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."

You Are In Charge Of Your Attitude!

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

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

They say that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with what happens to you.  Do you complain about things that happen to you?  Think about how you react or respond to things that happen to you and if you need to change how you respond to those things, start changing that NOW!

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."

Change Is Simple, 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 on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us."

CHANGE IS SIMPLE!! But it's not easy Things will always change, so why is it that we try to stop change, fight against it or ignore it? Some things need to change, some things don't. Allow the things that need to change to change and stop the things that don't need to change. It's that simple, but it's not easy.

Here's the thing...we have a choice as to how we respond to change. It is our choice alone, no one elses. Too often we act like we don't have a choice and we have to accept whatever comes our way. NOT!!! It is your choice, your decision, your ability to respond the way that you want to react to change. Respond with your power, with who you are!

So, manage change through your choices or be managed by change through your choice to not choose, your decision to allow life to happen TO you and be a victim of change. Don't allow who you are to become a victim of change. Rise above it. Choose to respond the way you want to respond.

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 on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us."

Life's Not Unfair, It's Impartial!

“Difficulties in life are constant and impartial. Not unfair. Impartial. It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face, and decide how we will carry on once they've occurred.” ~ PJ McClure

Our difficulties are not unfair, they are impartial. Wow, think about that for a minute. Kinda changes things around, doesn't it. We've always been told that "life is not fair," when it should be that "life is impartial." Now, do things still happen to us? Yes, and some of them we might classify as "bad." But remember what Shakespeare said that "there is no good or bad, only what we apply to them."

Viktor Frankl said "The one thing you can't take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one's freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance." It is up to us to choose the way we respond to any situation. Most people react rather than respond.  Are you choosing to respond rather than react? I hope so 'cause then you are using one of the last freedoms we have.

It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face. And remember, that where you put your thoughts and energy is where you will either see the challenge or the opportunity. I hope that you are seeing the opportunity, because we all have our opportunities and it's up to us to make the most of them.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Difficulties in life are constant and impartial. Not unfair. Impartial. It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face, and decide how we will carry on once they've occurred.”

Dr. Seuss Week: Day #1 Troubles Are Going to Have Trouble With Me

"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.  How often do you fester in troubles and let them cloud your mind and grow and grow?  SWAT THEM AWAY!

We all have troubles. The problem is not that we have troubles, the problem is thinking that we shouldn't have troubles. 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.

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!"

GET REAL!!

"Children respond when you are genuine and vulnerable with them. So do adults. Let's cut out the pretentious nonsense and get real in everything we do."~Tom Asacker

Are you ready to cut out the "pretentious nonsense?" Really? What role have you been playing so long that you don't even recognize that it is a role and not who you really are? Start getting real in everything that you do. How would that change your life?

People respond to genuineness and vulnerability. Can you show these qualities or are you too trained never to show emotion, either good or bad? Especially in business. That used to be me. I was a stoic and never realized that I was unable to show emotion or vulnerability. I've been remembering who I was when I was me. Not that genuine stoic who I trained myself to be, but being able to be both genuine and vulnerable...and it FEELS good and bad, but it FEELS. I haven't had feelings like these for a long time.

Jonathan Swift said "May you live all the days of your life." I know that I haven't always done that. I've played a part, but not lived, not really. Is that you too? Have you lived all the days of your life or have you just mailed some in? Maybe you just didn't want to live that day. Never allow that to happen to you. You lose too much not LIVING all the days of your life!

Learn from my example. It doesn't pay to be ungenuine or unvulnerable. It's just not worth it in the long run.

"MAY YOU LIVE ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE."

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

"Children respond when you are genuine and vulnerable with them. So do adults. Let's cut out the pretentious nonsense and get real in everything we do."~

Opportunity And Danger, Two Sides Of The Same Coin

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

Are you stuck looking at the danger instead of the opportunity? Or do you only see opportunity and not the danger?

It all depends on your perceptions. Because "the reality of life is that your perceptions - right or wrong - influence everything else you do." Do you realize that? Your perceptions influence everything else that you do...So what are your perceptions? When was the last time that you examined your perceptions?

Have you ever examined them or do you just go about your day having them and reacting to them? If you have examined them, how often to you go back and examine them again? This needs to be a constant examination, but most of us prefer to just live life without thought or examination.

I can hear you saying, 'An examination was something we had to take in school, I'm done with that stuff.' If that's the case, then there will be no growth, no stretching beyond where you are now. You'll get to stay in your comfort/familiar zone and simply react to life rather than responding to life.

Take another look at your perceptions and make sure that they work for you rather than against you.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

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

My Troubles Are Going to Have Trouble With Me

"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.  

Think about how you could change your "bad hair day" or "got up on the wrong side of the bed" days with a big bat and swat them away!

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.  The key is to RESPOND rather than REACT!  It is our choice. Sometimes we have good choices and sometimes the choices are not as good, but we always have a choice.

Realize that we have a choice  on how 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!"

It's Always Been YOUR 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...

They say that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you deal with what happens to you.  Do you complain about things that happen to you?  Think about how you react or respond to things that happen to you and if you need to change how you respond to those things, start changing that NOW!

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."

Change: Your Choice How To Respond

"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 on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us."

CHANGE IS SIMPLE!! But it's not easy Things will always change, so why is it that we try to stop change, fight against it or ignore it? Some things need to change, some things don't. Allow the things that need to change to change and stop the things that don't need to change. It's that simple, but it's not easy.

Here's the thing...we have a choice as to how we respond to change. It is our choice alone, no one elses. Too often we act like we don't have a choice and we have to accept whatever comes our way. NOT!!! It is your choice, your decision, your ability to respond the way that you want to react to change. Respond with your power, with who you are!

So, manage change through your choices or be managed by change through your choice to not choose, your decision to allow life to happen TO you and be a victim of change. Don't allow who you are to become a victim of change. Rise above it. Choose to respond the way you want to respond.

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 on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us."

Not Unfair. Impartial

“Difficulties in life are constant and impartial. Not unfair. Impartial. It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face, and decide how we will carry on once they've occurred.” ~ PJ McClure

Our difficulties are not unfair, they are impartial. Wow, think about that for a minute. Kinda changes things around, doesn't it. We've always been told that "life is not fair," when it should be that "life is impartial." Now, do things still happen to us? Yes, and some of them we might classify as "bad." But remember what Shakespeare said that "there is no good or bad, only what we apply to them."

Viktor Frankl said "The one thing you can't take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one's freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance." It is up to us to choose the way we respond to any situation. Are you choosing to respond rather than react? I hope so 'cause then you are using one of the last freedoms we have.

It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face. And remember, that where you put your thoughts and energy is where you will either see the challenge or the opportunity. I hope that you are seeing the opportunity, because we all have our opportunities and it's up to us to make the most of them.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Difficulties in life are constant and impartial. Not unfair. Impartial. It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face, and decide how we will carry on once they've occurred.”

Troubles Are Going to Have Trouble With Me

Dr. Seuss Week:  Day #5 Troubles Are Going to Have Trouble With Me

"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.  How often do you fester in troubles and let them cloud your mind and grow and grow?  SWAT THEM AWAY!

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.

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!"

Don't Allow Circumstances To Dictate Your Happiness

"If we allow our emotions to be tied to the events in our lives, we have given the power of our happiness to the changing tides of circumstance."~Allen Cohen

Do you allow your emotions to be tied to the events in your life? I think we all do to some extent, but Cohen is saying that we are giving away our power and the power of our happiness if we do. Think about that. When we simply react, we are giving away our power.  You would be far better to respond rather than react.

Here's the thing. Happiness is a choice. It's not tied to anything. You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be sad or mad. Too often we tell ourselves that when this happens, then I will be happy. Sure, we're happy for a few minutes, but then the happiness fades and we need to look for the next thing to make us happy.

Too many people are waiting for someone or something to make them happy. Why? When we do that it doesn't work and we've given away our power. Happiness is YOUR CHOICE!!! Don't give it away. CHOOSE to be happy, today! You can do it! CHOOSE to be happy today!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If we allow our emotions to be tied to the events in our lives, we have given the power of our happiness to the changing tides of circumstance."

Change Is Simple, 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 on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us."

CHANGE IS SIMPLE!! But it's not easy Things will always change, so why is it that we try to stop change, fight against it or ignore it? Some things need to change, some things don't. Allow  the things that need to change to change and stop the things that don't need to change. It's that simple, but it's not easy.

Here's the thing...we have a choice as to how we respond to change. It is our choice alone, no one elses. Too often we act like we don't have a choice and we have to accept whatever comes our way. NOT!!! It is your choice, your decision, your ability to respond the way that you want to react to change. Respond with your power, with who you are!

So, manage change through your choices or be managed by change through your choice to not choose, your decision to allow life to happen TO you and be a victim of change. Don't allow who you are to become a victim of change. Rise above it. Choose to respond the way you want to respond.

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 on how we react to change. The choice really boils down to this...either we manage change, or it will manage us."

Our Difficulties In Life Are Impartial

“Difficulties in life are constant and impartial. Not unfair. Impartial. It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face, and decide how we will carry on once they've occurred.”~PJ McClure

Our difficulties are not unfair, they are impartial. Wow, think about that for a minute. Kinda changes things around, doesn't it. We've always been told that "life is not fair," when it should be that "life is impartial." Now, do things still happen to us? Yes, and some of them we might classify as "bad." But remember what Shakespeare said that "there is no good or bad, only what we apply to them."

Viktor Frankl said "The one thing you can't take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one's freedoms is to choose one's attitude in any given circumstance." It is up to us to choose the way we respond to any situation. Are you choosing to respond rather than react? I hope so 'cause then you are using one of the last freedoms we have.

It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face. And remember that where you put your thoughts and energy is where you will either see the challenge or the opportunity. I hope that you are seeing the opportunity, because we all have our opportunities and it's up to us to make the most of them.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Difficulties in life are constant and impartial. Not unfair. Impartial. It is up to us to give meaning to the challenges we face, and decide how we will carry on once they've occurred.”

Discipline Is Not A Nasty Word

“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”~Napoleon Hill

Mastery of your thoughts. How often do you control what you think about? How often do you think about what you are thinking about? It's called Metacognition and we need to do more of it. Most people just go about their lives without really thinking. The challenge is to really think about what you think about.

"Self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.” Think first and act afterward. What a novel concept! Thinking and responding rather than not thinking and then reacting.  That's the way most people do it.  They react to something instead of responding.  Responding requires thought and for most people it's just too tough.

Pat Riley said “Discipline is not a nasty word.” He is so right.

Action:
Think and respond rather than reacting. Take today to think about what you think about. It might enlighten you to as to why some things keep happening to you. Work on Self-Discipline.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.”

Day 4 Dr. Seuss: I've Brought A Big Bat

"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 troubles.  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!"

Your Attitude Is Your Choice, No One Elses!

"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...

How many times have you let something or someone ruin your attitude?  If so, you are not in charge of your attitude.  We react to something someone has said or done rather than responding.  When you react, it's instantaneous.  When you respond, it's measured and calm.  Do you react or respond?

Action:
Own the words you speak! Realize that the way you speak affects your daily life. Choose to have a good attitude.  Choose to respond rather than react.   They are 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."

Waiting For Something To Make You Happy?

"If we allow our emotions to be tied to the events in our lives, we have given the power of our happiness to the changing tides of circumstance."~Allen Cohen

Do you allow your emotions to be tied to the events in your life? I think we all do to some extent, but Cohen is saying that we are giving away our power and the power of our happiness if we do. Think about that. When we simply react, we are giving away our power.  Do you allow your emotions to be tied to changing circumstances?  Stop reacting, start responding.  There's a big difference.  Think about it.

Here's the thing. Happiness is a choice. It's not tied to anything. You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be sad. Too often we tell ourselves that when this happens, then I will be happy. Sure, we're happy for a few minutes, but then the happiness fades and we need to look for the next thing to make us happy.

Too many people are waiting for someone or something to make them happy. Why? When we do that it doesn't work and we've given away our power. Happiness is YOUR CHOICE!!! Don't give it away. Choose to be happy, today! You can do it! Choose to be happy today!!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"If we allow our emotions to be tied to the events in our lives, we have given the power of our happiness to the changing tides of circumstance."

Be Genuine And Vulnerable

"Children respond when you are genuine and vulnerable with them. So do adults. Let's cut out the pretentious nonsense and get real in everything we do."~Tom Asacker

Are you ready to cut out the "pretentious nonsense?" Really? What role have you been playing so long that you don't even recognize that it is a role and not who you really are? Start getting real in everything that you do. How would that change your life?

People respond to genuineness and vulnerability. Can you show these qualities or are you too trained never to show emotion, either good or bad? Especially in business. That used to be me. I was a stoic and never realized that I was unable to show emotion or vulnerability. I've been remembering who I was when I was me. Not that genuine stoic who I trained myself to be, but being able to be both genuine and vulnerable...and it FEELS good and bad, but it FEELS. I haven't had feelings like these for a long time.

Jonathan Swift said "May you live all the days of your life." I know that I haven't always done that. I've played a part, but not lived, not really. Is that you too? Have you lived all the days of your life or have you just mailed some in? Maybe you just didn't want to live that day. Never allow that to happen to you. You lose too much not LIVING all the days of your life!

Learn from my example. It doesn't pay to be ungenuine or unvulnerable. It's just not worth it in the long run.

"MAY YOU LIVE ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE."

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

"Children respond when you are genuine and vulnerable with them. So do adults. Let's cut out the pretentious nonsense and get real in everything we do."~