Mike's Quotes #45: A Level Roller Coaster?

"A level roller coaster would not be much fun." - Mike Spillman (1.8.2019)

Why do you ride a roller coaster? Isn't it for the thrills? Isn't it for the speed, the ups and downs and, even on some, those "upside down" loops that you go through? YEAH!

And, at the same time, if I were to ask some why they DON'T ride a roller coaster, the answer would likely be very similar.

Either way, what makes a roller coaster a roller coaster is what makes it a "must do" for some and a "no way" for others. Point being, "a level roller coaster would not be much fun!"

Can you imagine being on a level roller coaster? No thanks!

But friend, it's the same with life. It's kind of like what I shared via my blog a few months ago when I asked, "If there were no frustrations, would I recognize elation when it arrived?"

Oh, I'm not saying that difficult times are fun but, at the same time, they help me realize that I AM ALIVE and I am a part of this roller coaster ride that we call "life"!

I like to compare it to that long, slow, hard, "up hill" part of a roller coaster ride right at the start. It's not an exciting part of the ride, right? Although, for me, I hate that part because I am afraid of heights. Anyway, this is a part of the process...getting you "high enough" to turn loose and "fly" down the track and to propel you for the rest of the ride. 

When things become difficult and it seems as if everything is "up hill", I try to think about the roller coaster and how I'm about to experience the THRILL of the ride, but only AFTER the up hill struggle. 

"A level roller coaster would not be much fun." In the same way, a life without "ups and downs" might seem attractive but, friend, it would not be a life to experienced by anyone.

Be sure to listen to the podcast and also watch the video by checking out the links below. 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

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

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Mike's Quotes #14: Just a Bump in the Road

 “The past is just a bump in the road to the future.” - Jordan Spillman (8.10)

The quote that I want to share with you today comes from my youngest son, Jordan Spillman.  

Though he is my youngest son, he is currently 28 and about to turn 29.

This quote came in the summer following his High School graduation. And, as a little bit of background, my wife had suffered a heart attack the summer before and we almost lost her. That was a very traumatic experience for us all! Since I don't know the EXACT date that he came up with the quote I'm not sure of the specifics in relation to timing, but our whole family went through a frustrating transition in August 2010. 

Without going into details, Jordan has gone through quite a few "bumps" since the time of this quote but he continues to press on. Yes, I am PROUD of him!

I know that, at the time, he had no idea what life had in store for him over the next 9.5 years but, the fact is, none of us do, right? I would say that his quote has had "skin" put on it and that it (the quote) has breathed "life" and has become more than a collection of words.

Friend, the quote is GOOD ADVICE!

Just go back to the article featuring "Quote #12" where I emphasize, once again, the fact that TODAY is truly all that we have available to us. Not the past, not the future, but TODAY.

The past is just a "bump in the road".

But those bumps can either be just a small thing or something that can actually cause you to end up in a wreck, the hospital or even dead. YIKES! All bumps are NOT created equal!

So it is with life. We ALL have our struggles and, believe me, even those that you think are "immune" to such, certainly are not. If you have yet to experience hardship in your life then, friend, it's not "if" but "when".  I'm not trying to be pessimistic. I'm simply being honest and trying to help you prepare for what WILL come to pass at some time in your life.

Two quick thoughts:
   1. What will you do when it happens?
   2. What will you do AFTER it happens?

When these "bumps" come along in your life you must decide that you will KEEP MOVING FORWARD and that you will NOT allow that "bump" to cause you to quit and give up. Yes, again, I DO understand that there can be some incredibly hard situations that can cross our path as we go through life. I'm not down playing that fact. But friend, the fact remains that we just simply cannot allow ourselves to curl up in a little ball and give up.

So, WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN IT HAPPENS? The time to decide is NOW, before that time arrives. And, if you have already experienced such things in your life then, friend, you are better prepared to handle whatever "bump" may (and likely will) come your way.

Just as importantly, we must also decide, in advance, the answer to the following question: WHAT WILL YOU DO AFTER IT HAPPENS? Remember, your PAST does NOT determine your FUTURE.

Yes, learn from the past and do all you can to not make the same mistakes again. Where there is pain, hurt and suffering, learn the lessons that are provided  through the process that you had to go through, take them to heart and move on, a better person.

But, whatever you do, do NOT allow yourself to continually LOOK BACK at the past with regret. Yes, I understand but, friend, do all that you can to do WHAT you can that may need to be done and then MOVE ON.

Do NOT be "derailed" or "side-lined". Remember that "the past is just a bump in the road to the future."

This blog article is being published on Thanksgiving Day 2019 and I wanted to take a moment and wish you, your family and loved ones a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy every moment, cherish every moment and be thankful for even the small blessings in your life.

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

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

Mike

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

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

When the Going Gets Tough - Introduction

"When the Going Gets Tough - Introduction"

A couple of things first before I get on to the discussion on today's topic, o.k.?

First of all - I'M BACK, BABY! Oops, sorry for the burst of enthusiasm there (actually, no, I don't really apologize for it!). But, after a 6.5 month lay off from doing my podcast and, in conjunction with it, my podcast on a "regular" basis I've decided it's time to get back on track and "do this thing!"

It was two years ago today (March 2, 2009) that I began my very first podcast on "Hope" so I thought it appropriate to get it going again on the anniversary of this occasion.

(Too, let me also say "Happy Birthday" to my son, Jeremy today!!)

Let me tell you about something new that I'm doing WITH my daily podcast that some of you MIGHT find helpful. While I record my podcast I am also now video taping it as well.

Yeah, that's right, now you get to WATCH my beautiful face while I do the podcast. The good news? IT'S YOUR CHOICE! So, if you decide to do so... all bets are off, o.k.?

Now, that being said, I'm going to mention something about it before someone fusses about the "low tech" approach to the video. Hey, just watch the first one with this topic and you'll see what I'm talking about. Go to my YouTube channel to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/moustachemike?feature=mhum

Anyway, I start the thing out holding up a piece of paper with the "podcast logo" on it. Awesome, huh? Here's the deal. I have a real problem transferring these videos onto my "movie maker" without it freezing up on me. When I am able to use the "movie maker" I can add graphics (such as an actual "podcast logo graphic") as well as overlay website addresses, etc. on the video.

HOWEVER, when I try to do this with a video that is not broken down (like I had to do with my series on "The Promise of Hope") it freezes up and is unable to be used. So, at least for now until I get something else figured out, I need to just upload the video without using any kind of "movie maker" program. So, it's not "high tech" as far as visually BUT I do think it's of value "content-wise".

Here's a free little life lesson for you that connects with this: "PRETTY stuff doesn't always mean it's GOOD stuff!" Right? 'Nuff said about that. Let's move on to the topic at hand for today.

"WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH THE TOUGH GET GOING"

We've all heard that one before, right? And though it is a good "motivational" phrase that may be able to encourage some, it's not always true, is it?

Simply put, what about in YOUR life? Is this always true? Hey, you can answer honestly because I nor anyone else reading this can hear your answer.

We may WANT it to be true. We may FEEL THE NEED for it to be true so that we can live up to someone else's expectation of us. We may WANT IT TO BE TRUE due to our OWN expectations that we place on ourselves.

But, bottom line, it's NOT always true. We DON'T always get up and get going. We DON'T always have this powerful mindset firmly in place so that it may propel us forward with "guns a'blazing".

How does that make you feel?

For those that may be reading or listening to my thoughts for the first time you will soon discover this to be true - I'm real. What I mean by that is that you won't find a lot of "fluff" here. Just honest and, hopefully encouraging, thoughts and ideas.

Hey, but even though I hope the things I share here are encouraging that doesn't mean that it won't "hurt" sometimes. THE TRUTH OFTEN HURTS, right?

So, for the next few podcast and blog posts, I'm going to examine the FIRST PART of this phrase and look at some possible "ending phrases" that we all look at whether we like it or not.

"When the going gets tough..."

Join me for my next podcast and blog entry as I share thoughts on one such ending to that phrase.

Oh, by the way, until my podcast gets finalized/approved over at iTunes, you can go here to here it (and I hope to have the rss feed button up on the right hand column of this blog very shortly):

http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml

Alright friends, I am glad to be back doing what I love and I hope you will join me as often as possible. Please feel free to leave comments here, on the fan page at Facebook, on the website (www.FutureYouUniversity.com) which can also be accessed by simply going to www.MichaelSpillman.com or by sending an e-mail to me at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

And, as always...

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

Mike

Stayin' Put Won't Get You There!

Stayin' Put Won't Get You There!

As the "theme" for the week continues with quotes, today I will share another of mine: "Staying where you are will NEVER take you where you want to be!"

Now, I know what I'm about to say is somewhat repetitive but, look at the picture above and ask yourself this question: "If the guy in the picture stays where he is and gives up, will he ever reach his destination?" NO!

Let's get down to it and ask it this way: If YOU give up will YOU reach your destination?

Um...in a word...NO!

Yet, every day, I'm guessing that thousands of people "give up" on reaching their goals and dreams. If you could see this visually as broken down cars on the side of the highway for everyone that has done this it would make quite an impression, would it not?

There would be car after car on the side of the road with their hood up and abandoned. Done. Finished.

It would be hard for those that are trying to stay focused on their journey to weave their way in and out of all the abandoned cars (abandoned dreams).

That's really a pretty sad picture when you think about it, wouldn't you agree?

I'm not sure that I'll ever look at an abandoned car on the side of a road (or out in a field, etc.) ever again and I hope you won't either. I hope it will be a VIVID reminder for us to NEVER give up on our goals and dreams.

I've done podcasts and blogs before about this journey and about the vehicle that is needed to take us on that journey. It never changes and the need always remains the same.

Just as it is true that cars will break down and trips may be delayed, unexpected things can and will happen in our lives that can delay or detour this journey on the way to our goals and dreams.

This is true in ALL of our lives. If it hasn't been true in your life then just hang on - it's coming!

I'm not trying to be negative, friend. I'm not trying to scare you. It's just a FACT that, if you live long enough, STUFF WILL HAPPEN that we wish would NOT happen.

But what you DO about that and with that is what will separate you from others. It is what will make the difference between your life being represented by another abandoned car on the side of the road OR one that is still moving forward.

Yep, you know it's coming and here it is: IT'S UP TO YOU!

Are you catching on that ALL of this that I talk about comes down to YOU making a DECISION? That ALL of this is a CHOICE that YOU must make.

That's the way it always has been, that's the way it is and that's the way it will always be.

So, again I ask, "What will you do?"

Me? I think I'll keep driving.

And as YOU do the same (you ARE going to do the same, right?)...

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

Mike

Learning Life's Adventure Lesson

Learning Life's Adventure Lesson

(Yeah, the type/font is going to be a little different because I want this to look more like something you'd do for a class -- will it work? Eh, who knows?)

This week we have been talking about the fact that life is an adventure! That being so, we must understand that the word "adventure" does not always mean "enjoyable". Let me remind you that the adventures we see people participate in usually have the "exhilaration factor" highlighted and you usually don't see the struggle aspect.

Sometimes you do, and I'm thankful for those programs that show the good, the bad AND the ugly of an adventure!

Too many times we wistfully watch a television program and think about how wonderful it would be "IF ONLY" we could have such an adventure in our life!

So, DO something about it.

That's right. If you want to live a life of adventure then DO it!

You see, you don't have to go climb a high mountain in a foreign country or travel around the world to have an adventure. Sure, it'd be quite an adventure to be able to do those things but, my friend, GET THIS POINT - adventure is awaiting you each and every day right where you are! Are you willing to take the risk (the good, bad AND the ugly) that comes with it?

And, yes, trying to figure out how you're going to survive when you have several mouths to feed and you just lost your job IS an adventure. Sure, it's one we'd rather not have to live through - but, regardless, it IS an adventure.

"Oh wait, that's not the kind of adventure I was talking about when I said I wish I had some adventure in my life."

Sorry. Too bad. It happens anyway, doesn't it?

Without repeating myself too much please understand that you CAN survive. The proof comes in the fact that either YOU have survived before or you know others that have done so. So, YES, either you can do it AGAIN or realize that you, too, CAN survive and make it through this "adventure" in your life.

You will hear - my guess is 100% of the time - those that experience these extreme adventures in their life talk about what they learned about themselves in the process. I'd guess that if you go through such a thing and you DON'T learn some important lessons about yourself - you probably died along the way!

But not before you learned something.

The example I used in today's podcast was this: "If you're going to have your heart ripped out due to losing a loved one, why not - WHY NOT - try to learn something through the process?"

Again, perhaps we learned not to take people for granted, or the day for granted. Perhaps we learned the value of telling those close to you that you love them as often as possible. But, learn SOMETHING! And, the thing is, whether you actually realize it or not, you DO learn something from life's adventure struggles.

If you are currently involved in a "life adventure", take a moment and ask yourself a.) what you ARE learning and, b.) what you NEED to learn in the process.

If you are struggling financially perhaps ask yourself what you NEED to learn so that you can prevent this from being a recurring cycle in your life.

THIS IS IMPERATIVE if we are going to not only survive but also THRIVE in this adventure we call life!

You can do it and you CAN grow and learn as you encounter life's adventures.

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

Mike