Your GREATEST Education

This is "Wide-Open Wednesday"...experience the EXCITEMENT of 

today's POSSIBILITY for YOU!

Following the process that I have done over the past two blogs and podcasts, I want to continue today by talking about another one of my "catch phrases" - this is one that you hear at the start of each of my podcasts: "Your greatest education takes place on the campus of your mind."

What do you think of when you read or hear the word, "education"? Most of us would think of an image like the one you find with this blog or, maybe, you have an image of a large building with large columns out front. You may even think about that certificate hanging on the wall of your doctor, lawyer or even your own wall that has a lot of letters following the name on that certificate.

Hey, can I be blunt? (Like I really need to ask your permission, right? Maybe I'm just giving fair warning that it's coming.) I've met a LOT of very DUMB "intellectual" people and I've also met a lot of SMART "uneducated" people - haven't you?

Sure, one may have a higher I.Q. than the other and one may do better on some sort of test than another but, let's get real here - education does NOT have to be confined to the classroom! As I discuss the first half of this catch phrase, I want to take a moment to consider that your GREATEST education is the education that you gain by living LIFE - each and every day.

We've all heard of the "school of hard knocks" and, there is a lot of TRUTH in that phrase, isn't there? You've likely also heard that "common sense is not so common" and, my guess is, you've likely seen that demonstrated by some of those around you as well.

LIFE IS TOUGH! There are "ups" and there are "downs" and, if you live long enough you realize that life goes in cycles with these ups and downs. So, as we continue to live and gain experience through these ups and downs we learn how to HANDLE these and how to pull through to the other side. The "low times" don't stay around for ever and, just as important for us to realize, the "high times/good times" don't always last forever either!

As we experience these things and go through life we should no longer be surprised or shocked at the cyclical nature of life, right? BUT HOW MANY STILL ARE and how many are still unprepared for this fact of life? Some people NEVER learn! 

Yeah, that's right - they FAIL in their education of life!

When I discuss the second half of this phrase I will talk about the importance of what we put in our minds and how it relates to making it through this cycle, so be sure to come back for that. But for now - ARE YOU LEARNING EVERY SINGLE DAY?

Each day is WIDE OPEN (yeah, I'm going back to the "tag line" for today) for us to absorb as much as we can. There is so much available for us... so many people just waiting to teach us a lesson. Wow, I'm sure when you just read that it may have struck you in a negative way. We don't like the idea or phrase, "I'm here to teach you a lesson" because it's usually some sort of threat. 

THINK ABOUT IT! If we will but open our eyes to the people that we come across each and every day we will realize (IF we open our eyes and are willing to see and learn) what a great opportunity we have to LEARN from so many....an endless and continuous supply!

Will you take advantage of this education? ARE YOU taking advantage of this education? If not, why not?

No, you won't necessarily get a certificate on your wall with your name on it and a bunch of letters behind it but you WILL be well educated in one of the toughest subjects that we ALL "take" - LIFE!

Again, be sure to join me tomorrow for the second half of this phrase as I discuss the importance of the "library" that we have in our mind. 

As always, be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with this (iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 or my RSS feed - http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml )

The opportunity for your greatest education awaits you TODAY...live and learn and, until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

YOU Decide!

It's "Turn-Around Tuesday"...what are YOU waiting for?

Get after it and TURN THINGS AROUND!

Yesterday I shared information behind my specific intentions with my catch phrase, "Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)" and then focused on the first part of that phrase - "Make Today AWESOME!".

So, guess what? Yup, you got it...I'm going to spend some time discussing the second half and encourage you to decide - YOU decide - to make it awesome!

I said it in the podcast and I said it in a "round-about way" in yesterday's blog - if you're waiting for someone to make you happy or to make your day, week, month, year or life AWESOME then, friend, you're going to be waiting for a very long time.

Again, don't get me wrong - I DO understand that there are people and even events or things that can bring happiness into our lives. But DO NOT MISS THIS POINT - you do not have to rely on other people or other things to be happy!

Do some people, pets and activities ADD TO our happiness and even give us a better quality of life? ABSOLUTELY! But, you can still be happy and you can STILL make your days AWESOME even if these things aren't present in your life at the moment.

It's a choice.Wow, like you've never heard me say THAT before, right?

Think about it - even the daily "tag" for today ("Turn-Around Tuesday") emphasizes this very idea. Stop WAITING, stop WHINING and stop EXPECTING someone else to do everything for you! Stop waiting/whining/expecting someone else to make your life better for you. Stop waiting/whining/expecting for the government to provide for you! (Again, I DO understand that there are situations that may require some of that help - but too many people are waiting, whining and expecting.) Have I made THAT point clear enough yet? :)

That's right - YOU have the ability to make the necessary changes in your life to make your day and life full of AWE. You.

Thank God for those people and occurrences that bring joy to your life but STOP waiting for those people/places/things to be what makes you happy.

Now, let's look at this from another practical side...if you are UNHAPPY and feel that your life is void of anything AWESOME and you are waiting for that special "someone" to make you happy (yeah, I've actually heard people say that EXACT phrase, "I wish I could find someone to make me happy!") then, guess what? You likely won't be the type of person that's going to attract anyone! Blunt, but true! You will come across as NEEDY because you ARE needy if this is how you approach life. You NEED someone else to make you happy.

Are you kidding me?

So, pure and simple - you want to be happy? YOU DECIDE! You want your day/week/month and year to be AWESOME? YOU DECIDE!

Need I say more? Nope.

Be sure to listen to the podcast on this topic (iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 or my RSS feed -  http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml ) and, as you continue down this path of personal development and improvement be sure to...

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

Make Today AWESOME!

Today is "Magical Monday"...Take advantage of YOUR magic today!

If you've read my blog for very long and if you've listened to my podcast for very long then you already know my "catch phrase" which is, "Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)".

I've mentioned in the past that I was very specific in the wording of this catch phrase and the meaning behind it. Let me touch on that once again before I get into the discussion on the first half of this phrase.

Too many people "settle" for the idea of "HAVING" a nice day. Think about it. How many times do you hear people say - or YOU say to another - "have a nice day!". Now, don't get me wrong! It's polite and it's nice but, I began to look at it as something you just "settle" for - HAVING a nice day. I don't know really how to explain it, but it's like, "Here....have this" and us, on this end saying, "Well, o.k...I guess I'll HAVE a nice day if you're offering it to me." Now, again, don't get upset with me on this if you say, "have a nice day" - NO BIGGIE.

However, I wanted to rephrase it in such a way that it emphasized the part that WE all play in the direction of our days - EVERY DAY! So, a few years back I came up with my catch phrase. Now you know if you didn't already. Now, THAT ALONE made this worthwhile, right? (Yeah, I'm smiling when I say that).

Seriously though, STOP WAITING for someone to bring the "magic" (yeah, Magical Monday, remember?) to your life, to your day and MAKE IT HAPPEN yourself! You've heard me say it or read it when I've written it - it's ALL a CHOICE!

I've also said this before - don't let the fact that I'm making this so simple cause you to skip over this. "Sometimes the PROFOUND can be FOUND in the simple!"

Who are you waiting for? What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting on? What are you waiting on? While you keep standing around WAITING the world is passing you by! The WORLD that is full of WONDER and all kinds of things and people that can TRULY create a sense of AWE in your day.

Be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with this topic (iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 or the RSS feed - http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml ).

Hey friend, would you do me a favor? If you find value/benefit in this blog and/or my podcast, would you please share them with someone? I'd appreciate it and I say, "Thank you!" in advance.

Today IS "magical" and today IS full of all kinds of awe-inspiring things ... things that will truly make your day AWESOME.

Wait a minute, I thought you said NOTHING can make it awesome for me? Nothing did. YOU did when you decided to open your eyes and take it all in!

Keep looking and absorbing and enjoying and, as you do so, continue to...

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

The Power of Thinking POSITIVELY

Today is "FUN FRIDAY!" Whatever you do - SMILE and have some FUN!

You may or may not have heard of and/or read the book by Norman Vincent Peale entitled, "The Power of Positive Thinking". If you've not read it I would strongly encourage you to do so as well as read ANY book written by the late Norman Vincent Peale - you'll be encouraged and glad that you did!

Is there actual POWER behind thinking in a positive way? YES!

It has been proven in the medical world how powerful a person's positive attitude is when going into surgery or facing an illness. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! And, on the opposite end, it also has a negative difference when someone goes into such a situation with a sense of hopelessness or negativity.

IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

I'll have to be honest with you - right now as I put this article together I am having a MAJOR struggle with thinking positively. There just seems to be all kinds of "forces" pulling at me from all different directions and attacking me from all sides. And, friend, as you very likely know - IT AIN'T EASY when you seem to be getting bombarded in such a way.

So, what do you do? Do you just give up, give in and develop an NEGATIVE and sour attitude? Sure, that's the EASY thing to do...it's the path of least resistance...but it's not the right thing to do for anyone that wants to IMPROVE their day as well as have a positive impact on those around them.

There apparently was an old song (and by old I do mean OLDER than I even remember!) that was entitled, "Accentuate the Positive (and Eliminate the Negative)". Yeah, I'm right - OLD! I just checked on it and it was written back in 1944  by Johnny Mercer. Apparently it was written after Mr. Mercer heard a sermon that had that line emphasized as the main point and he thought it would make a powerful lyric. IT DID and it STILL DOES!

Bottom line: WE HAVE A CHOICE! That's it. We can either focus on and "accentuate" the positive OR we can focus on and "accentuate" the negative. It really just boils down to being that simple.

I was talking with a group of teens the other night that were all worked up about a change that was about to take place among them.This was a change that, at least for that day, they could really do nothing about and wasn't going to happen for a few more days. I told them that they had a choice to make. One, they could continue on with their negative attitude that they were freely sharing with each other about the topic and allow that to continue to build and build and build OR they could realize that there was nothing they could do about the situation at the time and to just "drop it" and begin to focus on something more positive. They chose the positive route (thank goodness!) and the rest of the day/evening was much better than it would have been if they had stayed on the negative course.

Which path will YOU choose? Think about where that path will lead you during the course of your day and/or evening. What good can come of following the negative path? Seriously. What will be the result along the way and at the end of the day?

Friend, there IS power in thinking positively and I encourage you to FIGHT the path of least resistance and do whatever it takes to keep your mind and attitude pointed in the POSITIVE direction!

And, as you do so, be sure to...

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

I Can! I Will! I MUST!

Today is "Thankful Thursday"...remember and express YOUR thanks!

We've come to the last of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful, Daily Affirmations" with, "I CAN! I WILL! I MUST!"

If you haven't done so already, be sure to go back and "catch up" on the previous 6 Daily Affirmations that I've covered so far so that you can understand this last affirmation. Seriously, "I can, will and must WHAT?" That's kind of funny to me - think about it. You need to have an idea of what I'm talking about, right?

As important as it is to stand in front of a mirror and affirm these things on a daily basis it is equally if not of MORE importance to have this last one down with a FIRM BELIEF... "I CAN! I WILL! I MUST!"

Go back to that very first affirmation - the building block or foundational principle of all of the remaining six - and understand that, indeed, you CAN because of WHO YOU ARE... one that has been made in the IMAGE OF GOD! Then, understanding that you must determine that, not only are you ABLE to accomplish this task, but that you WILL do so!

PAY ATTENTION HERE... your passion must be such in this that you must also believe deep down that it is a NECESSITY and that it is something that you MUST achieve and accomplish!

If you've lost that passion then you might want to go back and "re-discover" your "WHY" - the REASON that you began this journey in the first place. Whatever it was, there was a REAL REASON as to WHY you wanted/needed to make a change in your life and, perhaps, for the lives of your family. WHAT WAS IT? Is it STILL a need today? Is it STILL a necessity today? Is it STILL a PASSION today?

If not, why not? What has changed? Has anything changed?

If nothing has changed - if things are the same as they were when you decided something needed to change - then you MUST ask yourself and determine if you are treating this as the NECESSITY that you felt it was in the beginning. Right?

DO NOT GIVE UP! This is something that is designed to BETTER your life and perhaps better the life of your family. And, as a result, it is also something that CAN (and should) enable you to better the lives of others that you may or may not know. (Remember, "Be a GIVER Not a TAKER!").

Hey friend...keep moving, don't give up, keep your eyes on your WHY and keep your eyes on your goals and dreams. You CAN! You WILL! You MUST!

And, as you do so, be sure to...

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

Mike

Start TODAY!

It's "Wide-Open Wednesday"...your world awaits!

Today we get into #6 of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful, Daily Affirmations" which is, "I WILL take steps on this journey TODAY!"

I've said it many times before - over and over again - TODAY is the MOST IMPORTANT day that you have. Why? Because it's the ONLY day that you have! Yet it seems that many of us have a hard time remembering that and an easy time forgetting that.

Remember, we can talk all we want but until we do something TODAY to move us TOWARD those goals and dreams that we talk about - it amounts to NOTHING! We can dream all we want to dream. We can plan all we want to plan. We can go to all the seminars we want and listen to and/or buy all of the inspirational materials we want. But until we decide to start putting things into MOTION/ACTION today - it amounts to nothing!

So, as you go through these 7 Daily Affirmations, realize that it is a NECESSITY for you (us) to finally "get out of the boat" and take steps on this journey. TODAY!

Too many people seem to like the IDEA of success but are unwilling to take the steps necessary to get them TO that success.

That's pretty powerful if I do say so myself! Re-read it and think about it. It IS true!

Yeah, I know this is a short article but, honestly, what more can I say about this step? Be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with this topic and you'll hear a little more (iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 and/or the RSS feed: http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml ).

TODAY - stop waiting, stop putting it off, STOP PROCRASTINATING and DO SOMETHING to get you moving down that road to success!

And, as you do so, be sure to...

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

Mike

Be a GIVER!

Don't forget, it's "Turn-Around Tuesday!" Stop complaining and start making the CHANGES necessary to turn your life around beginning TODAY!

Today I want to continue my thoughts on #5 of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful Daily Affirmations" which is, "Be a GIVER NOT A TAKER!"

In yesterday's blog article I discussed the negative side of this equation - being a TAKER. If you haven't done so, be sure to go back and read the article as well as listen to the podcast that goes along with it (iTunes = http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739  OR RSS feed = http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml ).

Today I want to focus on the POSITIVE side of this equation and one that all of us can improve on each and every day - "BE A GIVER!"

Giving - for the most part - seems to go against our "human nature". Read yesterday's article and see what I mean. For whatever reason it seems that we are born with this sense of "mine" and "me". So, the bottom line is this - BEING SELFISH IS EASY and being SELFLESS is HARD and takes DISCIPLINE!

The truth is this: anything that goes against the "norm" is not easy but, when it comes to improving your life and the lives of those around you, it IS worth the effort. Isn't it?

Jesus Himself said, in Matthew 20: 25b-28... "...but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Again, this goes against everything that we are "fed" from early childhood and it IS hard to combat but combat it we MUST! We can also read in the last part of Acts 20:35... "...And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”. I KNOW you've heard that one before, right? And, the one that we have labeled as "The Golden Rule" can be found in Matthew 7:12... (paraphrase from different translations) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Some, thinking it humorous, have taken this "golden rule" and have changed it up to things such as, "Do to unto others and then RUN!" or "Do unto others before they have a chance to do unto you!". And, yes, it IS a little humorous but, the fact that so many live by THESE versions of the "golden rule" really is a bit sad.

I believe it was  Zig Ziegler that said, "If you help enough people get what they want, you'll get what you want." (or some very similar quote). Have YOU tried this?

Why not start TODAY putting this theory to the test? Why not put this to the test EXPECTING NOTHING in return, and see what happens?

Why not do this for ANYBODY and EVERYBODY that you come into contact today? Why not do this, not only for your boss, but also for the person that drops your mail off at your desk or empties your trash at night while you are gone?

"Be a GIVER, not a TAKER!".

Easier said than done but well worth the effort!

Until next time, be sure to...

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

Don't Be a TAKER

Today is "Magical Monday"...isn't it time YOU created a little 'magic' in YOUR day?

Today I will continue going through my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful Daily Affirmations" by discussing #5: "I AM A GIVER - not a taker!"

Now, if you haven't done so, be sure to go back to last week's blog articles and podcast to catch up with the first four and - specifically - the very first, foundational principle/building block affirmation. THIS IS A MUST in order for the others to really have any validity, purpose or focus.

We have grown so accustomed to the idea that "the customer is always right" and "Have it YOUR way" that we have begun to think that WE are the MOST IMPORTANT person in the universe and that the whole universe revolves around us as a result. Uh...here's your wake up call = NOT TRUE!

I honestly get really tired of watching people - kids, teens and even adults - that seem to live their lives really believing that they ARE actually the center of the universe. Seriously, it's quite sickening!

Sometimes it begins when parents - as parents do - just "ooh and ahhh" over their precious little ones. Hey, there is nothing wrong with that! I have a precious little granddaughter that is the apple of my eye and I will proudly tell anyone that will listen -- sometimes even if they AREN'T listening! But, the problem starts when this never stops. Make sense?

When our children continue to be told that they are so special to the point that we give them the idea that they are better than everyone else and when we keep giving them stuff and stuff and stuff then, guess what? They begin to BELIEVE it and EXPECT it! And, some people NEVER grow past that and end up STILL believing and expecting that even as adults.

I said the following to a group of teens not too long ago: "You can tell how focused on self a person is by listening to how many times they say 'I' or 'me' in a conversation." to which one young lady (who is absolutely focused on self) answered, "I don't think I really talk about me that much!" Notice the use of the words "I' and "me" used in that short little sentence?

Now do you see why I think it is important for not only YOU to get in the habit of saying these affirmations out loud to yourself, but also for your KIDS to do so (if you have them)? We need to plant this seed DEEP and EARLY so that it can take root and be TRUE in the lives of our young people as they grow and develop!

You will find that every great leader (the "non-blood thirsty ones" anyway) has always promoted the idea of serving others and putting the interest of others ahead of ourselves. I'm sure that some of you almost cringed just reading that -- it is so foreign to what we are told and taught by so many forces around us every day (have you WATCHED commercials lately?).  The next time you sit and watch commercials notice the WHY they want you to believe in order to get you to buy their product. Why? Because YOU deserve nothing but the best and, by the way, their product IS the best!

This is getting a little longer than I had planned and I haven't even gotten started yet so I will continue these thoughts tomorrow. So far in this article we have noticed and focused on the PROBLEM of being nothing but a "GETTER". Tomorrow we will focus on the other end of this spectrum...being a GIVER!

Be thinking about this and, yes, make that painful self-examination that we all need to make from time to time to see how much "ME" is a part of our daily activity.

Begin now directing your focus to being a GIVER and not a GETTER and, until next time, whatever you do, be sure to...

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

Say It and BELIEVE It!

This is "FUN FRIDAY!" - Enjoy your day and don't forget to SMILE and SHARE that smile!

This week we have looked at the first four of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful Daily Affirmations" and, today, I want to take a look back and check your progress.

One of the EASIEST things to do is to TALK about what you want to do or need to do and then to NEVER do it! Hey, we see this every day, right? You can easily spot it in those that are around you but, the fact is, it's also easy for us to spot it in ourselves but we just don't want to ADMIT it about ourselves!

It's EASY to say, "I'll start doing these affirmations TOMORROW" and to keep repeating that each and every time we are blessed with a new day. Bottom line - it never gets done and our lives remain the same while we scratch our heads and wonder why nothing is changing.

DUH!

So, truthfully, how are you doing with this so far? Are you actually TRYING this out to see if, perhaps, it WILL make a difference in your day? If not, WHY NOT?

Don't just give it the four days that have passed so far! Try it for a solid month and see if, for one, it doesn't get easier to do and, secondly, if it doesn't start becoming something that you begin to FEEL in your day.

I can promise you that there are many of you that are reading this that have a hard time BELIEVING these affirmations. You feel foolish saying them because you don't believe them in the first place. DO IT ANYWAY and say it ANYWAY and see if your belief about these things and yourself don't begin to change.

THEY WILL!

But you MUST say these things repeatedly (DAILY) and you must allow yourself to BELIEVE them to be true - even if you're not 100% sure in the beginning.

Beginning Monday I will continue with the remaining three affirmations but, instead of waiting until I've covered all seven, I wanted to do a "check up" on what I've covered with you so far this week.

Write them out or print them out and post them on or right next to your mirror and then SAY THEM and BELIEVE THEM! It WILL make a difference.

Until next time...

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

Mike

YOU Determine the Size of Your Dreams

Today is "Thankful Thursday" - think of all for which you have to be thankful and EXPRESS that thanks today!

I hope that you've been able to follow along with this week's podcast and blog articles as I've shared and discussed my 7 Daily Affirmations that I came up with back in the summer of 2008. Again, it is important for all of us to understand that the very first affirmation serves as the "building block" or foundational principle for all of the others that follow.

YES, it IS important for you to do this each and every day and as one of the first things you DO in your day. I also strongly suggest that you do this in front of a mirror if at all possible. You will be astounded at the impact of doing this while looking yourself in the eyes will have on you. Try it, you'll see what I mean.

Today I want to remind you of the fact that YOUR dreams are YOUR dreams! The actual affirmation goes like this: "I will not allow ANYONE to determine the size of my dreams! THEY ARE MINE!"

Sounds simple enough, right? Yet, too many have let their dreams go due to the influence of others around them. Others who did not DARE dream the big dreams but were more than ready to destroy the dreams of others. It happens every day and, friend, it has likely either happened to you or you are aware of those that have tried to do that with YOUR dreams. Remember, they are YOUR dreams and, that being so, no on - NO ONE - has the right or ability to decide how big they should be or what they should be!

This gets really difficult when the "dream stealer" is a family member - especially a spouse. I've read and heard others ask the question, "What do I do if my husband/wife..." and they go on to describe how their spouse is not only unsupportive but actually actively tries to destroy that dream.

I'll be honest with you...I don't have an answer for you on how you handle that. Some would suggest that you simply leave that spouse and move on without them and maybe even try to find someone else that would share in your dreams. However, I am a firm believer in marriage for life so I would suggest that you try to find another solution if at all possible. Now then, they may NEVER jump on board with you and your dreams and that will be when you really find out how important your dreams are to you as well as how strong your passion is for those dreams.

Too, I've noticed that some times - not in all situations but in more than most want to admit - the problem sometimes lies within the dreamer and their failure to bring their spouse along with them from the beginning. Hey, listen - if you are in a marriage, it is IMPORTANT that you share your hopes and dreams and that you share your desire to go after them. Right? Too many people keep these things to themselves and then spring some investment or whatever on their spouse "out of the blue". Hey, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

So, if you've already made the mistake of NOT bringing your spouse along with you or did not share with your spouse from the beginning then, friend, you have a problem on your hands to which you must find a solution.

But, bottom line, whatever you do, DO NOT allow others to destroy your dreams and convince you that you are dreaming too big and that you are not able to accomplish what you have set out to accomplish. (Go back and read and listen to the preceding affirmations on this).

DREAM BIG and make NO EXCUSES to those that lack the ability to dream. By all means, share with your spouse and make every effort to bring them along with you but know this: sometimes the life of a dreamer is a lonely life! But, again, this is when you discover how "real" and important your dreams are to you.

Just imagine what our world would be like if it weren't for the dreamers that never gave up.

Keep on dreaming and, until next time, whatever you do, be sure to...

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

Mike

You Are Able to TOUCH and CHANGE Lives

Today is "Wide-Open Wednesday"...what will YOU do with today's wide-open opportunity?

So far this week we have discussed two of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful Daily Affirmations" and, as you might guess, I will be continuing on with the third of these seven in today's article. For those that have yet to listen to the podcast that goes along with all of this, I'll go ahead and share with you the total list of all seven before I continue today's thought. Here we go:

1: I am somebody SPECIAL!

2: I AM ABLE to accomplish GREAT things!

3: I AM ABLE to TOUCH and CHANGE many lives for the better!

4: I will not allow ANYONE to determine the size of my dreams1 THEY ARE MINE!

5: I AM A GIVER - not a taker!

6: I WILL take steps on this journey TODAY!

7: I CAN! I WILL! I MUST!

Again, if you have not listened to or read the previous topics (the first two affirmations) before now, take a few moments and do that. Why is this important? Because the very first affirmation is the BUILDING BLOCK and FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE upon which the remaining six affirmations are built.

Because of WHO you are (one created in the image of God) you are, indeed somebody special! And, based on this fact you ARE able to accomplish "great" things and, among those great things is your ability to TOUCH and CHANGE the lives of those around you that you come into contact with each and every day.

Take a moment and just think about all of the people that you have had more than just a "passing connection" with over the past five years. I'm not talking about those people that you came into contact just once (those would be the "passing connection" people I mentioned - although you DID have an impact on them as well!) but those that you come into contact maybe even two or three times in a week.

The waiter/waitress at your favorite restaurant, the garage attendant at your parking garage, your doorman, your co-workers, your friends at church, your spouse's family, your family, your children, friends of your children and on and on we could go. Think about that just for a moment and try to come up with an estimate of how many different people you've had contact with, like these, over the past five years.

My guess is that you will likely come up with a larger number than you would have thought in the beginning. Now, double that number and then triple it. Why do that? Because, whether we realize it or not, the impact we make on other people is transferred to  people that THEY come into contact with in THEIR daily lives!

WOW! When you think of it this way you do, indeed, have impact on far more lives that we can even begin to imagine! Here's the kicker - that impact can be either NEGATIVE or POSITIVE!

What impact would you say that you "generally" have on those around you? Oh, I know we all have days when we are a bit short with people and maybe aren't as positive as we normally are. That happens. But friend, what IS your "norm"?

Listen, when you even just consider the impact you make upon hundreds - if not thousands - of lives just from the impact upon your children, it can be almost overwhelming. Your children and all of those that they connect with throughout their school years and even through college as well as the co-workers that they will have in their career. Combine that with their friends and then their own children (your grandchildren) and on and on it goes.

WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU MAKING TODAY?

You see friend, it is not about HUGE and MIGHTY things when we discuss this. Sure, it CAN be and you MAY touch many lives in ways that not many can or do but - DON'T MISS THIS POINT - your ability to touch and change many lives for the better begins right now and right where you are. TODAY.

We must stop waiting for some great opportunity before we touch lives and realize that this opportunity is here before us this very day. NOW.

So, touch and change the lives of those that you come into contact with today and every day and just imagine how far-reaching that impact will be and then smile as you go about your day.

And, as you do so...

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

Mike

YOU Can Do GREAT Things!

Today is "Turn-Around Tuesday"...stop waiting and TURN YOUR life AROUND TODAY!

Today I want to continue our discussion on my "7 Daily, Powerful, Life-Changing Affirmations" that I put together back in August of 2008. Yesterday we discussed my 1st of these 7, "I am somebody special!" and, today, I'd like to continue with the second one: "I am able to accomplish great things!".

Remember, the first of these seven that I covered yesterday is the FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLE on which all of the other six are based upon. Everything else comes from - and because of - this first and most important daily affirmation, "I am somebody special" and the reasoning behind it which I discusses yesterday.

Once we can at least make a move toward accepting and believing that, indeed, we ARE somebody special, then we can move on to the second of these seven, "I am able to accomplish great things!"

WHY? HOW? We can because, first and foremost, of WHO we are! Remember, we are made in the image of God and, that alone, qualifies us for greatness REGARDLESS of what kind of lives we have lived in the past! DO NOT MISS THAT POINT....even if we were mistreated in our lives as children and raised in a very negative - and even abusive - environment, we STILL have the OPPORTUNITY to turn things around and begin to live a life with a focus on the POSITIVE.

What IS "greatness"? Obviously, for some people in our world, it means achieving the very best that their chosen field has to offer whether that be President of the United States or any other top level of achievement that is available to them. But, for some of us, it may not mean anything like that.

How much money does it take for you to be "great"? How many people have to know who you are in order for you to be "great"? How many times does your name have to appear in print in order for you to be "great"? Friend, these things have absolutely NOTHING to do with "greatness"!

You achieve GREATNESS by what you do with your life every day of your life. That's right...not quite as grandiose as some would have you believe, right?

You achieve GREATNESS by being the best husband and father that you can be or the best wife and mother you can be. You achieve GREATNESS by being the best friend, employee or employer that you can be. You achieve GREATNESS by being a person of HONOR in all of the above mentioned areas!

Now, this does not mean that you CANNOT or WILL NOT achieve "greatness" in your chosen field, but don't limit yourself to that line of thinking.

Here's the KEY POINT I want to make sure you get in all of this (be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with this topic: http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml (RSS feed)
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 (iTunes) ...

...you are able to achieve GREATNESS because of WHO you are (one made in the image of God) and not because of the positive or negative that those around you have said to you in relation to who you are.

EXAMPLE: You are NOT doomed to failure just because someone may have told you that you are worthless and that you would NEVER amount to anything! But, on the other side of the spectrum, you are NOT guaranteed success just because someone told you that you were the greatest thing in the world! Now, true, it is much better and more conducive for success to have that positive feedback rather than the negative but, again, you have the ability to achieve great things in your life because of WHO YOU ARE from the start!

Do NOT sell yourself short! Do NOT listen to those that would tell you that you should settle for less! Do NOT listen to those that would tell you that you must make a choice between your chosen passion and your family in order to be a success!

God has blessed you with everything that you need in order to do and accomplish "great" things! Use that, develop that, use the good sense the Good Lord has given you to take advantage of this unbelievable age that we live in today that offers so many opportunities for success for those that are willing to step out and go for it.

Just remember, as you do so, you do so as a person of HONOR.

"I am able to accomplish great things!"

As you continue along this path, always be sure to...

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

YOU Are Special!

Today is "Magical Monday"...be sure to use the magic that is YOU, today!

Today I wanted to begin sharing with you my "7 Daily, Powerful, Life-Changing Affirmations" that I came up with back in August 2008. I've done this in the past, but it's been a while and I thought that maybe it was time to break these down again and encourage you to use these in your own life.

#1: I AM SOMEBODY SPECIAL!

This is the foundational principle for all of the 7 affirmations that I have put together. It is important that we start with this basic premise in order to move on through the other six that remain. If you can't grasp this concept and begin to believe it to be true for you then you simply will not be able to utilize the other affirmations that are to follow. It's as simple as that.

The fact is, you ARE somebody special if, for no other reason, you are on this earth and are a living, breathing person. Why is that important? Because, this truth BEING truth means and indicates that you were created by God and, according to the Word of God, made in God's own image! Do NOT miss this point! Oh, I know there are some of you out there that choose to not believe this and that's o.k. However, it will not deter me from stating what I believe to be truth and a truth that can make a major impact in your life!

You were created BY God and, as I've said before, GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK! Think about that and know it to be true in your own life.

Now, yes, people can and often DO make quite a mess out of their lives and, yes, there are people that are evil and have chosen to LIVE a life of junk. But, remember, it is THEIR CHOICE. Sure, they may have had a tough childhood, etc. but, at some point, they had the opportunity to make choices for themselves and, sadly, many people have chosen to continue with their "junky life" and use anything and everything as an excuse as to why this is true for them.

BUT NOT YOU!

You have chosen to understand and realize that you DO, indeed, have a choice and you HAVE CHOSEN to strive to make something better of your life. How do I know this? Because you are reading these words and, my friend, if you were choosing a life of junk you would NOT be spending time here with me. I know that for a fact!

You ARE somebody special and, that being the case, there is something SPECIAL for you to share with those around you that ONLY YOU can share! There is no one else like you - YOU are the ONLY YOU!

I read something along these lines not too long ago: "You may not be somebody in this world but, to somebody, you ARE their world!"

Wow, that is powerful!

Look yourself in the mirror and say with confidence, "I AM SOMEBODY SPECIAL!" Hey, friend, this may make you feel uncomfortable and you may not even want to believe it. However, if you will get in the habit of saying this to yourself at LEAST once a day while looking at yourself in the mirror and if you will continue to remember the things I've shared with you here, you WILL begin to accept this as TRUTH because, quite honestly, that's exactly what it is - TRUTH!

You ARE somebody SPECIAL and don't you ever forget it!

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

Mike

The APPLICATION of FAITH

It's "FUN FRIDAY"! Get out there and LIVE life and have FUN doing it!

All week long we have been talking about faith and, for the most part, have used the Biblical definition of faith found in Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen."  I've also been using this definition as an application for us as we strive to reach our goals and dreams that we have set for ourselves. Again, if you've not done so, I encourage you to go back and catch up with the blog AND the podcast (iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 and the RSS feed: http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml ) before reading today's article.

Today I want to make some spiritual observations and discuss the APPLICATION of FAITH. Sure, you can also apply this to reaching your personal goals and dreams because, again, you can believe something all you want, you can have FAITH that something WILL happen but, until you step out and take ACTION - NOTHING will happen! Again, I'd love to get some feedback from you on today's article either here, via e-mail (mike@futureyouuniversity.com) or on our FB fan page (www.facebook.com/futureyouuniversity).

Once, when I was a young boy, I heard a sermon on the topic of faith. And, in that sermon, I heard it said that with faith I could do anything. Anything? Yes, from what I understood, ANYTHING. So, I decided to test this out and, going into my back yard, tried to pull a full grown tree up out of the ground by putting my little arms as far around that tree as I could which, obviously, wasn't very far around. Guess what? Are you ready for this? That tree stayed put and I wore myself out.

In 1 Corinthians 13:11 Paul says the following: "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things." Now, at the time of the above-mentioned incident, I was definitely a child and I definitely understood the concept of faith as a child would. And, thankfully, I do believe I've matured spiritually to the point that I have a better understanding of this concept of "faith". Notice that I didn't say that I understood it completely. Big difference and I hope you'll NEVER hear me say ANYTHING along the lines of me having it all figured out.

Repeating what was said earlier in the week, "Faith is NOT careless living!" and, to go along with that, "Faith is NOT a magic wand!" Let's look at a great example of the application of faith found in the Bible in Matthew 14: 22-33. I'm not going to "cut and paste" the scripture for you but I'm going to "sum up" what is being found there. I hope that you'll have the opportunity to take a look at it for yourself to see that what I'm saying does, indeed, go right along with what is written there.

When you read the preceding verses you will find that there has been a LOT going on for Jesus and His followers. And, as He would often do, Jesus told his disciples (followers) to go on ahead of Him and that He would join them a little later so that He could spend some alone time in prayer. While He was doing so a storm came up with a lot of wind and it began to toss the boat that the disciples were in quite violently to the point that they feared for their lives.

Sometime around 3 - 6 a.m. (the fourth watch of the night) these frightened disciples looked out on the water and saw what they believed to be a ghost! Think about that for a moment...you're fighting to keep water out of your boat and, among all the hustle and bustle and panic, you look out and see a ghost! I don't know about WALKING on the water but I'm thinking I may have begun RUNNING on TOP of the water and in the opposite direction!

In one of several humorous understatements that I believe are found in the translations of the Bible, we read that they "cried out for fear". Now, maybe that is not an understatement but, if you're like me and many others, we READ it as an understatement. Seriously, put yourself in that situation as much as you can and consider how YOU would sound as YOU "cried out for fear". I'm thinking they were screaming their heads off like a boat load of school girls! Mike's translation reads, "THEY WERE FREAKING OUT!"

What did Jesus do? Did He play tricks on them by appearing on one side of the boat and then - BAM - switching sides? Did He say, "Boo!"? Nope. The Bible states that IMMEDIATELY - and, friends, I think that is a KEY POINT that we should always remember - He began to try to calm them down by telling them NOT to be afraid because it was Him, not a ghost, but Him.

Now, one of the disciples - PETER - once realizing that it was Jesus (this same Jesus that Peter had seen do many miracles) replied, (and I paraphrase), "O.k., if it's really you, tell me to come out there with you!". I don't think this was a taunt or a "prove it to me" type of thing. Peter KNEW who Jesus was and he KNEW that he would be safe with Jesus but he wanted that "substance of things hoped for" to be based on TRUTH!

Jesus said, "Come on!" and Peter had a decision to make. He could stay in the boat that was in danger of sinking or, not really knowing how it would work, he could step out and go to Jesus who he KNEW could do things that had never been seen or done before.

Peter had to "put his money where his mouth was" (a trait that Peter exhibited quite often) and make a decision. Look again at that definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR (Peter's hope was that, by getting out of that boat, he would be safe with Jesus) and the EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN" (Peter also knew that, even though he had NEVER seen anyone walk on top of the water like Jesus was doing, there was EVIDENCE in the fact that, indeed, Jesus WAS doing just that and, again, that he - Peter - had seen EVIDENCE of Jesus' mighty miracles).

Look at verse 29 - "....and when Peter came down out of the boat..." Notice it says Peter and not, "Peter and the other disciples". Just Peter. And he did it - he got out of the boat and began to walk - ON TOP OF THE WATER - toward Jesus.

Yes, once he noticed the big waves around him, he became afraid and he DID sink. However, do NOT miss the following points: He was the ONLY one that trusted in Jesus enough to put their FAITH into ACTION and to get out of the boat and, secondly, even though he "failed" (according to some) and began to sink, Jesus still rescued him and walked him back to the boat, safe and sound.

SPIRITUAL APPLICATION: Friend, it's one thing to SAY what we believe. It's one thing to try to convince those around us of our faith in God and His Son, Jesus. But, it's not what we say, it's what we DO - what we SHOW by the lives that we live - that truly demonstrate our FAITH!

Too, for ourselves, we can try to convince OURSELVES that we have a great amount of faith but, without ever putting it into action (getting out of the boat) we're just fooling ourselves. Fact is, we are the only ones being fooled because those around us are likely NOT being fooled when they see our ACTIONS speaking louder than our WORDS.

Hey friend, I'm still working on stepping out of that boat more often than I do and I want to encourage you to keep on growing in YOUR faith in the one we call JESUS.

As we work to walk more in FAITH, I want to encourage you to...

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

Mike

The EVIDENCE of FAITH

Today is "Thankful Thursday"...Be aware and EXPRESS your thanks TODAY!

If you've not been following the blog this week, be sure to go back and catch up beginning with Monday's article - each article this week has built and been an extension of the previous day's article.

Although I've been mostly using the Bible's definition of faith found in Hebrews 11:1, ("Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.") I have been making applications about our experiences as we try to get closer to reaching our goals and dreams. Is there a spiritual application to be made? Absolutely! And I will be sharing some thoughts on that in Friday's article entitled, "The APPLICATION of Faith".

Yesterday we discussed the SUBSTANCE of FAITH and realized that faith is NOT "careless living" and even though faith does not demand proof there is SUBSTANCE behind the actions we take based on our faith. Again, if you've not read yesterday's article, be sure to do so in order to get the "connection" between the two.

According to that Biblical definition shared above, not only is there SUBSTANCE to faith but there is also EVIDENCE involved. Remember, I'll be discussing the spiritual aspects of this on Friday, but even for today's thoughts some of you may have a hard time connecting the idea of "evidence" with "faith".

Let me ask you a question that hopefully will clarify this dilemma. Why would ANYONE jump out of a perfectly good airplane - especially for fun??? Yeah, it's called "parachuting" and people do it all of the time. Believe it or not, even though I am very afraid of heights, there is a part of me that wants to experience this before I die. Thing is, I'm worried I just might die of a heart attack from the shock as soon as I am pushed out of that plane! (That's right - PUSHED!).

Are you 100% sure that the parachute is going to open? NOPE.  Is there a chance that it WON'T open or that it won't open correctly and that you could either be killed or seriously injured? YUP!

So, jumping out of an airplane, even WITH a parachute on your back, demands a bit of faith on your part, does it not? And, that FAITH is based on the EVIDENCE that, more often than not, the parachute WILL WORK! If you really don't believe that it will open - if you don't have FAITH that it will open - you will NEVER jump out of that plane unless you're more certain that you will die if you remain ON that plane. Right?

So it is as we move toward our goals and dreams. Even though it may seem like a far stretch (remember, it IS important to push ourselves and to "stretch" with these endeavors) for you to achieve whatever it is that you have set up as your goal/dream, you do it anyway.  However, along with the SUBSTANCE that we discussed yesterday, there should also be some EVIDENCE to go along with your faith or belief that you can and/or WILL achieve success.

Chances are that you have been shown or have seen others that have done the same thing that you are trying to accomplish and they have been successful in doing so. They don't just TALK about it, they've DONE it!

Is there any guarantee that the same success awaits you? NOPE. Is there a chance that you will fall short of your goals/dreams and that you could even lose some or a lot of money along the way and fail miserably? YUP.

But, based on the SUBSTANCE that we talked about yesterday, mixed in with the EVIDENCE that we have talked about today, you still have to step out on FAITH, believing that this, too, can be true for you IF you are willing to put out the effort necessary (the evidence of others will point this out to you) to make it happen.

So, yes, even with SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE, moving in this way still demands FAITH!

I'd love to hear your comments about this topic and on what has been shared this week. You can contact me directly via e-mail (mike@futureyouuniversity.com) OR via the website (http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/ or http://www.michaelspillman.com/ ) or by leaving a message here on this blog OR by leaving a message on our fan page (www.facebook.com/futureyouuniversity) . I really would prefer you to leave it on the fan page but I would love to hear from you in any of these ways.

I hope you'll join me again tomorrow as I make the spiritual application to all of this. Until then, as you go through your day, be sure to...

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

Mike

The SUBSTANCE of FAITH

Today is "WIDE-OPEN WEDNESDAY"! It's "wide-open" for YOU to take that leap of FAITH!

Faith vs. Reason. Is that the way it has to be when we talk about FAITH?  I'd say "yes" and "no".

There IS a solid place in our lives for "reason". There are decisions that we make in our lives that MUST involve reason or "reasoning", and well thought out reasoning at that!

So, right off, please don't misinterpret what it is that I'm going to say in today's article. By NO MEANS am I saying that you need to throw "reason/reasoning" out the door. Too many people already misunderstand the idea of "stepping out in faith" and have made some very foolish (and harmful) moves in their lives.

FAITH IS NOT CARELESS LIVING! Make sure you get that point. As a matter of fact, if you'll go back to yesterday's podcast and blog article you'll remember that, according to the Biblical definition found in Hebrews 11:1, "...faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen."

SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE. Understanding this will help prevent careless living and careless decisions.

It almost makes my head spin when I think of how many people I hear say something along the lines of, "Well, you gotta' have faith!" or "Sometimes you just have to step out in faith" or even, "Sometimes you just have to JUMP!"

Again, please don't misunderstand. YES, there comes a time when ALL of these phrases are necessary and TRUE! But, first, make sure you have the SUBSTANCE and the EVIDENCE that is used in the very definition of faith before you make that jump.

THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR:

How much "weight" does this "passion" of yours carry? Another way to ask that is simply, "How IMPORTANT is this passion of yours?" How DETERMINED are you to achieve this goal or dream? Do you have what it takes to stick it out until you reach your goal? Do you have what it takes to carry it out and fulfill it once you achieve it?

Let me use an example from an old television show called, "The Beverly Hillbillies". Do you remember Jethro? (How can you FORGET Jethro if you ever saw the show?). Let's just say that ol' Jethro wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, o.k.? Do you remember what it was that Jethro wanted to have as a profession? Here we go - a BRAIN SURGEON. Of course, the comedic aspect of this was that there was no way in the world that Jethro would ever be able to become a brain surgeon! So, in my way of thinking, there was NO SUBSTANCE to his plan. Make sense?

Yes, it is important to STRETCH and CHALLENGE ourselves in our attempts to better our lives. Think just a moment about those last few words in the previous sentence... "better our lives". If we plan to BETTER our lives then it DEMANDS that we do something DIFFERENT so that we don't keep it the same, right? Doing something DIFFERENT demands a different mindset and approach which means we must "stretch" and challenge ourselves in order to do so.

But, at the same time (and this is part of the "reasoning") our goals and dreams must have "substance" in that it is something that we can actually achieve. Make sense? Hey, I love the NBA but at 52 years of age and also due to my lack of ability there is NO WAY IN THE WORLD that I can become a member of a professional basketball team in the NBA...no matter HOW MUCH I want it or regardless of how many pictures I put up on my "dream board".

Now, once you figure something out that has "substance" for your life (a real passion and something that you feel that you were BORN TO DO) then, YES, stretch yourself and be surprised at how far PAST your expections you landed.

I hope this makes sense...give me some feedback, o.k.?

Tomorrow we will discuss the second part of this "faith equation"... EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. But, until then, whatever you and wherever you go, be sure to...

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

Mike

The Very Essence of FAITH

Don't forget! Today is "Turn-Around Tuesday"...Stop waiting and turn things around TODAY!

The word "faith" is described in the following way from dictionary.com - "1. confidence or trust in a person or thing, 2. belief that is not based on proof.

The Bible defines faith in the following way as described in Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Many times in the arena of "positive thinking" or "personal development" we hear things said along the lines of, "If you can BELIEVE it, you can ACHIEVE it!". I think that Napoleon Hill was actually the one that first penned that phrase and, as a result of misquoting he has been "bashed' for thinking that all you have to do is believe.

NOT SO FAST! If you actually READ what Napoleon Hill wrote on the subject in his book, "Think and Grow Rich" (you should still be able to get a free copy by going here: http://www.freetgrbook.com/SeeYourSuccess ) you will find that he stresses the fact that ACTION must accompany this belief or you'll get nowhere. That word, "ACTION", makes a big difference doesn't it?

The hard part of really believing something - and I mean REALLY believing in something - is putting that belief (or FAITH) into ACTION. You know, the "if you really BELIEVE it - then DO it!" type of thing.

For example, kids seem to have TOTAL faith or believe that their mom or dad are going to take care of them no matter what. It seems to be true especially in the area of catching them no matter where you are in connection to where THEY are at the time! On one occasion one of our sons was standing on some steps on the back of one of my brother's house. I can't remember how old he was...he was walking and jabbering and was definitely a hand-full to keep up with. I think he was on the top of three steps when I caught sight of him. I was too far away to get to him and I actually thought my brother was as well and I could tell by looking at my son that he was about to jump without any worry at all as to if either of us would be there to catch him. And, you know what? I was right. He jumped. And you know what else? I don't know HOW he was able to do it but my older brother DID actually get there in time to catch him.

No worries. No problem. SOMEONE will catch me. End of discussion.

Take another look at that second definition given from the dictionary: "belief that is not based on proof". You see, FAITH is not based on proof! That would be called FACT! FACT is based on proof. If you KNOW that there is no way in the world that you will get hurt in ANY way then there in no FAITH demonstrated by making that jump.

From the Bible definition above we see FAITH described as something that is HOPED FOR based on EVIDENCE, but evidence that is not seen at the moment.

Huh?

Do you think it is possible for you to acquire a million dollars in your lifetime? That's not really that big of a feat over the period of a lifetime but just the IDEA of a million dollars causes some to doubt that it could actually happen to them!

Here's the deal - you may not can actually SEE the proof in YOUR life that it will happen, but friend, there is EVIDENCE all around us that DOES show PROOF that it CAN happen!

Is it possible for YOU - yes YOU - to succeed at whatever this passion is that you are following in and with your life? Sometimes it likely doesn't seem like it is possible but I can almost guarantee that you have already seen the EVIDENCE in the lives of others that causes you to KNOW - to have FAITH or a strong BELIEF - that it is not only POSSIBLE but that it WILL HAPPEN in your life even if you don't have the proof of that success.

"Why not me?"

Faith is powerful. Belief is powerful. However, the Bible also makes a very strong and powerful point to go along with those thoughts. Here it is, from James 2:20 (Good News Translation) - "You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?"

So, YES, believe in yourself and the possibilities but then GET UP OFF OF YOUR BUTT and put the ACTION behind that belief necessary to move you towards success!

And, as you do so, be sure to...

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

Mike

Let Me Introduce Myself...

Today is "Magical Monday"...Share the magic with those around you!

Perhaps the more correct title of today's podcast and blog would be, "Let me RE-introduce myself." I mean, after all, if you've followed me for very long you have a pretty good idea of who I am and how I operate. If not, you can go to my website, http://www.futureyouuniversity.com/ , and read about the background of what I'm doing as well as my thoughts and plans.

I began my "adult life" as a youth minister back in 1982 and even was doing some work among youth groups before I graduated college. Since 1982 I have worked with teens and adults in a variety of positions and have always had a passion for sharing information and making it as interesting and relevant as possible. I also knew that, at some point, I wanted to change direction and step out with my own seminars that would be developed so as to encourage and uplift my audiences.

After developing some friends that liked my comments on another website I began my own podcast on March 2, 2009 and began doing my blog not too long afterwards. However, I intentionally planned NOT to bring "too much religion" in on my discussions thinking it might allow me to reach a larger audience with positive messages that had their "backing" in Scripture, all the while not coming across as too "preachy".

Here's the deal...where has that gotten me after almost three years? NOT VERY FAR!

Oh, I do have some followers and, part of the problem has been some inconsistency on my part due to some problems that I have deemed "beyond my control" in some ways. But, bottom line, I feel that something has been missing and I believe that the "something" has been the MEAT to the MESSAGE!

So, I'm not going to refrain from using thoughts and scriptures that I know fit what I'm talking about so that I may keep from "offending" anyone or so that I can supposedly have a "larger" audience. It's way past time for me to be me - ALL of me - and just do what I do as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Might I lose some followers? Maybe. If so, that is a choice that a person must make for themselves. Here's the deal... I'm the same guy as before so why stop following what I do because I am now going to be more outspoken and open about the foundations from which I get these principles?

Zig Ziglar once talked about how his career as a motivator "took off" once he got God involved in the discussion. I had the pleasure of hearing Jim Rohn speak on several occasions and, if you know anything about what he shared, he based the majority of his thoughts on Scripture.

IF YOU APPRECIATE WHAT I'M SAYING please let me know! I need your support and I need to know that this is something that you agree with whole-heartedly. If you don't, you can still let me know but, honestly, it's not necessary. Just do what you have to do.

So, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mike Spillman and I am a proud husband, father, grandfather, motivator, writer and Christian. It's nice to meet you.

Whatever you do, where ever you go, be sure to...

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

Mike