Are Your Thoughts Your Thoughts?

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”~ Oscar Wilde 

Are you you? Or are you what someone else wanted you to be? Maybe your parents, teachers, peers? Did you do stuff to please other people or did you do stuff that you wanted to do? Who are you? Think about it for a while and then try to decide if you are being authentic or you're being what others want you to be.

Are your thoughts someone else's opinions or are they yours? Have you washed other people's opinion through your brain and come up with what you believe or are you just living a mimicry? You can believe what other's tell you, but be sure to run it through your own analyzer (brain) and make sure that you can say, "yes, I believe that too." Because you thought about it, not because someone else said it.

Quotations are a passion of mine, but my passion isn't a quotation. There's a mind-bender...figure it out yet? Is your passion just a quotation or is it real, vivid, alive, driving you forward?

Like we talked about yesterday, passion is the wind that drives your sail and nothing great was ever done without passion. 
One way to find you passion is to fill out the "Reflect Back and Plan Forward" worksheet. If you would like one, send an email to david@mentoringyoursuccess.com or text your email to 602-577-2624 and I will send it to you.

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

Building The Life You Desire

"Think big and don't listen to people who tell you it can't be done. Life's too short to think small."~Tim Ferriss

How many times did you have a great idea and you told someone about it and they said "You can't do that," "You're stupid," "Why waste your time?" and you listened to them? Don't listen to the naysayers or those that want to keep you where you are. There's an interesting story about a bucket of crabs that describes this perfectly; when one of the crabs starts to climb out, the other crabs reach up and pull him back down. That's what those well meaning people are doing to you.

Napoleon Hill said "Deliberately seek the company of people who influence you to think and act on building the life you desire." Hang out with people who only want the best for you, who constantly are lifting you up and not smashing your dreams. Hang with people who will help your dreams come true!  Are the people that you are hanging with pushing you forward or holding you back?

Action:
Look at who is influencing you and who you are hanging with. If they aren't lifting you up, they are pulling you down. Notice that and make a change. It will positively affect your future.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Think big and don't listen to people who tell you it can't be done. Life's too short to think small."

Are You Disciplined Or Devoted?

"People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference."~Luciano Pavarotti

Are you disciplined or devoted? Really?? I believe that most people are disciplined and only a few are devoted, but as Pavarotti says, there is a great difference. Do you see the difference?

If you are disciplined, you will get the job done, (usually) no matter what. If you are devoted, you will get the job done because. Because you love what you do, because it's not really work to you and because it is what  you are on the earth to do.

It seems to me that great workers are disciplined, while those who are devoted are great workers and also the ones who really enjoy life and all it has to offer. Does this mean that those who are disciplined don't enjoy life or that those who are devoted aren't disciplined? No, not at all, but I think you can tell the difference between the two.

It also seems to me that the devoted ones are the ones who always play big, always stretch for bigger and better things and dream more. Can you say that you are devoted to your job or are you disciplined in your job? The mere fact that 78% of people hate their jobs in the US leads me to think that most are just disciplined and not devoted (and maybe not even disciplined, but know how to show up to get a paycheck...)

Be devoted. Play Big. Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference."

How Did This Happen?

“People talk about the reality of their life as if it is important. And we want you to understand, it’s only the temporary indicator. Do you go to the gas station-your gas gauge is on empty-do you go to the gas station and look at your gas gauge in horror? “How did this happen? [Fun] Why, why, why did this happen to me?” Do you lay your head on the steering wheel and just sob? “Oh, look what it’s come to. [Fun] I’m finished. I’ve lived all of this life, and look where I am.” Or do you just fill up.”~ Esther & Jerry Hicks

The reality of your life is only temporary. Do you understand that? Really? Some people just don't get that at any time they can change and become what they want to be. They can change where they are at, what they are doing and who they are doing it with...You have the power to change, RIGHT NOW!

The Hicks's point this out in a funny way. What do you do when your gas tank is running low??? You go to the gas station. Well, when you are running low, where do you go? Do you have "mates" that you can talk to? Do you go to God or a higher power? Or do you go to the local bar and "drown your sorrows" there? We all go somewhere...so where do you go?

You need to surround yourself with people who care about you. Who have your best interests at heart and are willing to go to bat for you and help you when you need it. That's what friendship is all about. That's what community is all about.

Who are you that person for? Anyone? If not, start thinking who you can help, who you can be that person for. We have become so technological that we have forgotten the human aspect of our lives...

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“People talk about the reality of their life as if it is important. And we want you to understand, it’s only the temporary indicator. Do you go to the gas station-your gas gauge is on empty-do you go to the gas station and look at your gas gauge in horror? “How did this happen? [Fun] Why, why, why did this happen to me?” Do you lay your head on the steering wheel and just sob? “Oh, look what it’s come to. [Fun] I’m finished. I’ve lived all of this life, and look where I am.” Or do you just fill up.”

Only You Can Stop You

"Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you." ~Jeffrey Gitomer

Are you letting obstacles or problems stop you? Why? Are you letting other people stop you? Why? Here's the thing, and you all know this to be true. Only you can stop you. Only you are stopping you. Why are you stopping yourself?  Sure, you can blame others, the economy or any other excuse however, you know that you are stopping yourself.  Besides, when you blame others, you give away your power.

Obstacles can be overcome. Problems can be solved. Other people can be left behind, lost or ignored. So it come back to you, as it always has...You can have reasons (excuses) or results, and reasons don't count.

If only you can stop you, what are you waiting for? An invitation to become who you were meant to be? Permission to become what you want to become? Acceptance? If you are waiting for any of these things, it's going to be a long wait. (ok, I will give you permission, an invitation and acceptance...feel better?)

Stop stopping yourself. Start playing big, playing to win and not lose, become who and what you want to become. The world is waiting for you and if you don't do it, nobody will. Your uniqueness is waiting to be expressed. Stop waiting. "It's never too late to become who you were meant to become."

Goethe said "Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least." What matters most is you stopping yourself; what matters least are obstacles, problems and people who don't have your best interests at heart.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you."

Thoughts, Opinions and Mimicry

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”~ Oscar Wilde

Are you you? Or are you what someone else wanted you to be? Maybe your parents, teachers, peers? Did you do stuff to please other people or did you do stuff that you wanted to do? Who are you? Think about it for a while and then try to decide if you are being authentic or you're being what others want you to be.

Are your thoughts someone else's opinions or are they yours? Have you washed other people's opinion through your brain and come up with what you believe or are you just living a mimicry? You can believe what other's tell you, but be sure to run it through your own analyzer (brain) and make sure that you can say, "yes, I believe that too." Because you thought about it, not because someone else said it.

Quotations are a passion of mine, but my passion isn't a quotation. There's a mind-bender...figure it out yet? Is your passion just a quotation or is it real, vivid, alive, driving you forward?

Like we talked about yesterday, passion is the wind that drives your sail and nothing great was ever done without passion. What is your passion???
(And it can't be work)

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

Make Things Happen!

"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened." ~John M. Richardson Jr.

Which one are you??? I know, you are one of those who make it happen, right? But really, do you make it happen or do you just say that you do? It's real easy to say, but much harder to do and when things get hard, we tend to not do them. Because it's too hard or will take too long or we are not committed to doing it, so we don't. Then we just let life happen to us.

Here's the thing about letting things happen to you. If you don't have a plan, you will have to be a part of someone elses plan. And guess what, their plan doesn't have much for you. I hope that you aren't one of the ones who just wonder what happened. Everything happens for a reason.

Action:
Go about today and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Don't go through this day just letting it happen to you. Create the life that you've always wanted.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."

Questions Are The Answer

"In order to be more effective with others -- the most important thing we can do is make sure we're in the right frame of mind to begin with. To that end, the questions we ask OURSELVES make all the difference in the world." ~David Levin

Are you in the right frame of mind when you are dealing with people? Do you even think about it or do you just go and do it? Your attitude tells people far more than you words, so it might be something to start thinking about. What frame of mind do you want to have? Helpful? Inquisitive? Confrontational? Educational? There are many more, but have you thought about it? Sometimes the best thing to do is reschedule a meeting, especially if you aren't in the right frame of mind.

Here's something to consider as well...what frame of mind is the person you are meeting with in? Can you tell? It's a talent that most people haven't developed yet. If they are in a frame of mind that is anything but receptive or open, it might be best to ask them to reschedule.

What are the questions you are asking yourself? Are you asking yourself any questions at all? Some people might but most people just go through the day without ever asking themselves the questions that will help them get to where they want to go. It is all about the questions that we ask ourselves.  As Tony Robbins said "Questions are the answer."

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"In order to be more effective with others -- the most important thing we can do is make sure we're in the right frame of mind to begin with. To that end, the questions we ask OURSELVES make all the difference in the world."