DEBT: Do Something NOW!

When it comes to "The Consequences of DEBT", we must realize that the most important thing that we can do (besides avoiding it in the first place) is to MAKE A PLAN and GET OUT OF DEBT!

No matter how impossible the task may seem we MUST begin the process to eliminate this crushing problem. As the graphic below states, "It ain't going to take care of itself!"

And, yes, I hear those of you out there that might say, "Yeah, but..." There will ALWAYS be some "yeah-butters" in the crowd! For whatever reason, they are the ones that feel that THEIR particular situation is so unique that no one else in the world has faced their dilemma. 

"My spouse and I BOTH work (or I work 2 jobs) and we just don't have enough money to make it!"   O.k....but HOW MANY OF YOUR BILLS come from DEBT?  I'm NOT talking about “normal” bills such as electricity, television, phone etc. but from bills that you pay for STUFF that you BOUGHT that you DON'T NEED? And, while we are at it, let's get brutally honest here, how much of even THOSE "normal" bills could be "cut back" in order to help with the problem? 

We'll come back to that in a moment but, let me go ahead and mention a couple of "requirements" for the program that I have shared with you in each article this week. You know, the program that can help you get out of ALL debt in as little as 5 - 7 years. 

#1. You do have to have some income. Whether it's a job or some other way that money comes into your household on a regular basis, you MUST have income.

#2. You must bring in more than you spend. This is budgeting 101 and it IS a requirement for this program to be able to work for you. However, the good news is that, as long as you have even just $10 left over after your bills, we can work with that!

Pretty simple, right? But, again, I can hear the "Yeah, But" crowd speaking up once again. However, this time I will refer to them as the "What Iffers" as in, "What if I don't have any income coming in right now and, What If I don't even have $10 left over at the end of the month?" Throw in that bunch the "Hand Wringers" that might say, "It won't do any good, we have too much DEBT and too little money!"

To be honest, my mind begins to start feeling numb at this point! C'mon people, remember, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING about this problem because, again, IT AIN'T GONNA' TAKE CARE OF ITSELF! As we talked about in the last article, ignoring it will not make it go away. As a matter of fact, doing so will only bring about late charges and other fees that will actually increase the problem!

So you don't "qualify" for this program at this time. That still doesn't remove the problem, friend, You STILL must take some action and DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to start chipping away at your debt! Get out there and take a job and don't be picky about it. "But I'm not going to flip burgers!" WHY NOT??? How is your current plan working out for you? You do what you gotta' do! Wash cars, rake leaves, mow grass, clean houses...whatever it takes to bring some extra cash into the household.

And that's only half of the equation. You must INCREASE the amount of INCOME for your household and, at the same time, you must DECREASE the amount of your DEBT!

I understand that this is not going to be easy. I also understand that you will have to also work on your mindset regarding this whole situation that you put you and your family into BUT you still must BEGIN TAKING ACTION now and work on the needed mindset along the way.

Simply put, you must take a look at all avenues of money that you have coming in for your family and you must also take a look at all avenues of money that is going out from your household. Again, you must find ways to INCREASE the income while finding ways to DECREASE the debt.

You may be able to bring in some extra money by selling things around the house that are not really needed. Do you rent a storage unit or have stuff up in the attic that hasn't been seen in years? GET RID OF IT if it's not some sort of family heirloom! If you're really ready to "get after it" you may even need to look about the possibility of selling a vehicle that has a high monthly payment and find something with NO payment on it or one that is considerably less. Too, you likely may save on insurance.

These things might be able to bring in a little extra cash but you must REALLY get serious at trimming down the debt and those things that you are paying for on a monthly basis. Do you REALLY need all of those premium channels and movie channels with your cable or satellite? How much do you REALLY understand about the seriousness of this debt problem for you and your family? Do you REALLY need the latest and greatest cell phone? Get serious and really get after "trimming the fat" wherever possible.

You might actually find this kinda' fun if you make a game out of seeing how much you can cut out of your monthly expenses! Sure, you may have to bargain with each other on a possible compromise in some areas (maybe cut the cost on a particular item by 30% instead of 70%) but when you put your family first in this area I believe that you will find that a lot of this "stuff" will begin to be seen for what it really is: STUFF.

Remember, "As long as there is breath, there is hope!" You MUST fix this and, friend, you CAN fix this! I'm here to help in any way that I can. If you find yourself in a position at a later point in time to where my program might work for you, just let me know. But, in the mean time it's time to GET LEAN AND MEAN with your budget!

Once again, you can go to ulivefree.com and take a look at some videos that gives you information about this program. No need to fill out any information unless you want to download the "more detailed" e-book that is available there.  DO ME A FAVOR? If you stop by that page you will find my e-mail address at the top of the page. Would you drop me a line and let me know how you came across that information? Did you read about it in one of the blogs? Did you hear about it on one of my podcasts on on one of my videos? Thanks in advance for doing so.

Next week I will be "shifting gears" and getting back to my "normal" type of messages full of hope and positive information. Sure, I'm still going to challenge you with things, but we will look at ways to help improve the positive mindset that you will need in this process as well as going through every day of your life.

Until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

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

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

Consequences of Debt: DIVORCE

The Consequences of Debt: DIVORCE

The stress that comes with debt is far reaching and, likely, more than we would really care to even consider.  In the last article we discovered a list of several physical problems that have been known to occur due to stress.

Sure, there are many other causes of stress in our lives but, at the same time, the stress from debt fuels many of these other symptoms. 

For example, I took a look at two different articles about the top causes of divorce and, not surprisingly, money or financial issues were in the top 4 on both lists. It was number two on one list and number four on the other. 

Here is one list that comes from Shellie Warren at marriage.com -
1. infidelity  2. money  3. lack of communication  4. weight gain  5. unrealistic expectations  6. lack of intimacy  7. lack of equality  8. no being prepared for marriage  9. abuse

When I look at that list, I can easily see how the stress that is related to money problems/debt would also have an influence on other things listed. For example, stress from debt could actually have a hand in someone being unfaithful in their marriage. No, I'm not saying it is an excuse for bad behavior but, if the stress is bad enough, a person may look for an avenue to just "get away" from their current situation. DEBT STRESS may also impact communication to the point where those in the relationship begin to NOT communicate at all. Weight gain? It's a known fact that when someone gets depressed and are under stress they tend to eat more and to eat more junk!

Do I need to continue down this list? Go through the rest of the list and see if you can connect "debt stress" to the rest of the items found there. I'm sure you can.  

I'm sure you can also do the same with the list that I found on divorce.com - 1. infidelity  2. lack of communication  3. physical/emotional abuse  4. financial issues  5. sexual problems  6. boredom  7. religious/cultural differences  8. issues raising children  9. addiction  10. difference in expectations

Then, if there are kids in a marriage they, too, are impacted for the rest of their lives when a divorce takes place. Sure, some handle it better than others but, friend, let's not try to paint a "pretty picture" of the impact of divorce.

And, again, the thing about this stress from debt is, IT'S NOT NECESSARY!

“Debt is just a part of life and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it or to resolve the problem."  Sadly, too many people believe that quote as truth when it actually is a BIG LIE! Debt does NOT have to "just be a part of life" and, friend, there ARE things that you CAN do to prevent it and there definitely IS a resolution to the problem. 

Think of DEBT as a "dark hole" that is ready to suck in anything that comes anywhere near the "mouth" of this monster. And, by the way, DEBT IS A "DARK HOLE" and you need to begin to look at it in that way! Take another look at that quote in the previous paragraph and, if you believe that quote to be true - or ANY PART OF IT to be true - then apply it to the "dark hole" view. IF debt was just a part of life then, friend, what you are saying is that you or anyone else can do NOTHING to keep from getting sucked down that dark hole! You, and everyone else, is DOOMED to this fate! And, according to this quote, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT and YOU CANNOT RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM! In other words, to put it bluntly, YOU'RE SCREWED!

I want you to know that, although I will be discussing some of the CONSEQUENCES OF DEBT in this series, I will also be sharing with you my suggested solution to the problem. Yes, I shared that suggested solution with you in Lesson 5 of the last series and I will mention it again with every article in this series. It won't be a sales pitch but I feel that it is important to share a SOLUTION and not just talk about the problem. Simply go to ulivefree.com and take a look at the two videos and then look over the rest of the information. This is an INCREDIBLE program designed to get you out of debt - ALL DEBT - in a fraction of the time!

I'd love to get feedback from you on the series so far and anything else. I'd love to hear from you! In my next article I will be discussing another consequence of debt - HOPELESSNESS.

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

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

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

The Consequences of Debt: STRESS

In my last series ("Working From Home Series") I concluded with a lesson on "My Suggested Solution". In that lesson I shared the following numbers as it concerns debt in America:

In an article written by Bill Fay entitled, "The Emotional Effects of Debt" he states the following: "...72% of Americans said they felt stressed about money, according to an American Psychological Association study. And 22% said they felt “extreme” stress over their finances."

In another article, written by Jennifer Soong and entitled, "The Debt-Stress Connection", she states, "An AP-AOL study reveals that debt-related stress is 14% higher in 2008 than in 2004. Those who report high levels of debt stress suffer from a range of stress-related illnesses including ulcers, migraines, back pain, anxiety, depression and heart attacks."  

I read other articles that talked about other physical problems from which those under stress might suffer. Things like lack of sleep, loss of appetite and even hair loss. From my own experience and what I have seen with others, they may also include acne breakout on a persons body and even panic attacks. 

When you consider these things then you can also see why stress due to financial problems (debt) is one of the top reasons for a couple to get a divorce. Think about the impact on each of the two in the marriage as well as any children that may be a part of the marriage. All of this due to the stress with DEBT. 

The thing is, it's NOT NECESSARY! Too many people - maybe you? - have settled for the lie that debt is just a part of life and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it or to resolve the problem. BOTH OF THESE ASSUMPTIONS ARE FALSE. 

For the rest of this series we will be taking a look at other "consequences of debt" as follows: DIVORCE,  HOPELESSNESS, SUICIDE and LIMITS.  Think about how stress has a role in each one of these produced issues that come from the burden of debt. 

Debt is NOT just a "numbers" problem. It is a problem with our mindset and attitude. Debt often occurs when we decide to BUY THINGS THAT WE DO NOT NEED so that we can IMPRESS OTHERS THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW with MONEY THAT WE DO NOT HAVE.

Folks, that's a problem and the consequences are real but, again, they are unnecessary. Click on the link below ("Live Debt Free") for a REAL solution to help you remove ALL debt from your life in a fraction of the time than you can following "traditional" pay-off plans. 

In closing, think for a moment about the change in YOUR life as well as the life of your family and those close to you once you remove debt - and the consequences - from your life. Yes, you can!

Join me in the next part of this series as we continue to discuss "The Consequences of Debt".

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

Mike

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

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

Starting Over Financially?

 

Just like all of the other "areas" that we have been discussing over the past few days, the same is true about STARTING OVER financially.

 

There is NO SHAME in having to do so and, sometimes, this need is actually do to circumstances that are out of our control. Divorce, hospital bills and many other things.

 

However, if we are going to talk about it, then we also need to be willing to be open and honest about OUR ROLE in many of these scenarios. Financially, we are responsible for the "little things" that tend to sabotage us and set us back.

 

Here's the thing about what I'm going to share with you today: it doesn't matter if your financial situation is due to someone else's fault, unplanned events or your own mistakes.

 

Nope.

 

Today we are going to focus on a SOLUTION. Because, for whatever reason, being in a bad financial situation is a very stressful position to be in. A SOLUTION is needed, regardless of how or why we got there.

 

Agreed?

 

You probably noticed that I've been sharing information on Dani Johnson's "War on Debt" program the past few days. Now, before you "turn me off" let me ask you this question: WHAT'S YOUR PLAN?

 

That's right...WHAT IS YOUR PLAN to prevent having to "start over" again and again, financially? What is it that you PLAN TO DO to keep this from happening?

 

You see, many like to TALK ABOUT what they are going to do and many want to "play dress up" (see yesterday's discussion) and act as if there really isn't a problem when there really is. But most - if not all - FAIL when it comes to taking action that will actually bring results.

 

Take a look at this next picture and make sure that you read the information about this group of people. This picture was taken back in July at the Dani Johnson event that I attended in San Antonio. So yes, these are REAL people and these are REAL results of what this group of people has been able to accomplish over the past 5 years.

 

Think about it, friend. How long have you been TALKING ABOUT the need to do something about your finances? How many years have you stated that THIS YEAR you actually were going to FOLLOW THROUGH with your New Year's Resolution for once?

 

I'm telling you...GET THIS PROGRAM and get it NOW.

 

You want to hear the "kicker"? Dani Johnson shows you how to eliminate your debt WITHOUT having to make more money to get it done!

 

Yeah, I know, right?  (Just click on the graphic to read all of the details about the program)



 

My wife and I do actually own this program ourselves. It is easy to understand and, if followed, easy to do! The fact is, just like with everything else we've talked about this week, the problem may come in with having to swallow some PRIDE in order to make progress.  

 

A PROVEN program by an honest person that actually is full of integrity. Just take a few moments, go to the page (click on the graphic above) and read the testimonials that you'll find there. I have never in my life seen ANY ONE with as many testimonials as Dani Johnson.

 

There is a 100% money-back guarantee, so stop making excuses and TAKE ACTION.

 

Talking and planning to do something never seems to work, does it?

 

Think about it: the stress that comes from financial struggles literally impacts EVERY AREA of your life. It really does. And, many times, we find ourselves starting over in some of these "other" areas due to the stress that comes from THIS area.

 

Take control of your finances once and for all and start moving forward with what really matters in your life. And, by the way, help your children see and understand the importance of taking control of your fiances instead of your finances taking control of you.

 

You can do it but, friend, here's the question: WILL 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   "Like" FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes  

 

Podcast RSS feed 

What to Do With STRESS

 

STRESS...I'm sure you've felt the strain of stress in your life. Am I right? Stress can literally strangle you to the point of being unable to breathe.

 

Without going into details, let me just say that my wife and I have experienced quite a bit of stress over the past couple of months and, just as I described, it had gotten to the point that it was literally hard to breathe and even sleep.

 

A few years ago I shared with you the story of a "special message" that I kept getting one afternoon while out on a ride on my motorcycle. On two or three signs (I don't remember which now) I saw the message, "Believer in Yourself". This got my attention! The SAME message on different signs on the same day? And then, as I was riding back through my home town, I passed an insurance office with one of those scrolling signs and caught the very tail end of a message. I have no idea what the first part was but, the part that I saw as I passed was, "...and YOURSELF!".

 

That day I wrote that message down - "Believe in Yourself and Others!" - and even have it as my background on one of my computers.

 

Now, that has nothing to do with today's message except for the fact that I could not miss another situation in which a particular message kept getting my attention a couple of days ago.

 

This time it was on my Facebook news feed. I "subscribe" to a lot of different pages and receive a lot of good, positive messages from these sources. However, the other day STRESS was working hard on my wife and I and was literally choking the life out of me. It was hard to remain focused and positive due to this fact.

 

All on the same day, but THIS was the first notice of the day that got my attention:

 

 

 

Wow, I thought that this was pretty powerful since it spoke specifically about STRESS and since this was something that was greatly affecting my thought process and even my very ability to think clearly. Then, during the same few minutes, I scrolled down the page just a little further, and I came across the next graphic:

 



 

Now, here's the deal.....I KNOW THIS STUFF and I often share such thoughts with YOU!

 

But friend, never forget that I, too, am human and that I struggle with things like this just as you do. I think - and I hope - that I always make this very clear in the things that I write and the things that you hear me say through my podcast.

 

So, even though this last graphic didn't say anything SPECIFIC about "stress" it still hit home and got my attention, especially when combined with the graphic above it that I had come across just moments before.

 

And then, to top it all off, I scrolled down the SAME page, on the SAME day, within the SAME few minutes and found this graphic:

 

Now friend, you tell me...if this series of graphics "appeared" to you in a matter of moments in the circumstance that I have described, would it get YOUR attention?

 

I wish I could say that I IMMEDIATELY copied these graphics on to my computer...but that would be a lie. I waited a few hours with these things going through my head and thinking about how they came to my attention and THEN I went back and copied them to my computer KNOWING that I would be using them to share with you like this.

 

The "Law of Attraction" simply speaks to the fact that the thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. that you PUT OUT is what will "come back" to you.

 

Here's a quick illustration to help clarify this "law" and how it works. Have you ever bought a particular make and model of automobile and then begin to notice how many similar automobiles just like yours are out there? They've been out there all of the time but NOW that you have your focus on what it is that you are driving, it's as if your eyes have been opened to that very particular make and model.

 

Make sense?

 

I don't know, maybe you needed to see these same graphics today. Maybe this message today was exactly what you needed to read. If not you, then maybe someone else.

 

That's why it's so important to share this with those that you know - whether you think they need it or not. You may not know what it is that THEY are struggling with and, perhaps, without your knowledge, THIS is what they needed to read today.

 

Thanks for your time and thank you for sharing this with others.

 

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   "Like" FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

  *MJ Spillman Travel on Facebook*    Yes, you really can get a supply of FREE LEADS!

Can You Dig It?

Say what?

Now, hang with me on this, o.k.? Don't run off if you don't love your job! Give me a chance.

My guess is that MOST of you (if not all of you) are actually NOT doing what you love most - your dream job or the thing that you are most passionate about, right?

So, is it the end of the world? THAT'S UP TO YOU!

YES, you should be working toward the day when you can do what you LOVE most! Work for the day that you can live your PASSION instead of just "working your job".

But, until then, even if you are not doing what you love most is it possible for you to learn to love what you are doing?

Huh?

Stay with me here, it's not really that far of a leap.

You can either go through the whole day "hating your job" OR you can learn to adjust your mental attitude, your positive mindset/attitude in a way that enables you to actually learn to LOVE what you do. WHATEVER you do!

Think about it.

You can dread the start of the day because you HATE your job! You can go through the course of the day focused on the fact that you HATE your job! You can end your day with a big sigh of relief that you are finally done with another day at the job that you HATE! Then, not long before you go to bed you dread the fact that you have to get up and go back to work because you HATE your job!

Wow, doesn't THAT sound like fun? Some of you are saying, "You just described my life."

Sad.

I'm here to tell you that it IS possible to turn things around to where you can actually LOOK FORWARD TO your day and learn to LOVE what you are doing!

But, it is up to you and your desire to improve your life day by day.

This, my friend, is a MAJOR mind adjustment but it is one that you CAN accomplish IF you set your mind to it!

Choice A: hating your whole day OR Choice B: learning to find purpose and challenge which will cause you to actually look forward to your day.

Wow. Doesn't really look like much of a choice to me!

Think about it. Brainstorm on it and see what you can come up with.

C'mon - I CHALLENGE you to send me a message and tell me why you CAN'T learn to do this.

Come back tomorrow as we wrap this series up and, until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Updates and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

UPDATES and "Merry Christmas!!"

It's been a while since I last posted anything on the blog so I thought I'd spend a few moments and give an update while also wishing each of you a "Merry Christmas" with wishes for a "Happy New Year" as well!

As you know, I lost my job back in the middle of August (hard to believe it's been FOUR months since this has happened) and, due to the uncertainty of things, I felt I needed to cease doing my podcast and blog at that time. I didn't want to do a "hit and miss" podcast/blog...I wanted it to be consistent.

If you know anything about me at all then you also know that I am upfront and honest so I'm not going to change that now. The past four months have been very difficult! Without going into a lot of detail at this point I'll just say it has been very stressful financially, emotionally and spiritually. I've had to work VERY hard to keep a positive mindset and to practice the things that I have shared for you in past podcasts and blogs.

Truth? Some days I did alright in that area and some days I did not.

Surprised? You shouldn't be!

I have never said - and hopefully it was never implied - that EVERY day was going to be a GREAT and WONDERFUL day regardless of the circumstances. The whole focus on what I have done in the past was to help us all understand that, regardless of the circumstances, WE had CONTROL when it came to the positive or negative impact on our lives.

It is a DAILY struggle for us all - I don't care who you are or how you are doing in your life at the moment.

So, bottom line - in case you didn't know it already - I'm just like you! I struggle each and every day with my mindset and realize that I MUST continue to FIGHT to keep the negative out!

Sure, some days are easier than others and some days are just plain hard.

But the key is this: NEVER GIVE UP!

Remember, "As long as there is breath, there is hope."

I'll be sharing some more news about my plans beginning in 2011. I will go ahead and tell you that I should be starting my podcast and blog once again along with some other exciting things planned.

STAY TUNED!

And, friend, I do want to wish you and your family a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And, as always, whatever you do...

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

Mike

Are You Happy Here?

Are You HAPPY Here?

We have been discussing the and exploring the idea of WHERE YOU ARE in your life. Right now. Today.

With the thought of "You are Here!" we began to ask the question, "Where IS here?" and you have been encouraged to do a little honest digging to figure out WHERE "here" really is.

As hard as that may have been for some of you, the REALLY difficult part comes with the realization that "you are where you have been going". I both love AND hate that statement! I love it because it "cuts to the chase" and really gets right down to it. I also HATE it for the exact same reason!

When we strip away all of the excuses (yeah, I know, you might try to call them "reasons") and stop playing the "blame game" as to why we are where we are - there 's no one else to look at but ourselves. Ouch!

You are where you are because of the steps that you have taken along the way.

Another way to think about these "steps" is to use a different word instead. Let's try this - you are where you are because of the CHOICES that you have made along the way.

Now we're getting somewhere!

One of the things I did in today's podcast to help us understand this a little easier by using a "real world" example was to have you go back through your day - up to this point - and list all of the choices that you have made thus far.

This is the EXACT same thing we can do - and NEED to do - in order to really see why we are where we are. So, for an example, I will go back through my day up to this point and talk about some of the CHOICES that were presented to me along the way.

1. Setting the alarm - Now, first of all, THIS decision (choice) was made before I even went to bed last night. So, THAT was a choice made.

2. Alarm - yes or no? I also had several choices to make even though I had SET the alarm. I could get up EARLIER than the set time, I could get up when the alarm went off OR I could hit the "snooze" button once, twice or however many times. I actually chose to get up BEFORE the alarm went off and enjoyed a peaceful 30 minutes or so sitting out on the front porch in the cool of the morning.

3. Order of Getting Ready - Should I eat breakfast first or shower and dress first?

4. What for Breakfast - What should I eat for breakfast (MANY choices can be made here. As a matter of fact, you may have seen a commercial on television that talks about how making the right choice for breakfast may lead to making wise choices along the way).

5. What to wear - Now, I probably don't spend as much time on this as a lot of people but it is still a choice that presents itself daily.

6. What time to leave - Again, the same choices exist as getting up in the morning or ANYTHING to do with time. I could leave early, leave at the time I had planned, or - due to a lack of proper planning - leave late and be rushed.

7. At the office - I have several choices available to me each day (as do you) once I arrive at my office. What should I do first? Check e-mail? Check for phone messages? Write this blog? Reorganize my "to do" list?

That is where I am currently - going through my decisions on #7...obviously, right now I have chosen to write this blog.

Again, the same thing is true of our lives in general!

Whether you are happy with your "here" or not - it is important to see how you got where you are AND to correct, change and/or "tweak" possible unwise choices that you made along the way.

You see, on ANY of the decisions that we make during the day we can always go back - after examining these choices - and see what needs to be changed! For example, if we find ourselves constantly running late in the morning and being rushed then we need to CHANGE what we are doing in relation to #1 on the list above. Why? Because what we are doing is not working and, likely, we don't like the end result!

Even if you are HAPPY with your "here" you still need to go back and constantly check that you are staying on course and not picking up any bad habits that could derail your progress.

I came up with the following saying a couple of years ago and, as a matter of fact, if you are on Facebook you can find it as a "flair" by searching "choices". I'm not sure if there is a way to narrow that down even more - let me know if you have problems finding it. Here is what it says:

"All choices require a decision. All decisions are a choice."

Pure and simple. Straight to the point.

That's what we all need, friend. Let's stop making excuses, let's stop whining and complaining. Let's start taking ownership for what we have or have not done and where we ARE. Thing is, whether you want to take ownership or not - it's all yours.

So, if you're happy with your "here" - AWESOME! Keep up the great work, stay focused as move closer to your goals and dreams.

And, if you're not - what are YOU (yes, YOU) going to do about it?

We'll have that discussion in tomorrow's podcast and blog entry so, until then...

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

Mike

The FEAR of CRITICISM!

Wow, think about this one!

This one impacts each and every one of us - even those of you that THINK that it doesn't!

All of us, at one time or another, have either NOT DONE something or HAVE DONE something due to the fear of criticism! I want to challenge you to think about this in your own life - try to find this in your own life so that we - together - can eliminate it from your life.

Again, some of you will say, "Oh, I'm not worried about what others think! I'm never effected by the fear of criticism!" I beg to differ. If I were able to spend enough time with you, I would be able to point out to you areas in your life where you allow this fear of criticism to reign supreme.

Some don't have to think about it at all. Some can tell you right away areas in their life that they struggle with this fear of criticism every single day!

WE WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK AND/OR WHAT THEY WILL SAY TO THE POINT THAT WE ALLOW THEM TO PARALYZE OUR LIVES!

Again, allowing others to control us when 1) they have no right or claim to do so and 2)we are the ones in control of our lives - no one else.

Oh, I know, point 1 in the above paragraph may cause much discussion because there are those that CLAIM to have a "claim" or "right" to control you. Your boss for example. But do they really have "claim" on your life or have the "right" to criticize you?

NO!

But too many of us ALLOW that to take place in our lives thus GIVING them access to the claim on our lives.

I also know that there are likely many women and children (and perhaps some men, as well) that have husbands and/or fathers (as well as some wives) that will tell them that they DO indeed have "claim" on their lives and the "right" to belittle and criticize them however they desire. THIS IS THE HARDEST CHAIN OF FEAR TO BREAK - this fear of a spouse or a parent and trying to avoid (at all cost) any criticism that may come from them.

But, have you noticed that, no matter what you do or don't do in this situation, the criticism will still come?

WHY? Because that person "in control" is WEAK! That is a fact!

They are WEAK and they feel "power" by trying to control you through fear - the fear of criticism.

O.k. we've identified the fact that all of us struggle with this (some more than others) - but we ALL do! (Hey, why do you wear the clothes you wear, drive the car that you drive and even eat at the restaurants that you chose?)

In Wednesday's podcast we will identify some of the CHARACTERISTICS of this FEAR of CRITICISM.

I welcome any and all feedback - I prefer you send it to my email at mike@futureyouuniversity.com

Thanks for taking the time to read this and, as always...

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

Mike

Wonderful Wednesday! - What's YOUR Specialty (part 2)

Good morning friends! (Hey, it's morning as I type this, o.k.?)

Yes, it is another WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY and, as always, it is within YOUR reach and YOUR power and YOUR capabilities to MAKE it so. Yes, you! So, what will you do with it - why not make it WONDERFUL?

In today's podcast I continue my discussion on chapter 5 of Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think & Grow Rich" - "Specialized Knowledge". I really focus in on one major point with this podcast when I share Mr. Hill's passage about this being a "Changed World". Remember, this was written right after the end of the Great Depression! He talked about the "changed world" that came about as a result of what our country had just endured.

IT'S THE SAME TODAY!

We live in a "changed world" - do we not? It is no longer "business as usual" and things have changed. How well do you handle change?

Some people are afraid of change - ANY change! Some people cringe at the very word (I know people like this). Yet, if you listen, you will hear many talking very excitedly about this change and the OPPORTUNITY that is available to those that will gladly embrace and act upon this change.

What about you?

Change is a part of life, is it not? We cannot run and hide from change. We cannot change the fact that change IS a fact of life. (Hey, that was pretty nifty, huh?)

So, we can either run and try to hid (it won't work, friend) OR we can accept it, study it and take advantage of the OPPORTUNITY that is available only during times of great change.

Break that down even further for yourself this morning. Let's forget about the "world climate" for a moment. Let's focus on your world. Are you going through changes? Job stress? Job loss? Relationship problems? Financial worry? Listen - whatever it is - YOU CAN AND WILL MAKE IT THROUGH! You MUST come to believe that and know that deep down inside. (This actually goes back to the chapter discussion on "autosuggestion").

Although you would rather not go through this change, it may be inevitable. And, that being the case - it is up to YOU to determine what you will do with it and how you will approach it. Yes, you. No one else. Sure, people like me can help by giving you some positive encouragement but it is even up to you as to what you allow this positive encouragement to do in your life. You can toss it aside and leave it or you can absorb it and try to apply it. So, yes, you see - it still is up to you.

Remember..."As long as their is breath, there is hope!"

You CAN do it!

And, as always....

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

Mike