CHANGE: Some You CAN'T Change!

"CHANGE: Some You CAN'T Change!"

In my last two blog articles and podcasts I've shared some thoughts concerning CHANGES. Wow, even though the word, "change" has six letters it sure can come across as a FOUR-LETTER WORD, can't it?

Before I go any further, let me list once again four different categories of the types of changes that we encounter in our lives:

TYPES OF CHANGES: (1)Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves... (2) those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)... (3)those that come at us DUE TO our actions and (4) those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

In my last discussion we covered the first one listed - changes that we voluntarily bring on ourselves. If you haven't done so, you might want to go back and read that blog article as well as listen to the podcast that goes with it. You can access that podcast via my website: http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/ .... just click on video podcast and then click on the iTunes icon or the RSS feed icon.

Today I'd like to talk about that second category - changes that come regardless of what we do or don't want but that are not "against" us...or at least not purposely so.

Hey, let's face it, there are some changes that come in our life that is just a part of LIVING life, right?

You can move around the country all you want to avoid the changing seasons but, whether we like it or not or whether we want it or not, the seasons DO change! I do enjoy the change from one to the other but I don't like the extreme heat and I don't enjoy the winter months for very long. Thankfully, since I live in Arkansas the winter months are not too severe and do not last long compared to other parts of the country. But, for me, once it snows one time I'm ready for Spring to arrive!

But you know what? I can complain and whine all I want and it's not going to CHANGE a thing concerning these changes. I can gripe and complain about the change in the fall and spring with the time (spring forward, fall back...or is it, uh....) but it won't do me any good if I choose to stay living in this part of the country.

But, you know what? For some, these changes DO have an adverse affect on them and there IS something that those people CAN do to change this impact upon them. MOVE!

Seriously, these things CAN be changed to your favor to some extent if you really need them to. For example, we have some older friends that now live in Arizona due to the wife having terrible arthritis. When they lived here in Arkansas her arthritis was TERRIBLE due to the humidity here but, when they would go out to Arizona for the winter her arthritis would improve greatly. So, although she couldn't get rid of her arthritis (another change that we cannot do much about or get rid of) she COULD improve her situation by living in Arizona. And that is exactly what they did - they moved to Arizona.

The same is true concerning the changing of the time. It has been proven that many suffer from greater bouts of depression during the winter months due to the extended darkness and the effects of "cabin fever" from having to stay indoors too much. These people can also improve their situation by moving to a different area of the country or world that either does not follow the time change patterns or that is in a warmer climate with extended day light hours.

So, you see, even with those changes that come our way without our choosing them, we can STILL do SOMETHING to help out IF we need to do so.

Or we can continue to whine and complain.

Shall we talk about the changes that come with getting older? Aches and pains WILL come along with fading eyesight and other problems.

It's a fact of life but there are SOME things we can do to improve our health instead of just giving up. Will we STOP these things from happening in our life? NO. But we can delay them or reduce the impact of them in and on our lives.

So, as you would think I would say about this, even if we don't have a choice in this area of CHANGE we DO have a choice concerning the IMPACT of this change.

Just give it some thought when you find yourself getting discouraged and/or complaining about such things and ask yourself if there is ANYTHING you can do to improve the situation.

I bet there is and I bet you can come up with some things if you really want to do so.

Should we even BEGIN to talk about gas prices?

That will have to wait until some other time, friend but, until then, whatever you do, wherever you are, be sure to...

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

Mike

CHANGE (No Dimes or Nickels)

"CHANGE: No dimes or nickels"

One thing about life is certain...there will ALWAYS be CHANGE! (And, by the way, that will NEVER CHANGE!)

Here's the thing to think about: How will you let CHANGE impact YOUR life?

Will you allow the change that comes your way to control your life OR will YOU control the impact of the change?

This is something to keep in mind whether the change is good or bad! Some change is good and some not so good but we STILL must not allow that change to take over our lives.

Sometimes when change happens it takes over completely and changes a persons outlook on life and even their attitude towards life. Again, this can be with either "good" or 'bad" changes that come our way.

For example, if something horrible happens in a person's life they can allow that change to completely consume their life in a way that the cease to continue to LIVE life. Belive me, this is one of those "easier said than done" scenarios for sure! But, you've seen it, have you not?

I'm not overlooking or taking lightly tragedy that strikes in the lives of people. I cannot imagine the horror and grief that many go through in tragic times and I know that such events will have an impact on a persons life for most of- if not all of - the rest of their life.

However, I have seen those that go through a time of shock and grief and, even though that tragedy has left it's mark on their life forever, they have learned not to allow that tragedy to OWN their life.

Make sense?

Even when something "good" happens in our life that brings change we must still learn to not let that change "own" our life. Change our life? Sure. Impact our life? Of course. But we still must not allow that change - even if "good" - to OWN our life.

An example on this side may be someone that wins the lottery or comes into a lot of money for any reason. I'm sure you've seen the television shows or read the articles that tell of so many that end up worse off than they were BEFORE this "good change" came their way. They never learned to take control of that change before it took control of them.

Change. It will continue to be a part of our lives as long as we are alive.

What will YOU do with that change. Better yet, what ARE you doing?

For our next podcast/blog topic I want to continue this thought process and will begin to discuss the following ideas about change:

TYPES OF CHANGES: Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves...those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)...those that come at us DUE TO our actions and those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

So, as you can see we will have a lot to talk about in the next few weeks!

By the way, let me just mention that I am not able to be as "consistent" with my podcasts and blogs as I had been at one time due to a new job that my wife and I are involved with BUT I WILL continue to get these out as often as possible and I still cherish and welcome any and all feedback from you!

So, until that next time, I'd like to leave you with these two quotes I came across the other day and encourage you to think about the truth found within them both.

“The only change to be afraid of is the change that we are not prepared for.”

"If you want the future to be different, change what you are doing today! "

And, as always, be sure to...

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

Mike

DID YOU KNOW?

I thought I'd share this information JUST IN CASE those of you reading this blog didn't know that there was so much more available to you on the same topics!

DID YOU KNOW - were you aware - that I also do a daily podcast and "video-cast" of the exact same topic as what you find on this blog each day?

THAT'S RIGHT!

I do a podcast that can be found and subscribed to on iTunes OR that you can subscribe to the RSS feed directly via my website - www.MichaelSpillman.com

And, on top of all of that, I have begun to actually video my podcast as I record it for publication.

HOW DO I ACCESS THE PODCAST AND VIDEO-CAST?

As mentioned above, just go to the website, www.MichaelSpillman.com (this will take you to www.FutureYouUniversity.com ) and look for the "videocast" tab at the top.

Click on that tab and you will be taken to a page featuring my videos. Now, at the top of that "box" showing my most recent video you will find the iTunes logo (which is how you will connect to the podcast via iTunes), an RSS feed logo (much like how many of you have subscribed to this blog) AND a YouTube logo to which you can also subscribe. (Note: The videos shown on this page come straight from my YouTube channel so you can access them either way).

NOW YOU KNOW!

Please send some feedback on the articles/podcasts/videocasts. It really helps me a LOT to know that you are reading and/or listening and that what I am sharing is of benefit to you. Send me a message anytime via email - mike@futureyouuniversity.com

Thanks and, "Make it an AWESOME day!"

Mike

Sometimes You Have to Just "Go With the Flow"

GIVE UP OR KEEP MOVING FORWARD?

It's now always easy to keep pushing forward when it seems that the "ROADBLOCK DEMONS" are determined to keep you from moving in a forward direction.

I've talked about it many times in the past and - not for the first time - I am experiencing it as I continue to plan to actually present my first seminar.


Is it frustrating? OH YEAH!


But, I also know that I can either GIVE UP or continue to MOVE FORWARD with my plans - even if it does take some major reorganizing!


As always, the choice is MINE and it is up ME to decide what it is that I will do with these temporary roadblocks and setbacks.


Me? I choose to keep pushing forward!


And I encourage YOU to do the same in YOUR LIFE in whatever area of your life that it is with which you are attempting to move FORWARD into a better and brighter future.


Here's to your continued effort and coming success in your endeavors. And, as always...


"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

Today is "Magical"! (Part 2)

In yesterday's podcast and blog entry we talked about "5 Things That Make Today MAGICAL!" and covered - in detail - the first three points. I wanted to spend a little more time on the last two of these points so that we can give the the attention and detail that they need in order to be of help in our daily journey.

As a way of quick review, the first 3 points were:

1.It's a NEW DAY - never before (same job, etc. - but a new day)
2. Although you cannot UNDO the past, you can DO today!
3. There will NEVER be ANOTHER today -- once gone, it's gone forever (so DO it today!)

And now, let's finish up with the last two points as to what makes TODAY "MAGICAL"!

4. Today has an impact on ALL of your TOMORROWS!

Although we cannot go back and "redo" or "undo" what we have done in the past, we can live today KNOWING that what we do today (remember, we can "do" today!) will have an impact on all of our tomorrows! We don't have to settle for the "same old thing" in our lives - regardless of what remains the same!

Tired of your job? Hopefully, you have been making strides in improving your attitude so that you can approach this differently or maybe you have been making strides to make a change in your life sometime in the "not-too-distant" future. For many people that are wanting and moving toward change, it becomes increasingly difficult to "put up" with what we have become dissatisfied with --- our everyday job and routine. (This can be true of so many things in our life that have not changed, including our relationships).

Here's the thing to remember: even if our surroundings do not chance - WE can change! We have the ability - through our changed and improved mindset - to change our approach and our outlook TODAY! Understanding that what we do today will - without a doubt - impact our tomorrow SHOULD help us approach today with a whole new - and improved - mindset!

When we understand - as has already been pointed out - that there has never been a TODAY and there will never be another TODAY (specifically by date!) then we come to realize how important and what a precious commodity today really is! IT IS TO BE VALUED and cherished!

Are you following me on this journey even since I began the podcast on this topic? When I recorded the podcast it was Sunday evening, December 13th. It was posted for airing for Monday, December 14th and I wrote the initial blog entry on Monday, December 14th. Those days are GONE FOREVER! And, now, I am finishing up my thoughts on another day - Tuesday, December 15, 2009.

One thing I had always heard and now, as I get older, find to be true is the idea that time seems to go by so much faster than before! I just turned 50 in early November - how did THAT happen?

What impact will you make on your TOMORROW, today? You WILL make an impact one way or another - know that to be true. It is up to YOU as to what kind of impact you make.

5. You have the ability to CHOOSE how you DO today!

Then last few thoughts of point 4 lead us to this one - we all have the ability to CHOOSE how we "DO" today! Think about how magical that really is!

For many of us, there are many things in our lives that we do not have control over. If you work then there are certain things that you have no control over at all - what time you have to be at work, what time you get to eat lunch, what time you get to go home, when you can be sick, when you can take vacation - just to name a few.

But again - and DO NOT miss this point! - we still have the ability to have control over our minds, our mindset and how we CHOOSE to "do" today! As was mentioned in points 3 and 4, we still have the ability - even in a world of "sameness" - to live each day differently than before. Why? Because today IS different than before!

Will you settle for just "going through the motions" through yet another day? Will you settle for having the same negative mindset as so many around you as you go through your day? OR will you apply what you know to be true and helpful in your life and allow your positive subconscious mind to kick in and help you LIVE LIFE in a NEW AND POWERFUL way?

Let me remind you again to take a quick glimpse at the clock. What time is it right now? For me, as I type this, it is 9:59 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2009. The only "today" there will ever be! And, as I look at the clock I see that ten hours of this day has already passed! GONE FOREVER! I have fourteen hours left in this precious time slot of my life and the lives of those around me - WHAT WILL I DO WITH WHAT IS LEFT?

It is up to me! No one else!

Yes, we "allow" others to have influence and impact on our lives - but notice the word, "allow"! NO ONE ELSE can actually control how you live your life! NO ONE ELSE can actually cause you to have a bad day or to live your day in a foul mood! NO ONE - but you!

What will YOU choose? What DO you choose?

Feel the magic! Be thrilled by the magic of the moment! Let it exhilarate you and let it spur you on to "DOING" today like no other -- because, in fact, there has been nor will there ever be another.

And, as you continue to do so....

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

Mike

"Give More Than You Have To!"

GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

Many people go through life doing ONLY what is expected of them and nothing more. They do this with their jobs and their relationships and then wonder why they are miserable.

Living this way is not really living! When once chooses to live their life this way, they may survive but they will NEVER thrive!

Now, I'm not sure about you - but I don't want to simply survive - I CHOOSE TO THRIVE!

And, one of the best ways to make this happen is to follow this simple little rule: "Give More Than You Have To!"

As my boys grew up and began to apply for and get jobs during the summer I always told them, "Always do more than is expected of you. Whatever the boss expects you to do - do more." I think it was good advice then and I think it is good - and sound - advice for each and every one of us today.

Do you want a happier relationship with your spouse? GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

Do you want a happier relationship with your friends and family? GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

Do you want a better relationship with your co-workers? GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

Do you want a better chance at a promotion and raise? GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

Get the point?

Don't settle for the idea, "What do I HAVE to do?" That is a negative mindset, in my opinion and one that needs to be removed from our lives!

Do you want to start a revolution in your life and in the lives of those around you? You guessed it - GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

Yes, people will be shocked at first and wonder what you are up to! But, if you continue to practice this little rule and do it consistently - those around you will see that you are, indeed, for real in your quest to change your life and the lives of those around you!

Revolution? ABSOLUTELY!

A revolt against the status quo of "Do I HAVE to?"!

Isn't it time?

If your children simply go through school doing only what is necessary to pass, what will their future be? Here's what I mean...another example that I will use concerning my children. My wife and I always told them, "If a 'C' is the best you can do and you are working your hardest - that is GREAT! However, if you are capable of an 'A' and you are satisfied with a 'C' because it was easier - that is unacceptable!"

But, you know what? We need to set the example ourselves in our own lives.

PUT IT TO THE TEST! Try this for a week and see what happens! Don't cheat and skip a day - do it every single day for a week with EVERYONE that you come into contact with and see what happens.

I bet you'll end up smiling a little more and enjoy each day a whole lot more along the way as you GIVE MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO!

And, in so doing, you will also...

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

Mike

Believe in Yourself!

As we continue through our look at the "positive affirmations alphabet" (my own title) we move on to the letter "B" and want to focus on the thought, "Believe in Yourself!".

It would be safe to say, even at this early stage in this series of topics, that each of these are absolute NECESSITIES! For example, in order to move on toward your hopes, dreams and goals one MUST avoid negativity as we discussed yesterday. And so it is with our topic today.

If one does not have BELIEF IN ONE'S SELF, then they will not accomplish much in their life. They will live their life based on what everyone else thinks and the opinions of others as to what direction they should take with their life.

"Oh, I have NO PROBLEM with belief in myself!" Really? When was the last time that you "stepped out" in a new direction that caused those around you to question the sanity of what you were doing? Think about it - this is a pretty good test for us to really see how easily it is for our faith in ourselves to be shaken.

If you have ever announced to those around you, "After much consideration, I am going to quit my job with all of it's benefits and start my own business!" you were likely met with quite a bit of negative comment. It may be disguised in softer ways ("Are you sure you really want to do that?") but it is still comments that are saying to you, "ARE YOU NUTS?" In this situation, how many people have to question what you are thinking about doing before you begin to question it yourself?

Yes, there is value for input and advice from others. However, let's make sure that the input and advice we actually listen to is from those that have "valuable" insight. Most of the time it's just those around us that think we shouldn't do such a thing with no real "qualification" to give such advice.

Do you believe in yourself strongly enough to stand even if no one stands with you?

So, perhaps, we should take the title of today's entry one step further...

"Believe in Yourself (Even When No One Else Does)"

That's when it gets tough! That's when our "foundation" that we have worked on and built over time really begins to be tested. How strong IS your foundation of belief?

Believe me, you WILL be tested in this area MANY TIMES as you move toward your goals and dreams. How do you combat this?

ADD TO YOUR "POSITIVE BANK" EACH AND EVERY DAY!

If you haven't done so - get the book, "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill (you can get a free copy - just pay S/H at my website, http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com , on the "links" tab) and/or go back and find the podcast that I did on this great book -- and especially read/listen to the section that talks about BELIEF.

You MUST believe in yourself to the point that your subconscious mind kicks in and reaffirms this belief when you begin to doubt in yourself or your ideas, plans, thoughts, goals and dreams.

And, yes, going back to yesterdays message - this is easier to do when we AVOID negativity!

Part of this belief can be found in my closing each and every day....

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

Mike

AVOID Negativity!

"Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits."

We begin a journey through the alphabet with an emphasis on a word for each letter...today, that emphasis is the letter "a" and the word "AVOID".

Again, I know it is easier to say the point above than it is to live it or put it into practice, but let me also point out that it is an absolute NECESSITY for you to do so if you plan to make any progress in your life. Do you get that? A NECESSITY!

You will not "accidentally" avoid these negative things in your life - you must do so INTENTIONALLY and ON PURPOSE and WITH A PURPOSE in mind! That purpose being your progress toward your goals and dreams.

You can choose to go through your day and your life with no purpose at all - like a boat out on the water without a motor or a sail, at the mercy of the wind and the waves. Just drifting about this way and that - no real focus, goal or direction.

IS THAT REALLY HOW YOU WANT TO LIVE? I'm guessing not.

Realize the importance in your life in ALL areas of your life and regardless of what you do or who you are - this is a MUST!

Parents, by avoiding the negative in our lives we also help protect and teach our children in this area.

Listen to the podcast for added thoughts and ideas on this point.

Do it.

Act upon it.

AVOID IT.

And then move on toward your dreams and goals!

And, all along the way...

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

Mike

Go Ahead, Make My Day!

I've always loved that line spoken by Clint Eastwood from the "Dirty Harry" movie - and so have many others.

And, yet, it actually goes against everything that I have been promoting and talking about for these past eight months or so. We CANNOT wait for someone else - or something else - to make our day! It is up to US - you and me - to make that happen in our own lives. Don't you agree?

I mentioned on today's podcast about a sign I saw one morning while watching a small segment of one of the national morning network news shows. I had just watched my local weather and the programming came back to the "crew" standing outside with people behind the barricades holding up signs. You've seen what I'm talking about, right?

One particular man held up a sign that asked people to go to his blog and to tell him what they wanted him to do for that day.

WHAT????? Are you kidding me?

Now, I do understand that he is trying to get attention for his blog, but what a miserable way to live your life - waiting for others to tell you what they want you to do. Waiting on someone else go "make your day" instead of YOU choosing to LIVE your day!

It's easy for us to point our fingers at a situation like that. It's easy for us to say, "Wow, how silly is that!" But, it's not always so easy for us to look inward and realize that many of us are doing the exact same thing in our lives.

Yes, I understand that you likely have a boss. Yes, I understand that there are certain things that you HAVE to do in order to keep your job. Yes, I understand that it is important for you to keep your job. I really do understand all of this, but may I remind you of a few things?

Even if your job is drudgery and you hate it - you can be having a "happy party" on the inside! No, really - I mean it! You see, we may be "controlled" concerning our physical activities during the day while on the job - but our soul, spirit and mind are FREE!

And, the more you fill those "pieces" of your being with POSITIVE thoughts - the easier it is to make it through even the toughest days!

"They" cannot control your thoughts - those positive thoughts - that can keep a smile on your face even during the toughest parts of your day! "They" cannot control your thoughts knowing that you are working on bettering your life to the point that, one day, you will be able to walk away from this situation! "They" cannot control what you do to fill your life full of peace and joy once you are away from the job.

Remember..."Never give up. Never give in. Never surrender!"

Do not be broken to the point that you are just a "machine" going through the motions waiting for the next thing that you are told/directed to do.

Step out of those dark shadows and allow the sun to shine on your face for, YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE!

No, that's not just a bunch of hype! I believe it to be 100% true!

Let me quickly share something personal that happened to me within the last hour. I just got off of a very frustrating phone call that really discouraged me concerning a project in which I am involved. Now -I HAVE A CHOICE! I can allow this to "burn" in me all day long and "ruin" my day OR I can CHOOSE to move on with my day and filter our the frustration with my POSITIVE deposits! I could even allow this to impact me to the point that I "quit" on this project and play the "blame game" as to why I did so.

However, I choose to move forward, committed to this project and the powerful things that I know it will bring to my life and the lives of others. IT'S A CHOICE!

It's YOUR choice!

So....Go ahead, make YOUR day!

And, as always...

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

Positive Fuel for Your Fire (with guest, Joe Hazen)

Hey friends - are you THANKFUL for today and all of the things that makes this day special in your life?
Are you THANKFUL for those special people in your life that add flavor to each and every day?
Are you THANKFUL for the fact that you are ALIVE and BREATHING and, that being so, are you also THANKFUL that you are living a life with HOPE?

In today's podcast I introduce you to my friend, Joe Hazen from Albany, New York. Now, if you have a hard time figuring out which one is Joe in the picture - I CAN'T HELP YOU! But the two lovely ladies are Joe's daughters (Amy on the left, and Danielle on the right). I wanted to be sure to put a FACE with the name and the voice that you hear on today's podcast.

I will be featuring Joe in a special SATURDAY podcast in which Joe shares an opportunity that he is involved in and loves. This will be a GREAT OPPORTUNITY for you as well to hear about something that may or may not be for you! Thing is - why not spend a little time and listen in so that you can decide that for yourself? It will be a bit longer than my normal 11 minute podcast that I do on Monday - Friday, but I think it will be worth the extra time that you spend to listen.

On today's podcast, Joe and I discuss the importance of personal development and the NEED - more correctly said, NECESSITY - that we all have to infuse our lives with positive influences.

I call it, "Positive Fuel for Your Fire" - and that's exactly what it is!

Joe is just a normal guy - like you and me. He has his ups and downs, his good days and his bad days. He has his days when he is thinking right and keeping the negative influences away from him and then, just like all of us, he has those days when those negative influences are a little harder to battle.

But, as we discuss in the podcast - CONSISTENCY is the key to winning ANY battle! Yes, you may miss a day or two where you don't "fuel up"...but, just like an automobile, you can't go long or far before you will feel the effects of "no fuel". (Ever sat on the side of the road because you ran out of gas?)

So, please, join me in welcoming Joe to the podcast today and, please, feel free to drop Joe a note at the following e-mail address: joe@wannasellfun.com and tell him "thanks" for taking the time to share his thoughts with you today.

Hey, are you fueling YOUR life with the POSITIVE? If not, why not? Think about it!

And, as always...

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


Mike

RECLAIM CONTROL!

We've talked about the fact that YOU have the ability to control your thoughts! That being so, if you can control your thoughts you can control your morning....your afternoon...your day...your week - YOUR LIFE!

Do you feel as if things have spun out of control? Why? What has caused that?

Listen, I understand that there are things that happen beyond our control. For example, parents may have a teen child involved in a terrible automobile accident which claims their life. Wow - I can't even imagine that! But it happens and it may have even happened to someone reading this blog. Perhaps it has been something else for you.

Can you STILL have control after such a devastating event?

YES, YOU CAN!

Please believe me when I say that I am not "down-playing" that tragic event in any way whatsoever. But, the bottom line is this - you STILL have a choice on how you handle that tragedy!

I know I would be devastated, stunned, shocked and numb. However, somewhere along the way you have to make a decision to go on living, as hard as that may seem. Again, it's a choice that YOU make - not anyone else.

Without going further into that scenario here's something I want all of us to consider - REGARDLESS of the circumstance (death, job loss, financial struggles, relationships, etc.) you DO have a choice!

If your world is out of control consider the thought that YOU have TURNED CONTROL over to someone or something along the way. Hard to swallow, I know - but I believe it to be true.

Go back to the blog and podcast on the word, "IF" -- how many of those still creep their way into your life and your "reasons" (excuses)?

You see, if you plan to overcome these six ghosts of fear that Napoleon Hill talked about in chapter 15 of his classic, "Think & Grow Rich", then you MUST reclaim control!

You will never - you can never - move forward in any area of your life without control!

Wow, think about that statement and consider how true it really is.

So, it's YOUR day...YOUR chance....YOUR choice -- RECLAIM CONTROL. The sooner the better!

By the way, please feel free to contact me at any time with comments, suggestions, etc. at mike@futureyouuniversity.com

I'd love to hear from you.

Until then....always remember to...

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

Mike

Putting SKIN on Theory!

So, we've studied the book, "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.

We've looked at and shared some POWERFUL thoughts and ideas on how to improve our lives and move on toward our goals and riches (again, whatever that may be for YOUR life).

Now what?

In Tuesday's podcast I began to "put the skin on theory" or, in other words, to make "practical application" of the things we have studied over the past several months.

But, here's the kicker - it's still up to YOU!

There is no way around that fact and that is what you will hear me say today. So, if you don't want to hear that truth - don't listen to the podcast and don't read another word of this blog.

Too many people still want to rely on "old man IF" that we talked about very recently. They like to think that it is out of their control and that there are "reasons (actually "excuses") as to why they have not been able to make positive progress in their lives when - in all actuality - it all comes back to THEM and THEIR DECISIONS (or LACK of decision). And, yes, failure to make a decision is a decision within itself!

So are you ready to look in the mirror and take a long, hard look at yourself? If not - again, there is no need to proceed. However, if you are serious about this positive progression, you may not LIKE the idea of taking a long, hard look at yourself but you will do it ANYWAY - because you must!

Once again, don't let the simplicity turn you away. Many times the profound can be discovered in the simple.

Go back and watch the video of my moustache (yeah, you read that right! *LOL*) -- what are YOU willing to sacrifice for your success?

Or, to put it another way (this is the title of my 3rd podcast that I did back in the early part of March) - "What Are YOUR Dreams Worth?"

Think about it.

And, while you do -

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

Mike

Never Give Up!

What do you do when you have set goals and you fail to reach them?

Do you keep striving toward that goal or do you give up?

Does the fact that you failed to reach that goal make you a failure?

NO it does not!

Les Brown (among others with similar ideas) suggest that we "shoot for the moon" and we may "land on a star". The idea being that we should set HIGH goals for ourselves. You see, even if we don't reach that goal we have reached a much higher plane than that at which we started!

Mel Robbins suggest that you throw the timeline for your goals out the door. I heard her say this at the SUCCESS Symposium in Dallas back near the end of March and I thought, "Say what??"

Everything I have ever read or heard talked about the importance of setting "dates" for the completion of our goals. But Mel suggests that this creates a lot of stress during the process and a feeling of failure at the end of the process.

I do agree with both of those points - but I would also suggest that you NEVER GIVE UP on reaching that goal. Let's say you don't make it by the time that you have set for yourself - what then?

You are NOT a failure for it is likely that (unless you've done absolutely nothing) you have moved further in your advancement than if you had not set the goal at all. BUT DON'T QUIT!

In my opinion, the only time that you become a failure is when you QUIT!

So what if it takes you an extra year to reach that goal? So what if it takes you an extra five years to reach your goal? The key here is to keep working and moving forward - NEVER GIVE UP!

Remember this - perhaps post it where you can see it:

NEVER GIVE UP!
NEVER GIVE IN!
NEVER SURRENDER!

The "Little, Big Word" - IF

Two letters.

Small word.

Two letters...but one of the biggest words in our vocabulary!

If.

"If I had only..."

How many of us say things like this in our lives from time to time? At the end of chapter 15 of Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think & Grow Rich" he covers 57 "ifs" that many use as "alibis" (I'd say excuses) as to why they have failed to accomplish one thing or another with and in their lives.

Again, I strongly urge you to get a copy of this book one way or another and go over this list yourself - one at a time - and consider their impact in YOUR life! (I do mention each one of them in today's podcast, but too quickly for you to give each the thought needed).

I was watching the video segment that comes with the audio/DVD in each copy of SUCCESS magazine from last month and, in it, Les Brown uses a very powerful phrase..."Live full and die empty!" (I think he has a whole program based on that phrase - you can check it out yourself).

Think about that - "Live full and die empty". Yet, Mr. Brown points out the fact that most people do the opposite. They "die full and live empty". Ouch!

I have to admit that I have done this most of my life - and I regret it! I will be turning 50 years old this coming November and I feel that I have yet to fully LIVE my life!

Here's the kicker - it's never to late to make a change! I made a decision within the past year that I was going to live my life so that, if at all possible, I would not get to the END of my life saying, "I wish I had done this and that...".

All of us need to stop allowing the word "if" to become a roadblock to our forward progress! YOU do have the ability to do just that! YOU, and no one else.

What will YOU do?

Instead of, "If I had done..." what about taking a different look and start saying, "What if I DID step up and out and move forward?"

We will begin to look at this thought in next weeks podcast as we bring to a conclusion our discussions on this classic book.

Until then....remember to...

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

Mike

Old Man Worry - How Worry Impacts YOUR Life

Worry. We all do it. Question is - what does it accomplish?

Answer: NOTHING!

As we complete looking at the "Six Ghosts of Fear" as described by Napoleon Hill in his classic book, "Think & Grow Rich" he sums up the idea that "worry is a state of mind based upon fear".

Think about that and notice how true it really is - if we don't fear, we don't worry!

Worry can literally drive you crazy! How many of us have spent sleepless nights because we were worried about something? Ah, from the show of hands I see that it is pretty much all of us.

Is worry something that is out of our control? Is worry just a part of life that we must accept?

Yes and no. (Huh?)

I do believe that worry is somewhat of a natural occurrence in our lives - but I also believe that it is NOT something that we must just accept and it IS something that we CAN (and must) control.

Worry is an emotion that is born in our minds. That being so, remember that you CAN control your mind and your thoughts. Yes, it takes effort - but it CAN (and again, must) be done!

Mr. Hill goes through the list of the "Six Ghosts of Fear" and addresses the idea of worry with each one - pay close attention and learn by putting these thoughts into practice:

- The fear of POVERTY: make a decision to get along with whatever wealth you accumulate without worry!
- The fear of CRITICISM: make a decision to not worry about what others think, do or say!
- The fear of GETTING OLD: make a decision to accept it for the blessing it is which carries with it wisdom, self-control, and understanding not known to youth.
- The fear of GETTING SICK: make a decision to ignore "symptoms"! Do not allow every sniff and cough to cause you to worry - improve your positive mindset and move on.
- The fear of LOSING LOVE: by making a decision to get along without love if necessary.
- The fear of DEATH: make a decision to accept death as an inescapable event...and let that help you understand the importance of LIVING today!

Have you ever considered the impact that WORRY/FEAR in your life has on others? Think about it. It is a well-known fact that animals can sense fear in a human being. Isn't that interesting? Even bees sense fear and attack. If the animal/insect world can pick up on these feelings, do you not think that others around us can pick up on it as well? Don't you also think that it will have an IMPACT on them as well?

You've experienced this yourself, haven't you? Have you ever been around someone that "brought you down"? Sure you have! Their negative feelings, thoughts, words and general attitude had an impact on you - we actually battle this every day, don't we?

So, yes, worry is a hard one to handle - but we CAN handle and control it IF we determine in our minds to do so!

Don't allow WORRY to control your life. Instead, control worry so that you may LIVE YOUR LIFE!

And, as always, remember...

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

Mike

Celebrating My 100th Podcast!

Today (Tuesday, 8.4.09) I celebrate the broadcast of my 100th podcast!

I began my first podcast on March 2, 2009 (my middle son's birthday) and started out with a Monday-Wednesday-Friday format which soon turned into the five-days-a-week format that I now follow.

I share thanks on the podcast but I just want to say to all of you that listen - THANK YOU for doing so and for encouraging me with your kind emails and comments...they keep me going!

May I ask a favor of all of you? SPREAD THE WORD! We all need as much encouragement as possible and I encourage you to share this with as many people as possible. I try to keep it down to a very "manageable" time - 11 minutes to be exact - so that it doesn't take up too much time in your day.

Again, THANK YOU! My pledge to you continues to be the following:

"I will always strive to do my best to provide you with my best."

Enjoy the podcast and tomorrow I will get back on discussing the "Six Ghosts of Fear" from Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think & Grow Rich".


And, as always - "Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

"The FEAR of GETTING OLD"

Do you remember when you were a teenager and what the definition of "old" was then? What was it for you - 20? 25? I'd say with certainty that, at that time in your life anyone that was 40 was "over the hill"!

I remember that I could not wait until I reached the age of 13 - to be a teenager.
Then, I couldn't wait until I reached the age of 14 - the age that I could get my driver's permit.
Then, I couldn't wait until I reached the age of 16 - the age at which I could drive by myself.
Then, I couldn't wait until I reached the age of 18 - just because it seemed to be an age that I was supposed to be an "adult" to some extent.
So, not age now, but I couldn't wait until I graduated high school - then college.
Then I couldn't' wait until I got married - then couldn't wait to have our first child.
Then I couldn't wait until he began to walk and talk.....and then from that point on it seemed like everything began to fly by way too fast!

Now, I'm 49 and will be 50 in November. I've been married for a little over 27 years. That first child, Jacob is now 25 and will have been married for 3 years on July 29th - tomorrow as I type this. My second son, Jeremy, is now 22 and has been married for a year as of the 11th of this month and my youngest son, Jordan is 18 and will begin his Senior year of High School (no, he didn't flunk - we just kept him out until he "had" to go - teachers have agreed with us that, for boys, this was a good thing to do).

You know, if I wanted to, I could look at all of that and really let it get me down. You know, I could allow myself to think stuff like, "WHERE HAS MY LIFE GONE?" I could really get melancholy over the fact that so much in my life has changed and it feels like - at times - that it has done so very quickly.

But....instead...I look at all of that and I am proud of what I have accomplished in my life up to this point! I am proud of the 27 years that I have been married to my wife, Janan. Has it been perfect - no. But it's been good! I'm proud of the fine young men that all 3 of my sons have grown up to be and am proud of the wonderful young ladies that my two oldest sons have chosen as their wives.

Sure, I do get a little misty-eyed at times when I look at pictures of the boys when they were young and I had dark hair as I carried them around on my back, or played ball with them in the yard. That's natural.

BUT...I have a choice on how I allow this to impact my life and my days! I LOVE MY LIFE! I love my age even though there are times that I am reminded that I cannot do some of the things I could do in days past. For example, I have a pair of glasses at my house, next to my chair. I have a pair of glasses at my office and (my wife really got a kick out of this) I had to buy another pair to carry with me on my motorcycle because I could read the map without them!

Sure, I know that - for the most part - my life is just about half way over. But why think about that? Why worry about that? I also know that now - at this stage in my life - I am enjoying things that I was not able to enjoy before! My wife and I are experiencing the ability to do things that we could not do when our sons were small and dependent on mom and dad for everything. Financially I am able to enjoy and do things that I could not do just a few short years ago. Do I still struggle at time? Yes! Am I set for life? No! But I live each day and I am trying to live each day to the full!

What about you? Do you dread your birthdays? Do you focus on what you cannot regain that you used to possess (your youth, for example)?

It's all in your mindset, my friend. It's up to you!

In the podcast for Wednesday we will discuss what Napoleon Hill lists as the "Symptoms of the Fear of Getting Old" but, for now....think about your day TODAY! And, as I mention in most all of my podcasts, always remember this fact: "As long as there is breath, there is hope!"

Celebrate your life. Today. Now. It's yours!

And, always remember -

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

Mike

ATTACKING the Fear of Poverty

The fear of poverty can rob one of their very soul. What do I mean by that? Let me explain by sharing with you this excerpt from chapter 15 ("How To Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear") in Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think & Grow Rich" :

"This fear paralyzes the faculty of reason, destroys the faculty of imagination, kills off self-reliance, undermines enthusiasm, discourages initiative, leads to uncertainty of purpose, encourages procrastination, wipes out enthusiasm, and makes self-control an impossibility.

It takes the charm from one's personality, destroys the possibility of accurate thinking, diverts concentration of effort, it masters persistence, turns the willpower into nothingness, destroys ambition, beclouds the memory, and invites failure in the heart, discourages friendship and invites disaster in a hundred forms, leads to sleeplessness, misery, and unhappiness - and all this despite the obvious truth that we live in a world of over-abundance of everything the heart could desire, with nothing standing between us and our desires, excepting lack of definite purpose."

WOW! If you've ever experienced "poverty" then you, too, can look at that list and almost get the shivers - because it is TRUE! That's why I began today's article with the statement that "poverty can rob one of their very soul".

Yes, I know that, perhaps, this shouldn't be the case - BUT IT IS! Yes, I know (and Mr. Hill acknowledges this as well) that there are things of far greater value than money. However, you take a man's job away from him and you take a piece of him as well! When a man cannot provide for his family (yes, I understand this to be true of women as well - but I speak from a man's perspective) he feels worthless and ashamed. All of the "blessings" that surround him every day (such as a loving wife and/or wonderful family, etc.) are lost in the clouds of depression and despair.

I KNOW - I'VE BEEN THERE!

So, here's the key - the only way to attack a foe is to know it's name and where it lives! And that is what we (Mr. Hill and myself) are going to do as we ATTACK this FEAR of POVERTY!

Know (and take heart in) this: This fear of poverty is but a mindset! It's true! The fear of poverty - notice, we are not talking about poverty itself...just the FEAR of poverty - can cause one to panic and freeze when they should be pushing forward boldly. But the MINDSET, when fueled by the negative information coming over the news, says it's best to "play it safe" and "stay put", thus causing us to cease any forward movement and momentum.

WE CAN CONQUER THE FEAR OF POVERTY - IF you are willing to follow along. IF you are willing to crawl out of your hole and, with our (Mr. Hill and myself) help, make progress toward a better future.

As we IDENTIFY and ATTACK this fear, in tomorrows podcast and article we will IDENTIFY some of the CHARACTERISTICS or TRAITS of this fear of poverty so that we can help YOU determine if it has crept into your life!

Join us then as we continue this POWERFUL discussion!

And, until then - and as always....

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

Mike

Introduction to "Fighting Fear"

In today's podcast I continue on to the last part of the Napoleon Hill classic, "Think & Grow Rich" in which he discusses "How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear".

As I mention in the podcast, although this is still part of this book and these thoughts connect with everything else that Mr. Hill discussed in his book, I am approaching this as a separate discussion for us. Yes, as I said, these things tie in directly to the discussion of this book BUT they also are such a vital thing for us to discuss in every area of our lives.

I mentioned that I had been sent a new acrostic for the word FEAR which put a positive twist on this word. AWESOME! However, for a definition of the word I still cannot come up with anything better than. F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real).

Do you realize that the majority of the things that we fear - that we are afraid of - never come to be? A majority of these things never happen!

Too, do you realize that the very fact that we focus so much time and energy on something we fear may very well bring that thing we fear to reality - DUE TO THE ENERGY AND FOCUS WE HAVE GIVEN?

We fear the unknown! "What if?"
- WHAT IF I try to do this and I fail?
- WHAT IF I fail and I lose my house?
- WHAT IF I fail and I lose my job?
- WHAT IF I fail and I go broke?
- WHAT IF I open my heart up to this person and they don't reciprocate?
- WHAT IF I give my heart to this person and they break it?

You know enough about me by now to know that I LOVE the "What if?" question - but in a different way. Let me demonstrate:
- WHAT IF I try to do this and I succeed?
- WHAT IF I succeed and pay off my house early?
- WHAT IF I succeed and I can leave my job and pursue what I want to do?
- WHAT IF I succeed and I gain wealth beyond my wildest dreams?
- WHAT IF I open my heart up to this person and they DO reciprocate?
- WHAT IF I give my heart to this person and my heart if filled with joy beyond compare?

Napoleon Hill even gives a formula that I think is very powerful and a MUST for us to notice as we talk about the "ghosts of fear". Here it is:

INDECISION + DOUBT = FEAR

Wow! Take a close look at that one! Mr. Hill says that indecision is the seedling of doubt and that doubt will grow into fear. Please take a very close and personal look at that and realize how true it is in our own lives!

I make a bold statement in today's podcast. I state that, between Napoleon Hill and I, we will HELP YOU conquer the fear in your life! But here is the unsaid factor....IF you let us.

This is going to be a POWERFUL discussion and I hope you will plan to join me for each and every one as we begin the process of learning to "outwit the six ghosts of fear".

And, as always...

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

Mike