Any Road Will Get You There

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."~Lewis Carroll

Do you have a plan for where you are going? Really? A WRITTEN plan? One that you look at every day? Really? If so, good for you, if not, then start today! Right now!! It's never too late to be who you might have been!

An old saying goes like this: "If you fail to plan, you are planing to fail." How many times have you heard that one? Well then, why is it that most people plan their vacation in more detail than their life? Such a sad commentary on our society, when we are too busy to even plan our own future (other than those 2 weeks of vacation) In fact, statistics tell us that less than 5% of people have a written plan for their life. Are you in that 5%?

Action:
If you have your plan written out, read it every day. If you don't, start right now. Spend an hour thinking about the life you want and how to create that life. If you need some help, let me know and I will be glad to get you started on your way to the life you want.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."

What is Your Mental Picture Of?

“The great, successful people of the world have used their imaginations…they think ahead and create their mental picture and then go to work materialize that picture in all its details.”~Robert Collier

Have you used your imagination to create the mental picture that you want for your future? Why not? Average people think of imagination as child's play, while the successful use theirs constantly. Everything begins as a thought first. Your inner world determines your outer world.

When was the last time you took the time to just imagine your future, down to the minute details? James Allen said that "Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are." Meaning, BE, DO HAVE. Not the reverse of HAVE, DO, BE.

Action:
Take 15 minutes today to IMAGINE your future...in complete detail! Write it down and start working towards that future.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“The great, successful people of the world have used their imaginations…they think ahead and create their mental picture and then go to work materialize that picture in all its details.”

Influenced by External Forces?

“When it comes to thoughts, feelings and attitudes, the masses are heavily influenced by external forces, like a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. Their outer world determines their inner world.”~Steve Siebold

Are you being influenced by external forces? Are you like a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper? Why? You do realize that you have the power to choose the thoughts that you think, right? And even if your brain is thinking one way, you can choose to think another way...

Emerson said that “Nothing external to you has any power over you.” Do you believe that? Really?? The only power anything external has over you is the power that you choose to give it. Choose only to give power to those things that empower you towards your goals and stop giving power to those external forces that hold you back. It all starts on the inside. (More on the inside tomorrow)

Action:
When you start giving power to those external forces, stop and analyze why and then delete those programs from your mind.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“When it comes to thoughts, feelings and attitudes, the masses are heavily influenced by external forces, like a pinball being bounced from bumper to bumper. Their outer world determines their inner world.”

No Limitations to the Mind

"There are no limitations to the mind other than those we acknowledge, both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought."~Napoleon Hill

What limitations have you acknowledged? Why? Did someone tell you you couldn't do it so you agreed with them? Did you try once and it didn't work so you quit and said, "I can't do that?"

Do you agree that the only limitations to your mind are those that we acknowledge? Why or why not? Both poverty and riches are offspring of our thoughts. Do you believe that? Why or why not?

When we acknowledge our limitations, we give them more power than they should have.

Action:
Go about your day today and think of NO LIMITATIONS! Can you do it? Even for an hour? Half a day? The whole day? Just try it!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"There are no limitations to the mind other than those we acknowledge, both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought."

Put No Trust in the Morrow

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Means "Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow."~Horace

We've all heard "Seize the day," but most people don't include the rest...which might be even more important. For several reasons.

"Put no trust in the morrow." Here's the deal. Tomorrow is promised to no one! But most of the time, we proceed as if we are going to live forever and never think about it. There's another quote that says "Put off until tomorrow only what you want to leave unfinished if you die tonight." (Or something like that) We are mortal beings and we can go at any time. Kind of makes you at some things differently, doesn't it.

Action:
"Seize the day." Be present now. Be in the moment, only in this moment and your world will expand exponentially. Most of us find it difficult to be in the moment, we are either thinking about what has already happened (and we can't do anything out) or thinking about what's to come (which we can only prepare for). When you are in the moment, you are truly living.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Means "Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow."

What Price Are You Paying?

"Everything you want in life has a price connected to it. There's a price to pay if you want to make things better, a price to pay just for leaving things as they are, a price for everything.”~Harry Browne

What price are you willing to pay to get what you want? Have you asked yourself that question before? What was your answer? See, here's the challenge. We want things to come to us easily and we aren't willing to pay the price for the things we want. That's another reason why we don't get what we want. But as Browne says..."there is a price for everything."

There's even a price for doing nothing. How is that working for you?? Most people assume that there isn't a price for doing nothing, but what is it costing you to stay stuck where you are? How much are you letting go past you because you are doing nothing? Really? Is that what you think??

Action:
Add up all the costs that you are paying for doing nothing and then decide RIGHT NOW what you are willing to pay to make your dreams come true. Commit to be willing to pay the price, whatever it is to create the life you want.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Everything you want in life has a price connected to it. There's a price to pay if you want to make things better, a price to pay just for leaving things as they are, a price for everything.”

Own Your Attitude

"The most important thing I can tell you about attitude is that it is a choice. You can choose to be positive or you can choose to be negative. Nobody can force you to be either one. You are totally in charge of your attitude."~Larry Winget

Your attitude is completely up to you, you did know that, right? If so, have you ever said that you "got up on the wrong side of the bed?" If you are saying that or "I'm having a bad hair day," you are allowing something else to affect your attitude. You are not in charge of your attitude. We don't often think about the things that we say...Start taking control of your words and your attitude. "The devil" didn't make you do it, you chose to do it.

Action:
Own the words you speak! Realize that the way you speak affects your daily life. Choose to have a good attitude. It is one of the things that YOU CAN CONTROL. That and your thoughts!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The most important thing I can tell you about attitude is that it is a choice. You can choose to be positive or you can choose to be negative. Nobody can force you to be either one. You are totally in charge of your attitude."

Stop Focusing on Making A Living!

"Losers focus on making a living. Winners focus on making a life." -Larry Winget

Wow, Winget just slaps you in the face with the truth! Are you focused on making a living or making a life?? Are you really?

I think that most of us started out to make a life, but then life got in the way and now we are just focused on making a living. To pay the bills, to take care of things, to take that vacation...When people ask you "how are you doing?" do you answer with "I'm just paying the bills?" If so, that's all you will ever do. Especially in this economy, when it seems as if everyone is just trying to survive, You need to change your outlook!

Action:
Get clear on what you want out of life and then go after it. Most people don't get what they want because they aren't clear or don't have any idea what they want. Get clear now!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Losers focus on making a living. Winners focus on making a life."

Own Your Attitude

"The most important thing I can tell you about attitude is that it is a choice. You can choose to be positive or you can choose to be negative. Nobody can force you to be either one. You are totally in charge of your attitude."~Larry Winget

Your attitude is completely up to you, you did know that, right? If so, have you ever said that you "got up on the wrong side of the bed?" If you are saying that or "I'm having a bad hair day," you are allowing something else to affect your attitude. You are not in charge of your attitude. We don't often think about the things that we say...

Action:
Own the words you speak! Realize that the way you speak affects your daily life. Choose to have a good attitude. It is one of the things that YOU CAN CONTROL. That and your thoughts!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The most important thing I can tell you about attitude is that it is a choice. You can choose to be positive or you can choose to be negative. Nobody can force you to be either one. You are totally in charge of your attitude."

Want Things toChange? Then YOU Change!

"If you want things to change in your life...YOU'VE got to change!"~Larry Winget

And you say "DUH." But think about it...how many times have you wished for things to change in your life but you were unwilling or unable to make the change? We know that we want to make changes but are unable to because of the programs that are running our life. Programs that have been running our lives for years and years.

These programs are in our subconscious and we need to realize that they are what is controlling our actions, much more than just what we think. All the right thinking will not change the programs, only re-writing them or writing over them will allow you to make the changes that you desire to make. "Life is change, growth is optional."

Action:
Take a look at the programs that run your life. Are they serving you or are they hurting you. If they are serving you, keep them. If not, get rid of them as quickly as possible. And don't be afraid of the change. Make it happen!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference.

"If you want things to change in your life...YOU'VE got to change!"

What Is Your Line of Talent?

"Whatever you are by nature, keep to it; never desert your line of talent. Be what nature intended you for and you will succeed."~Sydney Smith

Have you deserted your line of talent? Or have you just developed a small level of talent in what you do but it's really not what nature intended you to do? Most people feel stuck in jobs that they don't like or enjoy anymore. Is that you? It might be because that job was not what nature had intended for you. Especially if you are part of the 80% of people who dislike their job.

Whatever you are by nature, be that and if you are having a tough time figuring that out, spend some time analyzing what you love to do and why. Your why will tell you what nature had intended you to be. Don't be afraid to reach for what you were intended to be. Remember, "it's never too late to be who you might have been."

Action:
Make sure that you don't desert your line of talent. Don't hide it from the world because if you do, the world will never see it because you are the only one who was designed to bring it to the world.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Whatever you are by nature, keep to it; never desert your line of talent. Be what nature intended you for and you will succeed."

Stop Thinking About What's Next

"We look backward too much and we look forward too much, thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure -- the eternal present for it is always now."~William Phelps

Are you stuck in looking back or looking forward too much? Why? While it is helpful to look back and look forward, don't forget about being present! Being present is the only place where you can make a difference. In the present, you can change your future. The eternal present is always now!

Can you look around in awareness? Can you be present? Most people are thinking about what's next instead of thinking of what's NOW! Be present. It will help you grow your business. It will help you develop better relationships. It will allow you to be you. There's a reason it's called being "present," because it's a gift you give to yourself!

Action:
Fight the thoughts of what's next and think about what's now. Work on it every minute of the day and stay present!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"We look backward too much and we look forward too much, thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure -- the eternal present for it is always now."

Stop Trying to Whistle A Symphony

"No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it."~H. E. Luccock

Are you trying to create a symphony all by yourself? Being the lone entrepreneur, not needing anyone's help? Guess what? No one has ever made it on their own! We all need other people and we need their help.

Look at all successful people and you will see a whole team of other individuals that worked on the success of that one individual. Who is on your team? Who is working to make you a success? Why are they helping you? Why aren't others helping you?

This "New Economy" requires that we spend even more time on those relationships where we can help others succeed and they can help us succeed. Are you spending the time doing that? Why not? Are you doing what you have always done? How's that working for you?

Action:
Find those people who are working towards your success and let them know that you appreciate them and how important they are to you. I have a whole list of people and I'm sure that you do to.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it."

Stop Placing Judgments

“Instead of placing judgments on where you find yourself, consider the positive possibilities. Instead of extending assumptions out from your limitations, imagine your most treasured dreams extending out from your current situation." ~Ralph Marston

Are you placing judgments on where you find yourself? STOP IT!! RIGHT NOW!! Start to consider the positive aspects of where you are now and stop only looking at the negatives.

Instead of extending your assumptions from your limitations, extend NEW assumptions that are unlimited. See, we often view the world from our limited perspective, rather than from the infinite perspective that it exists in!

Take your dreams and put them to work from this point forward. Don't worry that you haven't done it until now, celebrate the fact that you are doing it now!

Action:
Stop placing judgments on where you are now.
Stop viewing the situation from a limited point of view.
Start working on your dream. NOW!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Instead of placing judgments on where you find yourself, consider the positive possibilities. Instead of extending assumptions out from your limitations, imagine your most treasured dreams extending out from your current situation."

Are You Only Accepting A Little of Life?

"If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being, then I must warn you that you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life."~Abraham Maslow

Are you planning on only accepting a little of life? Why? We were made for abundance. I don't think that most people plan on being less than they can be, but have the desire to be all they can be driven out of them. By well-meaning teachers, parents and friends...

How can you reclaim the feeling of becoming capable of doing anything? Confidence, belief in yourself and knowledge that there are no accidents or coincidences. There's a reason that you are where you are right now. It could be to help someone else out, it could be because you have something to learn, but there is a reason why we are all where we are.

"Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you."

Action:
Play BIG. GO FOR EVERYTHING YOU CAN GET! Don't allow how others feel about you to diminish who you are. STOP PLAYING SMALL!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If you deliberately plan on being less than you are capable of being, then I must warn you that you'll be unhappy for the rest of your life."

Are You On The Edge?

"Come to the edge, Life said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, Life said. They came. Life pushed them... And they flew." ~Guilliame Apollinaire

Are you on the edge or are you safely in the middle? Are you afraid? Why? Fear doesn't exist anywhere...but in your mind! That's right, it's all in your head and the stories that you are telling yourself. Harry Truman said "Don't be afraid to go out on a limb...that's where the fruit is." That is so true, but you have to convince yourself of that, daily.

Action:
Realize that the only thing holding you back are the stories your are telling yourself and often those stories are just not true. They have been programmed in you for a long time. Start eliminating those stories today that don't serve you any more.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Come to the edge, Life said. They said: We are afraid. Come to the edge, Life said. They came. Life pushed them... And they flew."

Opportunity Instead of Security

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death."~James F. Byrnes

Are you missing opportunity? Most people are because they are too worried about security. They stay in a dead-end job, that they hate because of security. Is this you?? I hope not.

EVERY SINGLE THING YOU DO MATTERS.
YOU HAVE BEEN CREATED IN ORDER THAT YOU MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YOU HAVE WITHIN YOU THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

Know that your actions cannot be hoarded, saved for later, or selectively used. So stop living looking for security. See the opportunities and start to play big! If you don't, there world will never know what you had to offer, because only your can provide it to the world.

Your life…And what you do with it today…MATTERS FOREVER.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death."

Forward, Not Backwards!

"Life moves forward not backwards. It cannot move back and you cannot go back. It is like time. It is time. Do not let words or judgments that people put on you stop you from moving forward. You have no time to waste to allow anyone to push you back. You must move forward to keep up with who you are and what you want in life."

Are you moving forward or are you moving backwards? Life always moves forward, but sometimes we get stuck and don't move forward or even go backwards, but all the while, life continues to move forward!

Too often, we allow other people's words and judgments push us backwards. One of my favorite quotes says, "It is none of my business what you think of me." Don't allow other people's judgments of you and your work push you back. If you allow their judgments to change who you are, you stop being authentic.

You must move forward to keep up with who you are and what you want in life. Keep moving forward, keep being who you are and keep going for what you want out of life. Do it now!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Life moves forward not backwards. It cannot move back and you cannot go back. It is like time. It is time. Do not let words or judgments that people put on you stop you from moving forward. You have no time to waste to allow anyone to push you back. You must move forward to keep up with who you are and what you want in life."

Governed by the Tyranny of Immediacy?

"I will not be governed by the tyranny of immediacy."~Mary Anne Radmacher

Are you governed by the tyranny of immediacy? Do you allow others immediacy to govern you? Why? What do you get? Take control your life and stop that NOW! Here's an example; email. Do you keep it open and look at it as soon as they come in??? I hope not.

In today's microwave society, we want everything 2 minutes ago. We have lost the ability to have delayed gratification and are constantly seeking immediate gratification. Why?

The problem with immediate gratification is that as fast as it comes, it's gone again that fast and then we need to find another source of gratification. It's a vicious cycle that never ends until we step back and slow down and stop the tyranny of immediacy.

Very often it's our friends and clients who try to impose the tyranny of THEIR immediacy on us. We need to learn to politely tell them that that we run our own life and that their issue while important, it doesn't rise to OUR immediacy level. Don't allow them to give you their issue.

Here's a challenge for today, don't allow the tyranny of immediacy to win even once today.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"I will not be governed by the tyranny of immediacy."

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Trust, the Issue of the Decade

"Trust, not technology, is the issue of the decade." ~Tom Peters

In our microwave society, we are being brought back to issues that were relevant 20-30 years ago that some people thought went out of relevancy. They were wrong. Technology is not the be all end all that many people think and want it to be.

Businesses, now more than in the last 30 years, is realizing that Trust is the key element. Think of all the challenges that we have faced over the last few years. What do they have in common? A lack or an abuse of Trust.

We do business with people we know, like and trust. I would say that out of those things, trust is the most important because you can not like someone, but if you trust them, still do business with them. You can not know the salesman but if you trust his company, they can get the business.

Start working on your trust level. Is it lacking? Part of being trustworthy is trusting others. How's your trusting level? I find most people do have a hard time trusting others. Here's the challenge...Trust people. Sure, some will let you down, but most people will honor that trust.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Trust, not technology, is the issue of the decade."