Visualize It!

Visualize It!

In today's podcast and blog I want to talk about the importance of visualization - the process of visualizing (getting a visual image) your success.

Now, I understand that some people may think that this just sounds too far "out there" - but it is real and it is something that is practiced by successful people everyday in many different areas.

If you have watched athletes as they prepare to compete in an event, many times you will see them sitting with their eyes closed going through their participation in their mind. You will see this many times with those that participate in the Olympics - whether it be a diving competition or a down hill skiing competition. The athlete will "visualize" their going through the course flawlessly and with success. This is considered "normal" activity and is encouraged for success.

There is a very well known story about Walt Disney and his dream for Disney World. It was completed after his death and, on the day of it's opening, someone made the comment to Walt's wife, "I sure wish Walt could have seen this" to which she replied, "He already has!". You see, Walt Disney had already visualized what his dream would look like before it ever materialized and without even being there to see it for himself once it was completed!

If you follow along with those great leaders in the field of personal development you will hear this talked about as well. They will stress the importance of each of us visualizing - in great detail - what we will look like once we reach our goals. They encourage us to get as specific as possible and to "see" the house, the cars parked in the driveway, etc. I even want to take that a step further and I want to even take a big breath and SMELL what it's like!

This is a GREAT exercise for each of us to participate in as we move toward that goal - see it, visualize it!

However, many of us cannot quite connect the "jump" between where we are now and that image of our success. Sometimes it seems like an impossible gulf that lies between the "now" and the "then". See what I mean?

This is something that I've not seen discussed very often and I'd like to address that potential problem and offer what I believe to be a powerful solution to this possible dilemma.

Here it is:

Don't just visualize what your life will be like WHEN YOU REACH YOUR GOALS, but make sure you VISUALIZE YOUR JOURNEY ALONG THE WAY!

Set "mile markers" along the way and visualize your life as you reach those markers - and celebrate along the way as well!

Here is the example I use in today's podcast (use whatever fits your situation)...

Suppose your goal is to make $100,000 over the next 12 months. Don't just visualize what your life will look like once you've reached that goal - remember, that's a far cry from where you are right now and it may even discourage you when you see the great distance that you must go! - but break it down into smaller "markers" along the way.

Perhaps you want to set your first "mile marker" at $10,000. I believe it will be easier for us to visualize that right now - even today - rather than trying to visualize the $100,000 goal. Don't you? What will be changing? What will it feel like? What will the smile on your face look like? What will your bank account begin to look like?

IMPORTANT: Once you reach that first mile marker - CELEBRATE! Now, c'mon friend, use your head a little bit on this celebration! Don't celebrate and burn up a good chunk of that $10,000 - that would be absolutely stupid, wouldn't it? But, find a way for some sort of significant celebration and enjoy your success thus far.

Then what? Perhaps make your next "mile marker" at $20,000 then $30,000 - you get the picture. When you reach the $50,000 - the half-way mark - REALLY celebrate (but again, use some common sense). For right now, don't worry about visualizing what that will look like - set your visualization goals on the first "marker" and it will get easier to visualize these other milestones along the way!

Once you reach that half-way point, it WILL become easier for you to visualize the completion of your goal and you will likely begin to expand that goal with new numbers!

What's that old saying? "A journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step." How true it is in life and how true it is as we all make progress toward our goals and dreams!

Get excited! Visualize your first "mile marker", whatever it may be. Move! Take action! Take that step toward that first celebration and then KEEP ON MOVING toward your goals and dreams!

And, as you take steps along the way, never forget to...

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

Mike

Special Thanksgiving Entry - An Attitude of Gratitude

An Attitude of Gratitude!

In today's abbreviated podcast I share some quotes about the need for having an attitude of gratitude in our lives. I have listed them below for your convenience.

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." - Albert Schweitzer

"Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy -- because we will always want to have something else or something more." - David Steindl-Rast

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all the others." - Cicero

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude." - Dennis Waitley

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." - Eric Hoffer

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul." - Henry Ward Beecher

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy

And, from my family to yours - may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and may you continue to live a life of gratitude!

Take Control of Your OWN Destiny! (Part 3)

Take Control of YOUR Destiny! (Part 3)

Hopefully, by now you realize how important it is for each of us to be working in order to take control of our own destiny.

Isn't that why you are here? Isn't that why you spend the time listening to this podcast as well as others? Isn't that why you are working to improve your mindset?

You see, taking control of our own destiny is NOT NORMAL!

Can you believe that?

It SHOULD be the most natural thing in the world - but, for most of us, it is very ABNORMAL and it goes against everything that we have been trained to think!

If the economic conditions of the past year or two hasn't awakened you to the necessity of taking control of your own destiny then, let me say it this way...

WAKE UP!

Again, it is a process and it takes planning, persistence and discipline - but it will be worth it to know that no one else holds your destiny in their hands...won't it?

SURE IT WILL! So, as long as you are taking the steps to improve your mindset, why not also be doing the things that will help ensure your ability to take control of your destiny - perhaps within the next five years, if not less?

BREAK IT DOWN

First of all, if you haven't done so, you need to KNOW what it is you really want to do! You cannot make adequate plans without knowing what it is you want to do and the financial plan necessary to make it happen.

So, let's just use this little scenario as an example so that you can see what it is you need to do in your own situation.

EXAMPLE:

This example will NOT take into consideration your spouse working and being able to add to the income needed to make this happen. By doing the example this way, you can take a good look at yourself as an individual to see what you need to do and what can be done.

Let's say that you really love working with kids and you have decided that you would really like to work with kids that have developmental problems. You'd really love to do this but you know that you cannot support yourself and/or your family on the $20,000/year salary that is offered with the job (and no benefits, either).

YOU WANT TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR DESTINY and you are determined to be able to follow your PASSION with this job. In order to do so, you must break it down so that you can see EXACTLY what you must do in order to make this happen. (Please understand that I am not going to be able to cover every item that you, yourself, must consider in your own particular situation).

You do the math and figure out that, taking into consideration many things, you need a total of $50,000 a year in order to make this dream a reality. This means, obviously, that you are needing to come up with an additional $30,000 per year on top of the school salary to be able to follow this passion.

How long will this take? It depends upon a lot of variables. For example (depending on how important this dream is will determine what you are willing to do) you may be able to sell that beautiful boat to make it happen sooner. Perhaps, you already have a certain amount of money set back that can go towards this effort. However, for our purposes in this example, I am going to approach this as if you have nothing set back to help and you are basically planning this from scratch.

How soon can you put yourself in position to make this happen? Let's use the figures from yesterday's blog entry and apply the figures...

1. If you were able to bring in an additional $1,000/month you would have $60,000 at the end of 5 years (again, not taking into consideration interest, investment, etc.). This would allow you to work at this job and KNOW that you have what you need for 2 years. Of course, you will be adding to this in the process, right? IF you don't want to wait for 5 years, you would have accumulated $36,000 in 3 years which would enable you to take care of the first year of your passion. (By the way, $1,000/month comes out to about an extra $33 per day = DO-ABLE!)

2. If you were able to bring in an additional $2,000/month you would have $120,000 at the end of 5 years, allowing you to work at this job and KNOW that you would have what you need for 4 years - not too shabby, huh? Again, if you don't want to wait for 5 years, you would have accumulated $48,000 in just 2 years which would enable you to take care of the first year and a half plus a little more working your passion. (By the way, $2,000/month comes out to about an extra $66 per day = DO-ABLE with a little extra effort!)

3. If you were able to bring in an additional $3,000/month you would have $180,000 at the end of 5 years, allowing you to work at this job and KNOW that you would have what you need for 6 years while still adding to the total. Wow, pretty amazing, huh? Again, if you don't want to wait for 5 years you could begin this process at the end of 1 year with the $36,000 that would be brought in. If you wanted a little more "comfort" room as you pursue your passion you could wait for 2 years (which would bring in $72,000), 3 years ($108,000) or 4 years ($144,000). Pretty amazing when you really look at it this way, isn't it? (By the way, $3,000/month comes out to about an extra $98 per day = DO-ABLE but with concentrated effort!)

Here's the main thing to remember in all of this:

IF YOU NEVER START - THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN!

Now do you see why I have emphasized the fact that taking control of our destiny takes focus? There are not many of us that can "jump out of the plane" right now, BUT...most of us - if not all of us - can make that leap with the proper planning and determination.

What's it worth to you?

And yes, I will tell you this - the work-from-home opportunity that is on my links tab on the website CAN provide you with the chance to bring in the extra money to make it happen. There are many of them out there and it is important for you to find the one that fits you! But PLEASE stay away from the idea of "get-rich-quick".... this is a process!

For more detailed information on the opportunity that I am working with you can go to http://www.forever.buildlastingsuccess.com

Would I like for you to work with me? Sure I would! However, that is not what this is about. I am trying to show you very specifically how any of us/all of us CAN make the move to live a life of passion and to control our own destiny.

YES, WE CAN!

Start today "doing the math" to find out what you need to do in order to begin to take control of your own destiny. Hey, friend - by listening and reading you are already making that decision, now I have shown you a very specific way that you can put it down on paper and then follow that plan to your passion so that you may...

OWN YOUR DESTINY!

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

Mike

Take Control of Your OWN Destiny (Part 2)

Take Control of YOUR OWN Destiny! (Part 2)

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know I'm out of order, but, if you haven't done so, go back and read the very first part of yesterday's blog entry to see why this is so.

In part 2 of this topic I asked the following question in connection to being in control of your OWN destiny:

What if you were able to create some extra income each month to help you as you make your plans in this area of controlling your destiny?

Again, think about it...so many times people are working at jobs that they don't like or want because of the benefits or because they cannot afford to do what they REALLY want to do. They deny their passion due to financial worry.

So...IF we could come up with some extra income and set it back with a definite purpose to aid us in this effort - what would it take (how much extra per month) for you to live out your passion?

Bottom line: WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO LIVE THE WAY YOU WANT TO LIVE? If you take a job working with young people, for example, because this is what you LOVE to do but the pay is not enough to support you or the benefits are not there --- how much extra per month would it take to enable you to fulfil your passion with that job? (Keep this in mind too - many people are willing to live on less if they are loving what they are doing!)

Here are some figures I threw out in today's podcast and, as you look over these, DREAM BIG and allow your imagination to RUN WILD with the possibilities! (By the way, please don't allow your negative mindset to kick in and say you can't do this --- put that aside!).

If you could find a way to bring in an extra...

$1,000/month = $12,000/year BUT in 5 years = $60,000

$2,000/month = $24,000/year BUT in 5 years = $120,000

$3,000/month = $36,000 year/$72,000 in 2 years/$108,000 in 3 years/ $144,000 in 4 years and $180,000 in 5 years!

Here's the key - PURPOSE! Planning! Discipline! Focus!

What I'm talking about is PLANNING for the day when you can do what you DESIRE and not what you HAVE TO in connection to the time you spend each day.

Also, notice, this does not include any interest made on this money or allowing for any investing of this money along the way --- so keep that in mind.

But, do you see where I'm going with this? Although you may not be in a position to take full control of your own destiny TODAY, what are you doing in order to make that happen ONE DAY?

BUT NOTICE THIS - by putting a plan into place you ARE, INDEED taking control of your own destiny! YOU are taking the steps to make it happen - you are taking control!

Now, I can hear some of you now saying, "Wait a minute, I can't live on $12,000/$24,000 or $36,000 a year!" Pay attention, no one is asking you to! We'll continue that part of the conversation in Part 3 of this topic -be sure to listen in and read this blog tomorrow!

As always - until then...

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

Mike

Understand Yourself & Others

Understand Yourself and Others

** First of all, let me mention something that I just realized! This is so funny and I want NO COMMENTS about me getting old and/or forgetful, o.k.? As I prepared to type up today's blog entry it dawned on me that I had intended to do a PART 2 of the last topic, "Take Control of YOUR Destiny!" ---- and I forgot! So... I did record a new podcast on the letter"U" (as you can see from the title above) BUT, I WILL do a part 2 as promised for Tuesday's podcast! Hopefully that won't confuse you too badly! But now, on to TODAY'S topic...


As we progress closer and closer to our goals and dreams it is vitally important for us to understand ourselves so that we may also better understand others.

Just as we know it is true that there are certain things that will drive us forward in this quest it is also true of those around us. And, that being true, the same can be said of things that will cause us to refuse to move forward.

If we DO indeed understand this about ourselves then it should also help us better understand others as we attempt to motivate them to move forward in their own lives.

Perhaps it is a team that we are in charge of at our work. Are you frustrated with them? Are you pulling your hair trying to figure out WHY they aren't following you?

Maybe you need to spend a little time trying to find out what makes them click! Maybe you need to spend a little more time trying to UNDERSTAND them and UNDERSTAND what motivates them and what repels them. This might be important, wouldn't you agree?

If you haven't figured this out, regardless of what your goal is (or your goals are) - you need people to help you move forward! That is a fact, my friend and this being so would suggest to us how important it is to understand those around us.

For the remainder of this blog entry, let's focus on ourselves with the understanding that, once we begin to understand these points then we should apply them to those around us.

What makes YOU click? Be honest with yourself and really examine this closely. Too many times we find that we are trying to reach goals in order to please someone else! Sometimes we have done this so long that we may actually have even lost sight of our own goals and dreams! HERE'S THE KICKER - if you are trying to reach any one's dreams and/or goals but your own - YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED!
Think about that. If you find that you are having a terrible time reaching your goals and you find that you just never seem to have the motivation to move forward on your goals and dreams, perhaps it is time to revisit them and find out the "why" behind them. WHY are you striving to reach these particular goals? WHY? Be honest with your answers. If you find that, as you answer honestly, that your answers come out similar to, "Because it would make my spouse happy" or "It would make my parents happy and/or proud" - then maybe you need to take a step back and reconsider your goals and dreams.

So, when we really take a close look at this single point we can see how it can impact our whole lives and the lives around us!

Now, transfer this thought to the example used above about your team at work. If they feel that everything they are doing is simply to help you reach YOUR goal then they will not likely be on board for the task. HOWEVER, if you can figure out what makes THEM click and help them see how working together can help THEM reach THEIR own goals - then you will have a far better chance at success in this situation.

Once again, easier said than done. But, who ever said it was going to be easy?

As with everything else that I discuss in my podcasts and through this blog - it is all up to YOU! No one else can do this for you, but I believe that it is an absolute necessity that you DO this and that you do this as soon as possible!

Only then will you find the drive and desire to keep pushing forward toward YOUR goals and dreams!

And, as always, be sure to remember to...

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

Mike

Take Control of Your OWN Destiny!

Take Control of Your OWN Destiny!

Questions to consider:

1. If you were your own boss - would you ever worry about getting fired?

2. If you were your own boss - would you ever worry about being "laid off"?

3. If you were your own boss - would you take the day off for your birthday? spouses birthday? your child's birthday?

4. If you were your own boss - would you be happy?

Yes, I understand that, one thing that must be taken into consideration, is the self-discipline that must exist in order for one to function as their own boss. But, let's worry about THAT task when we get to it, o.k.?

Today, we're talking about the need each of us have to "Take Control of Your OWN Destiny!" - and this can take on many different forms in our lives.

But, here is the bottom line - you will never live the life of your dreams on YOUR terms until you take control of your own destiny!

Yes, I know that you may absolutely LOVE your job! But, let me ask you this - do you have to put in a request for vacation as soon as possible once the calendar turns over into the new year? Regardless of how much you love your job, is there a possibility that you could LOSE that job?

WHAT IF...

...you could still work at that job that you love so much and STILL put things into practice that you control your own destiny?

Here's what I mean - what if you could set yourself up to where even if you LOST that job you'd still be alright financially and emotionally?

What if you could control your destiny to the point that, although the job you would really enjoy working at doesn't pay as much as you really need it to, you could take it anyway? And not worry about the level of pay?

What if you could live wherever you want - not based on a job, but simply based on the fact that you LIKE the area?

Controlling your own destiny is about CHOICES! The more you control your own destiny, the more choices you have!

Too many of us have fallen into the trap of thinking "this is just the way it is" and we go through our lives like cattle being herded here and there with no direction of our own.

ENOUGH!

Wouldn't you agree?

So what?

So what are YOU going to do about it?

Be sure to listen to today's podcast for more thoughts on this and then be sure to listen again on Monday and read this blog on Monday as I delve deeper into this thought process in part 2 of this discussion, "Take Control of Your OWN Destiny!"

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

Mike

Stop Procrastinating!

Stop Procrastinating!

Procrastination is the KILLER OF DREAMS! Think about that for a moment...my guess is that you already know it to be true but you (like many others) still have a problem ridding your life of this beast.

Procrastination is a nasty habit that we let "slip" into our lives mostly unnoticed and then it burrows itself deep into our daily habits thus making it harder and harder to extricate from our lives.

Think about it for a moment. Why do I say that we let procrastination "slip" into our lives mostly unnoticed? It likely begins at an early age when we are told to do our chores and we get lost in watching cartoons or playing outside or whatever it may be. We put it off until later. This slowly becomes a habit in our lives - we can just do it later.

How many of you do the same thing today? This is a "practical examination" of how much procrastination has a hold on our lives. How many of you, right now, have something at home that needs to be done that you intended to do yesterday? My guess is - most of us if not ALL of us!

Here's a simple step to take to begin to remove procrastination from your life - DO IT!

You see, many times we try to associate procrastination to those things that we really dislike, such as doing our taxes. BUT, in reality, it takes place with everyday activities and not just the biggies!

So, again, here's the simple step - DO IT! Just take action!

ACTION IS THE CURE FOR PROCRASTINATION!

Start doing this RIGHT NOW - regardless of where you are and see what happens. This is something that you will have to ACTIVELY pursue to make happen - is it worth it to you? (Remember, procrastination is the KILLER of dreams!)

When there is something that you need to do - DO IT! Don't wait, don't put it off until later in the day or evening - DO IT!

You see, this is how procrastination works...we keep putting it off until later and later and later and then - it's so late that all we want to do is go to bed. So then, we'll do it in the morning before we go to work (we know better) and then it begins all over again for another day.

"Oh, but when I get home from work I just want to kick back and relax first before I have to do anything else."

Why not try this new approach - DO IT ANYWAY before you kick back and relax! Go ahead and get done what needs to get done - COMPLETELY and THEN kick back and relax.

Think about this - if you are DONE with all of that, won't you actually be able to kick back and relax even more completely now? Sure you will! You won't keep thinking, "Oh, I need to get up and go do that" and you won't keep feeling bad for NOT doing it.

YOU WILL BE DONE and then you truly CAN enjoy the rest of your evening!

Start now. Start today. So, again, RIGHT NOW if there is something even at your work that you need to finish (that you KNOW you can finish if you'd just do it) - then DO IT and stop harming your focus, your confidence, your joy, your professionalism and your dreams.

True, it happens one step at a time and one day at a time...but it must begin and it MUST begin TODAY!

And, just think what an AWESOME day it will be as you make progress through those things that you have set back for so long! So, yes, in the process, you have the ability to...

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

Mike

Read, Study & Learn!

Read, Study and Learn!

If you are at all like me, once I finished college I wanted to STOP studying and - how silly of me - stop learning! It was a sign of immaturity and, I believe, temporary insanity to be thinking such a thing!

However, it didn't take long for me to understand and realize that, even if that were my true wish, it just wasn't going to come true! One WILL always be continuing to learn whether they want to or not!

So, here's the thing - we need to make this a "WANT TO" situation in our lives. And, yes, at the same time, it IS a "HAVE TO".... if we plan to continue to move toward our goals and dreams!

Can I point something out right up front? I believe there is a BIG difference between "reading" and "studying". Yes, it is true that you cannot study without reading but it IS possible to read without studying.

So, my focus for this blog today is very similar to what I said about "practice" a few days ago when I worded it as, "Practice With Purpose!". The same is true with this, "Read With Purpose!".

What is it that you hope to achieve as you read? Now, I know that there are times that we read stories just for pure enjoyment and escape and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, if that is ALL that we read -- aren't we kind of sticking our heads in the sand and not living in the real world?

As with everything, we must look at balance and, again, PURPOSE.

There are times that we read with PURPOSE (not the fictional story times) and we need to make sure that we follow through with that purpose.

FOLLOW THROUGH

Why emphasize that word? Well, first of all, follow me through this line of thinking (pretty snazzy there, huh?).

IF we read with purpose (and, by the way, everything we do should have PURPOSE in our lives) then we won't just read to say that we accomplished that task for the day. We will READ in such a way that will cross over into the area of STUDY. And, if we STUDY with PURPOSE we will also LEARN!

Read --> Study --> Learn

I remember in High School as well as college how I studied with one thing in mind. Try to pass the test. That was it! That was my goal and my purpose! That is why, many times, I would stay up all night cramming at the last minute hoping I'd retain just enough to pass the test. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it did not.

But I can tell you, without a doubt, one thing that DID NOT happen in those situations. I did not LEARN!

Learning takes place longer than the immediate need. Learning implants itself in our minds so that it is ready to be brought back out of that memory file to be used again when needed!

What's that old saying? "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

What does that mean? It means simply this - If I did not LEARN from the first situation then SHAME ON ME!

So, learning takes place when we embed and incorporate what we have read and studied into our minds and our lives! This is what happens when we READ and STUDY with a purpose!

A few suggestions:

- Keep on reading this blog along with others that encourage and inspire you

- If you haven't done so, go to my website (http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com) and request the FREE report that you will find there. It's not long but, again, don't let the simplicity fool you. (I will make the podcasts that I did based on that report available to you very soon).

- Go to the "products" tab on that same website and order your FREE copy (pay s/h) of "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. Wow, what a great book and, indeed, this is one to be read AND studied!

- If you have some favorite e-books that you have yet to print out, DO IT! Having the material in front of you so that you can highlight, underline and make notes improves the study process and, thus, the learning process.

- Go to Success.com (if you don't subscribe to the magazine) and look over all of the FREE information that you find there. When you find an article that you really like, PRINT IT OUT for the same reason I just mentioned in the previous paragraph.

- Go to your local library and check out all of the wonderful books in the field of personal development! Don't write in the book BUT take a notepad along with you so that you can jot down notes from those books! Keep all of these types of notes in one notebook so that all of these wonderful thoughts and ideas can be easily located!

If you are not in the habit of reading, WORK ON IT and FORM THAT HABIT.

I used a quote on today's podcast from the late Charlie "Tremendous" Jones in which he said, "You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read."

Wow. Think about that and commit yourself to do the following each and every day: Read, Study and Learn!

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

Mike

Quitters NEVER Win!

Quitters NEVER Win!

Yes, I know you've heard the saying before: "Quitters never win and winners never quit!" - but it's true!

It is literally IMPOSSIBLE for you (or anyone) to WIN when they QUIT! Quitting puts you "out of the game" it takes you "out of the race" and it puts you on the sidelines.

You have heard me say many times in the past that the only time that one truly becomes a failure is when they quit! Failing to meet your goals does not make you a failure! Making mistakes DOES NOT make you a failure!

QUITTING MAKES YOU A FAILURE!

Quitting flies in the face of one of my sayings that I use a lot in my podcasts: "As long as there is breath there is hope!"

"Oh, but I can still get back in the game at a later time, right?"

Sure you can. But, it is very likely that you will quit again.

Why do I say that? Because we are creatures of habit!

If it is your HABIT to QUIT - you will quit again. However, if it is your HABIT to FIGHT and NEVER GIVE UP - you will fight and you will never give up!

Our lives are lives of HABIT! Just think about your morning routine - go through it in your mind right now. Don't you tend to do the same thing every morning in your preparation for work?

Many of us even have BAD habits! Perhaps it biting our fingernails or smoking or overeating or many other numerous bad habits. You've probably also heard this saying, haven't you? "The best way to break a bad habit is to drop it!"

So it is with the habit of quitting. STOP IT and DROP IT!

You see, since the thought, "As long as there is breath there is hope!" is true then it is true that you CAN change this habit - BREAK IT - and continue on with your pursuit regardless of how difficult it becomes.

Yes, you CAN change the habit of quitting which means you then change your "loser mentality" which, in turn, improves your whole mindset!

And YOU CAN WIN!

IF (that's a might big word for only two letters, isn't it?) you don't quit.

IF you determine to never give up!

IF you are persistent and determined!

IF you continue to feed your positive mindset!

It's all up to you. It's YOUR choice. But there is always help along the way - such as this blog and my podcast. Take advantage of resources such as this and NEVER EVER QUIT!

And, all along the way, be sure to...

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

Mike

Practice With PURPOSE!

Practice With Purpose

The title that I actually stated on today's podcast for this message was, "Practice, Practice, Practice". However, after getting into the podcast I began to focus on the idea posted above - "Practice With Purpose".

What do I mean and why are we talking about practice?

Everything you do today is practice for tomorrow. That's right! Yes, I know that I always emphasize the fact that "tomorrow" doesn't actually exist and that all we have is today. That is true, BUT we must still prepare ourselves for every "TODAY" that we have, wouldn't you agree?

What is the PURPOSE of practice? Think about it. The PURPOSE of PRACTICE is to work through mistakes and correct them so that you don't make them "in the game".

That being said, we can now relax and understand that it is o.k. to make mistakes as long as we have a PURPOSE and we work to CORRECT those mistakes - make sense?

In today's podcast I share the story of a basketball team that I was on in Jr. High as well as Sr. High. We ran and we ran A LOT! Lap after lap after lap and spent very little time practicing plays, dribbling, etc. I would guess we spent as much time running (if not more) as we did in actual practice. And, guess what? WE WERE TERRIBLE! When we got into a game our ball handling skills were not what they needed to be, our plays didn't work well and, overall, we just didn't seem to know what we were doing.

WHY? Because, in my opinion, our PRACTICE lacked PURPOSE!

Sure, we could run up and down the court all night long with the best of them (and, by the way, we DID do a lot of running up and down the court trying to catch up with the other team!) - but that is not what would allow us to play competitively.

We moved to a different town for my Senior year. New school, new team, new coach and yes, new philosophy!

Guess what? We ran and we ran A LOT! But, guess what else? We won and we WON A LOT! If I remember right, we only lost 3 games that whole year.

What was the difference? At this new school our PRACTICE had PURPOSE!

You see, although we ran as much (if not more) than I did at my old school, very little of it was done with laps and sprints. Most of the running we did was in practice. We practiced FULL COURT (not half court like a lot of teams) so that we would run up and down the court while dribbling the basketball, getting set up to run the play, blocking out to get rebounds and also playing defense. By doing so, when we actually got "in the game" we knew what to do and how to do it and - guess what - we were also in excellent shape and could still run up and down the court all night long!

So it is with each and every one of us every day.

Yes, TODAY is PRACTICE but we must PRACTICE with PURPOSE!

Do NOT allow yourself to just drift through your day and use this "practice" idea as an excuse. "Oh well, Mike said it's o.k. to make mistakes, so I'm alright."

NO!

Again, the PURPOSE of PRACTICE is to learn from and correct those mistakes! We must ALL be learning from and correcting the mistakes that we make TODAY so that we won't make them over and over and over again. This will enable us to experience SUCCESS more often as we move toward our goals and dreams!

Your life has PURPOSE today because you understand and realize that you PRACTICE today with the PURPOSE of improving your tomorrow!

Isn't that AWESOME to think about? Wow!

So, it is up to you! Yes, we will ALL go through the day. We will ALL have the same 24 hours to use (or abuse) and we will ALL come to the end of our day even if at different times of that day.

When you lay your head on the pillow at night you can either feel FULFILLED because you lived a day of PURPOSE or you can feel EMPTY because there was no PURPOSE or direction in your life at all during the day.

What will it be for you?

PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE and, as always...

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

Mike

A Salute To Our Veterans

A Salute To Our Veterans

Today's message is simply this:

THANK YOU!

A special "thank you" for all that have served and sacrificed to make our country great!

We have our freedoms because of you and your sacrifice and my hope and prayer is that we - as a nation - may always be thankful.

I am an American and, that being so, I believe that I live in the greatest country in the world. That greatness is built upon the sacrifice of many.

Thank a Veteran today!

"Open Your Eyes!"

Open Your Eyes!

I always have found it funny when anyone (kids OR adults) covers their ears because they don't want to hear what someone else is saying. It's funny when kids do it - but not that unusual since we expect children to do childish things. However, when I see an adult do this (and I have on more than one occasion) I really do get amazed and amused!

Once, when I was in either Jr. High or Sr. High (I can't remember which) one of my teachers began to really "chew" on me about something. Her voice was one of those types of voices that would give fingernails on a chalkboard a close run for the money on the "irritation" scale! So, what did I do? The only mature thing I knew to do - I put my hands over my ears to try to make it stop!

Uh...can you say, "Mistake!"?

Do me a favor and let's do a little experiment. Close your eyes or put your hands over your eyes - your choice. Wait, don't do it right now or you can't read the rest of this! But, tell you what -- go ahead and do that for about 10 seconds and then come back and read the rest of this. I'll wait.

O.k.....you back with me now?

Let me ask you a couple of questions about what just happened as you closed or covered your eyes. Was your vision blocked? Could you see anything? (The obvious answer to these would be "yes" and "no" - YOU COULDN'T SEE!)

Let me ask you another question. When you opened or uncovered your eyes, had anything disappeared? Now, I know, sometimes we wish we could do that and have certain people disappear! But, it doesn't work that way, does it?

So, since it is true that the same people are around us, the same "stuff" is around us (office, house, etc.) it is also true that we have some choices to make IF we'd like things to change!

CHOICE #1: MOVE!

This will work to some extent. We can have a change of scenery (city, house, work environment and some of the people). Notice I said "some" of the people! Now, if you're single, this might not apply to you but, if you have family (spouse and/or kids) with you then THAT part will still be there. So, this choice does not solve everything, does it?

CHOICE #2: STAY, BUT CHANGE EVERYTHING!

I'm not quite sure how you'd do this, but some people try to do it every single day. They try to change the people around them and get frustrated when they are unsuccessful in doing so. They even rearrange their furniture thinking that will make a difference - and it might give you a fresh feeling for a little while, but then what? Some divorce and find someone new. Some buy a shiny, red sports car. And on and on it goes. But, we all know that nothing really changes in this situation either, does it?

CHOICE #3: OPEN YOUR EYES and CHANGE THE WAY YOU SEE THINGS!

I would suggest that this would be your best solution. Oh sure, sometimes we DO need a fresh start and NEED to move to a different environment - I understand that. Yet, might I suggest that, even in such a situation, it still would benefit you to change the way you see things?

I can answer that for you - YES!

We ALL need to "open our eyes" and see the beauty of those around us as well as the blessings of what else surrounds us every single day!

It is easy for us to take the familiar for granted. It is easy for a husband to take his wife for granted as well as for a wife to take her husband for granted. It is easy for parents to take their children for granted and it is sure easy for children (of ANY age) to take their parents for granted.

Think about it - everything that I have discussed all the way back to the beginning of my podcasts (March 2, 2009) and blog all focuses on the fact that we must work on ourselves and work on CHANGING our mindset. This is also the idea behind "open your eyes" --- when we change the way we think we also change the way we see/perceive that which is around us!

By the way, this blog entry is totally different (for the most part) than the podcast recorded for today on this same topic. So, in reality, you get 2 for the price of 1 today! And, that price is simply some of your time.

Take this thought to heart and apply it to your everyday life. Expand on it. Make it personal.

But, whatever you do..."OPEN YOUR EYES" and see things differently than you have ever seen them before.

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

Mike

Opportunities for You!

Once again, I just want to share with you some links that you may want to check out. First of all, let me share with you once again this FREE opportunity -- how can you beat that? FREE!

http://www.BlastoffTrain.com

Basic premise is that you get YOUR Blastoff page for free and let your friends and family know about it. Anyone that gets THEIR Blastoff page from you brings you $ as well as anyone that gets their page from THEM....10 people deep. How? Anything that you buy (on-line mall as well as cell phone, home services, travel, etc.), you will get cash back! Then, anything that the others buy from their page - not only do THEY get cash back - but YOU get a % of all of it as well. Check out the info. there for more detailed info - and then SIGN UP! What do you have to lose? What do you have to gain?
(By the way, this is a great tool to use to raise money for schools or any worthy cause!)

If you are looking for a SOLID and LEGITIMATE work-from-home opportunity, I would like to invite you to first go to this site - yes, enter in your info (you won't be bugged, I promise) - and check out the step-by-step details. Check this out here:

http://www.forever.buildlastingsuccess.com


Then, if you'd like to see more specifics about this company, view the membership plans, etc. be sure to visit my site at:

http://www.MichaelSpillman.com

**PLEASE on this part, especially, contact me first before signing up so that I can make sure you get signed up correctly.

Also, any questions? Shoot me an email @ mike@futureyouuniversity.com

To your success -

Mike

Never Cheat Yourself or Others

Never Cheat Yourself or Others

We live in a world of "grey". You understand what I'm saying, right? Think about it and ask yourself how many times have you heard discussions like the following OR have caught yourself saying things similar to the following:

- "I really didn't LIE, I just didn't tell the whole truth!"

- "This company won't miss that package of paper. After all, I've worked here long enough to earn the right to take it home with me!"

- "Clarify what you mean when you ask if I've been unfaithful."

Sad to say, the idea of "situational ethics" has taken firm root in our world and, if we are not careful, we will fall to it's falsehood ourselves.

First of all, let's talk about the idea of "Never cheat others."

You know, if you live by the principles that we have discussed in this blog as well as my podcasts, you will never have to worry about this topic. Living by these principles will cause you to not only do what is EXPECTED of you, but it will cause you to go a step further and do MORE than is expected. Remember our recent discussion on that idea ("Do More Than You Have To")?

Do not fall into the trap of "shorting" your customers, friends, family.......ANYONE! By doing so, you are hurting your future relationship with these people in these different groups as well as hurting yourself.

"I'm not hurting myself! I'm just doing what I have to do to survive!"

Think about that. Again, there is a difference in LIVING and surviving - and, yes, you are simply surviving And, sooner or later, you will cease to do even that.

Let's consider this idea of "I'm just doing what I have to do to survive!" a little further. Have you ever seen the films about animals that get caught in a trap and actually chew their foot off so that they can escape? Extreme, right? Yet, they are doing what is necessary to survive. We've all heard the horror stories of people in a plane crash high up in the snowy country turning to the eating of the human flesh of those that didn't survive the crash. Why did they do it? They were just doing what they had to do to survive!

Extreme point? YES! But, that is an extreme attitude to have! Sooner or later, living with this type of attitude will cause you to be "eaten up" from the inside because you KNOW that this is NOT the way to truly live nor is it the way to treat your customers, friends and/or family.

In a difficult economy like the one we are still experiencing near the end of 2009, the tendency is to "cut back" and give customers a little less for the money. Might I suggest that, instead, it is the time to give MORE than your customers expect?

This is the time that will separate WINNERS from LOSERS - the choice is yours and, in my opinion, you only LOSE when you decide to cheat others.

And, again, you only cheat yourself in the process.

Now, let's turn our thoughts for a few moments to the idea of, "Never cheat yourself."

We have already discussed one way that we cheat ourselves, now let's look at another way that this can happen in our lives.

You are cheating yourself when you fail to do all within your power to better yourself. Think about it.

If you sit around and watch t.v. during all of your spare time - you are cheating yourself. Oh, I understand that there are some entertaining things on t.v. (I love sports, for example) - but, like with anything else, this should be done in moderation.

If you have decided (and, apparently you have or you wouldn't be reading this blog) to spend some time each day listening to podcasts and/or reading positive information then you have made a decision to try to improve yourself as well as your life.

HOWEVER, it is easy to "skimp" on this and to actually "lie" to yourself by not following through. How many books have you bought that you never read? How many books have you bought that you started, but never finished?

You see, we can make ourselves FEEL GOOD about buying that book, for example. We can give ourselves a false sense of accomplishment by pointing out the wonderful books in our own little library. But, it is just that - a FALSE sense of accomplishment.

We begin to CHEAT OURSELVES when we begin to make excuses for our lack of discipline and thus begin to look for ANY source that might make us feel better.

Come on, friend. Let's get REAL and let's get HONEST with ourselves so that we CAN move on toward our goal of self-improvement!

Seriously, what will you ever accomplish by cheating yourself? And, just as was true in the first part of this blog when I mentioned that you end up cheating yourself when you cheat others...the opposite is also true. When you cheat yourself, you end up cheating those around you as well.

So, bottom line - cheating yourself and/or others is a LOSE/LOSE situation!

Being honest with yourself and others is nothing but a WIN/WIN proposition!

I'll all for being a WINNER - what about you?

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

Mike

"Love YOU!" (Part 2)

"Love YOU!"

In yesterday's blog entry and podcast we noticed two key things concerning the problem many have with loving themselves. The feeling of inferiority that so many feel for many different reasons.

1. IT IS POSSIBLE TO BREAK THROUGH THIS WALL OF INFERIORITY

2. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF OR OTHERS TO USE THIS AS AN EXCUSE

Please understand that NONE of this is easy if you are one that has struggled with these feelings of inferiority for most of your life - BUT IT CAN BE DONE!

Today we focus on the NEED for loving one's self and the impact it has on our lives as well as the lives of those around us.

We have all heard the phrase, "You can't love others until you first love yourself." Although I understand the underlying idea in this statement I would guess that many of you would agree with me when I say that this is not always true!

Many times someone that has a struggle with feeling inferior comes across as a "superior" friend! They, many times, are the type of person that will do ANYTHING for ANYONE at ANYTIME. They are wonderful and lavish great attention on their friends while, at the same time, feeling very inferior about themselves.

However, many times - if not all - these relationships will soon begin to self-destruct. How? Why?

The person struggling with the inferiority complex will soon begin to questions these friendships and begin to feel that they do not deserve such friends. "Why should I expect this kind of friendship/relationship to continue? Nothing good ever happens to me so I should not expect this to last!"

That being so they many times "read" things into comments and actions that really aren't there. But, their thoughts have driven them to believe this to be true and they begin to self-destruct. I've seen this happen many, many times.

Then, once this begins to happen they tell themselves, "See? I told you! Why should you expect something good in your life?"

So, yes, when you really look at it with this in mind, it actually DOES become impossible to love others until you learn to love yourself. So, how do you do that?

First - regardless of your belief system (religious or not) - understand and believe that you are here for a reason!

I don't know that I have spoken to anyone that didn't believe that we are all here for a reason and, that reason usually being for the betterment of those with whom we come into contact. Don't you feel that way? Dig deep and I will believe that you will find that you do, indeed, believe this to be true!

You just may feel LOST as to what your purpose is! But let's start with the basic premise first, o.k.?

YOU HAVE PURPOSE! And, that being true (and it is!), means that you have WORTH and you have VALUE regardless of what you have been told by others in your past!

You are a SPECIAL person and there is no one else in the world like you - THIS IS TRUE! Oh, sure, there may be someone that is similar to you in different ways. There may be someone that looks like you - but not EXACTLY like you! There may be someone that has some of your same mannerisms - but not EXACTLY like yours! We could go on and on with this point, but do YOU get the point? THERE IS NO ONE ELSE LIKE YOU! No one!

Again, go back to our study of Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich" and study the chapter on the subconscious mind and realize how you can CHANGE what you believe about yourself. You can begin to BELIEVE and KNOW that you ARE of value and worth and then begin to live and act accordingly.

Secondly, understand the TIME PRINCIPLE!

The "time principle" is simply this: it takes effort and it takes time. You have to WANT to change what you believe about yourself. Do you?

You are making a step in the right direction just by reading this blog article and, hopefully, listening to the podcast! But the ACTION step is a step that only you can take! I can't take it for you nor can anyone else!

If you find it hard to say, "I love you!" in the mirror to yourself each morning, perhaps begin by looking at yourself with a smile on your face and simply say, "Hey, you're alright!" and repeat that at least once a day. It's better if you can do that SEVERAL times a day.

Don't question it. Don't "but" it ("Hey, you're alright!"..but....). Don't dispute it! Say it, feel it and begin to live it!

Again, this will take time - but, hey, anything worth doing takes time, my friend!

YOU CAN DO THIS! Know that you can, believe that you can and soon, LIVE this belief!

Pay attention and see what you begin to attract to your life along the way - you'll be amazed!

Feel free to contact me at anytime by sending me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

And, as always...

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

Mike

Love You! (Part 1)

Love YOU!

Yes, another way to say this is to "Love Yourself" - but I want to emphasize YOU! In today's podcast as well as in this blog entry, we are going to spend a little time with just two important points that I want you to consider today.

Before we do that, let's talk about what I DON'T mean when I say, "Love YOU!". We all realize that we are not alone in this world and that anything and everything we do has some sort of impact on others. You DO realize that, right?

That being so - and it is - we cannot afford to become so wrapped up in ourselves that we complete shut out the world around us and have no care or concern for those around us.

So, we're NOT talking about being SELF-ABSORBED.

Now, on the other side of that coin is the need for us to care about ourselves enough to be the best we can be. This is important for us and it is also important for that same impact on others I talked about earlier.

Do you care enough about YOU - love YOU enough - to take care of yourself spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically? If not, why not?

There are many in our world - and, no doubt, some that are reading this right now - that have been "beaten down" from an early age with cruel and deflating words. Sometimes these have come from "parents" (and I use that word loosely in this case) that told you early and often that you were worthless and/or no good.

That's hard to overcome!

Here's what often happens in a situation like that. You hear it again and again from someone that you expect to love you. So, if that person - that you think loves you - says it, then it MUST be true! You begin to believe it yourself and you begin to act as if you are of no value and you attract that in your life. Others that fuel their character deficiencies by dumping this type of negativity on others pick up on your feeling of inferiority and they gladly add to the pile of negativity that is heaped upon you.

After a period of time you develop such a huge belief of inferiority based on all of this, it is as if there is a huge concrete wall preventing anything good from ever reaching you.

POINT 1 FOR TODAY: It is NOT impossible to work through and break through that wall!

Now, understand - it won't be easy, but it IS possible! You are taking a step in that direction by reading this blog and, hopefully, listening to the podcast as well. A little at a time, you CAN make progress and chip away at that wall of negativity that surrounds you. Remember, "As long as there is breath there is hope!"

Don't get frustrated with yourself if you don't come out of this as quickly as you'd like. This didn't come on you overnight, did it? There are YEARS of layers that you have to work through and it WILL take time.

Also, realize that you may need to seek out professional help to get through this. There is no shame in that and it may be something you might consider.

POINT 2 FOR TODAY: Don't Use This As An Excuse!

Just as it is true that there are plenty of people out there ready to dump their negativity on you there are also plenty of people out there ready to help enable you to stay where you are.

What do I mean?

With the situation described above, you have a couple of choices: 1. Stay where you are and never come out of that feeling of inferiority or 2. DO something to change that in your life. Now, here's the kicker - sometimes we may SAY we want to do something to change our life and that we want to IMPROVE our lives, but we keep making excuses as to why we can't!

Think about it - by doing that, we are actually doing the very thing we DON'T want to do...stay in that prison of inferiority.

There are plenty of other people that will enable us to do just that by making excuses FOR US as to why we can't do anything powerful in our lives. I've seen this again and again. Instead of saying to a particular person, "You know, I know you have had a hard life and that there were some very difficult things that you had to live through, but it's time to claim the power in your own life and do something about it now!" they continue to make excuses such as, "We shouldn't expect too much from this person, after all, they had a rough time earlier in their life."

In my opinion, ENABLING is just as damaging as what was done in the first place with those harmful, negative words.

Excuses that you or others use to enable you to accept who/where you are KEEP YOU IN YOUR PRISON of inferiority!

DO NOT SETTLE FOR THAT!

We will continue this discussion tomorrow by going further into the idea of the importance of LOVING YOU, but I wanted to lay down these two principles right away for your consideration.

Hey, just remember - YOU CAN DO THIS!

And, as always...

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

Mike

Keep On Trying!

Keep On Trying!

What you will notice as we go through this "Positive Alphabet" is that many of the thoughts mentioned are repetitive! There are many that you will notice the same thing being said, just in a different way.

Is that a bad thing? NO!

Repetition is a good and NECESSARY thing as we attempt to transform our lives by absorbing these principles being covered in these podcasts and blogs!

I found this article by Michael Tipper on this website, entitled: "Why Repetition is so Important"- http://www.happychild.org.uk/acc/tpr/amz/1198rept.htm

"When you create a memory, a pathway is created between your brain cells. It is like clearing a path through a dense forest. The first time that you do it, you have to fight your way through the undergrowth.

If you don't travel that path again, very quickly it will become overgrown and you may not even realise that you have been down that path. If however, you travel along that path before it begins to grow over, you will find it easier than your first journey along that way.
Successive journeys down that path mean that eventually your track will turn into a footpath, which will turn into a lane, which will turn into a road, and into a motorway and so on.

It is the same with your memory: the more times that you repeat patterns of thought, for example when learning new information, the more likely you will be able to recall that information. So repetition is a key part of learning."

Wow! Did you get that? Think about the analogy used in this article and apply that to us as we attempt to improve our lives by "going against the grain" in our negative society! We are literally "clearing a path through a dense forest" as we "hack" our way out of the negativity that we have allowed into our lives! We have allowed it to take root and to grow - but now we have decided to move out of that situation and to improve our lives. IT'S NOT EASY and it's NOT a "one-time activity". This is what we discussed just a few articles ago!

You see, when you START this process and then QUIT (even for a time) you will find it difficult once again. "Oh, but it shouldn't be that way! I already started the process!" Yes, but you allowed the "weeds" to grow back up and now you must cut them down again!

You ceased momentum! The very law of momentum is that it is very difficult to get something started moving from a dead stand-still. HOWEVER, once you DO finally get it to start moving, MOMENTUM helps KEEP it going until it takes less and less effort to move that "something" along!

And YES, momentum CAN cease and we will have to start all over again!

So, KEEP ON TRYING! Every single day!

Do NOT give in to the idea of failure! Thomas Edison saw each "failure" on his way to the invention of the light bulb as one more way learned that didn't work - don't do it that way again!

Soon...you'll go beyond "trying" and you'll be FLYING!

(Yeah, I know - sounds kinda corny - but it's TRUE!).

It's not easy to start, but it is a necessity! Begin the JOURNEY now...today! And don't give up, don't give in, don't surrender but....KEEP ON TRYING!

And, all along the way, make sure that you...

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

Mike