Friend, ANYTIME you have the opportunity to attend a seminar or event such as this - GO! And, let me especially emphasize that, if you have the opportunity to attend THIS particular seminar - GO! You can check out their schedule at http://www.getmotivated.com/ - you simply cannot beat the price of attending such an event!
So, just as in my podcast for today, I want to reflect on the experience and also add a few extra thoughts in the blog today that I was unable to do in the podcast due to time restraints.
1. ANYTIME you can spend a day with "like-minded" individuals you need to make sure that you do!
I've talked many times about how important it is to surround our selves with positive information and people. This fits the bill on both accounts! Now, don't get me wrong - not everyone in that crowd of nearly 10,000 people had the right mindset. As a matter of fact, there was a group of gentlemen (and I'm trying to be nice here) that were there for...well, I can't really figure out WHY they were there. One young man that sat two seats over from me was on his cell phone pretty much the whole time and, once one of his friends saw my displeasure in this fact and mentioned that to the phone phanatic (cleaver, huh?) he put it away. Thank goodness! However, within the next 30 minutes I noticed that they all got up and left. One of the ladies there with our group that was sitting right next to the group said that they were very rude as they got up and left declaring, "We don't need this crap!" The only thing we could figure out was that they didn't like the speaker or what was being said. So, again, even in the midst of such a powerful event you can and WILL find negativity! But....the POSITIVE far outweighed the NEGATIVE and, as is usually the case, the negative cannot stand to hand around a bunch of positive people like were present for this event.
2. Absorb What is Being Said
On top of spending time with like-minded people, what a great day it was to listen to so many "like-minded" speakers! Yes, some were better than others and, I sure wouldn't want to ever be the last speaker at such an event (you know, what your mind can absorb is directly connected to what your rear end can!), but there was something to be learned from each and every one. Don't tune them out (even listening or reading in your home - don't take shortcuts!) and don't assume you've heard it all before. Because friend, I can assure you - you have not! I was pleasantly please and surprised at a lot of the things I heard from this group of people and I tried to absorb as much of it as I could like a sponge!
3. No Matter Who You Are - People Are People
General Colin Powell - a great man for sure...a man who has met with the most powerful leaders all over the world...a man who demands great respect just by his very presence...a man who spends time in the parking garage talking to the attendants asking about their families and their jobs. What? That's right. This was what stuck out to me most about what he had to say - no matter who you are or what level you have achieved in your life, people are people and we all need contact with one another. Are we listening? Have YOU gotten "too big for your britches"? Don't forget those around you each and every day that serve you in some way and make your life easier. Thank them, talk to them, laugh with them and thank them again.
4. Being Wealthy and Helping People Are Not Exclusive of Each Other
If anything, wealth should bring with it an added responsibility to help those around us! One of the speakers, James Smith, really emphasized this in a powerful way! Going along with what Gen. Powell said about remember that people are people, Mr. Smith emphasized how we can help those around us and give them hope for a better and brighter future. He wasn't talking about handouts to people that won't help themselves - but helping those that NEED help and perhaps don't know HOW to receive that help, WHERE to receive that help or even have the ABILITY to receive that help. This is so important for each and every one of us to remember in our lives - especially as we all work toward our goals and dreams. There is something that we ALL can do where we are with what we have to help someone move along in their life as well. Get excited about the possibilities of what YOU can do in the lives of those - not only in your immediate area - but all over the world!
5. Your Past Does Not Have to Determine Your Future!
I don't have my information here in front of me as I type, but I believe the co-founder of this event's name is Tamara Lowe. Now, I'll just be honest - she wasn't my favorite speaker and I didn't really prefer her speaking style. So....did I just shut her out? NO! Like I said, I tried to absorb all that I could and I did so with this speaker as well. Now, she actually said, "Your past does not determine your future!" and you will notice that I added the words, "have to". Some people will wallow in their situation and allow their past to determine their future. But they and you do not have to allow this! I won't go into all of the details that Ms. Lowe shared, but she came from an unbelievably bad background and is definitely a success today! She lived the kind of life that usually is considered a "dead end" and, yes, many people - in the end - end up dead due to this type of life. No matter WHO you are - there is hope! Seems like I remember someone saying something along the lines of, "As long as there is breath there is hope!". Don't ever forget that and don't ever cease to believe that - IT IS TRUE!
6. Listen to WHO You Can WHILE You Can!
Zig Ziglar, an icon in the filed of personal development was also on the program. This was inspiring and a "heart-tugger" all at the same time. Apparently, Mr. Ziglar suffered a very serious fall sometime recently (I really don't know when) that has affected his sense of balance as well as his short term memory. However, Mr. Ziglar has not allowed this to stop him - it has slowed him down - but it has NOT stopped him! His daughter shared that he has said that it has just forced him to find new ways of doing things - and he has. His daughter escorted him around the stage (or TRIED to - she could hardly keep up with him) and had to help him move on in his talk because he would forget that he had just finished talking about something already --- but this was truly inspiring to watch. Mr. Ziglar has done so much for so many for so long and I appreciate him and what he has done so much. Listen to me here - if you have the opportunity to hear Mr. Ziglar now - DO IT WITHOUT HESITATION! I'm not trying to be morbid here, but I really don't know (none of us do) how much longer he will be able to continue what he is doing and, believe me, you don't want to say, "I wish I had" once he is no longer able to do so.
Well, I mentioned on my podcast that I would expand a bit in this blog - and, boy, did I! There is so much more I could say and I will say - just not today. I will be continuing some of my thoughts on the podcast for Tuesday as well as in this blog entry tomorrow.
One more thing I want to mention... a young man that I met by the name of "Chas". You'll hear more about him on the podcast and you will read more about him in tomorrow's entry so be sure to come back and hear/read about this young man!
And, as always...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
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