Podcast #1,000 CELEBRATION! (3 Things I've Learned)

March 2, 2009. 

On that day I published my very first podcast for "Future You University" and, now, 11 years later, I am publishing podcast #1,000. 

So, today, I celebrate the publication of my 1,000th podcast along with 11 years of Future You University! Woo-hoo!

If you would like to join in on that 1,000th episode, please click on the link below for either iTunes or the RSS feed...I'd appreciate it if you did.

Here Are 3 Things I've Learned Through This Past 11 Years:

1. You MUST Be Willing to Adjust

    If I had stuck to my "5 days a week" schedule of publishing this podcast I would easily be celebrating 3,000 podcasts instead of 1,000. But, bottom line, I didn't and I haven't. I didn't stick to my "5 days a week" schedule and I haven't published 3,000 podcasts!

    Does that make me a FAILURE? Nope! It simply means that "life happened" and I've had to make adjustments along the way. Do I wish I could have kept up with my original "5 days a week" schedule all the way through? Yes, I do. I was building up a pretty decent audience at the start and can only imagine what that audience would have been like by now if I had. But, at the same time, I'm proud to have been able to overcome some of the obstacles that have come my way and still persisted to the point of publishing #1,000 today!

2. I Must "Do Me", REGARDLESS

     Even though I have not kept the audience that I was beginning to build and even though I do not get the feedback that I desire, I have kept on "doing me" regardless. I have continued to write my blog articles, record my podcasts and also record some videos along the way. As a matter of fact, to date, I have written 1,050 blog articles, recorded 1,000 podcasts and also recorded 153 YouTube videos (not counting live feeds on social media). 

    Why have I done so even when I have wondered - at times - if anyone was even reading and/or listening? Because it is who I am and I MUST continue to "Be Me" and "Do Me". I love to share information and I love to believe that, in some small way, I have made a positive impact on this world that will live on long after I'm gone. I HAVE made an impact and it WILL live on.

3. I've Left a Lasting Impact

    As I stated in the last paragraph, I know that I have left a positive impact on this world that will live on long after I'm gone. Wow! That puts a smile on my face and a good feeling in my heart because I know that, just as I have done with those that came before me, others will be able to listen to, read and watch my messages that I have published over these past 11 years and in the years to come. 

    I am so thankful that I have the ability to read, watch and hear messages from Napoleon Hill. I've had the opportunity to hear and/or watch messages from many other greats from the past that left this earth either before I was even born or when I was too young to even know anything about them. 

    Though I know that, more than likely, my messages will not be on the same level (popularity) as many of these greats, the fact remains that this information will always be available somewhere for future generations. It is exciting and humbling at the same time.

These 3 lessons that I've learned over the past 11 years also applies to you in your life, friend. As you go through your life you will discover the need to be FLEXIBLE with the ability to ADJUST to life's ups and downs that WILL come your way. I encourage you that, as you do so, you keep your focus and always be sure to "BE you and DO you". Hey, as I've mentioned many times before, YOU ARE UNIQUE to this world and there is no one else like you. And, finally, you WILL leave a lasting impact, one way or another...positive or negative. Do all that you can to leave the best, most positive impact that you can.

Whenever it is that you come across this article, THANK YOU for taking the time to read it. I hope it leaves you something worth your while to consider and absorb in and for your life.

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

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

Wish You Were...Where?

 

Do you still make a wish and blow out the candles on your birthday cake?

 

What? You don't celebrate your birthday with a cake?

 

What's that again? You don't even CELEBRATE your birthday?

 

How does that happen? I don't know but it happens with a lot of people from what I've seen.

 

"Cake? Candles? Wishes? Bah-Humbug!" (Does 'Bah-Humbug' still apply even though it's not the Christmas season?)

 

Friend, even though I'm sharing information about the new travel business that my wife and I have started, THIS IS ALSO ABOUT LIVING AND CELEBRATING LIFE!

 

We talked about it yesterday so, yeah, if you haven't read that article yet, you DO need to go back and do that...as well as listen to the podcast (links to both iTunes and RSS feed at the bottom).

 

Too many people have just given up on enjoying life and seeing their dreams become a reality. You know it and I know it. Hopefully that does not describe you but, hey, let's get real here - even people like "us" have allowed some things to just pass us by, right?

 

I'm too old, I'm too young, I don't have enough money, I don't have enough time.

 

Excuses.

 

Excuses that will lead you down a road of regret and disappointment. You don't believe me? Friend, if you have children, take a good long look at them and ask yourself where the time has gone.

 

ESPECIALLY if they are already "out of the house" but even if they are still at home with you and growing every day right before your very eyes.

 

The longer you wait to get back to enjoying your life and making those memories the sooner the time will come that you will wish that you had.

 

That's just the way it works.

 

Take the time to check out our page on Facebook (link at the bottom) and consider how you - yes YOU - can actually afford to make some of those life-long memories NOW instead of living a life void of those memories.

 

Hey, even if you don't do that, WAKE UP and realize that time is passing us all by and it is up to each and every one of us to make the most of it.

 

Even if it's NOT your birthday, don't wait for your next one to make a cake or even buy a cake and put at LEAST one candle on top of it and make a wish.

 

WHY NOT? I can just about promise that you'll smile and that you'll be glad that you did.

 

And if someone asks you for the occasion? Tell them that the occasion is LIFE!

 

Enjoy every moment, friend, enjoy every moment. And, as you do so, always be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

 

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

  *MJ Spillman Travel on Facebook*    *TRAVEL FOR LESS and ENJOY LIFE MORE!*

Celebrate the Small Things!

What do YOU celebrate and WHEN do you decide to have that celebration?

 

My guess is that too many of us wait until we have actually reached our goals and dreams (or we at least PLAN to once that happens!) before we celebrate success.

 

However, you will find that most - if not all - experts in the area of goals will tell you that you need to celebrate the small achievements along the way.

 

That's right - celebrate the small things!

 

If you wait, you can very easily become discouraged because it may seem as if you will NEVER reach that goal. Remember, it likely will take you longer than your first anticipated.

 

My wife and I actually wrote down our goals and dreams a few months back and also wrote down "celebration points" along the way. In other words, we wrote down smaller achievements that we decided would be cause for celebration.

 

For example, we wrote down that once we reached a certain amount of income in one day that we would celebrate by going out to eat at a special restaurant (we didn't blow the budget on this). Then, we set another goal along the same lines - once we reached another certain amount of income in one day then we would celebrate with a little larger type of celebration.

 

Get the point? Maybe not.

 

Do NOT celebrate to the extent (or the amount of the cost) that you actually set yourself back - this is VERY important!

 

But, DO set those "celebration points" along the way. Just by doing something with this specific reason behind it will help you realize that you ARE making progress toward your goals and dreams.

 

Oh, and while I'm at it, let me suggest another celebration point for all of us that we can, and should, celebrate = YOU ARE ALIVE!

 

That's right. "As long as there's breath, there's hope!". I came up with that years ago and it speaks such positive truth!

 

You are alive! Celebrate the fact that you - yes, YOU - have the ability to make such powerful and positive moves in your life today due to that fact.

 

Why not do this: simply make a list of all that is cause for celebration in your life, starting off with the fact that you are alive today?

 

We have more cause for celebration than we realize.

 

So, go ahead, make that list and then CELEBRATE!

 

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

 

 

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

 

Mike

 

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

                             Check out this legitimate way to make money from home!

Celebrating 400 Podcasts!

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

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

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

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

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

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN!

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

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

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

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

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

I NEED YOUR HELP!

And, in advance, I APPRECIATE your help!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Thankful Celebration!

Thankful Celebration!

That's right, we're still celebrating here - celebrating another day of livin' and another day of life!

And, on this "Thankful Thursday" I want to connect that celebration to the fact that each one of us has SO much for which to be thankful!

No, I don't want to hear your "yeah, but" lines ("Yeah, but, what about this or that..."). I know life is harder for some than for others BUT you still have some things in your life for which to be thankful!

Number one being - YOU ARE ALIVE! And, that being so, today is MAGICAL, WIDE OPEN and you have the opportunity to TURN YOUR DAY AROUND!

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

I talked to my friend with cancer last night. He just recently found out that he had cancer and he was really quite worried about it and - like many - already had a "worse case scenario" played out in his head.

He's losing his hair and has lost about 20 pounds due to the fact that his appetite has really been messed up due to the chemotherapy treatments and, on top of that, he has diabetes which is really also going nuts with all of this going on!

But, guess what? When I was talking to him last night he had a smile on his face from ear to ear! I wasn't able to have an "in depth" conversation with him to dig deeper but one thing he said was something along the lines of, "You know, along with the bad there is some good!" - HELLO?

I mentioned to him that his attitude seemed to be better NOW than it was when he first found out that he had cancer and he replied, "Well, I don't even feel like I have cancer most of the time. And, besides, what are you going to do?" In other words, he was indicating that he had MADE A CHOICE of how he was going to allow his disease to have an impact on his life.

I love it when I have the chance to talk to people like this - what a great, powerful and positive example for the rest of us!

Now, does he ALWAYS have that attitude? He'd be the first to tell you that he doesn't, especially on those days when the chemotherapy takes a toll on his body. BUT, my guess is that his attitude is positive more than it is negative.

Here's the kicker... this guy tends to be one of the most negative people I know. That's right! There have been times in the past when I have had to dismiss myself from being around him just because of the negative poison that was continually spewing from his mouth.

Amazing, isn't it?

Perhaps - and this is only MY thought on this - the cancer has caused this friend to really notice what matters and what doesn't and to be THANKFUL for another day of life.

What about you? What about me?

Days come and days go. Time moves on regardless of your circumstances. It's the same for each of us - for ALL of us.

What we do with that time is a CHOICE.

Why not incorporate THANKFUL CELEBRATION into your day - starting right now - TODAY?

And, as you do so - this WILL become a part of your life...

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

Mike

Keep on Celebrating!

Keep on Celebrating!

How is your celebration going today?

Are you allowing the negative things that surround you each and every day to get you down? Are you allowing it to sway you toward "stinkin' thinkin' "?

Remember, it's a CHOICE!

And, yes, I do realize it's easier said than done. But, honestly, isn't anything worthwhile easier said than done?

And yes, let's just get real here - sometimes no matter how hard we try, regardless of how much "good stuff" we fill our minds with, LIFE GETS US DOWN.

But, I'm simply here to try to encourage you to GET UP and not GIVE UP when that happens in your life!

Notice these words from the song, "Don't let it get you down...don't let it turn you around..."

Again, what we ALLOW these things to do in our lives (and TO our lives) is the main thing!

DON'T let it turn you around and send you in the opposite direction of your goals and dreams! Don't allow these things to persuade you to give up on your goals and dreams and head back to where you were before. DON'T DO IT!

And, then the last verse of this awesome song:

Well, I can't be bothered with sorrow - And I can't be bothered with hate, no, no
I'm using up the time but feeling fine, every day

YES, there are some very real emotions (sorrow) that can take the wind out of our sails...but, again, even allow those times to celebrate life! If you are mourning the loss of someone close to you - celebrate the memory of THEIR life and then allow the fact that you can share those memories with others and help that persons memory live on cause YOU to celebrate YOUR life!

Sometimes we call it "sorrow" though when we become discouraged and disappointed. We feel sad when, in reality, it may very well be such strong discouragement that we become depressed. Please understand that I'm not making light of this - I've been there! - but I still want to encourage you to NOT ALLOW THIS TO TAKE ROOT IN YOUR LIFE!

There is too much to enjoy and celebrate in this life to have time to allow the negative influences to take root and control our lives in this way! Whether it be sorrow, hate, discouragement, anger....the list can go on and on! And, the thing is - LIFE GOES ON!

I'm going to talk more about this tomorrow but the point is made here - we are "using up the time" one way or the other! Time comes and time goes. "Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday".

A day will come and go in the life of those focusing on the positive things of life as well as those that allow the negative things of life to take root and rule theirs.

By choosing to celebrate ANYWAY we can continue "feeling fine, every day"!

So, come on - get on up and KEEP ON CELEBRATING!

And, as you do so...

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

Mike

I Just Want to Celebrate!

I Just Want to Celebrate!

So, what's the occasion? What are you celebrating? Birthday? Anniversary? Job promotion?

Here's the deal - why do we have to wait for those "special occasions" in order for us to celebrate? TODAY is - can be and should be - a day of celebration. Just because!

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

That quote that I came up with way back in March of 2009 speaks to that very fact. LIVING and BREATHING is reason enough to celebrate!

The Bible says it this way, "This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!"

Why not get in the "celebration" mood and mode?

I hope that if you have been listening to the podcasts for this week that you have enjoyed the energy with the new song I have been using for the introduction and close. The song is, "I Just Want to Celebrate" by Rare Earth and you can even find a video I posted on the Future You University fan page on Facebook one day in the past couple of weeks.

I love the energy of the song! I love the PASSION of the song! Hey, I just LOVE THE SONG!

But the words...the words...yes, I even find a powerful message to help us stay focused and positive in songs like this!

Here is the basic premise of the song as shown in the chorus:

I just want to celebrate another day of livin'
I just want to celebrate another day of life

Just think about the POWER of this mindset in these words alone! The CHOICE to CELEBRATE another day of living and another day of LIFE!

Hmmmm....I wonder how your day would go if you approached it with this thought in mind? I wonder how your day would go if even five other people that you come across during the course of your day approached it with this thought in mind. What if everyone in your office had this mindset?

Hey friend, why not kick things off by making sure that YOU approach the day with this mindset?

I put my faith in the people - But the people let me down
So I turned the other way - And I carry on, anyhow

I actually already know the answer to this next question without ever hearing your voice, but here goes: Have YOU ever been disappointed in anyone in your life?

Of course you have! Now, the most important question on this is this: What did you do about it?

What good did it do to "stew" and "fume" about it? What good did it do to rant and rave to those around you about it? What good did it do...period?

Instead of letting those types of emotions poison both your mind and, yes, even your body - why not do what this song suggests and simply turn the other way and carry on....regardless!

Again, it's a choice that we all have. You can choose to allow the disappointment and hurt to have a deeper and further impact by allowing it to claim your mind and body for any length of time OR you can choose to "shake it off" and move on.

A friend of mine shared an acrostic with me one day - F.I.D.O. - "Forget It, Drive On!"

One other verse I want to use in today's discussion:

Had my head on the dollar bill - But the dollar bill flew away
But the sun is shining down on me - And it's here to stay

Now, as I mentioned in the podcast, I really have no idea what it means to have your head on a dollar bill. At first I thought that maybe it was a misprint but, upon looking at several different sources on the lyrics, they all say the same thing. I thought maybe it was supposed to be, "had my HAND on the dollar bill" - but I guess not! PERHAPS it is implying that this person had achieved a certain level of importance that would cause some to want to put his image on money. I really don't know.

However, I DO know the point!

Money, fame, fortune - if you achieve it you need to also understand that it is fleeting! Here today, gone tomorrow!

Some people don't handle that too well, do they?

What about YOU?

It doesn't have to necessarily be fame and fortune - it could be a job, a relationship and a wide variety of other things that can be "taken away" in a moments notice.

And, again, what you DO in response to this is a choice - YOUR choice!

I love the simplicity of this message - WHERE IS YOUR FOCUS?

We can focus on the disappointments and we can focus on the "what went wrongs", the "what if's" and the "only if I's" if we choose.

OR we can shift our focus and realize that we have survived and we WILL survive and that the sun is still shining - yes even in the midst of all of the mess - and it IS here to stay! Regardless!

FOCUS!

So, what will YOU decide to do today? Just focus on TODAY, remember?

Even in the midst of life's ups and downs we can still CELEBRATE! (Hey, where's that "bootie shake" music?).

And as you do so - this will come easily if you are celebrating - be sure to always...

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

Mike

300th Podcast Coming Soon!

Independence Day!

Today is July 4th and, in the United States of America we celebrate this as Independence Day. Now listen, it doesn't matte WHERE you're from - I'm going to cover some points that ALL can relate to.

HOWEVER, I want to speak a moment to my fellow Americans.... as we remember and celebrate this special day.

1. Don't forget what it is we celebrate - Yes, there are cookouts and fireworks that are enjoyed by many, but don't forget what we REALLY celebrate today. This is the day we celebrate the BIRTH of our country and the bravery that those who signed that Declaration of Indepence exhibited by putting their names on the line. Not only that, but the countless number of men and women that have sacrificed fighting to maintain that freedom.

2. BE THANKFUL! Are you one that gripes and fusses about all of the things that aren't right in our country? Realize that there are those that died so that you can have that freedom! Oh, believe me but check it out for yourself - many countries would "shut you down" in a heartbeat for talking against your country. It still happens today. BE THANKFUL of where you live and the FREEDOMS that we enjoy.

3. DO SOMETHING to make our country better! Talk is cheap - DO SOMETHING! Many already have and it cost many of them their lives.

NOW FOR ALL OF US....

Regardless of where you live or where you are - we ALL have the opportunity to claim independence in our own lives as we pursue a brighter and better future. Think about it - YOU have the power to change your life in such a way so as to claim Independence in your own life in the following ways:

* FREEDOM from an uncertain future - YOU can change it and chart your course!

* FREEDOM from financial worries - YOU can change even your financial future!

* FREEDOM from the stress of the above things - Yes, again, YOU can change your future!

Get the point? I could go on and on with that type of idea but here's the kicker - YOUR FUTURE IS NOW and YOU have the POWER and the ABILITY to make it what YOU want it to be!!!!

So, for so many reasons -

Happy Independence Day!!!