Learning

Here is a quote to think about this week:
"Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors"
-African Proverb

My opinion:
We all face tough situations in our life. Sometimes it may seem like no matter what we do nothing seems to work.
However, instead of asking ourselves "Why is this happening to me?", let us try to look at what these situations are teaching us. All of our greatest experiences and all of our worst experiences have made us into the people we are today. Remember, life is about growth and learning from good and bad experiences.
What can you learn today?

Until next time....

Change

Here is a quote to think about:
"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."
-Leo Tolstoy

My Opinion
I think this is something we all can forget at times. All of us have these big ideas: To end poverty, stop world hunger, put an end to racism, etc...But we so often forget to look at ourselves.

Change begins with you.

If you want to end poverty, does it make sense for you to remain in poverty and try to change it?
Or would a better approach to be lift yourself out of poverty and be an example to those around you?

Here is a quick story that I hope helps illustrate my point.

One of my close relatives has been in and out of jail for the last six years. He was heavily involved in drug dealing. I used to try and reason with him.
A few years ago, I would tell him about how much I was making (which was a very decent amount) and he would say "So, I can make that in half the time it takes you.".
He was right, he could do that. He didn't care that he was getting people hooked on all sorts of things.

The last time I was back in the US, I visited him in prison. I hadn't seen him in over six years. It was certainly emotional.
This time, I talked to him from a different angle.

When he found out that I walked away from an incredible job to pursue a dream. He respected that. When I told him the goal for One Amazing Life. He thought I must have gone crazy. He didn't think it would be possible to achieve such a large goal.
I did some coaching with him on the phone when he was released from prison.
During that time he realized that anything is possible.

For the last six months he has been working hard to change his life. He now sees that he is in control of his future. Do I know what will happen in his future? No, of course not, only he can determine that.
The person I am talking about in this story is my younger brother.

What is the point of this story?
When I tried to talk to him before, he wasn't relating to me very well. The fact was he wouldn't have been able to get the job I had. Therefore, he was perfectly fine making as much money as me illegally.
It wasn't until I changed, until I walked away from the normal path, that he realized maybe he could change.

In conclusion, if you are tired of your current situation, stop sitting around complaining - I know this can be difficult for all of us.
Get up, get out, and do something about it.
Change.

Until next time...

Action

A quote to think about:
Good thoughts are no better than good dreams, unless they be executed.
-Emerson

My Opinion
We all sometimes talk a lot about things that we want to do or things that we would love to change. We really do seem so serious. In the end, it all comes down to action. Sitting around for hours every day, week after week, without taking action will get you nowhere. However, after you decide that you really want to change, if you just start taking small action steps every day progressing towards that change, where will you be in a year?

Until next time...

Becoming Great

Here is a quote to think about this week:
"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done."
- Vince Lombardi

My opinion:
You really can be as great as you want to be. The first step is making that decision - the decision to be great. If you are tired of living in mediocrity, decide that you want to change. Of course the decision itself will take courage. It may not be an easy decision to make. We all sometimes get comfortable where we are. So first make the decision, after that comes the belief in yourself, then everything else that Vince Lombardi mentions above.

Until next time...

Decision

Here is a wonderful quote that I wanted to share:
It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide on what to do.
-Elbert Hubbard

My opinion:
This is such a great quote. I really do believe it oftentimes takes more effort deciding on what to do than actually doing it.
How many times do we all sit around and ponder "Should I do this or Shouldn't I do this?".
Indecisiveness will kill your dreams. The ability to make decisions quickly is a habit. The more you do it the easier it becomes.
What can really help you with making decisions is having a big goal. Because when the "Should I or Shouldn't I?" question arises you can ask yourself "If I do this will it move me closer to my goal?" and if the answer is yes, you do it.

Until Next time...

Sacrifice

Here is an excellent quote:
"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."
-Charles Du Bos

My opinion:
What are you willing to give up to achieve your dreams?
If you look at the lives of those that are extremely successful they have all sacrificed something to attain their greater goal. Some have even had give up their houses/apartments and sleep in the back of their cars.

Some things that you will most likely have to sacrifice are:
1. Time - this may mean less time spent hanging out with friends, less time watching TV, more time reading books, more time spent thinking.
2. Money - not only watching your spending but also spending your money on things that will help you progress toward your goal.
3. Material Things - this may include temporarily giving up your nice apartment to move into a smaller one so you can have a better office (ties back into money). The same could be said for your car.

I encourage everyone to once again think about:
1. How bad do you want your goal? - be honest here, rate yourself on scale from 1-10; 1 being not too much, 10 being you absolutely want it.
2. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve that goal?

Until next time...

Thinking

Do you think?

What I mean here is do you just go through the motions of life, not really thinking?
Maybe you drive the same way to the office everyday and sometimes you "space out" and when you arrive you think "wow, I don't even remember the drive".

In 2006, I stopped and had a thought "Where do I see myself in five years?". The only answer I could come up with was I don't know. I had no clue.

This is when I decided that I really needed to think about my future. So gradually I spent more time thinking. It took a while but I eventually made some serious changes in my life.
This is what lead me to be where I am today and I have never felt so alive.

I would encourage all of you to go somewhere where you will not be disturbed and think.
You can start out small, maybe ten minutes a day and work you way up.

Until next time...