Another Year Passed...One Day At A Time

"Another Day Passed..."

Here we are again... the end of another year and the time that so many start looking back and examining the year gone by.

The other day I posted the following on my F.Y.U. fan page on Facebook - ‎"Think about this: Waiting until January 1st to make resolutions for the new year is like waiting until you run out of gas to begin looking for a gas station." - Mike Spillman

That kind of hits me right in the gut like many of you. Why? Because I have done the same thing many times before.

Isn't it time for a change in the way that many of us approach this?

Too many people look back over the past year with remorse and regret due to feeling like they have not accomplished all that they had originally planned. You know, back at the start of this very year that is coming to a close. Those "New Year's Resolutions".

The main title points out something that we might want to really focus on - this year has passed ONE DAY AT A TIME!

Hey, listen, I understand - I really do. I've made so many major plans and have set goals that I have STILL yet to reach and I have beat myself up about those many times before.

But, here's the deal: that hasn't helped me in any way that I can see so WHY keep doing the same thing?

INSTEAD of waiting until the end of the year to look back and determine whether it was "successful" based on whatever measuring stick we have decided to use - WHY NOT look back at the end of EACH and EVERY day to gauge our progress?

Hey, here's another simple comparison that we can make that many of us ALSO can relate to: KEEPING AN EYE ON OUR WEIGHT.

The time to see how you've done on your weight goals is NOT at the end of a 12 month period BUT in shorter increments - sometimes DAILY or even WEEKLY. At the very most - MONTHLY.

Hey, YOU know what happens if we don't, right? That weight will sneak up on us and - what - surprise us? Now, you know that you have to admit that this scenario is a bit funny. Seriously, WHY should we be surprised?

Do you realize that only two pounds a month will add 24 pounds to our weight? Hey, let's get really depressing while we're at it and lay that out over a 5-year period that will add on an extra 120 pounds!

WHAT?

So, you see, the time to check our progress on ANY goal/endeavor is NOT at the end of a year but each and every day, weekly or - at most - monthly BEFORE things get away from us.

Think about that as we come to the end of another calendar year.

Don't fret over the past year but decide now to approach this differently than we have before and let's see what happens.

Here's to your health, happiness and success in the coming year!

And, in the mean time...

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

Mike

CHANGE: No Fault of Our Own

"CHANGE: No Fault of Our Own"

Hey listen, sometimes (like we discussed in the last article) we screw up and bring changes into our lives BECAUSE of something we have done, right?

And then, there are those changes that come into our lives at absolutely NO FAULT of our own. And, sometimes, these are the hardest changes to handle for many.

Before we get too far into this, let's look one more time at the four different categories that I've put together as to the different kinds of changes that we face in our lives:

TYPES OF CHANGES: (1)Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves... (2) those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)... (3) those that come at us DUE TO our actions and (4) those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

If you haven't done so, take a look at the changes that have taken place in your life over the past month and even the past year and see what category these changes would fit into...even get out a piece of paper and jot this stuff down. You may be surprised at what you find IF you are completely open and honest with yourself.

Now back to the topic for today: those changes that come into our lives at NO FAULT of our own.

Has your life ever changed due to the death of a loved one or a close friend? Obviously it was no fault of your own but the change impacted your life anyway, right?

Has your home ever been damaged or loss due to a flood or some sort of storm or fire? Again, this was no fault of your own bu the change came anyway.

Have you ever lost a job due to circumstances out of your control such as the company "downsizing" (what a "nice" word, huh?)?

Has change come into your life due to some health issue that has developed due to circumstances out of your control? I'm not talking about situations like this that developed due to you smoking or other unhealthy habits. I'm talking about something that you had NO control over at all. Perhaps it was due to a car accident that was caused by someone else. Maybe it was even just some freak health issue that was undetected all of your life up until this point.

Guess what... in all of these situations change comes REGARDLESS of who was or was not at fault.

Friend, I'm not trying to be the bearer of bad news but if you've not experienced such change in your life then know that you WILL if you live long enough.

This type of change is a part of living and it's not easy to handle for anyone.

May I offer a word of kindness to anyone that is still dealing with the changes that have come into your life due to some such incident? Hang in there! I KNOW from my own experiences that this type of situation can leave you with far more questions than answers and I want to encourage you to find some people that will support you an allow you to struggle while encouraging you at the same time.

One of the worse things a person can do with this type of change is to attempt to handle it all by themselves.

You see, we like to be able to pinpoint who is at fault when something goes wrong...that's just our human nature.

We may even shake our fist at God because we don't know who else to blame but, in the long run, that doesn't help us deal with this change either.

As I've said on the podcast and as the picture at the top of this article states, "The only constant in life is CHANGE!"

If you've experienced such change in your life could you be of assistance to someone else that is just now beginning such a journey? Could you be of help in listening because YOU understand in ways that those who have yet to go through such a change can't?

My wife and I have been through some rough times in our life in many ways (no, I'm not trying to get you to feel sorry for us) but these rough times have helped us to be able to understand and reach out to others in ways that we never could have without going through these changes in the first place.

Does that mean I'm glad the change happened in our life? NO! But, it does mean that I can use the experience to hopefully help someone else that is left bewildered by changes that come at absolutely no fault of their own.

Take a look around you. Who may need YOUR sympathy and understanding that only YOU can give because of change that has come into YOUR life at no fault of your own?

I can promise you that there are people around you each and every day that could use your insight into these difficult times.

Remember, we're in this thing called life TOGETHER!

I do hope that, in some small way, what I do through Future You University is of some help and comfort to all of you as we work our way through this thing called "life".

Think about it. Hang on. Help others.

And, even in the midst of these changes always remember to...

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

Mike

CHANGES: I Screwed Up!

CHANGES: I SCREWED UP!!

Now, hopefully you're really familiar with F.Y.U (Future You University) but I hope you're not TOO familiar with I.S.U. (I Screwed Up!).

But, let's face it, since we are all human we ALL spend time trying to deal with the consequences that come when we screw up, right?

Before I get too far into the discussion for today, let's take a look at the four types of changes that we face in our lives:

TYPES OF CHANGES: (1)Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves... (2) those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)... (3)those that come at us DUE TO our actions and (4) those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

If you haven't gone back and read the articles on the first two (and/or listened to the podcasts that go with them) then you might want to do that first to catch up with the discussion so far.

So, for today, we are going to talk about the 3rd category listed above: Those changes that come our way due to our own actions. In other words, changes that come when we SCREW UP!

Here's the deal even with this: too many people still try to blame other people or other circumstances for their own screw ups and won't take the action necessary to accept the blame, do what can be done to correct the mess and then move on!

Does that describe you? (*OUCH!*)

Hey, let's face it...it's hard to ADMIT it when we suffer or those connected to us (spouse, children, friends, etc.) suffer due to our own screw ups! Seriously, who wants to admit to that?

But, it's necessary for us to wake up and realize that we have made a big mistake so that we can hopefully learn from it and avoid that same mistake in the future.

Have you noticed that those that fail to do this seem to keep making the same dumb mistakes over and over again?

Again, does that describe you?

If it does, DO soemthing about it and LEARN as you move forward.

Hey, let's face this fact too...sometimes we just make a wrong decision and we suffer CHANGES that aren't good for us or those that are around us. It's not necessarily a pattern in our lives but, nonetheless, it causes some problems, right?

Maybe you pulled your family up from where you lived and moved them across the country for a new job that you thought would be best for all of you and it turns out that it was, actually, a very poor decision.

This ties in closely with our last topic about those changes that come due to our voluntarily actions but, yet, it's a little different because, at times (unlike that last example) these changes come due to our stupidity.

A bit blunt, huh?

Sometimes an inablility to control our temper and/or our tongue results in changes due to that inability. Maybe you told your boss off and got fired. Now what?

Do that type of thing too many times and you will find it harder and harder to get hired by anyone!

I was talking to someone not too long ago that was complaining about their current situation so I asked them what their "ideal situation" would be. They described it to me and then said, "But I know that will never happen." When I asked them why they would say that here was their response: "Because of all of the stupid stuff that I keep on doing!"

Thing is, during the time period that I was having this discussion with this person they were still doing some of the same stupid stuff that was keeping them from their "ideal situation".

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

So, let's get on to thinking about some sort of solution to this mess. How does that sound?

FIRST, if you fit the type of scenario like the last guy I talked about then you MUST decide what is more important in your life....keeping on doing what you are doing and getting the same results OR starting to CHANGE your life so that you can IMPROVE your life. As you've heard many times before the very definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over again and to expect different results.

Part of this solution is to begin to discipline yourself... your temper, your tongue, your attitude, etc. Only you can do it but this type of infomation and other positive information can help you in this endeavor.

SECONDLY, if you are suffering through change due to a misinformed decision then, most importanlty, admit that mistake - no matter how hard it is to do so - and start moving toward correcting and/or limiting the damage that comes to the change connected to that decision.

Part of that may be apologizing to those that are being impacted due to that decision. Simply and honestly tell them that you blew it and that you are sorry and that if there was any way for you to go back and erase it all, you would.

Thing is, you can't. You can simply try to improve your current situation.

Can I also help you face some reality? It may be something that can be corrected fairly easily and quickly but prepare yourself for those situations that will NOT be corrected easily OR quickly. The main thing in a situation like that is to keep yourself focused on a SOLUTION and to NOT focus on the mistake and what happened in the past.

YES, pay attention to the mistake so that you can learn from it and not repeat it in the future but DO NOT LINGER ON IT!

I'd be happy to discuss this with your further if you'd like to contact me via the website and share with me your situation.

Remember this: WE ALL SCREW UP sooner or later. The key is what we do AFTER that realization.

Hopefully, as we mature and learn the changes in our life that are due to our own decisions will be more positive than negative and we'll learn to handle those that we can't control with a more positive attitude and mindset.

Until next time, be sure to ....

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

Mike

CHANGE: Some You CAN'T Change!

"CHANGE: Some You CAN'T Change!"

In my last two blog articles and podcasts I've shared some thoughts concerning CHANGES. Wow, even though the word, "change" has six letters it sure can come across as a FOUR-LETTER WORD, can't it?

Before I go any further, let me list once again four different categories of the types of changes that we encounter in our lives:

TYPES OF CHANGES: (1)Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves... (2) those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)... (3)those that come at us DUE TO our actions and (4) those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

In my last discussion we covered the first one listed - changes that we voluntarily bring on ourselves. If you haven't done so, you might want to go back and read that blog article as well as listen to the podcast that goes with it. You can access that podcast via my website: http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/ .... just click on video podcast and then click on the iTunes icon or the RSS feed icon.

Today I'd like to talk about that second category - changes that come regardless of what we do or don't want but that are not "against" us...or at least not purposely so.

Hey, let's face it, there are some changes that come in our life that is just a part of LIVING life, right?

You can move around the country all you want to avoid the changing seasons but, whether we like it or not or whether we want it or not, the seasons DO change! I do enjoy the change from one to the other but I don't like the extreme heat and I don't enjoy the winter months for very long. Thankfully, since I live in Arkansas the winter months are not too severe and do not last long compared to other parts of the country. But, for me, once it snows one time I'm ready for Spring to arrive!

But you know what? I can complain and whine all I want and it's not going to CHANGE a thing concerning these changes. I can gripe and complain about the change in the fall and spring with the time (spring forward, fall back...or is it, uh....) but it won't do me any good if I choose to stay living in this part of the country.

But, you know what? For some, these changes DO have an adverse affect on them and there IS something that those people CAN do to change this impact upon them. MOVE!

Seriously, these things CAN be changed to your favor to some extent if you really need them to. For example, we have some older friends that now live in Arizona due to the wife having terrible arthritis. When they lived here in Arkansas her arthritis was TERRIBLE due to the humidity here but, when they would go out to Arizona for the winter her arthritis would improve greatly. So, although she couldn't get rid of her arthritis (another change that we cannot do much about or get rid of) she COULD improve her situation by living in Arizona. And that is exactly what they did - they moved to Arizona.

The same is true concerning the changing of the time. It has been proven that many suffer from greater bouts of depression during the winter months due to the extended darkness and the effects of "cabin fever" from having to stay indoors too much. These people can also improve their situation by moving to a different area of the country or world that either does not follow the time change patterns or that is in a warmer climate with extended day light hours.

So, you see, even with those changes that come our way without our choosing them, we can STILL do SOMETHING to help out IF we need to do so.

Or we can continue to whine and complain.

Shall we talk about the changes that come with getting older? Aches and pains WILL come along with fading eyesight and other problems.

It's a fact of life but there are SOME things we can do to improve our health instead of just giving up. Will we STOP these things from happening in our life? NO. But we can delay them or reduce the impact of them in and on our lives.

So, as you would think I would say about this, even if we don't have a choice in this area of CHANGE we DO have a choice concerning the IMPACT of this change.

Just give it some thought when you find yourself getting discouraged and/or complaining about such things and ask yourself if there is ANYTHING you can do to improve the situation.

I bet there is and I bet you can come up with some things if you really want to do so.

Should we even BEGIN to talk about gas prices?

That will have to wait until some other time, friend but, until then, whatever you do, wherever you are, be sure to...

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

Mike

Changes: They Just Keep on Coming!

CHANGES: They Just Keep on Coming!

It's been a while since I posted my last blog article but my guess is that you have experienced several changes since that last posting, right?

As I said recently, the only constant thing about change is that it is constant! Things constantly change!

Hey, I have to brag for a moment... since my last article my wife and I (as well as our oldest son and his wife) have gone through a HUGE and WONDERFUL change! We welcomed our first little grandbaby girl into the world just a few short days ago. We told our son and his wife that their life is now changed forever - but it is a POSITIVE change that will be well worth anything and everything that comes about because of this change.

Now, you think for a few moments and try to think of how many changes have taken place in YOUR own life since my last article was posted back on November 11, 2011.

Well?

I can just about assure you that there has been more changes than you realized IF you really take the time to think about it.

Try to categorize those changes into the categories that I mentioned in my last article. In case you don't remember or don't want to go back and search, here they are:

TYPES OF CHANGES: (1)Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves... (2) those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)... (3)those that come at us DUE TO our actions and (4) those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

For today, let's discuss those in category 1: Those that we voluntarily bring on ourselves. A prime example would be the decision that my son and his wife made to have their first child. Voluntary for sure but a decision that will bring MAJOR CHANGE into their lives and, to be honest, not all of them will be changes that will always bring joy into their lives.

I talk to a lot of people that gripe and complain about situations in their life that, after talking to them for a bit and more information is revealed, are due to CHOICES that were made VOLUNTARILY by them! No one else FORCED them to make those decisions or choices.

I talked to a guy earlier today that wasn't complaining or griping but was telling me he was having to sell just about everything he had because he was out of work. Why was he out of work? Because he couldn't "take the crap" (his words) anymore so he quit.

It was his choice and I hope that he is happy with the choice that he made and I hope that he will be able to provide for he and his wife due to this voluntary change.

What changes have taken place in YOUR life due to YOU willingly, and voluntarily making a CHOICE that brought about this change?

Hey, bottom line: they don't always turn out the way we think, right?

Been there, done that!

So, key lesson with this: THINK AND THINK HARD BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT CHOICE!

Sometimes - many times - it is the RIGHT choice that needs to be made and, at other times, it's not necessary and is due to our impatience.

Think about it, examine the changes in your life that fit this category and see if there is some way for you to make the most out of the changes that you brought into your life voluntarily.

Sometimes it takes us being HONEST with ourselves and ADMITTING that we actually are the ones responsible for those changes EVEN IF THEY DON'T TURN OUT THE WAY WE WANTED OR EXPECTED!

Fair enough?

I hope to get a few more of these articles out sooner than I have been able to do so recently so be watching and listening to the podcasts that I will be recording with them. As always you can access all of this information at my website www.FutureYouUniversity.com

Take care, friend and, as always, be sure to...

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

Mike

CHANGE (No Dimes or Nickels)

"CHANGE: No dimes or nickels"

One thing about life is certain...there will ALWAYS be CHANGE! (And, by the way, that will NEVER CHANGE!)

Here's the thing to think about: How will you let CHANGE impact YOUR life?

Will you allow the change that comes your way to control your life OR will YOU control the impact of the change?

This is something to keep in mind whether the change is good or bad! Some change is good and some not so good but we STILL must not allow that change to take over our lives.

Sometimes when change happens it takes over completely and changes a persons outlook on life and even their attitude towards life. Again, this can be with either "good" or 'bad" changes that come our way.

For example, if something horrible happens in a person's life they can allow that change to completely consume their life in a way that the cease to continue to LIVE life. Belive me, this is one of those "easier said than done" scenarios for sure! But, you've seen it, have you not?

I'm not overlooking or taking lightly tragedy that strikes in the lives of people. I cannot imagine the horror and grief that many go through in tragic times and I know that such events will have an impact on a persons life for most of- if not all of - the rest of their life.

However, I have seen those that go through a time of shock and grief and, even though that tragedy has left it's mark on their life forever, they have learned not to allow that tragedy to OWN their life.

Make sense?

Even when something "good" happens in our life that brings change we must still learn to not let that change "own" our life. Change our life? Sure. Impact our life? Of course. But we still must not allow that change - even if "good" - to OWN our life.

An example on this side may be someone that wins the lottery or comes into a lot of money for any reason. I'm sure you've seen the television shows or read the articles that tell of so many that end up worse off than they were BEFORE this "good change" came their way. They never learned to take control of that change before it took control of them.

Change. It will continue to be a part of our lives as long as we are alive.

What will YOU do with that change. Better yet, what ARE you doing?

For our next podcast/blog topic I want to continue this thought process and will begin to discuss the following ideas about change:

TYPES OF CHANGES: Those we voluntarily bring on ourselves...those that we have no choice in but are not "against" us (change of seasons, life changes due to age, etc.)...those that come at us DUE TO our actions and those that come to us 100% involuntarily and at no fault of our own.

So, as you can see we will have a lot to talk about in the next few weeks!

By the way, let me just mention that I am not able to be as "consistent" with my podcasts and blogs as I had been at one time due to a new job that my wife and I are involved with BUT I WILL continue to get these out as often as possible and I still cherish and welcome any and all feedback from you!

So, until that next time, I'd like to leave you with these two quotes I came across the other day and encourage you to think about the truth found within them both.

“The only change to be afraid of is the change that we are not prepared for.”

"If you want the future to be different, change what you are doing today! "

And, as always, be sure to...

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

Mike

The Path Taken Today

The Path Taken Today

The path taken today determines...

How would YOU complete that statement?

Would you, like many, end it by stating that the path taken today will determine your future?

If you were to state such, would you be talking about your "long-term" future or just your "immediate" future?

This is going to be short and to the point so stay focused and pay attention to what I'm actually saying here, o.k.?

I'll give a nod to the fact that the path taken today may determine your immediate future but there is no way in the world that I'd even give a hint of a nod to the idea that it determines your long-term future.

How discouraging and depressing it would be (and IS for many that fall into this "often promoted yet WRONG" thought process) to think that once you've made a mistake your future is doomed because of that mistake.

Should we be careful in our choices? Sure.

But, here's the deal according to the way I see it and according to the way I've been forced to live it at times... Your FUTURE is less determined by a path that you take than it is by how QUICKLY you are able to determine if you are on a WRONG path!

Think about that for a moment.

Simple analogy - if you take a wrong turn on a trip are you DESTINED to stay on that route and continue down a wrong direction? Uh, NO.

So, for one, you can turn around and correct this wrong decision by going back to where you made a wrong turn and correcting that mistake by then taking the RIGHT path. Right?

Here's another analogy that you may relate to... have you ever taken a wrong turn and had your GPS constantly remind you to turn around? But have you also had your GPS refigure directions based on the direction you are going (even if it IS wrong based on the original mapping) and allow you to get "back on the right path"? I have on several occasions.

So, secondly, once you realize you are on the wrong path you still have the ability to make a few adjustments and get back on track to reach your original destination even if it IS not the same path you meant or intended to take in the beginning. (By the way, this could also be called a "detour").

In closing, if you've made some wrong and even bad decisions or have gone down the wrong path then WAKE UP and do something about it. There is NO reason to keep heading down the wrong path ESPECIALLY once you realize you're going the wrong way.

THAT, my friends, would be idiotic.

Wouldn't it?

Stay on track, friend and, as you go along this journey always be sure to...

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

Mike

What Is It To Be 'Content'?

"What is it to be 'Content'?"

I briefly discussed the "spiritual struggle" that some may have with the idea of desiring something better in and for their lives. Many times they will go to the verse in the Bible where the apostle, Paul states that he is CONTENT in whatever state (situation/condition) he finds himself in at the time (Philippians 4:11).

I'm not going to get into a deep, religious discussion on this but I DO want you to understand that the concept of desiring something better is NOT contradictory to this finding in the Bible!

What you find if you examine the context (the thoughts that surround this one verse and statement) is that Paul had realized that, regardless of the situation - whether good or bad - it's o.k.! When things are going particularly well, don't get carried away and think it will always be that way and, even when things are anything BUT good, the same is also true...don't get carried away and think it will always be this way.

IT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY!

Again, there is a real spiritual message being shared here that I won't go into in this blog. However, if any of you would like more thoughts on this, just drop me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

But, here's the deal, friend, for ALL of us to understand. It is in our very nature to desire something better for ourselves and for our loved ones.

And - HERE'S THE KICKER - if you find yourself in a "down cycle" and things just aren't going well for you - DON'T GET CARRIED AWAY and think that you are destined to a life of misery.

BE CONTENT. Huh?

Understand that this is not the end of the world. Understand that you CAN better your life if you so desire. Understand that you don't have to "give up" and accept your current situation as something that sucks the very life OUT of your life!

But, hey, while you are here, take a look around. THIS is a big part of contentment!

Are there loved ones around you? Are there people that love you? Are there friends that care about you? Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have clothes on your back? Do you have food to eat? Do you have smiles shared with you? Are you able to read this? Are you able to listen to the sounds around you?

I could go on and on, couldn't I? But I hope you get the point.

It's EASY for us to loose our focus on what we DO have and put all of that focus on what we DON'T have!

Being content is the act of realizing that, even though things may not be the way I want them to be at the moment, I have much to be thankful for and I NEED to GIVE THANKS for those positive things in my life.

Remember my main "saying"?

"As long as there is breath, there is hope!"

How true that is for all of us and how often we all need to be reminded.

I know I do!

You see, things are not how I want them to be in my life right now. They haven't been for quite some time and, if you've followed me on this "journey" then you already know what I'm referring to when I say this.

But, I HAVE NOT given up and I WILL NOT give up!

But, (and it IS hard for me to do this, o.k.) I DO need to be "content" and notice the powerful and positive things around me each and every day.

Do I plan to stay in this current situation? NO!

But I can't miss the joy and the blessing that is here, even now, in this current "down cycle".

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Being content does NOT mean that you have to settle for less or for where you are. But it DOES mean that you are thankful for who/what you have WHILE you are here.

So, yeah, I can say and YOU can say, "Whatever the situation, I've learned to be content."

And, as you soak in that thought always be sure to...

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

Mike

Reaching Out for Something Better

"Reaching Out for Something Better"

In the last entry I discussed how I - along with likely everyone that is reading this blog - seem to have this "something" in me/us that causes me/us to feel that there is something 'better" out there for us and that WE MUST GO AFTER IT if - IF - we really DO desire to do so.

No one else can do it for us, remember?

Is this a BAD thing? The reason I ask is because I am sure that some of you might even feel guilty for wanting something "better". Why is that a bad thing?

Some will even try to make it a spiritual matter and talk about the Bible teaching that we shouldn't want something "better" than what we have and that we should be content. Well, I DO know what the Bible says about that and, my friend, you are taking things out of context if you feel that we should not strive to better ourselves. "Nuff said about that for now.

Listen to me for a moment on this - by bettering ourselves and our situations we can position ourselves to help even MORE people than we are able to do right now. Make sense? Think about it.

Think about this as well - do you not want things to be better for your kids? Do you not EXPECT them to better themselves in many areas?

OF COURSE YOU DO! And "we" do as a society as well!

If you come across an individual that is 35 years old and is still wearing diapers and sucking on a baby bottle (for NO reasons that has to do with any kind of mental impairment or physical impairment) - WOULD YOU NOT BE APPALLED AT THIS?

Yes, you would! But, could this not happen if - first of all - this person's parents never expected them to move beyond that stage in their development when it was time? And, would you not also agree that the individual themself would desire to move on from that activity once they realize that those around them have done so?

I mean, seriously, do you not think that when this individual started kindergarten they MIGHT notice that no one else is going to class wearing diapers and sucking on a baby bottle? Even if they were a bit stubborn, do you think they MIGHT begin to want to "fit in" a little better by the time they reached 5th grade or so?

OF COURSE THEY WOULD!

Now, I know that was a simplistic example but, again (I've said this many times before) the profound can be FOUND in the simple!

Too many of us have given up. Would you agree?

My guess is that even YOU have "given up" from time to time on this whole process of "bettering yourself".

Another way to word that is "personal development". Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, NOW I get it!

Believe me, there are many other ways to "better yourself" beyond just the personal development and there is still that "something" in me/us that propels us forward to try to identify that "something" and go after it.

But, bottom line - if we don't even have the desire to better ourselves by improving our mindset then, by my way of thinking, we are destined to stay right where we are.

Diapers, baby bottles and all.

Give some thought to that and see if you don't agree. Friend, you wouldn't be reading this at all if you didn't have the desire to find something positive to help with your mindset.

And I thank you for taking the time to read THIS particular article.

And, yes, I will be continuing my discussion on this in the days and weeks to come.

As always, I also welcome your comments and thoughts but I DO prefer that you post them on my Facebook fan page:

www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity

I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

The Search for Something BETTER

Something Better?

"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind.
Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat." - Napoleon Hill

My guess is that YOU have asked this question to yourself many times in the past, haven't you? And, my guess would also be that if you HAVE asked yourself this question in the past that you are STILL asking yourself this question even now - TODAY.

Am I right?

There just seems to be "something" in us that always wants to strive for something better. There just seems to be "something" in us that BELIEVES that there IS something out there better than what we have or what we are doing right now.

Now, first of all, there are two extremes with this and any other proposed thought such as this. On one end of the spectrum we have those who have either LOST that desire or, for whatever reason, it was never instilled in them in the first place. Many times if the latter is true it is due to parents that never encouraged this person as a child to strive for something better and to not EVER settle for less than your best.

We see this type of situation around us every day and it is frustrating to see people that have NO DESIRE to better themselves even though - many times - they are living sub-par lives and often doing so off of the government.

The other extreme to this scenario would be those that are NEVER satisfied and are ALWAYS wanting more. That is as much of a danger as the one that has NO desire at all. We see this around us every day as well - regardless of what they have or what their situation, it is never good enough and they think that there is something better out there. Oftentimes, their relationships also exhibit this behavior and they are constantly moving on to other (better?) spouses or partners or whatever - RELATIONSHIPS - thinking there's something better out there.

But where do YOU fit in to all of this?

Hopefully somewhere in-between.

If you are like me, you KNOW deep down what you are capable of doing and being and you KNOW that there is something MORE that you could/should be doing with your life. How many of you out there can relate?

Over the next few weeks I'm going to try to write a new article on this with continuing thoughts. I'm not sure how often or consistent it will be but I will try to do so at least once a week.

I'll explain more in the next submission WHY I am going through this though process in a MAJOR way right now but, until then, I welcome any and all comments.

I PREFER that you leave those comments on the Future You University fan page on Facebook by going here:

https://www.facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity

I'd love to hear YOUR ideas and of YOUR strivings for something better and WHY you have that burning desire in your life. Will you do that for me? I'd appreciate it as would any and all others that read what you write.

Hey, I DO know this -- there IS something better out there and it's up to ME to go get it.

Until next time...

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

Mike

When Your Journey is Interrupted

DELAYS MAY TAKE LONGER THAN EXPECTED

I really don't like detours when I'm trying to get somewhere - do you?

For one, I think it is the uncertainty that I will actually be able to maneuver through the detour route and still get where it is that I want to go.

And, secondly, it is simply an interruption to my planned path on my journey and I just don't like it to change unexpectedly like that!

It's especially hard when this detour is not on a trip traveled in an automobile or some other mode of transportation, but it's a detour in your planned journey (path) for your life!

I've talked about this before in past blogs and podcasts. As a matter of fact, I've done several little "mini-series" on this topic off and on over the history of this blog - just go back through and see what you can find.

But, you know what? It's TOUGH to live it, isn't it? Yeah, you know, the old, "Easier said than done" scenario.

Many of you know that I lost my job back mid-August of 2010. Purely unexpected but, at the same time, not unwelcomed. I was already trying to "plan a route" to where I could do so financially while I pursued my dream of my seminars with my "Future You University" concept.

Well, here I am now at the end of July 2011 and not a whole lot has changed. Oh, I have made attempts to get my seminar started but, quite honestly, it was ill-timed and I was not financially prepared to do it in the way I had planned. Too, other opportunities that I have looked at to try to see us through in the mean time just hasn't worked out. I am starting a new "job" but it will likely be another month before I see any income from it which is not good news right now.

Because of all of this, I stopped doing my podcast after losing my job last August because I didn't know where I was going to be and when and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with my daily schedule like before. I began it again earlier this year more for me than anything but discontinued it again because, quite honestly, I was having a hard time keeping MY OWN mental attitude where it needed to be.

Surprised?

Don't be! I don't think you'll ever find any situation (podcast or blog) where I said keeping a positive attitude even through tough times would be easy. Never. It's NOT!

But, I still have a choice. Give in, give up or GET UP and KEEP MOVING forward even though my path/journey has been redirected due to a detour.

Still easier said than done for sure.

So, I'm struggling big time! Financially, I'm lower than a pregnant ant's belly! And, on some days, the same can be said of my mental attitude. Yeah, that's right - I'm human.

Believe me, there have been days where I felt like giving up and, honestly, there are days that I DID give up temporarily.

That's the key. Make any such situations a TEMPORARY one.

Yes, I WILL still have my seminars but it will be later than I had planned since I had planned to be well involved in them at this point. But, I will continue on that path REGARDLESS of any detours that continue to come my way.

So, I encourage you to do the same. REGARDLESS.

I can - you can - WE can!

And, as you go along this detoured path...

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

Mike

When Will YOUR Last Day Come?

What If?

This is being written on May 24, 2011 and, just in the past few days there have been big news stories about some things that HAVE happened and some big news stories about things that DIDN'T happen.

This past Saturday, according to one guy, was supposed to be the last day of this world's existence. Well, obviously, since I'm writing this article a few days later, it didn't happen. Lots of coverage of this prediction and lots of people panicking over what they needed to do before it was too late.

This past Sunday evening a horrific tornado hit the city of Joplin, Missouri. The pictures an images I have seen looks like a bomb was dropped on that city. Over 100 people are dead at this point with that amount expected to rise.

As a matter of fact, this Spring has been horrible in the area of terrible weather disasters such as other tornadoes that have killed hundreds in many different states and flooding affecting many hundreds, if not thousands, more.

So, the question comes to mind, "What IF today IS your last day on this earth?"

What then?

Here's the bottom line - we have no idea when that will be.

Regardless of what some self-proclaimed prophet says (the Bible clearly states that NO ONE knows) we don't know.

Even if you have been diagnosed with a terminal disease and you are given a few days to live, the doctors STILL don't know exactly when your last day will be.

And, when it comes to weather tragedies, we surely don't know.

I'm really not trying to be TOO somber in this article but all of this simply points to one main thought that I have tried to emphasize over the past couple of years -- TODAY is all we have!

TODAY.

Since it is so obvious that we have no idea when our last day will be, why don't we live TODAY as if it WERE our last?

We see all kinds of neat bumper stickers with phrases emphasizing such and even hear powerful songs sung that state what one would do if they knew their time was cut short. There are even movies about crossing things off of a list before one dies.

But, simply put, you have RIGHT NOW. You may not even have the rest of the day but you DO have the current moment.

Kind of brings a whole new perspective to the phrase, "live in the moment" doesn't it?

Just something to think about and perhaps something to help us live in such a way that, when "that time" comes we have no regrets.

Along with those thoughts, whatever you do, be sure to....

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Yup, I Need You!

No, not in a "mushy" way. Not in a "my heart aches when you're away" kind of way. Not in an "every time I look at the stars I think of you" kind of way.

But, regardless, I DO need YOU!

Simply put, here's the deal - I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you listen to my podcast or if you only read the blog - either way - I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!

It becomes hard after a period of time to keep putting positive information out there if you're not sure that anyone is really "listening" to what you are saying. And, the only way for me to know that is through FEEDBACK from you!

You can do this several ways:
1. leave comments right here on the blog
2. leave comments on the FYU Facebook fan page (www.Facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity)
3. leave comments via e-mail to me (mike@futureyouuniversity.com)
4. leave comments through the website (www.MichaelSpillman.com)

I really DO need to know that what I'm doing is getting out there. If not, I may just pull back for a while and focus on other avenues. So....let me know and let me know as soon as possible!

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

Mike

Your Personal Draft: Late Round Pick

7th Round Draft Pick - Peyton Hillis

If you want to see why I use Peyton Hillis as my "prime example" in talking about "late round" draft picks that have excelled then just do a little research on him. For one, notice that he was not drafted until the 7th round...the LAST round of the draft that year.

He was pretty frustrated to not be picked until then because, like most, he felt he was better than a 7th round draft pick. HE believe that about himself but, those in charge apparently felt differently.

He was drafted in the 2008 NFL draft and has played with two different teams. Even while with the Denver Broncos he began to turn heads with his punishing running attack and, this past year, now with the Cleveland Browns, he excelled!

Again, read up on him yourself and I think you'll be inspired and you'll like what you see. He is a very humble young man that counts himself as "blessed" (as you will hear him say many times).

So, what about YOU?

Are you one of those people that others around you said would never really amount to anything? Are you one that others have told to stop having such high hopes and aspirations? Are you one that has listened and has begun to believe this yourself?

If so, STOP LISTENING to "those" people! And, for sure, STOP BELIEVING what they have to say about you (or anything else for that matter).

WHAT DO YOU KNOW - BELIEVE - ABOUT YOURSELF?

Have you stopped trying and have you waved the white flag of surrender to your personal accomplishments that you dreamed about earlier in your life?

Hey listen, regardless of WHAT you are doing in your life right now as a "job" - it DOES NOT determine what you can accomplish in your life with the right mindset and attitude!

Does that sound like a bunch of "positive thinking mush"? Those that have tried to keep you down all of your life would probably want you to believe that it is.

IT IS NOT!

Peyton Hillis said that he wanted to prove everyone wrong and that he wanted to make the most of his opportunity. He has and I imagine he will continue to do so.

Now, what about you? Will YOU determine to stop listening to those that want to tear you down and will YOU determine to prove them wrong?

Will YOU make the most of YOUR opportunity?

Opportunity? Yeah, it's there ready for you to take it for a ride - the ride of your life!

So, how about it? It's up to you now, Mr. 7th Round Draft Pick.

As you take hold of the opportunity that is before you each and every day, be sure to always...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Your Personal Draft...Mid-Round Pick

Mid-Round...Is THAT Where YOU Belong?

That guy in the picture there is Ryan Mallett, former Arkansas Razorback football quarterback.

Why do I have him as the picture for today's topic? Because in the recent NFL Draft he wasn't drafted until the 3rd round which was unexpected.

Now, even though there are 7 rounds you could technically say that Mr. Mallet was not a "mid-round" pick. And, you'd be right.

However, his talent and ability is definitely worth more than a 3rd round pick. Why, then, did he not get selected until the 3rd round? "Off the field issues" is what they are called and a lot of NFL team owners and coaches want to stay as far away as possible from someone that might have problems with these AMPLIFIED "off the field issues" once getting into the NFL.

Am I picking on Ryan Mallett? Absolutely not! He now has something to prove (and he has said that himself) to a lot of people out there that overlooked him as an addition to his team. Will he? Only time will tell.

But, here's the deal...he'll have the OPPORTUNITY!

You see, for all of us, that's all we can really expect or ask for. An opportunity!

No matter who you are or what you do, YOU have an opportunity each and every day to better yourself and your position at whatever it is that you are doing.

EVERY DAY. OPPORTUNITY!

You may be one (like Mr. Mallett) that belongs in a higher position than where your currently find yourself. Maybe you are one that WAS in a higher position but, like we discussed yesterday, got distracted and lost some valuable ground. What are you doing about that TODAY?

Or maybe you are one that has always been considered "average". Your parents never pushed you much or expected you to do more than "average". And, because of that, you never really pushed yourself or expected much out of yourself other than "average".

WAKE UP!

Now, yes, I understand that you may be doing 100% where you are right now. And, if that is so, my hat is off to you and I also say, "keep up the good work!".

But, for many of you/us...we're NOT doing 100% where we find ourselves right now.

Hey, raise the bar of expectation a little bit and see what happens not only in YOUR life but also in the lives of everyone around you.

Yeah, really. Go ahead. Give it a try and see what happens.

Be DETERMINED that you are going to prove anyone that ever said you were average WRONG!

PROVE IT TO YOURSELF!

Separate yourself from the crowd and rise above the rest.

(Hey, where's my trumpet? I feel like I need to do the "charge" thing!)

But seriously. Whoever told you that you were average and that you never should expect more were likely average themselves and didn't want you to excel above and beyond them.

And, by the way....who told you that you had to listen to and believe them in the first place?

Think about all of this and share some of your thoughts on this and how it relates to your life or the lives of those around you. I'd love to hear from you.

But, until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Your Personal Draft - First Round Pick

First Round Pick

Does this describe YOU? Are you a "first rounder"?

In connection to the "NFL Draft" scenario that I began using yesterday a "first rounder" is a player that is drafted in the first round...the cream of the crop. They have excelled in their career in college and have been predicted to do well at the next level in the NFL.

In the months and weeks leading up to the actual draft day just about every highlight that ever exists of this person is shown again and again while all kinds of "experts" (and I do use that term very lightly!) talk about why this person is so good and worthy of a first round pick.

Over my lifetime I have seen several situations where these first round picks DID do as expected when they got into the NFL. They lived up to the hype and the expectations.

However, I have also seen MANY go in the opposite direction. Usually they loose their focus on what got them there in the first place and they fail miserably. They get distracted by all of the "bling" that now surrounds them and the "big money" that goes with it and, as I said before, they lose focus on why they are there in the first place.

I have watched many "hopefuls" with great potential simply get lost in the drugs and other "trappings", lose their standing on the team that chose them and, finally, drop out of the NFL completely to never be heard from again (as far as the sports world goes).

What does that have to do with what I'm talking about in this series?

Perhaps YOU are one of those that have done well all through your life up to this point. Perhaps you graduated high school at the top of your class and followed that up by doing the same in college. Perhaps after leaving college you have done quite well with your first job and moved up quickly in the company. It seems as if everything you touches turns to gold!

Great potential. Great expectations.

YOU have expectations of yourself and you KNOW you can do whatever you set your mind to do! And, on top of that, due to your past accomplishments, others have great expectations of you as well.

What will you do with this opportunity that is before you? Will you continue to learn and grow and be open to advice from others around you or will you decide that you don't need to hear anything from anyone else because, after all, you ARE a first round pick!

Hey, we've all seen this in the "real world" (as opposed to the world of sports stars) haven't we?

Opportunity.

It's yours, REGARDLESS of what "round" you get "picked".

What will you do. What ARE you doing?

One last thought: Don't let the expectations of others overwhelm you! It CAN become too much and others CAN put unrealistic expectations on you. Be careful with that and, yes, live up to your potential and what you KNOW you can accomplish.

Now...get after it!

Until next time...

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

Mike

http://www.michaelspillman.com/

YOUR Personal Draft

The NFL draft for 2011 just ended over this past weekend after MONTHS of speculation and predictions.

And, you know what? It just proved once again that the so-called "experts" really don't have a clue what they are talking about! If you've watched along the way then I'm sure that you agree with me on this - at least to SOME extent, right?

There were "high, first round" predicted picks that not get picked until much later and, on the other end of the spectrum, there were some picked early that were not even really talked about.

Experts, huh?

So, this week I'm going to compare some of this to your OWN "personal draft" and what that means for you. Here are some of the things we'll be taking a look at in the next few days:

- How much does what others say influence you and your actions?

- If others have high expectations of you, how does that impact you?

- If others have low (or "NO") expectations of you, how does THAT impact you?

- What are YOU doing with the OPPORTUNITY that is before you RIGHT NOW?

Be thinking about those things and I'd also love to hear any other analogies that you may have come up with in comparison to the NFL draft - send them to me right away so that I can use them during this week's podcast and blog articles.

So, what will YOU do today? It matters!

Until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Taking Care of Business NOW!

NOW!

Some of you may think of Elvis when you hear the phrase, "Taking Care of Business" while others (like myself) think of the song by Bachman Turner Overdrive (yeah, BTO sings TCB...I just love all of these abbreviations).

And, you may be wondering what this has to do with our current discussion on LOVING WHAT YOU DO. Hang with me here...it's an easy leap on this one.

First of all, remember, we have been talking about a video featuring a man that worked as a janitor when he won the state lottery. What did he do? He kept right on working his janitor job because of his love for the track program and his desire to donate money to help build a new track for the school. He had a PURPOSE and a PASSION for what he was doing so it didn't matter to him that he didn't HAVE to keep working as the janitor. He WANTED to!

That is when you know you are at your "dream job". When you don't HAVE to do it but you do it anyway.

Now tell me, would being a JANITOR ever have been on your list of answers as being anyone's "dream job"? Likely not. But it brings on the main point of this whole discussion.

Here it is: it doesn't matter what ANYONE else thinks about what you are doing or what they think you SHOULD be doing. It's up to YOU to live your dream, whatever it may be.

Now then, most of us think of something far more elegant when we think of our dream job, don't we? But, again, let me refer to a question I asked early on in this series that SHOULD give you a clear view of your "dream job" - If money were not an issue, what would you be doing?

Well? Surely by now you have come up with an answer to this question if you have been following this series.

But the curve ball comes when we look at where we WANT TO BE and then at where WE ARE and we don't like what we see. The "wanna' be" is a long ways away from our "what is".

What then?

Yesterday I suggested that it might be possible to learn to love what you are doing even if you are not doing what you love (your "dream job"). I hope you have thought about that.

On yesterday's podcast I encouraged you to really try to brainstorm and think of HOW you can approach your current job with excitement rather than dread. WHAT CAN YOU DO to approach your day and your job with a challenge so that you get out of the rut of whining and complaining?

One thing that may be absolutely necessary is to change who you hang around with at the office!

BREAK FREE from those that do nothing but whine and complain but also never lift a finger to try to improve their position or make any attempt to actually do their best for the company.

How many times have you heard someone say something like this (and YOU may have been one of the ones to say it!): "Well, I'm not doing one thing more than I have to! If I don't HAVE to do it then I'm not going to do it!"

May I be blunt? What a loser mentality!

What if you decide to TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS RIGHT NOW where you are TODAY?

What if you decided to put 100% of your effort into doing the very BEST job that you can RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW?

What if you did this today, tomorrow and EVERY day from now on?

What do you think would happen?

I can tell what would happen - THINGS WOULD CHANGE!

You don't need me to tell you what might change for you, do you? Take a moment and write down everything you can think of that would change for you if you adopted this approach.

Why not STOP dreading the day at work and why not TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS when you go to work today and start learning to love what you do (which is simply loving the fact that you are living up to your potential!) until you get to the point that you can finally have the "job of your dreams" and do what you love.

Thing is, you just might find out that this "dream job" was right under your nose all along.

Think about it.

And, until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

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

What ARE You Doing?

Well?

Before we get to you trying to answer that question let's do a quick review from yesterday. First of all, if you haven't done so be sure to check out the video on my Facebook fan page about the janitor that is also a millionaire.

Now then...what were your answers from yesterday? The questions were: "If money were not an issue, what would you be doing?" and "If you're NOT doing that, why aren't you?"

NOW, you can go back to that one word question below the picture....well?

Once you watch the video you understand that the man in the story was ALREADY doing what he loved BEFORE he won the state lottery. Why is that so easy to understand?

BECAUSE HE KEPT WORKING AS THE JANITOR EVEN AFTER HE WON THE LOTTERY!

That's one sure way to tell! In the video he talks about how his wife tells him that he really doesn't have to work - and she's right! The man is a millionaire! However, he has a different "take" on his work and tells his wife, "Yes, I do."

WHY? Because he LOVES what he does and he has a GOAL and a PURPOSE in what he does.

Now, let's get back to us...you and me. What about it?

Do you LOVE what you do? Do you have a GOAL and a PURPOSE in what you are doing?

Honestly, I'd say that the majority of people would answer "no" to all three parts of the two questions in the above sentence.

Is it possible to have a goal and a purpose with what YOU are doing right now?

Only you can answer that for sure, but.... join me tomorrow as we take a closer look at this POWERFUL POSSIBILITY for your own life!

Until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

What Would YOU Be Doing?

I'm going to do my best to keep this rather short today. I know I tend to "rattle on" with my thoughts and ideas and, the ideas I share on today's podcast (http://www.michaelspillman.com/) are short and to the point as well.


Here's what I need you to do IF you haven't done so already. One day last week I posted a video on the Facebook fan page for Future You University (www.Facebook.com/FutureYouUniversity) about a janitor that was also a millionaire. Have you watched it yet?


Here's the direct link:


http://news.yahoo.com/video/seattleking5-15751314/millionaire-janitor-buys-school-new-track-24921293

If not, be sure to do that - preferably BEFORE you read the rest of this blog - as soon as you can so that you can "get" what it is that I'm talking about today.

Now, after watching that video, answer the following two questions as honestly as you can:

1. IF MONEY WERE NOT AN ISSUE, what would you be doing with your life right now?


2. Why are you NOT doing what you came up with as an answer to question one?


Hey, if you ARE doing what you would do in response to number 1, I'd LOVE to hear from you. Other than that, that's all I am going to share today. Take the time to watch the video and then come up with HONEST answers to these two questions before your head hits the pillow tonight.

Come back tomorrow and we'll take this discussion further. But, until then...

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

Mike

Choose Responsibly, ACT Responsibly!

Would THIS Help?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it really WAS as easy as seeing a sign like the one above?

Now, let me ask you another question...do you think you'd STILL choose the "RIGHT DECISION" 100% of the time even if there WERE such a sign right in front of you?

Let me answer that for you...NO, you wouldn't!

Why? Because that's just the way we are. We are basically selfish people and we tend to do what WE want as opposed to what may be the "right" or "best" thing to do.

Follow me on this example and be honest with yourself. How many times during the course of your life have you KNOWN what was the right vs. wrong thing to do and you chose the WRONG thing anyway? You may have even known that you might get punished and/or grounded when (not if!) your parents found out about it but, your SELFISH desire to do what YOU wanted overcame that fear of punishment and, you did what YOU wanted to do anyway!

Not very responsible, is it?

Now, sure, we can excuse things like that to our being young and foolish but - ARE YOU READY TO GET HONEST NOW? - how many of us STILL act in such a way from time to time?

You see, it's not enough to just CHOOSE responsibly but it's also important to put that CHOICE into ACTION! And, yes, it's possible to choose and not act....remember, you HAVE done such a thing even in your own life.

If you're still having a hard time thinking that you HAVE done such a thing let me ask you still ANOTHER question. Has anyone - EVER - in your whole life ever said something like the following to you....."But I thought you said you were going to ____________ (fill in the blank)!" ?

That's right. You may have even "announced" what your choice was and STILL decided to do something different. You decided NOT to act upon that choice. It may be something as simple as, "I thought you said you were going to wash the car today!" to something much more serious such as, "I thought you said you were going to stop drinking!".

So, to sum this all up, let's look at what we've discussed:

1. It's important to CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY what we allow into our minds. What we allow into our minds/mindset (positive or negative) WILL have a DIRECT impact upon our lives and the lives of each and every person that we come into contact with each and every day.

2. Understand the responsibility that you have to others besides yourself. It's not all about you! But, at the same time, the better you become the better you become for those around you!

3. Don't make choices or decisions "in the heat of the moment". They will most likely be the WRONG decisions.

4. Do the research needed to make a responsible decision. Pray about it. Think about it. Sleep on it. Then, and only then, should you really try to make such a decision.

5. Even after all of what you did in #4 DO NOT be tempted to still act upon your selfish impulses. It's not enough to just CHOOSE responsibly, you must also ACT upon that responsible choice!

Hey listen, we are all human and we will STILL make irresponsible and/or unwise decisions. However, we CAN equip ourselves in such a way that we make fewer and fewer of these types of decisions in our lives.

I'd love to hear any feedback you have on these thoughts and your experiences in this area.

Thanks for your time today and be sure to check out the audio podcasts on these topics at http://www.michaelspillman.com/

Until next time...

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

Mike