It IS Your Fault! Decide to Become Someone

"We become what we make our minds to become. It is nobody's fault that the great majority of the people never make up their minds to become anything at all."~William James

Have you made up your mind about what you want to become? What, you haven't yet? What's stopping you? What's holding you back? Why haven't you? You can become whatever you decide you want to become. At any time and any age!

I disagree with James as far as fault of the great majority of people, because now, with everything that we have available to us to learn, to grow and to think, it IS the fault of those who never make up their minds to become something. It is their responsibility to become what they want to become. It is not the responsibility of others to tell us what we should become or do. Too many people would just rather blame someone than take responsibility for their own life...and that's too bad.

Step out of your playing small ideas and thoughts and create the life that you truly want. Decide today to become who you want to become. Don't wait another minute...Do it NOW! What are you waiting for?

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"We become what we make our minds to become. It is nobody's fault that the great majority of the people never make up their minds to become anything at all."

Your Personal Philosophy?

“Your personal philosophy is the greatest determining factor in how your life works out. Don't borrow someone else's plan. Develop your own philosophy and it will lead you to unique places.” ~Jim Rohn

Do you have a "Personal Philosophy" or Mission Statement for your life? Why not? According to Rohn, your personal philosophy is the determining factor in how your life turns out. Might make sense to have one...don't you think?? Do you think it might help you top have one? I do.

Make it YOUR Personal Philosophy. Don't let it be your parents, boss, teacher or who ever might want you to share or take theirs. This is YOUR Personal Philosophy and will take you to places that you have never been or even imagined.

Yesterday we spoke about how Beliefs + Behaviors = Results. These all flow from your Personal Philosophy. Your Personal Philosophy needs to be in alignment with your Beliefs and Values.

Take some time right now to create your Personal Philosophy. Well, what are you waiting for??

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Your personal philosophy is the greatest determining factor in how your life works out. Don't borrow someone else's plan. Develop your own philosophy and it will lead you to unique places.”

"Our beliefs strongly influence our behavior. They motivate us and shape what we do. Beliefs are our guiding principles, and come from many sources - upbringing, imitation of others, conclusions as a result of past traumas and repetitive experiences." ~Peter Shepherd

What are your beliefs? Really, what are your beliefs? When was the last time that you sat down and thought about them? Have you ever questioned your beliefs? What happened? Was your belief confirmed or was it proved to be false?

Beliefs influence Behavior and Behavior influences Results. How are your beliefs stopping you from getting what you want? Ya, I know, I can hear your mind saying your beliefs are helping you get what you want, right...?? Well if that was the case, you would already have what you wanted, wouldn't you. Time to examine those beliefs again!

Beliefs come from many sources, some good, some not so good. Are you letting a belief that is no longer applicable to you keep you from getting what you want? If so, it's time to re-examine that belief and make sure that it's working FOR you rather than AGAINST you.

So, what are your beliefs? And are they serving you?

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"Our beliefs strongly influence our behavior. They motivate us and shape what we do. Beliefs are our guiding principles, and come from many sources - upbringing, imitation of others, conclusions as a result of past traumas and repetitive experiences."

Fear of Failure, A Powerful Obstacle to Growth

“We pay a heavy price for our fear of failure. It is a powerful obstacle to growth. It assures the progressive narrowing of the personality and prevents exploration and experimentation. There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling.” ~John Gardner

What is the price that YOU have paid for fear of failure? (Now, before you say there's no failure, I agree, but too many people still believe in the word)  We all have paid something for that and we either learned from it or we have let it keep us from doing what we really wanted to do. Have you remained stuck because of fear? How is it holding you back? What is it keeping you from doing today?  Why?

This fear assures the progressive narrowing of your personality and prevents exploration and experimentation. Is your personality narrowing? Think about that...how has your personality grown or narrowed lately? This fear also prevents exploration and experimentation. When was the last time that you went exploring? When was the last time that you experimented with your life? Never? Once, when you were a kid? Or regularly?

There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. Somehow, we in America have been sold a bill of goods that life should be easy and without difficulty. Are you really believing that? If you are planning on learning, plan on difficulty. That's life, get used to it. Quit whining and complaining that something isn't fair and get out there and make things happen. Learn something. Teach something. Create something.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“We pay a heavy price for our fear of failure. It is a powerful obstacle to growth. It assures the progressive narrowing of the personality and prevents exploration and experimentation. There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling.”

Forgotten Past Equals Brightest Future

“The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.”

Have you let go of the past failures and heartaches or are you still carrying them with you? Your brightest future will not come to you until you let them go. Let them go now, today, why wait another day?

As we are getting to the end of the first month of the "year of change," are you still holding on to those past failures?

Here's the thing. You have learned from those failures and heartaches. Take the lessons and leave the rest. Leave the pain. Leave the blaming. Leave everything but the lesson you learned.

The reason that you haven't let them go yet is that you are getting some benefit out of holding on to them. Is it sympathy? Does the wallowing in your past make you feel better? What benefit are you getting out of it?  You need to realize that greater benefits are waiting for you the minute you leave those failures and heartaches behind.

Do you believe in a brighter future or are you stuck in blah land? There is a brighter future for all of us, we only have to embrace it and leave those failures and heartaches behind. NOW.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.”

Be Willing to Risk Failure

“One of the reasons mature people stop learning is that they become less and less willing to risk failure.”~ John W. Gardner

Are you less and less willing to risk failure? Are you trying to hold on to what you have, hoping that will be enough? Have you stopped learning? 3 questions to think about today...

Have you stopped learning? Most people will say, "No, I'm a life-long learner," but are you really? Are you learning new things or just things that you know already? Think about that. I know someone who is learning to write with her opposite (left) hand, after many years of writing with her right. Now that is learning something new!!

Are you trying to hold on to what you have, hoping it will be enough? Many clients I work with are trying to hold on to the clients that they have when, if they were to let them go, they would be able to reach and take on bigger and better clients. And the tighter you try to hold something, the more it slips out of your grasp, doesn't it? Are you trying to hard to hold on?

Are you less and less willing to risk failure? When you are less willing to risk failure, your world starts getting smaller and smaller. The real world doesn't benefit in you playing small, but in you playing as big as you can! The more that you are willing to let go, the more that you allow to come into your life, but if you aren't willing to risk failure, then you are just planning on failure, without really knowing that's what you are doing.

Keep learning and be willing to risk failure...AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“One of the reasons mature people stop learning is that they become less and less willing to risk failure.”

Plan, Prepare and Expect to Win!

"You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." ~Zig Ziglar

YOU WERE BORN TO WIN!!! Do you realize that? Really? Most people just accept what they get without any thought of winning, just happy to be alive...Oh, they wish that they would win and sometimes they even win...but they don't have a winner's mindset. See, there are 3 things that you have to do to create a winner's mindset. 1. Plan 2. Prepare 3. Expect.

Sometimes we plan but most of the time we don't plan, or plan to win, because it takes some work to plan. It's said that "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Cute wording but oh so true!! Yet there we are, just going about our day without planning, and reacting to everything that comes our way. Make a plan. Plan your work and then work your plan.

Be Prepared. The Boy Scout motto that we learned as kids...but do we continue it in our daily work? No, for the most part, we just kind of wing it, don't we. What is it that you are preparing for? Anything? Your next appointment? A new sales call? NO, after a few times, we think that we can just do it without preparation. Preparation creates confidence...and confidence is what makes good things happen for you.

Expectations. I train business and sales people and always, without a doubt, when I ask them if they expected to make the sale, they reply no. Why is that? They have never been taught that expectations create your reality. In fact, when they don't make the sale, the first thing they say is "I knew it." Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy!!! They knew they couldn't make the sale, but didn't think that they could make the sale...How screwed up is that?

There are 3 things that you have to create the mindset do to win.
1. Plan 2. Prepare 3. Expect.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win."

If I Accept You As You Are, I Will Make You Worse!

“If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

We are often told to "accept people as they are" so as not to bring attention as to who they are. Is this good? Or do we make them worse by accepting them as they are and opposed to what they are capable of becoming? It's important to allow people to be who they are without criticism, but what if they can become so much more? Wouldn't it be our responsibility to help them become what they could become?

I'm the Grand Inquisitor and I'm also an Irritator and Goethe's quote really makes it for me, because so many people are living their lives at 50% when they could be at 80% or 90%. Are you living your life at less than it should be? Are people accepting you and not challenging you to be more? How do your friends interact with you? Are they moving you forward or keeping you where you are?

The world does not benefit from you playing small and if we accept you as you are, we may be not allowing you to become who you might be. I would hate that...so I'll go on Questioning and Irritating. I'm ok with you not liking me because I irritate you. It means that you are thinking about something and that will challenge you and get you out of your familiar zone (comfort zone) and allow you to grow.

"It's never too late to be who you might have been."

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.”

"Look and listen, feel and know. What you sincerely seek will come within your reach, if you simply allow it and see it. Opportunity rarely looks the way you thought it would. Open your heart and open your mind to recognize it." ~Ralph Marston

Each day, coming your way, is a fast-flowing stream of seemingly random events. Somewhere within them are the ones you asked for. There are no coincidences. We get exactly what we ask for.  What are you asking for?  Anything?

For each dream you have, life gives you the possibilities for achieving that dream. Your job is to see those possibilities and to act on them. Too often, we are bogged down in our thinking and we can't see the possibilities that are right in front of us.  What are you prepared to see?

When you wish to go new places, you must accept that the road will be unfamiliar. Go with what feels right, even though it feels a little uncomfortable. Allow yourself to be taken out of your comfort zone...that's where you will find growth.

When you think about your "comfort zone" it's really not comfortable, is it?  I like to call it your "familiar zone."  Because you are familiar with the pain.  And the pain you know is always more prefered than the pain we don't know (or at least what we imagine)

What you seek is coming to you. See it and have the faith to fully live it. Don't allow fear to keep you from what you seek and what you want. What you seek is coming to you.  Be prepared to see it!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Look and listen, feel and know. What you sincerely seek will come within your reach, if you simply allow it and see it. Opportunity rarely looks the way you thought it would. Open your heart and open your mind to recognize it."

Think Anew

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.” ~Abraham Lincoln

Albert Einstein said that "you can't solve a problem at the same level of thinking that it was created at." You need to "think anew and act anew." Take a look at Lincolns quote...it's almost as if he was talking about today!!

"The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion." Sound or feel familiar? Are you having difficulty in these times? Are you rising to meet the occasion? Or are you just "doing the best you can?" Unfortunately, most people are only doing the "best they can," not really rising to meet the occasion. Or setting the occasion to only be "they best they can."

"Think anew." When was the last time that you thought anew? Most people haven't had a new or original thought in years. Break out of your familiar zone(comfort zone) and THINK NEW THOUGHTS!!! Growth only happens when you leave your familiar zone (comfort zone).

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.”

What Are You Prepared To See?

“People only see what they are prepared to see.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

What are you prepared to see? Are you prepared to see great things or are you only prepared to see average things, or worse yet, only seeing bad things? Why do you think that is? What is preventing you from seeing what you really want to see?

You have seen and done things up until now. You have brought yourself to where you are now. Are you where you want to be? If not, it might be because you aren't prepared to see what is in store for you.

Are you expanding your vision? Opening not just your eyes, but also your mind? They say that "when you see it, you will believe it," but I would say that in addition to that, "when you believe it, you will see it." What are you ready to believe?

John Wooden said “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.” Remember, you choose what you will see.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“People only see what they are prepared to see.”

Creating Your Own Mediocrity?

“Believe that you are the one who creates your success, that you are the one who creates your mediocrity, and that you are the one creating your struggle around money and success.”~ T. Harv Eker

I know that you believe that you create your success, but do you believe that you also create your mediocrity? Well guess what? Hate to break it to ya, but YOU DO! Too often we blame others, parents, teachers, spouses, the economy, when it is our responsibility, our choices, our decisions.

Don't give your power away by blaming others, because that is what you are doing. Take responsibility for you actions and create the life that you want. Your "personal brand" should be all yours, not someone elses. John Burroughs said "A man can get discouraged many times, but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying."

You are in charge of EVERYTHING that happens in your life. EVERYTHING. Take back you power today, right now, this moment. You create your success, you create your mediocrity. It is your choice!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Believe that you are the one who creates your success, that you are the one who creates your mediocrity, and that you are the one creating your struggle around money and success.”

Have You Made Up Your Mind Yet?

"We become what we make our minds to become. It is nobody's fault that the great majority of the people never make up their minds to become anything at all."~William James

Have you made up your mind about what you want to become? What, you haven't yet? What's stopping you? What's holding you back? Why haven't you? You can become whatever you decide you want to become. At any time and any age!

I disagree with James as far as fault of the great majority of people, because now, with everything that we have available to us to learn, to grow and to think, it IS the fault of those who never make up their minds to become something. It IS their responsibility to become what they want to become. It is NOT the responsibility of others to tell us what we should become or do. Now, it may be the responsibility of those of us who understand this to teach those who don't realize that it is their choice. It is up to them!

Step out of your playing small ideas and thoughts and create the life that you truly want. Decide today to become who you want to become. Don't wait another minute...Do it NOW! What are you waiting for?  Permission?  I give you permission!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"We become what we make our minds to become. It is nobody's fault that the great majority of the people never make up their minds to become anything at all."

What Are You Focusing on?

"Focus is not a 'business only' thing. Each person has only twenty-four hours per day, and how we spend those hours shows what's important in our lives. The question we must ask ourselves is...Are we focusing on what really matters?" ~Mac Anderson

Focus. What do you focus on? Whatever it is, it's important to you. Is it important to the world or anyone else? Does it matter? What does your focusing tell you about what's important to you?

Mike Murdock said "The secret to your future is hidden in your daily routine." Is what you are focusing on a routine or something that really matters. Is it just a habit or a time waster?

Steve Jobs said "Focus means saying no to the hundred other good ideas." A real interesting way to look at things, isn't it. Most people see focus as what you focus ON rather than what you don't focus on.

How are you spending your days? Are you focusing on what matters?

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Focus is not a 'business only' thing. Each person has only twenty-four hours per day, and how we spend those hours shows what's important in our lives. The question we must ask ourselves is...Are we focusing on what really matters?"

Will You Die With Your Music Still In You?

“Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.” ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Are you getting ready to live? Stop it and LIVE NOW! Before you know it, time runs out...Tomorrow is promised to no one, yet we act like we have all the time in the world to do the things we really want to do...and we keep putting them off.

Don't let your time run out with music still in you. Do the things you have always wanted to do. Don't let circumstances dictate that you can't do what you want to do. It is your choice to either do it or stay "getting ready to live."

Robert Orben said "Time flies. It's up to you to be the navigator." See, we are in control of how we spend our days. Here are the numbers. You have 1440 minutes per day and 86,400 seconds per day that melt away, always. Are you investing your time or are you wasting it? It's your choice!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.”

Have You Embraced Mediocrity?

"Mediocrity is a form of madness, a dream embraced by the masses because it makes just getting by an acceptable -- sometimes applauded -- social art form." ~Guy Finley

Have you embraced mediocrity? Really? Are you excellent in every thing? Do you always strive to be the best that you can be, or do you sometimes slack off...just a little?

We have become a society that makes getting by an art form. Working for the man, doing enough to not get fired, but not going all out to stand above the crowd. Too many people are playing small. The world is not served by your playing small...PLAY BIG!!!

Look at the things you do. What are you an expert at? What are you good at? Where have you settled on being mediocre? I'm sure there are not any places that you would say you are terrible, so let's make mediocre as the bottom rung.

How can you move out of mediocrity? Do you even want to? Or does that frighten you too much? You were meant for so much more, go for it!!!

Let's take a look at settling. One of my favorite quotes says "The place for what you want is currently occupied by what you have settled for." Is that you? Have you settled on mediocrity? I sure hope not...

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"Mediocrity is a form of madness, a dream embraced by the masses because it makes just getting by an acceptable -- sometimes applauded -- social art form."

Failure Should Be Our Teacher

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." ~Denis Waitley

When did failure start being something to be avoided? As far back as I can remember, it was always something to be avoided as opposed to being something to view as experience and learned from. Most people view failure as a dead end rather than a temporary detour.

Thomas Watson, founder of IBM said "If you want to succeed, fail faster." What a great way to look at things! Failure is OK!!! In fact, the best way to deal with failure is to re-frame it as delay or a temporary detour or just as a learning experience.

Don't be afraid to fail. Henry Ford said "Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently." Nice, failure allows you to being again more intelligently! Start now. Fail your way to success.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." 

Your Most Important Job: Be You!

"Your most important job is to be you. There are contributions you can make, and gifts you have to give, that no one else can duplicate." Ralph Marston

You have a perspective that is unique and valuable. No on else has your unique viewpoint! No one else has the same valuable insights that you have. Share the insights and energy that come from that perspective.

You have feelings and longings that flow from the core of who you are. Express those feelings and fulfill those longings in your own special way. The world is waiting to hear those feelings and longings. Don't deprive the world of that opportunity to learnfrom you because if you don't bring it to the world, the world will never see it!

There is great treasure in your authenticity. Your authenticity is what brings the world to your doorstep. There are beautiful possibilities that spring from the genuine person you are. Don't hide them, let us all share in those possibilities.

Through you, life experiences itself in a way that is unique and special. If you don't share it with the world, that unique and special experience dies with you, never to be shared. Don't cheat the world from your uniqueness!

Use this opportunity to make a difference in a way that only you can do.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Your most important job is to be you. There are contributions you can make, and gifts you have to give, that no one else can duplicate."

Are You Living Your Life Backwards?

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."~ Margaret Young

Are you living your life backwards? Our society kind of pushes us to live it backwards doesn't it. We are constantly bombarded with ads that tell us that if we just buy this product, we will get what we want. Buy more products and you will be happy! Easy, right? NOT!! See, happiness doesn't come from things, it comes from who you are and what makes you tick.

First, you must be who you really are. Are you who you really are or are you playing a role that you created or someone gave you? WHO ARE YOU??? Really, who are you...down deep. Are you doing what you were created to do? Are you sure? Most people aren't, they are just playing a role, just existing...really, just taking up space.

Most people live their lives in a Have-Do-Be mentality when they need to be living from a Be-Do-Have mentality. Before you can Do and Have, you need to Be. Who are you???

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."

Life Shapes Itself To Meet Our Expectations!

"Life... It tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations." ~ Richard M. DeVos

What are your expectations? Are they for your dreams or are they just enough to get by? Unfortunately, we have been taught to not expect too much because if we don't get it, we will be disappointed. We were taught that by well meaning people but guess what? You can't protect people from disappointment!! It's part of life and it allows us to grow. But most people keep their expectations low.

As a Sales Trainer, I always ask my students when they go to meet a client, if they expect to make a sale. Most of them say no. My answer to them is "Why bother going?" You create your reality with your expectations so always be expecting the best. Sure, you might be disappointed some times but more often than not, you will be rewarded for your expectations!

Just 4 words separate the most successful people in the world from those who struggle to just get by: Expect More ~ Execute Better. Are you expecting more and executing better? Sounds simple, but it's not easy. You have to train your brain to expect more and you also have to work on executing better. Those 4 words are what separate the most successful people from those who are struggling. Expect More ~ Execute Better. Start expecting more NOW!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"Life... It tends to respond to our outlook, to shape itself to meet our expectations." 

Has Your Comfort Zone Taken Over?

“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” ~Denis Waitley

How often are you out of your comfort zone? Really? Think about it because I would bet that you are in it more than you think. What is your creative vision for your life? Does your creative vision allow you to feel comfortable outside of your comfort zone? If you are stuck in your comfort zone then you aren't growing. And if you aren't growing, you are shrinking. There is no middle ground, no status quo, no staying the same.

Peter McWilliams said “To the degree we're not living our dreams, our comfort zone has more control of us than we have over ourselves.” Has your comfort zone taken over your dreams and your life? Too often we don't even realize it until it's too late. Well, it's not too late! GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!! START LIVING YOUR DREAMS! NOW! What are you waiting for?

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference


“A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” 

Focus Means Saying No!

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas." ~Steve Jobs

Wow!! Do you get the wisdom in that? As small business owners, it seems that we are always looking for the next whiz-bang thing that can take our company to greater heights...SQUIRREL!!! But Jobs is telling us to let them go. He is telling you to stop chasing the squirrel.

Did you know that Apple had the IPad ready for production 5 years ago? But Jobs kept it on the shelf until the IPhone was solid and all the apps built for it would then work on the IPad. Talk about saying no to a good idea. It really wasn't a no, but a not yet. Let go of the hundred good ideas and concentrate on only a few.

When Michelangelo was asked about his sculpture of "David" he said "He was there already, I just had to take away everything that didn't belong there." Think about your business. Have you taken away everything that doesn't belong there or do you have some chiseling to do? I would bet that you have some chiseling to do. What are you waiting for? Get chiseling!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas."