Water Your Own Grass!

THIS (the quote found in the above graphic) is a LIFE LESSON that we all need to learn and that we need to be sure to teach our children and grandchildren.

At the same time, THIS seems to be a LIFE LESSON that has NOT been taught to many in our current society. (When I say "our" society, I'm referring to those in the United States. I have no idea what your society in another country may be like but I DO know what is going on here in the U.S.).

Too many want what others have without putting in the work that the others put into what they now have. Make sense? 

We've discussed this principle before: Many look at a successful person and say, "I want that!" but are unwilling to do what that person did to build that success.

There are many in our society that do not even hesitate to admit that they have no desire whatsoever to do any work towards that kind of success at all. They simply WANT what others have because they do not think that it is "fair" that others have more than they do. What a warped sense of reality!

Hypothetically (and, often, even literally) they look over their fence into their neighbor's yard and notice how nice and green it is. They notice how thick and healthy the neighbor's grass is and also how beautifully the yard is landscaped. Then, they take a look at their own yard and notice just the opposite. They make note that their back yard doesn't even have grass growing in it because of the fact that their five dogs have worn it down. They also notice mounds of dog poo throughout  the yard but, yet, they make no effort to clean it up. They also notice that there is trash and paper shredded all over the yard because they have left trash in the back yard and then the dogs have ripped that trash to pieces. And, finally, they also notice the scattered beer and/or cola cans scattered all over the back yard.  And, yet, they don't think it's right that the neighbor's yard is so much nicer

Of course, they may or may not have paid attention to the fact that the neighbor has put in countless hours maintaining their back yard. The neighbor actually has a dog but that dog has not destroyed the back yard. The neighbors do not leave trash in the back yard so, of course, there is no trash for the dog to tear up and rip to shreds. Oh, and by the way, not only has the neighbor spent a lot of TIME on that back yard but they have also spent a bit of MONEY for the landscaping, etc. They take pride in their yard and the work that they have put into making it beautiful and enjoyable.

As the graphic above says, "Stop staring, stop comparing, stop complaining Start watering the grass you're standing on"

WATER YOUR OWN GRASS!

You likely are not one of those people wanting what everyone else has without putting in the effort to receive it but, we must all be careful to not allow this attitude to creep into our lives and mindset. 

One main way to do that is for YOU to take care of YOU and, by doing so, you won't have time to worry about anyone else and what they do or don't have. 

Make sense?

Sure it does. 

So, even if you don't suffer from this "lack mindset", be sure to teach the truth of the "water your own grass mindset" to future generations. This is a MUST!

If you haven't done so, take a few minutes and listen to the podcast (links below) and/or watch the video (see the YouTube link below). Although this is on the same topic, I did the podcast and video several days before I wrote this article which means that there is different material and thoughts available there.

Thanks again for joining me 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

YouTube
 

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

 

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