Where Do YOU Live?

"LEARN from the past but don't LIVE in the past." - Mike Spillman

Sometimes I love to just sit and listen to older people talk about the past. Now, yes, I DO understand that "older people" is a relative term but I think you know what I mean, right?  What is "older", you ask? "Older" is simply someone that is OLDER THAN ME!

I remember once, while in college, I traveled with a group of college students to a town in Ohio where we were going to spend a week helping "older people" in different ways. When I found out that visiting a nursing home for the week was available, I jumped on the opportunity! 

I am so thankful that my parents made sure that me and my siblings spent time visiting nursing homes, even if we didn't know any of the people there. I believe it gave me the opportunity - early on - to realize what value these people still had for those that would take the time to sit down and listen. 

Anyway, on this particular trip to Ohio, there was one lady that, honestly, could not remember what you had said to her five minutes before but, when I could get her to talk about growing up she could talk to me for hours - in detail - about events that she experienced along the way. I loved getting to spend time with her and listen to her talk about her past.

But, I also discovered somewhere along the way in my life that there are those that, although they may also remember events in their past with vivid detail, they choose NOT to talk about their past. Why? Because the memories are not pleasant and they would just as soon FORGET those memories.

There are many that, indeed, have LEARNED from past events but have NO DESIRE whatsoever to even THINK about re-living their past. But, on the other hand, there are also many others that still seem to focus all of their attention on the past and long for those days. 

Oh, believe me, there are times that I wish I could go back in time and re-live and re-do some things in my past...especially as a parent. I miss the times that I had with my three boys and, like I said, there are many things I wish I could go back and re-do. But, obviously, I cannot. 

There are many that have had great successes in their past perhaps in the business world in whatever profession that they were in or maybe even in athletic achievements. They continue to think about and share stories about their "glory days" to anyone and everyone that will listen. 

But, there is a difference between the little old lady in the nursing home in Ohio and these people. The little old lady was simply "re-counting" information about those events in her past while this other group of people are still trying to "re-live" them.

Good OR bad memories all bring us to the same place with this. YES, be sure that you LEARN from the past but, friend, don't try to LIVE in the past. 

If you went through some horrible things that have left bad memories then I am sure that you HAVE learned some valuable lessons from those experiences. But friend, do all that you can not to dwell on re-living those bad memories. Yes, get the help that you may need to help you get past that in and for your life, but please do all that you can to stop living  in and through your past. 

And, at the same time, if your memories are good and bring about a sense of pride, that's o.k., too BUT do not continue to try to live in the past or try to RE-LIVE those events. They are in the past, they are gone, never to be re-claimed or re-lived. Enjoy them but understand that you still have so much to offer those around you besides those memories. 

Remember: That period ahead of us that we often call "tomorrow" does not actually exist and neither does that past time period that we call "yesterday". Yesterday no longer exists. That being true (and it is!), all we have is right now and the time that we call TODAY. 

What memories will you make for yourself today? What memories will your words and actions make for those around you today?

Think about that and 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!

Mike's Quotes #14: Just a Bump in the Road

 “The past is just a bump in the road to the future.” - Jordan Spillman (8.10)

The quote that I want to share with you today comes from my youngest son, Jordan Spillman.  

Though he is my youngest son, he is currently 28 and about to turn 29.

This quote came in the summer following his High School graduation. And, as a little bit of background, my wife had suffered a heart attack the summer before and we almost lost her. That was a very traumatic experience for us all! Since I don't know the EXACT date that he came up with the quote I'm not sure of the specifics in relation to timing, but our whole family went through a frustrating transition in August 2010. 

Without going into details, Jordan has gone through quite a few "bumps" since the time of this quote but he continues to press on. Yes, I am PROUD of him!

I know that, at the time, he had no idea what life had in store for him over the next 9.5 years but, the fact is, none of us do, right? I would say that his quote has had "skin" put on it and that it (the quote) has breathed "life" and has become more than a collection of words.

Friend, the quote is GOOD ADVICE!

Just go back to the article featuring "Quote #12" where I emphasize, once again, the fact that TODAY is truly all that we have available to us. Not the past, not the future, but TODAY.

The past is just a "bump in the road".

But those bumps can either be just a small thing or something that can actually cause you to end up in a wreck, the hospital or even dead. YIKES! All bumps are NOT created equal!

So it is with life. We ALL have our struggles and, believe me, even those that you think are "immune" to such, certainly are not. If you have yet to experience hardship in your life then, friend, it's not "if" but "when".  I'm not trying to be pessimistic. I'm simply being honest and trying to help you prepare for what WILL come to pass at some time in your life.

Two quick thoughts:
   1. What will you do when it happens?
   2. What will you do AFTER it happens?

When these "bumps" come along in your life you must decide that you will KEEP MOVING FORWARD and that you will NOT allow that "bump" to cause you to quit and give up. Yes, again, I DO understand that there can be some incredibly hard situations that can cross our path as we go through life. I'm not down playing that fact. But friend, the fact remains that we just simply cannot allow ourselves to curl up in a little ball and give up.

So, WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN IT HAPPENS? The time to decide is NOW, before that time arrives. And, if you have already experienced such things in your life then, friend, you are better prepared to handle whatever "bump" may (and likely will) come your way.

Just as importantly, we must also decide, in advance, the answer to the following question: WHAT WILL YOU DO AFTER IT HAPPENS? Remember, your PAST does NOT determine your FUTURE.

Yes, learn from the past and do all you can to not make the same mistakes again. Where there is pain, hurt and suffering, learn the lessons that are provided  through the process that you had to go through, take them to heart and move on, a better person.

But, whatever you do, do NOT allow yourself to continually LOOK BACK at the past with regret. Yes, I understand but, friend, do all that you can to do WHAT you can that may need to be done and then MOVE ON.

Do NOT be "derailed" or "side-lined". Remember that "the past is just a bump in the road to the future."

This blog article is being published on Thanksgiving Day 2019 and I wanted to take a moment and wish you, your family and loved ones a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy every moment, cherish every moment and be thankful for even the small blessings in your life.

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   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

"F" in BELIEF

- FORGET -

 

We now come to the last article in this series on the word, "BELIEF". I'm not going to take the time to go back and recap all of the other letters and words that I've used during this series. All you need to do to catch up is to go back and read each article yourself.

 

If we are going to stay focused on what we believe what will or what can be, then we MUST be able to FORGET the past.

 

Sometimes we have a hard time looking past our current circumstances because we connect our those current events to the past. For example, we may feel that things will not or can not get any better in the future because we have experienced these negative circumstances in the past.

 

"Why should I expect anything different or any better?"

 

Sometimes we just simply have a hard time ridding our memory of what WAS, which keeps us from looking to what CAN be.

 

Let me ask you a question: When you look ahead to your goals and dreams, do you not look at something BETTER than what it is right now? Do you not look at some improvement in your life? I can answer that for you - OF COURSE YOU DO! I have never met anyone in my whole life that planned on things being WORSE in their future

 

Now, sometimes that is what happens, but it is not what we all hope, dream and plan for, right?

 

With that being true (and it is), then you understand that things can CHANGE and that they can be BETTER than they are right now. Follow me here and don't get lost. In order for that to happen, then you also must understand that YOU can be better than you are even at this point in your life.

 

Make sense?

 

The whole premise of my quote, "As long as there is breath, there is hope" revolves around this BELIEF. Every day is a day of HOPE and OPPORTUNITY, regardless of what has been a part of your past life.

 

Sure, things may be tough and there may be things you need to do and CAN to do to correct some things from the past. HOWEVER, you can NOT go back and relive the past. You can take steps to heal and you can take steps to improve and, friend, that is a sign of one that has LEARNED from their past.

 

Just remember that you LIFE is in your FUTURE and that FUTURE begins TODAY.

 

Keep moving on to your goals and dreams and belief and, as you do so, also 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     Remove DEBT Now!     See How 100% Involved MAKE MONEY


LEARN From Your Past

Yesterday, we talked about not feeling ashamed or embarrassed about the need to "start over". We discussed the fact that any great invention was not invented successfully the first time that it was tried. The fact is that it took the person attempting to create that invention, the patience to START OVER again and again!

 

So, again, regardless of what you may read or hear somewhere else (remember that graphic that got me a little angry?), there is NO SHAME in having to START OVER! The shame would be if you actually QUIT and just gave up completely.

 

But that's not you!

 

So, as you think about starting over there IS one thing that we must really take into consideration in this process.

 

DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM YOUR PAST ATTEMPTS?

 

Think back to the example of the great inventors having to start over several times. What would you think if they kept doing the EXACT SAME THING that did NOT work over and over again? Would you not ask that person why they keep doing the same thing that did not work over and over again?

 

SURE YOU WOULD!

 

Friend, it should be no different for you or me. If you keep starting over but keep doing the same things over and over again then, guess what? YOU WILL KEEP MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES and you will CONTINUE to have to START OVER but with no hope of ever making any progress!

 

That, my friend, is a FACT!

 

Can we get brutally honest here? I hope you say "yes" because that is exactly what we are going to do!

 

From my own experience and from what I have seen, here is the #1 REASON why so many keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Are you ready?

 

PRIDE.

 

That's right...PRIDE!

 

What do I mean? The #1 reason why most people keep making the same mistakes is because their own PRIDE will not allow them to ADMIT THAT THEY MADE THE MISTAKES! It's easier to blame everyone and everything else for their mistakes.

 

That being so (and, friend, it is so a majority of the time), they do not learn anything and are destined to a perpetual cycle of making the same mistakes again and again, not learning a thing to correct these mistakes.

 

So, did your ego survive that? GOOD! (I'm assuming you said, "yes"!).

 

As much as that hurts and as much as some do not want to hear this truth, it IS the truth! You will find that if you will actually be willing to accept the fact that YOU are responsible for the mistakes then, friend, you have the ability to LEARN something and NOT make the same mistake again!

 

Now, here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to let all of this sink in and allow you to really open up and accept the responsibility that, yes, YOU could actually be the one responsible for what went wrong before. Yes, YOU!

 

I'm going to ask that you take the time to really, honestly, consider this possibility (I'm trying to be nice here) that this could be true and then take a GOOD LOOK at the past and see if you can actually pin-point some of the problem areas.

 

O.K.?

 

Then, tomorrow, we will come back and address some of these issues. Deal?

 

But, you MUST be open and willing to admit to mistakes if the mistakes are yours. Deal?

 

I hope so, because that is what I'm going to do tomorrow.

 

I think you will be surprised - and likely relieved - to find out that you are not the only person that has struggled with these issues.

 

So again, the ONLY SHAME is when you do not learn from your past mistakes and struggles. The time is NOW to stop that disastrous spiral, wouldn't you agree?

 

Good...let's get after it and begin moving forward toward our goals and dreams.

 

Until then, whatever you do, 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*    FREE Lead System  

 

REGRET

Get into the discussion by LIKING the F.Y.U. Fan Page Here!

That's a pretty gloomy picture up there, isn't it? For many people REGRET looms over them like a big storm threatening the potential of great damage. For many, the "cloud of regret" hovers over them and follows them wherever they go. Doom. Danger. Destruction. Disaster. Defeat.

We all have regrets, don't we? I feel that, because of my experience as a parent, I can say that ALL parents have regrets. Can't all of us - as parents - look back and wish we had done some things differently? Spent more time doing things with our kids. Focused more on helping them develop certain characteristics that one is not born with but can only be taught and learned.

Everyone that is married has regrets. Everyone that is not married has regrets.

Get the picture? EVERYONE has regrets.

I picked out a few quotes on REGRET that I wanted to share with you. Take a look at them and let them soak in...

I'd rather regret the things I have done than the things that I haven't. - Lucille Ball

A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.     -John Barrymore

When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.     -Alexander Graham Bell

Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.     -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I'm not sure if Lucille Ball got her quote from Mr. Brown, but they are both very similar in what they say. They both cause us to really look closely at our regrets. Do they not?

I can't help but ask the question that almost cries out from John Barrymore's quote... Have your dreams been replaced by regrets? Really examine this one closely!

I love the way that Mr. Bell brought out such a wise observation to the popular saying about one door closing and another one opening. This may be true but read again this observation and ask yourself if you are constantly standing and looking at all of the doors in your life that are closed.

REGRET - we all have it so it is important for us to consider what we DO with the regret in our own life!

Well?

Here's the deal and, if you've read much of my stuff at all you won't be surprised at what I'm about to say: IT'S YOUR CHOICE! Just like anything else in life and especially when it comes to how things impact our lives - it is a CHOICE that we make.

Think about it...we ALL have regrets but many live their lives differently when it comes to those regrets. Some live their lives FULL of regret to the point that they can never move on because of their focus ON those regrets (see again the quote by Alexander Graham Bell). Hey listen, for some, the regret is LARGE and the impact is far reaching but, nevertheless, all regrets are seen through our rear-view mirror, are they not? And, that being the case we MUST understand that we CAN learn from the cause of the regrets but we CANNOT go back and undo them and we CANNOT allow ourselves to focus on those past causes.

Seriously, what can be gained by doing this? NOTHING except bringing more regret to your life when you realize how much time you have wasted focused on this regret.

On the other hand, as has been said, you can LEARN from the past mistakes that brought on that regret and you can do everything within your power to not repeat those same mistakes thus avoiding even stronger regret due to your repetitive nature.

Huh?

DON'T DO IT AGAIN.

But we often do, don't we? That's how we are. But, hopefully, over time, we begin to break that pattern and we start repeating those same mistakes less and less to the point that we DO finally move on in a positive way.

Remember this: YOU ARE HUMAN!

Don't use that as an excuse (as many people do - "Oh well. You know, I'm only human!") but let it help you understand how we - as humans - tend to behave and how hard it is to make significant change in our lives as well as how long this significant change may take.

As was stated differently in two of the above quotes, the worst thing any of us wants to do is come to the point that we regret the fact that we did NOTHING...that we failed to LIVE.

I hope this helps. I'd love to hear from you at any time. Feel free to drop me an email - mike@futureyouuniversity.com as well as leave comments here or at the Future You University FAN PAGE on Facebook (preferred method for comments).

Until next time, be sure to...

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

Mike

  



Choice One: DEFINE

Kelly Clarkson currently has a song out that has the following line in it, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". We've all heard that saying before, right? And, by the way, I DO love that song! It's kind of hard to sit still when she kicks that chorus in!

I do understand the idea behind that saying but I'm not sure it's 100% accurate. If you are in a car accident and are paralyzed from the neck down are you STRONGER than before? No. However, you may become stronger mentally and attitudinally. But, that may not always be the case either. I'm sure you can add your own examples along that same thought line.

Yet, at the core of that saying lies this truth that I've been sharing for the past three years: "AS LONG AS THERE IS BREATH, THERE IS HOPE!"

Don't ever forget that and, along with yesterday's introductory article, "When Bad Things Happen" we need to remember that we have some choices. The first of these that I'll be addressing today is, "LET IT DEFINE YOU".

Who are you? Why are you "who" you are? What has made you who you are? Yes, I understand that all of our experiences have been a part of making us "who" we are but, again, don't miss this point - YOUR PAST DOES NOT DETERMINE YOUR FUTURE!

Currently, my wife and I are working with kids in foster care and there are some horrible and heart-wrenching stories behind the lives of some of these young people. However, it is so important for me to emphasize to them that their past DOES NOT determine their future! The mistakes of those that were supposed to love and care for them DOES NOT determine a continued future of hurt and distrust! Their own mistakes - OUR OWN MISTAKES - does NOT determine the same for their (our) future!

Too many people give up thinking that there is NOTHING that they can do to change this direction of their life and, my friend, there is NOTHING further from the TRUTH!

I talk on the podcast (iTunes -  http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 and the RSS feed - http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml  ) about those that are dealing with or have dealt with tragic loss in their lives. I can't even imagine what it would be like to lose a child or to lose my wife. I came close to losing my wife a couple of years ago due to a "one-in-a-million" occurrences with her heart. The thought of going on and living life without her was unbearable! So, I want to emphasize again that I AM NOT criticizing anyone that is struggling with moving on after such a tragic event.

However, please hear me as I say this with complete compassion and caring - this, as well, does not have to define the rest of your life. Will it always be there? YES! Will it forever impact every area of your life for the rest of your life? YES! But it does not have to define and control the rest of your life.

You've often heard it said that the person that has passed would want you to go on and LIVE your life! I'm guessing that this is true but hard for us to think about when we go through such things. Please hear this in the way it is intended...at some point in time we must CEASE living the life of a victim and begin to live the life of a VICTOR!

You can. You must.

I, along with many others, am here to help in any way that I can by doing all I can to encourage you with these positive podcasts and articles. It IS possible to survive and thrive in spite of any bad thing that may have happened in your life.

When bad things happen they DO NOT have to define your life.

Join me tomorrow as we continue on with the next part, "LET IT DESTROY YOU". Until then, be sure to...

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

Mike

Even When You Don't...

"Even When You Don't - You Do!"

- Mike Spillman

We're talking about some of YOUR favorite quotes this week but, until some more are sent in from you I will resort to using some of my own! Oh yeah, I have a bunch of them to share with you.

Don't think it's too late to get them in --- I'd love to have you share them with me and I will likely either carry this over to next week as well OR just store some of them up for a future set of podcasts. Either way - please send in your favorite quote along with a short note as to why it is so special and meaningful to you.

Sometimes we may be fooled into thinking that the way to NOT make mistakes is to simply DO NOTHING!

WRONG. That's the BIGGEST mistake you can make!

Sure, if you make a choice or if you make a decision it could be the wrong one and it could be deemed as a "mistake". And, I understand how someone could begin to shy away from making ANY choice or decision if the past several have seemed to turn out wrong.

I highlighted the word "seemed" in the preceding paragraph for a reason. Whether we realize it or not, we often determine something to be a "mistake" before the results of that choice/decision have had a chance to run its full course. Sure, it may bring a lot of problems and criticism, etc. into your life right now (who WOULDN'T think that it was wrong when it's like that?) but, you still don't know the final result.

For example, the person you do or don't marry is a decision that you simply CANNOT be 100% sure about one way or the other until years down the road. The one that you DIDN'T marry...well, you'll never know, will you? But, it may have been a blessing and not a mistake! And, the one you DID marry? Sometimes we find a completely different person once the honeymoon is over, right? Sometimes, even when you are SO happy on the wedding day and SO convinced that this person is the ONE FOR LIFE...you find out even years later that this may also have been the biggest mistake of your life.

Hey, good or bad - that's life, right?

So, what do you do? Just STOP getting involved in life and STOP making any decisions?

"Even when you don't - you do!"

The very act of attempting to STOP making a decision is a decision in and of itself!

Deciding to withdraw from life so that you don't get hurt is a decision that WILL hurt you.

So...bottom line - GET IN THE GAME! Bumps and bruises are just part of the game and only those that sit on the sidelines are the ones that have clean uniforms and no scratches!

I once heard the following observation about there being three groups of people at any event - in this situation, let's use a football game. First, there are those that are IN the stadium and that have paid good money to have a ticket to WATCH the game. They may really get into the game and be very passionate, but they still are only WATCHING the game. Then, there are those that are ON THE FIELD and that are actually PLAYING the game! It's not as easy as that person sitting up in the bleachers and sometimes the players get hurt - some worse than others, but they PLAY TO WIN and pain is just part of their participation. And finally, there are those that are OUTSIDE of the stadium. They decided - for whatever reason - NOT to buy a ticket but to sit and/or stand outside of the stadium hoping some of the excitement of even being this close might rub off on them. PLAY the game? No way! That's too dangerous! PAY for the game? No way! That's too expensive! Stand outside the stadium and neither PAY nor PAY? Well, they DO hear the crowd roar when something exciting happens! They have no idea WHAT happened, but they can hear the roar of the crowd and WONDER WHAT HAPPENED.

Friend, that is NO WAY to live life! As a matter of fact, that is NOT "living" life at all - it is merely existing on the sidelines WONDERING what happened.

LIVE LIFE and LIVE LIFE TODAY!

Don't let your past mistakes keep you from pushing forward. Hey, the only ones that AREN'T making mistakes are the ones in the grave.

Keep that in mind as you go for it! And...as you do, always remember to:

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

Mike

TODAY Matters - Part 2

"TODAY Matters! - Part 2"

As you can tell by the title of today's entry, I will be continuing my discussion on the topic, "TODAY Matters!"

The basic premise for our discussion this week is as follows: TODAY is all you really have! When that 24-hour period that we call "tomorrow" arrives it will then be "TODAY"!

So, with that in mind, I'd like to begin by asking you this question: "What are YOU doing with TODAY?"

We've all heard the saying, "Time flies when you're having fun" and I've also made the comment in the past that, regardless of whether you are having fun or not - time still flies by!

Time passes at the same 24-hour pace TODAY (regardless of your age or "fun-status") as it did yesterday or even twenty or thirty years ago! Oh sure, it seems that time goes by faster as we get older but we all know that, in reality, it doesn't pass by any slower or faster than it ever has before.

So, here's the deal - IF we begin to understand this concept then we will begin to understand how VALUABLE today really is! Once gone it is gone forever, never to be reclaimed!

We also know that none of us has ANY promise about "tomorrow" ever arriving for us. And, again, understanding that fact SHOULD help us attach more value to the time that we have TODAY!

I believe that what we do with our time each day shows the VALUE that we have attached to that day and our time. Think about it and see if you don't agree.

My guess is that, if you DON'T agree it is because you realize that you don't spend your time each day very wisely and you almost get offended at the idea that this indicates how you value each day. Ouch!

Instead of becoming angry at me for saying it, why not allow that feeling of "indignation" cause you to take a closer look to see if it's not actually true in your life.

Now listen, I'm not saying that we can't all enjoy some "down time" when we simply kick back and relax! If we DON'T allow that in our lives we will end up with some "down time" against our will and it will likely be in a hospital!

But I also know this - if you are reading this blog entry then you know what I'm talking about. You are smart enough and wise enough to differentiate between those needed "down times" and our tendency to "waste time", right?

Sometimes we need a wake up call (a close brush with death, for example) to cause us to understand now valuable today really is - but what about if that "wake up call" doesn't come? Is it still possible for us to begin to treasure and value each day?

YES!

Honestly approach every area of your life with the idea that I have already mentioned - how you "treat" that area of your life shows the value that you place on that area of your life.

For example, let's think about our relationships. You can think of your spouse, partner, best friend, children and other family members - you decide. But, many of us take for granted these relationships, don't we? Many times, this comes to our attention once it's too late to do anything about it.

One thing for sure, once death has come and taken that person away from us - we can never go back and laugh, cry, talk or walk with that person ever again. This point is quite obvious.

However, a point that many times we overlook is the fact that once TODAY is gone we can never go back and laugh, cry, talk or walk with that person in THAT OPPORTUNITY GIVEN ever again!

Sure, we may have the chance to do it again - but never can we go back and "redo" that opportunity. The time is NOW and your approach to this shows your thoughts on the value of that relationship.

This is true of not only relationships, but also of our jobs and thoughts about our future. I think you have the ability to sit and think about the ramifications by using the examples already given with relationships.

Wow! Makes you think, doesn't it?

I know it does me and especially as my wife and I prepare to watch our youngest son, Jordan, (yes, our YOUNGEST of three - the last one!) get ready to graduate from High School in a little over a week and a half.

Where has time gone? The same place that it always goes...into the past one day at a time.

Be sure to join me as we continue the thought behind the title, "TODAY Matters!" and be sure to take a little extra time TODAY to value all areas of your life. Once gone, today and all the things that make it what it is, can never be reclaimed.

So, you see, as always - it is up to YOU! Take advantage of it and make the most of it and, as you do, always remember to...

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

Mike

Time Passes ANYWAY!

Time Passes ANYWAY!

"Time flies when you're having fun." We've all heard this, right? But here's my quote on this:

"Time flies whether your having fun or not!"

Oh, I do understand that, when our minds are preoccupied with something else besides watching the clock or watching the calendar that we lose track of time. "What? It's midnight already?"

However, - check this out for yourself - time moves at exactly the same pace whether you are having the best time of your life or you are having the worst time of your life! That's right. There are still sixty seconds that will pass for each minute and sixty of those minutes for each hour. Your day, my day and everyone's day still has twenty-four of those hours in them.

It's the same for everyone.

Charlie "Tremendous" Jones, who passed away in October of 2008, said the following: "You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read.”

You see, time passes by for each of us - regardless!

So, whether you are FOLLOWING your dreams or you have decided to SETTLE for less...time will still pass you by!

I heard Jim Rohn say the following: "Here is a good question to ask yourself. Ten years from now you will surely arrive. The question is, where? We don’t want to kid ourselves about where; we don’t want to kid ourselves about the road we’re walking."

Wow! Are we getting the point now?

How many of us - myself included - can look back over time and be amazed at how much time has already passed by in our lives? How many of us wish we could go back and reclaim some of that time and make better use of it?

FACT: We cannot.

You've heard me say it or have read it in my writings - once gone it is gone forever! We cannot reclaim it and we cannot relive it! We can make apologies and try to make amends for the mistakes that we have made, but the mistakes cannot be removed. We can celebrate the good times in our past and we can relive them in our memories. However, we can never go back and actually relive them and enjoy them again.

It is a sad fact of life that some people seem to never move on from their past. They either life in depression due to their horrible past or they are stuck reliving their "glory years" of successes that have long passed.

WAKE UP!

It is TODAY! NOW is the time! Listen, since time is going to go by anyway, why not do something POSITIVE with the time that you have?

"Oh, but I'm old and I don't have much time left!" But you DO have time left, right? At least as far as you know. So why not DO SOMETHING POSITIVE with the day, the hour and the minute that you have RIGHT NOW?

Hey, whether we are having fun or not has absolutely NOTHING to do with it...TIME PASSES ANYWAY. What will YOU do?

And, AS you "do"...

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

Mike

5 Things That Make TODAY "Magical"!

5 Things That Make TODAY "Magical"!

1. It's a NEW DAY!

You can fill in the "date blank" for any day of the year - anytime that you want to apply this, but as for this specific day, there has NEVER been a Monday, December 14, 2009 in the history of time! This is the first EVER "today" - and it's all yours!

Think about that! It's kind of like the old phrase used on the original "Star Trek" show...."Boldly going where no man has gone before!" --- that's all of us with TODAY!

Here's the kicker - no one else CAN go through today like you - because they are NOT you! What you do with today...how you live today...the choices you make today are unique to you which means that NO ONE ELSE will take this journey of TODAY but you!

Yes, you may have the same job, the same spouse, the same family, live in the same house and the same city, drive the same car (and we could go on and on) BUT it is a NEW DAY! Just because so much of what surrounds you and fills your time is the same does not mean that you must go through the day the same as before!

Think about that and let it challenge you and excite you! Break out of the "hum-drums" by realizing that you have never gone through this day before and that you have never "worked your job" as today!

This, indeed, is truly "magical"!

2. Although you cannot UNDO the past, you can DO today!

Don't we all have things we wish we could "undo" and/or "relive" from our past? Wouldn't it be great if we could do what we see kids do in games so many times when they declare, "DO OVER!" after making a mistake? Well, sure, in golf they call it a "mulligan" - but it's a "do over", right? The truth is - we can't.

Yes, we can make amends for some of the mistakes we have made in the past - and sometimes we can't. Yes, we can "patch up" relationships that we have messed up in the past - and sometimes we can't. But, here's the thing we know for sure - we CANNOT go back and do it over again and try to make sure we do it right this time. That day/time is gone and it is gone forever.

So, let's focus on this wonderful time period that is TODAY and let's DO today! Hopefully, this little podcast and blog entry will heighten our awareness of the preciousness of what we have before us RIGHT NOW and maybe cause us to think a little more about what we say and do TODAY!

Go back to point number 1 and think about this again -- yes, the same life as before but we do not have to LIVE it in the same way! Did you have a major fight with your spouse over the weekend or yesterday? You don't have to continue those feelings TODAY! You cannot go back and relive or undo what happened - but you CAN DO something to correct it and improve it today!

Approach your "same job" TODAY with the idea and the attitude and the knowledge that you have the opportunity to DO TODAY the way that YOU choose to do it and in a way that does not have to follow the same old routine. (Oh sure, I know there are "routines" in every job - but the realization that today is new and that you get to DO today can help us even in these routines!).

Although we cannot UNDO - we can DO! And that, my friend, makes today "magical"!

3. There will NEVER be ANOTHER today!

This is the opposite side of point number 1 --- just as there has never been a "TODAY" before in the history of time, there will also NEVER be another Monday, December 14, 2009 in the history of time! What will YOU do with it?

You see, these things all work together, don't they? When we realize how special, precious and "magical" today is, it CAN make a difference in how we live our lives!

What will be the mark - YOUR MARK - that you leave on today? Will you even live a trace of yourself by just "going through the motions" or will you make a difference in YOUR life and the lives of those around you?

Some of you will recognize this phrase from a popular soap opera, "As sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives." IT'S TRUE!

What time is it as you read this blog entry? How much of "TODAY" has already passed into the pages of history never to be reclaimed? WOW - that kind of wakes me up a bit, what about you?

As I type this, it is 10:06 a.m. on Monday, December 14, 2009. Ten hours of this day have already passed by with only 14 hours left! And then...it will be gone forever.

Today. Use it wisely. The magic lies in the fact that, again, you can approach it and live it in a way that can also make it memorable!

4. Today has an impact on ALL of your TOMORROWS!

5. You have the ability to CHOOSE how you DO today!

I will discuss these last two points in tomorrows blog entry - IF that time period arrives! The reason I am doing this is because I had to somewhat rush through them in today's podcast due to my time frame for each podcast. However, why not be sure to listen to the podcast and catch a glimpse of the ideas behind these last two points. I'm sure you can figure them out anyway but still can benefit from hearing it/reading it from someone else's viewpoint!

Friend, today IS "magical". It is uniquely yours! Live it wisely and without regret!

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

Mike