I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
News
We will be having a three hour health workshop on Saturday, January 8th from 1:00-4:00pm. With Q&A the workshop may actually last slightly longer.
I will tell you the story of how I went from being a horrifically thin 130lbs (59kgs) at six feet tall (183cm) to a healthy 235lbs (107kgs). More importantly you will learn how to take control of your health. It doesn't matter if your goal is to lose, maintain, or gain weight, the principles that I share with you can be applied to all areas.
You will also hear from my friend and workout partner. He will share his story of losing 35lbs (16kgs) in three months.
If you've ever had trouble maintaining any sort of health program, or you are stuck in your current routine, then this would be a great workshop to attend.
Here is what you will receive by attending:
-A health related goal.
-Action steps related to the goal.
-The knowledge of what was causing you to fail before.
-A guide giving you sample workout routines and nutrition plans.
The maximum number of participants is 15, so if you would love to attend please reserve early.
As mentioned previously I usually charge 200,000 won per person for similar types of workshops when I provide them for companies. However I would like to make this great information as accessible as possible to everyone so the price will be discounted 75%.
The entire 3+ hour workshop will only cost 50,000 won.
I have 13 years of experience with various sorts of workouts: Calisthenics ,Circuit training, Mixed martial arts training, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, etc.. I have dealt with coming back from and working around injuries: torn ligament, pulled lower back muscles, bicep tendonitis, tricep tendonitis, etc..I also have almost three years of personal development coaching experience.
If you would love to attend, you can register by emailing me: bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
-Patanjali
"There exists only the present instant... a Now which always and without end is itself new. There is no yesterday nor any tomorrow, but only Now, as it was a thousand years ago and as it will be a thousand years hence."
-Meister Eckhart
“A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it”
-Dogen
No thoughts from me this week. Instead, I would like you to seriously contemplate on those quotes above.
Have an incredible week.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Goals That Stretch You
News
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, January 8th: Health Workshop
Thursday, January 13th: Six Week Professional Speaking Course
We may also have a Saturday speaking course or mastermind course.
Quote
“The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.”
-Jim Rohn
My Thoughts
Last week I ended with a few questions: "If I am grateful for what I have, why do you suggest that I set goals?". "Why try to attain something I don't have?" "Won't that make me depressed because I don't have it?"
The answer to those questions is that a goal is not really about getting something, it is about who you become. This is why it is incredibly important to set goals that stretch you and force you to grow. When you set a goal you shouldn't know every detail on how you will attain it.
I'll give you a financial example. Let's suppose you currently earn $3,000 a month. You would like to earn more than that, and you find out that if you get a certain certification that you will receive a guaranteed 15% pay raise. So you will get an extra $450 a month. You set a goal to finish that certification within six months. However, no matter how hard you try you just can't bring yourself to finish it. Why? You've stated that you want to earn more money and here is an opportunity to do it and you can't finish it.
Why?
Many people will point to laziness. However that is usually not the correct answer. It has to do more with emotion. Now what if you found out that if you finished that certification within the next two weeks your pay would triple? Most people would probably stay up all night studying and make major sacrifices to finish that certification. The reason is $9,000 a month gets people a lot more excited than $3,450 a month.
The point here is instead of setting a small goal that you immediately know how to achieve, set a goal that inspires you. How much money would you love to earn.......and don't think about how you will do it? How much? Maybe the answer is $25,000 a month, you now have yourself a financial goal. You most likely have no idea of how you are going to get from your current monthly earnings to $25,000 a month. This will cause you to grow and really develop yourself in ways that you couldn't possibly imagine.
Perhaps money doesn't excite you. Maybe it's health related. Let me give you another example. Most people in January set some sort of health goal. 95% of people give up on that goal by February. Why? Once again it would appear laziness is the obvious answer. However it's the same answer as above. It's emotion.
Most people set a goal to lose a few pounds, or cut back on eating fast food, or give up smoking....there are two problems with these:
1. Negative words in the goal: Lose, give up, etc...Your goal should be positively stated. Ex: instead of lose weight put what weight you want to be at.
2. Emotion.
So let's suppose we have someone that weighs 220lbs (100kgs) and is 25% bodyfat. He decides he wants to lose a few pounds. He starts off well, but give up less than a month in. Maybe he starts again before summer but fails again.
Now let's suppose someone else with the same stats decides he wants to look like someone from some movie, or maybe an athlete. He doesn't know how he's going to do this. He has no clue about nutrition, workouts, rest, etc.. After some research he finds out he will have to get his bodyfat down to 10% which means he will have to lose about 40lbs(18kgs). Not just 40lbs of total weight, he will have to focus on maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. Not an easy feat. This person is sure to grow from this experience and he will have a better chance of success. Why? Because it is much more emotionally exciting than simply losing a few pounds.
I will cover all of this in detail at the January 8th workshop.
So, when you set a goal do not think about what you can attain. Ask yourself: "What do I really want?". As Bob Proctor said your goal should scare and excite you at the same time.
Have an incredible week and a great Christmas.
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, January 8th: Health Workshop
Thursday, January 13th: Six Week Professional Speaking Course
We may also have a Saturday speaking course or mastermind course.
Quote
“The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.”
-Jim Rohn
My Thoughts
Last week I ended with a few questions: "If I am grateful for what I have, why do you suggest that I set goals?". "Why try to attain something I don't have?" "Won't that make me depressed because I don't have it?"
The answer to those questions is that a goal is not really about getting something, it is about who you become. This is why it is incredibly important to set goals that stretch you and force you to grow. When you set a goal you shouldn't know every detail on how you will attain it.
I'll give you a financial example. Let's suppose you currently earn $3,000 a month. You would like to earn more than that, and you find out that if you get a certain certification that you will receive a guaranteed 15% pay raise. So you will get an extra $450 a month. You set a goal to finish that certification within six months. However, no matter how hard you try you just can't bring yourself to finish it. Why? You've stated that you want to earn more money and here is an opportunity to do it and you can't finish it.
Why?
Many people will point to laziness. However that is usually not the correct answer. It has to do more with emotion. Now what if you found out that if you finished that certification within the next two weeks your pay would triple? Most people would probably stay up all night studying and make major sacrifices to finish that certification. The reason is $9,000 a month gets people a lot more excited than $3,450 a month.
The point here is instead of setting a small goal that you immediately know how to achieve, set a goal that inspires you. How much money would you love to earn.......and don't think about how you will do it? How much? Maybe the answer is $25,000 a month, you now have yourself a financial goal. You most likely have no idea of how you are going to get from your current monthly earnings to $25,000 a month. This will cause you to grow and really develop yourself in ways that you couldn't possibly imagine.
Perhaps money doesn't excite you. Maybe it's health related. Let me give you another example. Most people in January set some sort of health goal. 95% of people give up on that goal by February. Why? Once again it would appear laziness is the obvious answer. However it's the same answer as above. It's emotion.
Most people set a goal to lose a few pounds, or cut back on eating fast food, or give up smoking....there are two problems with these:
1. Negative words in the goal: Lose, give up, etc...Your goal should be positively stated. Ex: instead of lose weight put what weight you want to be at.
2. Emotion.
So let's suppose we have someone that weighs 220lbs (100kgs) and is 25% bodyfat. He decides he wants to lose a few pounds. He starts off well, but give up less than a month in. Maybe he starts again before summer but fails again.
Now let's suppose someone else with the same stats decides he wants to look like someone from some movie, or maybe an athlete. He doesn't know how he's going to do this. He has no clue about nutrition, workouts, rest, etc.. After some research he finds out he will have to get his bodyfat down to 10% which means he will have to lose about 40lbs(18kgs). Not just 40lbs of total weight, he will have to focus on maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. Not an easy feat. This person is sure to grow from this experience and he will have a better chance of success. Why? Because it is much more emotionally exciting than simply losing a few pounds.
I will cover all of this in detail at the January 8th workshop.
So, when you set a goal do not think about what you can attain. Ask yourself: "What do I really want?". As Bob Proctor said your goal should scare and excite you at the same time.
Have an incredible week and a great Christmas.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Gratitude
News
Some upcoming events to think about:
Saturday, January 8th: Health Workshop
Thursday, January 13th: Six Week Professional Speaking Course
We may also have a Saturday speaking course or mastermind course.
Quote
"I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet."
-Persian Proverb possibly from the poet Sa'di
My Thoughts
Do you find yourself often complaining about what you don't have? Or complaining about the situation you are in?
This quote is reminding us to be grateful for what we do have. Remember to ask yourself the question "Compared to what?".
For example: I am poor/My life is horrible/The economy is bad/etc...So ask: I am poor...compared to what?/My life is horrible....compared to what?/The economy is bad....compared to what?
This can help you switch your perception.
Ex:
A: I am poor.
B: Compared to what?
A: Compared to everyone around me making xxxxx.
B: What about if you changed comparisons? Perhaps compare yourself with the homeless person you see outside the subway every morning. Are you poor compared to him?
Be grateful for everything that you have. I encourage you to write down at least ten things you are grateful for every day. Try it out for the next 30 days straight and see how it changes you. I did this for 90 days straight last year and the change was phenomenal.
By the way, I am not suggesting you completely downplay or ignore your current situation, but it helps when you put it into perspective. Things tend not to be as bad as we think.
Now you may wonder "If I am grateful for what I have, why do you suggest that I set goals?". "Why try to attain something I don't have?" "Won't that make me depressed because I don't have it?"
Great questions.
I will answer those in next week's message.
Have an awesome week.
Some upcoming events to think about:
Saturday, January 8th: Health Workshop
Thursday, January 13th: Six Week Professional Speaking Course
We may also have a Saturday speaking course or mastermind course.
Quote
"I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet."
-Persian Proverb possibly from the poet Sa'di
My Thoughts
Do you find yourself often complaining about what you don't have? Or complaining about the situation you are in?
This quote is reminding us to be grateful for what we do have. Remember to ask yourself the question "Compared to what?".
For example: I am poor/My life is horrible/The economy is bad/etc...So ask: I am poor...compared to what?/My life is horrible....compared to what?/The economy is bad....compared to what?
This can help you switch your perception.
Ex:
A: I am poor.
B: Compared to what?
A: Compared to everyone around me making xxxxx.
B: What about if you changed comparisons? Perhaps compare yourself with the homeless person you see outside the subway every morning. Are you poor compared to him?
Be grateful for everything that you have. I encourage you to write down at least ten things you are grateful for every day. Try it out for the next 30 days straight and see how it changes you. I did this for 90 days straight last year and the change was phenomenal.
By the way, I am not suggesting you completely downplay or ignore your current situation, but it helps when you put it into perspective. Things tend not to be as bad as we think.
Now you may wonder "If I am grateful for what I have, why do you suggest that I set goals?". "Why try to attain something I don't have?" "Won't that make me depressed because I don't have it?"
Great questions.
I will answer those in next week's message.
Have an awesome week.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Focusing on Thoughts
Hello Everyone,
I hope you had an outstanding weekend.
News
No updates for this week.
Quote
"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. "
-Henry David Thoreau
My Thoughts
You have probably had thoughts that could have made you a millionaire, and/or thoughts that could have helped millions of people and changed the world. So what happened? Did you hold on to those thoughts? Did you focus on them? Did you write them down? Did you imprint those thoughts into the very core of who you are? The answer for most people is of course, no. The thoughts show up and you may think about them for a day or two and then it's gone replaced by something else.
In order to really create something, we must think about it over and over and over again. However, simply thinking about something won't really change much, we must act. Action is the key.
Which brings me to a slightly controversial point. But I offer you this as perhaps a chance to shift your perception. This is about one of the founders of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. I have not seen the movie "The Social Network", but I have heard about it so much over the last two months that I feel like I have. From what I understand, the movie doesn't portray a flattering picture of Mark Zuckeberg. Now I have never met this man, but I will tell you how incredibly easy it is to depict people however you want them to be seen - many news programs are incredibly good at doing with stories as well. Remember, if there are bad things about Zuckerberg and Facebook then there must also be good things. Have Zuckerberg and Facebook done any good for the world?
Think back over your own life for a moment. Now what if I went around and asked people about you? However what if I made sure to mainly ask the people that don't like you for one reason or another? I would then easily be able to make you look not so good.
My point is all of us have done things in the past that maybe we could have handled better had we known more facts. So do I know 100% if Zuckeberg is a great guy? No. Do I know 100% if he's a bad guy? No. I am sure he has his better points and not so better points. Many people will say but he should be, or could be doing better. Could he be doing better? Maybe. But the question I propose to you is could you be doing better? Possibly. Could I be doing better? Definitely.
What does any of this have to do with Thoreau's quote?
The reason I use Zuckerberg's story is because it's very recent. I could have done the same with other big businesses(which many people consider "evil") such as: Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Apple, etc... You see Zuckerberg had an idea, one that he thought about, one that he focused on, and of course one that he took action on. Other people may or may not have had his idea or a similar idea, but only one of them moved quickly. It's been said that when you get a great idea, never assume that you are the only one that has had that idea and that someone somewhere could be working on the very same idea.
To sum this up, if you have an idea that excites you, you must capture it. It can not be a fleeting thought. Write it down. Think about often. Take whatever action you can.
Have an amazing week.
Bob
I hope you had an outstanding weekend.
News
No updates for this week.
Quote
"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. "
-Henry David Thoreau
My Thoughts
You have probably had thoughts that could have made you a millionaire, and/or thoughts that could have helped millions of people and changed the world. So what happened? Did you hold on to those thoughts? Did you focus on them? Did you write them down? Did you imprint those thoughts into the very core of who you are? The answer for most people is of course, no. The thoughts show up and you may think about them for a day or two and then it's gone replaced by something else.
In order to really create something, we must think about it over and over and over again. However, simply thinking about something won't really change much, we must act. Action is the key.
Which brings me to a slightly controversial point. But I offer you this as perhaps a chance to shift your perception. This is about one of the founders of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. I have not seen the movie "The Social Network", but I have heard about it so much over the last two months that I feel like I have. From what I understand, the movie doesn't portray a flattering picture of Mark Zuckeberg. Now I have never met this man, but I will tell you how incredibly easy it is to depict people however you want them to be seen - many news programs are incredibly good at doing with stories as well. Remember, if there are bad things about Zuckerberg and Facebook then there must also be good things. Have Zuckerberg and Facebook done any good for the world?
Think back over your own life for a moment. Now what if I went around and asked people about you? However what if I made sure to mainly ask the people that don't like you for one reason or another? I would then easily be able to make you look not so good.
My point is all of us have done things in the past that maybe we could have handled better had we known more facts. So do I know 100% if Zuckeberg is a great guy? No. Do I know 100% if he's a bad guy? No. I am sure he has his better points and not so better points. Many people will say but he should be, or could be doing better. Could he be doing better? Maybe. But the question I propose to you is could you be doing better? Possibly. Could I be doing better? Definitely.
What does any of this have to do with Thoreau's quote?
The reason I use Zuckerberg's story is because it's very recent. I could have done the same with other big businesses(which many people consider "evil") such as: Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Apple, etc... You see Zuckerberg had an idea, one that he thought about, one that he focused on, and of course one that he took action on. Other people may or may not have had his idea or a similar idea, but only one of them moved quickly. It's been said that when you get a great idea, never assume that you are the only one that has had that idea and that someone somewhere could be working on the very same idea.
To sum this up, if you have an idea that excites you, you must capture it. It can not be a fleeting thought. Write it down. Think about often. Take whatever action you can.
Have an amazing week.
Bob
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Changing the Inevitable
News
No new updates for this week.
Quote
"Thinkers do not accept the inevitable; they turn their efforts toward changing it."
-Paramahansa Yogananda
My Thoughts
This week I've decided to share this with you:
Why Is Life So Full of Tests?
by Paramahansa Yogananda,
Inner Culture, April 1941
Through tests we learn life’s lessons. Tests are not meant to crush us: They are to develop our powers. They come through the natural law of progress and are necessary for us to advance from lower to higher steps.
Mind is the source of all your troubles and all your happiness. You really are stronger than all your tests. If you don’t realize it now, you will have to realize it later. God has given you the power to control your mind and body and thus be free from pain and sorrow. Never say, “I am through.” Do not poison your mind by thinking that if you walk a little more you will over-exert yourself, or if you cannot get certain foods you will suffer, and so on.
Never allow your mind to entertain thoughts of illness or limitation: You will see your body change for the better. Remember that mind is the power that is creating this body, and if the mind is weak, the body becomes weak. Don’t grieve or worry about anything.
If you strengthen your mind, you will not feel bodily pains. No matter what happens, you must be absolutely free in your mind. As in a dream, you may think that you are ill but, awakened by a slap, you see it is not true. So in the state of wakefulness you must know that this life is also nothing but a dream. Mind has no connection with the body apart from what connection you give it. When your mind can completely remain apart from the body at will, you will be free. Remember that you are immortal.
In order to pass life’s tests, you will need rejuvenation in both body and mind. You will need to develop elasticity of the mind. If you can’t meet life’s tests, you will be helpless when trials and tribulations come.
At times life seems to be a cruel game. The only justification for it is that in reality it is only a dream. You have had many experiences through many incarnations and you will have others in future incarnations, but they should not frighten you. You must play all parts in the motion picture of life, inwardly saying, “I am Spirit.” This is the great consolation that wisdom gives us.
Realize the presence of the Infinite. Behold God, your own Father, your own Spirit, behind the shadows. In your heart of hearts realize this, no matter what your impulses dictate. Let nothing sit on the throne of your heart but God. If you love God’s creation more than God, you will be disillusioned. God must be first, last, and always. Do not follow the dictates of this earthly dreamland, for dreams sometimes turn into nightmares. Break this dream delusion by waking in God, and you will be safe forever.
------------------
Have a wonderful week.
No new updates for this week.
Quote
"Thinkers do not accept the inevitable; they turn their efforts toward changing it."
-Paramahansa Yogananda
My Thoughts
This week I've decided to share this with you:
Why Is Life So Full of Tests?
by Paramahansa Yogananda,
Inner Culture, April 1941
Through tests we learn life’s lessons. Tests are not meant to crush us: They are to develop our powers. They come through the natural law of progress and are necessary for us to advance from lower to higher steps.
Mind is the source of all your troubles and all your happiness. You really are stronger than all your tests. If you don’t realize it now, you will have to realize it later. God has given you the power to control your mind and body and thus be free from pain and sorrow. Never say, “I am through.” Do not poison your mind by thinking that if you walk a little more you will over-exert yourself, or if you cannot get certain foods you will suffer, and so on.
Never allow your mind to entertain thoughts of illness or limitation: You will see your body change for the better. Remember that mind is the power that is creating this body, and if the mind is weak, the body becomes weak. Don’t grieve or worry about anything.
If you strengthen your mind, you will not feel bodily pains. No matter what happens, you must be absolutely free in your mind. As in a dream, you may think that you are ill but, awakened by a slap, you see it is not true. So in the state of wakefulness you must know that this life is also nothing but a dream. Mind has no connection with the body apart from what connection you give it. When your mind can completely remain apart from the body at will, you will be free. Remember that you are immortal.
In order to pass life’s tests, you will need rejuvenation in both body and mind. You will need to develop elasticity of the mind. If you can’t meet life’s tests, you will be helpless when trials and tribulations come.
At times life seems to be a cruel game. The only justification for it is that in reality it is only a dream. You have had many experiences through many incarnations and you will have others in future incarnations, but they should not frighten you. You must play all parts in the motion picture of life, inwardly saying, “I am Spirit.” This is the great consolation that wisdom gives us.
Realize the presence of the Infinite. Behold God, your own Father, your own Spirit, behind the shadows. In your heart of hearts realize this, no matter what your impulses dictate. Let nothing sit on the throne of your heart but God. If you love God’s creation more than God, you will be disillusioned. God must be first, last, and always. Do not follow the dictates of this earthly dreamland, for dreams sometimes turn into nightmares. Break this dream delusion by waking in God, and you will be safe forever.
------------------
Have a wonderful week.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Reputation
I hope you had a wonderful weekend.
News
We will be having a three hour health workshop on Sunday, November 28th from 1:00-4:00pm. With Q&A the workshop may actually last to 4:30pm.
I will tell you the story of how I went from being a horrifically thin 130lbs (59kgs) at six feet tall (183cm) to a healthy 235lbs (107kgs). It doesn't matter if your goal is to lose, maintain, or gain weight, the principles that I share with you can be applied to all areas.
You will also hear from my friend and workout partner. He will share his story of losing 35lbs (16kgs) in three months.
If you've ever had trouble maintaining any sort of health program, or you are stuck in your current routine, then this would be a great workshop to attend.
Here is what you will receive by attending:
-A health related goal.
-Action steps related to the goal.
-The knowledge of what was causing you to fail before.
-A guide giving you sample workout routines and nutrition plans.
I am limiting the amount of participants to 12 to add more personal interaction to the workshop.
As mentioned previously I usually charge 200,000 won per person for similar types of workshops when I provide them for companies. However I would like to make this great information as accessible as possible to everyone so the price will be discounted 75%. The entire 3+ hour workshop will only cost 50,000 won.
I have 13 years of experience with various sorts of workouts: Calisthenics ,Circuit training, Mixed martial arts training, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, etc.. I have dealt with coming back from and working around injuries: torn ligament, pulled lower back muscle, bicep tendonitis, tricep tendonitis, etc..I also have almost three years of personal development coaching experience.
If you would like attend, you can register by emailing me: bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
“You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
-Henry Ford
My Thoughts
I heard Brian Tracy once mention that 80% of people live on a place called "Someday Isle". Someday I'll lose weight, Someday I'll start my business, etc... The people of the world that really make a difference are those that take action. They do what they say they will do. They follow through. These people build up a reputation and inspire others not only with words but with their actions. Anyone can say they will start something, but to actually do it is another matter all together.
For example: I have many acquaintances that will call me up or email me around January 1st. They all tell me the same thing. Can you guess what it is? Probably. They all tell me that this year they are going to lose weight. Or that they are going to take control of their health. Honestly, they sound really motivated and many of them have all of these great ideas in place. Of course where most of them come up short is following through on the talk. By spring almost all of them have given up the pursuit of a healthier body.
My father on the other hand has done quite an impressive job. I saw him in March of 2009 and he had put on quite a bit of weight since the last time I saw him in 2005. As a matter of fact he was over 250lbs (114kgs) at 5'11"(180cm). We talked a lot the week I saw him and he was inspired to make a serious change regarding his weight and health. After I left he found out that he was pre-diabetic and had a host of other medical problems.
Well we talked more on the phone and through email over the last 18 months. He is now down to 186lbs (84kgs) and he is no longer pre-diabetic. He will be 57 years old in December. Quite an impressive change.
If you find yourself stuck on Someday Isle the great news is you can leave. How? By making a decision to do something and then taking action. As you take more action and keep going you will build up momentum. Eventually the steps you are taking will turn into success habits.
If you want to see some amazing stories of people that have built enormous reputations, I suggest you watch:
http://www.bloomberg.com/tv/shows/game-changers/
Thanks goes to Jamal Grimes for making me aware of that program.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Have an outstanding week.
News
We will be having a three hour health workshop on Sunday, November 28th from 1:00-4:00pm. With Q&A the workshop may actually last to 4:30pm.
I will tell you the story of how I went from being a horrifically thin 130lbs (59kgs) at six feet tall (183cm) to a healthy 235lbs (107kgs). It doesn't matter if your goal is to lose, maintain, or gain weight, the principles that I share with you can be applied to all areas.
You will also hear from my friend and workout partner. He will share his story of losing 35lbs (16kgs) in three months.
If you've ever had trouble maintaining any sort of health program, or you are stuck in your current routine, then this would be a great workshop to attend.
Here is what you will receive by attending:
-A health related goal.
-Action steps related to the goal.
-The knowledge of what was causing you to fail before.
-A guide giving you sample workout routines and nutrition plans.
I am limiting the amount of participants to 12 to add more personal interaction to the workshop.
As mentioned previously I usually charge 200,000 won per person for similar types of workshops when I provide them for companies. However I would like to make this great information as accessible as possible to everyone so the price will be discounted 75%. The entire 3+ hour workshop will only cost 50,000 won.
I have 13 years of experience with various sorts of workouts: Calisthenics ,Circuit training, Mixed martial arts training, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, etc.. I have dealt with coming back from and working around injuries: torn ligament, pulled lower back muscle, bicep tendonitis, tricep tendonitis, etc..I also have almost three years of personal development coaching experience.
If you would like attend, you can register by emailing me: bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
“You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do.”
-Henry Ford
My Thoughts
I heard Brian Tracy once mention that 80% of people live on a place called "Someday Isle". Someday I'll lose weight, Someday I'll start my business, etc... The people of the world that really make a difference are those that take action. They do what they say they will do. They follow through. These people build up a reputation and inspire others not only with words but with their actions. Anyone can say they will start something, but to actually do it is another matter all together.
For example: I have many acquaintances that will call me up or email me around January 1st. They all tell me the same thing. Can you guess what it is? Probably. They all tell me that this year they are going to lose weight. Or that they are going to take control of their health. Honestly, they sound really motivated and many of them have all of these great ideas in place. Of course where most of them come up short is following through on the talk. By spring almost all of them have given up the pursuit of a healthier body.
My father on the other hand has done quite an impressive job. I saw him in March of 2009 and he had put on quite a bit of weight since the last time I saw him in 2005. As a matter of fact he was over 250lbs (114kgs) at 5'11"(180cm). We talked a lot the week I saw him and he was inspired to make a serious change regarding his weight and health. After I left he found out that he was pre-diabetic and had a host of other medical problems.
Well we talked more on the phone and through email over the last 18 months. He is now down to 186lbs (84kgs) and he is no longer pre-diabetic. He will be 57 years old in December. Quite an impressive change.
If you find yourself stuck on Someday Isle the great news is you can leave. How? By making a decision to do something and then taking action. As you take more action and keep going you will build up momentum. Eventually the steps you are taking will turn into success habits.
If you want to see some amazing stories of people that have built enormous reputations, I suggest you watch:
http://www.bloomberg.com/tv/shows/game-changers/
Thanks goes to Jamal Grimes for making me aware of that program.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Have an outstanding week.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Doing What You Love
I hope you had a great weekend.
News
Mark your calendars for the afternoon of Sunday, November 28th. One Amazing Life will be having a workshop that you won't want to miss. More details soon.
Quote
"I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate."
-George Burns
My Thoughts
Did you ever notice that when you do something you dislike only five minutes pass and it feels like an hour? You wonder if it will ever end. Yet when you do something you love hours pass and it feels like it has only been five minutes. You may wonder where the time went.
When you do something you love it doesn't feel like work. It is easier to finish what you start. Why? Because it is a part of who you are. You are actually not doing something you are being it. But when you are doing something that you don't love it becomes very difficult to finish tasks. It may take you days to accomplish something that realistically could have been done in hours. Others may say you are lazy, but oftentimes laziness is not the root cause, it's a lack of passion.
This is why it is so important to figure out what your passion is and then begin to take action on moving in that direction. The fascinating thing is many people deep down inside know what they are passionate about, however they have repressed that passion for so long it may take some digging to find.
So I encourage all of you to spend some time this week searching for your passion. If you know it, or once you find it, ask yourself some questions:
"What is holding me back from pursuing this?"
"What is preventing me from doing what I truly love?"
"What would my life be like if actually did what I love?"
"What step(s) could I take now to move me in the direction of this passion?"
Be honest with yourself, you may be surprised at what you find.
I hope you have an awesome week.
News
Mark your calendars for the afternoon of Sunday, November 28th. One Amazing Life will be having a workshop that you won't want to miss. More details soon.
Quote
"I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate."
-George Burns
My Thoughts
Did you ever notice that when you do something you dislike only five minutes pass and it feels like an hour? You wonder if it will ever end. Yet when you do something you love hours pass and it feels like it has only been five minutes. You may wonder where the time went.
When you do something you love it doesn't feel like work. It is easier to finish what you start. Why? Because it is a part of who you are. You are actually not doing something you are being it. But when you are doing something that you don't love it becomes very difficult to finish tasks. It may take you days to accomplish something that realistically could have been done in hours. Others may say you are lazy, but oftentimes laziness is not the root cause, it's a lack of passion.
This is why it is so important to figure out what your passion is and then begin to take action on moving in that direction. The fascinating thing is many people deep down inside know what they are passionate about, however they have repressed that passion for so long it may take some digging to find.
So I encourage all of you to spend some time this week searching for your passion. If you know it, or once you find it, ask yourself some questions:
"What is holding me back from pursuing this?"
"What is preventing me from doing what I truly love?"
"What would my life be like if actually did what I love?"
"What step(s) could I take now to move me in the direction of this passion?"
Be honest with yourself, you may be surprised at what you find.
I hope you have an awesome week.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Getting Started
I hope you had a wonderful weekend.
News
There are still a few spots open for the six week professional speaking course starting on Wednesday, November 10th at 7:30pm.
Here are more details on what we will discuss.
Week 1
Beliefs about yourself
Cultural differences between Western and Eastern audiences.
Audience Issues
How to connect with the four different types of people found in any audience.<--This will also help you at work, in relationships, with friends, etc..
What happens if you don't connect with these people.
Examples of how to do an impromptu speech.
Each student delivers a very short unprepared speech.
Week 2
The five steps for creating a professional speech.<--these are the steps I use when creating seminars/workshops
Examples of what usually happens during those steps.
Students will deliver a 5 minute prepared speech.
Evaluations will be given (not only from me but from different participants as well).
Students will deliver a 1-2 minute impromptu speech.
Week 3
The nine different types of introductions.
Examples of each, plus which ones I like best.
Then we go into the prepared speeches and impromptu speeches.
Evaluations.
Week 4
We discuss fears and your strengths and weaknesses as a speaker.
How to increase your strengths and overcome your perceived weaknesses.
Prepared and impromptu speeches.
Evaluations.
Week 5
We review the body of the speech and how to keep the audience engaged.
We review some professional speakers speeches and break them down.
Prepared and impromptu speeches.
Evaluations
Week 6
How to end your speech strongly.
For this class (or part of week 5 and this week) each student will deliver a 10 minute speech.
The impromptu speeches for the last two weeks will be a bit more difficult.
Evaluations.
Each class will last two hours, although the last class may be slightly longer.
What you will get by attending this course:
1. Build self confidence and greatly reduce your fear of speaking in public.
2. Learn how to prepare content and connect with any audience.
3. Increased leadership skills.
4. Understand how to effectively deliver you message.
5. Potential to get promoted in whatever field you are in.
- Whether you run your own business or work for a company, you need to become very proficient at speaking in front of people. Why? Because great speakers tend to rise to the top of whatever field they are in. All of the executives I work with are all great speakers. Think about it, most people that see someone who is great at speaking in front of large audiences automatically assume that person is great at everything they do.
Basically I am giving you everything I've learned and experienced up to this point as a speaker. As I mentioned previously I was trained from two graduates of the Bill Gove Speech workshop which has had 23 graduates inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame. The Bill Gove workshop lasts three days and costs $4000 to attend and of course you have to add on airfare and hotel+food costs.
I normally charge at least 100,000 won per hour for this type of training however I wanted to make this service more widely available so the price has been reduced by 75%.
So instead of paying 1,200,000 won, the fee for the entire 12 hour course is only 300,000 won.
I am not sure when I will be doing this course again.
To register for the course, or if you have further questions, please email me at bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
"You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."
-Les Brown
My Thoughts
When asked why they aren't pursuing their dream most people respond with they are waiting.
Waiting for what you may ask? Typically it's money, or time, or knowledge, or skills, or approval. The list goes on and on. The problem with this "I'm not ready yet" type of thinking is that you will never be ready.
The time will never be right.
Forty years could pass and you will look back and think if only I had done this or that. If you see an opportunity related to your growth you must take it.
One thing I was told by my mentors is to do it afraid. Since fear of something is what holds most people back you will need to face your fear(s) and do it afraid. Will you be nervous? Yes. Will you make mistakes? Of course. Will people criticize you? Definitely. Will you feel like giving up? Sure. However, this is all part of the process of growth.
Everyone that is an expert in their field once started out a novice. Through desire, practice, dedication, persistence, action, and experience these people have progressed to the top of their field. It certainly didn't happen by accident.
So remember you will make mistakes as you progress and that is okay. Look at your mistakes, your setbacks, and your failures as learning experiences. Please don't wait until everything is perfect in order for you to start out towards your dream because that time will never come. Take whatever action you can take at this moment. Do it afraid.
Have an incredible week.
News
There are still a few spots open for the six week professional speaking course starting on Wednesday, November 10th at 7:30pm.
Here are more details on what we will discuss.
Week 1
Beliefs about yourself
Cultural differences between Western and Eastern audiences.
Audience Issues
How to connect with the four different types of people found in any audience.<--This will also help you at work, in relationships, with friends, etc..
What happens if you don't connect with these people.
Examples of how to do an impromptu speech.
Each student delivers a very short unprepared speech.
Week 2
The five steps for creating a professional speech.<--these are the steps I use when creating seminars/workshops
Examples of what usually happens during those steps.
Students will deliver a 5 minute prepared speech.
Evaluations will be given (not only from me but from different participants as well).
Students will deliver a 1-2 minute impromptu speech.
Week 3
The nine different types of introductions.
Examples of each, plus which ones I like best.
Then we go into the prepared speeches and impromptu speeches.
Evaluations.
Week 4
We discuss fears and your strengths and weaknesses as a speaker.
How to increase your strengths and overcome your perceived weaknesses.
Prepared and impromptu speeches.
Evaluations.
Week 5
We review the body of the speech and how to keep the audience engaged.
We review some professional speakers speeches and break them down.
Prepared and impromptu speeches.
Evaluations
Week 6
How to end your speech strongly.
For this class (or part of week 5 and this week) each student will deliver a 10 minute speech.
The impromptu speeches for the last two weeks will be a bit more difficult.
Evaluations.
Each class will last two hours, although the last class may be slightly longer.
What you will get by attending this course:
1. Build self confidence and greatly reduce your fear of speaking in public.
2. Learn how to prepare content and connect with any audience.
3. Increased leadership skills.
4. Understand how to effectively deliver you message.
5. Potential to get promoted in whatever field you are in.
- Whether you run your own business or work for a company, you need to become very proficient at speaking in front of people. Why? Because great speakers tend to rise to the top of whatever field they are in. All of the executives I work with are all great speakers. Think about it, most people that see someone who is great at speaking in front of large audiences automatically assume that person is great at everything they do.
Basically I am giving you everything I've learned and experienced up to this point as a speaker. As I mentioned previously I was trained from two graduates of the Bill Gove Speech workshop which has had 23 graduates inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame. The Bill Gove workshop lasts three days and costs $4000 to attend and of course you have to add on airfare and hotel+food costs.
I normally charge at least 100,000 won per hour for this type of training however I wanted to make this service more widely available so the price has been reduced by 75%.
So instead of paying 1,200,000 won, the fee for the entire 12 hour course is only 300,000 won.
I am not sure when I will be doing this course again.
To register for the course, or if you have further questions, please email me at bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
"You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."
-Les Brown
My Thoughts
When asked why they aren't pursuing their dream most people respond with they are waiting.
Waiting for what you may ask? Typically it's money, or time, or knowledge, or skills, or approval. The list goes on and on. The problem with this "I'm not ready yet" type of thinking is that you will never be ready.
The time will never be right.
Forty years could pass and you will look back and think if only I had done this or that. If you see an opportunity related to your growth you must take it.
One thing I was told by my mentors is to do it afraid. Since fear of something is what holds most people back you will need to face your fear(s) and do it afraid. Will you be nervous? Yes. Will you make mistakes? Of course. Will people criticize you? Definitely. Will you feel like giving up? Sure. However, this is all part of the process of growth.
Everyone that is an expert in their field once started out a novice. Through desire, practice, dedication, persistence, action, and experience these people have progressed to the top of their field. It certainly didn't happen by accident.
So remember you will make mistakes as you progress and that is okay. Look at your mistakes, your setbacks, and your failures as learning experiences. Please don't wait until everything is perfect in order for you to start out towards your dream because that time will never come. Take whatever action you can take at this moment. Do it afraid.
Have an incredible week.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Fears
I've decided that I will start posting news updates for One Amazing Life in here as well.
I hope you had an amazing weekend.
News
I've decided to change things around a bit. The mastermind course will be postponed.
Instead I am going to offer a six week professional speaking course.
It will start Wednesday, November 10th at 7:30pm and finish on Wednesday, December 15th.
Each class will last for two hours.
For those that are not familiar with my speaking background, here is some information:
-My two year coaching certification included training in professional speaking from two professional speakers certified through the Bill Gove speech workshop. This is the best school to attend if you want to become a professional speaker.
-I have prepared and conducted numerous 1-4 hour seminars/workshops for individuals, companies, universities, etc..
-I currently teach a Presentation Skills course to Korea University's Executive MBA program.
-I also teach professional speaking/presentation skills to a VP and a CMO at two of Korea's largest companies.
-I placed first out of a field of 50 in a presentation competition done for the US Army.
Some benefits of attending this course:
-Build self confidence and greatly reduce your fear of speaking in public.
-Learn how to prepare content and connect with any audience.
-Increased leadership skills.
-Understand how to effectively deliver you message.
-Potential to get promoted in whatever field you are in.
I am also a member of Toastmasters. Toastmasters is a great way to bring your public speaking level up to a competent level and I highly encourage you to visit a meeting sometime. I am a member of KH Toastmasters here in Korea. You can check out their website here:
http://khtoastmasters.com
However, Toastmasters can only take you so far. This course takes you to a whole different level.
My normal fee for this is a minimum of 100,000 won an hour. In this case this course would normally run 1,200,000 won.
However, I want to make this as accessible as possible to everyone so the entire 12 hour course will cost only 300,000 won. That is a savings of 75%.
I am also limiting the group size to eight people.
By the way, you do not have to have any experience in public speaking to attend this course.
Here is an example of week 1:
Audience Issues
How to connect with the four different types of people found in any audience.<--This will also help you at work, in relationships, with friends, etc..
What happens if you don't connect with these people.
Examples of how to do an unscripted speech.
Each student delivers a very short unprepared speech.
etc..
If you notice almost all leaders in any organization also tend to be great speakers. It doesn't happen by accident. So if you would like to greatly enhance your professional speaking abilities send me an email here:
bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
"You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live."
-George Bernard Shaw
My Thoughts
Many times people get so caught up in fearful thinking that it paralyzes their ability to move forward and make progress. Of course there are many types of fear, but I think fear of poverty really clouds many people thinking. It keeps people working at jobs they dislike for years and years hoping that one day luck will somehow find them and they will be rich or at least doing something they like.
Fear can inhibit our ability to reason properly. For example: I have a fear of spiders. Now I know logically that a non-poisonous spider will do no harm to me. However, if a spider were crawling up my arm I would run out of the room, screaming like a little child. Of course this is a very unreasonable reaction.
The same thing happens when you have a fear of poverty, or a fear of what others may say, or a fear of failure. You actually talk yourself into staying at a job you dislike doing work that you hate for a boss you can't stand. And the funny thing is you think it's reasonable.
What do I recommend?
Stop focusing on the fear and start focusing on what you want to do. What inspires you? What are you passionate about? As Steve Jobs said back in 2008 (paraphrased) "If you were going to die today would you be doing what your about to do?".
I am not saying it's easy to follow your heart, but I guarantee you will feel more alive.
When was the last time you really felt alive?
Have a great week.
Until next time...
I hope you had an amazing weekend.
News
I've decided to change things around a bit. The mastermind course will be postponed.
Instead I am going to offer a six week professional speaking course.
It will start Wednesday, November 10th at 7:30pm and finish on Wednesday, December 15th.
Each class will last for two hours.
For those that are not familiar with my speaking background, here is some information:
-My two year coaching certification included training in professional speaking from two professional speakers certified through the Bill Gove speech workshop. This is the best school to attend if you want to become a professional speaker.
-I have prepared and conducted numerous 1-4 hour seminars/workshops for individuals, companies, universities, etc..
-I currently teach a Presentation Skills course to Korea University's Executive MBA program.
-I also teach professional speaking/presentation skills to a VP and a CMO at two of Korea's largest companies.
-I placed first out of a field of 50 in a presentation competition done for the US Army.
Some benefits of attending this course:
-Build self confidence and greatly reduce your fear of speaking in public.
-Learn how to prepare content and connect with any audience.
-Increased leadership skills.
-Understand how to effectively deliver you message.
-Potential to get promoted in whatever field you are in.
I am also a member of Toastmasters. Toastmasters is a great way to bring your public speaking level up to a competent level and I highly encourage you to visit a meeting sometime. I am a member of KH Toastmasters here in Korea. You can check out their website here:
http://khtoastmasters.com
However, Toastmasters can only take you so far. This course takes you to a whole different level.
My normal fee for this is a minimum of 100,000 won an hour. In this case this course would normally run 1,200,000 won.
However, I want to make this as accessible as possible to everyone so the entire 12 hour course will cost only 300,000 won. That is a savings of 75%.
I am also limiting the group size to eight people.
By the way, you do not have to have any experience in public speaking to attend this course.
Here is an example of week 1:
Audience Issues
How to connect with the four different types of people found in any audience.<--This will also help you at work, in relationships, with friends, etc..
What happens if you don't connect with these people.
Examples of how to do an unscripted speech.
Each student delivers a very short unprepared speech.
etc..
If you notice almost all leaders in any organization also tend to be great speakers. It doesn't happen by accident. So if you would like to greatly enhance your professional speaking abilities send me an email here:
bob@oneamazinglife.com
Quote
"You are going to let the fear of poverty govern your life and your reward will be that you will eat, but you will not live."
-George Bernard Shaw
My Thoughts
Many times people get so caught up in fearful thinking that it paralyzes their ability to move forward and make progress. Of course there are many types of fear, but I think fear of poverty really clouds many people thinking. It keeps people working at jobs they dislike for years and years hoping that one day luck will somehow find them and they will be rich or at least doing something they like.
Fear can inhibit our ability to reason properly. For example: I have a fear of spiders. Now I know logically that a non-poisonous spider will do no harm to me. However, if a spider were crawling up my arm I would run out of the room, screaming like a little child. Of course this is a very unreasonable reaction.
The same thing happens when you have a fear of poverty, or a fear of what others may say, or a fear of failure. You actually talk yourself into staying at a job you dislike doing work that you hate for a boss you can't stand. And the funny thing is you think it's reasonable.
What do I recommend?
Stop focusing on the fear and start focusing on what you want to do. What inspires you? What are you passionate about? As Steve Jobs said back in 2008 (paraphrased) "If you were going to die today would you be doing what your about to do?".
I am not saying it's easy to follow your heart, but I guarantee you will feel more alive.
When was the last time you really felt alive?
Have a great week.
Until next time...
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Enjoy Life
Quote
"Dance as though no one is watching you; love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth."
-Alfred Souza
My Thoughts
You may have heard this quote before. I think it is really reminding us to enjoy life.
Sometimes we can get so caught up in our work, education, health, family, or spiritual goals that we forget to stop and enjoy life.
If you continually struggle to reach a goal without pausing to celebrate your successes along the way you will eventually get burned out. It may even lead you to despise the goal that you chose to pursue.
What do I recommend if you are feeling down and burned out?
Ideally, take at least three days off and go somewhere. Wherever makes you relaxed, go to that place and relax. I would use two of the days just to unwind. The third day I would spend time reflecting about your life. If you absolutely can't take three days, take two. If you can't take two, take one. On these days do not have work related discussions with anyone. So no email and preferably no phones.
So remember to set some time aside to relax and really enjoy everything life has to offer. Take time to celebrate your victories. Pursue your dream but remember to have fun along the way.
Until next time...
"Dance as though no one is watching you; love as though you have never been hurt before, sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth."
-Alfred Souza
My Thoughts
You may have heard this quote before. I think it is really reminding us to enjoy life.
Sometimes we can get so caught up in our work, education, health, family, or spiritual goals that we forget to stop and enjoy life.
If you continually struggle to reach a goal without pausing to celebrate your successes along the way you will eventually get burned out. It may even lead you to despise the goal that you chose to pursue.
What do I recommend if you are feeling down and burned out?
Ideally, take at least three days off and go somewhere. Wherever makes you relaxed, go to that place and relax. I would use two of the days just to unwind. The third day I would spend time reflecting about your life. If you absolutely can't take three days, take two. If you can't take two, take one. On these days do not have work related discussions with anyone. So no email and preferably no phones.
So remember to set some time aside to relax and really enjoy everything life has to offer. Take time to celebrate your victories. Pursue your dream but remember to have fun along the way.
Until next time...
Sunday, October 17, 2010
What is Success?
Quote
"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal"
-Earl Nightingale
My Thoughts
I really think this quote sums up success beautifully. Success is whatever you define it as. Your definition of success may differ from someone else's definition. For some people success relates to money, for others it relates to health, and still others it may be family. It could also be keeping the many different areas of your life in balance.
For example: If you define success as being a great parent, then as long as you are doing your best at pursuing that goal then you are successful. On the other hand, maybe a business owner defines success as delivering great value to his/her customers while being able to provide for himself/herself. Perhaps he/she doesn't want children. Two different people with two different ideas of success and yet both are successful.
As long as you are holding true to your values and your definition of success then you are successful.
This is assuming of course that you are not stepping on other people to get ahead. Note the use of the word "worthy".
One other thing to remember is that success is a journey. It's not an end point. I also believe as we go through life our notion of what success is changes. As our awareness grows we tend to view the world and what is meaningful for us differently.
The question I would like to pose is do you know what is your worthy goal or ideal?
If the answer is no, don't worry. It's inside of you somewhere.
Another question you may ask is "If I absolutely knew I wouldn't fail, what would I be doing?".
The answer to that question may start to give you clues about your worthy goal or ideal.
Until next time...
"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal"
-Earl Nightingale
My Thoughts
I really think this quote sums up success beautifully. Success is whatever you define it as. Your definition of success may differ from someone else's definition. For some people success relates to money, for others it relates to health, and still others it may be family. It could also be keeping the many different areas of your life in balance.
For example: If you define success as being a great parent, then as long as you are doing your best at pursuing that goal then you are successful. On the other hand, maybe a business owner defines success as delivering great value to his/her customers while being able to provide for himself/herself. Perhaps he/she doesn't want children. Two different people with two different ideas of success and yet both are successful.
As long as you are holding true to your values and your definition of success then you are successful.
This is assuming of course that you are not stepping on other people to get ahead. Note the use of the word "worthy".
One other thing to remember is that success is a journey. It's not an end point. I also believe as we go through life our notion of what success is changes. As our awareness grows we tend to view the world and what is meaningful for us differently.
The question I would like to pose is do you know what is your worthy goal or ideal?
If the answer is no, don't worry. It's inside of you somewhere.
Another question you may ask is "If I absolutely knew I wouldn't fail, what would I be doing?".
The answer to that question may start to give you clues about your worthy goal or ideal.
Until next time...
Monday, October 11, 2010
Forgive Yourself
Quote
“When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.”
-Catherine Ponder
My Thoughts
Forgiving others can be very difficult at times. However, if you continue to hold on to past memories of hurt you will certainly impede any forward progress. Interestingly enough, when you forgive someone else you will find that you are really forgiving yourself.
This brings up another point. Many people also find it difficult to forgive themselves for past perceived mistakes. For example: Some people will blame themselves for years for a failed marriage/relationship. They run through the "I should of done this or that" scenario. This will plague current relationships and ultimately cause them to end.
What do I recommend if you have trouble forgiving yourself?
Acknowledge that mistakes were made, but do not dwell on those mistakes. You did the best that you could at that time. Admit that perhaps with your current perception you would have done things differently, but remember you can't go back and undo what was done. So move on and continue to live your life to the fullest.
Until next time....
“When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.”
-Catherine Ponder
My Thoughts
Forgiving others can be very difficult at times. However, if you continue to hold on to past memories of hurt you will certainly impede any forward progress. Interestingly enough, when you forgive someone else you will find that you are really forgiving yourself.
This brings up another point. Many people also find it difficult to forgive themselves for past perceived mistakes. For example: Some people will blame themselves for years for a failed marriage/relationship. They run through the "I should of done this or that" scenario. This will plague current relationships and ultimately cause them to end.
What do I recommend if you have trouble forgiving yourself?
Acknowledge that mistakes were made, but do not dwell on those mistakes. You did the best that you could at that time. Admit that perhaps with your current perception you would have done things differently, but remember you can't go back and undo what was done. So move on and continue to live your life to the fullest.
Until next time....
Friday, October 8, 2010
5/3/1 Workout Program
I realized I haven't posted much about workouts recently.
So what has happened since January?
Well, I recovered from my pulled lower back only to find myself with a very annoying shoulder injury. I spent about seven months doing light workouts to rehab it. The great news is that the rehab worked and now my shoulder feels much better.
My weight is down a bit. It's hovering between 210-215lbs. Ideally I would like to be up around 240-245lbs and then cut back down to 215lbs. I am not sure when my schedule would allow for such a large bulk so I have decided to follow Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program.
Basically, it's a powerlifting program designed to increase your overall strength.
Why did I choose this?
Great question. First, here is a recap of my working out history:
While in the Army (1998-2003) I followed military style workouts for five years. It was basically a ton of pushups, pullups, sit ups, dips, running 3-5 miles, etc... I also trained MMA (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with some Judo and Muay Thai) for about three years.
In 2003 I started to get more into weight lifiting. I seriously started to follow a bodybuilding program in early 2005.
I tipped the scales at 133lbs in 1998 when I was 18. My peak bulk weight was 238lbs in 2008.
The reason I decided to do this is because I have never followed a strength training routine before so I am looking forward to it. I also personally know people that have gotten some serious results from this program.
Here are the essentials of the program. Ideally you workout four times a week.
The workouts are divided into Bench, Squats, Standing Military Press, Deadlift.
You can also do assistance work. I am doing the "boring but big" template.
Here is what my workout looked like today:
Wave 2 Flat Bench
Flat Barbell Bench Press: 155x3, 177x3, 200x4
Flat Barbell Bench Press: 133x10, 133x12(zoned out), 133x10, 133x10, 133x10
DB Row: 60x10, 60x10, 65x10, 65x10, 75x10
DB Curl: 35x10, 35x10, 35x10
DB Hammer Curl: 35x10
I have added in the DB curls.
So for tomorrow Squats will be up.
Saturday will be a rest day and Standing Military Press will be on Sunday.
If you are looking to switch up your routine I highly recommend this program.
For more info, check out:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/how_to_build_pure_strength
So what has happened since January?
Well, I recovered from my pulled lower back only to find myself with a very annoying shoulder injury. I spent about seven months doing light workouts to rehab it. The great news is that the rehab worked and now my shoulder feels much better.
My weight is down a bit. It's hovering between 210-215lbs. Ideally I would like to be up around 240-245lbs and then cut back down to 215lbs. I am not sure when my schedule would allow for such a large bulk so I have decided to follow Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program.
Basically, it's a powerlifting program designed to increase your overall strength.
Why did I choose this?
Great question. First, here is a recap of my working out history:
While in the Army (1998-2003) I followed military style workouts for five years. It was basically a ton of pushups, pullups, sit ups, dips, running 3-5 miles, etc... I also trained MMA (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with some Judo and Muay Thai) for about three years.
In 2003 I started to get more into weight lifiting. I seriously started to follow a bodybuilding program in early 2005.
I tipped the scales at 133lbs in 1998 when I was 18. My peak bulk weight was 238lbs in 2008.
The reason I decided to do this is because I have never followed a strength training routine before so I am looking forward to it. I also personally know people that have gotten some serious results from this program.
Here are the essentials of the program. Ideally you workout four times a week.
The workouts are divided into Bench, Squats, Standing Military Press, Deadlift.
You can also do assistance work. I am doing the "boring but big" template.
Here is what my workout looked like today:
Wave 2 Flat Bench
Flat Barbell Bench Press: 155x3, 177x3, 200x4
Flat Barbell Bench Press: 133x10, 133x12(zoned out), 133x10, 133x10, 133x10
DB Row: 60x10, 60x10, 65x10, 65x10, 75x10
DB Curl: 35x10, 35x10, 35x10
DB Hammer Curl: 35x10
I have added in the DB curls.
So for tomorrow Squats will be up.
Saturday will be a rest day and Standing Military Press will be on Sunday.
If you are looking to switch up your routine I highly recommend this program.
For more info, check out:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/how_to_build_pure_strength
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Mistakes
Quote
“What do you first do when you learn to swim? You make mistakes, do you not? And what happens? You make other mistakes, and when you have made all the mistakes you possibly can without drowning - and some of them many times over - what do you find? That you can swim? Well - life is just the same as learning to swim! Do not be afraid of making mistakes, for there is no other way of learning how to live!”
-Alfred Adler
My Thoughts
It's interesting that when we were young we often made many mistakes learning something new. We fell many times learning to walk and ride a bike. We didn't stay on the ground and say "Well I guess I am not meant to be a walker.", or "I am not meant to ride bikes.". Instead we got up and kept going.
Yet oftentimes as adults we feel we must do everything right the first time. It causes stress and anxiety. We will often say "I can't do that because I don't know how.".
Have you ever considered for a moment that no one has known exactly how to do something until they've done it?
Think about that for a minute.
Here are some examples:
- It was widely believed that Mt. Everest was impossible to climb until Sir Edmund Hillary reached the top in 1953. Hillary didn't know exactly how he was going to get to the summit (and actually that was his third attempt), but he made it. Since that time around 2000 people have made it to the top.
- Prior to 1954 it was thought that no human could run one mile in under four minutes. Then Roger Bannister came along and ran it in 3:59. Now the record stands at 3:43.
We could also relate this to business. Sure there are many theories on how to set up and run a successful business, but until you actually do it you don't know how.
Remember, don't be afraid of making mistakes. Two of my mentors Paul Martinelli and Bob Proctor are often fond of saying "Do it afraid.". This is what I would like to encourage you to do.
Until next time....
“What do you first do when you learn to swim? You make mistakes, do you not? And what happens? You make other mistakes, and when you have made all the mistakes you possibly can without drowning - and some of them many times over - what do you find? That you can swim? Well - life is just the same as learning to swim! Do not be afraid of making mistakes, for there is no other way of learning how to live!”
-Alfred Adler
My Thoughts
It's interesting that when we were young we often made many mistakes learning something new. We fell many times learning to walk and ride a bike. We didn't stay on the ground and say "Well I guess I am not meant to be a walker.", or "I am not meant to ride bikes.". Instead we got up and kept going.
Yet oftentimes as adults we feel we must do everything right the first time. It causes stress and anxiety. We will often say "I can't do that because I don't know how.".
Have you ever considered for a moment that no one has known exactly how to do something until they've done it?
Think about that for a minute.
Here are some examples:
- It was widely believed that Mt. Everest was impossible to climb until Sir Edmund Hillary reached the top in 1953. Hillary didn't know exactly how he was going to get to the summit (and actually that was his third attempt), but he made it. Since that time around 2000 people have made it to the top.
- Prior to 1954 it was thought that no human could run one mile in under four minutes. Then Roger Bannister came along and ran it in 3:59. Now the record stands at 3:43.
We could also relate this to business. Sure there are many theories on how to set up and run a successful business, but until you actually do it you don't know how.
Remember, don't be afraid of making mistakes. Two of my mentors Paul Martinelli and Bob Proctor are often fond of saying "Do it afraid.". This is what I would like to encourage you to do.
Until next time....
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Press On
Quote
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
-Calvin Coolidge
My Thoughts
I am often asked by clients “How do you handle difficult situations related to a goal?”.
What if you try and try and nothing seems to be working, but you are truly passionate about this goal? What if you’ve plateaued and haven’t made any progress in months related to your goal?
These challenges arise for all of us from time to time. So what do I recommend?
First, remember that ups and downs are a natural part of life. If you’ve set a big enough goal, you are guaranteed to meet some large challenges along the way. Overcoming these challenges will allow you to grow. By attempting to deny the downs, you often end up making them seem worse.
Second, more often than not the person that ends up being successful held on longer than everyone else. They met numerous challenges along the path and yet they kept going. They wanted to throw in the towel many times and yet they continued on. If you’ve ever read the biographies of very successful people they have all had to deal with obstacles, some of them quite major. The point is though all of them persisted and achieved their dreams.
So, if you are currently feeling stuck and unable to see the a way to move forward, remember to keep on going. Try to change the questions running through your mind. Ex: “Why isn’t there a way out?” could be changed to “What is another way to look at this situation?”. I also recommend reading books about successful people. As a matter of fact, I highly recommend reading ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill.
Until next time...
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
-Calvin Coolidge
My Thoughts
I am often asked by clients “How do you handle difficult situations related to a goal?”.
What if you try and try and nothing seems to be working, but you are truly passionate about this goal? What if you’ve plateaued and haven’t made any progress in months related to your goal?
These challenges arise for all of us from time to time. So what do I recommend?
First, remember that ups and downs are a natural part of life. If you’ve set a big enough goal, you are guaranteed to meet some large challenges along the way. Overcoming these challenges will allow you to grow. By attempting to deny the downs, you often end up making them seem worse.
Second, more often than not the person that ends up being successful held on longer than everyone else. They met numerous challenges along the path and yet they kept going. They wanted to throw in the towel many times and yet they continued on. If you’ve ever read the biographies of very successful people they have all had to deal with obstacles, some of them quite major. The point is though all of them persisted and achieved their dreams.
So, if you are currently feeling stuck and unable to see the a way to move forward, remember to keep on going. Try to change the questions running through your mind. Ex: “Why isn’t there a way out?” could be changed to “What is another way to look at this situation?”. I also recommend reading books about successful people. As a matter of fact, I highly recommend reading ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill.
Until next time...
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Human Potential
Quote
"When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be."
-Goethe
My Thoughts
I wanted to share this great video with you. It is from one of my mentors Christian Simpson and it deals with the subject of human potential.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9PpiUwoJoU
Until next time...
"When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be."
-Goethe
My Thoughts
I wanted to share this great video with you. It is from one of my mentors Christian Simpson and it deals with the subject of human potential.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9PpiUwoJoU
Until next time...
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Behavior
Quote
“As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behavior. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to become. Take action on your behavior. Too many people want to feel, then take action. This never works.”
-John Maxwell
My Thoughts
It is great to start changing your thinking to help you achieve whatever you desire. However, unless you start taking action on that thinking and acting like the person you intend to become then you will never live up to your fullest potential.
It's very easy to wish for change and it can be easy to start thinking in a more positive manner. To act on that thinking is where the challenge lies. The reason why some people seem to constantly attract success is because they take action. These people see an opportunity and they seize it.
The wonderful news is that taking action is a habit that can be formed.
How?
If you want to seriously change some area of your life and you see an opportunity to do so, don't wait around thinking about it. Take the opportunity. Leave your comfort zone and take action. Once you get the momentum going you will find it easier to continue to take action.
I also recommend making a list of six people that you respect and what qualities you admire about those people. For example: Perhaps you don't respect Donald Trump's relationship advice, but you think he's a smart businessman. You could choose him for his business skills. After you have your list, read the books they've written and/or research about them. Finally, start mimicking those qualities in your own life.
You can change any area of your life by making a decision to do so. After you've made the decision take action. Stop sitting around talking about how much you want to change. Go out and do something.
Until next time....
“As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behavior. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to become. Take action on your behavior. Too many people want to feel, then take action. This never works.”
-John Maxwell
My Thoughts
It is great to start changing your thinking to help you achieve whatever you desire. However, unless you start taking action on that thinking and acting like the person you intend to become then you will never live up to your fullest potential.
It's very easy to wish for change and it can be easy to start thinking in a more positive manner. To act on that thinking is where the challenge lies. The reason why some people seem to constantly attract success is because they take action. These people see an opportunity and they seize it.
The wonderful news is that taking action is a habit that can be formed.
How?
If you want to seriously change some area of your life and you see an opportunity to do so, don't wait around thinking about it. Take the opportunity. Leave your comfort zone and take action. Once you get the momentum going you will find it easier to continue to take action.
I also recommend making a list of six people that you respect and what qualities you admire about those people. For example: Perhaps you don't respect Donald Trump's relationship advice, but you think he's a smart businessman. You could choose him for his business skills. After you have your list, read the books they've written and/or research about them. Finally, start mimicking those qualities in your own life.
You can change any area of your life by making a decision to do so. After you've made the decision take action. Stop sitting around talking about how much you want to change. Go out and do something.
Until next time....
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Change
Quote
"Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor."
-Brian Tracy
My Thoughts
Change is inevitable and it often happens when you least expect it. One day you may think you have a secure job only to find out the next day that you've lost it. If you don't have a goal you will get tossed around by change and end up finding yourself in similar situations over and over again.
The way to start to get comfortable with change is to take responsibility for your life. After doing this setting goals will allow you to handle change much better.
How so?
Well, let's suppose you set a financial goal to earn $15,000 a month. Let's say you are currently earning $3,000 a month. So you set the goal and - change happens - you get fired from your job. Because you have a goal that you are committed to, you now may see other opportunities that you weren't aware of earlier. Without a goal you may just end up working another job making the same amount you've always made.
I suggest all of you spend some serious time thinking about your future. What do you want your life to look like? Once you figure this out, I encourage you to set some goals.
Until next time...
"Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor."
-Brian Tracy
My Thoughts
Change is inevitable and it often happens when you least expect it. One day you may think you have a secure job only to find out the next day that you've lost it. If you don't have a goal you will get tossed around by change and end up finding yourself in similar situations over and over again.
The way to start to get comfortable with change is to take responsibility for your life. After doing this setting goals will allow you to handle change much better.
How so?
Well, let's suppose you set a financial goal to earn $15,000 a month. Let's say you are currently earning $3,000 a month. So you set the goal and - change happens - you get fired from your job. Because you have a goal that you are committed to, you now may see other opportunities that you weren't aware of earlier. Without a goal you may just end up working another job making the same amount you've always made.
I suggest all of you spend some serious time thinking about your future. What do you want your life to look like? Once you figure this out, I encourage you to set some goals.
Until next time...
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Ambition
Quote
"Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great."
-Mark Twain
My Thoughts
Instead of sharing my thoughts this week, I will share this video from Brian Tracy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P14Rxcvnf4E
Until next time...
"Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great."
-Mark Twain
My Thoughts
Instead of sharing my thoughts this week, I will share this video from Brian Tracy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P14Rxcvnf4E
Until next time...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Judgement
Quote
"If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see."
-Henry David Thoreau
My Thoughts
Occasionally you may find yourself pointing your finger in judgment of other people. Ultimately this ends up being a large waste of energy. In order for you to grow you have to be willing to rise up above a situation.
It goes back to the idea that you can't stop violence with violence.
How can you use this idea?
Let's suppose for a minute that you have a goal that you would like to achieve. You find that many people around you are telling you that you can't do it, it's impossible, just give up, etc... Instead of trying to convince them that you are right, which usually leads to arguments, show them by taking action on that goal.
By achieving the goal you will have risen above the situation instead of getting tied up in the negativity.
Until next time....
"If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see."
-Henry David Thoreau
My Thoughts
Occasionally you may find yourself pointing your finger in judgment of other people. Ultimately this ends up being a large waste of energy. In order for you to grow you have to be willing to rise up above a situation.
It goes back to the idea that you can't stop violence with violence.
How can you use this idea?
Let's suppose for a minute that you have a goal that you would like to achieve. You find that many people around you are telling you that you can't do it, it's impossible, just give up, etc... Instead of trying to convince them that you are right, which usually leads to arguments, show them by taking action on that goal.
By achieving the goal you will have risen above the situation instead of getting tied up in the negativity.
Until next time....
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Questions
Quote
"If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes."
-Einstein
My Thoughts
I've mentioned about questions for shifting perception quite a few times before. Questions are critical to allow you to look at the same situation a different way. This is why coaching relies heavily on questions.
I believe the story below does a great job on getting this point across:
"A classic story illustrates very well the potential cost of placing a problem in a disciplinary box. It involves a multistoried office building in New York. Occupants began complaining about the poor elevator service provided in the building. Waiting times for elevators at peak hours, they said, were excessively long. Several of the tenants threatened to break their leases and move out of the building because of this…
Management authorized a study to determine what would be the best solution. The study revealed that because of the age of the building no engineering solution could be justified economically. The engineers said that management would just have to live with the problem permanently.
The desperate manager called a meeting of his staff, which included a young recently hired graduate in personnel psychology…The young man had not focused on elevator performance but on the fact that people complained about waiting only a few minutes. Why, he asked himself, were they complaining about waiting for only a very short time? He concluded that the complaints were a consequence of boredom. Therefore, he took the problem to be one of giving those waiting something to occupy their time pleasantly. He suggested installing mirrors in the elevator boarding areas so that those waiting could look at each other or themselves without appearing to do so. The manager took up his suggestion. The installation of mirrors was made quickly and at a relatively low cost. The complaints about waiting stopped.
Today, mirrors in elevator lobbies and even on elevators in tall buildings are commonplace."
When you alter the questions that you ask yourself, you will change the answers you are receiving.
So, how can you use this in your life?
Well, lets suppose you are having problems finding a job.....or finding a job that you like.
One thing many people do is look at their past or current results and see what they can do.
The problem with that is it keeps you stuck in a box.
The question that typically runs through many people's mind is "What can I get?" instead of "What do I want to do?". The first question is looking from the problem which is very limiting. The second question is starting to look from the solution which allows for exploration.
That slight change will let you to look at the situation differently.
Until next time...
"If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes."
-Einstein
My Thoughts
I've mentioned about questions for shifting perception quite a few times before. Questions are critical to allow you to look at the same situation a different way. This is why coaching relies heavily on questions.
I believe the story below does a great job on getting this point across:
"A classic story illustrates very well the potential cost of placing a problem in a disciplinary box. It involves a multistoried office building in New York. Occupants began complaining about the poor elevator service provided in the building. Waiting times for elevators at peak hours, they said, were excessively long. Several of the tenants threatened to break their leases and move out of the building because of this…
Management authorized a study to determine what would be the best solution. The study revealed that because of the age of the building no engineering solution could be justified economically. The engineers said that management would just have to live with the problem permanently.
The desperate manager called a meeting of his staff, which included a young recently hired graduate in personnel psychology…The young man had not focused on elevator performance but on the fact that people complained about waiting only a few minutes. Why, he asked himself, were they complaining about waiting for only a very short time? He concluded that the complaints were a consequence of boredom. Therefore, he took the problem to be one of giving those waiting something to occupy their time pleasantly. He suggested installing mirrors in the elevator boarding areas so that those waiting could look at each other or themselves without appearing to do so. The manager took up his suggestion. The installation of mirrors was made quickly and at a relatively low cost. The complaints about waiting stopped.
Today, mirrors in elevator lobbies and even on elevators in tall buildings are commonplace."
When you alter the questions that you ask yourself, you will change the answers you are receiving.
So, how can you use this in your life?
Well, lets suppose you are having problems finding a job.....or finding a job that you like.
One thing many people do is look at their past or current results and see what they can do.
The problem with that is it keeps you stuck in a box.
The question that typically runs through many people's mind is "What can I get?" instead of "What do I want to do?". The first question is looking from the problem which is very limiting. The second question is starting to look from the solution which allows for exploration.
That slight change will let you to look at the situation differently.
Until next time...
Monday, August 9, 2010
Focus
Quote
"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. "
-Anthony Robbins
My Thoughts
I went to a meeting on Friday with a very diverse group of people. The group was made up of very successful business owners, authors, professors, professional speakers, CEO's, and a few people that were on their way up in their respective organizations.
One gentlemen I met was the COO of a successful Korean company. But that's not what made him interesting, the interesting thing about him was he is a magician in his spare time. Yes, a magician.
How did I find this out?
Well, he took my business card and made it disappear in all sorts of different ways.
I honestly had no idea how he pulled off the trick so well multiple times right in front of me.
He then showed me how he did the trick.
The funny thing is after he showed me how to do it, it became very obvious where the card was during the trick. Why? Because instead of him directing my focus away from where he hid the card, my focus was widened and taking in more than what he wanted me to see.
I started to think about how many people or things in our life also take away our focus?
Think about how many times you may have wanted to start something. You get all excited and then you lose focus. You get distracted. It could be because some other interest took it away or maybe someone discouraged you. Perhaps someone told you that you can't do it.
If you continually allow other people to hold you back, or you allow other things (TV, video games, going out partying, etc...) to distract you, then you will never achieve your fullest potential.
If you have something that needs to be accomplished and you are not completing it, then I recommend making a list of where your time is going. How much time are you devoting to different activities?
You may be surprised at the results.
Once you realize where all of your time is going you can start taking steps to correct it.
Until next time...
"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. "
-Anthony Robbins
My Thoughts
I went to a meeting on Friday with a very diverse group of people. The group was made up of very successful business owners, authors, professors, professional speakers, CEO's, and a few people that were on their way up in their respective organizations.
One gentlemen I met was the COO of a successful Korean company. But that's not what made him interesting, the interesting thing about him was he is a magician in his spare time. Yes, a magician.
How did I find this out?
Well, he took my business card and made it disappear in all sorts of different ways.
I honestly had no idea how he pulled off the trick so well multiple times right in front of me.
He then showed me how he did the trick.
The funny thing is after he showed me how to do it, it became very obvious where the card was during the trick. Why? Because instead of him directing my focus away from where he hid the card, my focus was widened and taking in more than what he wanted me to see.
I started to think about how many people or things in our life also take away our focus?
Think about how many times you may have wanted to start something. You get all excited and then you lose focus. You get distracted. It could be because some other interest took it away or maybe someone discouraged you. Perhaps someone told you that you can't do it.
If you continually allow other people to hold you back, or you allow other things (TV, video games, going out partying, etc...) to distract you, then you will never achieve your fullest potential.
If you have something that needs to be accomplished and you are not completing it, then I recommend making a list of where your time is going. How much time are you devoting to different activities?
You may be surprised at the results.
Once you realize where all of your time is going you can start taking steps to correct it.
Until next time...
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Little Things
Quote
"It's the little things you do that can make a big difference. What are you attempting to accomplish? What little thing can you do today that will make you more effective? You are probably only one step away from greatness."
-Bob Proctor
My Thoughts
You may think there is a huge gap that separates you from highly successful people. However, most times it's the little things that you do everyday that really add up in the long run. In Bob Proctor's book, "You Were Born Rich", he has a chapter dedicated to this topic called the razor's edge.
Here is an example to illustrate that point.
I believe that you only need to invest 15-30 minutes of your day reading about topics related to your field to really make you stand out. You may be thinking that sounds too simple. But think about it, if you read around 30 minutes a day that would be about 2-3 books per month. In one year, you would have read around 30 books related to your field. Remember though you want to actually comprehend what you are reading so don't try speeding through the books.
If you find yourself struggling with things like: finding a job, not getting promoted, not moving forward towards your goal, etc... ask "What could I do to improve this situation?". When you think of something that will help improve your situation you must take action on that idea.
Until next time...
"It's the little things you do that can make a big difference. What are you attempting to accomplish? What little thing can you do today that will make you more effective? You are probably only one step away from greatness."
-Bob Proctor
My Thoughts
You may think there is a huge gap that separates you from highly successful people. However, most times it's the little things that you do everyday that really add up in the long run. In Bob Proctor's book, "You Were Born Rich", he has a chapter dedicated to this topic called the razor's edge.
Here is an example to illustrate that point.
I believe that you only need to invest 15-30 minutes of your day reading about topics related to your field to really make you stand out. You may be thinking that sounds too simple. But think about it, if you read around 30 minutes a day that would be about 2-3 books per month. In one year, you would have read around 30 books related to your field. Remember though you want to actually comprehend what you are reading so don't try speeding through the books.
If you find yourself struggling with things like: finding a job, not getting promoted, not moving forward towards your goal, etc... ask "What could I do to improve this situation?". When you think of something that will help improve your situation you must take action on that idea.
Until next time...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Seeking Happiness
Quote
"Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north."
-Tibetan saying
My Thoughts
I appreciate all of the feedback I received from last week's message. I believe some people perhaps misunderstood the meaning of the message. Some people were worrying that I may be feeling depressed or that I could possibly become depressed. I assure you that there is no need to worry.
You see, I am not seeking happiness because true happiness cannot be sought. True happiness resides within you, however it takes a shift in perception to become aware of it. You may believe that a Mercedes S600, a 5000 sq ft/140 pyong apartment, and flying first class will bring you happiness. Those things will bring comfort but they won't bring true happiness. Why? Because all of those things can be taken from you.
Much of your happiness depends on your attitude towards life. Do you tend to see hope or despair? Do you tend to see love or hate? Do you tend to see opportunities or obstacles?
The answers to these questions will give you clues into what your attitude looks like.
What has helped me?
First, I recommend you read every day. I also encourage going back and reading over books that have helped you in your past. You will see new information each time you read a book over.
Some books I recommend:
"Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill
"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl
"Psycho-Cybernetics" by Maxwell Maltz
"Building Your Field of Dreams" by Mary Morrissey
"You Were Born Rich" by Bob Proctor
"The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell
"The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer
"The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield
I would keep going but those are enough to keep most people occupied for the time being.
Second, I highly recommend meditation. There are probably hundreds of different forms of meditation. I would guess each of them has their own benefits. I personally have been using Zen meditation for the past six months. I meditate for 5 - 60 minutes every day. I suggest starting with five minutes every day. Meditation really helps bring inner peace and also allows for a deeper connection with your source.
Until next time....
"Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north."
-Tibetan saying
My Thoughts
I appreciate all of the feedback I received from last week's message. I believe some people perhaps misunderstood the meaning of the message. Some people were worrying that I may be feeling depressed or that I could possibly become depressed. I assure you that there is no need to worry.
You see, I am not seeking happiness because true happiness cannot be sought. True happiness resides within you, however it takes a shift in perception to become aware of it. You may believe that a Mercedes S600, a 5000 sq ft/140 pyong apartment, and flying first class will bring you happiness. Those things will bring comfort but they won't bring true happiness. Why? Because all of those things can be taken from you.
Much of your happiness depends on your attitude towards life. Do you tend to see hope or despair? Do you tend to see love or hate? Do you tend to see opportunities or obstacles?
The answers to these questions will give you clues into what your attitude looks like.
What has helped me?
First, I recommend you read every day. I also encourage going back and reading over books that have helped you in your past. You will see new information each time you read a book over.
Some books I recommend:
"Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill
"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl
"Psycho-Cybernetics" by Maxwell Maltz
"Building Your Field of Dreams" by Mary Morrissey
"You Were Born Rich" by Bob Proctor
"The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" by John Maxwell
"The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer
"The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield
I would keep going but those are enough to keep most people occupied for the time being.
Second, I highly recommend meditation. There are probably hundreds of different forms of meditation. I would guess each of them has their own benefits. I personally have been using Zen meditation for the past six months. I meditate for 5 - 60 minutes every day. I suggest starting with five minutes every day. Meditation really helps bring inner peace and also allows for a deeper connection with your source.
Until next time....
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Comfort
Quote
"Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket."
-Andrew Carnegie
My Thoughts
Many people haven't heard this advice. It sounds risky, doesn't it? Most people dread the thought of taking risks or of getting uncomfortable. Here's the thing, if you want serious change in your life you have to take risks and you have to get uncomfortable.
How uncomfortable do you have to get? I suppose it has to do with how much change you want.
I also mentioned a few weeks ago about sacrifice.
I would like to share what is going on in my life at the moment. Why am I sharing this now? In hopes that if this inspires just one person then this message has done it's job. You know we have all heard Steve Jobs, Oprah, Donald Trump, etc... tell us to follow our passion. I know what some people think:
"Well that is easy for them to say. Look at them, they have succeeded in their fields. What about me? I can't do that."
To some people it's almost as if Jobs, Oprah, and Trump have reached the top of a mountain and are yelling down at all of us "Just keep climbing, you'll get here eventually".
I am in the process of climbing my own mountain. So I want to share this with all of you. All of us have our own struggles to overcome. It helps knowing that someone else has been through the same thing, or even endured more.
I walked away from a job that paid me $10,000 a month after taxes. I left behind a stable job, great benefits, and excellent vacation time to pursue a dream. That was just the beginning.
This is what has happened over the course of the last year or so:
I moved out of a nice apartment
I sold my car
I sold all my stock
I sold my 401k
I've used up most of my available credit
I recently started counting all the coins I have
Sacrifice. I have been here before, just not this far down.
In 2003, I had 500 won left in my bank account and I owed about $2500 on my credit card.
Five years later I had managed to pull myself up, and I had saved $100,000.
I owed nothing on credit cards.
Now I find myself back in 2003, except in a far more challenging situation.
You may be wondering why on earth did this guy do this to himself? It has all been to pursue a dream.
The interesting thing is I've had three job offers over the past year. All of them would put me back into being comfortable. They all pay between $8,000-$10,000 a month. I have turned them all down.
Why? For a dream.
How much are you willing to give up for your dream? How uncomfortable are you willing to get?
I firmly believe that you have the ability to change your life if you truly would like to. As I have said many times before, we all have our lessons to learn from life. This is just one of my lessons. It's not bad, it's not good. It just is.
Right now, I am in a stare down with failure. One of us will blink first. It won't be me.
I will get to the top of my mountain. When? I can't say for sure.
But know this, I will be here, climbing.
One day I will reach what appears to be the top.
I will look back on what I have accomplished, on what I have learned.
I will realize how much I have grown.
I will then look up, and notice the mountain has also grown.
There is still more to go. I'll have so much more to learn because it's impossible to know everything.
I'll have learned all of this through experience. It's not what I read in a book, or what I learned from my coaching certification, or what Steve Jobs, Oprah, Trump, Carnegie etc... told me, it's what I have experienced.
Why? Because I climbed the mountain.
I put all my eggs in one basket.
I risked everything....All for a dream.
Until next time...
"Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket."
-Andrew Carnegie
My Thoughts
Many people haven't heard this advice. It sounds risky, doesn't it? Most people dread the thought of taking risks or of getting uncomfortable. Here's the thing, if you want serious change in your life you have to take risks and you have to get uncomfortable.
How uncomfortable do you have to get? I suppose it has to do with how much change you want.
I also mentioned a few weeks ago about sacrifice.
I would like to share what is going on in my life at the moment. Why am I sharing this now? In hopes that if this inspires just one person then this message has done it's job. You know we have all heard Steve Jobs, Oprah, Donald Trump, etc... tell us to follow our passion. I know what some people think:
"Well that is easy for them to say. Look at them, they have succeeded in their fields. What about me? I can't do that."
To some people it's almost as if Jobs, Oprah, and Trump have reached the top of a mountain and are yelling down at all of us "Just keep climbing, you'll get here eventually".
I am in the process of climbing my own mountain. So I want to share this with all of you. All of us have our own struggles to overcome. It helps knowing that someone else has been through the same thing, or even endured more.
I walked away from a job that paid me $10,000 a month after taxes. I left behind a stable job, great benefits, and excellent vacation time to pursue a dream. That was just the beginning.
This is what has happened over the course of the last year or so:
I moved out of a nice apartment
I sold my car
I sold all my stock
I sold my 401k
I've used up most of my available credit
I recently started counting all the coins I have
Sacrifice. I have been here before, just not this far down.
In 2003, I had 500 won left in my bank account and I owed about $2500 on my credit card.
Five years later I had managed to pull myself up, and I had saved $100,000.
I owed nothing on credit cards.
Now I find myself back in 2003, except in a far more challenging situation.
You may be wondering why on earth did this guy do this to himself? It has all been to pursue a dream.
The interesting thing is I've had three job offers over the past year. All of them would put me back into being comfortable. They all pay between $8,000-$10,000 a month. I have turned them all down.
Why? For a dream.
How much are you willing to give up for your dream? How uncomfortable are you willing to get?
I firmly believe that you have the ability to change your life if you truly would like to. As I have said many times before, we all have our lessons to learn from life. This is just one of my lessons. It's not bad, it's not good. It just is.
Right now, I am in a stare down with failure. One of us will blink first. It won't be me.
I will get to the top of my mountain. When? I can't say for sure.
But know this, I will be here, climbing.
One day I will reach what appears to be the top.
I will look back on what I have accomplished, on what I have learned.
I will realize how much I have grown.
I will then look up, and notice the mountain has also grown.
There is still more to go. I'll have so much more to learn because it's impossible to know everything.
I'll have learned all of this through experience. It's not what I read in a book, or what I learned from my coaching certification, or what Steve Jobs, Oprah, Trump, Carnegie etc... told me, it's what I have experienced.
Why? Because I climbed the mountain.
I put all my eggs in one basket.
I risked everything....All for a dream.
Until next time...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Exploration
Quote
"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens."
-Carl Jung
My Thoughts
This week I would like to share something from one of my mentors, Christian Simpson.
I know you may think this is long, but I assure you it is well worth the read.
Feel free to check out his website:
http://www.christian-simpson.com
It all comes down to results. The name of the game in life is results. Success may be a relative term that means different things to different people, however, the most accurate description of success has to be improving the results we get in every aspect of our lives.
Here’s the problem: many of us have become so fixated on our results, we’ve lost the ability to influence and improve them. Let me explain what I mean. The results we get in our lives are effects, they are outcomes of a very orderly and specific creative process. Results have ancestry, and the common error made my many individuals and enterprises is the seductive nature of focusing on the effects of performance not the cause of them.
If you are to sustainably improve the results in your personal and professional life, you need to be influencing the cause of those results, not focusing your attention on the results themselves. So let’s “unpeel the onion” and define that ancestry.
Results are a direct consequence of our actions and behaviors. They, in turn, are the physical expression, through the body, of our feelings, we’re all emotive beings. So what creates our feelings? The answer is thought, the first level of creation. Our thoughts create our feelings, which are then expressed as actions and behaviors, which, of course, create our results.
The quality of a person’s results will always correspond to the quality of their thoughts, and yet most people give little thought to what they are thinking about. Nothing undermines success more than this fact, and I’ll be sharing more about why that is in the 3rd step to success.
Even though thought is the first level of creation, it doesn’t end there. Remember, I outlined it was the quality of our thoughts that correspond with the quality of our results, so it’s about understanding what is influencing our thought process.
Tragically, for many people, they allow their thoughts to be shaped entirely by the existing conditions and circumstances in their lives, or they're influenced by the opinions of others, or, worse still, the media engine. They think in reverse, outside in not inside out, and their results cannot fail to reflect it. There are other influences too, some of them far more potent.
If we unpeel the onion another layer back from our thought processes, we’ll find our belief systems, our programming, most of which we inherited from authority figures in our lives (parents, teachers, friends, leaders). Without question, most of us are products of somebody else’s habitual way of thinking. I don’t think I need to explain the influencing power of beliefs on behavior, you can observe them in many of the problems we face in our immediate and global society today.
The key to overcoming all of this and taking control of your personal and professional success is self-awareness. You cannot influence that which you are not aware of. That is why investing in your own personal development, your self-leadership, is so essential. Knowing yourself is the prerequisite for greater success in life, think about it for a moment, if you can accept that you are the common denominator and primary influence on every result you get in life, the true architect of your success, can there be a more important pursuit for you in relation to greater success?
So does it end with our beliefs? No, because if we unpeel the next layer we find our values, without question the most important information a person can possibly know about themselves. Your values are who you are, they make you tick, they’re your compass, your spiritual DNA, your blueprint that defines what has meaning and heart for you in life. A person living their values is a truly successful person in every sense of the word because they shape their lives to who they are, from business to personal relationships, finance to health, living a life on purpose aligned with their primary values.
There’s a reason why all of the ancient scriptures referred to the axiom of “know thyself”. We create our outcomes in life, knowing who you are is far more important than knowing what you want, because if you don’t know who you truly are, what truly has meaning to you, then how can you really know that what you want is truly that which you want? Life doesn’t give you what you want, it gives you who you are. Know thyself is essential for success, the consequences of not doing so are, to an advancing person, significantly disturbing.
Until next time....
"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens."
-Carl Jung
My Thoughts
This week I would like to share something from one of my mentors, Christian Simpson.
I know you may think this is long, but I assure you it is well worth the read.
Feel free to check out his website:
http://www.christian-simpson.com
It all comes down to results. The name of the game in life is results. Success may be a relative term that means different things to different people, however, the most accurate description of success has to be improving the results we get in every aspect of our lives.
Here’s the problem: many of us have become so fixated on our results, we’ve lost the ability to influence and improve them. Let me explain what I mean. The results we get in our lives are effects, they are outcomes of a very orderly and specific creative process. Results have ancestry, and the common error made my many individuals and enterprises is the seductive nature of focusing on the effects of performance not the cause of them.
If you are to sustainably improve the results in your personal and professional life, you need to be influencing the cause of those results, not focusing your attention on the results themselves. So let’s “unpeel the onion” and define that ancestry.
Results are a direct consequence of our actions and behaviors. They, in turn, are the physical expression, through the body, of our feelings, we’re all emotive beings. So what creates our feelings? The answer is thought, the first level of creation. Our thoughts create our feelings, which are then expressed as actions and behaviors, which, of course, create our results.
The quality of a person’s results will always correspond to the quality of their thoughts, and yet most people give little thought to what they are thinking about. Nothing undermines success more than this fact, and I’ll be sharing more about why that is in the 3rd step to success.
Even though thought is the first level of creation, it doesn’t end there. Remember, I outlined it was the quality of our thoughts that correspond with the quality of our results, so it’s about understanding what is influencing our thought process.
Tragically, for many people, they allow their thoughts to be shaped entirely by the existing conditions and circumstances in their lives, or they're influenced by the opinions of others, or, worse still, the media engine. They think in reverse, outside in not inside out, and their results cannot fail to reflect it. There are other influences too, some of them far more potent.
If we unpeel the onion another layer back from our thought processes, we’ll find our belief systems, our programming, most of which we inherited from authority figures in our lives (parents, teachers, friends, leaders). Without question, most of us are products of somebody else’s habitual way of thinking. I don’t think I need to explain the influencing power of beliefs on behavior, you can observe them in many of the problems we face in our immediate and global society today.
The key to overcoming all of this and taking control of your personal and professional success is self-awareness. You cannot influence that which you are not aware of. That is why investing in your own personal development, your self-leadership, is so essential. Knowing yourself is the prerequisite for greater success in life, think about it for a moment, if you can accept that you are the common denominator and primary influence on every result you get in life, the true architect of your success, can there be a more important pursuit for you in relation to greater success?
So does it end with our beliefs? No, because if we unpeel the next layer we find our values, without question the most important information a person can possibly know about themselves. Your values are who you are, they make you tick, they’re your compass, your spiritual DNA, your blueprint that defines what has meaning and heart for you in life. A person living their values is a truly successful person in every sense of the word because they shape their lives to who they are, from business to personal relationships, finance to health, living a life on purpose aligned with their primary values.
There’s a reason why all of the ancient scriptures referred to the axiom of “know thyself”. We create our outcomes in life, knowing who you are is far more important than knowing what you want, because if you don’t know who you truly are, what truly has meaning to you, then how can you really know that what you want is truly that which you want? Life doesn’t give you what you want, it gives you who you are. Know thyself is essential for success, the consequences of not doing so are, to an advancing person, significantly disturbing.
Until next time....
Monday, July 5, 2010
What are You Willing to Give Up?
Quote
"The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
My Thoughts
This is quote is referring to sacrifice.
You can not attain something of a higher value without giving up something of a lower value.
For example, maybe you would like to lose weight. However, you currently eat fast food five times a week. In order for you to achieve a healthier/fitter body (higher value) you will have to give up, or cut back on, the fast food (lower value).
Sometimes, people look at someone they perceive as more successful and think "I wish I could be that person.". However, what many people seem to forget is what that successful person gave up in order to get to where they are. Most successful people have given up large portions of their time and money to achieve their dreams. Successful people will spend time reading, researching, working, etc... in order to achieve their dreams. They will spend money on books, professional memberships, seminars, etc.. in order to achieve their dreams.
Sidney Poitier referred to sacrifice in his book 'The Measure of a Man'. He said "You have to go down before you can go up". You must become the person that is capable of handling what you desire before you will be able to achieve your dreams.
Here is something I recommend asking yourself if you are not making progress towards your goals:
Am I making the necessary sacrifices?
Really take a close look at where you are spending your time and your money.
Until next time...
"The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
My Thoughts
This is quote is referring to sacrifice.
You can not attain something of a higher value without giving up something of a lower value.
For example, maybe you would like to lose weight. However, you currently eat fast food five times a week. In order for you to achieve a healthier/fitter body (higher value) you will have to give up, or cut back on, the fast food (lower value).
Sometimes, people look at someone they perceive as more successful and think "I wish I could be that person.". However, what many people seem to forget is what that successful person gave up in order to get to where they are. Most successful people have given up large portions of their time and money to achieve their dreams. Successful people will spend time reading, researching, working, etc... in order to achieve their dreams. They will spend money on books, professional memberships, seminars, etc.. in order to achieve their dreams.
Sidney Poitier referred to sacrifice in his book 'The Measure of a Man'. He said "You have to go down before you can go up". You must become the person that is capable of handling what you desire before you will be able to achieve your dreams.
Here is something I recommend asking yourself if you are not making progress towards your goals:
Am I making the necessary sacrifices?
Really take a close look at where you are spending your time and your money.
Until next time...
Monday, June 28, 2010
Awareness and Judgements
Quote (paraphrased)
"All people seek only what they perceive as the good, however due to the limitations of perception people can not tell what is always the best option".
-Socrates
My Thoughts
This quote is evidenced by the statement "Well, it seemed like a great idea at the time.".
Most people believe that their view of the world is the right one. It can be frightening to accept the fact that perhaps opening your mind to new possibilities may be a good idea. I think all of us at one time or another have pushed our world view, or perception, onto others. This frequently shows up in relationships and leads to many disagreements and arguments.
Another area this can be easily seen is amongst those people that have lived as foreigners in a country.
I am sure many of you have heard, or said, things like:
I don't understand why -insert their nationality here- do things this way.
Obviously, in -insert your country here- the way we do it is much, much better.
If they would do it our way, everything would work better.
But would it?
I know this may be very hard to believe, but everyone is always trying to do their best.
For example: One generation works 80 hours a week to provide for their family.
They struggle and struggle to get by.
The next generation looks at them and thinks: I don't understand, if they would have done this or that they could have cut their hours, made more money, and enjoyed life more.
Both of these generations are simply acting out of their level of awareness.
You see we all have our own challenges, situations, obstacles, and regrets to deal with and overcome in life. Life is about learning, or not learning, from these experiences.
It is not up to us to sit around and judge everyone.
By letting go of judgments, you can seriously enhance your own personal awareness.
How can you start to let go of these judgments?
You can start by realizing that it is absolutely impossible for you to know what is going on in other people's minds all of the time.
By accepting this as true, you will start to break up the cycle of "I am right" and "they are wrong".
You can also start asking yourself perception based questions like:
"What is another way of looking at this?"
"What if I looked at this from a different point of view?"
If you practice this daily, over time it will become a habit.
You will then find it comfortable simply not knowing why someone would do something that you perceive as "wrong" or "bad".
Remember, maybe that "bad" choice was necessary for their growth.
Until next time...
"All people seek only what they perceive as the good, however due to the limitations of perception people can not tell what is always the best option".
-Socrates
My Thoughts
This quote is evidenced by the statement "Well, it seemed like a great idea at the time.".
Most people believe that their view of the world is the right one. It can be frightening to accept the fact that perhaps opening your mind to new possibilities may be a good idea. I think all of us at one time or another have pushed our world view, or perception, onto others. This frequently shows up in relationships and leads to many disagreements and arguments.
Another area this can be easily seen is amongst those people that have lived as foreigners in a country.
I am sure many of you have heard, or said, things like:
I don't understand why -insert their nationality here- do things this way.
Obviously, in -insert your country here- the way we do it is much, much better.
If they would do it our way, everything would work better.
But would it?
I know this may be very hard to believe, but everyone is always trying to do their best.
For example: One generation works 80 hours a week to provide for their family.
They struggle and struggle to get by.
The next generation looks at them and thinks: I don't understand, if they would have done this or that they could have cut their hours, made more money, and enjoyed life more.
Both of these generations are simply acting out of their level of awareness.
You see we all have our own challenges, situations, obstacles, and regrets to deal with and overcome in life. Life is about learning, or not learning, from these experiences.
It is not up to us to sit around and judge everyone.
By letting go of judgments, you can seriously enhance your own personal awareness.
How can you start to let go of these judgments?
You can start by realizing that it is absolutely impossible for you to know what is going on in other people's minds all of the time.
By accepting this as true, you will start to break up the cycle of "I am right" and "they are wrong".
You can also start asking yourself perception based questions like:
"What is another way of looking at this?"
"What if I looked at this from a different point of view?"
If you practice this daily, over time it will become a habit.
You will then find it comfortable simply not knowing why someone would do something that you perceive as "wrong" or "bad".
Remember, maybe that "bad" choice was necessary for their growth.
Until next time...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Decision and Action
Quote
“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.”
- H.L. Hunt
My Thoughts
It can be very difficult to make decisions, but it's even tougher to take action on those decisions.
We have all heard many people say things like:
I'll get to work on this new business plan.
I'll start going to the gym this week.
I'll practice for this important interview.
etc...
The interesting thing is how many people never follow through. There are numerous reasons for this, however I believe the biggest reason is simply that they don't want it strong enough. There is no emotion in back of what they are doing, or not a big enough why.
If you find yourself struggling with some task, ask yourself things like:
Why am I doing this?
Is this what I really want?
What will be the outcome if I complete this?
How will I feel once I finish this?
If you find yourself coming up with negative responses to those questions, perhaps it's time to reevaluate your situation. Maybe it's time to make a decision to change something.
After deciding it's time for change the next step is you need to act.
Don't wait long before acting, or you will find yourself in a cycle of self doubt.
Once this cycle occurs it is very difficult to overcome.
Remember, if you really want to change something in your life, DECIDE to do it and then ACT.
Until next time...
“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.”
- H.L. Hunt
My Thoughts
It can be very difficult to make decisions, but it's even tougher to take action on those decisions.
We have all heard many people say things like:
I'll get to work on this new business plan.
I'll start going to the gym this week.
I'll practice for this important interview.
etc...
The interesting thing is how many people never follow through. There are numerous reasons for this, however I believe the biggest reason is simply that they don't want it strong enough. There is no emotion in back of what they are doing, or not a big enough why.
If you find yourself struggling with some task, ask yourself things like:
Why am I doing this?
Is this what I really want?
What will be the outcome if I complete this?
How will I feel once I finish this?
If you find yourself coming up with negative responses to those questions, perhaps it's time to reevaluate your situation. Maybe it's time to make a decision to change something.
After deciding it's time for change the next step is you need to act.
Don't wait long before acting, or you will find yourself in a cycle of self doubt.
Once this cycle occurs it is very difficult to overcome.
Remember, if you really want to change something in your life, DECIDE to do it and then ACT.
Until next time...
Monday, June 14, 2010
Failure
Quote
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
-Winston Churchill
My Thoughts
I am sure most of you know that life doesn’t always work out as you planned. No matter how much we would like to be able to control everything, it just doesn’t work like that.
So, what do you do if you set a goal(s) and you fail?
What do you do when nothing seems to be working?
Well, first recognize that it’s not failure until you ultimately decide to give up completely.
Second, accept the fact that you will have setbacks along the way. Some of these setbacks will appear major at the time. Remember that you can learn something from these. These are life’s lessons. If nothing seems to be working you don’t have to change the goal, but maybe it’s time you change your approach to the goal. Perhaps there are other paths that you haven’t explored yet.
Finally, always remember even though you can’t always control life you can control your attitude towards life.
Until next time...
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
-Winston Churchill
My Thoughts
I am sure most of you know that life doesn’t always work out as you planned. No matter how much we would like to be able to control everything, it just doesn’t work like that.
So, what do you do if you set a goal(s) and you fail?
What do you do when nothing seems to be working?
Well, first recognize that it’s not failure until you ultimately decide to give up completely.
Second, accept the fact that you will have setbacks along the way. Some of these setbacks will appear major at the time. Remember that you can learn something from these. These are life’s lessons. If nothing seems to be working you don’t have to change the goal, but maybe it’s time you change your approach to the goal. Perhaps there are other paths that you haven’t explored yet.
Finally, always remember even though you can’t always control life you can control your attitude towards life.
Until next time...
Monday, May 24, 2010
Deep Quotes
There will be no posts for the next two weeks because I will be India.
I am going for some serious meditation, and I am sure I'll write something about my experience when I return.
So, seeing as there won't be any quotes for the next two weeks, I decided to post a few quotes that you could really spend time thinking about.
Quotes:
"One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.”
-from the Bhagavad Gita
“Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? … You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.”
-Jesus Christ
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
-Buddha
"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous."
-from the Qur'an
"People are scared to empty their minds
fearing that they will be engulfed by the void.
What they don’t realize is that
their own mind is the void."
-Huang Po
"Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes."
-Ramana Maharshi
Until next time
I am going for some serious meditation, and I am sure I'll write something about my experience when I return.
So, seeing as there won't be any quotes for the next two weeks, I decided to post a few quotes that you could really spend time thinking about.
Quotes:
"One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.”
-from the Bhagavad Gita
“Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? … You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.”
-Jesus Christ
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
-Buddha
"O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous."
-from the Qur'an
"People are scared to empty their minds
fearing that they will be engulfed by the void.
What they don’t realize is that
their own mind is the void."
-Huang Po
"Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes."
-Ramana Maharshi
Until next time
Monday, May 17, 2010
Finding Your Passion
Quote
"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."
-Steve Jobs
My Thoughts
Do you love what you do? That is a very common question which has probably been asked to you numerous times. Perhaps you have answered it honestly or perhaps not. However it is a great question to ask yourself from time to time. If you don't love what you do then what are you doing it for?
A very common question that comes up during coaching is "What if I don't know what I love to do?".
The good news for those that ask is that they are seeking answers. This is the beginning of change. Admitting that you are dissatisfied with your current position.
So, how do you find your passion? One way is through much introspection. Asking yourself questions like: "What makes me feel the most alive?", "What would I do if I absolutely knew I wasn't going to fail?", "What am I interested in?", etc...
Another way is exploring different paths. I didn't know my passion ten years ago, I didn't know it five years ago. The important thing is that you keep going. Try different things and see what excites you.
In no particular order, here are some of the things I have explored: mechanic, secretary, soldier, intelligence analyst, computer technician, English teacher, defense contractor.
It wasn't until around three years ago that I started to realize where my passion was.
Once you start to recognize your passion you basically have two options.
You can decide that you are going to pursue that as your life's work.
Or, you can keep making excuses for why you will never be able to pursue your passion.
While you will certainly meet challenges choosing the first option, your life will have much more meaning.
The second option will probably appear more comfortable, but in the end your life will lack meaning.
This will lead to misery.
I encourage all of you that are wanting to find your passion to combine both approaches. Over time you will start to see which area(s) you are passionate about.
Then it is up to you to make a decision.
Until next time....
"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."
-Steve Jobs
My Thoughts
Do you love what you do? That is a very common question which has probably been asked to you numerous times. Perhaps you have answered it honestly or perhaps not. However it is a great question to ask yourself from time to time. If you don't love what you do then what are you doing it for?
A very common question that comes up during coaching is "What if I don't know what I love to do?".
The good news for those that ask is that they are seeking answers. This is the beginning of change. Admitting that you are dissatisfied with your current position.
So, how do you find your passion? One way is through much introspection. Asking yourself questions like: "What makes me feel the most alive?", "What would I do if I absolutely knew I wasn't going to fail?", "What am I interested in?", etc...
Another way is exploring different paths. I didn't know my passion ten years ago, I didn't know it five years ago. The important thing is that you keep going. Try different things and see what excites you.
In no particular order, here are some of the things I have explored: mechanic, secretary, soldier, intelligence analyst, computer technician, English teacher, defense contractor.
It wasn't until around three years ago that I started to realize where my passion was.
Once you start to recognize your passion you basically have two options.
You can decide that you are going to pursue that as your life's work.
Or, you can keep making excuses for why you will never be able to pursue your passion.
While you will certainly meet challenges choosing the first option, your life will have much more meaning.
The second option will probably appear more comfortable, but in the end your life will lack meaning.
This will lead to misery.
I encourage all of you that are wanting to find your passion to combine both approaches. Over time you will start to see which area(s) you are passionate about.
Then it is up to you to make a decision.
Until next time....
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Awareness
Quote
"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness."
-James Thurber
My Thoughts
I wanted to share this with you.
This is from one of my mentors, Christian Simpson (www.christian-simpson.com).
He is doing a seven part series called "The Seven Steps to Success".
Here is part one:
The most important stage of any journey is first establishing where you are. Think about it, a journey from where you are today to where you want to be is no different to any other journey, if you were about to travel and thought that you were currently in New York with an intention to get to Washington DC, when in fact you were in Chicago, you’d end up in a very different place from your desired destination.
The process is no different when mapping out our journey to success. It’s a natural and common error that we tend to spend far too much time looking back into the past in reflection, to the future with anticipation, and not enough time looking around us with awareness to establish exactly where we are. Why is that so important? It’s because the success you intend for the future is reliant upon a strong foundation, and that foundation is you.
You are the epicenter of every result you get in your life. I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders and entrapreuners during my years as a Leadership Coach and I’ve observe many of them planning their future lives whilst the existing one is out of balance. Human beings are very resilient and often unaware of the subconscious impact on their effectiveness when their lives are out of synch, and yet, through awareness, the negative impact can easily be observed.
It’s understandable that so many of us become immersed in our day to day activity, busying ourselves in the trenches of the battlefield of life, dodging the bullets as we try to advance. The problem is you can’t see the picture clearly when you’re in the frame, and if your existing personal and professional life is out of balance, what's the likelihood of it improving in the one you intend to create? It’s not a recipe for high performance in your existing conditions and circumstances and certainly not an intelligent foundation upon which to launch your future plans.
We get results in every aspects of our lives, and we are the common denominator. The most successful people are thinkers as well as ‘doers’. They understand that thinking without action is pointless, and that action without thinking is disasterous. Take stock of where you are today. What results are you getting in your business life? What are you doing to develop yourself personally and professionally? What results are showing up in your primary relationships? Your finances? What do you do regularly for fun and recreation? What about honoring friendships that are important to you? How are you contributing to your community or society? What results are you getting in the health of your physical body, and how would you assess your current intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth?
Many people falsely believe many of these areas have little to do with business success. I can assure you, from my many years of experience coaching leaders beyond their existing results and into the success they intend for in life, gaining awareness of where you are is an essential step to getting where you want to be.
---------
Until next time....
"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness."
-James Thurber
My Thoughts
I wanted to share this with you.
This is from one of my mentors, Christian Simpson (www.christian-simpson.com).
He is doing a seven part series called "The Seven Steps to Success".
Here is part one:
The most important stage of any journey is first establishing where you are. Think about it, a journey from where you are today to where you want to be is no different to any other journey, if you were about to travel and thought that you were currently in New York with an intention to get to Washington DC, when in fact you were in Chicago, you’d end up in a very different place from your desired destination.
The process is no different when mapping out our journey to success. It’s a natural and common error that we tend to spend far too much time looking back into the past in reflection, to the future with anticipation, and not enough time looking around us with awareness to establish exactly where we are. Why is that so important? It’s because the success you intend for the future is reliant upon a strong foundation, and that foundation is you.
You are the epicenter of every result you get in your life. I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders and entrapreuners during my years as a Leadership Coach and I’ve observe many of them planning their future lives whilst the existing one is out of balance. Human beings are very resilient and often unaware of the subconscious impact on their effectiveness when their lives are out of synch, and yet, through awareness, the negative impact can easily be observed.
It’s understandable that so many of us become immersed in our day to day activity, busying ourselves in the trenches of the battlefield of life, dodging the bullets as we try to advance. The problem is you can’t see the picture clearly when you’re in the frame, and if your existing personal and professional life is out of balance, what's the likelihood of it improving in the one you intend to create? It’s not a recipe for high performance in your existing conditions and circumstances and certainly not an intelligent foundation upon which to launch your future plans.
We get results in every aspects of our lives, and we are the common denominator. The most successful people are thinkers as well as ‘doers’. They understand that thinking without action is pointless, and that action without thinking is disasterous. Take stock of where you are today. What results are you getting in your business life? What are you doing to develop yourself personally and professionally? What results are showing up in your primary relationships? Your finances? What do you do regularly for fun and recreation? What about honoring friendships that are important to you? How are you contributing to your community or society? What results are you getting in the health of your physical body, and how would you assess your current intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth?
Many people falsely believe many of these areas have little to do with business success. I can assure you, from my many years of experience coaching leaders beyond their existing results and into the success they intend for in life, gaining awareness of where you are is an essential step to getting where you want to be.
---------
Until next time....
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Who's in Charge?
Quote
"A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself."
-James Allen
My Thoughts
Are you focused on what everyone else is doing, or are you focused on what you are doing? In situations do you find yourself reacting emotionally, or do you pause and think about the situation? Do you find yourself wishing everyone else would change?
We all sometimes find ourselves wandering through life on autopilot. We may look back and say "Wow it's already May, where did the time go?". And for that brief instance we may become aware of our thoughts and attempt to shift direction. Unfortunately, for so many people they end up going back on autopilot and the months turn into years. These people find themselves looking back over life wishing they had done this or that.
What can be done?
The first step is that when you have this moment of awareness, acknowledge that you are off track and would like to change (this assumes that you are off track and you want to change; sometimes people are comfortable in their own misery).
After realizing you want to change, ask yourself "What steps can I take right now to bring about this change?".
Finally, start taking the steps. Remember the steps may appear small at first, but you must do them.
It is no good to merely wish for something. You need to take action.
These steps will eventually build themselves into habits.
You will be amazed as you look back and realize that what appeared to be a small decision to change altered your entire life.
I encourage all of you seeking change to be honest with yourselves.
If you really want change, is the time for change now? Is it next year? Is it when you are 60?
Only you can honestly answer that question.
Stop denying the life that is calling you and start living up to your fullest potential.
Until next time...
"A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself."
-James Allen
My Thoughts
Are you focused on what everyone else is doing, or are you focused on what you are doing? In situations do you find yourself reacting emotionally, or do you pause and think about the situation? Do you find yourself wishing everyone else would change?
We all sometimes find ourselves wandering through life on autopilot. We may look back and say "Wow it's already May, where did the time go?". And for that brief instance we may become aware of our thoughts and attempt to shift direction. Unfortunately, for so many people they end up going back on autopilot and the months turn into years. These people find themselves looking back over life wishing they had done this or that.
What can be done?
The first step is that when you have this moment of awareness, acknowledge that you are off track and would like to change (this assumes that you are off track and you want to change; sometimes people are comfortable in their own misery).
After realizing you want to change, ask yourself "What steps can I take right now to bring about this change?".
Finally, start taking the steps. Remember the steps may appear small at first, but you must do them.
It is no good to merely wish for something. You need to take action.
These steps will eventually build themselves into habits.
You will be amazed as you look back and realize that what appeared to be a small decision to change altered your entire life.
I encourage all of you seeking change to be honest with yourselves.
If you really want change, is the time for change now? Is it next year? Is it when you are 60?
Only you can honestly answer that question.
Stop denying the life that is calling you and start living up to your fullest potential.
Until next time...
Monday, April 26, 2010
Creating Happiness
Quote
"You may control a mad elephant;
You may shut the mouth of the bear and the tiger;
Ride the lion and play with the cobra;
By alchemy you may learn your livelihood;
You may wander through the universe incognito;
Make vassals of the gods; be ever youthful;
You may walk in water and live in fire;
But control of the mind is better and more difficult."
-Paramhansa Yogananda
My Thoughts
Instead of my thoughts, I'll share this with you:
--------
Creating Happiness
by Paramhansa Yogananda
East-West 1932 and 1933
If you want to be loved, start loving others who need your love. If you expect others to be honest with you, then start by being honest yourself. If you do not want others to be wicked, then you must cease to be evil yourself. If you want others to sympathize with you, start showing sympathy to those around you. If you want to be respected, you must learn to be respectful to everyone, both young and old. If you want a display of peace from others, you must be peaceful yourself. If you want others to be religious, start being spiritual yourself. Remember, whatever you want others to be, first be that yourself; then you will find others responding in like manner to you.
It is easy to wish that others would behave perfectly toward you, and it is easy to see their faults, but it is very difficult to conduct yourself properly and to consider your own faults. If you can remember to behave rightly, others will try to follow your example. If you can find your own faults without developing an inferiority complex, and can keep busy correcting yourself, then you will be using your time more profitably than if you spent it in just wishing others to be better. Your good example will do more to change others than your wishing, your holy wrath, or your words.
The more you improve yourself, the more you will elevate others around you. The self-improving man is the increasingly happy man. The happier you become, the happier will be the people around you.
Stagnant people are unhappy. Extremely ignorant people scarcely know how it feels to either be happy or unhappy. They are unfeeling, like the stones. It is better to be unhappy about your own ignorance than to die happily with it. Wherever you are, remain awake and alive with your thought, perception, and intuition, ever ready, like a good photographer, to take pictures of exemplary conduct and to ignore bad behavior. Your highest happiness lies in your being ever ready in desiring to learn and to behave properly.
If you have given up hope of ever being happy, cheer up. Never lose hope. Your soul, being the reflection of the ever-joyous Spirit, is, in essence, happiness itself. If you keep the eyes of your concentration closed, you cannot see the sun of happiness burning within your bosom; but no matter how tightly you close the eyes of your attention, it nevertheless remains a fact that the happiness rays are ever trying to pierce the closed doors of your mind. Open the portals of calmness, and you will find a sudden burst of the bright Sun of Joy right from within yourself.
The joyous rays of the soul can be perceived if you interiorize your attention. This can be done by using the architect of your mind to enjoy the beautiful scenery of thoughts in the invisible, tangible Kingdom within you. Do not search for happiness only in beautiful clothes, clean houses, delicious dinners, and soft cushions and chairs. These will imprison your happiness behind the bars of externality or outwardness. Rather, in the airplane of your visualization, glide over the vast tracts of Fancy, beholding the limitless empire of thoughts. There behold the mountain ranges of unbroken, lofty, spiritual aspiration, for improving yourself and others.
Glide over the deep valleys of Universal Sympathy. Fly over the geysers of enthusiasm, and the Niagara Falls of perpetual wisdom, plunging down the hoary crags of your Soul’s peace. Soar over the endless river of intuitive perception to the Kingdom of His Omnipresence. There, in His Mansion of Bliss, drink from His fountain of Whispering Wisdom and quench the thirst of your desires. Dine with Him on the fruits of Divine Love in the Banquet Hall of Eternity. If you have made up your mind to find joy within yourself, sooner or later you will find it. Seek it now, daily, by steady, deep, and deeper meditation within, and you will surely find everlasting happiness. Make a steady effort to go within, and you will find your greatest happiness there.
---------
Until next time...
"You may control a mad elephant;
You may shut the mouth of the bear and the tiger;
Ride the lion and play with the cobra;
By alchemy you may learn your livelihood;
You may wander through the universe incognito;
Make vassals of the gods; be ever youthful;
You may walk in water and live in fire;
But control of the mind is better and more difficult."
-Paramhansa Yogananda
My Thoughts
Instead of my thoughts, I'll share this with you:
--------
Creating Happiness
by Paramhansa Yogananda
East-West 1932 and 1933
If you want to be loved, start loving others who need your love. If you expect others to be honest with you, then start by being honest yourself. If you do not want others to be wicked, then you must cease to be evil yourself. If you want others to sympathize with you, start showing sympathy to those around you. If you want to be respected, you must learn to be respectful to everyone, both young and old. If you want a display of peace from others, you must be peaceful yourself. If you want others to be religious, start being spiritual yourself. Remember, whatever you want others to be, first be that yourself; then you will find others responding in like manner to you.
It is easy to wish that others would behave perfectly toward you, and it is easy to see their faults, but it is very difficult to conduct yourself properly and to consider your own faults. If you can remember to behave rightly, others will try to follow your example. If you can find your own faults without developing an inferiority complex, and can keep busy correcting yourself, then you will be using your time more profitably than if you spent it in just wishing others to be better. Your good example will do more to change others than your wishing, your holy wrath, or your words.
The more you improve yourself, the more you will elevate others around you. The self-improving man is the increasingly happy man. The happier you become, the happier will be the people around you.
Stagnant people are unhappy. Extremely ignorant people scarcely know how it feels to either be happy or unhappy. They are unfeeling, like the stones. It is better to be unhappy about your own ignorance than to die happily with it. Wherever you are, remain awake and alive with your thought, perception, and intuition, ever ready, like a good photographer, to take pictures of exemplary conduct and to ignore bad behavior. Your highest happiness lies in your being ever ready in desiring to learn and to behave properly.
If you have given up hope of ever being happy, cheer up. Never lose hope. Your soul, being the reflection of the ever-joyous Spirit, is, in essence, happiness itself. If you keep the eyes of your concentration closed, you cannot see the sun of happiness burning within your bosom; but no matter how tightly you close the eyes of your attention, it nevertheless remains a fact that the happiness rays are ever trying to pierce the closed doors of your mind. Open the portals of calmness, and you will find a sudden burst of the bright Sun of Joy right from within yourself.
The joyous rays of the soul can be perceived if you interiorize your attention. This can be done by using the architect of your mind to enjoy the beautiful scenery of thoughts in the invisible, tangible Kingdom within you. Do not search for happiness only in beautiful clothes, clean houses, delicious dinners, and soft cushions and chairs. These will imprison your happiness behind the bars of externality or outwardness. Rather, in the airplane of your visualization, glide over the vast tracts of Fancy, beholding the limitless empire of thoughts. There behold the mountain ranges of unbroken, lofty, spiritual aspiration, for improving yourself and others.
Glide over the deep valleys of Universal Sympathy. Fly over the geysers of enthusiasm, and the Niagara Falls of perpetual wisdom, plunging down the hoary crags of your Soul’s peace. Soar over the endless river of intuitive perception to the Kingdom of His Omnipresence. There, in His Mansion of Bliss, drink from His fountain of Whispering Wisdom and quench the thirst of your desires. Dine with Him on the fruits of Divine Love in the Banquet Hall of Eternity. If you have made up your mind to find joy within yourself, sooner or later you will find it. Seek it now, daily, by steady, deep, and deeper meditation within, and you will surely find everlasting happiness. Make a steady effort to go within, and you will find your greatest happiness there.
---------
Until next time...
Monday, April 19, 2010
Productivity
Quote
"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
- Stephen Covey
My Thoughts
Do you find yourself not making any significant progress relating to your goal(s)?
The first area to check is your passion. But what if you are passionate and you are still not making progress?
The next thing to look at would be, are you focusing on areas that will bring you the greatest results?
Or are you scattered all over the place?
Do you find yourself wishing there was more time in the day to get things done?
If you find yourself answering yes to these questions, don't worry because I was in the same boat about a year ago. So what happened?
I read an outstanding book from Brian Tracy called "Eat that Frog". That book increased my productivity tenfold. Essentially you need to stop focusing on managing time and start focusing on managing activities. Once you begin doing this your ability to get things done will skyrocket.
I strongly encourage you to read that book and apply the principles in it.
Until next time....
"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."
- Stephen Covey
My Thoughts
Do you find yourself not making any significant progress relating to your goal(s)?
The first area to check is your passion. But what if you are passionate and you are still not making progress?
The next thing to look at would be, are you focusing on areas that will bring you the greatest results?
Or are you scattered all over the place?
Do you find yourself wishing there was more time in the day to get things done?
If you find yourself answering yes to these questions, don't worry because I was in the same boat about a year ago. So what happened?
I read an outstanding book from Brian Tracy called "Eat that Frog". That book increased my productivity tenfold. Essentially you need to stop focusing on managing time and start focusing on managing activities. Once you begin doing this your ability to get things done will skyrocket.
I strongly encourage you to read that book and apply the principles in it.
Until next time....
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Responsibility
Quote
"The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins."
-Bob Moawad
My Thoughts
Do you take responsibility for all of your results? Or only for your successes? Do you find yourself blaming other people for your setbacks or failures? We all may find ourselves doing this from time to time.
When we decide to take 100% responsibility for our results we will start to see things change.
We will then be in control of our future. This is a very big step for most people to take because it is certainly easier to blame other people for the situations we find ourselves in.
I encourage all of you to become more aware of excuses. Start eliminating them from your life. You'll be amazed at how much more control you have.
Until next time...
"The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins."
-Bob Moawad
My Thoughts
Do you take responsibility for all of your results? Or only for your successes? Do you find yourself blaming other people for your setbacks or failures? We all may find ourselves doing this from time to time.
When we decide to take 100% responsibility for our results we will start to see things change.
We will then be in control of our future. This is a very big step for most people to take because it is certainly easier to blame other people for the situations we find ourselves in.
I encourage all of you to become more aware of excuses. Start eliminating them from your life. You'll be amazed at how much more control you have.
Until next time...
Monday, April 5, 2010
Goals and Growth
Quote
“The real purpose of a goal is to grow. It causes you to draw something out of yourself that you didn’t even know was there.”
-Bob Proctor
My Thoughts
When was the last time you set a goal that caused you to grow? To really stretch? For many people the answer to those questions is never. Much of the world wanders through life letting other people decide their futures. This also helps explain why so many people have such a difficult time making decisions.
If you do have a goal that you are working towards, I would like you to look at it. Is it something you want to be, do, or have ? Or did you set it because it’s something your parents, friends, coworkers, or society wants you to be, do, or have? If it is something that you set, is it really stretching you?
I would encourage all of you to spend some serious time this week thinking about your goals. What area(s) are you really passionate about? Do you have goals in this area? If no, what are the reasons?
I would like to point out, don’t waste time thinking about how you are going to achieve these things. Get your imagination going and write down things that resonate with you.
Once you have found what you would like to be, do, or have, write it down in the present tense and put a date on it. After that write down three action steps that will move you closer to your goal. These can be small, passive activities (research, reading, etc...) at first. As you move towards your goal these action steps will tend to grow more active (meeting people, renting space, etc...).
Remember, the achievement of a goal is actually the secondary benefit. The primary benefit of a goal is the growth you achieve.
If you have further questions about goal setting or achieving please contact me: bob@oneamazinglife.com
Until next time...
“The real purpose of a goal is to grow. It causes you to draw something out of yourself that you didn’t even know was there.”
-Bob Proctor
My Thoughts
When was the last time you set a goal that caused you to grow? To really stretch? For many people the answer to those questions is never. Much of the world wanders through life letting other people decide their futures. This also helps explain why so many people have such a difficult time making decisions.
If you do have a goal that you are working towards, I would like you to look at it. Is it something you want to be, do, or have ? Or did you set it because it’s something your parents, friends, coworkers, or society wants you to be, do, or have? If it is something that you set, is it really stretching you?
I would encourage all of you to spend some serious time this week thinking about your goals. What area(s) are you really passionate about? Do you have goals in this area? If no, what are the reasons?
I would like to point out, don’t waste time thinking about how you are going to achieve these things. Get your imagination going and write down things that resonate with you.
Once you have found what you would like to be, do, or have, write it down in the present tense and put a date on it. After that write down three action steps that will move you closer to your goal. These can be small, passive activities (research, reading, etc...) at first. As you move towards your goal these action steps will tend to grow more active (meeting people, renting space, etc...).
Remember, the achievement of a goal is actually the secondary benefit. The primary benefit of a goal is the growth you achieve.
If you have further questions about goal setting or achieving please contact me: bob@oneamazinglife.com
Until next time...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Results
Quote
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
-Albert Einstein
My Thoughts
We often have heard that we learn not from studying information but by doing, or by experiencing. However, that is not quite true. If it was we would never make the same mistake twice. Real learning takes place from evaluated experience. Of course this can be tough, since you are the one going through the experience.
Are there results that you would like to change in your life? Maybe related to your work? Education? Health? Relationships? etc...I am sure the answer to that question for most people is yes. The question then becomes: have you actually taken steps to change? If no, and you keep expecting different results, I ask that you reread the quote above. If yes, is it working? Are you doing everything you can to facilitate this change?
I would encourage all of you that are seeking change to surround yourself with people heading in the direction you are aiming for. This will give you the focus and energy to see things through until the end.
Until next time....
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
-Albert Einstein
My Thoughts
We often have heard that we learn not from studying information but by doing, or by experiencing. However, that is not quite true. If it was we would never make the same mistake twice. Real learning takes place from evaluated experience. Of course this can be tough, since you are the one going through the experience.
Are there results that you would like to change in your life? Maybe related to your work? Education? Health? Relationships? etc...I am sure the answer to that question for most people is yes. The question then becomes: have you actually taken steps to change? If no, and you keep expecting different results, I ask that you reread the quote above. If yes, is it working? Are you doing everything you can to facilitate this change?
I would encourage all of you that are seeking change to surround yourself with people heading in the direction you are aiming for. This will give you the focus and energy to see things through until the end.
Until next time....
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Forgiveness
Quote
"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you."
-Lewis B. Smedes
My Thoughts
Forgiveness is perhaps one of the most difficult habits to develop. However, it is absolutely essential to our personal development. All of us have felt that we have been wronged by someone at sometime. But who gets hurt more by holding on to thoughts of anger, revenge, and hatred? Is it the person(s) or is it us?
In order for us to fully grow we have to let go of these past negative emotions. Remember, many of these negative thoughts and feelings come from our perception of things at the time. Also, it is impossible for us to absolutely know what is going on in someone's mind at the time.
I encourage you to think this week about someone you still hold negative feelings towards. Make an honest attempt to forgive them. Once you release these negative feelings you will feel rejuvenated.
I am not suggesting that this is easy, but over time it can be developed into a habit.
If you are having problems with forgiveness, I recommend reading the following books:
Psycho-Cybernetics by Dr. Maxwell Maltz
Building Your Field of Dreams by Mary Morrissey
Until next time....
"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you."
-Lewis B. Smedes
My Thoughts
Forgiveness is perhaps one of the most difficult habits to develop. However, it is absolutely essential to our personal development. All of us have felt that we have been wronged by someone at sometime. But who gets hurt more by holding on to thoughts of anger, revenge, and hatred? Is it the person(s) or is it us?
In order for us to fully grow we have to let go of these past negative emotions. Remember, many of these negative thoughts and feelings come from our perception of things at the time. Also, it is impossible for us to absolutely know what is going on in someone's mind at the time.
I encourage you to think this week about someone you still hold negative feelings towards. Make an honest attempt to forgive them. Once you release these negative feelings you will feel rejuvenated.
I am not suggesting that this is easy, but over time it can be developed into a habit.
If you are having problems with forgiveness, I recommend reading the following books:
Psycho-Cybernetics by Dr. Maxwell Maltz
Building Your Field of Dreams by Mary Morrissey
Until next time....
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Attitude
Quote
"Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. "
-Viktor Frankl
My Thoughts
First, I would like to say if you have not read Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning" do so soon.
Many of us fall victim to simply reacting to the situations around us without really thinking about it. For example: If it is raining out, we may say it makes us feel down or depressed. Does the rain make us feel depressed or do we make ourselves feel depressed?
Another example: Maybe things aren't turning out well for us in regards to work (students, clients, customers, etc...). Is it their fault or is it something else? Perhaps we need to change.
I believe it is our attitude in regards to the situation we find ourselves. So if you find yourself in a situation where you are blaming other people for events, I would like you to be honest with yourself and see where your attitude is at. How is your attitude influencing the situation? In what other ways could you look at the situation?
I am not saying this is an easy thing to do, but like other things you can make this into a habit.
Until next time....
"Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. "
-Viktor Frankl
My Thoughts
First, I would like to say if you have not read Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning" do so soon.
Many of us fall victim to simply reacting to the situations around us without really thinking about it. For example: If it is raining out, we may say it makes us feel down or depressed. Does the rain make us feel depressed or do we make ourselves feel depressed?
Another example: Maybe things aren't turning out well for us in regards to work (students, clients, customers, etc...). Is it their fault or is it something else? Perhaps we need to change.
I believe it is our attitude in regards to the situation we find ourselves. So if you find yourself in a situation where you are blaming other people for events, I would like you to be honest with yourself and see where your attitude is at. How is your attitude influencing the situation? In what other ways could you look at the situation?
I am not saying this is an easy thing to do, but like other things you can make this into a habit.
Until next time....
Monday, March 8, 2010
Risk
Quote
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt
My Thoughts
What Roosevelt is talking about here is risk. When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and took a risk? For most people it has been way too long. It's interesting that when we were young we took a lot of risks. Examples include: learning to walk, learning to ride a bike, asking someone out on a date, etc... However, as we get older we tend not to take as many risks. Two major reasons for this include the fear of failure, and the fear of criticism. We have been conditioned to believe that risk is negative or that we should avoid it at all times.
In order to grow you have to learn to take risks. In doing so you will live a much more fulfilling life. Also, you won't be one of the vast majority of people that look back on their life and wonder "what if...?". Remember you will encounter obstacles outside the safety of your comfort zone. This is where perception comes to your aid. I recommend using your perception and look at these obstacles as opportunities for growth.
I encourage all of you to take risks. Step outside of your comfort zone and grow.
How can you do this?
Here are some examples:
Need help with public speaking?
1. Join Toastmasters.
2. Consider attending the Bill Gove Speech Workshop (or other acclaimed speech workshops in your area).
Are you passionate about something and would love to turn it into your full time career?
1. Start researching (find any info you can regarding your passion, read books/magazines, etc..)
2. Get in contact with people that can assist you:
a. Certified Life Coaches (like myself).
b. Mentors
c. Business Consultants
I would like to remind you, usually, the greater the risk you take the greater the reward.
Until next time....
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
-Theodore Roosevelt
My Thoughts
What Roosevelt is talking about here is risk. When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and took a risk? For most people it has been way too long. It's interesting that when we were young we took a lot of risks. Examples include: learning to walk, learning to ride a bike, asking someone out on a date, etc... However, as we get older we tend not to take as many risks. Two major reasons for this include the fear of failure, and the fear of criticism. We have been conditioned to believe that risk is negative or that we should avoid it at all times.
In order to grow you have to learn to take risks. In doing so you will live a much more fulfilling life. Also, you won't be one of the vast majority of people that look back on their life and wonder "what if...?". Remember you will encounter obstacles outside the safety of your comfort zone. This is where perception comes to your aid. I recommend using your perception and look at these obstacles as opportunities for growth.
I encourage all of you to take risks. Step outside of your comfort zone and grow.
How can you do this?
Here are some examples:
Need help with public speaking?
1. Join Toastmasters.
2. Consider attending the Bill Gove Speech Workshop (or other acclaimed speech workshops in your area).
Are you passionate about something and would love to turn it into your full time career?
1. Start researching (find any info you can regarding your passion, read books/magazines, etc..)
2. Get in contact with people that can assist you:
a. Certified Life Coaches (like myself).
b. Mentors
c. Business Consultants
I would like to remind you, usually, the greater the risk you take the greater the reward.
Until next time....
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Committed Decisions
Quote
"Committed decisions show up in two places - your calendar and your checkbook."
Dr. Carole Hildebrand
My Thoughts
We all say we are going to do things. But how often do we follow through? What Dr. Hildebrand is saying is really take a look at where you are spending your time and money. This will show you where you are headed.
Most of us would love to change one or more areas of our lives, but are we committed to it? Or do we keep saying "I'm gonna", "One day, I'm gonna do this". If you keep going down that path you are not going to accomplish very much of anything.
If you would really like to change one area of your life and you keep wondering why it is not working. Really take an honest look at where you are spending your time and money.
For example: If you have a goal to be at your ideal weight by June; but you are not spending the necessary time working out and you are not spending any money related to your goal (trainer, books, supplements etc...) are you really committed to it? I would say it's more of a wish, than a decision.
One final tip: The vast majority of us have weak decision making abilities. To strengthen these start with small things and you will find it will become a habit over time. You could do this with things like deciding to wash the dishes when you see them and actually doing it. Or you could decide to fix something in your house and actually doing it. Or, and this is a very common one, when everyone is trying to decide what to eat for lunch or dinner:
Indecisive Person 1: What do you want to eat?
Indecisive Person 2: I don't know, what do you feel like eating?
Indecisive Person 1: Not sure, whatever you want.
-----This continues on for five more minutes-----
Decisive Person (that's you): Let's eat xxxxx.
Indecisive Person 1&2: Wow, that sounds like a great idea.
By doing this you will not only strengthen your decision making abilities, but also get rid of procrastination.
Until next time....
"Committed decisions show up in two places - your calendar and your checkbook."
Dr. Carole Hildebrand
My Thoughts
We all say we are going to do things. But how often do we follow through? What Dr. Hildebrand is saying is really take a look at where you are spending your time and money. This will show you where you are headed.
Most of us would love to change one or more areas of our lives, but are we committed to it? Or do we keep saying "I'm gonna", "One day, I'm gonna do this". If you keep going down that path you are not going to accomplish very much of anything.
If you would really like to change one area of your life and you keep wondering why it is not working. Really take an honest look at where you are spending your time and money.
For example: If you have a goal to be at your ideal weight by June; but you are not spending the necessary time working out and you are not spending any money related to your goal (trainer, books, supplements etc...) are you really committed to it? I would say it's more of a wish, than a decision.
One final tip: The vast majority of us have weak decision making abilities. To strengthen these start with small things and you will find it will become a habit over time. You could do this with things like deciding to wash the dishes when you see them and actually doing it. Or you could decide to fix something in your house and actually doing it. Or, and this is a very common one, when everyone is trying to decide what to eat for lunch or dinner:
Indecisive Person 1: What do you want to eat?
Indecisive Person 2: I don't know, what do you feel like eating?
Indecisive Person 1: Not sure, whatever you want.
-----This continues on for five more minutes-----
Decisive Person (that's you): Let's eat xxxxx.
Indecisive Person 1&2: Wow, that sounds like a great idea.
By doing this you will not only strengthen your decision making abilities, but also get rid of procrastination.
Until next time....
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