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Remember your way

2011-06-10T08:36:00.002-04:00

We all end up somewhere in life, and we are all there right now. To get to where we are a lot of things had to happen, knowing and unknowing.

If good things happen to us and we fall on good fortune, we quickly look back at the things "We" did and we don't always think about all the people and events that had the biggest influence on our outcomes. We are always in some control but God and the people around us are the main factors in forming our reality.

I switched buses with a friend many years ago, and I was in a big accident. Not a good moment but it lead to my then ex-girlfriend, turning into my wife of 12 years and mother of my 2 perfect girls
I started studying business, and then a uncle told me about Y2K issues in programs so I switched to computers. Now I'm a self-employed consultant and love every minute of it.
I didn't want to leave Newfoundland, but a uncle (same uncle) offered me a job away. I still miss home but I could never do what I do today from back home. And my wife would of never meet her best friend.
I meet new friends who became business partners and convinced me to start a company. That resulted in some unhappy moments (many more great ones), but those low points changed my path and lead me down a much nicer one. I always treat the bad as lessons instead of mistakes. It helps you get over it and learn faster from it.

The most amazing part about it all is that it isn't just the things that happen to me, but it's all the things that happened to people around me to put them in the situation with me.

I like to look back at all the different, small and big items that shape our lives as they are now. It's crazy how somethings that seem so small (a text, email, etc.) could be the reason behind some of the biggest factors in our reality.

Nothing is chance and everything happens for a reason and when we are open to those chances/change great things happen to us.

Keep Moving

2011-04-09T12:05:00.002-04:00

Sometimes it's very hard to just keeping going and getting past the pot holes, but there's always a way. When life hands you those times when you think "it can't get any worse than this", just think about how you are still here and even able to ask that. So as long as you are breathing and alive then there is always a way to keep moving forward. Everything happens for a reason, there is a lesson to learned from everything we go through. The people that succeed and prevail are the ones that take those lessons and grow from them. Moving forward is always the only option to making your dreams come true and to be truly happy in everything you do

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Opportunities are always there

2010-09-21T08:01:00.000-04:00

People are always looking for that next big thing and waiting to jump all over it. Trying to find that get rich quick scheme and retire early. We think that opportunities are only going to come in this prepackaged box or it's going to be so big we can't miss it. But opportunities are always there and in every size. It's the people that take the time to respond to that email, be friendly and ask questions who get the breaks. They are always listening, asking and aware of their ever changing environment. Winning the game is mostly staying in the game and never giving up. I use to think that to get my work done or get a head I needed certain things in place, or I needed to live in a certain area for it to be possible. I always felt that where I was and what I had was stopping me from getting ahead. Only if I lived where the things where happening and only if I could buy that thing everybody else had. Those are excuses that were stopping me, not my situation. We are capable of greatness from anywhere at anytime, we just need to want it and believe it. A lot of times the greatest things that happen to us just happen without us even noticing. And we only notice after we go chasing something bigger, only later to look back and see what we left behind. It's always hard to pass on great opportunities in favor of others that don't seem so great. But it's even harder to chase the wrong one and wish you could go back.

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Success is Planed

2010-08-23T08:50:00.003-04:00

As much as people talk about good / bad luck, in the end it's us who bring it on ourselves. When you land that great new job it's because of the things you've done to get there. You got good grades, took the right classes, meet the right people and just focused on seeing yourself there.

I read Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell and at first I really felt disappointed by the book and how it said nothing is by chance. If we look at the greatest people in each business, sport or whatever there is a clear history of events that lead them to be great. Looking back this makes sense but it doesn't give up hope for people like myself. What I learned is that you need to always be thinking about where you want to go and doing everything you can to get there. If I want to be a hockey player then I play hockey non stop. If I want to great in business then I need to be reading, meeting the right people, and completely put myself in that life.

I read a blog this morning from this guy Darren Hardy called "It Doesn't Just Happen" it's a great read and this one line really stuck out to me: Everything in one’s life is in direct proportion to the attention, effort and importance given to it.

The difference between good and bad luck is how bad you want something. We always see stories of people that beat all odds to rise up and get what they want. And we also see people that have it all and then loose it. If you want it you have to make it happen.

Making Stuff Happen

2010-08-04T09:37:00.000-04:00

I did a quick google for quotes about "Making Stuff Happen" and I found this site with a ton of great quotes. I've been writing more about trusting yourself, gut feelings and all that stuff, but in the end you still have to act on those feelings in order to move forward. Nobody gets anywhere by standing still, and you can't go somewhere that you don't know where you want to go. So you need to make a choice and act on it

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

And that's why this quote is so awesome because once you put your mind to something, it well become true. As long as you focus on it and always work towards that choice. I've seen this too many times over and over again. Where people make the impossible possible simply by choosing to believe and to never give up.

“Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.”
- Mark Twain

I love this one because if you think about all the day when the impossible has happened to you or you just seen something crazy, it makes you think that anything is possible and it's possible at any moment. Time doesn't wait for the perfect moment, it juts happens.

“If you don't make things happen then things will happen to you.”
- Robert Collier

Out of all the quotes this is the one that puts into perspective. It's up to you to make your own future and to grab the opportunities. Or better yet to make your own opportunities. Life is what you make of it so what not work to make it what you want it to be.

“Just Do It.”
- Nike

Forget the excuses

2010-07-28T08:44:00.000-04:00

"Today can be a day full of excuses and regrets, or it can be a day full of progress and achievement. The choice is completely up to you." - Ralph Marston - Daily Motivator

The choice is yours, always yours. I hate hearing people say, "You're making me do this". We each live our own life and we control our own life. I know I write this a lot but it's so true. So this is my first blog since making my own big choice, and here I am happy of the choice I made. It was tough to make and everybody else told me to do it, but my gut told me no. And in the end it's my life and my own choice to make. I know other great opportunities will present themselves to me and some already have.

I just watched the A-Team movie (loved it), and I love Hannibal's quote:

“I believe, no matter how random things may appear, there's still a plan,”

because live is not chance and the things that happen to us are of our own doing, so we need to embrace each moment and learn from each lesson. Things happen for a reason and if we learn from them then we'll always be moving forward in the direction we are suppose to, as long as we live our life right and make our own choices.

Trusting Yourself

2010-07-21T09:20:00.000-04:00

I've been presented with some very tough choices in the last while, once I never thought I'd have to make. These are choices that anybody would love to be presented with, and I know what most people would choose. But I guess I'm not normal.

I few years back I bought my Mother a book, Trusting Yourself by Mary Jane Ryan, and in true form I read it before I sent it to her (I hate to give a book I've never read myself). From this book I learned that we are our own persons and we make our own choices. We each have that little voice that is always telling us what we should be doing, even when it goes against everything that we think. But there is the difference, thinking vs. feeling. I'm not a emotional person but I do know when my gut is telling me what I should be doing.

I'm writing this before I actual make the decision and I'm publishing it after, so I can only hope I follow through. But regardless, even if I go with what I think is right, I still did it on my own. I beleive in myself and I have people around me that beleive in me, which is all we need to always win.

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” — Benjamin Spock

The purpose of this blog is to show that we should always follow our instincts and trust yourself. I've always found that just going with your first instinct is always the right choice, and all time does when making a choice is helping you change your mind and help you justify why you should do what you think and not what you know.

THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER CHOICE

2010-07-14T09:28:00.000-04:00

One thing I hate most is people that say "You're making me do this" or "You made me do it".

You ALWAYS have a choice!!!

We can always change our minds, we can always take a different path, we can choose to keep our mouth shut or our hands in our pockets. Or we can choose to help or get involved. The choice is our own and nobody else. Once we realize that we are the ones that choose what we do any every situation then it opens our eyes to see life in a different light -- Our possibilities are endless. Letting others control our choices is like letting others control our future and we are being held back from what we really want and can do. Once that chain is broken life becomes more fun, more exciting and our own.

It's your life to live, so why would you want anybody else to tell you how to live it.

Uncomfortable

2010-07-06T09:24:00.000-04:00

"By doing what you must do, you learn what you can do. By learning what you can do, you raise your expectations." - The Daily Motivator

It's crazy when you are presented with a situation in life that is outside your norm, and you conquer it. The feeling of doing something that is not normal to you and being good at is such an amazing thing. This simple concept was never something I knew much about until one day we decided to start our own company. That act in itself a big step outside the comfort zone, but being self employeed and providing for my family has put me in more uncomfortable situations than I can think of.

"It's comfortable to stick with what you know. Yet the time will come when just doing what you already know you can do won't be sufficient." - The Daily Motivator

The biggest lesson is learning to trust yourself in any situation and knowing you are capable of almost anything. We are people living in the same world and sharing the same experiences. Any of us are capable of doing great things, as long as we are willing to try them.

We should never wait for those uncomfortable situations to find us, but we should be out finding them and putting ourselves in them. We reach an age where we feel we are grownup, but in each of us there is so much more growing we can do.

There's always a way

2010-06-29T09:19:00.001-04:00

"When it's something you truly wish to do, there's a way to get it done. There's a way to cut through all the objections, obstacles and excuses, and to make it happen." From The Daily Motivator

I'm always very careful of what I focus my mind. I feel that as soon as I put my attention to something then that thing quickly becomes reality. Example would be me wanting a Jeep again. I would drive by everyday but I could force myself to not think about how much I wanted one, and that worked perfectly for 3 years. The once I knew the time was right for me to get one, I opened my mind to think about getting it and owing it. And within less than 30 days I had the Jeep I wanted.

The power of the mind and attraction are strong and everybody has it. We all make our own futures and lives from what we do, think and feel. That's why it's so important to always be positive and never focus on the negative. Life is too short not to have fun and it's way to short to always be living in the past. When a mistake is made the best option is to learn and move forward, every time.

The hardest part in getting what I want, for me, is knowing what it is I want. But once I know there is nothing that stops me from getting it.

Transform Sadness Into Motivation

2010-06-22T14:57:00.002-04:00

"You can easily and naturally transform sadness into motivation. You can transform the regrets into powerful and unstoppable determination." Found @ The Daily Motivator

I'm personally going through some hard business issues right now and I read this today and it made me stop feeling sorry for myself. It opened my eyes to realize that there are no mistakes only lessons to learn from. All the looking back to the past, feeling sorry, getting angry are just forms of emotion I can easily transform into positive ones.

My focus is to look at how I can improve the situation with the resources I have and the things I know now. I can use the motivation to never let it happen again to improve every aspect of my business and life. By always having those lessons in my mind I can better avoid those from happening again.

Life isn't about regretting or "what ifs" it's about living, loving and enjoying every moment you have. No matter what the outcome I'm still here and that in itself is gift to be treasured.

Time is more valuable than money. Because you can always make more money but you can never make more time. It's a hard thing to sallow when there are large amounts of money to be lost but I would rather loose that money than the time I could spend worrying about it.

YOUR TRIALS AND SORROWS DEVELOP YOU

2009-09-23T15:46:00.002-04:00

I subscribed to a new motivational email recently, www.yourdailymotivation.com, and after reading a few I was inspired to start writing more again. It's hard to get motivated and stay motivated most times. But through constant reinforcement and putting yourself in the correct situation then it's going to happen.

The most recent email I got started with this line :

"Trouble is the common denominator of living."

That got me thinking about how everybody always has problems, but it's the ones that look for oppurtunities within those problems that succeed. Everybody has the same 24 hour days to get stuff done, it's how we choose to use those hours that makes the difference.

The email finished on this line :

"What happens to you is not as important as how you react to what happens."

That line is so true in it's words. Nothing is ever just handed over to you, you have to work for what you get, and sometimes you have to work hard. The key is that you never give up and always move forward.

It felt good to write again and I hope I can stick to it like I did before. I've setup my surroundings to make it possible to stick to it, I've set a goal, and I have a plan. As long as I keep moving forward then success is bound to happen in one form or another. My biggest issue for stopping was the lose of my old email newsletter. I let that problem affect me in the wrong way, so I went out and found a new one which is even better. So that problem was really an oppurtunity for me improve.

Who are you?

2009-06-18T14:20:00.000-04:00

Self Image

Who does self image effect? Who cares about your self image? Who knows about your self image?

The answer above is not others, the answer is you! It's always going to be you.

We spend so much time worrying about what others think of us. We are always worry about how we are perceived by others. In the end we are only worrying and stress about ourselves. That worry and concern becomes what others see, they never see what ever it is we want them to see.

I have this issue, not near as bad as it once was, but I still catch myself worrying about how I must look. What I have learned to do is be aware of myself and stop myself from worrying. Being aware of yourself is not the same as self image. Being aware is very important so you can learn more about who you are and to help build confidence in yourself. The better you know yourself the less you worry about others and how you look. It's a great feeling when you can just be you and just "be".

We are who we are and from time to time we need others to tell us. It's hard for people to admit they are not what they think they are. It's even harder to accept that we can never be what we want to be. I can never be a lead singer, I can never be a great painter, but I can be play a part in a great band, and I there are many ways to be an artist besides drawing.

We have be selfish and only be concerned with ourselves. We can never do anything in life for others. This may seem to be the opposite type of thinking, but what it means is just do what needs to get done for you to be happy and as long you are right minded and conscious of others then those things are going to help others.

You can't be concerned about what you leave behind, only be concerned about where you are going. And only "you" can get there so you are the only one "you" need to think about along the way.

Please take the time to go read The way of the Superior Man by David Deida and also listen to as much David DeAngelo as possible. These concepts are not just for men or just for trying to pickup. They are life lessons on how to be the best person you can be and how to succeed at everyhting you want. Another great book on how to just learn to be aware and in the moment is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

SUCCESSFUL ACTION IS CUMULATIVE IN RESULTS

2009-06-04T09:33:00.000-04:00

I was going to try and start doing these emails with out the daily guru, but they are so good and I think they needed to be shared. Some people then think this blog/email is just me coping out by using the guru but I don't see it that way. I see it as me passing along some awesome insight and adding my spice to it.

The part in this guru where is says the faster you grow the faster you wither. But the slower (I'll say stronger) you grow the longer you'll last. Your idea/business needs a strong foundation to last the test of time. Look at the Billion dollar companies in the word, and then how long they've been around. I could throw up a quick website and spam a crap load of people and make a few thousand dollars, but then it's gone. But what if I setup a site that made steady hundreds and lasted the test of time. It would take longer to reach the same amount but the second one would keep on going.

Here's a simple money quiz.
- I just got 6K
- I have a 6K loan that is costing me $600/mth for 1 year
- I have an offer to buy a house for 6K that makes $300/mth
Where do you put the money??

Play with the numbers and see where your break even number is based on time, input and output. Don't forget to keep in mind every month a payment is made on that house more equity is being put in your assets. Then take that thought and think about how much in the hole the house can put you each month before it's not worth it. I have a house I loose money every month. I made money when I bought and the value of the house increased every year, and mortgage keeps getting paid off. Some people think I'm stupid, so to shut them up I bought a house that made money and now I break even :0

SUCCESSFUL ACTION IS CUMULATIVE IN RESULTS

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Many people take the first step and stop.
Yet, with every additional step you take, you enhance immensely
the value of your first step.

All masters of success are chiefly distinguished by their power
of adding a second, a third and perhaps a forth step in a
continuous line.

There is no royal road to anything.
One thing at a time, all things in succession is the rule of life.
That which grows fast, withers as rapidly.
That which grows slowly, endures.

Do not despise the bottom rings in your ascent to greatness.

THE DAILY GURU

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AS YOU KNOW, TO HELP US IN OUR MISSION TO RAISE
THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE

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How to set goals

2009-05-28T09:14:00.001-04:00

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
-Anthony Robbins

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. Walt Disney went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.
Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was too stupid to learn anything.
Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and didn’t read until he was seven. His teacher described him as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams.” He was expelled and refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School.
Louis Pasteur was only a mediocre pupil in undergrad studies and ranked 15th out of 22 in Chemistry.
Beethoven was deaf and blind when he wrote his greatest symphonies.

All the people above are the same as you and I — no genetic enhancement, no magic and incantations used to enhance abilities, no special powers. What made the difference was their persistence on achieving their goals no matter how crazy they seemed or how everyone puts them down. They did so out of sheer love for what they do and unrelenting spirit to act on what they believe in the face of obstacles.

The thing with having a goal and having the necessary faith to focus and act on that goal is that it motivates you to strive harder. Goals give you burning hot dedication and passion to work towards what you want against all odds.

But what is most wonderful with focusing on your goals is that it gives you strength and hope amidst the darkest of days and the hardest of battles. When everything is not just going your way, holding on to your goals and believing in yourself gives you the power to take another shot. To a goal-oriented person, there is no such thing as failure—just temporary setbacks. For a person, so immersed and passionate in reaching for his goal, will see hope amidst setbacks, wisdom amidst confusion, and lessons amidst disappointments.

How are goals set? It’s looking back on the things you treasure the most and going ahead to expand those treasures in an attempt to grow as a person by holding on to those treasures.

Fight for your goals. Go ahead and unravel what the future holds.

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”
-Henry Ford-

Being thankful

2009-05-18T10:02:00.002-04:00

Close on 3 years ago now myself and my good friend Nick Simpson were flying to a client site when on our first of three flights for the day we went down hard. On the landing the wheels went through the wings and we were in crash landing mode. The crew did an amazing job and everybody was safe.

It's pretty amazing to say you went through a plane crash, but it's even more amazing to say you survived one.

This is the second major accident I've been through in my life and both times I've come out nearly untouched. I thank God everyday for keeping me safe. The reason I can be thankful and happy everyday is because through these events I've learned that it can be taken away from you at any moment. So cherish every moment and don't live life in the past or future but live life in the "Now".

Here is a powerpoint taken by the the crew of the plane after the crash.

MAKE CHANGE A POSITIVE PART OF YOUR LIFE

2009-05-14T10:02:00.000-04:00

Funny how Positive always comes up everywhere you look these days. I assume it was always there but because it's on my mind so much I pick out all over the place. We attract what we want. If I start dreaming of a nice Jeep YJ, then for some reason everywhere I look I see Jeep's everywhere and I have to block my thoughts so I don't jump the gun and just buy one (more than once I've almost bitten the bullet, perfect Christmas gift ;). I love today's message about change and how it needs to always be looked at in a positive light. If we are confident and secure then nothing should give us fear or stop us from moving forward. I'm good at what I do as a consultant and I credit my success factor to having a way of making the client always comfortable and secure in knowing I'll always take care of them. Because of this they are never worried if a change comes down the pipeline because they know I'm there and I'll help them get through it. I love a challenge and love to tackle issues as they come to me, if we are ready and willing to take on anything then nothing can stop us and we'll always be moving forward. Did everything go the way you thought it would today? Or did any unaccepted things come up? And if so did you take those new things with a positive outlook? Without change nothing changes!

MAKE CHANGE A POSITIVE PART OF YOUR LIFE

You must avoid breaking when things don't go your way.
You'll always be secure to the degree that you accept change.
True security comes from being able to bend your insecurities.

Recognize and accept that change will inevitably take place.
You'll become secure, not by standing still, but by growing,
moving, and staying energized.
Be secure in the knowledge that you can deal with anything
that happens to you.

Have the courage to bet on your ideas.
Take some calculated risks and act on your dreams.
There is no permanent security on this earth, there is only opportunity.

Of Goal Reaching and Time, Time, Time

2009-05-07T12:08:00.000-04:00

"The good news is that time management is a skill, and like any other skill, it is learnable." Brian Tracy

We cannot move through life using a trial-and-error method. We just do not have the time to try one solution to a problem and then another, in case the first one we try, fails. The crucial thing is that we have to be able to manage our time in order to solve problems or reach our goals. If you don’t know how to manage your time, don’t panic. You can learn it because it is a skill. How? There are actually several ways that you could do this.
For instance, your iPhone or Backberry would be a very helpful thing. It holds your schedule and a calendar of whatever it is that you have to do. Since you paid the money to purchase it, you might as well maximize its features. If you don’t have a smart phone, then use your calendar to note down your appointments and responsibilities. Put the calendar in a visible location. Regularly seeing it would remind you of the things that have to be done.
Also, get into the habit of prioritizing the things that are really important. Free your schedule of some of your trivial tasks such as being a couch potato for ten hours each day. Now, unless your couch is your goal, then free up your time for something else. Sure it is leisurely but the farthest you can get to with it is inside your house.
Finally, say no to people if you already have a full schedule at hand. It is difficult to refuse invitations for social events particularly when you can network with important people through them. However, if you already have two invitations for one date, one for lunch and the other for dinner, you might want to skip the third that might come your way. Or at least pick the one that would move you closer to your goal. Besides, graciously saying no won’t hurt you. It shows you have manner and you know your limitations. Imagine having to breeze through everything and not even being able to remember the names of the big people who are being introduced to you because you have to hurry from one event to another. What was the point of being in any of the events then?
Remember, to manage your time is a skill and to reach your goal because you are able to manage your time is mastery of that skill.

CONTROL

2009-04-30T01:49:00.000-04:00

My friends are going through this prositive mind recreation process and it's amazing to watch. I'm walking the same path but I've been taking it slower than them. There are no excuses so it's just something I need to work on and be more strict with myself. Even me writing this here is a big step, because it shows that I beleive in this and I want others to know what's happening. The biggest thing that I see for me is that it opens your eyes to how you can control you life. Right now I would dear to say 90% plus of the people in the world (including all you) are not in control of your life. I'm slowly but surely gaining more control everyday. When I feel I'm going to do something I either don't want to, think I can't, or know it's not good for me, I stop and say "I Control My Life" ... and I feel 100% better. It's simple things to like, fast food, junk food, going to the gym, sleeping in, ... and fear of trying. Yesterday I learned how to snowboard. At the start I was shaking and a little scared. I even thought about going in and grabbing some skis instead, but I said "I control my life", "I can do anything", and "I am awesome". After taking a moment to clear my mind and become clam I then just did it. I had a great time and I learned something new that I love (need a little more before I give up skiing though). We can all control our own lives. Take note of the different emotions you feel today, Joy, Happy, Proud, .... and think about the things that made you feel those. Then you can take those moments and recreate them to always feel those awesome emotions. That there is taking control of your personal state, and helping you come a step closer to controlling your life.

Setting Goals

2009-04-24T10:14:00.003-04:00

“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”

When you are motivated to achieve something, the next step is to set your goal. However, setting a goal is only one-fourth of what a person has to do. The rest involves effort and perseverance. When you set goals, the first thing you need to make sure of is that they are realistic. For example, you cannot just say that within one year, you will buy a house if you are only earning ten dollars an hour. Even when you put in 40 hours of work every week, you still won’t earn enough to purchase anything as big as it. So when you set a deadline, project a period of time that could give your goal a touch of realism.
After doing this, engage in activities that are in line with your goal. Have plans and do them. So for this case, gather your financial records and see where you stand. If you have saved a reasonable amount, then maybe you could adjust your timeline. Instead of getting a house in 10 years, perhaps you could purchase one in seven.
Also, stay with your plan. Now this is hard work because you probably have a lot of temptations that would deter you from staying with your plans and reaching your goals. If you really want a house, then prioritize it. Sure, you may have enough money to go on a fancy one-month vacation to Europe, but which is really more important for you? The vacation, no matter how appealing it may seem, could only sidetrack you from your dream house.
Whatever your goal is, the point is that you need to keep it in your sight. To do this, you need a plan and to follow that plan to heart. Of course you must remember that Plan A is always accompanied by Plan B. If Plan A fails, do not fret, this is why you have Plan B in the first place. It can get you back on track. In time you will reach your goal.
So, happy planning!

Keep Your Tongue from Evil!

2009-04-13T13:39:00.002-04:00

Keep Your Tongue from Evil!
Psalms 35:28

Speaking my mind, being curious, creating stories and just helping minds wonder is something that I can't seem to gain full control of in my life. In trying to better myself this always seems to be that one thing that keeps getting me in trouble that I should not be in. And it's the hardest trouble to get out of if understanding is far away.

"It is easier to leave angry words unspoken than to mend a heart those words have broken."

I can't even count the number of times I've been placed in situations that were caused by my words alone. It's easy to say it's just words and thoughts but words hurt and thoughts can turn to action.

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."
Proverbs 12:18

So it is very wise to learn the limits and tricks to put your focus else where or just stay silent. I've become very good at keeping my silence and using things like this blog to help focus my thoughts.

"There is a time for everything...a time to be silent and a time to speak."
Ecclesiastes 3:1&7

I thought venting and ranting to people was a way to get it out, but even that is letting those words come to life and find a place to live outside of me. Everything we say or do is out there and attached to ourselves for good or bad to see.

"In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you..." Philippians 2:14-15

In writing this I found a lot of bible references around the topic. It's clear to see that the tongue is powerful and to be highly respected. This is my failing and almost an addiction I need to cut loose and learn to control. I find the hardest parts of staying in control are having people around that are willing to listen, always online so people are click away, cell phones where a simple click brings ears to the end of your words. It's not about making sure I control those items, but that I control myself. I have people in my life that depend on me and while I've cut out obvious items that could threaten my life, this one is the most powerful and still a battle I am going to win.

"I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth…"
Psalms 39:1

Are you the best you can be?

2009-04-09T17:05:00.003-04:00

Treat a person as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a person as if he were where he could be and should be, and he will become what he could be and should be. - Jimmy Johnson

I always want others to push me to my limits and beyond. I've been told by people they see something is going to be great and they never question that I'll succeed in life. Well I want them to push me there and treat me like the person they know I can and should be.

As individuals we can only see ourselves as far as we believe in ourselves. Most times our perception of our abilities falls way short of the true potential we have inside of us. We are all great in some way or form. We all have dreams of where we want to be. We all have the skills to get us there. But do we all have the drive to get there?

We should never sell ourselves short of what we "can be"

Too many people take criticism personally and feel it's like an attack on them. When in truth it's a learning experience that we should grow from. Every time somebody tells you that you are doing something wrong, how to do it better, to do something different, what to change, how to change, or anything that points out our mistakes. We need to take that with a positive spin and use it to better ourselves.

We can only become better by changing, and we can only change through the eyes of others.

I've been getting beat up for years on how I do things and how I am. It took me a long time to remove the emotion and just learn that life is like school. You study, do a test, get a grade. If the grade sucks then you fix what you did wrong and do better. If the grade is great then you get to move on to even harder things. If you can learn to treat life that way and see your criticizers as your teachers then there are no limits on where you can go.

HONESTY OPENS THE DOOR TO SUCCESS

2009-04-03T01:29:00.002-04:00

In starting out in business I would fudge my resumes and I would tell clients I knew things I didn't. This is all great to get the gig, but when you are trapped and expected to know the stuff you told them issues arise. A long time ago I started to just tell it like it is. If a client wanted to know about a product or solution I never used I would tell them I have now idea ... but I'll do the research and I'm sure I can have an answer by COB. I've found that through being so open with clients it has not only strengthen my relationships but it has also increased my knowledge. If a client knows I'm doing my best they are more open to get me in contact with others they may have the answers, or they give me access to resources to help me. Through this process the growth possibilities are endless and the doors to new opportunities always seem to open

Trust and honesty are the keys to life and business. It takes years to gain it, but only moments to loose it.

HONESTY OPENS THE DOOR TO SUCCESS

Successful people have cultivated the habit of never denying
to themselves their true feelings and attitudes.
They have no need for pretenses.

Once you accept yourself completely you don't have to
maintain a phony front, or feel insecure if people don't
tune in to you and what you're doing.

Visualize what you really want,
not what someone else wants for you.
Don't forfeit three-forth's of yourself to be like other people.

First say to yourself what you would be
and then do what you have to do.

THE DAILY GURU

You don't have to ask permission to succeed!

2009-04-01T09:55:00.000-04:00

You don't have to ask permission to succeed!

What a statement with so much truth. Take a moment and think about it ......... you don't have to ask permission to succeed. I don't know what to say other that it's all about just doing it and getting it done. If you can reach that goal then who's going to be upset, who's going to be yelling at you, who's going to care how you got there ... NOBODY! They are going to be excited that you did succeed and made that goal come to life.

The quote comes from one of my top must read books, No Excuse Leadership. Now there are several other great lessons from this book, but the main focus is that you just have to do it. Nothing is easy and only those prepared to work hard are going to win. I wrote more notes in this book than anything else before.

Some lessons taken from this book:

Lead by example; you can't force others to be a certain way, you can only lead.
There are only two options, success or excuses
Anybody can be a leader; leaders are trained
Practice is the key to success
Always be yourself and never try to change that
It takes more work to try and get out of work; just do it

The number of little situations and concepts taken from each story are endless in this book. It was such an eye opener to see how easy reaching your goals and success are. All that is required is a will to succeed no matter what, and knowing you don't need permission to get there.

Curious of my list of must reads? Here you go:
(friend me on goodreads to see all my books)

"You don't have to ask permission to succeed!"

Getting Motivated

2009-03-27T22:13:00.000-04:00

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer”. – Albert Camus

How do we get up from failing when everything seems to be pulling us towards that direction? How do we succeed when all that we do fall short of success? The answer to this is to CRY - cry our hearts out because we botched. We should let ourselves feel the pain of our collapse. Denying it would only worsen our conditions. But afterwards, after shedding all the tears in the world and after experiencing all the hurt there is, we should GET UP, TAKE HOLD OF OUR SELVES, SMILE and GET MOVING.
At some point in our lives, we will go through winter. We will discover that no matter what we do, there will always be things that would seem to be out of our grasps. We will realize that the world is not always just. We may struggle with trying to achieve our goal and yet fail to do so. But does this mean that we should give up and develop learned helplessness? No, not really. In fact, it means the opposite.
It is essential for us to recognize that if we have positive thinking and hope within, standing up and getting out of our unwanted situation is always possible. When we perceive things more optimistically, we gain insight into what may have gone wrong with our previous actions and from this, learn. The lessons that we get will in turn motivate us to not commit the same mistakes when we venture into the world once more. This is actually our strength. The ability to have positive thoughts is the invincible summer that stirs from the deep within our hearts.
This is what Albert Camus is telling us and this is the same thing that we should be telling ourselves.