"Life is a HABIT...Does YOURS Need to be Broken?"

(This is an edited version of an article originally posted on January 9, 2018)

 

I recently visited with an elderly lady about her need for final expense (burial) insurance. She had filled out a card and requested to get more information about this. She acknowledged to me that she knew she needed to do something to keep her family from having to come up with the money to pay for her funeral and she acknowledged that the price I presented to her was right "on target".

That was about 3 weeks or so ago and, to this day, she still has not done anything about it and, guess what? She never will. How do I know this? Because LIFE IS A HABIT and her habit has been to NOT take action on something that she has known for quite some time that she needed to get done.

Another word for "habit" might even be "rut". It's hard to break a habit and it's hard to get out of a rut!

 

 As is the case regarding ANY significant change, the beginning IS ALWAYS the hardest part of the process. It goes against what we are comfortable with and it goes against our "daily routine" of this habit. But, just like the activity that takes place when one of those "strongest man" contestants start to pull a train car with nothing but a rope, the hardest part is the beginning! Yet, after much effort and determination, MOMENTUM finally starts to "kick in" and the wheels of that train begin to finally move. Slowly at first but they begin to roll with more ease as this momentum continues to work in the contestants favor.

As funny as this little cartoon is, the point of it is actually kind of sad, is it not? Isn't it time to finally get past this "hamster wheel" mentality that so many (you?) do year after year with these, so-called, New Year's Resolutions? Stop talking and start doing!

 Wow, what good news, right? If you go back and read my blog and listen to the podcast that I did right before the start of this new year ("Happy New Day? Happy New Year!) you find this very thing talked about. If you have followed me for very long then you have also heard me discuss the fact (yes, I said "fact") that TOMORROW does NOT exist! That 24 hour period into the future does not exist - it has not even arrived into the realm of reality. And, in the same way, that 24 hour period in the past that we call "YESTERDAY" no longer exists as well. It's gone and can never be relived or recovered. So, TODAY is the day to start making your move. Bottom line, it's all you have, friend.

GET UP AND MOVE ON! Stop dwelling on your past disappointments...what good does that do you but to disappoint you even more? Today is the day to decide to "get up and move on"!

 Are you in sales? If so, you need to "google" this guy and check out his stuff. I found this quote of his the other day and I love what it says even though it is hard to accept sometimes. But, it is TRUTH! Whether you are talking about weight loss or job and/or career success, there are many that want the RESULT but that are not willing to "pay the price". That price? CHANGE. And, again, any significant change is not easy. Never has been, never will be. HOWEVER, again, with momentum, that change becomes less and less of a burden as you continue to move forward.

 

So, are you all talk? Do you spend all of your time "dreaming" about what you will achieve and, are you one of those people that keeps telling everyone else what you are GOING TO DO? Dreaming is important! One must have a "dream" that will challenge them to move forward. However, as Jack Canfield says, the difference between just dreaming and actually putting action behind that dream (PURSUING your passion) is "taking the first step". 

 

 

 

Forget about the past! Remember, it's gone. Yes, absolutely LEARN from the past but do not allow yourself to continue to LIVE in the past. So, regardless of what you have been "planting" in the past (you may likely be "harvesting" that now) you can still "plant a new crop" starting TODAY. This is not just a "cheesy" saying or thought...it is a FACT of life, friend.

 

 

What is in your heart? What is it that you REALLY want to do and/or accomplish? What is it that "stirs" your soul and creates "purpose" in and for your life? When you allow yourself to "tune in" to whatever that is for you, your "vision" (path, direction) will become clear. Do you believe that?  For years I kept hearing about the need to create a "mission statement" for your life. I even would almost "stress out" over the fact that I couldn't come up with one. I literally would try to put something into words but I kept falling short and, as a result, I also would get discouraged. However, "out of the dark" (so to speak) as I was "immersed" in positive information it just "came to me" and came in a very clear and powerful message. The next graphic is what I came up with (or, perhaps, what came to me):

 

 

I need to work harder on getting back to this focus but, the point is, once my "heart" took over, THIS literally just "came out" or "appeared" to me. No, it wasn't magic and it definitely came from my inner thoughts and feelings (my heart). It can only be "real" and "true" when it comes out of your heart. 

Today is the day, my friend. Haven't you waited long enough? Haven't you procrastinated long enough? Are you tired of breaking the promises that you have made to yourself over the years? ONE DAY AT A TIME breaks things down into much smaller "steps" that need to be taken. You don't look at the idea of losing 50 lbs. over the next twelve months and become overwhelmed. What you DO is break that down to what is needed monthly and then daily and start making that journey.  (By the way, that comes out to .13 lbs per day).

Well? Now what? 

That's up to you. "LIFE IS A HABIT"...what do you need to do with yours?

Until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

 

Make it an AWESOME day - who else is going to do it for you?

Mike

Future You University   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube  Leaders Are Readers (Audible Books) $10/mo REAL Opportunity!

 

 

Taking the Journey - Why Do I Need a Journey?

A little explanation before we get into today's blog article. As you can see from the above graphic, this topic is from a LIVE EVENT that I did on January 21, 2018 (the night before this article was published). There will, again, be a lot of graphics that I'm going to be sharing with you that I also used during this LIVE event. Be sure to check out the links at the end of this article so that you can also access the recording of this event as it took place on the fan page on Facebook as well as the recording on my YouTube channel. You will also find the link to listen to the podcast on this same topic.

BE A PART OF THIS SERIES OF LIVE EVENTS! For now these LIVE events are open to anyone that would like to join but, at some point, it will become a closed group for a select small number of people. This will be taking place each Sunday evening @ 6 pm CST on the fan page on Facebook.

Although this is starting a new "titled" series, this is still a continuation of what was started with the last topic of, "What Do YOU Want?" as we discussed the importance of knowing WHAT we want in order to pursue our goals and dreams.

Here's the thing: "Setting" a goal is not all that impressive. People do it every year at the start of every year, right? They call them "New Year's Resolutions" and, yet, very few people stick with them beyond a few weeks or maybe even a month or two. 

Instead, we should be determined to do MORE than just "setting" goals. Again, ANYONE can do that and just about anyone and everyone does! But, as the graphic above points out, let's pay more attention to goal "getting" - or achieving. Going back to the last article, it goes beyond just DREAMING and turns into DOING. 

So, once you decide what you actually want to achieve in your life, once you have not only SET those goals but you have also STEPPED OUT in order to achieve those goals, you are - of necessity - on a JOURNEY. That journey is going from where you are right now to where you will be a year from now (or ANY time period).

However, in order to take such a journey, in order to make any significant change in your life in ANY area, there are some things (pointed out in the graphic below by Jack Canfield) that tend to hold people back as they SET the goal. The question is, will they move PAST these 4 things listed to GET those goals?

For some people, one of those "limiting beliefs" is that they don't believe that they actually have the potential to reach those goals that they have set. They don't think that they "have what it takes" and, guess what? If they don't shed those limiting beliefs, they will NEVER reach their potential!

I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to hear Jim Rohn speak in person before he passed from this life. Of the many quotes that he is known for, this may be one that I see quoted more often than others: "For things to change, you have to change."

Think about that - doesn't that just make sense? You would think so but, yet, too many people think that they can achieve results (that REQUIRE something to change) without making any changes! Sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it? A very simple example can be found with the many people that set a "resolution" that they are going to lose weight. The main problem with this? Too many people want the RESULT of having lost weight but are unwilling to CHANGE their eating habits. And, guess what? They never reach their "goal". I wonder, is it really a goal when no real and serious effort is put into it's achievement? The truth is, not only do they not reach their goal, they usually end up GAINING weight. Why? Because NOTHING changed!

So, for me, as I have prepared for this journey - a very SERIOUS, thought out and DETERMINED journey - I have made a "Statement of Fact" concerning the necessary change in my life that MUST take place. You can read it in the graphic found below. 

Hey, if you're willing and if you want to be a part of taking your journey along with me, I invite you to help hold me accountable to these words. And I'm serious about that invitation.

mike@FutureYouUniversity.com

Yes, to be honest, it IS a little "scary" because I will be stepping out into new territory. I am going to allow myself to be CHALLENGED and pushed OUT of my comfort zone in a way unlike I have ever done before. But, as John Maxwell points out, "Everything worthwhile is uphill."

It all begins with a DECISION and a COMMITMENT.  Doing so can actually change your DIRECTION overnight.

I don't have the graphic up with the quote but, Jim Rohn also would talk about how it's just as easy to NOT do something as it is to actually DO it and reach success. What's YOUR excuse? Don't tell me "reasons" because, quite honestly, most excuses are disguised (by us) as "reasons".  So, let's get real and get past that thought. 

The fact is - you see it referred to as "The Law of Diminishing Intent" in the below graphic - the longer you put it off and the longer you wait to "get started" the more likely it is that you NEVER will even begin the actual process. And then nothing changes.

DON'T MISS THIS POINT! James Allen said it in such a way that SHOULD get our attention - but will it? Does it? He says that we will "remain bound". BOUND! Chained. Tied down. Frozen. Paralyzed. 

Friend, if THAT doesn't get your attention then I don't that there is anything that I can say that will. Bottom line is simply this: What WILL it take for you to "wake up" and get "laser-focused" on beginning this journey?

Notice what John Mayer said in the graphic below about time. Even a SHORT period of time. STOP TALKING and START TRAVELING!

Again, I really want to encourage to take the time to watch one of the videos - either the recording of the LIVE event on my Facebook page OR by going straight to my YouTube channel. It would be particularly helpful on this next part that I will share with you in this article. I do think that you would benefit more by watching me talk about "My Journey Map" that I have posted below. I think hearing me talk about it would help make it come more "alive" for you as you, hopefully, prepare for your own journey.

This "map" is a very "easy" layout. At first glance you might even think that there is not much to it. It actually depends on YOU and what YOU put into it!

For those that approach this with the importance that it deserves, it is a very DEEP and THOUGHT PROVOKING exercise. You can start either with where you are going in order to "get what you want" OR you can start with where you are now and work your way up.

For me, I clearly came to a knowledge of what I REALLY want and set my goals accordingly. Honestly, for me, this goes way beyond past attempts at so-called "New Year's Resolutions" that have come and gone without any fulfillment. I spent the time to formulate in my mind - and on paper - what I truly, ultimately want in and for my life (and for my wife and I as a couple). 

Yes, I had to do a little research to find out how much time and money that this might "cost" me and then I had to figure out "how" I was going to do that and what was needed in order for me to accomplish this part of the "map". This "how" is what I call my "vehicle" in this illustration. (By the way, our next LIVE EVENT next week will focus completely on this topic: "What Is Your Vehicle?").

Before you can adequately figure out what your "vehicle" will be for this journey you will need to actually take a look at WHERE YOU ARE right now. This part might hurt a little but it is imperative that you be 100% totally honest on this part. No one else has to see this but you must be honest as far as where you actually are. This is your "starting point" for your journey.

On this part, make it personal for YOU. The things that I listed were things that I used on my own "map" so that I could see "where I was" compared to "where I am going to be" at the end of this year. I got personal and wrote down the amount of my current debt and how much money I had in my bank account. Again, you do what you need to do to make it personal for you!

But, for me, I knew that I needed to address something more than just the financial factor. I knew I needed to address my attitude and my past excuses! Again, make it personal for you. I'd love to hear some of the things that YOU decided to put on your "map".

Hey listen, when I took a long look at where I was currently I KNEW, beyond a shadow of any doubt, that I MUST leave where I was and get moving on this journey to where I KNOW I will be a year from now.

A lot of stuff to look over, I know. But I hope that you will get out a piece of paper and draw out your own personal "map" for YOUR journey. There is just something about physically writing down on paper things such as this, so please, take the time and spend the time to jot these things down. YES, you can go back and add to what you start with - that's great! That means that you have continued to think about where you are going on your journey and, maybe what more may be possible when you get where it is that you really want to go.

Feel free to connect with me on this with any questions or some of your own thoughts and experiences in this area. I'd love to hear from you.

Once again, next week, I will be focusing my thoughts for the LIVE EVENT as well as the next podcast and blog article on "What Is Your 'Vehicle'?"

Until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube

"Life is a HABIT...Does YOURS Need to be Broken?" - Mike Spillman

I recently visited with an elderly lady about her need for final expense (burial) insurance. She had filled out a card and requested to get more information about this. She acknowledged to me that she knew she needed to do something to keep her family from having to come up with the money to pay from her funeral and she acknowledged that the price I presented to her was right "on target".

That was about 3 weeks or so ago and, to this day, she still has not done anything about it and, guess what? She never will. How do I know this? Because LIFE IS A HABIT and her habit has been to NOT take action on something that she has known for quite some time that she needed to get done.

Another word for "habit" might even be "rut". It's hard to break a habit and it's hard to get out of a rut!

As is the case regarding ANY significant change, the beginning IS ALWAYS the hardest part of the process. It goes against what we are comfortable with and it goes against our "daily routine" of this habit. But, just like the activity that takes place when one of those "strongest man" contestants start to pull a train car with nothing but a rope, the hardest part is the beginning! Yet, after much effort and determination, MOMENTUM finally starts to "kick in" and the wheels of that train begin to finally move. Slowly at first but they begin to roll with more ease as this momentum continues to work in the contestants favor.

As funny as this little cartoon is, the point of it is actually kind of sad, is it not? Isn't it time to finally get past this "hamster wheel" mentality that so many (you?) do year after year with these, so-called, New Year's Resolutions? Stop talking and start doing!

Wow, what good news, right? If you go back and read my blog and listen to the podcast that I did right before the start of this new year ("Happy New Day? Happy New Year!) you find this very thing talked about. If you have followed me for very long then you have also heard me discuss the fact (yes, I said "fact") that TOMORROW does NOT exist! That 24 hour period into the future does not exist - it has not even arrived into the realm of reality. And, in the same way, that 24 hour period in the past that we call "YESTERDAY" no longer exists as well. It's gone and can never be relived or recovered. So, TODAY is the day to start making your move. Bottom line, it's all you have, friend.

GET UP AND MOVE ON! Stop dwelling on your past disappointments...what good does that do you but to disappoint you even more? Today is the day to decide to "get up and move on"!

Are you in sales? If so, you need to "google" this guy and check out his stuff. I found this quote of his the other day and I love what it says even though it is hard to accept sometimes. But, it is TRUTH! Whether you are talking about weight loss or job and/or career success, there are many that want the RESULT but that are not willing to "pay the price". That price? CHANGE. And, again, any significant change is not easy. Never has been, never will be. HOWEVER, again, with momentum, that change becomes less and less of a burden as you continue to move forward.

So, are you all talk? Do you spend all of your time "dreaming" about what you will achieve and, are you one of those people that keeps telling everyone else what you are GOING TO DO? Dreaming is important! One must have a "dream" that will challenge them to move forward. However, as Jack Canfield says, the difference between just dreaming and actually putting action behind that dream (PURSUING your passion) is "taking the first step".

Forget about the past! Remember, it's gone. Yes, absolutely LEARN from the past but do not allow yourself to continue to LIVE in the past. So, regardless of what you have been "planting" in the past (you may likely be "harvesting" that now) you can still "plant a new crop" starting TODAY. This is not just a "cheesy" saying or thought...it is a FACT of life, friend.

What is in your heart? What is it that you REALLY want to do and/or accomplish? What is it that "stirs" your soul and creates "purpose" in and for your life? When you allow yourself to "tune in" to whatever that is for you, your "vision" (path, direction) will become clear. Do you believe that?  For years I kept hearing about the need to create a "mission statement" for your life. I even would almost "stress out" over the fact that I couldn't come up with one. I literally would try to put something into words but I kept falling short and, as a result, I also would get discouraged. However, "out of the dark" (so to speak) as I was "immersed" in positive information it just "came to me" and came in a very clear and powerful message. The next graphic is what I came up with (or, perhaps, what came to me):

I need to work harder on getting back to this focus but, the point is, once my "heart" took over, THIS literally just "came out" or "appeared" to me. No, it wasn't magic and it definitely came from my inner thoughts and feelings (my heart). It can only be "real" and "true" when it comes out of your heart. 

Today is the day, my friend. Haven't you waited long enough? Haven't you procrastinated long enough? Are you tired of breaking the promises that you have made to yourself over the years? ONE DAY AT A TIME breaks things down into much smaller "steps" that need to be taken. You don't look at the idea of losing 50 lbs. over the next twelve months and become overwhelmed. What you DO is break that down to what is needed monthly and then daily and start making that journey.  (By the way, that comes out to .13 lbs per day).

Why so many graphics in today's article? These are the graphics that I shared in my recent LIVE stream broadcast that you can still find on the FaceBook page. These thoughts were also shared on the podcast that goes along with this blog (click the link below for either RSS feed or iTunes) so I wanted to be sure and share them with you here.

Well? Now what? 

That's up to you. "LIFE IS A HABIT"...what do you need to do with yours?

Until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

SHARE and TEACH

CONCLUSION: "Share and Teach Family and Others!"

"Learning", of any type, is achieved through sharing of information. Wouldn't you agree?

Parents, teachers, and others pass along information to our children and they learn - good or bad - that which is shared with them. 

If you will notice on the picture above, I have circled the focus of today's article: "Share and Teach Family and Others!". When I originally wrote the main phrase about finding and keeping our joy and peace, I realized that it was also important to TEACH and SHARE and, especially, to do so with FAMILY FIRST and then others. 

Let's talk about sharing and teaching with our family first. There are not many things that are more valuable than to help our children learn how to find JOY and PURPOSE in their lives. Notice I said, "teach them HOW TO FIND" and not, "tell them what it is". That's one thing we must be careful of and avoid. We can NOT tell anyone else what it is that brings joy and purpose in their life but we CAN help them in the process of discovering that for themselves. 

Go back and read again the articles on finding our joy and also on finding our purpose and use some of the information there to help in this process. We can help our children understand that, often, we find true joy while serving others. We can point out how this is discussed and promoted in the Bible as well as just about every "positive information" source that has ever been printed. You can also hear just about every motivational speaker say the same thing (as well as write the same thing).  WHY? Because it's true!

Helping our children to discover joy through serving as well as helping them understand that they DO have a purpose in life and it begins in the world that is nearest to them - their world - is one of the greatest things we can do for them. Help them to understand that, when we say that their purpose in life begins in "their world" that we are not saying that they are the "center of the universe of their world". Make sense? 

And, don't forget, they will learn best by observing what YOU AND I do in our own lives. That's right - they're watching us!

SHARING AND TEACHING OTHERS - I'll start this part of the article where I finished the last one. Those around us will most often "learn" through observing how we put this into practice in our own lives. Don't miss the importance of this and, especially, how it relates to this process with others (non-family).

Here's a little "warning" for you: If you try to "tell" everyone what to do in this area, you will likely be met with resistance and ridicule. And, when you have a "bad day", you will hear about it from them because you have already presented yourself as an "expert" in the area. Hey, I'm just being real here. People don't like to be "told" or "preached at" by others. 

Here's how this works with others...

Your example through discovering this in your own life will work as a "magnet" for some and it will draw them to you. Notice I said, "some". Not everyone will pay attention and not everyone WANTS to find joy in their life. I know that sounds odd but, truth be told, a lot of people ENJOY being miserable regardless of what they say.  (Also be aware that these are the same people that will likely do as much as they can to ridicule you and discourage you along the way. They are miserable and they want everyone else to be miserable as well).

But, there are those that will be "drawn" to you and the way that you handle yourself. Living a life of joy and purpose will automatically draw others to you and, many times, they will want to know HOW you are able to live life the way that you do. Don't take this as a sign to "dump it all" on them at one time! No, just take the time to share with them a little at a time - over time - so that it can be absorbed along the way. Most importantly, continue to SHOW THEM by how you live. 

You can share these articles with them. You can also share that free resource from Jack Canfield that I discussed recently (and I highly recommend that). Just go to jackcanfield.com and look for the 10 Day Transformation Course and sign up for it - again, it's FREE!

Help them understand (and this applies to our family as well) that this is something that takes time and that it is a process. It's not a magical formula that happens overnight. Every person is different and it will take some people longer than others.

That's o.k.

Life is a marathon and not a sprint. Enjoy the journey and don't focus solely on the destination. 

Thank you for allowing me to experience joy and purpose in my life through sharing this blog and my podcast with you on a regular basis. I do mean that - THANK YOU!

If you haven't done so yet, you need to listen to the podcast on today's topic. Just click one of the links at the bottom of this article to do so. There is SO MUCH MORE information and additional thoughts that I share with you there that is not found in this article. 

If you listen by going to iTunes, please take a moment and leave a review - I thank you in advance! Also, be sure to stop by the FYU fan page on Facebook and let me know that you left that review AND to just say "hello" and let me know that you are benefiting from Future You University. 

As always, THANKS for joining me today and, please, share this with as many as possible and always be sure to keep moving forward, closer to your dream!

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

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

 

Finding Your PURPOSE

"Find & Keep/Protect Our JOY & PURPOSE For Our Lives"

(Share & Teach Family and Others!) - PART 2 

 Back in August of 2010, my wife suffered a heart attack and had to be "shocked" back to life on two different occasions. This was not a normal event - my wife was not overweight and did not suffer from any type of high cholesterol or anything like that. It was literally a 1 in 1 million incident that happened. And, she survived and is doing well. 

However, after returning home from the hospital and still being in a very emotional state (which is normal following an event such as this) she would discuss with me how she felt that God had kept her here for a reason. The struggle she was having was that she could not figure out what the reason - or the PURPOSE - was for her life now. Through our discussions I found that she was searching for some BIG and tremendous "something" that she needed to do.

I shared with her that, perhaps, the "reason" that God kept her here was that I and the rest of her family NEEDED her to be here! I suggested that, perhaps, her "purpose" was to still be there for us because she was so important to "our world". 

You see, friend, I believe that THIS is the key to our search for our "purpose" for our lives. That key is the impact or importance that we have upon "our world". 

Think about it.

Yes, many desire to be known by people all over the world and, quite honestly, they are not truly "known" by those closest to them, including their own children. I'm not saying that this is always the case but we have seen it far too often in our world. And, YES, we NEED people to step out and lead and challenge and encourage us but, perhaps, at the same time, the TIMING needs to be adjusted.

Just a thought.

But, again, here's what I believe is the key for all of us as we contemplate our "purpose" in and for our lives...what is your impact and importance upon YOUR world?

Join me for a moment as we peel back the layers that make up "our world" beginning with those closest to us. Perhaps visualize this like the ripples on the water after tossing a pebble into the pond or creek.

First of all, it begins with your immediate family. This could be your spouse and your kids or, it may be your brothers, sisters and your parents. Sometimes these are some of the most difficult relationships we have simply because we ARE so close to them and, often, because we spend so much time with them. But they are important and you DO have an impact upon them. If you DO have children at home, please do NOT overlook the importance that you have in and for their lives. This gets especially difficult (at times) when they go through their teen years! But it still holds true.

Then continue on to the level that includes your closest friends. Then your other friends that maybe don't fit into that "closest" category but they are still good friends. Then continue on out to your co-workers, neighbors and all of the other acquaintances that you have in your life. That "circle of friends" expands rather quickly, doesn't it?

Now then, with each of these level of relationships, think about how YOUR impact upon them may influence THEIR relationships on each of those different levels in their lives! WOW!

Think for a moment about how the way you treat those around you - good or bad - can be passed on and on and on through these relationships. That, my friend, is quite powerful to think about and, hopefully, as you think about it, it will also challenge you to be a positive influence along the way. 

And, from experience, I can tell you that you may never know how powerful that influence has been in someones life. Or, you may find out years later about the power and level of that influence.

In my opinion, here's the answer to the question, "What is my PURPOSE in and for my life?" To be the best YOU that you can be in and for "your world". 

That, my friend, is more powerful than you may ever know.

Again, as a reminder, if you haven't done so yet, you need to listen to the podcast on today's topic. Just click one of the links at the bottom of this article to do so. There is SO MUCH MORE information and additional thoughts that I share with you there that is not found in this article. 

If you listen by going to iTunes, please take a moment and leave a review - I thank you in advance! Also, be sure to stop by the FYU fan page on Facebook and let me know that you left that review AND to just say "hello" and let me know that you are benefiting from Future You University. 

As always, THANKS for joining me today and, please, share this with as many as possible and always be sure to keep moving forward, closer to your dream!

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

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

What Is Your RESPONSE?

E + R = O

Event + Response = Outcome

 The "formula" or "equation" that you find listed above, comes from Jack Canfield and the meaning for each of the letters of the formula are listed below the equation. 

Be sure to listen to the podcast (links found below) to hear more information that can be found ONLY on the podcast. I do thank you for reading this blog, HOWEVER, reading the blog and NOT listening to the podcast is like eating just half of your meal. Make sense?

What you'll find here is the basic idea behind Mr. Canfield's formula...and it's TRUE. Follow through and you'll soon understand that, indeed (although not always easy), it IS the truth. 

1. EVENT - You and I cannot control the event - ANY event - that comes our way. The event is simply, "what happens" throughout the course of the day. An event may be good or it may even be considered bad. The event is what it is. I know that wording it this way may be a bit confusing, so I'll try to clarify this a little bit. 

     We ALL encounter "events" in our lives and, in each and every day. We cannot "change" or "direct" an event...we experience the event. An event may be something as simple as experiencing a good meal as part of your day or having a nice conversation with a co-worker or friend. It could also be something less enjoyable like having a flat tire on your way into the office or even getting involved in a minor "fender-bender". And, yes, there are "bigger" events that come our way that have a bit more impact (either positive or negative) on our lives. It could be a great new job or promotion while, on the other hand, it may be the loss of a job due to a layoff or even getting fired.  It could be the birth of a new child or the death of a spouse or other family member. 

2. RESPONSE - If you take a closer look at the image above, you will see that I have written the words, "The one I control!", underneath the equation. You see, as I have already said, an event is an event and we cannot influence that event one way or the other. HOWEVER, it is our RESPONSE to that event that will determine the outcome that follows that event. 

     Hey, listen, I understand that this part of the formula takes quite a bit of discipline at times.  It's not always easy to RESPOND in a positive way to a negative event. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not saying that we should smile and say, "No worries", when a tragedy comes our way. Not at all. 

     But, your response to that tragedy, for example, will determine the ultimate outcome from that tragic event. For example, you may experience the death of a loved one...maybe even your spouse or a child. I've not experienced either but I have worked closely with those that have experienced both and I can't even imagine how difficult that must be. You can either allow devastation and depression to overtake you to the point that you become of no use to anyone - including yourself. If you have children, for example, they need you to help them through the tragedy as well but, if your RESPONSE takes you away from the life that must continue, then the outcome will not be very positive. 

     Yet, as difficult as it may be, you may determine that you must keep on living and, as part of that task, you must continue to be a parent to your children and help them deal with the same tragedy with which you must deal. You may determine to be appreciative for the time that you had with your spouse and, as painful as it may be, you find a way to smile when those memories come across your mind. This is your chosen RESPONSE. 

     We CHOOSE our response. You may have heard others say, or you may have even said, "They make me so mad!" or "They ruined my day!". Neither of those statements are true. You made a choice and, in those examples, you CHOSE to allow that person to determine your outcome. 

     I've seen examples where a person allowed others to "impact" his response to the point that this person became miserable at the workplace. 

     Originally, he was happy to be there and enjoyed his work. However, over time, he allowed the negativity that you find at most work environments to affect his response in a negative way. He began to "give in" to the negative thoughts and, as a result, his RESPONSE was to be negative. He began to gripe and complain and, eventually, lost his job due to his negative attitude. 

     I was that person. 

3. OUTCOME - In one of my recent blog articles entitled, "Don't Quit & No Excuses!" , I make the statement that, more often than not, when someone quits something (or gets fired, for example) they will pretty much ALWAYS make excuses as to why that happened. They will make an EXCUSE as to why they experienced the OUTCOME that they did. Yet, the truth is, they received the OUTCOME that they did due to their RESPONSE to the events that they encountered on a daily basis. 

     In the example above, I had allowed myself to be influenced by the negativity around me. I MADE A CHOICE about my response to the negativity (the events) around me. And, it cost me in a lot of ways. 

     This was quite a few years before I really began to concentrate on turning things around concerning my mindset and the direction of my life. But, it did stick with me and I did not like how I had changed during my time at that job. Even then, I knew I had failed by allowing others to have the impact on me instead of me using my influence on them. Thankfully, I later began to make better decisions / responses based on what I was putting into "the library of my mind". 

How do you feel about the outcomes that you are experiencing in your life? Are you satisfied with them? Some people are satisfied with SOME of the outcomes, but most people feel that they would prefer better outcomes more often. 

Jim Rohn put it this way (and I paraphrase): "If you don't like where you are or what you are doing - MOVE! MAKE A CHANGE! You are not a tree...YOU have the ability to MOVE!"

It takes discipline and discipline requires patience and determination. How bad do YOU want better outcomes in and for your life? 

Here's the final thought on this: Consider the fact that you read this article as one of the EVENTS for your day.  Now then, what's your RESPONSE? Will you just read it and walk away or will you allow it to sink in and and influence you in a positive way to become more disciplined with your responses to the events that come your way? 

As always, the choice is yours. So, what will YOU do?

If you haven't done so yet, you need to listen to the podcast on today's topic. Just click one of the links at the bottom of this article to do so. There is SO MUCH MORE information and additional thoughts that I share with you there that is not found in this article. 

If you listen by going to iTunes, please take a moment and leave a review - I thank you in advance! Also, be sure to stop by the FYU fan page on Facebook and let me know that you left that review AND to just say "hello" and let me know that you are benefiting from Future You University. 

As always, THANKS for joining me today and, please, share this with as many as possible and always be sure to keep moving forward, closer to your dream!

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

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

    

1 of 6: CONTINUE TO LEARN

You got it! I'm going to be sharing more of the information that I have on my "Power Board" that I try to take a look at every single day. I don't always succeed in that goal but, for the most part, I DO take a moment looking at these each day. 

As always, I want to encourage you to listen to the podcast as well, so that you can get the FULL spectrum of thoughts and information that I share on this topic, o.k.? You can find the links to the podcast at the very end of this article. If you do so by going to iTunes, would you mind taking a moment and leaving a review while you are there? Thanks! I appreciate it, in advance!

The idea that one can relax and "be done" with their education when they graduate from High School or college is an absolute falsehood. Whether we like it or not, IF we want to continue to move forward in our chosen field then, friend, there WILL be times that we will have to take some sort of continuing education course for a variety of reasons.

Oh, you can choose NOT to do so but you can also likely prepare to be demoted if not "let go" from that said position. 

If you listen to my podcast, you will hear me start each podcast with the phrase, "Your greatest education takes place on the campus of your mind." This is not necessarily referring to the "continuing education" type of "education" that I'm talking about when I say that. Again, this type of education is pretty much a certainty but what I'm talking about is the information - EDUCATION - that you get by adding positive information (such as this) to the "library of your mind". 

There is an old computer phrase, "G.I.G.O." which means "Garbage In, Garbage Out". In other words, whatever you "put in" (program) a computer is what you will "get out". A computer really can't think. It simply "spits out" information that has been put in, or programmed, into it by a human.

The same is true for our minds, friend. Whatever you put in or ALLOW in is what will "come out" or be available to you and for you. Does that matter? YOU BET IT DOES!

I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know when I say that there are more than enough people around you that are willing to "rain on your parade" with their negativity. Right? How you respond to that negativity and how you SURVIVE that type of negativity throughout the course of your day will be determined by what you have available to you via your mind or mindset.

YOU are responsible for what is added to "the library of your mind". That's right, YOU! 

You are responsible for what you let in and what you BLOCK from entering and becoming embedded in your mind and mindset. 

I want to encourage you to become TENACIOUS - a "bulldog" - about NOT letting ANY negativity to slip past your guard and get into your mind and mindset. 

It's not always easy but I think it is IMPERATIVE that you do so. Hey, let me say how thankful I am that you are allowing me to be a part of this process through you reading this blog article. I hope you will make this a habit - if it's not already - and that you will add the podcast as part of your DAILY routine. 

Think about the information that I've shared with you today and explore it further as to what it means for you and your situation as well as how you can apply this to your life. Take a moment, stop by the fan page on Facebook , and let me know what this means for you today.

Join me as, in the next article, I share with you #2 of 6: APPRECIATE PEOPLE. Be thinking about that in advance. I know that you can already agree with me that it's not always easy to appreciate others, is it?

See you then and, until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

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

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

Formula for Success

FORMULA for SUCCESS 

You could say that this is "A" formula for success but, friend, I'd go so far as to say that this is THE formula for success.

I don't claim full responsibility for the statement you see in the graphic above. Yes, it is from my "power board" (see the last blog article) and it is in my handwriting and I did put those thoughts together. However, it is a combination of thoughts that I have read over the years from several different people...I just put it together in my own words.

This goes along closely with the blog article from yesterday in which this thought from Jim Rohn was shared: "The major key to your better future is you!"  

Again, it has to start with the understanding that it is totally up to and dependent upon YOU and your decisions (and actions). Now then, here we go - THIS is how you get "there"!

As asked yesterday, "Do you want a better future?" And, I'll ask this closely related question today: "Do you want to change your life?"

If either of these are a "YES!" (and we pretty much saw that the answer to the first question is always "YES"!) then understand that THIS process is how you get there. However, you should also understand that, as you look at this formula, there are still a lot of "how-to's" that you won't find here. That is where YOU come in. That is where YOUR ability to think and apply comes into place.

Let's break this down and look at it a little closer. Ready?

1. Change Your Beliefs and you Change Your Behaviors 

      So much of you having a "better future" and of "changing your life" begins with changing your beliefs. Actually, EVERY BIT OF THIS PROCESS begins with changing your beliefs. It's all about changing the way that you think!

     No, that doesn't mean that you have to change your core belief system about things such as God but, at the same time, it may mean that you DO change the way that you view things about what is and isn't pleasing to God.  Let me clarify. Many people have a deeply instilled belief that God does not want them to be wealthy or "rich". This deeply rooted belief hinders their mindset when that person decides that they want a better future. For one, please note that the Bible does NOT say that money is the root of all evil. Nope. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:10 that the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It goes on to say that this type of attitude towards money leads to greediness!

     I won't go into all that I could go into, but, again, this is just an example of some THINKING that may have to be changed and adapted. Bottom line on this part is that GOD WANTS TO BLESS YOU! Think about this: the more you have the more you can do and the more people you can help.

     But, the need to change your belief goes beyond this. For whatever reason, most people tend to believe that they don't DESERVE something better for their lives. That is another thought pattern that MUST be changed in order to move forward toward your better, changed life. 

     KNOW THIS: On all of these steps but, especially, on this first KEY step - it's not easy! This process takes a long time but you can still make progress as you CONTINUE to work on changing your beliefs. Remember, "change your beliefs and you change your behaviors" or, put another way: "Change the way you THINK and you begin to change the way you ACT!"

2. Change Your Behaviors and you Change Your Results

     Here's a very simple example that you can use to help see that this is true and applicable. It doesn't matter if it is someone playing golf, basketball, baseball, football, hockey or ANY sport - if they find themselves in a "slump" in some area of their game, they will examine what they ARE doing and likely find that they have slipped into some bad habit which has led to their poor results. They will then CHANGE THIS HABIT (change their behavior) and, eventually, this will lead to changed and better results.

     When you begin to change the way you THINK you begin to change the way you ACT. When you begin to change the way you ACT, you begin to change the RESULTS that you are getting!

     Apply that to ANY area of your life and you will find it to be true. Just improving your outlook and attitude will change the way you act and, as a result, change the way most people react toward you. And, as a direct result, this will usually lead to different (and better) results in our relationships and all things related to those improved relationships. 

     Make sense? Yes, again, this is something that takes effort and time, but you can begin that process TODAY, right where you are. I think it was Zig Ziglar that said, "You don't have to be great to start but you have to START in order to be great!"

3. Change Your Results and you Change Your Life

     This is really a "common sense" formula, isn't it? When you begin to change the way that you THINK, you begin to change the way that you ACT. When you begin to change the way that you ACT, you then begin to change your RESULTS. And, friend, when you change your RESULTS you absolutely begin to CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Please don't become discouraged when I tell you that this is a life-long process. It never ends and you never get to the point that you have "arrived" and can stop this process.  

Instead of becoming discouraged just simply understand that when you stop growing, YOU DIE! Life is a journey, right? Every day is a new day with new challenges and new experiences And, just when you think you have things "figured out" life can through you a "curve ball" and challenge everything you thought you had "figured out"!

But that's what makes living a JOY! Experiencing these things in your life let's you know that you are ALIVE and that you are a PART of this journey! I can't stress that enough. The ups and downs in life are a PART of  life but, you can change your mindset and thoughts to the point that you begin to handle your RESPONSE to these ups and downs in a better way.

Jack Canfield shares this formula along this line: E + R = O, which stands for EVENT + RESPONSE = OUTCOME. We all have "events" in our lives. These are the UPS and these are the DOWNS that we all experience. But, according to Mr. Canfield (and according to life's experiences) do you want to know what determines the OUTCOME of those "events" that we all experience? That's right, OUR response! How YOU respond to those events will determine your outcome.

All of these things work together but, friend, notice the word "work". It takes EFFORT and it takes a DECISION on your part.  

So, yeah...here we are again. It all comes down to YOU. 

You are the only one that can decide to start making the changes in this formula that can change and improve your life and the life of those that you love. No one else can do it for you and sitting around and complaining and whining will never accomplish anything. EVER.

I'll encourage you any way that I can, friend...so let's take this journey TOGETHER!

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

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

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed