A Revisit to the FIRST F.Y.U. Blog Article

This is a little different than what I usually do for my blog articles but, I am out for a couple of days on my motorcycle and I wanted to be sure to leave something behind for you to read and contemplate. I have "gone back in time" and decided to share the very first podcast that aired on March 2, 2009 as well as the blog article that went along with it.

Now, to be honest, there's not a whole lot to the blog article (remember, I was just starting out) so be sure to take the time to listen to the podcast - you'll be glad you did!

Here's the focus of that first article entitled, "There is HOPE - and TODAY IS THE DAY!".

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I'm not going to go back over everything I talked about in that podcast entitled, "There Is Hope" but I do want to simply "touch base" on a little of it to share with you here.

In the podcast I quote a few other people on their thoughts about "hope" and I also share one that I came up with myself which is: "As long as there is breath - there is hope." (not too shabby, huh?)

Don't ever forget that! No matter how dark things may seem - no matter how hopeless they may appear --- as long as you have breath, THERE IS HOPE!

Listen to the podcast and then begin to look around you through the "eyes of HOPE" as opposed to looking thorough the darkness of doom and despair.

Please feel free to leave comments and/or ask questions - I'd love to get your feedback and hear from you.

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

M. Spillman

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

YOU Are the Key!

Lessons From 'The Board' - Part 1

Not a very fancy graphic, is it? It's actually a little ugly, even!

That is a picture of a piece of paper that I have had posted to my "power board" since around 2003. Yeah, that long. What's a "power board"? Different people may call it by different names but, for me, this is one of the places where I post things like this - things that I need to SEE and NOTICE on a daily basis. 

Over the next few articles I will be sharing other such "notes" from my "power board".

However, let me suggest something different for you as far as WHERE to place it...especially this one. PUT IT ON YOUR MIRROR and read it out loud to yourself EVERY day as you look at yourself in that mirror.

This quote came from the late, great, Jim Rohn. I am so glad that I had the chance to hear him speak in person on several occasions before he passed away.  I LOVE just about anything and everything that is connected to Jim Rohn.

Let me ask you a question: Do you want a "better" future? Do you DESIRE a better future?

I would assume that you would say "yes" to that question. I'm not sure why anyone wouldn't say "yes" when asked that question. We ALL want something "better" for our future.

If you're not sure about how to answer that for fear that you may sound ungrateful or greedy, maybe I can ask another question that will clear that up quickly. Do you want something WORSE for your future? 

I didn't think so.

Now that we have that cleared up, let's get to the bottom line here: YOU.

That's right, Mr. Rohn gets right down to it in this quote...YOU are the MAJOR key in this desire and YOU are the MAJOR key in this becoming a reality. Sure, there are other factors that may be involved but, notice the word "MAJOR". You are the MAIN ingredient in this process.

There are many things that YOU can do or many ways that YOU have the ability to direct this course. I'm not going to address all of those in this article but, if you want a hint, go back and read as many of my articles as you can. Look up and read as many articles and books by people like Jim Rohn as you can.

Since YOU are THE MAJOR KEY to your better future then you need to realize that improving your mindset is one of the most important things that you can do. 

It starts there but it does not end there. It is a CONTINUAL process.

Follow me? It is a never-ending process that continues day after day. And, as you continue to fill your mind with this positive information, you will GROW and, in the process, become a better person.

And, friend, that enables ANOTHER process to take place. Join me in the next article and I'll share that process with you. You guessed it - from another posting that I have on my "power board". 

And, yeah, I've had it posted there since around 2003, as well. 

Until next time...

"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

I Always Wanted To....

Be sure to "LIKE" Future You University on Facebook!

 

 

I'm typing this on Thursday, September 27, 2012 after the legendary Andy Williams passed away on Tuesday, September 25th. Why is this significant to me? Because I have said for years that I wanted to go see his show in Branson, Missouri before he died. Now, it's too late.

 

For me this goes back to my childhood. I can remember watching Mr. Williams on television (yes, black and white) putting on some of the best Christmas specials that I can remember. I always thought he had one of the smoothest voices ever - even at my young age. I can also remember the Osmond brothers being introduced and a part of these television specials. I loved those shows!

 

Then, a few years ago, Mr. Williams brought his act to Branson, Missouri which has only been a few hours from me all along. I've said to my wife (and even to my sons who are all now out of the house) that I wanted us to go see his Christmas show sometime. I said that year after year after year. And, as I've already said...now it's too late.

 

So, here's the question: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU HAVE SAID YOU WANT TO DO AND, AS OF YET, IS STILL UNDONE?

 

Here's what I continue to ask myself about situations like the one above and others that I find let slip past me - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??

 

My goodness, the whole thing with going to see Andy Williams boiled down to two things: 1. sometimes I felt that it would cost too much money and 2. poor planning. And now, something that I've wanted to do for years has passed me by.

 

Another thing I find that is necessary to ask with such things is this: WAS IT AS IMPORTANT AS I KEPT SAYING IT WAS? IF SO, WHY DIDN'T I DO IT REGARDLESS OF ANY EXCUSES?

 

Sometimes the truth hurts but the truth is that if something really IS important to us we WILL find a way to make it happen. Won't you?

 

Ahhhh, but there's that factor of FEAR. False Evidence Appearing Real.

 

We're still working on that, aren't we? I know I am. Hey, I'm just being honest. I appreciate you reading my blog and listening to my podcast (yes, I am doing a podcast on this topic - be sure to check it out at www.FutureYouUniversity.com) but I will always be honest with you on such things. What good does it do me - or you - to make it appear that I have it all worked out? I DON'T but I continually strive to keep moving forward and I hope that I encourage you to do the same along the way.

 

So for now, address the questions brought up in this blog. Get out a piece of paper and spend some serious time digging at the TRUTH. Make that list of things that are still waiting for you to enjoy and complete (and no, we're not talking about things like "mowing the yard") and then dig deep as to WHY it's still on that "to do" list.

 

I plan to do another blog entry in a few days to continue these thoughts and I'd love to get your feedback either by leaving a comment here or on the FYU fan page on Facebook (preferred).

 

Keep pressing forward, friend and, until then, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike



 

 



Say It and BELIEVE It!

This is "FUN FRIDAY!" - Enjoy your day and don't forget to SMILE and SHARE that smile!

This week we have looked at the first four of my "7 Life-Changing, Life-Directing, Powerful Daily Affirmations" and, today, I want to take a look back and check your progress.

One of the EASIEST things to do is to TALK about what you want to do or need to do and then to NEVER do it! Hey, we see this every day, right? You can easily spot it in those that are around you but, the fact is, it's also easy for us to spot it in ourselves but we just don't want to ADMIT it about ourselves!

It's EASY to say, "I'll start doing these affirmations TOMORROW" and to keep repeating that each and every time we are blessed with a new day. Bottom line - it never gets done and our lives remain the same while we scratch our heads and wonder why nothing is changing.

DUH!

So, truthfully, how are you doing with this so far? Are you actually TRYING this out to see if, perhaps, it WILL make a difference in your day? If not, WHY NOT?

Don't just give it the four days that have passed so far! Try it for a solid month and see if, for one, it doesn't get easier to do and, secondly, if it doesn't start becoming something that you begin to FEEL in your day.

I can promise you that there are many of you that are reading this that have a hard time BELIEVING these affirmations. You feel foolish saying them because you don't believe them in the first place. DO IT ANYWAY and say it ANYWAY and see if your belief about these things and yourself don't begin to change.

THEY WILL!

But you MUST say these things repeatedly (DAILY) and you must allow yourself to BELIEVE them to be true - even if you're not 100% sure in the beginning.

Beginning Monday I will continue with the remaining three affirmations but, instead of waiting until I've covered all seven, I wanted to do a "check up" on what I've covered with you so far this week.

Write them out or print them out and post them on or right next to your mirror and then SAY THEM and BELIEVE THEM! It WILL make a difference.

Until next time...

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

Mike

YOU Are Special!

Today is "Magical Monday"...be sure to use the magic that is YOU, today!

Today I wanted to begin sharing with you my "7 Daily, Powerful, Life-Changing Affirmations" that I came up with back in August 2008. I've done this in the past, but it's been a while and I thought that maybe it was time to break these down again and encourage you to use these in your own life.

#1: I AM SOMEBODY SPECIAL!

This is the foundational principle for all of the 7 affirmations that I have put together. It is important that we start with this basic premise in order to move on through the other six that remain. If you can't grasp this concept and begin to believe it to be true for you then you simply will not be able to utilize the other affirmations that are to follow. It's as simple as that.

The fact is, you ARE somebody special if, for no other reason, you are on this earth and are a living, breathing person. Why is that important? Because, this truth BEING truth means and indicates that you were created by God and, according to the Word of God, made in God's own image! Do NOT miss this point! Oh, I know there are some of you out there that choose to not believe this and that's o.k. However, it will not deter me from stating what I believe to be truth and a truth that can make a major impact in your life!

You were created BY God and, as I've said before, GOD DOESN'T MAKE JUNK! Think about that and know it to be true in your own life.

Now, yes, people can and often DO make quite a mess out of their lives and, yes, there are people that are evil and have chosen to LIVE a life of junk. But, remember, it is THEIR CHOICE. Sure, they may have had a tough childhood, etc. but, at some point, they had the opportunity to make choices for themselves and, sadly, many people have chosen to continue with their "junky life" and use anything and everything as an excuse as to why this is true for them.

BUT NOT YOU!

You have chosen to understand and realize that you DO, indeed, have a choice and you HAVE CHOSEN to strive to make something better of your life. How do I know this? Because you are reading these words and, my friend, if you were choosing a life of junk you would NOT be spending time here with me. I know that for a fact!

You ARE somebody special and, that being the case, there is something SPECIAL for you to share with those around you that ONLY YOU can share! There is no one else like you - YOU are the ONLY YOU!

I read something along these lines not too long ago: "You may not be somebody in this world but, to somebody, you ARE their world!"

Wow, that is powerful!

Look yourself in the mirror and say with confidence, "I AM SOMEBODY SPECIAL!" Hey, friend, this may make you feel uncomfortable and you may not even want to believe it. However, if you will get in the habit of saying this to yourself at LEAST once a day while looking at yourself in the mirror and if you will continue to remember the things I've shared with you here, you WILL begin to accept this as TRUTH because, quite honestly, that's exactly what it is - TRUTH!

You ARE somebody SPECIAL and don't you ever forget it!

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

Mike

How To Choose Responsibly

"HOW TO CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY"

Good ol' Monty Hall and "Let's Make a Deal". I talked about this program in yesterday's entry so, if you missed it, go back and check it out.

One of the things I mentioned was the tendency of ALL of us to say AFTER all has been revealed, "Oh, I KNEW I should have picked that other choice!"

20/20 hindsight, remember?

I'm sure you would agree that this is EASY to apply to our lives. I'm sure ALL of us can look back on both good and bad decisions we have made and see rather EASILY what we either should have done or breathe a sigh of relief because of what we DID choose.

So, how CAN we choose responsibly?

The main part of the answer is found in one word in the question - "responsibly".

Decisions that are made without much thought are usually irresponsible decisions. They may be made in the heat of passion or anger or just an overdrive dose of excitement. (By the way, this is why so many sales pitches try to get you to "BUY NOW" or tell you that the offer is good "for today only"! When this is the case you might want to really consider staying away at LEAST until you have had a chance to step away and think about it AWAY from the hype.)

So, first and foremost, in order to make a RESPONSIBLE decision about ANYTHING, make sure you are not being swayed by emotion of any kind.

You should also avoid any choice that is being swayed by DESPERATION! This is another type of emotion that bring people to making rash and irresponsible decisions. Again - PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PATTERN - there are many "sales people" that are actually looking for people to "prey on" that are DESPERATE. Again, take the time to step away from the situation and give yourself a chance to think clearly.

Think about it this way - many times when someone is struggling to keep from drowning they will take their rescuer down with them and drown them as well. Why? PANIC! DESPERATION! Life guards are taught to be aware of this upon their approach so that they do not become a second victim of the situation. Most people, when they have a chance to think of it when they are NOT desperate, know that they should try to remain calm and listen to the rescuer and do as they say. But, in the heat of the moment it's often a different story!

And, finally (at least for this article) you must consider your RESPONSIBILITY toward others if you wish to choose responsibly. This is the part that I said was found in one of the words to the main question. All of the things that I have mentioned so far in this article can fall into this category. Consider your responsibility to others BEFORE making a choice. This may be your spouse, your kids, other family members, your boss and/or coworkers, etc.

You may - in the heat of the moment (remember, this is the time to STEP AWAY!) decide that you want to take a job on the opposite coast without even thinking about the repercussions on your family. Oops!

Sure, it's "your life" but you have also made some choices earlier in your life - if you have a family - that has brought others into the equation that MAKES UP "your life" and they MUST be considered in your decisions. Like it or not - that's just the way it is, friend.

UNLESS you choose to act irresponsibly!

And, if you are NOT married and you plan to do so one day then, please understand, it is IMPERATIVE that you spend time talking about all kinds of things with your potential partner so that you can BOTH see if you are on "the same page" on important things.

Well, that's enough for today.

How do you choose responsibly? DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS IN THE "HEAT OF THE MOMENT". That's it in a nutshell.

HOMEWORK: (What? What do you mean "homework"?) Take a moment and look back over decisions that you would now label as "poor" and see if you can find some "heat of the moment" factor that was connected to that decision. I'd love to hear what you find.

Until next time...

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

Mike

http://www.michaelspillman.com/

Your Information - YOUR Choice!

"Your Information - YOUR Choice!

That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? It's YOUR choice!

No one else can control that for you. If you are an adult, there is likely not anyone telling you when you've watched enough television and that it is time to turn it off. It's up to you.

Sure, you may want to stay "informed" on what is going on in the world but, seriously, how MUCH information do your really need to stay informed about what is really important?

Do you REALLY have to know about every little thing that is going on all around the world? With the use of cell phone video cameras and other items we now have INSTANT ACCESS to happenings all around the world.

Is that really necessary? Is it really helpful?

Many of you may not remember what I'm about to discuss and some of you may find it even unbelievable. But I remember a time when there was cable channels didn't even exist and all you had were the three major networks. That's it. Three channels to choose from. And, if I remember right, at midnight they all shut down for the night.

My wife and I were discussing this just the other day about how at midnight there would be a certain design on the screen or the American flag would be shown waving in the wind as the National Anthem was played.

And then, that was it for the night.

And, I wonder, have we really improved our lives by having 100+ channels available to us (and our kids) on a 24 hour basis?

Informational overload.

It is likely more important than ever for each of us (especially as parents) to take control of the information that we allow into our households and into our minds and the minds of those that share our home with us.

If you haven't done so, be sure to read Tanya's comments on the blog a couple of days ago. She makes some very good observations that likely many of you can relate to.

So...what will you do about it?

Is it important enough to you for you to do something about it?

Stop watching t.v. all together? Some do. It might be worth a try even for a day and then two days and then a week.

See what happens.

But also stay away from the news on the radio as well as talk shows (unless they are POSITIVE!) and even try to stay off the computer as much as possible.

Try that and see how you feel and see how much more clearly you may be able to think.

REPLACE the negative with something POSITIVE! If you aren't in the habit of listening to my podcast that goes along with this blog, be sure to give it a try. You can subscribe to the iTunes feed as well as the RSS feed by clicking on the "videocast" tab on my website and then clicking either the iTunes logo or the RSS feed logo.

Just go to http://www.michaelspillman.com/

There is a lot more positive information out there - find it and use it! One that I've mentioned many times is Success.com. You can read a LOT of FREE information there. Also, look through my tabs on my site and check out the Jim Rohn link that I have available for you there. He is my favorite and has some AWESOME thoughts that have made a major impact on my life.

Hey, you don't have to do ANY of this.

But, my guess is that you wouldn't be reading this blog if you weren't on a mission to try to improve your positive mindset.

Remember, it's YOUR choice.

As always, be sure to...

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

Mike

http://www.michaelspillman.com/

Your Information Diet

"YOUR INFORMATION DIET"

Simple task - tell me about your diet.

"Oh, but I'm not currently on a diet."

Sure you are. Tell me about it.

"No, see...you don't understand. I TRIED a diet but it didn't go very well so I quit."

Regardless, you are STILL on a diet. Whatever it is that you eat from day to day IS your diet! Now, when we look at it that way some of us might feel like crawling under a rock and hiding, right?

I hear people say, "I'm going to go on a diet" or "I'm going to start a diet" and, though I understand what they are trying to communicate, those words used are actually wrong.

The correct thing to say would be, "I'm going to CHANGE my diet" or "I'm going to IMPROVE my diet."

Get it?

Good!

Why is this so important? Well, first of all you can relax. We are NOT going to be talking about your nutritional diet in this series of discussions. We're going to be talking about your "mental diet" or your "information diet".

So, right off, let me ask you the same question that I asked before BUT this time in reference to your "mental or informational diet".

Tell me about your diet.

The thing is, most of us THINK we know about our "mental/informational diet" but, in reality we really have no idea.

It's time to find out!

Step one: FIND OUT WHAT IS AVAILABLE.

What do I mean by that? Simply go through your program guide (whatever or however that is available to you) and look through a 24 hour period and see how many "news programs" are on the air during that time period. However, DO NOT count your cable channels but ONLY count the "national" channels (NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX).

Seriously. Give it your best shot and see what you come up with.

I'll share mine with you during the next podcast/blog article. I thought I had a pretty good idea how saturated this type of programming was but I was still a bit shocked when I actually took the time to put it down on paper.

Do that and then come back tomorrow for the next entry on this topic and we'll see what you and I both do with what is available.

Until then...think about the old computer acrostic, "G.I.G.O" which stands for "garbage in, garbage out". It's a simple reminder that a computer is only as good as the programming. If you program "garbage" into the computer then guess what you'll get? GARBAGE!

The same is true when we think about our mindsets. Positive or negative?

Think about it.

And until next time...

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

Mike

www.MichaelSpillman.com

Boots or Flip Flops?

Boots or Flip Flops?

My guess is that we've all heard the phrase, "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps". The idea behind it being that you need to get your boots on, lace them up and get up and get going (bootstraps = laces). With that thought in mind, here is my quote for today's thoughts:

"It's hard to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps if you're wearing flip flops!" - Mike Spillman

Yeah, I like it.

Now, first, let me say this - I understand that we live in a world in which we really DO rely and depend upon each other. We are not an "island" and we should do all we can to help each other out in this journey called life.

HOWEVER (and this goes back to yesterday's discussion) this does NOT mean that we should sit around on our rear ends with our hands out waiting for someone else to do it all for us.

So, even though we need each other, my thought today is that we need to stop whining and complaining and we need to stop waiting for someone to dump success in our laps. We need to GET OUR BOOTS ON and GET AFTER IT!

I mean, really, what are you waiting on?

But, here's the deal: It's hard to do that if you're wearing flip flops!

Huh?

Can you imagine someone showing up on a construction site for their first day of work wearing a pair of flip flops? (I bet it has happened somewhere, sometime!).

Have you seen some of these reality shows where some rich kid that has never done a day of work in their life had to do some outdoor work and one of the girls would show up wearing expensive high heels?

UNPREPARED!

In these two scenarios the person involved will NOT be able to get the work done that needs to be done.

So it is in the pursuit of our goals and dreams - what are YOU doing to prepare yourself so that you can "get up and get after it"?

Too many times I hear people talk about this or that in their life that didn't work while trying to move forward in this pursuit. Upon further questioning, many times I will find out that they really didn't do much of anything for this "new endeavor" to ever even have a chance to produce positive results.

You'll see this online a lot with a lot of the "scam" threads that you see about this or that "work from home opportunity". Now - granted - there ARE many scams out there. However, what you find on many of these are people that bought a product and never even put the thoughts and ideas into practice and then called it a "scam" because it didn't work!

I see this all the time!

One particular real estate group that I am working with has a discussion board and, constantly, I see people ask, "What do I do?". It's obvious that this person hasn't even read the basic information that is provided or available to them -yet, they want someone else to tell them what they need to do. First of all, READ THE BOOK!

See what I mean?

Quit wearing your flip flops, get your boots on and GET AFTER IT!

Now, friend, there's nothing wrong with asking for some help. We ALL need that from time to time. There's nothing wrong with seeking some guidance in ANY area of our lives. But (and I think you are following me on this, right?) at some point in time we need to get out of the nest, spread our wings and FLY!

Can you imagine seeing a 25 year old man on a bicycle with their 55 year old dad running along beside him holding the seat helping him ride his bike?

So, what about you? Boots or flip flops?

The choice - as always - is YOURS!

And, as you lace up those boots....

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

Mike

On the Right Track?

On the Right Track?

Today's quote comes off of a plaque my daughter-in-law found in a restaurant store the other day. Here it is:

"Even if you're on the right track you'll get run over if you just sit there!"

You see, it is a WONDERFUL thing to KNOW that you are on the right track! This indicates that you have been doing a lot of things in the RIGHT way to ensure your success!

You've stayed on course and kept focused on the path that will lead you to your goals and dreams!

However, sometimes (going back to what we talked about last week) the fear of making a mistake and maybe getting OFF course and OFF of the right track - even momentarily - can paralyze us to the point of not making any progress at all!

So, we may be on the right track but we're not making any movement ALONG the track toward our goals and dreams!

And, if we do that long enough, that train is going to come along and run us over and likely knock us OFF of that track!

So, being on the right track is not enough, is it?

We can "feel good" about being there, but "feeling good" ain't going to get it done (as we say down South)!

So, keep reading those positive books and articles, keep listening to those positive podcasts and CD's or MP3's and keep your eye on your goals and dreams so that you DO move toward them each and every day.

Exciting? YES! Scary at times? YES!

But, hey, it's YOUR life! Why not "go for it"?

And, as you do...

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

Mike

"Ask and..."

Ask and...

...it shall be given to you.

That's the first of the 3 parts of the concept we began talking about yesterday: "The Concept of A.S.K." , a Biblical concept which, I believe, can be applied to all areas of our lives and one that I believe can get us back "on track" to living the life of our dreams and our passion.

Yesterday we talked about raising the level of our expectation. But, the question is this: how do you know that your level of expectation NEEDS to be raised?

You have to ASK the right questions about your life and be willing to find the answers!

We should ALL be constantly asking ourselves questions about what we are doing and/or trying to accomplish in and with our lives so that we may stay "on course" or "on track" in this pursuit.

What questions should we be asking?

1. Why am I here? What is my PURPOSE for being on this earth? Hopefully you have come to realize that you are not here for you alone! We are all connected by those around us and the ever decreasing size of our world thanks to the technology that exists today.

Last week we talked about the fact that you are UNIQUELY you! There is NO ONE ELSE in the whole world like you! You leave a very unique "life fingerprint" on your world and the question we asked concerning this was, "What imprint are YOU leaving behind?".

It's pretty much the same question just worded differently.

2. What Am I Doing to Fulfill This Purpose? Once I understand what my purpose is (you may never come up with the complete answer and you will likely see the answer slowly unfold before you over the course of time) I must then ask myself the question of, "What am I doing about it?"

3. HOW Will I Fulfill or Continue to Fulfill This Purpose? This is the "what action is needed" part of the equation - WHAT DO I DO?

Are you serious about asking these questions? Will you spend the time necessary to adequately explore the possible answers to these powerful questions about your life?

4. Will I? This is likely the most important question that MUST be answered. You see, going through the process of discovering your purpose and what you must do to fulfill that purpose is a wonderful - and needed - thing in our lives. However, if we are not willing to actually DO something about it, it really doesn't amount to much, does it?

You see, the part of the "A.S.K. Concept" on this part is, "...and it will be given to you."

Do you expect it to just be dropped in your lap? I hope not! But many do!

The answers WILL be revealed to you IF you sincerely want to know the answers! You may ask, "Why would anyone ask a question that they don't want the answer to?" It happens all of the time and you likely even do it from time to time.

Sometimes the "action" of asking the questions pacifies us to the point of "feeling good" and thinking we have done all we need to do. Sure, we may be willing to ask the questions - but are we willing to really look for the answers?

And, then, when the answers are revealed are we willing to take ACTION with those answers?

"Ask and it WILL be given to you!" That's a promise for those that genuinely ask.

This is more difficult than one might think. It takes the willingness to be 100% honest with yourself and really look deep at who you are and why you're here and what you are or aren't doing about it. And then, the hardest part... the decision to take action on what you find.

I wish you success on this journey that we are discussing this week. Make no mistake, the journey will go far beyond this week, my friend! This journey will likely take you weeks and months if not years but, in my opinion, it is one we MUST all take if we are serious about living up to our potential and living a life of passion. This also will lead to living the life of your dreams.

And, as you travel this journey, always remember to...

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

Mike

The Power of A.S.K.

THE POWER OF A.S.K.

I'm really excited about this week's topic of discussion because I think it can really "open a lot of doors" for those of you that are still struggling with the concept of raising the bar of your expectations.

The concept that we will be talking about this week is a Biblical concept, but I won't be "preaching" at you during these discussions - I promise! However, there is much good and many wise thoughts and ideas that can be gained from Scripture and some of the greats in the field of personal development (such as Jim Rohn and Zig Ziglar) regularly refer to some of these thoughts and ideas.

What I'm talking about is the concept of Ask - Seek - Knock. The extended version of this is as follows: Ask - and it shall be give to you; Seek - and you shall find; Knock and the door shall be opened to you. We'll get into the specifics of these the rest of the week when we discuss "Ask" on Tuesday, "Seek" on Wednesday and "Knock" on Thursday.

But today, as a way of introduction, I want to go back and again talk about the need to RAISE YOUR LEVEL OF EXPECTATION!

Why is this so important?

If we don't have an expectation of something greater in our lives then there will be no desire and no need to follow the A.S.K. concept. Why? Because, again, you are happy where you are and have likely decided to "settle for less". (Go back two weeks ago and listen to that week's podcasts as well as the blog entries for that week on this topic).

Here's the bottom line: as I talk about each and every day in my podcasts, we ALL have the power and the ability to make things better in our lives! We ALL have the power to "turn things around" each and every day.

We also all have the ability to choose to do nothing and settle for less.

Raising your level of expectation doesn't mean you have to desire to become a millionaire. It doesn't mean you even have to desire to change jobs. You may love your job and you may be doing exactly what you were meant to be doing. AWESOME! GREAT!

However, I am a firm believer in the fact that ALL OF US (yes, even you) can improve ourselves a little each and every day. And, by doing so, we become better husbands, wives, dads, moms, friends, workers, bosses, etc.

And, by doing so, we likely teach a very valuable lesson to our children and/or to those that are around us each and every day.

It's the belief that we can always LEARN more and improve our lives and expand our knowledge base just a little bit more. From what I understand, it has been proven that in order to keep our minds "fresh" and "sharp" it is important for us to "exercise" our brains by challenging our brain with new information.

So, yeah, even if you LOVE what you are doing - there is still the ability to raise the level of our expectations.

Now, there are also those of you that have become discouraged and depressed to the point of giving up any hope that things might become better in your life. You've waived the "white flag" and surrendered to any thought of expecting more in your life.

DO NOT GIVE UP!

Stop relying on others or "outside sources" to make that happen in your life - IT IS UP TO YOU! It is YOUR job to improve your life!

It is NOT the governments job! Some have that expectation in their life and are waiting for the government to "give them" what they thing is their "right".

Some have the expectation that FAMILY should take care of them and they sit around and whine and complain when the "family" doesn't come through as they "should".

If either of these describes you - SHAME ON YOU!

You have taken the road of least resistance and have become LAZY - yeah, I said it - instead of raising your level of expectation! Don't raise your level of expectation of what you expect OTHERS to do FOR you, but raise your level of expectation about what YOU can do for YOURSELF!

When we begin to understand that, indeed, it is up to US to improve our lives then we realize that, indeed, there is no limit to what great things we can accomplish in our lives!

You've likely heard the phrase, "If you want things done right you have to do them yourself!". Apply that to what we are talking about here and think about it for a moment!

Those that are sitting around waiting for others to do FOR them are basing their "results" on what the "others" decide to do. And, again, it usually isn't to the approval of the one that has settled for this type of lifestyle.

WHY NOT DO IT YOURSELF?

Raise your level of expectation of what is POSSIBLE in your own life and take charge of this area of your life!

Believe it or not, it's true! (Think about it, whether you believe something or not really has nothing to do with something being true or not. What is true is true!)

What is true? The possibilities are ENDLESS for you when you take this approach with your life! You will be surprised at what you are able to accomplish in and with your life once you begin to raise your level of expectation!

And, this week, I will be sharing thoughts with you about this concept of "A.S.K." and how this can greatly aide us in this desire.

Thanks for allowing me to share these thoughts in your life today. Be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with it by either going to iTunes and searching Future You University or Mike Spillman OR you can listen in by going to http://www.FutureYouUniversity.com

As you go through your day today, always remember to...

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

Mike

Talk to Yourself AFFIRMATIVELY!

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!

I find it interesting to notice that, already, we have used the word "habit" in the first three of these twelve points. This is something that I believe is important for us to understand - it is an ON-GOING PROCESS that we must dedicate ourselves to! DO NOT GIVE UP and DO NOT GIVE IN!

In today's podcast I used the example of putting gasoline into an automobile - that is not a one time procedure IF you plan to go anywhere. And, aren't we ALL on a journey together? Aren't we ALL taking a journey and attempting to make daily progress toward our goals and dreams?

So, when you think of it that way you should hopefully see the need for DAILY "refueling" concerning positive influences in our lives - it needs to become a HABIT.

Now, it is also important to notice the connection between today's topic and the topic from yesterday. When we understand that we do NOT need to allow negative people to influence ANYTHING in our lives then we also begin to see the fact that it is up to us to supply the daily positive "fuel" for our lives. See what I mean?

Even at times when it is impossible for us to get away from such negative people (anyone relate to this where you work?) we can STILL talk to ourselves in a way that will help combat the damage that the negativity can cause.

We have to TALK LOUDER than the negative talk - get it? We have to TALK MORE than the negative talk and overcome it with our positive flow of "fuel".

What we are doing here through this blog and also the podcast is like an "anti-venom" or something that will help us "detox" the negative. YES, IT IS THAT SERIOUS!

Negativity is TOXIC and it IS a POISON in our lives that we must fight and prevent in our lives.

So, enough of the morbid, huh? Let's look to the positive side of this and that is - what WE can do about this. It is WITHIN our control, right? Sure it is! We talk about this all of the time - it is up to YOU and ME to take control of our lives and our environments!

We have the ABILITY, we have the POWER, we have the OPPORTUNITY and we also have the RESPONSIBILITY to do this in our own lives.

So, again, go back to the seven daily affirmations that I shared with you starting back on January 4th and incorporate them into your DAILY routine!

Talking to ourselves affirmatively simply means talking to ourselves in the "YES language" when the world wants to continually dump "NO" on us.

Think about that and the truth behind it.

No one else can do this for you - it is up to you. "Talk to YOURSELF..."

Yes, it helps to have others talk to us and with us as well. That's what I am doing though this blog and podcast. That's what I get for myself from Jim Rohn and others.

Yet, when it comes down to it, I must incorporate these thoughts and ideas into my OWN life and I must make them my OWN - CLAIM them!

Stop telling yourself that this isn't for you because you don't deserve it or because you are not good enough or whatever it is that you may have run around in your head from time to time.

THAT IS POISON and it will KILL you and your dreams!

"I AM Somebody Special!" -- and take it from there, my friend.

Daily.

Everyday.

Starting NOW (if you haven't already).

And, as you do so, don't ever forget to...

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

Mike

"Love YOU!" (Part 2)

"Love YOU!"

In yesterday's blog entry and podcast we noticed two key things concerning the problem many have with loving themselves. The feeling of inferiority that so many feel for many different reasons.

1. IT IS POSSIBLE TO BREAK THROUGH THIS WALL OF INFERIORITY

2. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF OR OTHERS TO USE THIS AS AN EXCUSE

Please understand that NONE of this is easy if you are one that has struggled with these feelings of inferiority for most of your life - BUT IT CAN BE DONE!

Today we focus on the NEED for loving one's self and the impact it has on our lives as well as the lives of those around us.

We have all heard the phrase, "You can't love others until you first love yourself." Although I understand the underlying idea in this statement I would guess that many of you would agree with me when I say that this is not always true!

Many times someone that has a struggle with feeling inferior comes across as a "superior" friend! They, many times, are the type of person that will do ANYTHING for ANYONE at ANYTIME. They are wonderful and lavish great attention on their friends while, at the same time, feeling very inferior about themselves.

However, many times - if not all - these relationships will soon begin to self-destruct. How? Why?

The person struggling with the inferiority complex will soon begin to questions these friendships and begin to feel that they do not deserve such friends. "Why should I expect this kind of friendship/relationship to continue? Nothing good ever happens to me so I should not expect this to last!"

That being so they many times "read" things into comments and actions that really aren't there. But, their thoughts have driven them to believe this to be true and they begin to self-destruct. I've seen this happen many, many times.

Then, once this begins to happen they tell themselves, "See? I told you! Why should you expect something good in your life?"

So, yes, when you really look at it with this in mind, it actually DOES become impossible to love others until you learn to love yourself. So, how do you do that?

First - regardless of your belief system (religious or not) - understand and believe that you are here for a reason!

I don't know that I have spoken to anyone that didn't believe that we are all here for a reason and, that reason usually being for the betterment of those with whom we come into contact. Don't you feel that way? Dig deep and I will believe that you will find that you do, indeed, believe this to be true!

You just may feel LOST as to what your purpose is! But let's start with the basic premise first, o.k.?

YOU HAVE PURPOSE! And, that being true (and it is!), means that you have WORTH and you have VALUE regardless of what you have been told by others in your past!

You are a SPECIAL person and there is no one else in the world like you - THIS IS TRUE! Oh, sure, there may be someone that is similar to you in different ways. There may be someone that looks like you - but not EXACTLY like you! There may be someone that has some of your same mannerisms - but not EXACTLY like yours! We could go on and on with this point, but do YOU get the point? THERE IS NO ONE ELSE LIKE YOU! No one!

Again, go back to our study of Napoleon Hill's book, "Think and Grow Rich" and study the chapter on the subconscious mind and realize how you can CHANGE what you believe about yourself. You can begin to BELIEVE and KNOW that you ARE of value and worth and then begin to live and act accordingly.

Secondly, understand the TIME PRINCIPLE!

The "time principle" is simply this: it takes effort and it takes time. You have to WANT to change what you believe about yourself. Do you?

You are making a step in the right direction just by reading this blog article and, hopefully, listening to the podcast! But the ACTION step is a step that only you can take! I can't take it for you nor can anyone else!

If you find it hard to say, "I love you!" in the mirror to yourself each morning, perhaps begin by looking at yourself with a smile on your face and simply say, "Hey, you're alright!" and repeat that at least once a day. It's better if you can do that SEVERAL times a day.

Don't question it. Don't "but" it ("Hey, you're alright!"..but....). Don't dispute it! Say it, feel it and begin to live it!

Again, this will take time - but, hey, anything worth doing takes time, my friend!

YOU CAN DO THIS! Know that you can, believe that you can and soon, LIVE this belief!

Pay attention and see what you begin to attract to your life along the way - you'll be amazed!

Feel free to contact me at anytime by sending me an e-mail at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

And, as always...

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

Mike

RECLAIM CONTROL!

We've talked about the fact that YOU have the ability to control your thoughts! That being so, if you can control your thoughts you can control your morning....your afternoon...your day...your week - YOUR LIFE!

Do you feel as if things have spun out of control? Why? What has caused that?

Listen, I understand that there are things that happen beyond our control. For example, parents may have a teen child involved in a terrible automobile accident which claims their life. Wow - I can't even imagine that! But it happens and it may have even happened to someone reading this blog. Perhaps it has been something else for you.

Can you STILL have control after such a devastating event?

YES, YOU CAN!

Please believe me when I say that I am not "down-playing" that tragic event in any way whatsoever. But, the bottom line is this - you STILL have a choice on how you handle that tragedy!

I know I would be devastated, stunned, shocked and numb. However, somewhere along the way you have to make a decision to go on living, as hard as that may seem. Again, it's a choice that YOU make - not anyone else.

Without going further into that scenario here's something I want all of us to consider - REGARDLESS of the circumstance (death, job loss, financial struggles, relationships, etc.) you DO have a choice!

If your world is out of control consider the thought that YOU have TURNED CONTROL over to someone or something along the way. Hard to swallow, I know - but I believe it to be true.

Go back to the blog and podcast on the word, "IF" -- how many of those still creep their way into your life and your "reasons" (excuses)?

You see, if you plan to overcome these six ghosts of fear that Napoleon Hill talked about in chapter 15 of his classic, "Think & Grow Rich", then you MUST reclaim control!

You will never - you can never - move forward in any area of your life without control!

Wow, think about that statement and consider how true it really is.

So, it's YOUR day...YOUR chance....YOUR choice -- RECLAIM CONTROL. The sooner the better!

By the way, please feel free to contact me at any time with comments, suggestions, etc. at mike@futureyouuniversity.com

I'd love to hear from you.

Until then....always remember to...

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

Mike

Putting SKIN on Theory!

So, we've studied the book, "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.

We've looked at and shared some POWERFUL thoughts and ideas on how to improve our lives and move on toward our goals and riches (again, whatever that may be for YOUR life).

Now what?

In Tuesday's podcast I began to "put the skin on theory" or, in other words, to make "practical application" of the things we have studied over the past several months.

But, here's the kicker - it's still up to YOU!

There is no way around that fact and that is what you will hear me say today. So, if you don't want to hear that truth - don't listen to the podcast and don't read another word of this blog.

Too many people still want to rely on "old man IF" that we talked about very recently. They like to think that it is out of their control and that there are "reasons (actually "excuses") as to why they have not been able to make positive progress in their lives when - in all actuality - it all comes back to THEM and THEIR DECISIONS (or LACK of decision). And, yes, failure to make a decision is a decision within itself!

So are you ready to look in the mirror and take a long, hard look at yourself? If not - again, there is no need to proceed. However, if you are serious about this positive progression, you may not LIKE the idea of taking a long, hard look at yourself but you will do it ANYWAY - because you must!

Once again, don't let the simplicity turn you away. Many times the profound can be discovered in the simple.

Go back and watch the video of my moustache (yeah, you read that right! *LOL*) -- what are YOU willing to sacrifice for your success?

Or, to put it another way (this is the title of my 3rd podcast that I did back in the early part of March) - "What Are YOUR Dreams Worth?"

Think about it.

And, while you do -

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

Mike

The "Little, Big Word" - IF

Two letters.

Small word.

Two letters...but one of the biggest words in our vocabulary!

If.

"If I had only..."

How many of us say things like this in our lives from time to time? At the end of chapter 15 of Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think & Grow Rich" he covers 57 "ifs" that many use as "alibis" (I'd say excuses) as to why they have failed to accomplish one thing or another with and in their lives.

Again, I strongly urge you to get a copy of this book one way or another and go over this list yourself - one at a time - and consider their impact in YOUR life! (I do mention each one of them in today's podcast, but too quickly for you to give each the thought needed).

I was watching the video segment that comes with the audio/DVD in each copy of SUCCESS magazine from last month and, in it, Les Brown uses a very powerful phrase..."Live full and die empty!" (I think he has a whole program based on that phrase - you can check it out yourself).

Think about that - "Live full and die empty". Yet, Mr. Brown points out the fact that most people do the opposite. They "die full and live empty". Ouch!

I have to admit that I have done this most of my life - and I regret it! I will be turning 50 years old this coming November and I feel that I have yet to fully LIVE my life!

Here's the kicker - it's never to late to make a change! I made a decision within the past year that I was going to live my life so that, if at all possible, I would not get to the END of my life saying, "I wish I had done this and that...".

All of us need to stop allowing the word "if" to become a roadblock to our forward progress! YOU do have the ability to do just that! YOU, and no one else.

What will YOU do?

Instead of, "If I had done..." what about taking a different look and start saying, "What if I DID step up and out and move forward?"

We will begin to look at this thought in next weeks podcast as we bring to a conclusion our discussions on this classic book.

Until then....remember to...

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

Mike

The Importance of Self-Analysis

If you don't have the book, "Think & Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill - GET IT! If you don't want to order it (you can get it free - just pay s/h - on my site www.FutureYouUniversity.com) then go to the library and check it out OR find a free downloadable version on the internet...JUST GET IT!

This is especially important as we get to this part of the book and you are asked to answer the "self-analysis questions" found toward the end of chapter 15. THIS IS IMPORTANT!

You see, we must decide how serious we really are about this whole idea of improving our lives. You know this as well as I - there are many people that SAY they are but are not willing to put any effort into making that happen. Bottom line...they can talk and say what they want - their actions betray them!

Doesn't that just seem impossible? Yet it happens every single day. You see it in people that complain that they cannot find a job even though the newspaper in front of them may be full of job openings. If you point that out to them they may say, "Oh, but it's not what I want to do. And, besides, it's not the kind of money I need to be making." Or maybe you hear them say something like, "You expect me to work there? Doing that?"

I understand that the job available may not be the job you had envisioned at this point in your life, but did you envision you being jobless at this point in your life? Isn't SOME money better than NO money? Do you not realize that just getting out of the house and doing SOMETHING makes a HUGE impact on your attitude?

Anyway, the same thing can be said of those of us that say we want to improve our attitudes and mindset. We want to be "on board" at increasing the amount of POSITIVE thoughts in our lives and decreasing the amount of NEGATIVE thoughts at the same time.

But, we don't have time to read that article or listen to that podcast.

Oh sure, I get behind (I'm still a month behind on my Success magazine) but I continually work on making sure I am filling my mind with "good stuff" in this area!

But are you also willing to spend a day considering and answering the questions found in the pages of this classic book? Yes, I said a day!

Don't just skim through it and answer the questions without much thought. Take the time - IF you are serious about improving your life - to really consider your answers..and be honest with yourself in doing so!

For example, there are a cluster of questions that ask us to look at our friends and our relationships. Many people do not realize the impact that their friends have on their attitudes and outlook in life. Do you?

So, beyond just ANSWERING the questions we must also consider whether or not we are willing to TAKE ACTION on what we find.

That, my friend, is up to you. All along you have heard/seen me say that no one else can do this for you. I - along with others - can give you as much good, positive material and information as possible...but it is up to YOU as to what you choose to do with it (if anything).

So...if you don't have the book - GET THE BOOK (this is a good indicator of how serious you really are) and go through the self-analysis questions and see what you find out about yourself.

As always, I welcome any and all comments! Feel free to email me at: mike@futureyouuniversity.com

And, until tomorrow...

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

Mike

FACING, ATTACKING and DEFEATING the FEAR of CRITICISM!

Hey friends - my apologies for not getting my blog up yesterday! Yesterday was one of those days that did not go quite as planned! Ever have one of those? (I know you have!).

Anyway, I will combine thoughts on not only the podcast for today but also combine it with some thoughts on yesterday's podcast ("Facing the Fear of Criticism").

I know that Napoleon Hill in this book, "Think & Grow Rich", calls the Fear of Poverty (the first of the 8 Ghosts of Fear) the most damaging and prevailing - and I can see his point because the fear of poverty and the desire for riches is a big reason our crime rate - at least here in America (but my guess is it's the same wherever you live) - is as high as it is. However, I would suggest that the FEAR OF CRITICISM is one that is the most widely shared and felt!

WE ALL DEAL WITH AND STRUGGLE WITH THIS FEAR!

We must all FACE this fear and decide to do something to defeat it! Has it not ruled and ruined our lives long enough? Have we not allowed this fear to rob us of our joy long enough? Have we not allowed this fear to stop us dead in our tracks long enough? Have we not allowed this fear to paralyze us from forward momentum long enough? YES, WE HAVE!

About a week ago I was having lunch with my friends from high school (you've seen their pictures shared on here before) when one of them was talking about visiting with the high school counselor during our Senior year. My friend said the "counselor" (and I use that term VERY loosely) sat him and another guy down together and basically said, "Well boys, about all I can tell you two is that neither of you are going to amount to much of anything!"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

That criticism COULD HAVE frozen both of these guys - at a very young age - dead in their tracks IF they had chosen to take this criticism to heart and let this fear take root. However, I'm happy to say that neither of them did and they both are doing quite well today, thank you very much!

Here's what Napoleon Hill had to say about this fear of criticism: "This fear of criticism robs man of his initiative, destroys his power of imagination, limits his individuality, takes away his self-reliance, and does him damage in a hundred other ways."

Mr Hill also discusses the fact that "Criticism is the one form of service, of which everyone has too much. Everyone has a stock of it which is handed out, gratis [free], whether called for or not."

Isn't that the truth? As the old saying goes, "EVERYONE is a critic!" and we've all experienced that, haven't we? And, for whatever reason, many of us FEAR this criticism to the point that it prevents us from sharing our thoughts, ideas, plans and talents. What a shame.

I have discussed this very fact earlier in discussion of this book. Have you ever considered the fact that - for the most part - these critics have very little, if any, knowledge about that which they are sharing their criticism? Think about that and you will likely agree. Oh, I know that there are some with a boss that likes to use this fear of criticism to control those under him or her. But even if that situation, think about this - WHY do they find the need to do so? I would suggest to you that it is due to the fact that they, themselves, are AFRAID! Afraid of what? Afraid of you or another worker actually coming up with an idea or suggestion that is better than what they could have thought of themselves. That being so (and I do believe that it is) they, themselves bow down to the fear of criticism from whoever it is that is THEIR boss!

What a vicious cycle!

In the podcast for today (Thursday) I shared with you some thoughts from an article by Donald Trump in which he declares that the opposite of fear is FAITH! We have also discussed this fact before and I have shared this thought several times in my podcasts and blogs. Mr. Trump discusses the need for us to BELIEVE IN OURSELVES to the point of KNOWING that we do, indeed, carry within us the ability to achieve whatever the task may be. The way I have worded it over and over again is realizing that, "YES, YOU (I) CAN!"

This is also what is talked about in the earlier chapters of this great book on FAITH and also AUTO-SUGGESTION. We must all work to develop this deep-rooted FAITH or BELIEF in ourselves and our abilities to the point that our subconscious mind "automatically" kicks in and "reminds" us of this fact every single day and even many times throughout the day.

Here are the "symptoms of the fear of criticism" that Mr. Hill shares in this chapter (notice how many of them are tied together and try to identify these in your life - also go to the book for more descriptions about each one of these):

1. SELF- CONSCIOUSNESS (Why self-conscious? Not enough belief in yourself!)

2. LACK OF POISE (The physical manifestation of self-consciousness!)

3. PERSONALITY (These first two impact even your personality!)

4. INFERIORITY COMPLEX (Trying to appear to be something your not!)

5. EXTRAVAGANCE (Trying to "keep up with the Joneses" - tied in with #4)

6. LACK OF INITIATIVE (The idea of, "Why try? I'll just be criticized anyway.")

7. LACK OF AMBITION (I would suggest that this one is the "full-grown child" of #6)



HERE'S MY THOUGHTS ON DEFEATING THIS FEAR OF CRITICISM...

Yes, although it is good and at times, important to listen and take advice from others, STOP listening to everyone that criticizes you and STOP believing everything that "they" have to say! Who are they anyway? Instead, LISTEN TO YOURSELF and your inner voice telling you, "YES, YOU CAN!"

I know that is easier said than done - but it is a necessity for each of us to develop this and put it into practice!

Before you "blow this off" as just "fluffy talk" ask yourself this question:
- Are you working DAILY to instill this type of talk/inner belief into your life?
- IF NOT - (for one, WHY NOT?) then how can you "know" that it doesn't or won't work?
- If you are trying to instill this in your life, understand that it is a process that does take time! It doesn't happen overnight but that does not mean that it doesn't work or that you should give up!

My friend, criticism (and, as a result, the "fear of criticism") has been around since the beginning of time - it is nothing new.

But you MUST know that you CAN defeat this fear and you DO have within you the ability to do so! Thank you for allowing me to do my part in helping you cultivate that ability!

Do not allow others and their criticisms stop you from moving forward and making progress. FLY IN THE FACE OF CRITICISM! Soar and live the life that you were intended to live!

YES, YOU CAN!

And, along the way, remember...

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

Mike

"Stinkin' Opinions"

Hey there - it's "WIDE OPEN WEDNESDAY" - what will YOU do with it? (As a matter of fact, it's a WIDE OPEN WEEK - just for you!

In today's podcast I continue the discussion on chapter 8 from Napoleon Hill's classic, "Think and Grow Rich". The title of this chapter is "DECISION" and, as is pointed out in this chapter, many times our DECISIONS are impacted by the opinions of others.

Read carefully in the book and listen carefully to the podcast at how careful we must be in "broadcasting" our goals and dreams. Why? Because, for one, there are plenty of "dream stealers" out there, just waiting to take away your dream.

As is discussed in this chapter (and podcast) there are those out there (yes, sometimes even "friends" and family members) that would take great joy in bringing your dreams and goals crashing down around you. Why? Because it's easier to do that than for them to make the effort themselves to change their lives!

YOU MAKE THEM LOOK BAD! That's right! By your own DESIRE and AMBITION you have made them look bad - because they have neither. (This is how negativity works in our world. Never build up, but simply attack, attack, attack!)

Realize a point made in this chapter - you have a brain - USE IT to make YOUR OWN DECISIONS!

Even choose carefully those you would include in your Mastermind Group. Advice? Guidance? Suggestions? YES!
Opinions from those who have no knowledge of these things - NO!

Enjoy the podcast. Dive DEEP into this book and this chapter. THIS CHAPTER is one of GREAT importance because, no matter what all we do in preparation and planning - if we fail to make the DECISION to put these things into action.....we've really accomplished nothing at all.

Is all of this easier said than done? ABSOLUTELY! But that's why we do these podcasts - to encourage you, to help you, to aid you and to LIFT YOU UP along your way! Do the same with each other and, as always...

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

Mike