So, Winner or Loser?

Hook up with me on my Facebook fan page at: www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity

So, the other day I had a teenager called me a "loser". It was a little bit in a joking way but, at the same time, he was trying to be a bit insulting. My reply?   "No sir, I've always been a winner and I will always be a winner. Let me know when you'd like to experience the same!"

After that little conversation I got to thinking, "What is it that has someone come up with the idea that they are either a winner or a loser?" Sure, I know that "self-talk" and "self-belief" has a lot to do with it but, what I began to question was what about those people (young people, for example) that never learn those practices? What determines for them - in their minds - whether they are winners or losers?

Many of you may not know but my wife and I have been working with foster kids for the past 8 months (as I write this) and it is easy to see where many of these young people can get the "I'm a loser" mentality. But, is it all environment?

I am not sure that you could ever say that it is ALL environment but, with certainty, I can say that environment plays a HUGE and MAJOR part in the development of one's own self-worth.

Let's get personal. What about YOU and your view of your self-worth. Do you view yourself as a WINNER or a LOSER? Think about it...be open and honest and take a moment, go to the website for my fan page above and leave your thoughts. Or, if that is too public, you can send me an e-mail at mike@futureyouuniversity.com - I won't reveal any pertinent information about anything sent to me via that e-mail address but I may share just the general thoughts shared there. If you'd rather me not share anything that you share with me - I will keep your wish, o.k.?

So...WINNER or LOSER... which is it and how have you come to that conclusion? I'm waiting to hear from YOU!

Until then, whatever you do, wherever you go, be sure to...

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

Mike

You Are Able to TOUCH and CHANGE Lives

Today is "Wide-Open Wednesday"...what will YOU do with today's wide-open opportunity?

So far this week we have discussed two of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful Daily Affirmations" and, as you might guess, I will be continuing on with the third of these seven in today's article. For those that have yet to listen to the podcast that goes along with all of this, I'll go ahead and share with you the total list of all seven before I continue today's thought. Here we go:

1: I am somebody SPECIAL!

2: I AM ABLE to accomplish GREAT things!

3: I AM ABLE to TOUCH and CHANGE many lives for the better!

4: I will not allow ANYONE to determine the size of my dreams1 THEY ARE MINE!

5: I AM A GIVER - not a taker!

6: I WILL take steps on this journey TODAY!

7: I CAN! I WILL! I MUST!

Again, if you have not listened to or read the previous topics (the first two affirmations) before now, take a few moments and do that. Why is this important? Because the very first affirmation is the BUILDING BLOCK and FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE upon which the remaining six affirmations are built.

Because of WHO you are (one created in the image of God) you are, indeed somebody special! And, based on this fact you ARE able to accomplish "great" things and, among those great things is your ability to TOUCH and CHANGE the lives of those around you that you come into contact with each and every day.

Take a moment and just think about all of the people that you have had more than just a "passing connection" with over the past five years. I'm not talking about those people that you came into contact just once (those would be the "passing connection" people I mentioned - although you DID have an impact on them as well!) but those that you come into contact maybe even two or three times in a week.

The waiter/waitress at your favorite restaurant, the garage attendant at your parking garage, your doorman, your co-workers, your friends at church, your spouse's family, your family, your children, friends of your children and on and on we could go. Think about that just for a moment and try to come up with an estimate of how many different people you've had contact with, like these, over the past five years.

My guess is that you will likely come up with a larger number than you would have thought in the beginning. Now, double that number and then triple it. Why do that? Because, whether we realize it or not, the impact we make on other people is transferred to  people that THEY come into contact with in THEIR daily lives!

WOW! When you think of it this way you do, indeed, have impact on far more lives that we can even begin to imagine! Here's the kicker - that impact can be either NEGATIVE or POSITIVE!

What impact would you say that you "generally" have on those around you? Oh, I know we all have days when we are a bit short with people and maybe aren't as positive as we normally are. That happens. But friend, what IS your "norm"?

Listen, when you even just consider the impact you make upon hundreds - if not thousands - of lives just from the impact upon your children, it can be almost overwhelming. Your children and all of those that they connect with throughout their school years and even through college as well as the co-workers that they will have in their career. Combine that with their friends and then their own children (your grandchildren) and on and on it goes.

WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING TODAY?

You see friend, it is not about HUGE and MIGHTY things when we discuss this. Sure, it CAN be and you MAY touch many lives in ways that not many can or do but - DON'T MISS THIS POINT - your ability to touch and change many lives for the better begins right now and right where you are. TODAY.

We must stop waiting for some great opportunity before we touch lives and realize that this opportunity is here before us this very day. NOW.

So, touch and change the lives of those that you come into contact with today and every day and just imagine how far-reaching that impact will be and then smile as you go about your day.

And, as you do so...

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

Mike

Small Things Becoming BIG!

It's "MAGICAL MONDAY" once again...what will YOU do with YOUR magic?

We go through our days doing what we may think are totally insignificant things along the way. As a matter of fact they are so insignificant to us that we don't even think about them when we do them. (Now stay with me on this because, yeah, I'm going to hit a few "pet peeves" but we ARE going to end on a very positive note!)

For example, one thing I see a LOT of people do (and a growing number of young people - wonder where they get it from?) is to litter. And, from what I can tell by watching, they don't even think about what they are doing. I mean, after all, what's the big deal about one tiny little gum wrapper, right? Of course not until you multiply that by thousands of people that are doing the same thing.

Have you noticed how many "non-handicapped" people park in the "handicap only" parking spots? Hey, what's the big deal, right? I'm just going to run in for a few moments and pick something up. Again, without even thinking about this small, seemingly insignificant action.

Rude comments without thinking. "Oh wait, did you take that SERIOUSLY?" Talking on your cell phone or just being completely engulfed by it while in the company of others.

I could go on and on because there are so many and, by the way, there are things that I do, as well, that has a negative impact on others that I don't even think about. Small. Insignificant.

Now, on the other hand there may also be lots of little things that we or other people do - again without much thought - that may seem rather insignificant. And, just like the negative examples above, though they may SEEM to be small and insignificant, they may be anything BUT that in the lives of some people.

Opening the door for someone else. Saying, "thank you" and "you're welcome" and "how are you today" (and meaning it) when so many people are either too busy or too preoccupied to do so. Picking up that gum wrapper on the ground and putting it in the trash. Taking the time and making the effort to TRULY LISTEN to someone when they are talking with you. Giving someone else the RESPECT of your full attention when you are with them.

Here is a prime example that I experienced just the other day. Please know that I do not share this with you to "pat myself on the back". This just really just jumped out at me because, to me, it was small and insignificant and something that I try to do so often that I didn't even give much thought.

Now first, let me tell you that, for the most part I feel that the term "customer service" is an oxymoron. It seems that the majority of the time that I have to call in and speak to a "customer service representative" it turns out to be something LESS than a pleasant experience. Can any of you relate to that?

Anyway, I really wasn't expecting a battle of any kind but, to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to making a call that would involve a customer representative. As a matter of fact, I tried every way that I could think of to try to take care of this business through this company's website where I would NOT have to talk to anyone. No such luck.

Within the first minute of the conversation, after the gentleman introduced himself to me, he asked, "How are you today?" to which I responded, "I'm doing great! How are YOU doing today?" No biggie. No major motivational speech. Simple. Small. Seemingly insignificant.

However, this gentleman on the other end of the phone said with a smile in his voice, "Mr. Spillman, I'm doing fine and, I'll tell you this - I will be working for another 8 hours or so on my shift and you will likely be the ONLY person that will ask me that today. THANK YOU for asking me how I am doing!"

Did that seemingly insignificant exchange make a difference in this man's day? Apparently so! Did I set out to make that impact? Not really. But I did.

Small things becoming BIG. Think about it and pass it along and see what happens in YOUR world.

Until next time, friends...

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

Mike

Information Overload

"INFORMATION OVERLOAD"

How much "information" is TOO much and what "information" is actually USEFUL information?

These are but a few of the questions that we all really need to be asking ourselves IF we are serious about controlling what we allow into our "mental mindset".

Why? Again, referring back to the old computer acrostic "G.I.G.O." = "Garbage In, Garbage Out". What you ALLOW in to your mental mindset will be what "comes out" in your thoughts and actions.

If that doesn't sober you up a little bit I'm not sure what will.

I emphasized the word, "ALLOW" two paragraphs earlier for a reason. Let's face it, we're not being FORCED as to what information goes into our heads, are we? Likely not. So, again getting honest with ourselves, we ALLOW this into our minds.

Did you go through your programming guide to see how much "news programming" is on during the course of a day on YOUR television channels? Again, I'm not even talking about the cable "news" channels that are on 24 hours a day but your "local" channels like NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox (no, not the Fox News Network).

Here's what I found when I researched my programming guide:

The local affiliates for NBC and ABC each have a total of 10 hours of "news programming" on as a combination of national and local programming. The CBS affiliate has 9.5 hours available and the local affiliate for the Fox channel only has 4 hours of local news programming. I also found that the local NBC affiliate begins this type of programming at 4:30 a.m. and continues it off and on throughout the day until 10:30 p.m. The ABC affiliate begins this type of programming at 2:30 a.m. and continues on and off until 10:30 p.m. (even though it just hit me that they do also have a national "news" program from 11:00 - 11:30 p.m. which brings them up to the same 10 hours a day as the other two that I mentioned.

I live in Arkansas which is a very small state. However, our local affiliates feel that there is some sort of need for those of us in the state to be inundated with MASSIVE amounts of local news available to us all throughout the day. Really?

Listen friend, I'm here to tell you that there is NOT enough "news" going on in this small state to justify the local NBC affiliate airing a local "news program" from 5:00 - 7:00 a.m. as well as from noon - 1:00 p.m. and then again from 5:00 - 5:30, 6:00 - 6:30, 7:00 - 7:30 and again from 10:00 - 10:30 p.m. Too, the local ABC affiliate offers similar local programming from 4:30 - 7:00 a.m., 9:00 - 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. - Noon, 5:00 - 5:30 p.m., 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. and 10:00 - 10:30 p.m. Let's not forget the local CBS affiliate that offers the same type of "programming" beginning at 4:30 - 7:00 a.m. and then provides more from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m., Noon - 12:30 p.m., 5:00 - 5:30 p.m., 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. and again at 10:00 - 10:30 p.m.

Whew! That makes me tired just typing all of that!

My friend, this is INFORMATION OVERLOAD and I didn't even address the national "news programs" that are on off and on all day and night. And, yes, I put the words "news programs" in quotes for a reason and I will address that in the next podcast/article.

Remember, too, that we haven't even began to mention the so-called cable "news channels" that are on 24 hours a day.

HELP!

So, friend, what are you allowing in YOUR mind? What are you allowing to make a definite IMPACT upon your life and the lives of all that you have contact with on a daily basis? Remember the "ripple effect"?

Think about it - with the television turned off for a change and we'll continue this discussion tomorrow.

Until then, be sure to...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Me? I Choose To Keep Moving Forward!

So, yeah, I could have given up (see last blog entry) but I CHOSE to keep going!
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for both teens and adults!


It's actually based on my "soon-to-be-released" book entitled,
"10 Ways to IMPACT Your Child's Future NOW!".


In case you can't read it clearly on the ad, to find out more about this Seminar go to:

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Be Open and Receptive!

Be Open and Receptive!

How receptive are you?

Now THAT'S a loaded question that would need some clarification before it could be answered, right?

It is for me! My question in response TO the question would be, "How receptive am I to what?"

That does make a difference, doesn't it?

I mean, if you ask me how receptive I am to you treating me to a steak dinner I'd say that I'd be VERY receptive to that idea! However, if you were to ask me how receptive I would be to jumping out of an airplane I'd probably hesitate and not be as receptive!

But there are times that we "close off" our willingness to be receptive without any good reason.

Here's the point of the thought for today... I want to encourage you to be open and receptive at all times and not be like a door that is open and closed at different times.

By being open and receptive at all times we might be pleasantly surprised at what might come our way and be a positive addition in our lives.

Let me give you a very simple example. When I was a kid my mom would bring home some frozen pizza from the supermarket from time to time and I absolutely disliked how they tasted! As I got a little older this was my only experience with pizza and, because of that, in my mind I had decided that I DID NOT like pizza! While in high school and in the school band we would stop off and eat from time to time while traveling and, at times, it would be at a famous pizza chain - but I WOULD NOT eat pizza. Why? Because I did not like pizza! So, I'd order their spaghetti (which wasn't that great) instead. I did this for years and would turn down offers from my friends to at least TRY the pizza to see what it was like. In my mind I already KNEW what it was like and I knew I DIDN'T like it!

I finally gave in during my Senior year of high school and tasted some pizza from this famous pizza chain and, guess what? I LOVED IT! What had I been missing all of these years? I had a new "favorite food" and it tasted NOTHING like that frozen pizza that I had tasted years earlier.

I wasn't very receptive to trying this fresh pizza because I had already closed my mind to the idea that it might actually be different - and better - than what I had already tasted before.

We are like that in so many ways and, because of that, we very likely are "missing out" on so many things through the years. Are you?

Have your eyes and ears open and, by doing so you will become open and receptive to WHATEVER comes your way in whatever form!

Yes, you will need to be like an air filter that, although it takes in all air, filters out the impurities that could harm the machine (whether it be a car engine or your home's air conditioner). Be open and receptive to all "signals" but be sure to have that filter in place so that you can filter out the negative and harmful impurities from your mind and life.

Here's the story that I shared on the podcast for today. I will share it with you and then I'll discuss it in more depth in tomorrow's blog entry.

Last Thursday as I was traveling back home on my motorcycle I passed by a church building that had a sign out front with one of those "changeable messages" posted. As I passed by I glanced and the only words that I saw was, "Believe in yourself". I honestly didn't think much about it as I drove on past but did wonder what the rest of the message was.

As I arrived back in my home town - about 20 miles past the first sign - I passed by a business that had one of those "scrolling marquee" signs with the "lighted message" scrolling across. Now, think about the timing of this as drive past at about 40 miles an hour only to see the following message roll across the sign: "Believe in Yourself".

Now, honestly, my first thought was, "Is there some kind of campaign today that I missed on the news about today being the day to 'believe in yourself'?" I really think my "logical mind" did not want to think anything of it at the time. However, that thought did not last long and I smiled to myself and thought, "No, Mike - that's a message for you today!" And, when I considered the likelihood of those two signs saying the exact same thing and the timing involved I got an even BIGGER smile on my face as I opened up mind to receive the message.

Now, that may sound "weird" (or whatever word you want to use here) to you - but I believe it to be true and I believe that it happens to me and to you countless times during the course of a week and, even during the course of a day and we simply miss it because we are not open and receptive to the idea of this happening!

I, like so many of you, struggle with self-doubt from time to time and lately I have been "back on track" with some of my ideas and plans and this message was EXACTLY what I needed to be reminded of - and I received the message that was given!

But that's not the end of the story!

I spent a few minutes at my office and then began to ride my motorcycle home when I passed a different scrolling marquee sign that, as I passed (again, think about the timing) I read the words, "and others".

"Believe in yourself and others".

Wow! I still get chills when I share that with you and I'll share more specifics about the importance of that message in my own life as well as yours in tomorrow's entry but, here's the deal - ARE YOU WILLING TO BE OPEN AND RECEPTIVE to the messages that come YOUR WAY as you go through your day?

You don't need to "look for them". If you are open and receptive you will see them when they present themselves! And, likewise, if you are NOT open and receptive they will come and go and you will never even know that they were there.

Try it. Don't judge that pizza on that frozen, cardboard-tasting one you had in the past. You may be surprised at what you find!

And as you continue on your journey, don't forget to...

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

Mike

Claim Your Print!

CLAIM YOUR PRINT!

How quickly are you to sign your name to something? Do you understand what I mean? How quickly are you ready to put your signature on the bottom of a piece of paper?

It depends on what the paper is, doesn't it? And, even at that, if you are like most people, there is still a bit of nervousness to signing your name "on the dotted line". (You know, I've never signed on a "dotted" line - they've all been solid!)

Why are we so nervous about doing this? Because it is legally binding! Your SIGNATURE means that YOU - yes YOU - agreed to the terms of whatever it is that you signed.

Sure, someone might be able to forge your signature and, unless proved as being forged, that signature is also binding to YOU.

Wow, very much like our fingerprints, huh?

In today's thought I want you to also consider the concept of your signature much like an artist puts his signature on a painting. Doing so states, "Yes, this is MY work! Like it or love it, it's mine. I did it!"

How much of your LIFE are you willing to put your signature on? Good or bad, like it or love it.

You see, when we do a job and we do it well, we LIKE for people to know that we were responsible for it. Go on, admit it. You know it's true. However, if it doesn't turn out the way we planned we more or less hope that we don't have to take credit for the mistake, right?

And, even then, when it comes back to us (our "signature" declares our "ownership" of the project) we may even try to come up with any and every kind of excuse as to why - even though it's "ours" - it didn't turn out well. Ouch!

Here's the deal - the question is not, "Are you WILLING to put your signature on everything that you do in life?". The FACT is, you do.

All week long we have been talking about our "life's fingerprint" and the imprint and impact we make on our world. Good or bad, positive or negative we are leaving our imprint behind. Uniquely ours.

And so it is in today's thought and message. Like it or not, we ARE "putting our signature" on everything that we do.

Our job. Our family life. Our social life. Our spiritual life. Each and every relationship. Everything. That's right - EVERYTHING!

Yes, I understand that, in a family, there are others that are involved as well. But, what does YOUR "signature" and "fingerprint" say about YOU in this situation? Apply this thought to each of the situations mentioned above as well as those I didn't mention.

Here's the challenge: Live life in such a way that you are willing to accept both the good AND the bad and still PROUDLY have your "signature" and "fingerprint" attached to the situation!

Claim your print!

Take responsibility. For the good AND the bad.

Don't make excuses. Don't hide. Don't boast. Just simply claim your print!

I'm thinking that, when the reality sinks in that everything we do is attached to us via our "signature print", it might change our approach on life in general.

Hey, it's just a fact. Like it or not, we leave our "signature print" behind on everything that we do and upon everyone with which we come into contact. Wow!

Are you perfect? No. Am I perfect? No.

But I am me! I am trying to IMPROVE "me" each and every day.

I hope that you never "settle for less" in your ongoing development and improvement in your life. I hope that your "signature print" is significantly more meaningful in your life TODAY than it was when you were a teenager.

Seriously, do you think anyone would take you to court as a kid in kindergarten if you got hold of a document and scribble your name on it? Why not? Because that "signature" really didn't carry any significance to it at the time! But now? That's a whole different story, right?

Claim your print!

It's yours and on one else's!

Pretty cool, isn't it?

And as you go through your life leaving your "signature print" behind, be sure to...

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

Mike

Your Life's Fingerprints

YOUR LIFE'S FINGERPRINTS

Most of us understand the basic facts about fingerprints, right?

Most of us realize that no two fingerprints are alike but did you know that this was also true in regards to identical twins?

Did you also know that Koala Bears have fingerprints that can be mistaken for human fingerprints?

And, finally, did you know that injuries such as burns or scrapes will not change the ridge structure: when new skin grows in, the same pattern will come back.

These are all interesting facts, aren't they? And, they also bring about some thoughts about a different kind of "fingerprint" that we all leave behind.

I call it our life's fingerprint. The imprint, the impact that we all make on our world - yes, even you!

I know that many people feel that they have no impact on the world and that there existence doesn't matter at all and that the world would be no different if they were to disappear.

WRONG!

Yes, I know it's a movie, but let me call your attention back to that classic, "It's a Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart. You remember, don't you, that the premise of the movie is that of the character played by Mr. Stewart having the chance to see what his world would have been like had he not even been born. He found that his life DID INDEED have far greater impact than he imagined.

Now, I know of no way to do this for you. HOWEVER, I do know that it is true of your life as well as everyone else's.

Yes, there are those that leave a negative - and sometimes even an evil - impact upon the world. But there are many that impact their world with a POSITIVE imprint that reaches far beyond their imagination.

We've talked about this idea before when we've mentioned how YOUR imprint can impact generations to come without you ever even knowing about it. POWERFUL!

Now, if you noticed, I highlighted a couple of phrases in that last fingerprint fact listed above. I highlighted the words, "will not change" and "same pattern" in regards to our physical fingerprints.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS: We CAN change our life's fingerprints! If we don't like the impact or are not satisfied with the type of fingerprint we are leaving on our world we CAN change it and/or correct it!

Again, it's that wonderful ability we all have to make a CHOICE!

Isn't life wonderful? "As long as there is breath there is hope!" helps us to understand this each and every day.

Know this: you DO leave and you ARE leaving a fingerprint - an imprint - upon your world.

What does your "identifying mark" say about you?

Join me the rest of this week as I discuss this topic further in both my podcast and here, in my blog. Thanks for joining me today!

And, as you go through your day remember to...

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

Mike