Seeing With "New" Eyes

Yes indeed, it HAS been a while since my last blog article! That was what one calls, "stating the OBVIOUS", right? 

I had been talking about doing another podcast and blog article for several weeks (months?) now and, the other day, I got a "nudge" from someone that shared their new podcast with me and I told her that she had inspired me to, once again, do something that I have always loved doing...sharing my thoughts and encouragement with you.

So, let's do a little "catch up" about where we left off and what has taken place over the last 6 months or so.

For the most part, I last shared information with you about my program that I called - and still call - Project 141. As a matter of fact, if you don't know what I'm referring to, click the link below this article and it will take you to all of the information about that program. (By the way, I went through all of the videos that I put together on that program recently and, I have to say that I was impressed with the amount of information as well as the QUALITY of the information that I shared about that program!) 

Now then, to be honest, I've not really done anything with the FINANCIAL aspect of that particular program...the "vehicle" that I had picked out for that particular section of the program, and that's o.k. I have actually followed along with the principles that I set out and have seen MASSIVE improvement in all areas of my life!

One last note (at least in this article) about Project 141...I'm not done with it yet! 

Now, let's fast forward 6 or 7 months AFTER the development of that program. This is when I was introduced to a program that I had never heard of but that been around for several years. What got my attention was the fact that there were 7 major "life areas" that they promoted as areas that we all need to focus on, work on and move forward on over the course of a year. WHAT????

I do not believe that this (or pretty much anything else) was a coincidence and I have been a part of that movement for the past month or so and it's been a real blessing in and for my life. 

In the podcast I use the analogy of what happens when you buy a "new to you" car (new or used). Now that you are driving this particular make and model of vehicle you now notice that there are a LOT of people driving that same make and model car. I mean, it's like they are EVERY WHERE!

Question: Are they "all of a sudden" all getting out on the road at the same time? Nope, they were there all along. Your focus was just not where it is now that you drive that particular similar vehicle! (What you focus on is what you will see!).

And it's not been just that happening that has gotten my attention (you REALLY need to listen to that podcast!). I will get into this with more detail in the next podcast and blog article but, needless to say, my wife and I have been experiencing the "there's another car like ours" syndrome for the past several weeks now and it's been very interesting!

Things that we hear said on a podcast that we listen to every morning. Something a minister says in a sermon or something that a friend posts on social media. Something that I read in a book and even the book that I chose to read in the first place! ALL OF THESE THINGS have been pointing to / calling my attention to the same "message" again and again and again.

I feel that we (my wife and I) are beginning to "see" with "new eyes". Again, go listen to the podcast to catch the full impact of what I am saying here. I will also try to clarify and expand on that very thing in the next podcast and blog article but, I will close with the following thought.

I think this may have been the same morning that I recorded my podcast the other day but it was just another of "those things" that literally "jumped up and down" and was asking me, "ARE YOU LOOKING? DO YOU SEE?"

I had come across a guy online that I had never heard of before and I clicked on a link and thought, "Well, let's see what this guy is peddling" and I was pleasantly surprised (and encouraged) with his main message. And, here's the kicker...the morning after I had "discovered" him is when I opened up an "auto-generated" email from him that listed - almost exactly - the same key areas that I had put together in Project 141 and also in this other program that I discussed. WHAT???? AGAIN???

When my wife came home from the gym, I called her over, showed it to her alongside a listing I had of those things in the other two programs and just sat back and watched as her eyes widened and she said, "That's crazy!" to which I replied, "You know, when you keep seeing this over and over again, it would be completely FOOLISH to ignore it and walk away."

Simple question: Are you foolishly ignoring what is being made clearly obvious to you at this time? Think about it and, until next time, remember, YOU'RE HERE FOR A REASON and, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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No Such Thing As "Self-Growth"

"There is NO SUCH THING as "SELF -growth"...we grow from what we learn from each other and then what we APPLY from what we learn. 

It is literally IMPOSSIBLE to grow alone!" - Mike Spillman

O.k., let me get this "disclaimer" out of the way, right up front. I am NOT knocking the use of the word, "self-growth" and I am NOT "bashing" those who use the word. Get it? Got it? GOOD!

However, I do want to point out that, in reality, there is NO SUCH THING as "self-growth", as I point out in my quote for the day.

I guess I can best compare this "word" to another phrase you have heard before: "self-made millionaire".  Yeah, there's no such thing as one of those, either, though I think I do understand the general idea behind that descriptive phrase.

My guess is that it refers to someone that has gained wealth but not by inheritance, winning the lottery or any other method in which they "came upon" money that they did not actually earn. So, a "self-made" millionaire would be one that earned their money by starting or developing their own business or organization.

Make sense?

Even then, the person - technically - cannot be "self-made" in that they depended on other people to teach, train, mentor and/or advise them along the way. They had to have others with which to do business and they also had to have others willing to work alongside them.

Right?

So it is with the word, "self-growth".

I understand what I believe to be the basic thought behind this word. A person is responsible for doing what is needed to grow and it's not going to be provided by others. They are responsible for this themselves. "Personal development" is another good way to put it.

Hey, listen...NO ONE CAN DO THIS FOR YOU! You have to decide - FOR YOURSELF - that you have a need to grow. YOU, and no one else, must then decide that YOU are going to pursue that need. Again, no one can do this for you...it is up to YOU.

In that way, you could say that it is, indeed, "self-growth" but, friend, you can never do it alone. You must have others to teach, train, mentor and/or advise you along the way. The very fact that you are reading this blog article is proof of what I'm talking about in this area.

I continue to seek out and find new "sources" with thoughts that continue to challenge me along the way. These thoughts by these people help keep me moving.

I'm thankful to those that have provided this source of "fuel" for me along the way and I am thankful for you coming here to get some of that "fuel" for yourself. I'll always do my best to do all that I can to help you along your path of "self-growth" or personal development.

Keep CHOOSING to grow each and every day. And, as you do so, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #44: What Do YOU Seek?

“What you SEEK you will FIND - that is a Biblical TRUTH! Be careful what it is for which you seek, because THAT is what you will find.”- Mike Spillman (12.17.19)

Once again let me say that I don't know you or what you do or don't believe. Whether you believe in the Bible or not really has nothing to do with today's quote. Not only is it a Biblical truth, it is also a UNIVERSAL truth!

A month or so ago I did another article talking about the fact that you see what it is that you focus on and, friend, this is no different. 

This also ties in to what I have been sharing with you about "frequencies" as is discussed by Bob Proctor. (By the way, I shared a link to a video that features him talking abut this very thing. You can find that on my FYU Facebook page.)

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS: What is going on in your life right now? What is happening with you and with those that are closest to you? Are your thoughts and events negative or positive? Are the people around you negative or positive? How are things at work? Take a CLOSE look at all of these areas and honestly access what is going on in your life.

As much as we may not want to admit it, much of what we experience in our life is a direct result of what we have SOUGHT in and for our life. This is a fact, friend, and you can protest all that you wish but the truth is the truth! Notice that I did not say, "ALL that we experience..." but, rather, "...MUCH of what we experience."

Maybe it's time to seek something better? Only you can answer that question and you really need to answer it honestly, no matter how painful it may be. 

Again, what you SEEK you WILL find!

If you wish to find fault with your spouse, your friends or your co-workers then, guess what? YOU WILL EASILY FIND FAULT and you will have an ample supply of faults to gripe and complain about! If you wish to find fault with and at your job then, again, you will find PLENTY to gripe about as well. 

Here is another POWERFUL truth in all of this: YOU have the POWER to completely turn that around. That's right, you can also find POSITIVE things to notice about your spouse, your friends or your co-workers. And, you may be surprised to find out that there will be PLENTY of those positive things that make themselves known. 

I know you can figure out what will happen in and for your life when you start seeking and finding POSITIVE focus in and for your life, right? Things begin to change for the better.

What you SEEK you WILL FIND is a plain and simple truth.

What do YOU seek?

Thanks for taking the time to join me today and, until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #29: "Lighten Your Load"

“When you rid your...automobile, airplane, boat, covered wagon or even YOURSELF...of excess weight you can go faster, fly higher, have your fuel or even your horse last longer!” 
- Mike Spillman (04.08.14)

Yeah, there's a little humor thrown into that quote that, perhaps, comes from my love of watching old Westerns. I'm doubting that any of you are driving covered wagons but the point is still the same, right?

This concept is true even if you are talking about physically losing weight! My goodness, you can surely go faster, jump (probably not fly) higher and have more energy to where it lasts longer.  This also applies to the "weight" of being buried with debt. Financially, you are "weighed down" by this trap and you cannot do much of anything! However, when you free yourself from that debt and make that load lighter, your future becomes much brighter! (Please check out the information in the image below about ridding your life of debt in a fraction of the time. You can also get this information by clicking on the link below that is labeled, Live Debt Free!)

But, what I'd like to focus on for the purpose of this article is getting rid of the excess "weight" that comes with negativity. If you've not done so, go back and read, listen and watch the blog, podcast and videos from earlier this week. They all tie in together and will give you a good "foundation" for this particular article.

When you focus all of your attention on what is wrong with everything in your life you will, indeed, be living a life "weighed down" with negativity. I've discussed this idea earlier this week about how you will attract into your life what it is that you focus and "send out" in and through your life. It's a vicious cycle that you actually CAN get free from and change in a positive way!

Will it be easy? Probably not if this has been a main ingredient of the life you have been living. It is HARD to make such a change but it IS possible. However, it will not happen by chance or by itself. 

It's a lot like losing weight and getting in shape! If you decide to make a change in this area it will take some MAJOR changes in your lifestyle and, friend, it's definitely NOT easy. You will have to make changes in what you eat, when you eat and even how you THINK about eating. The same will be true with exercise. You will have to make a complete change in this area as well. 

So it is with changing your mindset and your negative lifestyle. Again, take the time to go back and read the articles and listen to the podcasts and videos from this week. You CAN make the necessary changes and I'll do all that I can to help. Bottom line: You have to TRULY want to make the change and, friend, YOU have to do YOUR part and you must do so with DAILY, PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY.

Would you do me a favor? Would you mind clicking on the link below for "FYU on Facebook!" ? It would mean a lot to me to hear from you and to know that you are following along. Leave a comment about any thoughts you may have about today's topic or any other topic that has been discussed here. Let me know where you are from and how long you have been following Future You University. Again, it would mean a lot to me and I thank you in advance for doing so.

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

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #27: "Thoughts PLUS Purpose"

"Although THINKING something is a wonderful thing to do, it serves no real purpose unless PURPOSE is attached to the thought!" - Mike Spillman (06.02.14)

It is an absolute NECESSITY that you go back and read the previous article so that you can connect the two. The two together add up to one POWERFUL TRUTH!

YES, our thoughts WILL and DO "direct our path" in and for our life, but we MUST put "purposeful action" behind those thoughts. I'll share the example I used in the podcast and the video for this topic. Again, it's simple, but I think you will easily see the point that I wish to make about this thought. 

Let's say that you have decided to have a Christmas party. You call some friends, post on social media for other friends and even send out an actual invitation to still other friends. You hear from several that they plan to attend at the set date and time. Wow! The day arrives and, about 30 minutes before the party is to begin you hear a knock at the door but you do not answer. After a few minutes, the door bell rings as well as some knocks on the door and you can tell, by listening, that there are several people gathered at the door, waiting to come in for the party. BUT YOU NEVER ANSWER THE DOOR TO LET ANYONE IN! What? How silly is that? As a matter of fact, although you sent out invitations that indicated that you were planning to have a party, you haven't even done ANYTHING to have a party...no food, no decorations, absolutely nothing!

Would you ever actually do such a thing? I'm not talking about you getting sick or some emergency coming up that caused you to cancel the party. Nope, just a situation described exactly as I did in the last paragraph. You would NEVER do something like that, would you? Of course not!

Here's the deal...it's the same thing if you understand the importance, necessity and "connection" between your thoughts - what you THINK - and what you attract or "invite" into your life and you don't do anything to prepare or take action when your "invited guests" arrive. Make sense?

In the same way that I discussed the fact that "opportunity doesn't always knock" so it is with what you have attracted or invited into and for your life. You MUST have your eyes open and you MUST pay attention so that you don't miss those "guests". 

So, if you've followed along for the past couple of month, we get right back to DAILY, PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY. There is no way around the need for this purposeful activity. 

BE SURE to listen to the podcast and watch the video that goes along with today's topic. You will gain some additional thoughts and material that you will find to be valuable in this area. Also, be sure to leave a comment on my Facebook page (link below)...I'd love to hear from you!

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

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #9: Rise Above and Move On

“Some people like to talk behind your back. Some people like to start rumors. Some people are up to no good. So what? Let them and you move on and LIVE your life! You don't live for them, do you?” - Mike Spillman (12.10) 

Yes, you can absolutely "control" the "atmosphere" of YOUR world. You definitely can choose who it is that you wish to spend time with on a regular basis and you can also choose what information you put into your mind that will determine your mindset.

HOWEVER, no matter how much of this type of activity we do, there are still things that we cannot control. There will STILL be information that we will see and hear that will creep into our mindset even if we did not purposely determine to access that information. 

As a matter of fact, - and it IS fact - whenever you make a decision to try to improve your positive mindset and you take action like I described in the first paragraph, people will do the things described in the quote for today. Sad, but true!

Why? For those that may be reading some of my material for the first time, I will explain it once again. Those around you don't want to be "left behind" and they don't want to see you"break away" from the "same old way" of which they prefer to be a part. Again, sad but true.

You will also notice these things because you are now focused on what is POSITIVE and you are now aware of what YOU can do to "weed out" the negativity that surrounds you every day. 

Yes, even those that you have called "friends", those that you NEVER thought would talk about you in a negative way may very well begin to do so. 

But you know what? YOU DON'T LIVE FOR THEM and the sooner you realize, understand, and accept that truth the more likely it will be that you will be able to move on toward your better and positive future!

Do NOT dwell on the, "Why are they doing that?" thoughts that will want to invade and take over your mind. Your mind cannot occupy negative and positive thoughts at the same time. You will find that, whichever you focus on the most will actually dominate your thought process.

YOU control that. No matter what goes on around you and no matter what "they" say or do, YOU are the one that controls the impact of such actions on your mind and your life.

My advice? RISE ABOVE and MOVE ON. 

Yes, this definitely fits the "easier said than done" category but, friend, you CAN - and MUST - do this. Move on and don't look back.

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

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #8: Are YOU Tough?

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going but, you know what? 
Sometimes it's TOUGH to GET GOING!” - Mike Spillman (12.10)

My guess is that we have all heard the saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!" Am I right?  Hey, it's a good saying full of power and challenge!

But, you know what? Even for the "tough", sometimes it's just plain old TOUGH to GET GOING! 

It really doesn't matter who you are, what you do for a living, where you live or any other factor that you want to come up with...we all face this truth from time to time.   

So, what do you do when it's tough to get going?

YOU GET GOING ANYWAY!

Hey listen, I understand that it really IS tough to get going at times and I also understand that it's really easy to just sit down and avoid whatever it is that is making it so tough to get going. I get that, I really do.

I would even say that, from time to time, there's nothing wrong with taking a break and catching your breath but, friend, MAKE SURE YOU DON'T STAY THERE TOO LONG! 

No matter how you feel or how tough it may seem, you MUST get back up and get going...this is an absolute must! You can't send out invitations to your own personal pity party and then eat all of the pity party cake when no one else shows up!

GET UP AND GET GOING, REGARDLESS! 

Are you "tough enough" to do that?  I'm going to answer that for you...YES, YOU ARE!

Now, get going and don't look back. And, until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #5

Sometimes, parts of life really stinks! That's when it's necessary to work hard to find the parts of your life that "smell better" than the stink!

This would be one of those quotes that I did just to have a little fun while, at the same time, still sharing a very important point. And, though I don't know exactly when I made that quote or what was going on in my life at the time, chances are I was experiencing some difficulties in my life that would cause me to think that, indeed, sometimes "parts of life really stinks!".

Hey, let's be honest here, I don't believe that there is one individual on this planet today (or even anytime in the past) that, at some time, hasn't experienced those days, weeks, months or maybe even longer, that just seemed to "stink".  THAT IS A PART OF LIFE AND LIVING!

But, you know what? Even when you experience one of those periods of time in your life, it is important to take a good, close look at the things in your life that "smell better than the stink".

It is true that, when we struggle in some areas of our life, ALL of our life seems to be a mess. But friend, that simply is NOT the case! 

Depression has a way of making EVERYTHING look as if it could not get any worse.  Depression has a way of putting everything on the same level in your life which, during depression, is all negative.

That is why is so important to continually feed your mind (and your soul) good, powerful and positive information, DAILY.  It's also important, if at all possible, to find someone of the same mindset (positive, NOT negative) that will help you as you help them keep these things in mind.

NOTICE: I am not saying that, by doing so, you will never struggle with bad times and even depression. I'm simply saying that it will definitely help you and, yes, possibly even prevent you from getting into a depression.

You've heard the phrase, "You have to stop and smell the roses", right? That's what I'm talking about in today's quote. You must continually (daily) FOCUS on what is good and what is right in your life. You must acknowledge on a DAILY basis what it is in your life for which you have to be thankful.

Again, depression seems to block your ability to do so. Whatever you do, do NOT go through depression alone. Yes, not many people will understand or even believe that you can't find anything good for which to be thankful. But, there will be someone out there that may have even gone through it themselves and understand.

I didn't mean for this to turn into a discussion about depression but I understand that it is REAL and I want to address that part of the "life stinks" scenario.

By no means is this an exhaustive list but, at the same time, here are a few things to pay attention to and to actually do when "parts of life begin to stink":
     1. Begin the habit NOW, before you find yourself in that situation, of putting positive information into your mind and soul on a DAILY basis. If you are already "down", do it anyway!
     2. Do NOT spend time around people that will help you focus on what is WRONG in your life. Yes, it is true that "misery loves company" but friend, you MUST break away from that if you wish to survive.
     3. Just like #1, begin the habit NOW of giving thanks DAILY for the things in your life that are good. (Hey, if you have a roof over your head, you are far better off than many in our world and even in our own country).
    4. Begin NOW noticing the things that tend to put you down that negative path. Pay attention to yourself and how you "feel" and how you "react" to things in your life. Either make a mental note or actually make an actual note of these things and then TAKE ACTION based on what you have discovered. For me, I know that there are a few things that are absolute "MUST HAVES" in my daily activity in order for me to remain positive.
          a. I MUST be involved in daily, positive activity. That's one reason I have gotten back on track of doing a daily blog, podcast and video.
          b. I MUST have purposeful, daily activity in my life that often does NOT include the items listed in point "a".
          c. I MUST physically "get out of the house". This is a big one for me. Since I do a lot of work from home it is easy for me to find myself having gone through two or three days with out ever getting out of the house. BIG MISTAKE for me! Even if it's just a walk around the block or even sitting in the back yard with my dog, I MUST make sure that I get out of the house and it's even better if I make sure that I do this on a daily basis.

What does/will YOUR list look like? Friend, it is of major importance that you make this list for yourself so, do NOT put this off and plan to do it later!!

Bottom line: Yes, there will be times in your life when life "stinks". But, even if it REALLY stinks you STILL have the ability - and choice - to find and be thankful for all of the good things that are in your life.

Feel free to connect with me through my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity  - if you would like to discuss this further. If not me, find SOMEONE.

Thanks for joining me again today and, until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #3

“Living a life without passion is not living life!” - Mike Spillman (3.23.10)

I don't remember all of the details but I do remember that, whenever I first posted that quote - maybe on Facebook? - I had one person say something negative about it. Again, I don't remember all of the specifics and even what they said but, to be honest, my first thought was, "What? How could ANY one have anything bad to say about that quote?"

Believe me, I didn't dwell on that thought for long because I realized (and still do) that NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO that is a move in a positive direction, there will ALWAYS be someone that will do something to "tear it down" and, in their minds, tear YOU down.

And, from what I can tell about such people, these people usually are living a life void of passion! And, that being true (and I do believe that it is), they cannot handle you - or anyone else - experiencing and/or expressing the passion that is in their own life. 

People that live their lives without passion are MISERABLE people. Period! Is being miserable a way to live your life? Absolutely not! Now then, I rest my case. 

O.k., I'm just kidding but, at the same time, I do believe that I have already made my point for the day. "Living a life without passion is not living life!"

Listen, that doesn't mean that you have to be involved in some sort of big "movement" and that your passion has to be something that is going to change the whole wide world. But (and don't miss this point), chances are, your passion - whatever it may be - likely IS changing someone's world. 

I believe that, if you really think about your passion(s) in your life, you will find that other's have benefited from that passion. From what I have seen, a person's passion usually has to be shared with others...it just seems to be the way that it is.

BE SURE to listen to the podcast and watch the video on this. Believe me, I took a whole different direction with this article than what I discussed there, so be sure to check those out. 

Also, be sure to join me as I discuss another of my quotes that focuses on  the idea, "DON'T QUIT!"

Enjoy thinking about those passions and how they impact those around and, until next time, always be sure to... 

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

Mike

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Mike's Quotes #2

 "Value is not a price tag. One places value on something by how they treat that item. This is true whether it be of cars, clothes, pets or people. YOU determine how valuable it is to you." - Mike Spillman (8.2.09)

Please make sure that you take the time to listen to the podcast AND also watch the video broadcast on today's topic (see links below). Yes it is on the same topic but, I don't follow a script which means that there is always additional material in each of these.

You likely make decisions just about every day as far as to whether or not "price" and "value" are the same to and for you. Think about it for a moment.

My guess is that there have been times in your life where you have looked at a price tag and decided that the particular item was not worth the price listed on that tag. For whatever reason, you decided that the "value" was not equal to the listed price. 

And, there have likely been times that you have paid MORE than what you normally would because you PLACED A HIGHER VALUE on a particular item. It could be because you desperately needed that product or item. It could be that you had a sentimental attachment to the item but, regardless, the price tag did not determine the VALUE of that item for you. 

As my quote points out, "whether it be of cars, clothes, pets or people", you SHOW how valuable these things are to you. 

It's not what you SAY about the value of something in your life, friend. It's proven by your ACTIONS...how you "treat" those things in your life. 

You simply cannot say that you love your spouse and cheat on them, lie to them and talk badly about them! You cannot say that you love your children and then show, by your actions, that just about anything and everything is more important to you rather than spending time with them. 

These are harsh truths but, friend, they ARE truths!

And, by the way, this also applies to your "dreams" and what you say that you want to achieve. Let's be brutally honest here...talk is cheap, but those things that are truly valuable to you will require you to invest time, effort and even money at times. TRUTH!

One final point: YOU are valuable! Think long and hard about that and consider whether or not you really believe that about yourself. How do you know? How do you treat yourself? How do you talk to yourself and about yourself? How do you care for yourself?

VALUE IS SHOWN.

Be sure to join me next time as I discuss the importance of PASSION in and for our lives. And, until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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Stop Hitting The SNOOZE Button!

When I was in college I would set my alarm clock across the room, on a desk, so that I would not "hit the snooze button" and fall back asleep. Now, to be honest, there was no "snooze" button because it was a wind-up clock along the lines of what you see pictured above. However, the idea was the same - turn it off and get up in a few more minutes. 

I'll be honest, I have never quite understood why someone sets an alarm knowing that they will hit the snooze button 3, 4 or maybe even 5 times before getting up. They know that, they plan their time (initial alarm) accordingly. Me? Why not just set the alarm for whatever time it will be when you finally get up? Why not sleep through the interruptions that come with that alarm going off again and again and again?

For many, it's a very misleading statement when they say, "Yeah, I have my alarm set for 5:30 a.m. everyday!" while, by the time they get done hitting the snooze button, it's 6:15 a.m. before they finally get out of bed!

New Year's Resolutions are much the same Oh sure, the "snooze button" setting is in months instead of minutes, but the result is the same. 

"Starting tomorrow I"m going to _________________ (you fill in the blank)!"

Maybe that person WILL actually follow through with that resolution for a few days or even a month. According to an article on this very thing, "only 64 percent last longer than the first month, and only 46 percent last longer than six months."

And yet, after hitting the "snooze button" on whatever the resolution was for eleven months (for some) they will do it all over again the following year.

A couple of weeks ago I began a series on the importance and necessity of TAKING ACTION. You can start with the first article in that series by CLICKING HERE.  Then, last week, I started another series on how important for each of us to be the very best that we can be - to live OUR purpose. You can CLICK HERE for that beginning article.

After hopefully agreeing that we MUST have DAILY ACTION as a part of our lives and, after also hopefully understanding that we MUST live our lives to our full potential, then the only question that remains is - WHEN?

My guess is that, most of us, if not all of us, can all look back and see evidence of times when we had "planned to start but never did" or "got started but never finished".  And, though it is painful to take a look at those situations, we must do so for TWO main reasons.

1. Acknowledge these failures but don't continue to dwell on them. LEARN and MOVE ON!

2. Use them as a "fire" that serves as fuel for an ignited flame of DETERMINATION to NEVER  REPEAT those failed actions! 

Hitting the "snooze button" is easy...TAKING ACTION is not always so easy.  

So, as Mel Robbins said in the quote in the above graphic, "THE TIME IS NOW".  

Join me in my next article as we consider the topic, "Growing or Rotting?" and, until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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It's Up to EACH of Us to Be the BEST of Us!

This is it. The conclusion of the series. What? If you didn't realize that this was the part - the conclusion - of a series then you need to go back and read the four previous articles, starting with the one entitled,"Listen Carefully! Opportunity IS Available" 

YOU NEED TO READ each and every one of these my friend! You really do. And, while you are at it, be sure to listen to each podcast and to watch each video broadcast on the same topic(s). All of the links can be found below.

When we all consider (and, hopefully, accept) the fact that we are all uniquely created and that NO ONE is like us then we will also realize that we all have very unique (special only to us) talents and abilities. And, friend, the world NEEDS each of us to share these unique talents and abilities!

In other words, "It's up to EACH of us to make the MOST of us!" 

Yes, I believe that God has give each and everyone of us our own special and unique set of talents and abilities but, at the same time, He also has given us the ability to USE those and to make the most out of them. I firmly believe that, not only has he given us the ability to do so but that He also EXPECTS us to do so. If you want, go read what is shared in the Bible in Matthew 25: 14 - 28.

Again, just because you have those unique talents and abilities does not mean that you can just sit back and expect things to happen. NO! Go back and read what I said about those who have had talent but did not WORK at developing that talent...they usually fail and fail miserably. And, on top of that, they are usually a "cautionary tale" that is used to help others see the dangers of doing so.  

One other thing (remember, go listen to the podcast and also watch the video for some additional insight), don't wait for others to do this for you. Don't wait for others to set things up for you so that things are perfectly aligned in order for you to take action.

If you do you will end up as another "cautionary tale" that I talked about two paragraphs above this one. 

Don't expect or wait for the government to do it for you. Don't expect or wait for your parents to do it for you, or your spouse, or your friend(s), or....you fill in the blank. 

Take DAILY ACTION beginning TODAY. 

I hope that I can be a part of the process of helping provide you positive information to help keep you moving forward.

Be sure to join me next time as we continue with our daily activity of helping to protect our minds from negative thoughts and influence and to promote good, positive thinking to help maintain a positive mindset! Until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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Stop Comparing Yourself to Others (Follow YOUR Purpose)

If you were to be completely honest with yourself, how often would you admit that you spend comparing yourself - any part of your life - to someone else? Perhaps you compare different areas or parts of your life to theirs. Their house? Car? Job? Relationship? Vacations? Looks? 

Most of us would not want to admit such but, the truth is, that we likely DO compare ourselves to others in some way from time to time. 

Make sure you read the above graphic and follow what it says. 

   1. Do NOT waste one more minute comparing yourself to other people

   2. This journey is YOURS alone

   3. God needs you to fulfill YOUR purpose - not to try to fulfill someone else's

Listen, our young people really struggle with this - comparing themselves to others and, often, feeling that they come up short. They will then, also, relate that to the fact that they are just not "good enough". 

Here's the thing: it's hard for us to help them avoid such mind games if we are doing the same thing. You DO KNOW they see right through things that you think they'd never notice, RIGHT??

You gain NOTHING by comparing yourself to others. Absolutely nothing. 

If you haven't read the previous articles in this series, be sure to do so...especially the last one where the fact that NO ONE ELSE IS LIKE YOU. And, friend, that makes you pretty awesome!

One of the things that I talk about in the podcast is the fact that we don't know everything about those with which we may compare ourselves. Be sure and take a listen (link below) because, again, though I talk about the same topic, there are different thoughts discussed there.

Here's the kicker: There are others out there that are you looking at you and they are comparing themselves to YOU and they wish they had your talents and abilities or...fill in the blank.

So, why don't we all just be the best that we can be and live OUR purpose - not anyone else's - and live that life of purpose with passion?

That would be pretty cool, right? 

Yes, as a matter of fact, it would be pretty cool and it IS pretty cool. 

So, do THAT and, as you do so, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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You Be YOU! (Everyone Else is Taken)

There is no one else like you. Period. There never HAS been anyone like you and there never WILL BE anyone like you. Ever. 

Wow! Let that sink in for a moment. 

You are, indeed, one-of-a-kind and, yes, you are UNIQUE!

That being said - and is a FACT - why compare yourself to anyone else or why try to be LIKE someone else?

I understand having a mentor or a "hero" that you want to emulate or "be like", but don't try to be a "carbon copy" of that person. You simply cannot! We'll talk more about this in the next topic but, don't even try to COMPARE yourself to anyone else - there is no need!

Your finger prints identify YOU and no one else! Again, with that being true, don't you think (as well as believe and understand) that your MIND also is unique and that no one actually thinks about things and approaches things exactly the way that you do? They don't - they CAN'T!

So, take your unique talents and abilities, find your passion and your purpose as we discussed in the last article, and you go out and make a positive and powerful impact on your world

Only YOU can do that the way that YOU can do that!

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

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

Mike

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What Gets YOU Pumped? (Come Alive and GO DO IT!)

So, friend, what gets YOU "pumped"? What makes YOU "come alive"? Again, if you're not sure, take a few minutes - maybe even a few hours - and write it out. Brainstorm any and all ideas that really tend to get you "excited" and see what you come up with - WITHOUT the doubt and questioning on whether or not you can actually do that thing.

Here's a key question to ask that you likely have heard before: If money were no object, what is it that you would want to be doing? 

You see, we - the world - need to have more people doing just that and not just "going through life" out of habit. We need a world full of people that have COME ALIVE to their passion and their purpose and that are using their passion and purpose to impact the lives of those around them in a POWERFUL and POSITIVE way.

Whatever it is may not turn into some global activity BUT, at the same time, understand the fact that IF YOU BEGIN TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IN THIS WAY, you WILL have an impact on the people around you and it WILL spread and touch the lives of others.

BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE! Don't wait until it looks as if you will have a huge following or a huge program that you are ready to launch. START TODAY and BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE! 

Begin with YOUR mindset and YOUR attitude. Begin with how YOU will do all that you can to maintain a positive mindset and, in turn, a positive influence on those around you. Perhaps beginning with your family or room mate and then on to to your co-workers.

KNOW THIS: You WILL come into contact with resistance and rejection. Yes, even when you are simply trying to be POSITIVE, there will be those that will do all that they can to stop you in your tracks. That's just the way it is, friend. But, do NOT let that stop you from your mission - your passion and your purpose - to have a POSITIVE impact on YOUR world, beginning where you are TODAY, right now.

So, yeah, what gets you pumped? GO DO IT!  Be sure to listen to the podcast and also to watch the video on this same topic (links found below) and also join me tomorrow as we discuss the importance to "You Be You - Everyone Else is Taken".

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

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

Mike

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Regret NOTHING

To a large extent, one of the worse things a person can do is to have REGRETS when they come to the end of their life.

Now, to be honest, I'm not sure that it's possible to live life in such a way that we won't all have SOME regrets - I'm not sure that's even humanly possible. However, we CAN do all that we can to keep those down to as few as possible

And, yes, we CAN do that!

As you get ready to read this article (be sure to listen to the podcast on this as well by clicking on one of the links at the bottom of this article), I want to get you to do something first. Do NOT focus on the things that you have or haven't done in your past up to this point. As I talk about this topic in this article, I want you to approach this as starting with a "clean slate" at this very moment. Make sense? 

Hey listen, we cannot go back and undo what we have done in the past. Yes, we can try to live in such a way that may help heal relationships and "mend fences" that were harmed by our actions, but we cannot go back and relive them. So, START FRESH today and dedicate yourself to doing less that would bring regret into your life. 

I was watching a video the other day talking about this very thing. It stated something that I believe is true - it stated that most people, at the end of their life, don't have regrets concerning things that they did but, rather, they have regrets about things that they did NOT do.

Do you want to know how to avoid that from happening in your own life? Here ya' go....get ready...STOP talking about it and START doing it!

Oversimplified, right?

Seriously, what is it that you are waiting for? If you are waiting for the "perfect" time to do whatever it is that you want to do then, guess what? IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN? Because, friend, that perfect time will NEVER come!

It's like when I hear a married couple say that they are going to wait until they can "afford it" before they have children. Uh, spoiler alert...that's never going to happen! ;)

I understand the thought behind such a statement and approach but it's the same approach that we make when planning on waiting before we actually DO things that we want to do in and for our life. 

Too many of us wait until something happens to where we find out that we have a short period of time left to live. Then it's "hurry up and get it done" before time runs out. 

Hey, listen, this article is for me, too!

So, again, the "cure" for this is to STOP TALKING and START DOING and to START DOING it TODAY!

Today. Now. Not later.

Now, just for fun, I want to share a couple of pictures with you of a couple of people (and, oh, there are many, many more that I could have shared) that made the bold decision to make a decision concerning living life with no regrets. The problem is that they did it with a tattoo and...well...take a look for yourself and enjoy the laugh.

Ironically, I'm sure there was plenty of R-E-G-R-E-T to go around on both of these, don't you?

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

8th of 8 Things to Give Up

Thank you for staying with me through this series on things that we all need to give up. I know that, for many of you, this has not been an easy series to go through and, I also know that others have simply dismissed this whole thing with criticism.

 

How do I know these things? Because PEOPLE are reading this and, that being said, PEOPLE are not that hard to "read" and figure out! Some see the issue and understand that it is something that they need to overcome and give up. They struggle and don't like to admit that this is true in and for their lives, BUT they realize the need to give it up and begin to work toward doing so. And, as I mentioned at the start of this series, there are those of you that have used your "criticism" as an EXCUSE as to why you won't give these things up in your life. Some of you aren't willing to accept this as a reality in your life and, that being so, you refuse to take action since you refuse to accept this as a problem.

 

Let's go ahead and get something else out here at the start, shall we?

 

People pleaser's (those who constantly try to please everyone else) are the result of all of the other things that we have already discussed in this series. Think about it: If you struggle with the first seven things on this list then, the odds are, you are also a "people pleaser".

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When you doubt and criticize yourself in the ways already listed, you begin to find your "identity" in pleasing other people. To some extent, you have no real value on your own...it's what you can do for others that becomes "who you are". 

 

You become a chameleon...changing and adapting to be whatever/whoever someone else wants or needs you to be for them. And, when you have done this so many times, you begin to forget who YOU really are.

 

Once you begin to give these other seven things up in your life, you begin to discover that who YOU are matters. You realize that, although "getting along" with others is a good thing, the most important thing is to "BE" YOU and allow YOU to flourish and show through in every thing that you do. At that point, if others like it and like you - GREAT! If not, then, so what?

 

YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE!

 

I have a close friend that has always been a "people pleaser". From what I have learned from them, they learned this tactic early in their life and they still struggle with it today. The tactic? They learned that, basically, you do what everyone else wants and they are happy. The problem? My friend's own likes or dislikes didn't matter and, after a while they began to realize that they were not living THEIR life...they were living the lives of everyone else.  As a matter of fact, even in their dealings with me, I have helped them discover that many answers they give are NOT their answers. What do I mean by that? They give answers - even to me - that are answers that they think I want to hear.

 

Can you relate to that at all? If so, you are a people pleaser and you need to give this up as soon as possible. This, like the others, is not easy but - one day at a time and with determination - it CAN be done.

 

Here's a bit of encouragement: When you start giving up these things (notice I didn't say when you have accomplished it all but, instead, when you START) you will find that you begin to believe in yourself. When you begin to believe in yourself, you become confident and not as concerned with getting approval from everyone else. You will also find that people like and respect YOU for being YOU and, in return, the need to please everyone else will begin to disappear.

 

Believe me, it's true.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this series but, even more importantly, I hope this series has been helpful in getting you to give up things on this list that you need to give up once and for all.

 

Until next time, always be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

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