having a flat tire on your way into the office or even getting involved in a minor "fender-bender". And, yes, there are "bigger" events that come our way that have a bit more impact (either positive or negative) on our lives. It could be a great new job or promotion while, on the other hand, it may be the loss of a job due to a layoff or even getting fired.  It could be the birth of a new child or the death of a spouse or other family member. 

2. RESPONSE - If you take a closer look at the image above, you will see that I have written the words, "The one I control!", underneath the equation. You see, as I have already said, an event is an event and we cannot influence that event one way or the other. HOWEVER, it is our RESPONSE to that event that will determine the outcome that follows that event. 

     Hey, listen, I understand that this part of the formula takes quite a bit of discipline at times.  It's not always easy to RESPOND in a positive way to a negative event. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not saying that we should smile and say, "No worries", when a tragedy comes our way. Not at all. 

     But, your response to that tragedy, for example, will determine the ultimate outcome from that tragic event. For example, you may experience the death of a loved one...maybe even your spouse or a child. I've not experienced either but I have worked closely with those that have experienced both and I can't even imagine how difficult that must be. You can either allow devastation and depression to overtake you to the point that you become of no use to anyone - including yourself. If you have children, for example, they need you to help them through the tragedy as well but, if your RESPONSE takes you away from the life that must continue, then the outcome will not be very positive. 

     Yet, as difficult as it may be, you may determine that you must keep on living and, as part of that task, you must continue to be a parent to your children and help them deal with the same tragedy with which you must deal. You may determine to be appreciative for the time that you had with your spouse and, as painful as it may be, you find a way to smile when those memories come across your mind. This is your chosen RESPONSE. 

     We CHOOSE our response. You may have heard others say, or you may have even said, "They make me so mad!" or "They ruined my day!". Neither of those statements are true. You made a choice and, in those examples, you CHOSE to allow that person to determine your outcome. 

     I've seen examples where a person allowed others to "impact" his response to the point that this person became miserable at the workplace. 

     Originally, he was happy to be there and enjoyed his work. However, over time, he allowed the negativity that you find at most work environments to affect his response in a negative way. He began to "give in" to the negative thoughts and, as a result, his RESPONSE was to be negative. He began to gripe and complain and, eventually, lost his job due to his negative attitude. 

     I was that person. 

3. OUTCOME - In one of my recent blog articles entitled, "Don't Quit & No Excuses!" , I make the statement that, more often than not, when someone quits something (or gets fired, for example) they will pretty much ALWAYS make excuses as to why that happened. They will make an EXCUSE as to why they experienced the OUTCOME that they did. Yet, the truth is, they received the OUTCOME that they did due to their RESPONSE to the events that they encountered on a daily basis. 

     In the example above, I had allowed myself to be influenced by the negativity around me. I MADE A CHOICE about my response to the negativity (the events) around me. And, it cost me in a lot of ways. 

     This was quite a few years before I really began to concentrate on turning things around concerning my mindset and the direction of my life. But, it did stick with me and I did not like how I had changed during my time at that job. Even then, I knew I had failed by allowing others to have the impact on me instead of me using my influence on them. Thankfully, I later began to make better decisions / responses based on what I was putting into "the library of my mind". 

How do you feel about the outcomes that you are experiencing in your life? Are you satisfied with them? Some people are satisfied with SOME of the outcomes, but most people feel that they would prefer better outcomes more often. 

Jim Rohn put it this way (and I paraphrase): "If you don't like where you are or what you are doing - MOVE! MAKE A CHANGE! You are not a tree...YOU have the ability to MOVE!"

It takes discipline and discipline requires patience and determination. How bad do YOU want better outcomes in and for your life? 

Here's the final thought on this: Consider the fact that you read this article as one of the EVENTS for your day.  Now then, what's your RESPONSE? Will you just read it and walk away or will you allow it to sink in and and influence you in a positive way to become more disciplined with your responses to the events that come your way? 

As always, the choice is yours. So, what will YOU do?

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

    

Emotional Impact

Here we are at the start of another new series...this time I'll be talking about EMOTIONS and how they impact (effect) us as well as those around us.

Let me give you a little background as to how these thoughts came about for this series. A couple of weeks ago, while at church on a Sunday morning, the preacher said something along the lines of, "Your emotions tend to reflect the emotions of those you spend time with".

That was a little different than things I have heard in the past concerning "those you spend time with". I've shared with you several times about how I've heard that your financial situation will be the average of the 5 (or 10) people that you spend the most time with.

So, it would also make sense that those same people would influence your emotions as well, does it not?

Hey, let's get down to it here: WE ARE LIKE THOSE WE HANG AROUND!

Side note: How much influence do YOU have on THEM as opposed to THEM on YOU?

On that particular Sunday the preacher also shared the following scripture from Proverbs 13:20 - "Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble." (Holy Bible. New Living Translation)

Hey, isn't that just common sense? Think about it and, again, examine your close associates/friends. It really should cause us all to think carefully about that group of people!

At the same time, it's important for us to also consider the following question: "What "emotions" do YOU put/send out?" Hey listen, we all know that emotions have an impact on others...YOU'VE experienced it from others and you have also HAD THAT IMPACT on others.

We'll be discussing these things in more detail in the last two parts of this series, but I also want to leave you with one more thought to consider: "Do your emotions 'control or direct' your attitude OR does your attitude 'control or direct' your emotions?"

Whatever you do, don't use the excuse, "I'm an emotional person" to allow you to act in ways that are not productive or helpful that CAN be corrected and/or improved. That's too easy and it's also too easy to allow that to become an actual "belief" in our lives.'

HOMEWORK: Between now and the next installment, pay close attention to the emotions of those that you spend the most time with and then compare them to your own emotions. Notice how these people "react" to situations and then, again, compare to your own reactions.

You may be surprised at what you find.

Thanks for your time and I hope to see you here for the next part of this series. Until then, 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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People of Influence

 

In the United States, yesterday was celebrated as "Mothers Day" which, obviously, was a day dedicated to our Mothers and the influence they have had on our lives.

 

As in any situation, not all people can celebrate this influence due to the fact that some Mother's were not the positive and supportive influence that they should have been. However, sometimes even situations such as that can be turned around to where one can say, as I heard one man say about his Father,  "She taught me what kind of Mother NOT to be!".

 

Most of those that I saw post notices on social media were lifting their Moms up with praise for all that they had done for them during their life. That is the way it should be!

 

Next month, in June, we will celebrate Father's in the same way.

 

This got me to thinking about how many people actually influence our lives during the course of this journey on earth. There are many, are there not? And, as is the case with Mothers and Fathers, not all of them are the kind of influence that will direct us in a positive way.

 

I don't want to spend time on the negative. I don't want to spend time talking about the people in my life and yours that can influence us in a negative way. So, let's just assume that you and I are both smart enough to keep our eyes, ears and minds open to this and STAY AS FAR AWAY from such influence as possible.

 

Let's focus on those that have had a POSITIVE influence on our lives along the way.

 

Here is a great exercise for you to do on a continual basis that will help bring to mind such people in your life. Get out a piece of paper (or do this on your computer) and begin back as far as you can remember and think about those people that influenced you in a positive way and, you guessed it, WRITE THEM DOWN and also write down beside their name something that you remember about them. HOW did they influence you?

 

Why do I say do this on a continual basis? Well, for one, you may not can remember everyone at the same time. Your memory will be jogged just by beginning this process and, even when you aren't actively writing these things down, you will likely have a "flash memory" of someone else that you need to enter into this all-important listing.

 

Another reason that I say do this on a continual basis is to make note of those even now that are influencing your life in a positive way. Too often we just don't catch these moments of positive influence each day. However, by doing this exercise, our minds will be more open to recognizing and acknowledging these people. I would suggest getting into the habit of doing a daily journal (if you're not doing so already) and, as part of that daily entry, write down the names (and again the action) of a person that influenced you in a positive way during the day.

 

One final step to the exercise: If these people on your list are still alive, try to find a way to send them a nice thank you note and express to them how they influenced your life in a positive way. Notice I said send them a note. Emails and texts are nice but there is nothing like a hand written note that someone can hold on to and cherish. While you're at it, why not make a follow up phone call to make sure they received the note and take the opportunity to TELL them how they influenced your life.

 

The "Attitude of Gratitude"!

 

Who knows? There may be someone else reading this that will have YOU on THEIR list!

 

Be thankful for the positive influences in your life and express that thanks. And, as you go about this task, be sure to...

 

 

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

 

Mike

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The Power of Positive People

Hey everyone, meet Herman. Herman is mowing my yard today and he is the reason for today's blog/podcast and videocast - "The Power of Positive People".

 

Let me tell you a little about ol' Herman, o.k.?

 

I met Herman yesterday afternoon after I had gone through a particularly rough day combating the forces of negativity. Although I had separated myself from a person that was continually spewing negativity and, basically, pure hatred my way there were still times - due to the situation - that I had to be around that person. And, even though I do my best to fill my mind with as much positive input as I possibly can, it still did have an impact on my attitude.

 

Enter Herman.

 

Herman mows yards for a living and he lives about a mile from my house. I pass by his home/business every day and I've planned on stopping by for the past several days because I needed to get my yard mowed. But, for one reason or another it just didn't happen until yesterday.

 

On the way to the hospital to visit with my wife's mom following surgery I told my wife that I was going to stop by Herman's on the way home so I could see if he could do my yard for me. Of course, this was even before I had any idea of the day was going to go and, on the way back home, I did as I said I would do and stopped by Herman's.

 

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I had never met Herman before and had no idea what kind of man he was but, honestly, I was just hoping that he was not going to be a negative person since I had encountered more than I wanted to throughout the day as it was.

 

From the moment Herman came out of his door he put a smile on my face! He was happy and joyful and PROUD of what he did for a living and treated me as if he had known me all of my life. He followed me to my house to take a look so that he could give me a quote and, again, the whole time he was there I was laughing and smiling while joking around with him.

 

After he left last night I told my wife, "I needed to meet that man TODAY!". Some would just say that it was a coincidence, but I believe that everything happens for a reason and I needed to meet Herman YESTERDAY! Remember me saying that I had intended to stop by there for several days before I actually did? I needed it yesterday and that is when I met Herman and I had the opportunity to once again feel "The Power of Positive People".

 

Friend, YOU need such a person or a group of this type of person in your life, don't you? Maybe you have them already. If so, you need to be around them as much as possible and you also need to let them know how much you appreciate the positive impact that they have on your life.

 

One other thought...maybe YOU can be that person in someone else's life. Think about it. We all come into contact with people every day that, likely, we don't give much thought to such as the person behind the check out at the local store. Let me encourage you to take the time to actually engage in conversation - even if it is short - that lets them know that you not acknowledge their presence but that you appreciate what they are doing. IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR DAY, that I can promise you.

 

You may never, ever know the impact you've had on others when you decide that you are going to be a powerful, positive influence in the lives of those around you each and every day. But know that, indeed, it DOES make a difference. Never forget that.

 

Do it. And as you go about spreading this powerful, positive influence be sure to...

 

 

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

 

Mike

The Power of Suggestion

It's "WIDE-OPEN WEDNESDAY!" What will YOU do with your OPPORTUNITY today?

 

"You're getting sleepy...very, very sleepy..."

 

The POWER OF SUGGESTION is well known in the world of entertainment hypnosis. I once had the opportunity to see "The Amazing Kreskin" in person while living in Tulsa, OK. (if you don't know who he is, "Google" him) and, as part of his act, he had people volunteer to come on stage to be hypnotized.

Yeah, you guessed it. I volunteered. Me, a skeptic. And, guess what? It didn't take long for me to be dismissed from the stage because, due to my skeptical outlook on the whole thing, I did not fall under the "spell" of the power of suggestion. And, oh yeah, others definitely did and put on quite a show!

Now, if you've yet to listen to the podcast for today (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739) then I guess I'll spoil the effect of what I share in that podcast. It definitely illustrates the POWER of SUGGESTION!

 

My wife and I are now working with a group of young people in foster care and are experiencing things we have never experienced before even though we have raised three sons of our own. Anyway, yesterday I got a call from one of the schools that one of the attend letting us know that we needed to come pick up this particular child due to....are you ready for this....HEAD LICE.

I have to tell you that as SOON as I heard those words I literally began to feel my head itch in several places - IMMEDIATELY! Now, the question is...have you begun to feel that same ITCH now that you've read this?

Even funnier than that (is that a word?) was when I told some of the other teens that lived in the same house about it so that they could help with some precautionary efforts to keep it from spreading they basically FREAKED OUT and began scratching like crazy!

THE POWER OF SUGGESTION!

What "power of suggestion" is surrounding your daily life? In case you don't realize it, there can be a NEGATIVE power of suggestion just as there can be a POSITIVE power of suggestion. Who or what are you surrounding yourself with today and every day?

Think about this, if you don't like the company you're keeping then CHANGE the company you're keeping! Easier said than done? Sometimes. Necessary? Well, it depends on what kind of influence they have on you and your attitude.

Does their power of suggestion help you stretch further to reach your goals and dreams by "suggesting" that you CAN do it and that you WILL achieve your goals and dreams OR does their power of suggestion say to you, "give up...it's only a dream" or "you really can't do THAT!" or any other of a million negative messages?

If the company you keep does that latter then, YES, YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!

And, by the way, the SOONER the BETTER!

Oh, and by the way, you also have the power of suggestion that you share with others as well as speaking it to yourself. If it's YOU then, obviously, you cannot change THAT company that you keep but, then again, maybe you can...

By changing the way you THINK! That's right...change the "company you keep" with yourself by CHANGING your SELF.

"Whoa, dude...that was DEEP!"

Smile and offer THAT form of suggestion as you go through your day. And, also, as you go through your day be sure to...

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

Mike

Is Mediocrity Acceptable?

Is Mediocrity Acceptable?

Let's start off by asking a few more questions that will help us answer the question found in the title of today's entry...

1. Is mediocrity accepted in our world?

2. Is mediocrity accepted in YOUR world? (your friends and relatives; the people you spend your time with)

3. Is mediocrity acceptable to YOU?

We're going to break each one of these down a little more in a moment, but I want you to understand that, many times, something IS or ISN'T acceptable to you based on the influence of those around you. Think about it and I'm sure you can come up with many examples of your own. Here are just a couple that comes to my mind today:

Example 1: Those that have been raised with religious mindset, have "gone to church" most of their life, spend their time with friends and family of the same mindset will likely a different view of what is acceptable and unacceptable than those that have had no such background. What may be perfectly acceptable to those brought up in a "non-religious home" might be considered unacceptable by those that were. This example could go on and on but I think you get the main idea AND, let me point out, that on EITHER side of this those ideas and thoughts can be changed by changing the people that they spend time with!

Example 2: Those that have been raised in a home that pays a lot of attention to manners (table manners, proper attire for certain occasions, etc.) will very likely have a different idea of what is or isn't acceptable than those that were raised in a much more casual atmosphere. The more casual family may not give a second thought to having their elbows on the table, talking with food in their mouth, laughing and joking at the table, etc. while the "manners family" might find all of this very unacceptable.

Again, you can come up with your own examples, but I wanted to give those so that we can understand that even in the area of mediocrity this can be true! So, let's break down the three questions presented above and see what we come up with, o.k.?

1. Is mediocrity accepted in our world (as a whole)? I suppose it's rather hard for me to speak about the world, so I'll focus my thoughts on the U.S.A. as to what I have observed in this area. My answer for the U.S.A. - YES! I do think that, in many areas and due to the "political correctness poison" that seems to rule so many times that we have allowed mediocrity to be acceptable. I know that many won't agree with me but, in my opinion, when we have activities for our children (ball games, school, etc.) where we don't keep score, we don't give our awards unless EVERYONE gets them and we don't give out grades - all so that they can all feel ACCEPTED - we are accepting and TEACHING mediocrity! Be sure to listen to the podcast for today on a couple of questions I have for you concerning these ideas. I think you'll find that all of this sounds really good until you really see the ultimate outcome of such thinking.

2. Is mediocrity accepted in YOUR world? Again, you can go back to the two examples given above about how things are or are not acceptable greatly in part - many times - because of the influences around us. I really want to you sit up and take notice of this in your own life and see what kind of influences you are allowing in THIS area of your life! Here's a real clue on the acceptance level of those around you --- how often do you hear them make comments or suggestions to you or others in "your world" to just "let it go"? I'm not talking about letting go of anger or worry here. I'm talking about responsibility. Someone might say, "I really need to go back home and finish up on some paperwork that my boss needs done" and the reply might be, "Oh, just let it go. Don't worry about it! You can throw something together at the last minute, right?" -- WARNING SIGN! High school and college is a breeding ground for mediocrity in this way many times, so BEWARE of those that make up "your world"!

3. Is mediocrity acceptable to YOU? You likely will already have your honest answer just by considering the first two questions presented in this article today. You may even be surprised to find out how accepting you have become of mediocrity in your own life. That's right, you may need to make some changes in your life UNLESS you are satisfied with living a mediocre life and settling for less. It's up to you!

Most of us find the thought of mediocrity distasteful! But, just like with many things, given enough time, we can get used to almost anything.

DO NOT FALL INTO THIS TRAP!

From yesterday's title - BEWARE Mediocrity! And, from today - FIGHT the tendency for it to become acceptable in your life.

And, as you do...

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

Mike

Think Positive & Pleasing Thoughts!

Twelve "Do's and Don'ts" For Living a Positive Life

1. Make Enthusiasm A Daily Habit!
2. Don't Allow Negative People to Determine Your Self-Worth!
3. Get Into The Habit of Talking to Yourself Affirmatively!
4. Get Into the Habit of Talking to Others With an Affirmative, Positive Vocabulary!
5. Don't Be a Grudge Collector!

6. Think Positive & Pleasing Thoughts!

Some of you may think that this is beginning to sound redundant - and, to the "untrained eye" it might appear that way. However, look closely at what is being constructed here and notice the progression and how these are all working together to aid us in our desire to live a positive life!

We're told right off to make enthusiasm a daily habit and then we are shown ways that will help make that happen. HOWEVER, first and foremost we must have the DESIRE to live an enthusiastic life. We must have our eyes "open" with that in mind and be looking for the positive in our lives each and every day!

One of the most effective ways to do so is to not allow negative people to have ANY influence in our lives - NONE! We must, through this process, break free from the chains of bondage that have held us back and down due to such people. YES, IT IS THAT DRASTIC AND DRAMATIC.

One way we combat this is to make sure that we are speaking to OURSELVES in an affirmative way - again, go back to my discussions and sharing of my 7 daily affirmations. Then, we also notice that we should be talking to OTHERS in a positive and affirmative way --- this helps us be "whole" in our approach to developing a positive mindset!

By doing so, we should become less and less concerned with holding grudges. We begin to realize - because our focus and direction is changing - that hanging on to such negative feelings will do nothing but bring us down and "kill" our dreams.

So, we're talking to ourselves, we're talking to others and now we are encouraged to THINK positive and pleasing thoughts. Again, this may sound oversimplified, but DO NOT let the simple fool you! "Many times the PROFOUND can be FOUND in the simple!"

This step encourages us to keep our mind focused throughout each and every day. You see, by continuously THINKING in this way then it becomes easier to SPEAK this way - to ourselves as well as to others.

By continuously THINKING this way it also becomes easier to let go of any grudges that we may have been clinging to because now our mindset is focused on something else - something better!

Listen, as I have said many times before, the negative forces in our world are active and busy and are willing to dump negative trash in your lap and in your life ANYTIME you will let them do so!

This is a process. Please do not forget that fact! It does not happen over night, but it DOES happen IF you continue to stay focused. When you fail (notice I didn't say "if" you fail) and allow the negative influences to get the best of you - DO NOT GIVE UP! Realize that you are human and that you just need to get refocused and regain control of your thoughts and, thus, your life.

And, hey, this is one reason I do what I do - to help give you POSITIVE things on which to think! So, use it, apply it and see what happens.

Together we WILL stay on track to our goals and dreams and, while doing so we will always do our best to remember this little quote...

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

Mike

Living Your Best!

Living Your Best!

I really don't want to get into some sort of discussion and/or argument that is sports related when I share these thoughts with you today. I've heard them all debated over and over again and my mind has still not been changed. If you've already listened to the podcast then you already know what I'm talking about. If not...let me share as we begin today.

As this years NFL regular season began to wind down and teams already knew that they were going to the playoffs we saw some of them "rest their starters" so that they could be sure to have them healthy once they got to the playoffs. Sounds good on the surface right?

However, most of the time - if not all of the time - this ended up with these teams LOSING to their opponent. Here's the kicker - these teams could have rested their starters AND still won the game and, for one team in particular, ended with a perfect record for the season.

But, no. Instead of keeping their starters in the game until they got a lead that SHOULD NOT be able to be overcome and THEN taking their starters out, we saw teams take their starters our prematurely and lose the game.

The cameras were zoomed in on the face of the quarterback of the one team that could have gone undefeated and it looked like he had just eaten the most distasteful food possible - he looked absolutely sick!

I have watched for years as teams in the NBA seemed to have purposely lost games so that they might have a better chance at THE lottery pick for the best player available for the next year. As a matter of fact, a man that was an assistant coach a few years back said just recently that this was EXACTLY what had happened with the team for which he coached.

I'm sorry if you don't agree but, to me, that's just wrong.

What about the fans that pay the same amount of money for a ticket for a game when the teams play their best players and the players play their best as they do for one of the games like we're talking about in today's entry? They're not really getting their money's worth, are they?

Like I said, I really don't want to get into an argument or discussion about this - I've heard them all. What I usually here is how this makes sure the main players are healthy for the playoffs OR that the basketball team may increase their chances at the lottery pick.

Here's the deal - NEITHER of these are guaranteed!

I've seen NFL teams that have done this get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs - how did THAT work out for you? And, I've seen NBA teams NOT get the number one pick in the lottery. They were bad before and lost on purpose and they STILL were going to be bad and also lost a lot of respect of their fans.

Remember - TODAY is all we have!

NO ONE is guaranteed ANYTHING about tomorrow! It's just not there, my friend!

The problem is this (as I see it): This kind of approach and attitude is not just tied into these sports scenarios - it's widespread in our society!

I know this next example is meant for humor - really, I do understand that. But, it is an example of how many people think. We've all seen the t-shirts that read, "I'm #1!" right? I am also sure that most of us have seen the shirts that read, "I'm #3 - Why Try At All?".

The sad part is - many people live their whole lives this way.

Many in our society approach a job with the thought, "What's the least amount of work I have to do without getting fired?" instead of, "How can I do this job to the best of my ability?".

I was reading a true account in a book one day about a guy that went to work for a company and was doing his best each day. It didn't' take long before he was approached by someone that had been working there for a few years who said, "Hey, knock it off! Quit working so hard - if you keep this up then they're going to expect the rest of us to work like that! You need to just "act" busy, got it?".

Wow! My guess is that some of you have had this happen to you.

It seems that we have become a society of, "What do I have to do to get by?" instead of "What can I do to exceed expectations?".

My friend, this is not LIVING YOUR BEST. In my opinion, this is not living at all!

Do NOT fall into the trap of settling for less! Do not become "less" by adapting this attitude!

For example, many will say that a marriage is a 50/50 proposition, meaning that each gives 50%.

WRONG! Marriage is a 100/100 proposition and either person that gives less than 100% is not living up to their end of the deal!

IT IS UP TO YOU to make this happen in your life!

You can either be a thermometer OR a thermostat. Here's what I mean. A thermometer only registers the temperature around it. In other words, a thermometer only tells you "what is". However, a thermostat SETS the temperature that the thermometer registers. So, if you are a thermometer person - you basically just "go with the flow". But, if you are a thermostat person YOU set the pace!

It's so easy to slide into the thermometer lifestyle. Let me give you an example from my personal life. Back several years ago I was working for a company working a job just so that I could make ends meet. It wasn't the best job in the world but it helped put some food on the table. The good thing was that I was in the sales department so I had the opportunity to get out of the office - which was FULL of negativity - and mingle with the customers. The potential problem with this was the fact that most of these customers were very displeased with this company and the way that they had been doing business, so I usually got an ear full.

I was able to overcome that fairly easily - I was determined to giving them the best service possible! The problem was - those back at the office didn't seem to share my desire. It was a constant struggle to get the office to fulfill what needed to be done to give the customers the service that they were paying for!

I kept my positive attitude up for a while (I have to say that this was also before I was introduced to great men like Jim Rohn and other materials) but then began to hang around the office longer than I should. By doing so I began to hear and listen to the negativity that filled the air in that office. And, it wasn't long before I was joining right in and becoming a negative person myself. I had taken the path of least resistance and had become "one of them" instead of living the life of a thermostat!

Needless to say, it wasn't long before I quit this job to take on another one which was not a good one either.

Now, let me give you an example on the other side of the spectrum. This one is about my wife and her approach to situations like this. She lives the life of a thermostat and REFUSES to become a thermometer!

If you will actually notice, it just seems that most workplaces are full of negativity. People griping and complaining about what's not right and on and on. My guess is, your place of work is no different, right?

As my wife has begun a few of these jobs she would decide - from day one - that she was not going to give in to the negativity and that she was going to do her best to make everyone around her smile. Sounds kind of "wishful-thinking-like" doesn't it?

The best example is with one particular job at which everyone warned her about a particular assistant manager - a woman that was always in a terrible mood and was constantly griping at the other workers. My wife came home and told me about this and, with a gleam in her eye said, "I'm going to make sure that she smiles at least ONCE while I am working with her every day!" And, guess what? She did! Not only that, but the lady ended up smiling as soon as my wife would walk in the door and was pleasant with her - and the rest of the workers - the whole time!

Get this - the assistant manager even ended up knitting my wife a "throw" for the sofa!

My wife is a PRO at this and it's awesome to watch!

So, here's the thing for today: Are you LIVING your best by GIVING your best?

Think about it. Really be honest in your assessment of whether you are a THERMOMETER or a THERMOSTAT and understand that you CAN live a life of giving your best which, in turn, will cause you to LIVE your best!

And it begins today!

So, that being said, "Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Wise OR Stupid Decisions (Part 1)

"Wise OR Stupid Decisions?"

(Part 1)

Today I want to start a discussion concerning several things that have been very noticeable in the news over the past few years - particularly in the world of sports. It seems to have "exploded" over the past few months and been brought to "center stage".

It seems that there has been an "over abundance" of news concerning young men that have been making some really STUPID decisions with their lives!

Now, again, before I get started let me clarify a few things:

1. Yes, most of us -if not all of us - have made really bad and sometimes stupid decisions in and with our lives! Please don't take this as a person trying to sound like they have not seen the "stupidity monster" evident in his own life!

2. Yes, it IS possible to still live a very successful and productive life even after making a stupid decision! It does NOT have to mean that your life is ruined forever! (There is a KEY to making this happen that I will discuss in another podcast/blog entry on this topic still to come.)

3. But, at the same time, we MUST understand that there ARE some people that DO ruin their lives and NEVER live the successful and productive life that they could have lived if they had only made wiser decisions. Again, this usually happens because they failed to pay attention to the KEY that I mentioned in #2.

I didn't really get very far in my discussion of this in today's podcast so I won't go over or past that in this blog entry - but I will give you some of the same "background" situations that spurred my thoughts in this area. Again, I will not use names but you will still likely be very familiar with most - if not all - of these situations.

Example #1: First of all, I did a little extra research on this topic and found out a little extra information that actually starts before I realized it did with this one example. This actually began in 2003 when this college football player for a team in the Big 10 conference filed a false police report about some items he said was stolen from him. They weren't. It was all false. This resulted in him being suspended for the 2003 football season with this college team so he decided to sue the NFL to allow him to enter the draft for the 2004 season - the problem was that he was too young according to NFL rules. He initially won the suit but then it was later overturned. Another problem with this was the fact that he had hired an agent which then disqualified him for playing any further in college and, now, he had to wait until the 2005 NFL draft to have a chance to play football once again. When it came time for him to "show his stuff" to the scouts he was less than impressive. However, he was still signed by one NFL team but was cut in preseason.

Here's the really, really sad part - On January 1, 2006, the young man robbed two people with a .45 caliber handgun, the same night that his college team was playing in a bowl game - one in which he COULD HAVE been involved. In September 2006, he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, but could apply for early release after three and a half years.

Example #2: In November of 2009, three college football players from an SEC school were arrested for an incident that stemmed from an attempted robbery outside a convenience store near campus. A powered pellet gun was recovered in the players' car after they were stopped by police. I couldn't find the actual results of what happened with this case, but I do know I heard talk of how at least one of these young men had a very promising career waiting for him in the NFL and that now all of that was likely gone. I DO know that there were charges filed and that there will be legal problems for these three young men for some time to come.

Example #3: Four basketball players from this same SEC school mentioned in #2 were pulled over for speeding and then arrested when guns and drugs were found in their vehicle and charged with gun possession and other counts on January 1, 2010. Obviously, there is still much to come with this situation but the impact to the basketball future of these young men is now definitely up in the air and uncertain - not to mention their personal lives.

Example #4: A prominent NFL player was sentenced to two years in prison in the summer of 2009 after carrying a gun into a night club and having it accidentally fire, wounding him in the leg. This player had been in a Super Bowl game in 2008 and now sits in prison.

Example #5: A prominent NBA player has been suspended without pay indefinitely and now faces legal issues after bringing and displaying several guns to his teams locker room on Christmas Eve, 2009.

Example #6: The most well-known golfer in the world at this time has seen his career collapse - at least temporarily - after news of marital infidelity with several women came out following an early morning automobile accident right outside of his home in late November, 2009.

I DO understand that the sixth example is different than the other five, but it is still BIG NEWS and still shows the major IMPACT of making stupid decisions.

I guess I feel the need for a couple of more clarifications before I close this blog entry for today (again, I don't' want to go further with my thoughts that I did in today's podcast) to make sure you don't misunderstand what I am doing here.

I am not "picking on" anyone or any particular university, etc. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT! These are some of the MAJOR news stories that have come out in the world of sports over a very recent and short time span - THIS SHOULD GET OUR ATTENTION - shouldn't it?

I think we can all be in agreement that, in each of these situations, some very STUPID decisions were made. What will happen for each of the people involved in these situations? It depends.

It will all depend on what decisions and choices that make next.

Bottom line - LIFE IS A CHOICE. CHOOSE CAREFULLY!

Join me tomorrow as I continue this discussion and, as always...

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

Mike