Be Your Best Self

"Be yourself; no base imitator of another, but your best self. There is something which you can do better than another. Listen to the inward voice and bravely obey that. Do the things at which you are great, not what you were never made for."~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you yourself or a base imitator of another? Really? In a world that is constantly trying to homogenize everyone, are you who you really are down deep? Or are you playing a role that you've been assigned?

Listen to that inward voice and obey that. Listen to yourself. You can take input from others, but you need to decide who you are...and be that person. Too often we allow others to majorly influence who we are. Sometimes that works for us, sometimes it doesn't.

Do the things that you are great at, not the things for which you were never made for. Ever thought about that? The things you aren't made for? That may clear up some questions about what you should be doing. It's never too late to be who you were meant to be, not just an imitation of someone else.

Action:
Don't be an imitator, be yourself. Listen to your inner voice. do the things that you are great at.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Be yourself; no base imitator of another, but your best self. There is something which you can do better than another. Listen to the inward voice and bravely obey that. Do the things at which you are great, not what you were never made for."

Entrenched Assumptions and Mindsets?

“Routinely seek opinions from people who ‘know nothing’ on a subject. These can be the most refreshing sources of new information, since they are not entrenched in assumptions and mindsets.”~Jim Canterucci

Are you dealing with people who are entrenched in assumptions and mindsets? Are you that person? Most of us have our assumptions and mindsets but are yours really working for you? I mean really??

If you are doing what everyone else is doing, how are you different? How do people know that you are different, because you say you are?? Doesn't work, you need to show them you are different. Too many people and businesses try the "me too" style of business. They copy what the leaders are doing and say, "look at us, we do it the same way."

Be authentic. Be who you are, not who you think you have to be!

Action:
Today, when you are doing a regular part of your business, check and see if you can do it differently. See if there is a better way. Don't do it the same way because "we've always done it that way."

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Routinely seek opinions from people who ‘know nothing’ on a subject. These can be the most refreshing sources of new information, since they are not entrenched in assumptions and mindsets.”

Change Yourself?

"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Victor Frankl


Wow...have we missed this truth. Too often, we continually try to change the situation, trying different things, different ways, different ideas. All the while neglecting to change ourselves!!


Think about the last challenge that you had. Think about all the things that you did to rectify the situation. Sometimes you are able to fix things, but what happens when you don't? Do you ever even think about changing yourself?? I know that most of the time, I didn't. Now, I make sure that I look at myself and see if I need to change.


Action:
In dealing with your next challenge today, see if changing yourself will make a difference. I bet it will! Look at yourself from all angles and change what needs to be changed to solve the challenge!


Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

"I Already Know That"

"The secret is…there are no real secrets. Just information you don’t have."

THERE ARE NO SECRETS. THERE ARE NO SECRETS. THERE ARE NO SECRETS. Just information that you don't or didn't have...


Wow, kinda puts everything in perspective, doesn't it.


I have information that you don't have and I'm willing to share it with you so that you will have it for the rest of your life. Are you interested?? It's information about sales psychology and how sales really work. I know what you are saying, "I already know all about sales..." The four most destructive words ever put in a sentence. "I already know that."


When you say that, learning stops and you remain stuck where you are at. No chance for growth, no chance to change your situation...all because you "already know that."


Action:
If you are ready to learn some things that will change your business and life, stop saying and thinking "I already know that."


Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"The secret is…there are no real secrets. Just information you don’t have."

You Can Do Things

"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success." ~Norman Vincent Peale


Do you believe in yourself? Really?? Not just the normal "I believe in myself," but the real I BELIEVE IN MYSELF!!! Take a look deep inside your mind and heart and ask yourself the question again...Do you believe in yourself?


Most people pay lip service to believing in themselves, but when you examine them down deep, there is fear and loathing, not belief! If this is you, it's never to late to start over with your beliefs. It's never too late to be who you were meant to be! Start right now, examine your beliefs and work towards the goals that they line up with!


Action:
Challenge your unbelief. Challenge your beliefs to see how strong they are. Build on that strength so that your belief is unassailable!!!


Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success."

Start Using Your Sacred Gift

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." ~Albert Einstein

We have created a society that honors the servant (the rational mind) and has forgotten the sacred gift (the intuitive mind). Why is that? It makes no sense at all. Einstein also said that "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Because imagination is unlimited while knowledge is limited.

Think about how often you use your sacred gift vs. the time you use your faithful servant. You spend most of your time with the servant, right? Here's a challenge...use your sacred gift for at least 30 minutes each day. Develop that gift and your life and business will become everything you want it to be. It's never too late to become who you were meant to be.

Action:
Work on your sacred gift. Nurture it. Develop it. Master it. Know that you must combine you Sacred Gift with your faithful servant to become all you were meant to become.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."

An Idea

“What’s the most resilient parasite? An idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.” ~From Inception the movie

What is your most resilient parasite? What idea can you just not get away from? What idea dominates your thinking? And what have you done about it? Nothing? Why???

Nothing has ever been created without first a thought. That is where everything starts. What thoughts are you letting dominate your thinking? Thoughts of lack? Thoughts of fear? Thoughts of negativity? Or thoughts of abundance, thoughts of action and thoughts of positivity?
See, we get to decide what we think about. No one else can make us think about anything unless we allow it in. Have a negative friend? Don't hang with them! Have a family member that's always talking you down? Distance yourself. It's you choice as to who to hang with...choose wisely!

Action:
Today, choose wisely what to let into your thinking. What resilient parasite you want crawling around your brain. It is, after all, your choice!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“What’s the most resilient parasite? An idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.”

Simple, But Not Easy

"Change is not easy, but it is simple. Things will always change. We don’t have a choice about that. But we do have a choice about how we react to change. It really boils down to this…either we manage change, or it will manage us."~Mac Anderson


How do you deal with change? Change is not easy, but it is simple. I love that. We make things much more complex than they have to be and this boils it all down.


Do you realize that we have a choice in how we react to change? We do, but you need to recognize it. In fact, our lives are all about choices. You are today where your choices have brought you and you will be tomorrow where the choices of today take you. And don't give me any flack about not having any choices. You always have a choice, not always good ones, but you always have choices.


So. Do you manage change or does it manage you and your time???


Action:
Realize that you always have choices. The next time your brain says I don't have any choice, think again and look for the alternatives.


Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"Change is not easy, but it is simple. Things will always change. We don’t have a choice about that. But we do have a choice about how we react to change. It really boils down to this…either we manage change, or it will manage us.

Encouragement Does More

"Correction does much, but encouragement does more." ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

We are constantly being corrected but how often are we encouraged? I'd say that it's at least 10 to 1, correction over encouragement. What do you think?

Today's post is to ENCOURAGE you to become all that you were meant to be. That means playing big, not shrinking back and hiding in the crowd! Don't let your lizard brain scare you away from being who you were meant to be!! Your lizard brain will tell you that it is too dangerous, that people will not like you, that you can't become who you were meant to become. DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR LIZARD BRAIN!!! The lizard brain is why I say that your brain is not your friend.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, who is one of my mentors said "Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be." If that is you, take this message as your wake up call to be inspired to be all that you were created to be!

Action:
Take today to encourage someone you don't know and maybe even some people that you do know and see what a difference it makes in their life.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

Know Where You Are Going

"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."

Imagine Your Future

“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.”

Your Outer World

“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

"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."

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

"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 about) 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."

Distinction Between Achievement and Success

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success."~Helen Hayes

Are you aiming for achievement or success? There is a huge difference. In our society, it seems like everyone wants success but few are willing to work for achievement. Think of your achievements. Were you able to have success without the achievement? Usually not, but most people still go for the success.

Einstein put it another way, he said "Rather than being a man of success, be a man of value." Wow, look at the value you provide rather than the success, because the success comes from the praise of others.

Always aim for achievement and forget about success. Always aim for providing value, for the more value you provide the more you will achieve.

Action:
Think about this today, are you aiming for success or achievement? Your achievement is always a part of your inner world while success is a part of your outer world. Keep working on that inner world...because it does create your outer world.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success."

Focus On Making A Life

"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."

Your Attitude Is A Choice

"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."

If You Want 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!"

Be What Nature Intended You To Be

"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."

Don't Miss The Present

"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."

Whistleling 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."