Breaking the "NO" Habit!

You've probably seen the following saying: "The best way to break a habit is to drop it!", right? As corny as it sounds - it's TRUE!

Again, I encourage you to check out the article about Phil Keoghan in the February issue of SUCCESS magazine or access it via www.Success.com (on the main page in the left column click on "current issue" and then click on February 2010 and scroll down and find the article) OR just go to our FYU Fan Page on Facebook where I have already posted it for your convenience.

Yesterday we talked about the need to start "Living in the 'YES!'" and today we want to talk about doing so by BREAKING the "no" habit that many of us have gotten too comfortable with.

Again, part of what Phil shares is this: “People become very good at what they practice. If you practice building a ‘wall of no’ up in front of everything you’re trying to do, you’ll be very good at building that wall. The more you practice, the thicker the wall becomes; the more resilient it becomes, the harder it will be to push that wall down.”

So, if this is true - and I do believe it is, don't you? - then we need to make a shift in what it is that we practice! Wouldn't you agree?

Instead of practicing telling ourselves NO all of the time - let's start examining the great potential of getting in the habit of saying YES in our lives!

We - I speak for myself and assume that many of you have experienced the same - have gotten ourselves in the habit of telling ourselves why we CAN'T do something and we need to shift our mindset to start thinking of ways that we CAN!

"Can't" or "No" is easy! It requires no effort and no risk. It's the easiest way out - the path of least resistance. When considering our future or ANYTHING do we really want to take the path of least resistance? Do we REALLY want to take the easy way out?

Likely, if you are reading this blog - you would answer, "NO WAY!" - and that is one time that answering "NO" would be a good thing!

Well, listen, I have to get on with today's business, but I hope you have been stirred up a little to start breaking the "NO" habit and to begin living in the "YES!".

And, as always, as you do so...

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

Mike

Living in the "YES!"

You know, it didn't dawn on me until I was recording the podcast for today (I recorded today's podcast on Monday evening) that I didn't write a blog entry for Monday! YIKES!

My apologies on that - sometimes the day just gets busy and things don't happen while other things DO happen!

So, here is the blog entry that goes along with Monday's podcast on, "Living in the 'YES!' ".


I've shared with you before how I get behind on my reading of SUCCESS magazine. By the way, if you are looking for an EXCELLENT magazine this is one of the best - if not THE best - in my opinion. But, remember, you can also go online to www.Success.com and have access for FREE to a lot of the articles that can be found in the magazine.

Well, anyway (I NEVER get sidetracked, right?) I have gotten behind on my reading again and, given the fact that they send them out a bit early, even though I am currently reading the February issue I still have the March and April issues sitting on my reading table!

But here is what I have found and what I have shared with you before... I don't think this happens by accident!

I'm not sure that ANYTHING happens by accident and I have seen this same thing happen again and again whenever I have gotten behind on my reading.

What is it I'm talking about? Although I'm behind, what I'm reading right now is what I NEED to be reading right now! Do you understand what I mean?

There have been times before that I was in the middle of a series of discussions in my podcast that I decided to try to catch up on some reading and I would read something that was RIGHT IN LINE to the current discussion that I was having on the podcast.

This has happened not only once, but three or four times now and this week has been no exception!

As we are preparing for my FREE 8-week course on "Setting and Reaching Your Goals" there has been a wide range of thoughts, ideas and excited emotions that has been going on in my life. For one, just preparing for the class and the information that I plan to share has me refreshed and excitedly thinking about the great potential that lies within each of us in not only planning or setting our goals but actually moving on to REACHING them!

Then, on top of that, my wife and I have been spending a bit of time talking about some of the goals we have set for ourselves and how exciting it is to realize that we are moving forward with those goals!

ANOTHER SIDE NOTE HERE: Friend, let me encourage you to understand that this is how CONTAGIOUS positive thoughts and people are and how it works! Right now I am more refreshed and excited than I have been in a long time. Now, that doesn't mean I was about to give up or anything like that - but we ALL need a boost and a charge from time to time and I'm getting one from preparing for this class and also sharing thoughts with my wife on these things. GET AROUND POSITIVE AND LIKE MINDED PEOPLE and see what happens in YOUR life!



O.k. back on track now!

But, as I was reading the February issue of SUCCESS magazine I began reading an article about Phil Keoghan, the seven-time Emmy-winning host and producer of "The Amazing Race". Now, I LOVE that show so I was immediately drawn to it and then I was inspired by what I read! (By the way, I have placed this article - which is available on Success.com - on the Future You University fan page on Facebook for your convenience - you can click on that link/banner over toward the bottom of the right column of this blog to become a fan).

He arrived in New York City from New Zealand in the late 80's, he had little money, no job and no friends. As the article asks, "Risky, right?"

But I LOVE what he has to say about such things by saying it's the only way to be - "The successful people I know have taken a lot of risks - risk of failure, financial loss, being judged. Successful people tend to think less about what might go wrong and focus on what might go right." (emphasis mine)

Wow, does that hit YOU between the eyes the way it does me? So many times we focus on what MIGHT go wrong that we forget to even THINK about what MIGHT happen if things go RIGHT!

I heard Tony Robbins say something along the line of, "We are so afraid to make a move - to take a risk that, even if we are miserable where we are, we'd rather stay in THAT situation than take the chance to find out what 'might be'."

I really don't want to live that way, do you?

Another thing I found interesting in this article (well, actually I found the WHOLE article interesting, but you'll have to read it yourself) was when Phil began to discuss how we get so used to saying, "no" in our lives.

"People become very good at what they practice. If you practice building a 'wall of no' up in front of everything you're trying to do, you'll be very good at building that wall. The more you practice, the thicker the wall becomes; the more resilient it becomes, the harder it will be to push that wall down."


Sound familiar?

As we go through this week's discussion, I want to encourage you to start thinking about the possibility of living in the "YES!" and get EXCITED about those possibilities!

Just notice even today, as you go through your day, how often you are tempted - out of habit (that wall) - to say "no" to something that really doesn't have to require a "no" - especially when it comes to what you might be able to accomplish or achieve in your own life!

Remember, you're good at what you practice so why not begin to practice living in the "YES!"?

Try it, see what happens. And, as you do...



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

Mike

Make Each Day Count!

Twelve "Do's and Don'ts" For Living a Positive Life

1. Make Enthusiasm A Daily Habit!
2. Don't Allow Negative People to Determine Your Self-Worth!
3. Get Into The Habit of Talking to Yourself Affirmatively!
4. Get Into the Habit of Talking to Others With an Affirmative, Positive Vocabulary!
5. Don't Be a Grudge Collector!
6. Think Positive & Pleasing Thoughts!
7. Don't Brag - Let Your Actions Speak For You!
8. Get High on Doing Good!
9. Don't Get Sidetracked!
10. Wake Up Happy!
11. Find a POSITIVE Support Group!

12. Make Each Day Count!

The actual way this is worded is as follows: "Make Every Day and Every Evening the Best Possible - Once Spent, They're Gone Forever!"

Pretty sobering thought, isn't it?

However, it should also help us approach each day with more vitality - see #10: "Wake Up Happy!" for example.

I did this on the podcast and I want to do this exercise with you here, right now. Take out a pen and a piece of paper and fill in the blanks. Yes, it IS important for you to write this yourself and not just see it as I have typed it - this is for YOU, o.k.? Remember, write this out and fill in the blanks...

"Today is ___(day of the week - Thursday for me)___, ___(Date - February 18,2010 for me)__. This is the only, ___Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010___ there will ever be and, once it is gone, it is gone forever."

I don't know about you, but doing that really brings the point home to me! Too many times we get into the "rut mindset" that each day is the same over and over again (kind of like in the movie, "Groundhog Day") and that there is nothing really special or different between one day or another.

WRONG!

Each day is unique! Each day is different! Each day is special! Each day is YOURS to explore and enjoy to the fullest!

Yeah, I know, sometimes you just want to slap me, right? ;)

But, stating things in this way and saying them to yourself (daily affirmations) WILL help you begin to understand it, believe it and get excited about it!

Now, this may sound like a little thing to you, but when I take the time to notice it, I actually DO get excited! Here's what I'm talking about - the time that the sun sets!

You see, I absolutely HATE the time change in the fall when it gets darker earlier. If I let it (and I used to), I could really allow this to impact me in a very negative way - but I choose not to let it go that far anymore. However, I do not like it! So, when I watch the local weather and they give the forecast for the next day they always have listed at the bottom the time the sun will be setting. When I start seeing the time swing into the "later" category by only a minute (maybe two) each day - I HONESTLY GET EXCITED!

Why? Because I love the daylight longer in the afternoon and evenings!

But, you know what? This is also another wonderful example of how each day is different and unique!

Maybe you need to change up your routine a little bit just to help you break out of your rut! Are you one of those people that does everything EXACTLY the same way each day? If so, DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!

Notice the people and the sounds around you each day! Pay attention to the different styles of clothing that people wear. Hey, look at their hair!

Aren't you glad we're not all the same?

Aren't you glad each day is not the same?

This is YOUR day!

Yes, I know there are obligations that you have. Yes, I know that you have a job (hopefully) that you must stay with until you're told it's o.k. to go home (what a way to live, right?). Yes, I know you have family obligations that you are committed to and love.

So, it's up to you to find ways to "wake up your senses" and celebrate the uniqueness of today!

It's also up to you to wake yourself up to the point of doing your BEST today in anything and everything that you do!

It's also up to you to wake yourself up to those that are around you and to smile and be a positive influence in their lives! It's up to you to do something nice for those with which you come into contact during the day! (Hey, it may be just smiling and saying hello).

It's up to you to enjoy your kids and see the blessing that they are in your life! It's up to you to realize and understand that this day will go by quickly so you must do all you can to squeeze as much joy out of it as you can.

I love the show, "The Amazing Race". Think about it - each day is just that for each one of us.

However, don't think of the "race" part as "who is going to win". Instead, think of how amazing today is and the "race" is you trying to beat the end of the day by getting as much joy and happiness out of it as is humanly possible.

SQUEEZE THE DAY!

Cute, huh?

And, as you do...

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

Mike

YOUR Amazing Race!

Wow, I'm "pumped"! As you know, my wife and I attended the "Success Symposium" in Dallas this past Saturday and - IT WAS AWESOME!
I'll be sharing a lot of good stuff from that over the next several days and likely weeks!

It was also great to meet Angie Strader (http://www.theworldneedsmorehappy.com/) and her husband, Tommy while we were there. Great people! I had the chance to do an interview with Angie during lunch and I will have that up on a future podcast very soon.

Last night (Sunday) as I was preparing thoughts for my podcast, I was watching the last half hour or so of "The Amazing Race" and it just hit me....WE are all involved in our own "amazing race"! So, I "scratched" what I thought I wanted to talk about and went with this idea. And, I must say, if you listen to that podcast and can't tell I'm pumped then you might need to check your hearing! ;)

Listen friend, we ARE all involved in this race - this JOURNEY - are we not? Every day, good and/or bad, is part of this race/journey that takes place before us each and every day. Here's the kicker - WHAT WILL YOU DO in YOUR race?

Yup, you'll hear me say it again - IT'S YOUR CHOICE!

Some of you may still be sitting on the sidelines and....
- stretching...preparing to enter the race (how long are you going to stretch?)
- wondering if you should enter the race (hello? it's YOUR race, remember?)
- dreading the race and the pain that might come with it (a life without some pain does not exist...those that have no pain are no longer with us!)
- watching....you can't run a race from the sidelines - GET IN THE RACE!
- comparing yourself to other participants -- you are YOU and it's YOUR race!

No one else can run it for you! No one else is you - YOU live and participate in YOUR race in YOUR world. But whatever you do - DO IT! (Why not now? - remember?)

It's AWESOME to experience life. Yes, even the "bad" or "down" times help us to know that we are alive!

So, get off the sidelines and enter YOUR race.
When you "hit the wall" - keep going!
Remember, all races are done the same way - ONE STEP AT A TIME.

Here's to YOUR AMAZING RACE!

And....
"Make it an AWESOME day (and race) - Who else is going to do it for you?"

Mike Spillman