Performance Alliance Blog

Be Careful!

2012-05-27T20:08:00Z

Life can be a little daunting to say the least. At every turn there can be a new challenge and those challenges can seem never ending. But, a good life is led through overcoming a series of bad challenges.

You can't look at life as if it is a super highway to the end. At best, it has its "super highway" stretches and at worst it can be like a rocky, narrow, precipitous, mountain trail on which you are lost. The key is not to despair and give up at any point or, God forbid, lose your balance. As they say, Keep on keeping on!

All of that is easier said than done but it must be done!

So, how do you do it?

First, take an inventory of where you have been and what you have done with your life, so far.

Next, dream a little. Take what you've learned about yourself through the inventory and apply that learning to brainstorming your wildest dreams. Initially, don't judge just let it flow. In other words, don't think why you can't think why you want to. It's the "want to" that can lead you to the next step in the process.

Go back through your list of wildest dreams and draw a line through those that don't give you a visceral sense of emotion as to why you want it. You will only get what you emotionally connect to what you want!

Take your reduced list of wildest dreams and prioritize what you want to go after first, second, etc. Build your individual plans for achieving each dream.

The final step is the most important. Follow your plans and take daily action on them!

But, be careful! A Jewish proverb is best to make my point, here. "Don't approach a goat from the front, a horse from the back, or a fool from anyside."

Fool's Gold

2012-05-25T19:12:00Z

Now, you've got to wonder where I'm going with this one! Well, don't wonder...read on!

Technically, the term, fool's gold, refers to an actual mineral that has a color very similar to gold. Because of its resemblance to gold it has fooled many people over thousands of years. It is something that appears to be something that it is not. How unfair is that?

The fact is the concept of fool's gold can be applied to many more aspects of life other than just a mineral that looks like something it isn't. Some people, in general, live a life of fool's gold. They appear to be something they are not. My question is, How can they truly enjoy a life that isn't? I would think all of us would want to reach the end of our lives not having tried to fool other people and, therefore, ourselves. What's the value in that?

A life lived with integrity, enthusiasm, humility and dedication can be nothing but golden. It's worth--Priceless! Priceless because it is what it is rather than what it isn't.

Know Do Not Talk

2012-05-23T18:38:00Z

It's your desire to be respected and appreciated as a person. Good for you! That's true for most if not all of us. But, here's the problem, as I see it. It's a conflict with how we think we should communicate and project ourselves to the world and what we should actually do. It's not as intuitive as we might think.

Consider this...you've met them before. It's those people who are incessantly talking about what they know and what they've done. They can go on, chapter and verse, for hours and never stop blowing their horn! These people never pause to think about getting you involved in the conversation and to share your thoughts. No...they're too wrapped up in themselves to do that!

In other words, they are doing the intuitive thing to try and generate your respect and appreciation. They think if they tell you all that stuff, you can't help but be impressed with them. The result...usually, the exact opposite, right? You're repelled by the self-serving attitude and, in fact, don't respect or appreciate them.

So, how can you avoid being perceived in such a way?

Don't think intuitively. Think confidently! In other words, people who truly understand and feel a sense of self-worth just know and do not talk. They do the exact opposite of jabbering on and on about all they know and all they have done. They don't have to yak about themselves because their level of self-worth provides a comfortable level of self-confidence.

They know those truly in the know do not talk.

Love Of Life

2012-05-21T15:09:00Z

No...I didn't say love of your life! This isn't about loving someone in your life. It's about creating a love of life. It's about how you create an absolute passion for your life.

Then, you may ask, Why is that important? It's important because without a passion in life you are only leading your life not living and loving your life. The difference between leading and living your life is absolutely the proverbial difference between night and day. When you only lead your life it fills you with the feeling of a dark, foggy night's chill. You shiver through the misery and can't wait for the darkness to end.

By contrast, when you truly live your life you're involved; having fun; letting your creative juices flow where they may. All of that happens because of your passion for the opportunity to live your life constantly creating new chances and choices along the way. Living your life connotes always the brightest of days.

Does that mean there aren't dark times in your life? Absolutely not! Even the brightest of days has a cloud or two pass by. "Pass by" is the point here. When you live your life the clouds are seen as new opportunities to create a brighter day. When you lead your life the clouds are seen as never ending.

Your love of life is directly proportional to the passion you feel. The passion you feel is directly proportional to the positive attitude you exhibit. One begets the other. It's like night and day. Ya' gotta love it!

Power Up

2012-05-19T14:18:00Z

I love the sound of a powerful engine on anything: drag racer, jet plane, rocket, power boat, train engine, anything. There's something about the guttural rumble of the engine that reverberates substance, strength and performance. Know what I mean?

Well, just as an engine can generate high power so can you. On the other hand, the true potential of that power is directly impacted by how you apply it. Back to the engine for a minute to paint a picture of my point. If the power of a drag racer, for example, is applied anywhere but on a race track, it's true potential can never be realized. Can you imagine going full throttle down the main street of your town in a big time, fully loaded drag racer? A disaster in the making for sure or sheer disappointment if you see it relatively quietly and slowly meander down the avenue. The potential is there but the power can't be applied or appreciated.

Compare that example to your personal ability to power up, so to speak. Take the concept of power and it's application in all of your relationships including that with yourself. If you control others through a position of power, your potential for getting the best out of them is very limited. People don't want to be controlled. They want to be led. Leading isn't about controlling. It's about inspiring. Position power dilutes inspiration every time!

On the other hand, when you control yourself you increase your power exponentially. Leaders seen as in personal control are so inspiring as to be in total control of those they lead.

To power up you can't push! To power up exercise personal control and pull!

Your Heart's Desire

2012-05-17T18:11:00Z

I find it intriguing that the journey to self-actualization or, to put that another way, reaching our potential can get so convoluted. It can become so confusing that we feel we're in a maze to nowhere rather than a journey to somewhere.

Why is that the case for so many of us?

I think the answer lies in the stars. Now, you have to admit that's an intriguing comment! But, I am serious. Serious in the sense of the stars being part of the energy of the universe. And, if you are successful at aligning the stars properly, you can power your own spaceship through the universe to whatever it is that you want.

Here's the key thought in that previous paragraph: "if you are successful at aligning the stars properly." You can't align anything in your favor, let alone the stars, unless you have a clear trajectory to where you want to land. There is only one way to plot such a trajectory. It is through your heart's desire.

Your heart's desire is defined as something you truly, unequivocally, absolutely want. When you have that level of desire the power of the universe is harnessed not only to launch you toward but sustain your journey to that end.

To guarantee you will achieve what you want, it's up to you to make it your heart's desire. Your heart's desire depth of desire is driven by an emotional attachment to your objective. That's the only way. If you truly want it, you have to truly love it!

Look into your heart for what you desire and reach for the stars.

What's Your Worth?

2012-05-15T17:44:00Z

Maybe the title to this post should be asking a different question? Say, like, Why are you worthless? or, How do you measure your worth?

It's important that you have an answer to any of those questions. The reason is if you don't know your worth (value), you have no basis for giving to others. If you don't give to others, you truly are worthless to them and yourself.

You have to get yourself to a point in life where your sense of giving far outweighs you sense of receiving. It's the old adage, The more you give the more you get! It sounds contradictory but the fact is your true abundance lies in the worth that you distribute to others.

By the way, I'm not reserving this discussion only to your material worth. While material wealth can be very helpful to yourself and others, it is not the only measure of your worth. Put it in the perspective of an unknown author.

"The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money."

Again, I ask: What's your worth?

Gone Like A Freight Train

2012-05-13T15:11:00Z

Here I go again! The title to a great Country song by Montgomery Gentry is noted as the title of this post. The song is about lost love. This post isn't about that, however. But, before I get to that here's a link to a video of the song. It's a great song and you might enjoy it. It rocks, shall we say!

That said, I'm using the title of this post as a metaphor for the real point. The idea is to get you to think before you speak. I'm sure you're like most of us. More than once you've opened your mouth and said something you wish you hadn't and would love to be able to take those words back.

Doesn't work that way, my friends. Once spoken always gone...gone like a freight train. Now, a freight train is powerful but not that powerful. The most powerful locomotive in the world couldn't drag back those words you wish you could take back.

The point is to always exercise enough emotional intelligence to be thoughtful of what you say. When you consider what you say before you say it, you will never have to regret it.

The fact is, if you're not thoughtful about what you say, people will ride you out of town on a rail and you'll be gone like a freight train! Toot! Toot!

From The Heart

2012-05-11T20:10:00Z

There's the old adage, The best things in life are free. Sounds simple enough and, also sounds about right when you think about it. But, I want you to think about it a little differently.

When you look all around you, there are some beautiful things to see. It can be in the form of the wonder of nature. It's beautiful to see a shimmering city spread below at night as you as stand on the observation deck of one of the world's stunning skyscrapers. What about the beauty of an emerging life in whatever form? The point is you can see beauty all around you, if you look hard enough.

There's another one of the senses to consider here...our sense of hearing. There's no doubt there are some wonderful and beautiful things to hear in the world. Think of the soaring notes of your favorite song. Consider the beauty of hearing the song of a bird in the breathtaking quiet of a Sunday morning walk. It's amazingly beautiful to hear the cry of a newborn baby. You can hear beauty all around you, if you perk up and pay attention.

Think of all that beauty you can see and hear! It's amazing, isn't it?

Here's the twist. There's even more beauty to experience in your life. It's the beauty you experience when it comes from the heart. The beauty of feeling love for someone and from someone. The beauty of feeling the glow when you have done something charitable or kind for another person. The beauty of experiencing the feeling of true peace of mind. Those beauties from the heart can't really be seen or heard.

Live from the heart and you will see and hear more beauty and wonder in your world.

Simple As This

2012-05-09T19:23:00Z

I'm writing this post on a Sunday. I don't know if that has anything to do with why I'm focusing on a particular topic. It doesn't make any real difference because I'm not trying to preach to you. I'm trying to help you simplify a very complex concept.

The concept? Religion or, more specifically what is popularly referred to as "organized religion." The term applies to any religious concepts where someone or something has organized an approach as to how you should think about your own spirituality. Now, that's a complex concept!

Far too complex, in my opinion, to force people into the proverbial pigeon-hole. You know the labels...protestant, catholic, jew, muslim, and a boat-load of others. Each label brings with it various tenents and or practices to which you must adhere or you are not considered in good standing. Last time I checked, most of us want to feel like we are in good standing with however we label our higher power. As a consequence, we tend to over-complicate our lives. We live lives of conformance rather than lives of spiritual fulfillment.

I better stop here or I'm going to be guilty of doing what I said I was trying not to do...preach to you.

Abraham Lincoln made the whole complex concept as simple as this. "When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion."

Contemporary Art

2012-05-07T18:50:00Z

Yikes! Don't be concerned! This post is not about the artform known as contemporary art. Frankly, I wouldn't know it if I saw it.

No...I'm talking about you and the art you create each day of your life. Whether you think about it that way or not, the reality is you are painting your life's picture on the vast canvas of your lifetime. There will be other great artists you will collaborate with but in the final analysis the picture emerging and ultimately completed on your canvas is your creation. Yours and yours alone!

You mix the vividness of the colors. You choose the brushes you will use. You apply the strokes of the brush. You create the big picture through the genius of your daily attention to the artful details of your life. You are the master of the fresco of your life!

Here's the challenge. While you should have a vision of the big picture you ultimately want to create, it's your attention to the details each day that creates a masterpiece. In other words, the contemporary art you create each day fits together with that of the past to paint the picture of your future.

If you emphasize the detail of your contemporary efforts you will create an artful masterpiece of your life. I guess what I'm talking about rather than contemporary art is emphasizing your be-in-the-moment art.

An Unselfish Act

2012-05-05T18:16:00Z

You read a lot about the idea of abundance, today. I'm not talking about a cornucopia of various foods like the picture above. I'm talking about the concept of abundance tied to your self-actualization. In essence, when you think with a mind set of abundance, you understand that you don't have to take from others in order to receive. In fact, the more you give the more you get!

Or, to put that another way, the more unselfish you act the more abundance you attract. Abundance both in terms of relationships and things, if things are your thing!

Thinking with a mind set of abundance takes only a flip of a switch...

It's not caring who gets the credit but that the job is well done.
It's releasing your petty jealousies and celebrating the success of all concerned.
It's believing that the sum of the parts is truly greater than the whole.
It's giving without expectations of return but purely for the joy.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, she or he who is selfish will never achieve what they relish. An unselfish act or acts is the key to your ultimate self-actualization.

Already Taken

2012-05-03T17:56:00Z

Look around you. What do you see? I know...you could be seeing some beautiful scenery or something less than that. However, my focus is on the people you see.

Isn't it amazing that as you look at the people around you not one looks the same? And, what is true for your current view is also true if you could see all the people in the world. Not one of them would look or be exactly the same. I find it amazing that is the case given the fact there are over 7 billion people in the world.

I harken back to a statistic I have shared in previous posts. Scientists have estimated the physiological odds of any one of us being born at 2,240 trillion to one. No wonder not one of us is exactly like the other! The diversity of the human genome won't allow it to happen...too many options to the various combinations of our genes.

So, what's the point for you? Well, I'm trying to get you to reflect on the wonder of your individual miracle and the beauty of your uniqueness. Fact is...it doesn't get any better than you! You're a wonder regardless of how insignificant you may think you are when considering the other 7 billion of us.

Think like Oscar Wilde who said: "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."

It's You...PERIOD!

2012-05-01T16:16:00Z

Quit looking for excuses! Stop pointing fingers! Give up on looking for scapegoats! Forget about looking for who's to blame!

It's you...PERIOD!

Your worst enemy is you. It's how you think and how you think is how you're going to act. If you think you've found an excuse, you will act on that excuse. If you point your finger at someone else as the problem, you will act like they are the problem. When you think you've got a likely scapegoat, you will act like you're not at fault. If you think defeated, you'll act defeated. If you think like a victim, you are going to act like a victim. If you think you're not to blame, you will act like you're not to blame. In every one of these foregoing examples...

It's you...PERIOD!

Your worst enemy is your own thoughts. Change your thoughts and you change your life...PERIOD! You control the master switch of your own thinking therefore you control the energy necessary to making the changes in your life that you want. You CAN flip that switch. There's only one key...having the will to do it.

Where do you get that will? It's you...PERIOD! Nobody else is going to find it for you. Will comes from emotions. When you make an emotional connection to something that you want, you will flip the switch that will summon the will to do it.

PERIOD...It's you!

Not Smart Enough

2012-04-29T15:35:00Z

Someone once said: Ignorance is bliss. As I understand that statement, it means that what you don't know is not a source of concern for you. As someone else once said: What you don't know won't hurt you. Either statement could possibly be a source of comfort or peace of mind.

But, how about the ultimate lack of peace of mind? It is the state where you know you could have done more but didn't. You gave up rather than keep trying. Your resulting ignorance as to what you could have accomplished will bore a bleeding ulcer of discontent deep in your gut. Would that be bliss to you? I would contend that would be a situation where what you don't know would definitely hurt you.

Don't over think it when it comes to realizing your true potential. Spend more time taking action toward achieving that potential. Figure out how you would define your ultimate potential...your ultimate success. Get that picture indelibly etched in your mind. Then, think about and develop a detailed action plan for getting there. Finally, go do it!

Think of yourself as being "not smart enough" to know all you can be. I'm not challenging your intellect here. I'm tracking with the thinking of the very thoughtful and clever Wisconsin newspaper columnist and editor, Doug Larson. On this very topic he said: "Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible."

My bet is you're smart enough to know that you will accomplish impossible things!

A Thought Too Far

2012-04-27T14:56:00Z

Yes, I know! There's a World War II movie entitled A Bridge Too Far. Funny, though. Where I'm going with the point of this post may have some relationship with the topic of that movie. Let's find out.

You're on your road to success. But, what does success look like to you? If you don't know what it looks like, you really can't see it well enough to achieve it. Besides a commitment to action, the next most important characteristic to achieving success is having a clear vision of it.

But, there's the big problem for too many people. They short-change their view of themselves and their potential. They don't see far enough. They don't reach far enough. They don't risk far enough. They don't think far enough. If your thinking is short, your vision will be short-sighted.

How do you know how far you can go in this life, if you don't think too far? By that I mean, if you're not dreaming way beyond your current potential, you'll never realize your true potential. If you think it, your greater potential becomes palpable.

A thought too far, when it comes to your ultimate success, puts peace of mind within your reach. In the end, you will know that you truly did all you could do to become all you could be.

Scary Sight

2012-04-25T19:11:00Z

My guess is you're like most, if not all of us. You don't necessarily like being unexpectedly frightened. The source of the fright can come from a number of circumstances but it always seems to result in at least one thing...a scary sight! It's a sight that can become indelibly etched in your minds-eye and often results in total paralysis. You can't respond to the sight in anyway. You're frozen in fear. Been there...done that...right? It's not a position most of us want to put ourselves in very frequently, if ever.

Let's consider this whole idea from the perspective of you living up to your potential in life. The ultimate scary sight might be the vision of reaching the end of your life with a deep sense of regret for what you haven't done vs. what you have. There's nothing you can do about such a scary sight at that point. It's too late!

The obvious solution to such a situation is to not let life's interim scary sights stop you from achieving what you want during your life. As I said, scary sights can sometimes result in you being frozen in time, so to speak. You're so scared you can't take any action. When you can't take action is when you can't get results. When can't get results, you can't possibly succeed at anything. Scary, huh?

Here's the bottom-line on all this. You can't let the scary prospect of roadblocks to your goals stop your pursuit of those same goals. Regardless of how scary the sight of a particular roadblock to your objective is, if you stop...you lose!

You have to look past the fright of roadblocks and see only the opportunity for which you are striving. Such a concentrated focus changes a scary sight into a vision of success.

What a sight that would be, right?

A-pathetic

2012-04-23T14:29:00Z

So, what is it you want out of your life? It doesn't make any difference what it is. What does make a difference is what you do about it! Here's where things can get pathetic for too many people. Hopefully, not you!

Pathetic is such a strong, descriptive word, in my opinion. One definition of pathetic includes the words distressing and inadequate. If you want to get what you want in your life, you can't put forth a distressing and inadequate effort...PERIOD! You can't get what you want until you do everything that you have to.

Here's the problem for too many people, however. They add an "a" in front of the word, pathetic. In other words, they become too apathetic in their approach to life. They don't step out from the shadow of mediocrity and become all that they can be. Now, that truly is pathetic!

There are lots of people in the world that aren't even remotely pathetic or apathetic. One that particularly comes to mind is Helen Keller. She may be the greatest example of a person who never (not one day) put forth a distressing and inadequate effort. If she had, she would have slipped into the darkness of her lack of sight and hearing never to impact the world in so many magnificent ways.

On the topic of apathy she said: "Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all--the apathy of human beings."

It would be...a...pathetic if you didn't over come yours.

Not All Is As Perceived

2012-04-21T19:00:00Z

Think about the number of times in your life something turned out different than what you thought it would. Be specific in your thinking. In other words, clearly recall a number of situations that turned out different than what you thought they were going to.

Now, what are the lessons you learned as a result of each of those situations? In those lessons, are the answers to many of your questions in life. Answers with appropriate actions brings solutions.

But, as additional help let's look a some examples of how not all is as perceived. Maybe these examples will give you further impetus to shift your thinking from problems to opportunities. Thinking through the problems to the point where you see the related opportunities is the point where you begin to realize your true potential in life.

With every cloud casting its foreboding shadow there is also the potential of life giving rain.
The threatening winds of a storm also bring the seeds of renewed plant life.
A flood not only inundates...at its passing, it brings about renewal of the soil.
The tide slams against the shore but it also cleanses the sands.
People can be cruel but their cruelty can serve enlighten the need for change.
Life is hard but in overcoming its difficulties comes the ease of good fortune.

See what I mean? Not all is as perceived and it's up to you to find the opportunities.

Break Out

2012-04-19T15:48:00Z

No! I'm not talking about jail, here! But, now that I think about it, in a way that's exactly what I'm talking about. Too many of us build a jail cell around our potential in life and, then, we're self-convinced we've thrown away the key. As a result, we're confined for life in the jail cell of limited thinking.

Putting that another way, the most solitary confinement jail cell in all of the world is right between your ears. The horror of that confinement is it is so eminently escapable and, yet, we remain chained to the wall of its dungeon. It's dark, dank, depressing and the rats love us for being there because they know, if they hang around long enough we'll be their food. Do you really want to become food for the rats in the world that encourage your confinement?

Break out! Find the key and get the hell out of there before the rats do get you! The key?...

Well think about your break out this way. At the beginning of life, a butterfly is confined to solitary confinement in their own jail cell...a cocoon. What's a butterfly's key to their break out from the cocoon? It's because they think they can and their desire to do so is greater than their resistance to paying the price. And, so it is for you!

If you want to have your break out in life, you have to believe you can. You have to create such a strong desire that you will push through any resistance to your goal. Find your passion...the emotion...to break out and make out in life!

Think About It

2012-04-17T15:18:00Z

You only have one opportunity (as near as any of we mortals can really tell) to get it right. It's like someone once said: Life is not a dress rehearsal! So to speak, once you were born the curtain went up on your singular performance and there is no rewriting of the script. In fact, a script might make it all so much easier but than it wouldn't be your singular performance, now would it? You write your own script as you live your life.

Your life is your opportunity to live out your dreams through the script you write. It's all about you and how you think about it. There, by the way, is the problem for too many people. They don't truly think. They only react. A life of realized dreams doesn't come through reaction but from thoughtful action.

Dreams grow from a vision of opportunities not roadblocks. The difference between living your dream or not is how you think about the roadblocks. As Winston Churchill said: "The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty."

Think about it! You have opportunity in your lifetime but the difficulty is acting on the opportunities by overcoming the difficulties.

Different Perspective

2012-04-15T14:41:00Z

It's everywhere you turn! The morning news shows. The afternoon news shows. The evening news shows. The Sunday talk shows. It's in the printed news. It's on your public access channels. Like I said, it's everywhere! Here's the problem...it gets us nowhere!

What am I talking about? It's all the visceral, violent, disrespectful, uncivilized expressions of different perspectives between people. It's almost like having a different point of view is a declaration of war! People don't presume there is any merit in any different perspective that doesn't track with theirs.

Come on, People! If there weren't different perspectives on things there wouldn't be opportunities for all. If the common good is only defined as a common perspective, you have a common misconception that freedom is free. You can't be free when not encouraged to develop your own perspective on things. On the other hand, you can't be free if you don't allow for the freedom of others.

We all have to take a step back and look for the opportunities to understand different perspectives. Understanding brings compromise. Compromise brings civility. Civility brings order. Order brings freedom for all.

Now that's a different perspective from too many these days! What's your perspective?

Half-Life

2012-04-13T19:53:00Z

The American Heritage Dictionary defines half-life as follows:

Physics. The time required for half the nuclei in a sample of a specific isotopic species to undergo radioactive decay.

Biology.

The time required for half the quantity of a drug or other substance deposited in a living organism to be metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes. Also called biological half-life.
The time required for the radioactivity of material taken in by a living organism to be reduced to half its initial value by a combination of biological elimination processes and radioactive decay.

I hope you appreciate the science lesson! So, as defined, then, half-life would imply the gradual reduction of something. Interesting...but this is not a blog the purpose for which is lessons in scientific information. Which must mean I have something else in mind when I title this post as Half-Life. Exactly!

I want to get your attention concerning the debilitating effects of fear in your life. If you live with fear, you live with half a life. Put another way, your life can't flourish in the face of fear. Thinking about fear in an arithmetic sense, it is always a subtraction and therefore can't make an addition to your life.

Don't allow half your life to decay because of the fear you feel! Face it. Find out why you have it. Do what you have to do to overcome it. Move on to a full life. And, do that before you waste half your life!

Keep The Faith

2012-04-11T14:50:00Z

Where are you in your trek through life? Are you where you want to be? If you're not where you want to be, what will it take to get there? When will you start doing what it will take? If you've invested the time to answer these four questions for yourself, you're on solid footing for a very rewarding future. If you haven't taken that time, then there's little hope you will get where you want to go by the time you want to get there.

But, this post isn't about hope! It's about faith. More specifically, it is about the depth of faith in yourself that you need to achieve anything you want. Anything you want? Hmmm. That's sounds unrealistic, right? Wrong! With a deep, abiding faith in yourself, anything is literally possible. It's just a matter of time and effort.

You might be asking, Why is that true? Tell me more. Well, let's put it in the context that Voltaire once did. For those of you who don't know, Voltaire was one of France’s greatest writers and philosophers. On the subject of faith he said: "Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. It is not enough that a thing be possible for it to be believed."

Thus, it is not enough for you to just believe it is possible that something you want can be achieved. If you truly want it, you have to have the faith that you will get it even if it seems to be impossibly out of reach. Your greatest limitation is your capacity to have faith that the impossible can be made possible.

Keep the faith and all things are truly possible!

Aspirations

2012-04-09T14:28:00Z

Here you sit...it's a new day and you're wondering what to do with it. Sorry...but, if you're at the beginning of a new day and still wondering what to do with it, you've already lost it. Your aspirations in life can't be realized through looking in a rear view mirror. If you truly aspire to achieve something you have to be forward thinking and do something!

Everyday should end with you reflecting on what you accomplished that day toward fulfilling your aspirations in life. Through that reflection you can see a clear picture of what you should do tomorrow to move forward. From that picture create your plan of action for the next day. Operative word in that last sentence: ACTION!

The word, aspiration, is defined one way as "a hope or ambition." In other words, by definition an aspiration is something that you hope for or have an ambition toward in the future. Picking up on the point of my last paragraph, if you hope to realize your aspirations, you must turn your ambitions into actions.

All of that is to say, aspire each and every day to take more action than reflection. Yes, spend some time at the end of each day in reflection on your day's accomplishments but use what your learn to kick yourself into action.

When aspirations continue to be only a hope, your disappointment will only leave you to mope!

What's Important

2012-04-07T14:34:00Z

Think about what is going on in the world right now. Yes, there is some really beautiful things happening. Then, there is the ugly side of life: death, destruction, just general mayhem! Ugly doesn't really describe it adequately...maybe horrific does it better.

But, that's not the point. It's what's going on in our minds when confronted with the ugly side of life. The bone chilling fear that can grip our very souls. Fear that stops us in our tracks. Fear that stops us from escaping its grip.

The question when you are confronted with similar circumstances is, What's important? In other words, is it the fear or courage to overcome it that wins out? To answer that question to your greatest benefit takes only a flip of the switch in your mind.

Only you can determine what is more important to you. Some form of fear is always going to be present in your life. It's just the way life is! In other words, you can't expect the total absence of fear. You have to decide that something else is more important and move past the fear.

What's important is not that you feel fear but that you have the courage to overcome it. Courage is a decision not an inborn characteristic!

Sneak Peek To Seek

2012-04-05T14:06:00Z

Alliterative, don't you think? I'm talking about the title of this post. That's important because the title can serve as the draw that encourages interest in reading the content of the post. I want you to read the content because that's where the benefit to you is!

So, let's get to that benefit.

The fact is all of us want something out of life. You too! I would bet. The problem is many of us don't know where to start in getting whatever it is that we want. It doesn't make any difference what the "want" is: new car, peace of mind, safety from life's storms, a better education or home, whatever. It doesn't make any difference! The starting point to getting your wants is the same.

It all starts with a sneak peek. You have to have a crystal, clear vision of what it is that you seek. If you can see it, you can seek it. Conversely, if you don't have that clear vision, nothing you do will help you get it. You see, it is the clarity of your vision that lifts your emotions to where you become driven.

Think of the logic to what I am saying. When you think, isn't most of it in some form of picture in your mind? We think in pictures! So, logic says, if you picture what you want; you see what you want; you feel what you want; you take the necessary steps toward what you want. The key is it can't be a blurry, water color picture of what you want. You have to think it through to the point that you have a "high definition," explosive, colorful, detailed picture of your desire.

In summary, if you sneak a peek at what you seek, you will get what you want.

Time To Eat!

2012-04-03T20:45:00Z

In the good old days, when families actually ate most meals together, the title of this post was a very familiar phrase heard around the house. Usually, it was greeted with enthusiasm and great haste to get to the kitchen table. The family cook (Mom, in those days) didn't have to wait too long for everybody to be seated and begin chowing down.

Conjures a nice domestic picture in the minds-eye, doesn't it? Well, good luck in replicating that scene in most homes these days! All of that said, the real purpose of this post has nothing to do with any of the previous observations. They just kind of rolled into my stream of consciousness as an interesting way to get into the real topic.

In short, we have time to get unhealthy but not time to eat healthy! To paraphrase a thought from Stephen R. Covey: When it comes to creating healthy eating patterns, fast is slow and slow is fast. In other words, when you eat copious amounts of fast food (junk food), your health will be slow to recover to a high state of well-being. On the other hand, when you slow down and balance your intake with the various food groups and eat on a timely basis, your health will be fast to respond in a very favorable direction.

It's time to eat in the way that you know you should! Here's a link to a great resource for you to get started.

A Laugh A Minute!

2012-04-01T14:19:00Z

Well maybe not that frequently! However, laughing frequently is one of the most healthy actions you can take on a daily basis. A laugh gives you renewed energy to live healthily!

Let's take a brief look at what various researchers have said about the power of laughing in contributing to good health.

If stress is a factor in your life, laughing can be a major help in reducing it.
Laughter increases the volume of your breathing which stimulates your lungs, heart and other muscles.
More of the feel good natural chemicals (Endorphins) in the body are released which helps encourage a sense of well-being.
There's even some evidence that laughter can improve your immune system and relieve pain.

So, why wouldn't you encourage yourself to have a laugh a minute? How about the answer being that we get so busy we forget to look at the funny side of life or to look for opportunities to introduce humor into our existence? Let's look at what you can do to stimulate your "funny bone."

Force yourself to look for the funny side of a stress producing event. Rather than getting angry when somebody cuts you off in traffic, laugh about how funny you will look to other drivers if you were to go into a state of road rage! What a picture!
Set daily goals to find humor. Read the paper looking for the funny side of stories or the cartoons. Search humor in Youtube...you will be amazed at the reservoir of really funny stuff. Search the magazine rack as you're strolling through the grocery store and grab a laugh or two from the comic books or cartoons. As you stroll through the aisles of books at your library, scan a joke book or two.
As you go through your day, look for those inevitable opportunities to create your own "knock-knock" jokes. You'll have to laugh!!

See...you can have a laugh a minute and you will be better for it.

Drifting Along

2012-03-30T15:17:00Z

Great songs have great lyrics that paint the tapestry of life in vivid color. You know what I mean. The lyrics, along with the music, bring the picture to life in our minds eye. The picture can be so compelling that we are transported to another place and in some cases another time.

As I was thinking about the general topic for this post, I was reminded of the lyrics of a very old country song. One of the great groups in country music performed their greatest works over 60 years ago. But, as great groups with great songs will do, they remain timeless in the stories they told through their songs. For my purposes today, the group is Sons of the Pioneers and their song is Tumbling Tumbleweeds. Here's a link to Youtube and their performance of this song.

Okay, now that you've, hopefully, enjoyed the entertainment, what's my point? Well, the essence of the message in the lyrics of that song has a romantic suggestion that just drifting along in life results in good things.

I don't believe you can be..."drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds." That's if you are truly going to maximize your potential in today's world. It might have worked nicely in the past for a cowboy out on the range but it is probably a recipe for disaster now. You have to have a vision of what's over the horizon rather than just riding along waiting for it to happen. You have to know exactly what you are going to do when whatever is over the next horizon comes into focus. In short, you can't let the tumbleweeds lead you there!

Drifting along in today's world means you won't be able to truly get along! Maybe that's sad but it's probably true.

Four to Great

2012-03-28T15:16:00Z

So, you want to be great at whatever you do. Well, congratulations! I admire your attitude and would like to offer some insight that may be of help to you.

Many times people struggle with what it takes to be great at something. I've learned it doesn't matter what the "something" is. To achieve at the level of "great" always takes four things. Accomplish those four things and you achieve greatness. Ready to get started?

First, you must have a dream. Or, should I say, a compelling dream. In other words, its got to be a dream with some drive behind it. You can't wish your way to a dream. You have to "do" your way to a dream. If you're going to do all it takes to reach your dream, you have to have an emotional attachment to it that drives you.

That's step one to greatness...have a dream. Next, you have to believe you can achieve your dream. If you don't believe it, you can't achieve it. So, you have to believe deep in your core that if you work hard enough and long enough you will reach your dream. This is another reason why the emotional attachment to your dream is so important. Your belief will be tested and it will be the power of your emotions that drives you through the test successfully.

But, you just can't start off toward your dream without a plan. As Yogi Berra has been reputed to say: "If you don't know where you're going, you may end up somewhere else." The key to channeling your emotional attachment to your dream so you don't "end up somewhere else" is a well thought out plan that gives you a road map to your dream.

Finally, however, the best road map in the world is of little use if you don't follow it. In other words, the ultimate point of the four points to great achievement is you must take action. If you don't act, your dream will continue to drift in the fogging mist of "someday." Dreams are not about "someday." They are about taking action today.

Go "four" it!

There's No Secret

2012-03-26T18:59:00Z

A lot's being said on a daily basis and via every medium. You can't avoid the topic. It's, as they say, ubiquitous! Sounds important, doesn't it?

Trust me! It is! It's your health. Without good health, you are very challenged to be blessed with a totally fulfilling life. Poor health limits everything. Yes, you can adapt around the issues and still survive and even have a reasonable life experience. But, still...good health is the foundation to the altar of peace of mind. Peace of mind is the penultimate achievement in life!

But, too many people think there is some big secret to having good health. There's no secret! Assuming nothing congenital from a health perspective, it comes down to an attitude. My point in that last sentence being, obviously genes play a part in your degree of health...good or otherwise...but beyond that it comes down to an attitude.

So, what attitude? Whether we're talking about mind or body good health comes down to the attitude you choose in living the present moment of your life. You can't dwell on the past! You can't try to live in the future! You can't presume the negative! You must live in the present moment and choose accordingly as to how you think and what you do.

There's no secret to good health...there's only moments with good attitude.

Speaking To...

2012-03-24T18:12:00Z

I don't know who first said the following thought and I couldn't find out by googling the sentence. Doesn't really matter because it's the thought that's important but I like to properly attribute original thinking whenever possible. The thought is: "Always speak to express and not to impress."

You may have done it but surely you have heard others do it. Someone makes a comment that is clearly more complicated than it has to be. They use words that most people don't even understand let alone use in their vernacular! Or, the comments are so self-serving that they clearly identify someone who is on an around-the-world ego trip! Got that person or those comments clearly in mind?

Think back. How did you feel upon hearing those words? My guess is there was at least some degree of discomfort or disdain. You weren't impressed with what was expressed! In fact, the exact opposite was true. So, what did you do? Well, if you're like most of us, you filed the thought for future reference. You wanted to be in a position to recall it so you could deal with the person who said it in a much more guarded way. In other words, you were so negatively impressed that you wanted to handle any future interaction in relation to what was expressed. The old adage: "Once burned, twice shy."

You can't impress people. They have to decide to be impressed not coached (through your words) to be impressed. What you express and how you express it will determine how people are impressed. It's like Plato said many centuries ago but is just as true today. "Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something."

Plato had an amazing ability for speaking to express. Could it be because he didn't feel the need to impress? How about you?

A Simple Progression

2012-03-22T20:00:00Z

One of the things that drives me nuts is how people can complicate things. With complication comes increased difficulty and with increased difficulty comes potential deterrence. So, why make the idea of what it takes for you to succeed in life overly complicated? It may deter you from achieving that success!

Achieving success is as simple as a three step progression. Follow this simple progression and you will reach your dreams.

First, think hard about what it is that you want to achieve in your life. In other words, clearly define what success looks like for you, ultimately. Not only that but progress your thinking to the level of defining how it will feel for you when you do reach success. Having gone through that progression of thought, move to the next progression.

Whenever I speak to people about what it takes to be a success, I like to put one of the keys in this context: "A goal only in the head is absolutely dead!" If you are going to ultimately live your dream, you can't think your way there. You have to progress to the level of words. In other words, you have to write your goals in copious detail and, also, verbalize them to others. Taking this progression in the process introduces a whole new dimension to your commitment to achieving your dreams.

The final step in the three step progression to success is the most powerful of all three. You can think about, write about and speak about your dreams and goals but if you don't make this final progression you will fail...period! The final progression is you must ACT on your thoughts and words. Your thoughts and words help define what success will be for you but it is your actions that will ultimately deliver it.

See what I mean? Your success is a simple progression. Go for it!

Doubt Possibilities

2012-03-20T20:48:00Z

Yes, you could take the title of this post in many ways. You could be thinking I'm talking about the idea of having doubt about your possibilities in life. Additionally, you could take it that I mean there are many possibilities for doubt about something. Or, another possibility would be what I really mean...that is the many possibilities of having doubts.

In other words, I'm focusing on how you can use doubt as a positive factor rather than a negative one. Here's one possibility related to doubt. It forces you to ask questions about whatever is the focus of your doubt. Answering appropriate questions can improve your options and drive greater success.

By asking questions concerning your doubts, it sharpens your focus. Answering those questions can give you a degree of resolve driven by your clear focus that otherwise wouldn't exist. In other words, overcoming your doubts is a source of clarity that can motivate you to move forward.

Finally, having doubts forces you to look at the opportunity differently. You may arrive at options you wouldn't have otherwise considered. As suggested, those additional options could give you a much smoother road to success.

Your possibilities in life are only limited by limiting your thinking. Don't doubt and stop! Having doubts and overcoming them broadens your thinking. Never doubt that!

Have A Look

2012-03-18T21:32:00Z

I can see you right now. Busy! Busy! Busy! Running from hither to yon with your "multi-tasking" approach to your life. No time! No Time! Must get everything done!! Can't stop or failure is inevitable!

Well, have a look at this post's content to, hopefully, put things in a totally different perspective. You see...your life has become a frantic skitter from place to place and task to task because you have allowed it to become that way. No! I don't accept the fact that in your mind the problem is created by other people. The only reason other people may be contributors to the issue is because you allowed them to.

It's time! You have to have a look at where you are and where you want to be. You can't find out truly where you are if you don't stop trying to get where you're going, at least temporarily. I'm not talking about a yearlong sabbatical. I'm talking about disciplining your life oh so slightly so you can have a look at your situation and your desires at least on a daily basis. If you don't stop and have a look daily, you will fail miserably weekly, monthly, yearly and before you know it, throughout you lifetime.

On a daily basis have a look, at least, at the following:

What you accomplished today
How does that impact what you want to accomplish tomorrow and the next day
Each member of your family and truly connect with them
Some aspect of nature and commune with it momentarily
Your spirit and how you can nurture it
The rest of the world and truly connect with what's going on

Daily have a look at these things and you have a much clearer look at your future.

Write This Down

2012-03-16T16:43:00Z

As many of you may know, I enjoy Country Music. The stories each song tells are worth the price of admission which usually requires listening to the whine of steel guitars. Some people don't like that sound, you know. But, back to the point. One recent story told through the creativity of Country Music is in a song sung by George Strait. His song is entitled, Write This Down. And, "write this down"...it's a great story told by one of the greatest country artists of all time!

However, my enjoyment of Country Music not withstanding, this "write this down" is not about Country Music at all. It's about what it absolutely takes if you are going to have the greatest chance to succeed in life. So, get out your writing implement because you're truly going to have to...write this down.

If you want to be sure and fail in life, than leave its course up to lousy recall. Conversely, if you want to assure success in life, write down the details of the course you will take. When you leave your dreams up to recall they remain fuzzy and distant. When you force yourself to write down your path to achieving those same dreams the resulting roadmap pulls you toward achieving the dream.

Goals are achieved not by recall but by the fact that you are compelled so strongly by the goal that you say: I need to write this down!

Clarity Clearly Counts

2012-03-14T16:00:00Z

So, here you are at some crossroads in life. You could go left or right...up or down. It's your decision! What are you going to do?

The answer is seek clarity on the issues and you have clarity on which way to act. You can't do what's right until you can see what's right. You can't see what's right if your mind is in a foggy muddle of indecision.

Clarity absolutely requires a plan. By definition then, you have to have a system to follow in creating a plan. Here's one idea. Use the acronym SWOT. Think yourself through the concepts suggested by each word associated with that acronym and you have the basis for clarity in your planning.

The S stands for strengths. In other words, take the time to ponder and record all of your strengths that can be applied to the ultimate solutions to the challenge you are planning to overcome.

If you're truly going to have clarity however, you must also consider your weaknesses in the same light. That's the W in the acronym. Here, you have to consider those weaknesses on two levels. Those that you can overcome potentially and those that may be so onerous that all the clarity in the world wouldn't help in this particular instance. Clarity as to those kind of onerous weaknesses may be disappointing but at least it could lead you down a more successful path to a different plan of action.

O is for opportunities. If you don't understand the opportunities in overcoming your current challenge, why even think about it? It's clarity as to the potential opportunities that will help you find the passion to proceed with developing your plan.

But, there is always a downside to plan for whenever you achieve true clarity. The downside is the T in the acronym: Threats. In other words, you must clearly define what are the things that could stand between you and success. Once defined then you have the clarity of how to go about minimizing those threats through effective planning strategies.

Clarity clearly counts in creating your course of action. Capiche?

Here's a link to a tool that can help.

What The World Needs

2012-03-12T15:30:00Z

As you look around and see what's going on in the world, my guess is you have an opinion or two about what it needs. Let's face it! Probably everybody has multiple opinions about that topic. But, let's reduce the needs down to one and, then, maybe some real progress could be made.

I'm sure you've heard something like this before: One person can truly make a difference; or, Change begins with one person making a decision; or, Things change one person at a time; or, how about this one: Change occurs one step at a time. Any one of those thoughts could be inspirational enough for someone to be moved toward doing their part in making the world a better place.

But, I think we have to go deeper than any one of those thoughts take us. Deeper in the sense of passion. The fact is nothing happens until passion is present. Every new innovation or change is born from the passionate creativity and belief of the instigator. No passion...no purpose. No purpose...no chance.

What the world needs is as stated by Howard Thurman an influential American author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader. He said: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

You...that's what the world needs!

Fear Factor

2012-03-10T16:39:00Z

Too often it's there...that horrible feeling of uncertainty; clammy palms of the hands; gripping palpitations of the heart and a general feeling of wanting to run away from it. It, of course, is fear. Miserable doesn't describe it adequately but debilitating gets closer.

Here's the problem! Debilitating can be defined as severely weakening someone or something. By definition, then, if you are experiencing debilitating fear you are in a weakened state. If you are in a weakened state, you don't have the mental state to overcome the challenges in your life. Sounds like a miserable state to be in!

There's only one answer to such a state, as I see it. In a word, discipline. You must exercise discipline over your mind and body.

Fear is an emotion. If you want to overcome it, you have to steel yourself against its destructive influence. Steeling yourself against something can be restated as "mind over matter." The more you discipline your mind the more you can manage yourself through any challenge. In other words, the fear factor becomes a different matter...a motivator rather than a de-motivator.

There's only one factor to fear in learning to exercise such discipline...you!

Say What You Like...

2012-03-08T20:23:00Z

...The Chinese have an enduring culture as illustrated by thousands of years of history. Amazing, really, considering the many situations where social and political upheaval were the rule of the day.

Just a quick review to validate my ultimate point. One study of Chinese history at Columbia University would offer a chronology like what follows. The Neolithic Cultures existed from 10,000 to 2,000 BCE (Before Common Era). Then, the great Chinese Dynasties took hold from ca. 2100 BCE through 1912 CE (Common Era) or, as we may more familiarly refer to recent history, AD. In 1912, the Republic Period began and lasted until 1949 when the current People's Republic of China began. See what I mean? Pretty impressive depth of history!

It's that depth of history that may lead us to better understand the philosophical depth of China, as well. Whether you want to relate that depth to the thoughts of Confucius, Lao Tzu or many others...Say what you like, the Chinese have been thinkers of depth for a long time.

So, my ultimate point is best made by a Chinese proverb: "One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life."

Don't say what you like in a moment of impatience or you will get what you don't like as a long-term consequence.

Just Waiting For It

2012-03-06T19:57:00Z

What am I saying???? Waiting for what? The other shoe to drop...The inevitable...To happen...The next opportunity? Whatever!

Here's the bottom-line when it comes to your sense of making progress toward self-actualization. You can't be thinking, "I'm just waiting for it." Just waiting for it won't get it.

Yes, you have to exercise some patience but I'm not talking about the issue of patience, here. I'm talking about the fact that you can't just wait for something to happen. You have to prepare for it to happen before it can happen!

Why would anyone, you included, think if you wallow around just waiting for it to happen it ultimately will. No, no, my friend. Until you truly open your mind and heart to receive whatever it is you're waiting for, it will not happen. Believe with both your intellect and your emotions and you will receive.

In short, you get what you wait for when you don't wait to prepare for it!

Music! Music! Music!

2012-03-04T21:30:03Z

Why do you think Itunes and its related competitors are so ubiquitous in their impact on the human race? It's amazing that at anytime, anywhere you can load your favorite music onto your computer or other player and groove! There is only one reason that is the case...it's because literally everybody, in some fashion, has an affinity to music of one kind or another. AND, it has always been thus it seems!

So, what's the point of this post? So far, I've said absolutely nothing that you don't already know. The answer is simple. Through music you can engage in your life at a totally different level than you would otherwise experience.

Life has a rhythm to it. Music helps you move with and through that rhythm. It helps you deal with the situations where the rhythm can be punishing, to say the least. In those times, force yourself to grab a few minutes with your favorite kind of music. You will find things will return to a more normal beat very quickly and you will start dancing to that different tune.

If you don't think so, reflect on the following questions and my answers. What happens to your thoughts when you hear a favorite song from your youth? Answer: You are transported back to that time through those memories. The music forces you to relive those times through it. How are you touched by the strains of particularly meaningful songs? Answer: Those strains force you to intensely feel the emotions of the moment or moments past. You laugh, cry, drift in time and thought or feel a myriad of other emotions. Why has music of all descriptions grown and endured? Answer: Because it goes to yours and everybody else's very soul. It is timeless. It is a constant that can be depended on. It defines and puts clarity to all aspects of this life.

The simplest, most powerful way to help you move your soul in any direction you wish is through Music! Music! Music! So, become not just the listener but the conductor of the music of your life.

Leadlive

2012-03-02T19:09:00Z

Yes! I checked a couple of dictionaries and googled it. There is no such word as shown in the title of this post in the dictionary. Google shows there is a website Leadlive.com whose marketing statement is: What you need, when you need it. Well, I'm not talking about any form of need for a lead to a material something you may need.

But, I am talking about the dramatic differences on your life if you divide the word, leadlive, into two words: lead and live. Let's take a look at the importance of those differences to you and your life.

It's my opinion you lead a horse to water or you lead a group of people to victory or you lead the pack in some endeavor or you have the lead in a theatrical production. However, you don't lead a life. Why? Because by it's very definition, lead, implies being in front of something. Question: How do you get in front of your life?

I don't believe you can or should. You get into your life. In other words, you live your life as it comes. You can't force it by trying to get ahead of it. Yes, you want to try to anticipate the future and control it somewhat through your current actions...But, if you try to lead your life, you will not be in the moment. If you're not in the moment, you are missing that part of your life. If you miss a part of your life, you are not truly living it.

If you want to lead a good life, you have to live good in each moment. Thus, the quality of your life is sculpted by the moments you creatively live.

Worldly View

2012-02-29T15:20:00Z

We can't avoid it. We're part of it. It's with us everyday because we live in it...the world, that is.

Here's the problem, though, as I see it. We're not doing a very good job of living in it. Wherever you look... East, West, North, South...the view is pretty much the same. Human suffering brought on by human failings. Is it just me or do you also feel it seems to be getting worse almost by the day.

What happened to the concept of live and let live? Where did civility go? Why does there seem to be such a lack of respect for human life? Why are differences seen as threats rather than opportunities for deeper understanding? When will people live up to a fundamental principle of anyone of the world's great religions: in essence, love thy neighbor. When will governments responsibly govern rather than slaughter? What will be the fundamental change in human thinking that will finally bring people together? When?

Obviously, I don't have any of the answers or I probably wouldn't have asked the questions. But, the Dalai Lama has a thought that could be a start toward the world-wide change that is needed.

"The best relationship is one where your love for each other exceeds your need for each other." Now, that's a worldly view that could be the needed catalyst for change, don't you think?

Must Do

2012-02-27T19:10:00Z

If you're like most of us, you have a daily to-do list. The items on the list are there because they are something you intend to do today. A clever idea in theory but seldom actually accomplished. Something or enough things get in the way to where you don't accomplish the completion of your list.

Hey...the idea of a to-do list is a great way to keep you organized. It gives you a focus for each day, as a minimum. Also, by having a list you have a plan for the day that you can come back to whenever you are led off track by the unexpected.

The power of the to-do list to help you progress toward your goals is only as strong as the items on your list. If you have a list of easy, unchallenging things on the list, they will keep you busy but not necessarily moving forward. Yes, you have to get the easy things done, too, but their accomplishment should come after you get the most challenging stuff done.

Speaking of challenging stuff, your to-do list each day should always include an item that you fear. If you are going to achieve at the pinnacle of your potential you have to overcome your fears. You have to do the things you think you cannot do.

In short, each day's to-do list must include a "must do" that you think you can't do. The biggest "must do" in your life is overcoming your fears.

Next Level

2012-02-25T18:35:00Z

Are you plagued with a problem the solution for which you just can't find? Hey...don't feel like the Lone Ranger! Many people are confronted with such problems and not just once or twice in their lives. Let's face it. Problems are the locked door to a future of success. The key is to open problems' door!

Now, here's the problem, if you'll pardon the play on words. Most people struggle with finding a solution to problems because they don't expand their thinking enough. A problem exists because someone hasn't changed their thinking to overcome it. You can't overcome a problem by thinking the same way that led you to the problem in the first place.

One of the world's foremost problem solvers said it best. "You can never solve a problem on the level on which it was created." - Albert Einstein. In other words, if you want to find solutions to your problems, you must move your thinking to the next level.

Every problem has a solution. Start finding the solution by thinking about everything that got you to the point of having the problem. Take each key issue and rethink it until you have a different answer to that issue. When you find a different answer to the issues, you have created a next level solution to your problem.

Safety In Numbers

2012-02-23T14:21:00Z

I don't know about you but when it comes to numbers as they relate to mathematics, I get lost very quickly. Try to take me and numbers beyond basic addition, subtraction, division and multiplication and those very same numbers turn into Greek very quickly. Calculus, as an example, suggests to me the plural of calculate as far as I know about it!

So, I'm not referring to numbers in the mathematical sense because as I just admitted, I know little about them in that context. On the other hand, I do know that your chances of success in life are much more limited if you don't play the numbers.

By that I mean, you can't just give yourself one chance at success. You have to force the odds in your favor by giving yourself multiple chances at it. Think about it. If you have only one idea on how you can be successful, what happens if the idea doesn't work? However, if you gather a number of ideas and work them all, some will fail but they will help you reshape the others so you can ultimately achieve success.

That's what I mean by safety in numbers. The more ideas or options you put into your success formula the greater the odds-on answer will equate to your success.

Enthusiasm And "ism"

2012-02-21T21:24:00Z

I know...when you look at the spelling of the word, enthusiasm, it looks like an "asm." But, hang with me, here. I don't want you looking at this through a jaundiced prism. That's a kind of "ism" that limits your ability to see all sides of something.

Rather, my goal is to get you thinking about how you can benefit from enthusiasm in life. The fact is the more enthusiasm you feel the more alive you feel. The more alive you feel the greater your reservoir of energy to pursue your dreams.

So, here goes!

Enthusiasm drives activism
Enthusiasm leads to boosterism
Enthusiasm improves on creationism
Enthusiasm overcomes criticism
Enthusiasm defeats cynicism
Enthusiasm can promote productive emotionalism
Enthusiasm overcomes negative fatalism
Enthusiasm can promote the best in idealism
Enthusiasm improves your magnetism
Enthusiasm is a desirable mannerism
Enthusiasm is a powerful mechanism
Enthusiasm improves your metabolism
Enthusiasm creates optimism
Enthusiasm will improve your quietism
Enthusiasm overrides scepticism
Enthusiasm enhances your verbalism

It's almost as if there is an "ism" in enthusiasm! Maybe it should be "enthusiasmism."

Progressive Thinking

2012-02-19T20:57:00Z

No! Absolutely not! This is not a political commentary. Frankly, politics is one of my least favorite topics. For too many people it's so emotional that it becomes irrational.

Where I'm going with this post is concerning thinking in stages. The advantage to such thinking is the ultimate level of thought or progression of thoughts is one of blinding clarity. Blinding clarity puts things in such a clear frame of reference that it forces you to progress from thinking to actually acting on the topic to which the progressive thinking refers.

The fact is if you don't act on your thoughts they are wasted, unused, and totally without effect, usually. To paraphrase a famous truism: Actions speak louder than thoughts.

So, let's do a little progressive thinking. The pessimist complains about failure. The optimist expects each failure to take her/him one step closer to success. The realist knows that one must fail if one is ever to succeed.

Success is progressive thinking through repeated failures.