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

How To Choose Responsibly

"HOW TO CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY"

Good ol' Monty Hall and "Let's Make a Deal". I talked about this program in yesterday's entry so, if you missed it, go back and check it out.

One of the things I mentioned was the tendency of ALL of us to say AFTER all has been revealed, "Oh, I KNEW I should have picked that other choice!"

20/20 hindsight, remember?

I'm sure you would agree that this is EASY to apply to our lives. I'm sure ALL of us can look back on both good and bad decisions we have made and see rather EASILY what we either should have done or breathe a sigh of relief because of what we DID choose.

So, how CAN we choose responsibly?

The main part of the answer is found in one word in the question - "responsibly".

Decisions that are made without much thought are usually irresponsible decisions. They may be made in the heat of passion or anger or just an overdrive dose of excitement. (By the way, this is why so many sales pitches try to get you to "BUY NOW" or tell you that the offer is good "for today only"! When this is the case you might want to really consider staying away at LEAST until you have had a chance to step away and think about it AWAY from the hype.)

So, first and foremost, in order to make a RESPONSIBLE decision about ANYTHING, make sure you are not being swayed by emotion of any kind.

You should also avoid any choice that is being swayed by DESPERATION! This is another type of emotion that bring people to making rash and irresponsible decisions. Again - PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PATTERN - there are many "sales people" that are actually looking for people to "prey on" that are DESPERATE. Again, take the time to step away from the situation and give yourself a chance to think clearly.

Think about it this way - many times when someone is struggling to keep from drowning they will take their rescuer down with them and drown them as well. Why? PANIC! DESPERATION! Life guards are taught to be aware of this upon their approach so that they do not become a second victim of the situation. Most people, when they have a chance to think of it when they are NOT desperate, know that they should try to remain calm and listen to the rescuer and do as they say. But, in the heat of the moment it's often a different story!

And, finally (at least for this article) you must consider your RESPONSIBILITY toward others if you wish to choose responsibly. This is the part that I said was found in one of the words to the main question. All of the things that I have mentioned so far in this article can fall into this category. Consider your responsibility to others BEFORE making a choice. This may be your spouse, your kids, other family members, your boss and/or coworkers, etc.

You may - in the heat of the moment (remember, this is the time to STEP AWAY!) decide that you want to take a job on the opposite coast without even thinking about the repercussions on your family. Oops!

Sure, it's "your life" but you have also made some choices earlier in your life - if you have a family - that has brought others into the equation that MAKES UP "your life" and they MUST be considered in your decisions. Like it or not - that's just the way it is, friend.

UNLESS you choose to act irresponsibly!

And, if you are NOT married and you plan to do so one day then, please understand, it is IMPERATIVE that you spend time talking about all kinds of things with your potential partner so that you can BOTH see if you are on "the same page" on important things.

Well, that's enough for today.

How do you choose responsibly? DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS IN THE "HEAT OF THE MOMENT". That's it in a nutshell.

HOMEWORK: (What? What do you mean "homework"?) Take a moment and look back over decisions that you would now label as "poor" and see if you can find some "heat of the moment" factor that was connected to that decision. I'd love to hear what you find.

Until next time...

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

Mike

http://www.michaelspillman.com/

"Choose Responsibly!"

"CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY!"

Your first thought may be, "Choose carefully!", which is also very important to remember but, today, we are going to focus on the "responsibility" aspect of our choices.

When I chose the picture for today's blog article it made me think of the old "Let's Make a Deal" program with Monty Hall. (Yes, I know there is a remake on television right now but I prefer the original on ALL of these game shows).

There were CHOICES that the contestants had to make all through the program and it would come to the grand finale when the top contestants would CHOOSE their final prize (one of which was the GRAND PRIZE for the day). Door #1, Door #2 or Door #3?

I vividly remember yelling MY choice at the t.v. when I was a child but I'm sure YOU have NEVER done anything like that, right?

Now, think about this...how many times have YOU said (or heard someone else say) something like, "Oh, that's the one I WAS going to choose!" once it has been revealed that you picked the wrong door?

20/20 hindsight, right?

We can do that in just about any and every area of our lives, can't we? I know I can!

So, yes, not only is it important to CHOOSE CAREFULLY when it comes to the choices that we face every day but SPECIFICALLY when it comes to CHOOSING what we allow into our minds, but, even more importantly is the fact that we must choose RESPONSIBLY!

Why? Because, again, what we CHOOSE to allow into our mindset will not only impact US but it will also have an impact upon EACH and EVERY person that we come into contact with throughout each and every day. And this starts with those that are closest to you.

RESPONSIBILITY for CHOOSING what we allow into our minds.

Let that concept sink in a little and I'll continue this discussion tomorrow. But, until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Celebrating 400 Podcasts!

It's rather hard for me to really take this in when I think about it but, today, I am broadcasting my 400th podcast episode!

Oh, it could have been closer to 500 if I hadn't had to take my little break for about 6.5 months but....it is what it is and I'm still looking at 400 of these little messages designed to inspire and encourage.

Have I done so through this effort? I HOPE SO!

But, honestly, I'm not sure how much impact I've had simply because YOU are not letting me know. See what I mean?

I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts but, the truth is, I'm not sure how many people are actually "hearing" or "reading" these thoughts.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN!

I need to hear from you! I've said it before but, to be honest, it's kind of hard to keep doing this when I'm not even sure anyone is hearing the message. So...here's what I SPECIFICALLY need from you now (please do one or more of the following):

1. Get in the habit of leaving a short comment here on the blog letting me know that you enjoyed the message or share some of your insights like Tanya does quite often.

2. Please send me a note via one of the contact options found on the "contact" tab on the main website - http://www.michaelspillman.com/ - letting me know that you are listening and/or reading and that you are getting some benefit from this effort.

3. If you haven't done so, "like" Future You University (you can find the link to it on the "contact" tab on the above mentioned website) and then START or ADD TO a NEW TOPIC DISCUSSION on ways that you have been encouraged from what I'm doing here.

4. Go to iTunes and find my podcast there (you can again access this by clicking the "videocast" tab on the above mentioned website and then clicking on the iTunes logo) and please leave a "review" on my podcasts. THIS IS IMPORTANT so that others that come across the podcast via a search can read YOUR comments and be encouraged to listen in for themselves.

I NEED YOUR HELP!

And, in advance, I APPRECIATE your help!

YOU are the ONLY reason I do this. Without someone to listen to this information and, hopefully, benefit from it then there is really no point.

Please don't put this off, do it today if at all possible.

Remember these basic and simple truths that resound throughout all 400 episodes in one way or another:

* DO NOT EVER GIVE UP! ("As long as there is breath there is hope!")

* SHARE YOUR POSITIVITY WITH THOSE AROUND YOU (even with just a big smile)

* YOU MAKE CHOICES EACH AND EVERY DAY - YOUR LIFE IS YOUR CHOICE!

* MAKE TODAY AN AWESOME DAY! IT IS YOUR CHOICE!

* STOP WAITING ON OTHERS TO "MAKE" YOUR LIFE BETTER (in any way) - IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!

Thanks for reading this and don't forget to share with me (and others!) what you think about what I try to accomplish via the website, podcast and blog.

Until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Life's Renewal

LIFE'S RENEWAL

If you have been following along with this series then you are catching on to the whole "life's patterns" idea and how it connects with an EKG readout. We have looked at the general patterns that are around us in our world (the changing of the seasons, the stock market, etc.) as well as the "ups and downs" that we all tend to encounter as we make our way through this life.

We've noticed that, when considering the readout of an EKG, the "ups and downs" are a very LITERAL "pattern of life" and those "ups and downs" (called "waves") are the very actual sign that one is actually alive!

And, in yesterday's article (and podcast - see information below) we talked about the need to make sure that we don't "flatline" or give up. As most of you understand, the "flatline" is what is shown on the EKG readout when the heart has ceased to pump and a straight, or "flat", line appears on the readout.

We can "flatline" in our own lives when we "throw in the towel" and give up on things ever improving in our lives. We can also "flatline" when we have decided to settle for mediocrity in our lives and we have chosen to merely "exist".

WAKE UP! Do NOT ever give up!

You're better than that, AREN'T YOU?

Of course you are!

Sometimes when we "flatline" we need HELP in getting back in the game of life! In the physical world this can happen in a couple of ways that most of us are familiar with when one's heart has "flatlined".

One way is for someone to perform CPR on the person who has flatlined. CPR, or "cardiopulmonary resuscitation" is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to return life to a person in cardiac arrest. You've all seen it on television, if not in person, right? It is the physical force to try to continue to pump the heart.

Another way that many of you will be familiar with involves some "paddles" and someone yelling, "CLEAR!". You know what I'm talking about, right? Here it is put another way: "An administering of an electric shock to the heart, termed defibrillation, is usually needed to restore a viable or 'perfusing' heart rhythm."

Either way, they are BOTH drastic measures that are used in order to RESUSCITATE, REVIVE or RENEW a life!

So, here's the point, friend... even if you come to the realization that you have "given up" and, for all practical purposes "flatlined", THERE IS HOPE!

Look at the picture at the top of this article. Do you notice that it starts off as a "flatline"? And, then what? The "waves" or "rhythms" return which indicate that life has returned!

So, you see, there IS hope in your life!

How does that happen for you or how WILL that happen for you? I can't answer that for you, friend.

It may be simply reading an article like this or listening to this series on the podcast that "RESUSCITATES" your life or it may be a friend that helps you "snap to" and "wake up" to what is (or isn't) happening in your life. KEEP THOSE KINDS OF FRIENDS!

Bottom line: ARE YOU A FIGHTER?

Doctors will tell you right away that someone that has the "will to live" (a fighter) has a much better chance of survival in surgery than someone who seems to have given up.

ARE YOU A FIGHTER?

Then GET UP and GET AFTER IT once again! Get that "rhythm" and "pattern" back in your life (yes, the "ups" AND the "downs") and keep moving FORWARD in your progress.

Do me a favor, please. If you feel that this series has been beneficial for you (I hope and pray that it has!) then would you PLEASE share it with someone else that you feel could use a little good news like this? I thank you and THEY will thank you!

Remember: NEVER, EVER GIVE UP! "As long as there is breath, there is hope!"

Until next time...

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

Mike

(go to http://www.michaelspillman.com/ for the podcast link to listen to the audio version of this series)

Avoid the Flatline

Avoid the Flatline

Oh yeah, when you or someone you love is in the hospital you DO NOT want to see that pattern shown above. You don't want to see the dreaded "flatline"!

You WANT to see the "ups and downs" that indicate that your heart is pumping and working showing that you are ALIVE!

Now, surely, you are catching the obvious comparisons here, right? I've already talked about the "pattern of life" that we often go through in our own lives when we experience the "ups and downs".

We think we'd LOVE it if all we ever encountered were "up times". We AVOID the "down times" as much as possible yet, just as with the EKG readout, the "ups and downs" in our own lives are also indicators that we are ALIVE!

And, just like in the hospital and on the EKG readout we should also AVOID THE "FLATLINE" in the pattern of our life!

Many people flatline when they have hit an extended down period in their lives but it is also possible to "flatline" when things aren't so bad. That's right. It's easy to "settle for the mundane" or "the easy". It's easy to want to live life without "rocking the boat" or creating any waves.

BORING!

And dangerous IF you want to avoid the "flatline".

Hey, listen... whether you are settling for mediocrity or stuck in a down period, whatever you do - DO NOT FLATLINE!

In other words, do NOT give up and do NOT settle.

We see the dangers of this type of "inactivity" all around us. A body of water that does not have flow ("life", energy) becomes a STAGNANT pool of FILTH and DISEASE! A person that is inactive WILL face health issues and this is really evident in those that are confined to nursing homes when they are unable to move about. They MUST be moved or they will develop all sorts of bed sores as well as other ailments.

MOVEMENT IS A MUST FOR LIFE!

Again, even if you are in an extended down period - DO NOT GIVE UP! Look for those small "up-ticks" in your day. It may be the smile of a friend or the sunshine or whatever it is. LOOK FOR THESE THINGS in your day so that you DO NOT "flatline" and become stagnant!

Remember, "As long as there is breath there is hope!" - DO NOT EVER FORGET THAT!

Tomorrow, in the concluding article for this series I will discuss the HOPE that we still have even if we HAVE "flatlined". Be sure to join me for this important discussion.

Until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Life's LITERAL Pattern

Life's LITERAL Pattern

In yesterday's discussion we talked about different "patterns" that we all have in our lives. Hey, how many did YOU come up with in your own life?

I'm sure you have already figured the connection to this discussion by looking at the picture combined with the title of today's article. There are "general" patterns that we can observe all around us each and every day and then there is the very specific and LITERAL "pattern of life" shown on an EKG readout.

Notice the pattern has "ups" and it also has "downs". Should we be concerned because there are "downs" in this pattern? Should we get frustrated, discouraged and/or depressed because of these down "ticks" in this wave pattern?

Of course not! Hey, as long as it keeps moving up and down we're happy, right? Why?

BECAUSE AS LONG AS IT KEEPS MOVING IT IS EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE!

Now, please believe me when I say that I understand that all of this sounds a bit cliche, o.k.? But, whether it sounds that way or not really has nothing to do with the fact that it is TRUE!

The "ups and downs" that we all experience in our lives simply PROVES that we are ALIVE and participating in this "ride" that we call LIFE!

Life is not always FAIR and it is not always FUN. Somewhere along the way we bought into this myth and, for many, this false expectation about life has brought a lot of disappointment into their lives.

Even those that we might perceive of living a "dream life" deal with "ups and downs" in their lives. But, many times, there is a difference that we may not see.

What is it?

THEY HAVE LEARNED THIS SECRET ABOUT " UPS AND DOWNS" - they are a PART of LIFE itself and, like we have already discusses, they come AND go!

Many of these people view life just as they do the stock market. They do not "freak out" when the stock market takes a "dip" or even a "dive". Why? Because they prepared themselves for the long haul and they know that it will rebound.

Others are ready to jump out of a window while those that have prepared simply watch and wait for the pattern to continue.

Really think about that and let it sink in - it could make a major change in your approach to life.

Come back tomorrow and we'll continue this discussion of "Life's Patterns" and what it means to each of us.

And, until then...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Life's Patterns

LIFE'S PATTERNS

They are all around us.

Wow, that kind of sounds like the trailer to some new horror flick, doesn't it?

But it's not and I'm talking about "Life's Patterns" and the fact that these patterns are around us each and every day.

Think about it and see how many different types of these patterns you can come up with before I start to mention some in this blog. (Note: If you already listened to the podcast - NO FAIR!)

Obviously, from the picture above, the changing of the seasons is one of those patterns that we see take place year after year. (And, by the way, I forgot to mention this, most obvious one, on the podcast).

Yes, I understand that in some parts of the country and the world the seasons don't vary much, if even at all. However, whether the weather conditions around you change much or not does not have any impact on the fact that the seasons come and go year after year.

Think about this life pattern - when you are a baby you rely on others to take care of all of your basic needs such as food and cleanliness. We slowly work our way towards independence in these areas and then, if we live long enough, we slowly revert back to the beginning stages of relying on others to provide all of our basic needs.

Sad, but true. One of the patterns of life that many face.

You can even see these patterns in the commodities and in the stock market. Those that pay close attention to these things can look at charts that show these patterns over a period of time and this will help them make wiser choices.

And then there are these patterns in our own everyday lives...the good days and the bad days. The days when everything seems to be going in our favor and also those days that it seems as if everything is working against us.

There are the times that you are happy with the job of your dreams and then there are the times that you have been "let go" and find it hard to connect with a new job. There are the times that you stand before a group of friends and a minister across from that "person of your dreams" with promises of "forever love" and then there are the times that this union comes to a crashing end.

Wow.

Friend, I'm calling these "patterns of life" because they are all A PART OF LIFE!

So, how are you doing with these patterns in YOUR life today? Are you in an "up" cycle or a "down" cycle?

What are you doing to change the situation if you find yourself in a "down" cycle and what are you doing to PREPARE yourself for that "down" cycle if you currently find yourself in an "up" cycle.

Patterns, remember?

Tomorrow I will make another analogy that I think you will be able to relate to in a very powerful way. Be sure to join me then and also to share this with others.

Until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Your Information - YOUR Choice!

"Your Information - YOUR Choice!

That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? It's YOUR choice!

No one else can control that for you. If you are an adult, there is likely not anyone telling you when you've watched enough television and that it is time to turn it off. It's up to you.

Sure, you may want to stay "informed" on what is going on in the world but, seriously, how MUCH information do your really need to stay informed about what is really important?

Do you REALLY have to know about every little thing that is going on all around the world? With the use of cell phone video cameras and other items we now have INSTANT ACCESS to happenings all around the world.

Is that really necessary? Is it really helpful?

Many of you may not remember what I'm about to discuss and some of you may find it even unbelievable. But I remember a time when there was cable channels didn't even exist and all you had were the three major networks. That's it. Three channels to choose from. And, if I remember right, at midnight they all shut down for the night.

My wife and I were discussing this just the other day about how at midnight there would be a certain design on the screen or the American flag would be shown waving in the wind as the National Anthem was played.

And then, that was it for the night.

And, I wonder, have we really improved our lives by having 100+ channels available to us (and our kids) on a 24 hour basis?

Informational overload.

It is likely more important than ever for each of us (especially as parents) to take control of the information that we allow into our households and into our minds and the minds of those that share our home with us.

If you haven't done so, be sure to read Tanya's comments on the blog a couple of days ago. She makes some very good observations that likely many of you can relate to.

So...what will you do about it?

Is it important enough to you for you to do something about it?

Stop watching t.v. all together? Some do. It might be worth a try even for a day and then two days and then a week.

See what happens.

But also stay away from the news on the radio as well as talk shows (unless they are POSITIVE!) and even try to stay off the computer as much as possible.

Try that and see how you feel and see how much more clearly you may be able to think.

REPLACE the negative with something POSITIVE! If you aren't in the habit of listening to my podcast that goes along with this blog, be sure to give it a try. You can subscribe to the iTunes feed as well as the RSS feed by clicking on the "videocast" tab on my website and then clicking either the iTunes logo or the RSS feed logo.

Just go to http://www.michaelspillman.com/

There is a lot more positive information out there - find it and use it! One that I've mentioned many times is Success.com. You can read a LOT of FREE information there. Also, look through my tabs on my site and check out the Jim Rohn link that I have available for you there. He is my favorite and has some AWESOME thoughts that have made a major impact on my life.

Hey, you don't have to do ANY of this.

But, my guess is that you wouldn't be reading this blog if you weren't on a mission to try to improve your positive mindset.

Remember, it's YOUR choice.

As always, be sure to...

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

Mike

http://www.michaelspillman.com/

Your Informational Filter

"Your Informational Filter"

Take a moment and look at that picture and ask yourself this question: "Would I allow a big pile of garbage like that in my house?"

I hope that I can answer that for you with a resounding, "NO!".

Yes, there are some people that do, but I'm hoping that you are not one of them!

Of course, by looking at the picture you already know what the real point of it is especially when you combine it with what we have been talking about for the past few days.

WHAT JUNK ARE YOU ALLOWING INTO YOUR MIND?

We have been talking about the massive amounts of "news programming" available to us each and every day via the television. This doesn't even take into account what's available to us on the Internet, the radio and even our smart phones. Is there REALLY a need for this much information/news?

NO!

Here's the deal, too, when you start talking about all of this "news programming" - a lot of it (if not most of it) is not even news at all!

You've heard the phrase, "No news is good news" right? Well, let me do my own little twist on that one by saying this: "ALL NEWS IS NOT GOOD NEWS!"

I'm not even talking about the fact that we sometimes receive bad news. What I'm talking about is that everything that might be labeled as "news" in our society is not all GOOD (as in "quality") news. Really think that one over.

The main reason I brought all of this up about the news is due to the fact that I have noticed such an "overkill" on my own "local/affiliate stations" with their "news coverage" AND also due to so many people claiming that they just HAVE to keep up with the "news". Really?

Anyway, enough of that.

What about soap operas? What about sports programming? (By the way, a lot of the so-called "sports programming" is pretty much like the "news programming" when you consider the fact that some of these 24 hour cable sports channels have to fill that much time!).

What about Facebook? What about....? YOU fill in the blank there and be HONEST with yourself on these things.

How much time are you spending DUMPING garbage (useless or negative information) into your mind? Remember, G.I.G.O. (garbage in - garbage out).

Tomorrow I will conclude this series but the battle will be one that continues in your life and it is 100% up to YOU as to what you do about it - if anything at all.

Bottom line again - do NOT think that what you allow into your mind has not impact on your life and the lives of those around you.

Start using your "informational filter" and "clean up" what you are allowing into the "engine" for your whole life.

Think about and DO something about it.

Until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Information Overload

"INFORMATION OVERLOAD"

How much "information" is TOO much and what "information" is actually USEFUL information?

These are but a few of the questions that we all really need to be asking ourselves IF we are serious about controlling what we allow into our "mental mindset".

Why? Again, referring back to the old computer acrostic "G.I.G.O." = "Garbage In, Garbage Out". What you ALLOW in to your mental mindset will be what "comes out" in your thoughts and actions.

If that doesn't sober you up a little bit I'm not sure what will.

I emphasized the word, "ALLOW" two paragraphs earlier for a reason. Let's face it, we're not being FORCED as to what information goes into our heads, are we? Likely not. So, again getting honest with ourselves, we ALLOW this into our minds.

Did you go through your programming guide to see how much "news programming" is on during the course of a day on YOUR television channels? Again, I'm not even talking about the cable "news" channels that are on 24 hours a day but your "local" channels like NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox (no, not the Fox News Network).

Here's what I found when I researched my programming guide:

The local affiliates for NBC and ABC each have a total of 10 hours of "news programming" on as a combination of national and local programming. The CBS affiliate has 9.5 hours available and the local affiliate for the Fox channel only has 4 hours of local news programming. I also found that the local NBC affiliate begins this type of programming at 4:30 a.m. and continues it off and on throughout the day until 10:30 p.m. The ABC affiliate begins this type of programming at 2:30 a.m. and continues on and off until 10:30 p.m. (even though it just hit me that they do also have a national "news" program from 11:00 - 11:30 p.m. which brings them up to the same 10 hours a day as the other two that I mentioned.

I live in Arkansas which is a very small state. However, our local affiliates feel that there is some sort of need for those of us in the state to be inundated with MASSIVE amounts of local news available to us all throughout the day. Really?

Listen friend, I'm here to tell you that there is NOT enough "news" going on in this small state to justify the local NBC affiliate airing a local "news program" from 5:00 - 7:00 a.m. as well as from noon - 1:00 p.m. and then again from 5:00 - 5:30, 6:00 - 6:30, 7:00 - 7:30 and again from 10:00 - 10:30 p.m. Too, the local ABC affiliate offers similar local programming from 4:30 - 7:00 a.m., 9:00 - 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. - Noon, 5:00 - 5:30 p.m., 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. and 10:00 - 10:30 p.m. Let's not forget the local CBS affiliate that offers the same type of "programming" beginning at 4:30 - 7:00 a.m. and then provides more from 9:00 - 9:30 a.m., Noon - 12:30 p.m., 5:00 - 5:30 p.m., 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. and again at 10:00 - 10:30 p.m.

Whew! That makes me tired just typing all of that!

My friend, this is INFORMATION OVERLOAD and I didn't even address the national "news programs" that are on off and on all day and night. And, yes, I put the words "news programs" in quotes for a reason and I will address that in the next podcast/article.

Remember, too, that we haven't even began to mention the so-called cable "news channels" that are on 24 hours a day.

HELP!

So, friend, what are you allowing in YOUR mind? What are you allowing to make a definite IMPACT upon your life and the lives of all that you have contact with on a daily basis? Remember the "ripple effect"?

Think about it - with the television turned off for a change and we'll continue this discussion tomorrow.

Until then, be sure to...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Your Information Diet

"YOUR INFORMATION DIET"

Simple task - tell me about your diet.

"Oh, but I'm not currently on a diet."

Sure you are. Tell me about it.

"No, see...you don't understand. I TRIED a diet but it didn't go very well so I quit."

Regardless, you are STILL on a diet. Whatever it is that you eat from day to day IS your diet! Now, when we look at it that way some of us might feel like crawling under a rock and hiding, right?

I hear people say, "I'm going to go on a diet" or "I'm going to start a diet" and, though I understand what they are trying to communicate, those words used are actually wrong.

The correct thing to say would be, "I'm going to CHANGE my diet" or "I'm going to IMPROVE my diet."

Get it?

Good!

Why is this so important? Well, first of all you can relax. We are NOT going to be talking about your nutritional diet in this series of discussions. We're going to be talking about your "mental diet" or your "information diet".

So, right off, let me ask you the same question that I asked before BUT this time in reference to your "mental or informational diet".

Tell me about your diet.

The thing is, most of us THINK we know about our "mental/informational diet" but, in reality we really have no idea.

It's time to find out!

Step one: FIND OUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE.

What do I mean by that? Simply go through your program guide (whatever or however that is available to you) and look through a 24 hour period and see how many "news programs" are on the air during that time period. However, DO NOT count your cable channels but ONLY count the "national" channels (NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX).

Seriously. Give it your best shot and see what you come up with.

I'll share mine with you during the next podcast/blog article. I thought I had a pretty good idea how saturated this type of programming was but I was still a bit shocked when I actually took the time to put it down on paper.

Do that and then come back tomorrow for the next entry on this topic and we'll see what you and I both do with what is available.

Until then...think about the old computer acrostic, "G.I.G.O" which stands for "garbage in, garbage out". It's a simple reminder that a computer is only as good as the programming. If you program "garbage" into the computer then guess what you'll get? GARBAGE!

The same is true when we think about our mindsets. Positive or negative?

Think about it.

And until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com