Thursday, September 30, 2010

Danger vs. Opportunity

"Wherever there is danger, there lurks opportunity; whenever there is opportunity, there lurks danger. The two are inseparable. They go together."
~ Earl Nightingale


Danger/Opportunity. Two side of the same coin. the question is, "Do you concentrate on the danger or the opportunity?" Well, which one rules your mind? Unfortunately, most people allow their fears and the PERCEIVED danger to rule their lives. I hope that's not you, because the opportunity is out there for everyone...not just the "lucky few."

Norman Vincent Peale said that "We tend to get what we expect." Are you expecting danger or opportunity? Really?

Opportunities surround us all the time. The key is to be looking for them and not the danger. When your mind is present where you are, you will start to see opportunities everywhere. Be present. NOW. Challenge your brain to see the opportunities!

Action:
Don't allow fear and danger to rule your mind. Become an opportunian. I just made that word up but it means that your mind is open and looking for opportunities all around you.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Wherever there is danger, there lurks opportunity; whenever there is opportunity, there lurks danger. The two are inseparable. They go together."

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Your Future Choices

"You create opportunities for yourself. The greatest tragedy in your life is to think you have no choices. Your future choices expand as you choose to be more, do more and live more." ~Mark Victor Hansen

Do you realize that? That you create opportunities for yourself? Really or do you need to be constantly reminded of that fact?? How are you going about creating opportunities? Are you trying to find them or are you creating them?

Most people think that they have no choices. Is that you? I hope not. You always have choices...some are good and some are not as good, but you always have choices. "Your future choices expand as you choose to be more, do more and live more." Do you see your choices expanding? If not, then you need to be more, do more and live more. NOW!

Action:
Realize that you have choices and then choose the one that works best for you. Don't fall into the trap of believing that you don't have any choices!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"You create opportunities for yourself. The greatest tragedy in your life is to think you have no choices. Your future choices expand as you choose to be more, do more and live more."

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Stop Dabbling Through Life

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”~Tony Robbins

Are you dabbling your way through life? Have you never decided to master anything in life? That's why you aren't achieving as much as you want, because you haven't put the power of focus to work for you. It is said that it takes 5000 hours to become competent at something and 10,000 hours to become a master. How are you coming along towards that 5K?

Most people don't have what they want because they don't know what they want out of life. Do you? Really?? If you do, good for you. If not, decide right now what you want and focus on getting it. Be specific about what you want and why. Your why will always be the strongest partner for you because your why will drive you to get what you want.

Action:
Decide what you want. Stop dabbling your way through life and start to master something. You can't get to 10k hours without putting the first hour of work in!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”

Monday, September 27, 2010

Change and Growth

“Change is not an event. It’s a tiny decision made over and over again. Change isn’t once. It’s daily.” ~Don Kuhl

We often think of change as an event...but it's not. It's a tiny decision made over and over again...until it becomes part of who we are. Think of the last thing that you changed in your business or your life. Examine it closely and you will see that it wasn't an event but a decision that was made over and over again.

To make a positive change requires growth. Gail Sheehy says "Growth demands a temporary surrender of security." Are you willing to make that positive change by temporarily surrendering your security or will you stay safe? Too many people are unwilling or unable to let go of the security to experience positive change and growth. It requires that we get out of our comfort zone and be uncomfortable for a while.

Action:
See if what you are doing today keeps you safe in your comfort zone or if you are challenging that comfort zone and expanding it. Once it is stretched, it will never return to the smaller zone that it was.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Change is not an event. It’s a tiny decision made over and over again. Change isn’t once. It’s daily.”

Friday, September 24, 2010

Decide Who You Will Be

Last installment of Ralph Waldo Emerson week:
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who have you decided to be? Anyone? No one? Most people don't realize that they have that choice. So, who have you decided to be? When thinking about that, don't just settle for the least you can be. Think big, dream big, create BIG! It's your choice, why not??

“People only see what they are prepared to see.” That being the case, prepare to see BIG things for yourself. No one else will for you, so see BIG things! Prepare your mind to see greatness. Prepare you mind to see things that you have never seen before and create them!!

Action:
Prepare your mind for greatness by seeing your future as great as it can be. It is your choice and no one else can choose for you. So step up and and choose BIG!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Leave Yesterday There

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Leave yesterday there, don't bring it with you! Too often we bring along all the baggage from yesterday to today an it steals from your day. Finish each day and be done with it!! Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can.

Tomorrow is a new day. Treat it as such. The key to being able to do this is to be present. Be present in every moment. this is a challenge for most people, because they have so many things to do and think about. Our society has sped up so much that it tries to not give us any other choice then speeding up to stay with it. We do have a choice. We don't have to speed up and we can take things at our own pace. That's another part of being present. Choosing to BE present.

Action:
When talking to someone today, give them your whole, undivided attention and remain in the moment. You will be surprised what you hear. The more you hear, the more you know. Be present today!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely.”

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Illusions of the Present Hour

“One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows that every day is Doomsday.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you under the illusions that the present hour is not critical? We have a twisted sense of time and sometimes we really value time and sometimes we just waste our time, causally and without thought.

Do you view every hour as critical? Why not? Tomorrow is promised to no one, so we need to view every hour as critical...to us. How often do you just blow off and hour or two and use the excuse that you needed to veg. I know that I have. The challenge is to continue to be productive!

Now, I understand that sometimes we DO need to veg, to relax and catch our breaths. The key is to not make it a habit. Work all day, come home and plop in front of the tv or your computer and waste your precious time. Stop doing that!!

Action:
Today, when you get to do something, decide if you are investing your time or spending/wasting it. The key is to always be investing your time.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows that every day is Doomsday.”

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Don't Fit In

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you really yourself? Really? Or are you playing a role that someone else has decided for you? The world around you is constantly trying to make you something other than who you are. How do you deal with that?

What makes you different, or do you try to fit in and NOT stand out? We've always been told to be like everybody else, fit in, don't be different, don't be unique. What a crock! You were created to be unique...Live that uniqueness. Don't back away from it, revel in it.

“Insist on yourself; never imitate. Be original” As much as we like to think of America as a land of individuals, we don't often enough insist on being ourselves. We imitate others, we fit in, we don't rock the boat.

Action:
Today, STAND OUT!! When given an opportunity to be yourself, DO IT! And watch the difference it makes

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Monday, September 20, 2010

Go Where There Is No Path

This is Ralph Waldo Emerson week:
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you a trailblazer or a follower? Really? Most people are followers. Oh, they will think that they are trailblazers, but they really are followers. Think about the last time you did something that nobody had ever done before...not coming up with much? Don't feel bad, as I said, most people are followers.

Emerson is trying to get us to think and act differently. Different from the status quo. Different from the well-worn path. To create a trail that others can follow. To find a new way to do things. To find a different way to do things.

Don't ask yourself "Can I do it?" Ask yourself "How many ways can I do this, Make A Difference, and enjoy myself along the way? (thanks to @Jeff Herring for the question)

Action:
Start small. When you have a task to do that you do often, think about ways to do it differently. You don't need to blaze the whole trail, just make a start.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Friday, September 17, 2010

Oh The Things You Can Think!

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”~Dr. Seuss

"Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!” Do you ever think about what you're thinking about??? Really? It's called Metacognition and we don't do it often enough. We let negative thoughts just flow through our brains without ever stopping them or re-framing them.

How often do you really think during the day? 5, 6 times? More or less? We think that we think, but most jobs rely on you doing the same thing over and over again without thinking. Who designed these jobs?? When was the last time you thought about doing your job differently? Ever??

Action:
Today, when you are confronted by a normal challenge, don't solve it the usual way. Think of a better way to deal with it. Who knows? You might create a new way to do things!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Watch Out Troubles!

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!" ~Dr. Seuss

How often do we treat our troubles with a big bat? Not often enough. We don't swat our troubles away, we live in them, wallow in them and stay stuck in them. "Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!" what a great way to face our troubles.

We all have troubles. The problem is not that we have troubles, the problem is thinking that we shouldn't have problems. Life is what it is. We get to decide how to respond to troubles or challenges. It is our choice. Sometimes we have good choices and sometimes the choices are not as good, but we always have a choice.

Action:
Realize that we have a choice to respond. We don't have to stay in the challenge, we can choose to say "Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Be Who You Are

"Today you are you, that is truer than true; there's no one alive who is youer than you."~Dr. Seuss

Be yourself, everyone else is taken! Too often we think that we have to act the same as everybody else or we need to be like somebody else. WRONG!! We were meant to be ourselves and nobody else. We've been created to be unique, special and one of a kind. To be someone you're not is to waste who you are.

What is the gift that you bring to the world? The gift that no one else can bring to the world. If you don't bring it to the world, no one else will and the world will be robbed of that gift. So, what were you meant to bring to the world?

Action:
Be yourself. In everything you do, be yourself. You will find that life is easier when you don't have to remember who you are but just be who you are. Bring your gift to the world will all your might. It will change someone's life!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Today you are you, that is truer than true; there's no one alive who is youer than you."

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Places Quite Out of the Way

"If you want to catch beasts you don't see every day, You have to go places quite out of the way, You have to go places no others can get to. You have to get cold and you have too get wet, too."~Dr. Seuss

What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result! If you want to catch beasts your don't see every day, or clients or new products or new things, you have to go places quite out of the way. In other words, do things differently!

When was the last time you changed something in your business or your advertising or marketing? Are you INSANE??? I don't think you are, but sometimes we get into areas of our business or our lives that we feel that we can't change, so we keep doing what we've always done.

Action:
Change something in your business or life that hasn't been working for you. Don't let the fear of change stop you from doing it. Do it now and reap the rewards that will come.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If you want to catch beasts you don't see every day, You have to go places quite out of the way, You have to go places no others can get to. You have to get cold and you have too get wet, too."

Monday, September 13, 2010

It's Always Been Your Choice

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where you'll go." ~Dr. Seuss

It's always been your choice...even though you were never really told that. As Dr. Seuss says, "You can steer yourself in any direction you choose." When we were younger, parents and teachers steered us in the direction that they thought best for us...but we really didn't choose it ourselves. Are you still on that same path? How's that working for you??

"You know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where you'll go." You are the one who'll decide where to go. If the path that you've been on isn't working, why not go in the direction that you want? It's your decision. Don't tell me about why you can't...tell me about why you can! No one else is in control of you, only you control you.

Action:
If the path that you are on isn't working for you, look at why it isn't and see if there is another path that you can go down. There's always another choice, another path...you just have to be willing to take that path and make that choice!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the one who'll decide where you'll go."

Friday, September 10, 2010

You Are Better Than You Think

"Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not superhuman. Success does not require a super-intellect. Nor is there anything mystical about success. And success isn't based on luck. Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves and what they do. Never sell yourself short." ~ David J. Schwartz

Too often we beat ourselves down or let other beat us down. STOP IT!! You need to be reminding yourself that you are better than you think you are. The next time you feel unworthy, think of all the things that you have to be grateful for...and that will change your thinking.

Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves. Have you developed that belief in yourself? Why not? It's your choice to believe what you want to believe.

Action:
Don't let you mind talk you down. When that voice tells you that you aren't worthy, tell it to be quiet. You are worthy, but you have to claim it. No one else can claim it for you!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not superhuman. Success does not require a super-intellect. Nor is there anything mystical about success. And success isn't based on luck. Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves and what they do. Never sell yourself short."

Thursday, September 9, 2010

How Do You Define Yourself?

"To a very large extent men and women are a product of how they define themselves. We come to have beliefs about the nature of being human. These beliefs penetrate to a very deep level of our psychosomatic systems, our minds and brains. We act, speak, and think according to these deeply held beliefs and belief systems." ~ Jeremy W. Hayward

How do you define yourself? A winner? A loser? A break-evener? Lucky? Unlucky? What other words do you use? Well, what ever words you use, you are a product of those words and how you define yourself. Think about the words that you use...are they uplifting or do they bring you down? Do they say what is right about what's going on or do they find the negative?

When was the last time you thought about the words that you say to and about yourself? Make sure that they aren't bringing you down. It's your choice to decide how to talk to yourself. Choose wisely.

Action:
Stop yourself when you start down the negative Nancy path. Choose to think only positive things about yourself and what you do. It is YOUR choice.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"To a very large extent men and women are a product of how they define themselves. We come to have beliefs about the nature of being human. These beliefs penetrate to a very deep level of our psychosomatic systems, our minds and brains. We act, speak, and think according to these deeply held beliefs and belief systems."

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

5 Simple Steps to Success

"To look is one thing. To see what you look at is another. To understand what you see is a third. To learn from what you understand is still something else. But to ACT on what you learn is all that really matters." ~W Mitchell

Here's a simple 5 step process to success. There are no secrets to success. You can just look around and see many ways that people have been successful and here's 1 more way...5 simple steps.

1. Look. 2. See. 3. Understand. 4. Learn. 5. ACT!

Some people can't even do the first step, they don't even bother to look. Some people look, but they don't see. The some people see but fail to understand what it is that they see Still others get to the understanding part but never learn about their understanding. And then there are those that get the first 4 but fail to ACT! Which one are you? Why?

What is holding you back? Only you are holding yourself back, no one else. It's not the economy, your job, your friends, family, no. You are the only thing holding yourself back...why? .

Action:
Think about that today and break free from whatever that is holding you back. If you are having trouble sorting it out, look back at the simple 5 steps to success and see where you are getting stuck.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"To look is one thing. To see what you look at is another. To understand what you see is a third. To learn from what you understand is still something else. But to ACT on what you learn is all that really matters."

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Think about Your Thoughts

"Make every thought, every fact, that comes into your mind pay you a profit. Make it work and produce for you. Think of things not as they are but as they might be. Don't merely dream -- but create!" ~ Robert Collier

Too often, we don't even think about what we think about. Think about that for a minute...Do you make every thought pay you a profit? It takes a strong mind to be able to do that. Most of the time, thoughts just filter in and out without any real thought about the thought. (I know, a little to much to think about??)

When a thought flows into your mind, STOP and think about that thought, rather than letting it go. There are reasons that you think what you think and a lot of times, you are getting the answer to a question or a problem you've been working on.

Think of things not as they are but as they might be. Most people are too stuck in the problem that they can't think of a solution. Or they are too stuck in the past. Get out of the problem and live in the solutions. Get out of the past and live in the present. Living in the past never solved anyone's problems.

Action:
Stop and think about what you think about. It's called Metacognition and will help you become better at whatever you are doing. Stay in the present. That's where everything happens!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Make every thought, every fact, that comes into your mind pay you a profit. Make it work and produce for you. Think of things not as they are but as they might be. Don't merely dream -- but create!"

Monday, September 6, 2010

Your Invincible Summer

"In the midst of the darkest winter I found within myself an invincible summer." ~Albert Camus

Have you been able to find that "invincible summer" within yourself? It's there. You don't have to stay in that darkest winter. It's a choice to stay there or to find your "invincible summer."

You have a choice about everything that happens to you. It may have been a choice a long time ago or one you just made but the consequences come from the choices you make...No one else.

Action:
Choose your "Invincible Summer." It's right there within you waiting for it to be discovered and lived.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"In the midst of the darkest winter I found within myself an invincible summer."

Friday, September 3, 2010

Your Infinite Possibilities

"The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility." ~ Leland Kaiser

YES. YOUR future is infinite possibility waiting to happen!!! It really is, you just need to embrace that. What you've embraced so far isn't infinite possibility, but more likely just finite probability. Things that you've just accepted as your future rather than things that you've created for your future.

What are you waiting on? Use your imagination! Remember when you were a kid and the world seemed like endless possibilities were everywhere? Then people started tearing your dreams and possibilities down. "You can't do that." "Nobody in our family has done that." "Be realistic, you have no chance of doing that."

Action:
Stop living out of your past and start living out of your imagination! NOW! Seize your infinite possibilities today!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility."

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Impose Your Terms on Life

"If you haven't the strength to impose your own terms upon life, you must accept the terms it offers you." T.S. Eliot

Wow...how many people are going through life simply accepting what life offers them??? I know a lot of people that are stuck in that place. It's a real shame, because our life is what WE MAKE OF IT, not what is presented to us.

So, what's a person to do? Gain or create the personal strength to impose your own terms on life! I know, I can hear you now..."But David, the economy, my 401 now 201k, all this stuff that's happening to me." Do you hear the excuses? It's not the stuff that happens to us...it's how we deal with the stuff that happens to us. WE are in control of our responses. Be in control of your responses and forget about reactions.

Action:
Realize TODAY, that you are in control of everything that happens to you. You can react or respond to those things. Work on RESPONDING rather than reacting. And impose your terms on life!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If you haven't the strength to impose your own terms upon life, you must accept the terms it offers you."

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Be No Imitator

"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.

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."