Never Settle For Less

When I was six years old I got a new neighbor.  That in and of itself isn’t a remarkable or drastic feat.  People move in and out of neighborhoods all the time.  She was different in her own special way.  She was one of the first people to give me insight into what this life is really all about.

Cordele, GA is my hometown. For those of you who don’t know its the Watermelon Capital of the World.  I wish I could say there is a lot going on there.  I wish I could say it’s a great place to launch your career as an astrophysicist.  I wish I could say it has more than 2 exits on the interstate.  I wish I could say the median salary wasn’t $25,000.  Unfortunately, I can’t say any of those things. I know you’re jealous. That’s ok .
However, I can say this.  The new neighbor that moved in next door around the time I was six was a blessing.  Thanks Cordele.
I lived on the "wrong side of the tracks" in a literal sense. A train track runs down through my town (have-nots on one side and have-it-alls on the other).  My neighborhood was made of 10 houses with notoriously poor lawns.  At least 8 of the front lawns looked like plots from the Sahara desert.  At some point everyone on the block had tried to plant flowers.  One by one they all failed.  Even my beloved grandmother with her midas touch of gold couldn’t get her flowers and trees to grow (sorry grandma).

My new neighbor didn’t have that problem.  2 or 3 days after she moved in I saw her out in the yard with a stick.  She bent over and put her 60 year old knees into the dirt and began to crawl around.  Curiosity got the best of me so I waltzed over into her yard to figure out what was going on.  To my disappointment she was only drawing small "X" shapes in the sand.  I said hello to her and went on with my day.

About a week later I noticed her out in the yard again.  This time she carried a bag in her right hand and a small shovel in her left.  At a pace all her own she methodically planted seeds at every "X" mark in the yard.  One by one she’d move over to a spot and follow this exact process:

1. Shovel dirt
2. Deposit Seeds
3. Cover the hole
4. Pack it down

I must have watched her shovel dirt for at least an hour.  The process was intricate yet simple.  I’d never seen anyone else go through such great lengths to START their garden.  It was obvious to me that she was up to something.  I just didn’t know what.
Over the next couple of months my new neighbor diligently watered her plants.  Every single day she’d be out in that yard.  Her movements were precise and calculated.  I’d never seen anyone so interested in pouring water into the grand.  It was interesting, boring, and crazy at the same time.  Watching her water plants was one of the few things that could make me sit still.

Every single day for the next six months the process continued without fail.  People in the neighborhood grew suspicious and began to gossip about the woman who was “obsessed with her garden”.

• Who does she think she is?
• Doesn’t she know plants don’t grow here?
• Why does she waste her time out there?
• Is she crazy??

About a  year later all her critics grew silent.  What was once a lonely plot of dirt was blossoming into a gorgeous front lawn.  Around the perimeter of her yard were trees that stood taller than anything else in the neighborhood.  Inside that small forest of trees grew rows of petunias, roses, and other assorted flowers.    In a little over a year she had the most dazzling yard on the block!

I was green with envy.  My grandmother had been trying for years to get grass to grow in her yard.  Meanwhile, our neighbor was building a tropical rain forest.
My neighbor’s flowers and my jealousy grew out of control at the same rate.  It became my mission to discover her secrets.  One day I decided to get up close and personal.   Since I was a James Bond fan at the time I decided to use some 007 tactics.  I pressed my body against the wall of her house and slid along the bricks until I made it to the edge of her garden.  As I peaked around the corner  I noticed that my neighbor was nowhere to be seen.  I knew she couldn’t have disappeared that quick so I advanced into her yard.  Out of nowhere a bucket of water soaked my face.

“Young man would you mind telling me what you’re doing snooping around in my yard!!!??’ she screamed.

“I…I…I…was trying to steal your secrets” I stammered out.

“What secrets are you talking about?” she asked in an irritated tone.

I gathered myself and explained that I was jealous of her yard and wanted to share her success with my grandmother.  She burst out into a taunting laugh that I’ll never forget.  After she got done laughing she asked that I pay very special attention to what she was about to say closely.  She paused for about 15 seconds and said something that I (along with everyone else on earth) really needed to hear:

“If you want anything on this earth to grow you must work towards that growth.  Some things may happen quick.  But that’s the exception, not the rule.  I haven’t done anything special except pay attention and water my plants with care.  I know what I have to do and I do it.  Tell your grandmother that’s the only “secret” she needs”

My little heart plummeted to the floor.  I was expecting her to surprise me with secret planting or watering techniques.  Instead she told me to poor water into the ground every day.

As an adult I can fully respect that message.  I’ve seen it work in my life and the lives of others.    In order to grow and progress you must be willing to go that extra mile, be consistent, and drive towards your goals whether you have 0, 1, 10, or 10 thousand people supporting you.  In the end it’s all the same.

So here’s the final question.

Are you leaving the water in the hose or using it to water your own personal soil of growth?

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Very few words twist me up or get my blood boiling like the word "normal".  I always have been and always will be annoyed by the idea that being "normal" is the most desirable way to live life.  Don’t get me wrong.  I understand that you must wear shoes in public places, eat food with utensils, and hold the door for the fairer sex.  Honestly, that’s where my list of "normal" behavior ends.

My propensity for abnormal behavior has led me to some crazy places.  I have wild scarring on my arms and legs, I love public speaking, I constantly challenge things I don’t agree with, act like a white person (whatever that means), and I’ve changed my life by dropping 50 of the most disgusting pounds I’ve ever carried.  All of these things are fun and rewarding for me but they aren’t considered "normal" by any stretch.
From what I’ve seen the people who avoid being "normal" are the ones who enjoy their lives the most.  They may not be the richest (in a surprising number of cases they are pretty well off), they may not have the best bodies, and they may not have the most complex words in their vocabularies.  However, they are enjoying their lives 100 times more than the "normal" people who just go around fogging up mirrors.
I could probably list 99 reasons why being "normal" sucks but I’ll keep it to 3.

1 - “Normal” People blend right in with the crowd

Have you ever noticed how most people seem to be carbon copies of somebody else.  That’s a weird trend if I’ve ever seen one.  If I run into one more person who is an up and coming, enterprising, detail-oriented, data driven,  business minded, self-starting (fill in the blank based on career) I may and hold a pillow over my nose.  Here’s a news flash.  Not everybody is detail-oriented and data driven.  If they were 70% of the people on this great planet wouldn’t be complaining about job dissatisfaction.

Sometimes I think we were all made at a people printing plant.  I challenge anyone to disprove my theory.

2 - “Normal” People are not Memorable

People have an overwhelming tendency to ask what you do for a living when they meet you.  For the longest time I’d blurt out a short description of what I actually do between 9-5 on a daily basis.  I’d give my pre-prepared spiel on how I ran reports, provided ad-hoc analysis, and brought dollars back to the bottom line as a logistics analyst.  95% of the people I met couldn’t remember that 4 weeks later.

About six months ago that answer morphed into something totally different.  To amuse myself I shortened that answer down to one word…nothing.  I know exactly what you’re saying.

Why would you tell people that you do nothing?  The answer is simple.

It’s probably the most memorable answer you can give to that question.  It’s only done for shock value.

Usually I’ll come back to the person 4-5 minutes later and explain to them what I actually do. So far nobody has forgotten that!
It’s memorable and it allows me to position myself as someone who’s comfortable, confident, and MEMORABLE.  How many “normal” people can you remember a month after you’ve met them?

Exactly.

3 - “Normal” People Never Challenge Themselves

In order to be normal you must truly aspire to astrological levels of “normal” activity.  “Normal” people just  aren’t comfortable pushing their boundaries.
Go ahead and challenge yourself.  Beware, people may look at you like an alien.  Get ready for questions like:

How dare you take a risk?

How dare you enter a contest that you may lose?

How dare you stand up for yourself?

How dare you lose weight?

How dare you gain muscle?

How dare you congregate with and meet people that are “out of your league”?

How dare you set a goal and do everything within your power to achieve it?

Just who do you think you are?

What’s gotten into you?

Are you ok?

The list could go on and on for days so here’s the point.  Stretching yourself outside of your normal comfort zone is the only way to grow and break the “normal” mold.  Whether its finding an instrument to play, meeting people of a higher pay grade, or taking a risk to measure yourself against the competition.  It’s all a part of breaking that “normal” mold and figuring out what works for you.

Conclusion
As I said earlier being normal requires that you be just that…normal.  Nothing is inherently wrong with it.  It just requires you to be a robot that walks, talks, stands, sits, coughs, dances, smiles, cries, and wears the exact same clothes as everyone else.  Go ahead and rip that bar code off your neck and discover yourself.

Here’s a piece of advice: stick out like a sore thumb, do something memorable (big or small), and challenge yourself. Trust me, its the only way you’re going to get anywhere.
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I’m back with another version of the Motivational Thoughts series.  These are quotes I think of to inspire, push, and motivate myself.  It’s always fun to share them with others and see what they get out of it.  Enjoy!

1. Failure makes success taste that much better.
2. Constant complaining is terrible for 2 reasons:
1. No one really cares
2. It never ever improves your situation
3. Open yourself up to criticism and you’ll be surprised at what you may learn.  Don’t worry it can’t ALL be negative
4. It’s funny how thinking for yourself can earn you every label between loser and CEO.
5. All pain is perceived before it is believed.
   

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on “entries RSS”, and select the page you’d prefer.  Forward this information to anyone who can draw benefit from it.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

"You think so highly of yourself"

"How do you get that big head in the room?"

"I’ve never met anybody as cocky as you"

"Oh my god you’re just so arrogant"

"Your confidence level is totally unwarranted"

I hear this all the time so I feel compelled to write about it today.  My  ego, self-confidence, confidence, or foolish stupidity (depending on who you ask) is a constant conversation amongst those that don’t really know me.

Nothing is wrong with believing in yourself.  Let me repeat that.  Nothing is wrong with believing in yourself.  Even if your level of confidence is "unreasonable", "unwarranted",  "irrational", or otherwise unexplainable to the masses its still yours.  You should live your life feeling like you can climb buildings and accomplish whatever you set your mind on.  As long as your ego doesn’t harm others you’re doing just fine.

What does Ego really mean?

The word ego is simply defined as

“the “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought”

I read that as simply “how you feel about yourself”. Your ego (or lack thereof) is a reflection of how you view yourself in this world.  If you think you’re a peanut then your attitude and actions will reflect that.  Likewise if you feel like a giant then your attitude will reflect that.  I can’t tell anyone how to feel about themselves but I’d much rather be a giant than a peanut.  That’s just my personal preference.

Wouldn’t you rather feel great about yourself and your abilities rather than just average?

Pros and Cons

I won’t pretend like everything about having a sky high ego is great. Here is a list of pros and cons.

CONS

• Not everyone will appreciate it
• People will misinterpret your actions
• Timid people will alienate you

PROS

• You feel great about yourself
• You tackle things you otherwise wouldn’t consider
• You can fail at things and not drown in your own sorrow
• You can bring the best out of others
• You can push yourself to the limit physically, emotionally, and mentally and be excited about it
• You enjoy your life and the experiences to come

The pros outweigh the cons .

New Acronym for EGO –> Energy  Generating Outcomes

After sitting back and thinking about ego even further I’ve come up with an acronym for it.

Energy

Generating

Outcomes

Here’s what that means.  It takes a good amount of confidence or ego to achieve things in life.  When I started out my efforts to lose weight the only thing I really had was the determination to lose weight.  That determination was fueled by my “over sized” ego.  When I decided to become a better speaker I knew I had to step up in Toastmasters.  After 32 speeches I’m 10 times better than I was 2 years ago.  That decision was also fueled by my ego.  Thats 2 life altering decisions I’ve made that were fueled by my “over sized”, “wild”, and “outrageous” ego. They’ve done nothing but make my life better.

Think about this.  The president (no matter who he is) has a healthy ego.  The CEO of the company you work for has a sizable ego. When you think about it, everyone that we admire in this society has to have a decent sized ego to reach the pinnacles of their careers.

So now here’s the question.  How much Energy Generates Outcomes for you?

Conclusion

Ego is not a bad thing.  Especially when it generates a positive energy and does good things for all.  Go about your day and feel good about yourself.  It’s the only way to go.

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on “entries RSS”, and select the page you’d prefer.  Forward this information to anyone who can draw benefit from it.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

I’m back with another installation of one of my more popular posts. Each and every time I create a list of motivational thoughts I get feedback from new readers.

Here we go with another set.  Enjoy!

1. 10 years from now you’ll still be alive.  Will you be better, worse, or the same as you are today?
2. Few people improve on accident.
3. Champions don’t wait for things to come to them.  They take what’s theirs and leave the rest behind.
4. Live for those things that make you truly happy.  You’d hate to wake up one day and realize its all been a waste.
5. You know you’re on the right track if you’re nervous beyond belief. 
6. Be uncomfortable being comfortable. 
7. Every choice you make is your own…Choose wisely.
8. Dedication and excuses are like oil and water.  They just dont mix. 
9. With all the good things going on in the world who has time to focus on the bad?

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on “entries RSS”, and select the page you’d prefer.  Forward the page link to 4 or 5 people who you think may benefit from the information presented here.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Inside the Mind of a Sprinter

Put yourself inside the mind of an Olympic sprinter right before a race takes place.  Since childhood you’ve dreamed of this moment and its finally here.  All your blood, sweat, tears, weight training, and mental preparation are about to pay off.  As you shed your warm up gear you and your coach connect eyes for a split second.  He smiles, gives you a nod, and waves you off to the starting line.

The other sprinters are already in place as you take your lane.  You take your final glance around the stadium and then get into your stance.  Instinctively your ears perk up as you await the starter’s gun.  Every muscle in your body tightens with anticipation.  Right before you can relax it happens.

On your marks…get set…GO!

Your feet tap the pavement quickly and you begin to separate yourself from the pack.  Halfway through the race the crowd roars.  Out of the corner of your eye you see another sprinter coming even with you.

What do you do?

Do you fold and let him win, remain nonchalant and hope for the best, or dig deep and pull out the victory?

By the end of this article I plan on giving you the information needed to dig deep and compete to win.

Barriers to Competition

For millions of years humans have been competing. By competing I don’t necessarily mean a sporting event or a battle.  It can simply be a disagreement of principles or ideas.

Even though the urge to compete is an essential part of our being many of us take the easy road and avoid it.  Competition is avoided for 2 reasons:

1. Aversion to Conflict
2. Fear of Failure

Aversion to Conflict

It’s amazing when you realize what is considered a conflict these days.  If you form and stick to an opinion that isn’t shared by others then you just may be labeled “disagreeable”, “antagonistic”, or “unpleasant”.  Even if you know the building is going to explode in 5 minutes you shouldn’t tell anyone.  That’s not being very PC .

Have we become so obsessed with “goodness” that we turn a blind eye when something actually needs to be addressed?
It makes me smile when I hear “We can’t talk about that”,”You might not want to say that”, or “What did you just say !?!?”.  These are signs that we’ve stopped tap dancing and starting getting to the root of the issue.  Heads may be rolling but at least things are getting figured out.  What’s so “unpleasant” about that?

Fear of Failure

That little voice in our head can get to the best of us.  It’s remarkably easy to let fear of the unknown totally dominate your life.  Look at the bad things that could happen to us out in the world:

• You could lose money
• You could be rejected
• You could fall flat on your face
• You could lose credibility
• Your may end up with nothing to show for it
• You could end up on YouTube with less money, rejected, flat on your face, less credible, nothing to show for it, with some apple pie on your face

OH NO! The apocalypse is coming.
Seriously, any failure in competition is temporary and should be treated as such. When I was 11 years old I cost my football team a regular season game.  Near the end of the game I threw 2 interceptions that sealed the deal.  I thought the world was going to collapse upon my tiny shoulders.  3 hours after the game I stopped crying due to lack of water in my body.

The sting of that loss stayed with me for a few days.  I moved around the house with little interest in anything beyond moping.  After my father tired of it he basically told me in his straight forward fashion  “suck it up, it’s not the end of the world, move on”.  It wasn’t the nicest thing he’s ever said but it was definitely effective.
People tend to make mountains out of mole hills when it comes to those things they fear.  I just don’t think fears should dominate us.  When you run across something that scares you ask yourself one simple question:

“What good comes from being afraid?”

The answer: “none”.

Avoid letting aversion of “conflict” and fear of failing bury your competitive spirit.  Keeping that competitive spirit alive will always do more for society than letting it die (no matter how large or small the impact).

Competition is Natural

Look around you at all the competition going on:

1. Coke vs Pepsi
2. Yahoo! vs Google
3. Home Depot vs Lowe’s
4. Wal-Mart vs Target
5. Microsoft vs Apple
6. McDonald’s vs Burger King
7. Yankees vs Red Sox
8. MySpace vs Facebook
9. HBO vs Showtime
10. Disney World vs Six Flag

This list could easily go on for days.  I’m sure you get the picture.  Without competition our society would not enjoy the benefits we have in the past,enjoy today, or will enjoy in the future.  Shouldn’t you embrace your competitive side and add your value?

Conclusion

Embrace competition in your life.  Whether it be a simple dispute or an all out sporting event.  The positives will outweigh the negatives . Feelings may be hurt temporarily but the lessons that come along with those feelings last a lifetime.  Competition, conflicts, or whatever you choose to call them bring the best out of people.

Don’t be afraid to step out there and expose yourself.  Only then will you know where you truly stack up and how to improve upon your current situation.

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on “entries RSS”, and select the page you’d prefer.  Forward the page link to 4 or 5 people who you think may benefit from the information presented here.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Several weeks ago I challenged myself think outside of the box for a post.  I created a post called "20 Motivational Thoughts".  I got great feedback from it so I’ve decided to do it again.  I’m going to shorten the list to 10 this time.

1. The day you stop believing in yourself is the day you perish.
2. Sacrifice what you want now for what you’re destined to have later.
3. People are 10 times better at what they want to do versus what they have to do.
4. It’s unfortunate that people don’t believe in themselves.  Imagine what a great place our world would be if they did.
5. Surround yourself with an equal amount of cheerleaders, critics, and advisers.  You’ll need them all.
6. Dedication is a necessary habit.  It’s challenging to build but necessary to succeed.
7. Dream with the heart of a child and turn life into your playground.
8. If you’re worried about losing you already lost.
9. If YOU don’t care about yourself then no one else will either.
10. Do you want to go down as #1 or #999,999,001?

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on entries RSS, and select the page you’d prefer.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Picture yourself 20,30, 40, or even 50 years from now.  You’re 80 years old. Gray hair now dominates your skull.  Your muscles have atrophied with age and your face is wrinkling gently with each passing day.

Today you wake up like you do every morning.  The alarm clock goes off and you roll over to quiet the noise.  Slowly you pull the covers back, swing your legs over the bed, and sit up straight.  Next, you slide your feet into your slippers.  With a grunt you bring yourself to your feet and make your way into the kitchen.  You pour yourself a cup of coffee and take a seat at the kitchen table.

As you drink the coffee you begin to daydream.  Your thoughts wander into the life that you desired to build but lacked the motivation to follow through on.  As you dream you start to have thoughts:

• I remember when I had that idea!
• I remember when I wanted to create that contact!
• I remember when I got halfway done with that goal and stopped.

I remember, I remember, I remember…You count the number of times you sold yourself short.  Thoughts race through your mind like a Ferrari on the tracks.  Your emotions go back and forth between anger and anxiety.
After a few minutes the coffee cup is entirely empty.  You find yourself identifying with that emptiness.  You find a mirror and stare into it and ask yourself this question…Why did I let my Inspiration Die?
Reading and following the tips outlined in this article will ensure that you’ll never have to answer that question.  Here are 3 truly dynamic methods to keep your inspiration ignited.

1 - Daydream

Daydreaming is often labeled as negative because you could be doing something “more productive”.  I disagree with that statement.  This world is created and made better by dreams that have become fullfilled realities.  Those dreams are from people just like you and me.  So why not have them?

A wave of positive emotions sweeps you up when you’re off in daydreaming.  Here’s another thing about daydreaming.  When you daydream you imagine yourself in places that you have a deep rooted desire to be in. Keep thinking about those places and taking action to get there.

2 - Find Inspiring Material

Maintain a library of inspiring material.  When I say inspiring material I mean anything including but not limited to:

• Books
• People
• Short Stories
• Webpages
• Movies
• Magazines
• Articles
• Music
• Photographs
• Quotes
• Artwork

Whenever I need an extra boost I turn to my library…most often in the form of music.  It’s usually just what the doctor ordered.

Your best work comes right after you get yourself fired up (which you can do on command).  My best workouts have been fueled by high energy motivating music.  I’ve given some of my best speeches after someone either got me upset or I was able to listen to my favorite song right before.  It works like a charm because my energy level is guaranteed to be high.

Seek, keep, and USE inspiring material so that you can live an inspired life.

3 - Continue to Learn

Knowledge is the key that unlocks all doors.  Those who possess it are unstoppable.  All too often I witness people get out of schools and literally turn their brains off.  Its sad to see people think that learning stops when school is over.  It’s a big problem in our world.  It’s the main reason why people get caught in the vicious cycle of starting things and giving up on them.  It’s easy to get frustrated when you have no clue what you’re doing.

I look back at some of my earlier weight loss efforts and laugh.  They were truly pitiful.  I’d nearly starve myself while running 5-6 miles a day.  My long term plans were non existent.  I wanted to lose weight NOW and I did everything in my power to make it happen. I lost a little weight but it didn’t last long.  Eventually, I returned to my normal eating patterns and totally slacked off running.  The weight I lost found soon found its way back home  as well

Finally, after years of struggling with weight I sat down and put some actual research into it.  I found out that I needed to eat 5-6 lean meals a day, perform cardio, AND lift weights.  For once I knew exactly what I was supposed to do and why.  After gaining the knowledge and using it a miracle occured.  The weight came and stayed off.

It’s easy to get demoralized when you have no idea what you should be doing.  It’s hard to get demoralized when your knowledge base is growing day in and day out.

When you have something in mind set your sites on it and study it.  Study it like your life depends on it and you can’t go wrong.  He (or she) who has the knowledge has no problem being motivated to get the job done.

Maintaining your motivation can be challenging if you aren’t equipped with the tools to do it properly.  In this article I’ve described 3 dynamic methods to help you keep your motivation alive.

1. Dream
2. Collect Inspiring Material
3. Continue to Learn

Do these 3 little things and you’ll wake up motivated and inspired every day.

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on entries RSS, and selec the page you’d prefer.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

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Posted in Training, Other, Motivation, Personal Development

You Know What I Hate?

Thursday, October 25th, 2007

A few months ago I started exploring my creativity.  I’ve written keynote speeches, created 2-3 months worth of blog ideas, brainstormed white papers, and I’ve crafted poetry on everything from Fear to identifying with yourself.  Since I plan on writing a heavier  article on Saturday I decided to share a poem I created on 8/14/2007 called “You Know What I Hate?”. Enjoy

You Know What I Hate?

You know what I hate?

The IDEA of despising someone based on their skin

Because of their race

You know what I hate?

The idea of telling kids they’re slow

Instead of helping them be great

You know what makes my stomach turn?

Wasted creativity and genius

Locked away in an urn

You want to know what makes my blood boil?

The sickening lack of trustworthiness in our society

Is ANYBODY loyal??

You know what shakes me to the core?

Constant bickering, moaning, and shadiness

I can’t take it anymore

You want to know what I despise?

The lack of hunger, vigor, and enthusiasm

I see in a broken man’s eyes

I’ll tell you what really grinds my gears

Good, truthful information often goes in one

And comes right out the other ear

You know what really turns me off?

This world is so hard

Yet our training is so soft

You know what makes me throw a fit?

Theres a fire inside us all

Most are barely even lit!!

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on entries RSS, and select the page you’d prefer.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

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Posted in Motivation, Creativity

Wheels of Life Keep Turning

Sunday, October 21st, 2007

Yesterday I was sitting at the departure gate of my apartment complex getting ready to leave for work.  For some strange reason the gate takes a ridiculous amount of time to open (nearly 30 seconds at my last count).  That time is normally good to clear my head, get in the right mind frame to work out, or reflect on some things.  I chose option number 3.

Time as it relates to the past, present, and future tends to dominate my thoughts.  As the gears to my apartment gate squeaked and rotated my thoughts began to drift.

• What happened to me yesterday?
• What impact will I make today?
• What do I plan on doing tomorrow?
• Am I forgetting anything?

As I pondered on what I was forgetting the gate opened.  The wooden bar at the gate rose slowly.  A loud honk erupted from the car behind me.  I snapped back into life from my daydreaming and sped through the gate.  The driver behind me was incredibly angry.  Apparently I had stolen the most important 8 seconds of his life.  He rolled his window down and gestured for my attention.
“You wanna wake up buddy??!!!” he screamed.  He appeared to be very frustrated.  I gazed at him for a few seconds sizing him up for a response.  Finally, after 15 seconds or so I replied.

“The day just started.  I don’t really know you but its 6:30 am and I’m sure more important things have happened, will happen to you today, and in the future.  As soon as you press the gas again you’ll forget about this.  Have a great day ” I said.

He was genuinely confused.  I was happy.  I smiled and drove off to continue my day.  My point to him was things happen, they have an outcome, and then they are over.  That incident wasn’t worth the 3 minutes we spent on it.

View yesterday, today, and tomorrow the same way because in fact the wheels keep turning every day.

Yesterday is a Memory

History does have its place in society and in our hearts.  Without the past we’d have no foundation to build on.  It’s impossible to truly measure the impact of all the things that have happened in our lives (positive or negative).  With that said, why bother?  The opportunity to correct the past lies in today and tomorrow.  That’s exactly why the past is just that…the past.

An amazing amount of time is spent everyday wondering about things we can no longer impact.  Wondering with the what if’s, maybe I should have’s, and I really wish’s are wasteful.  Whenever I drift into this mode I picture myself as a hamster trapped in its wheel.  That hamster is working hard to put forth his best effort.  Unfortunately, he’s making no progress.  He’s on the wheel getting all worked up to go nowhere and do nothing.  Clinging to the past is like putting yourself on that hamster’s wheel.  All sweat, no return.

The impact of things past has already been made and is largely out of your hands.  One big thing sticks out to me about the past…IT’S GONE.  It can never be altered so I live in my present and future.

Today is Yours

Wake up with enthusiasm and hope every day for 3 main reasons:

1. You’re alive and able bodied
2. You can control 95% of what happens TODAY
3. You can be as creative as you desire

1 –> Breathing and Able Bodied

There’s something amazing and undervalued about being both alive and able bodied.  Having the ability to get up and go as you please is a privilege.  Viable health and strength give you the freedom to go and come as you please.  Do you know how powerful that really is?
There are so many people who have debilitating ailments that leave them bedridden, hospitalized, or incapable of enjoying all that life has to offer.  It’s utterly ridiculous for me to complain about the complications of my life (car payments, house payments, job nuisances) when there are people suffering from broken bones, cancer, and paralysis.
Celebrate my health and strength by making the most of it.

2 –> I Can Control 95% of What happens to me Today

“A small minority of things that happen to you are truly beyond your control”

That’s an incredibly powerful statement.  To prove it I’m going to brainstorm the things that can affect me in a day that I have absolutely no control over.

• Weather
• Traffic
• Gas Prices
• Other People’s Attitudes

It’s a relatively short list.
Now here’s the list of things I can control

• My Salary
• My Clothes
• The places I go
• People I Interact with
• Challenges I Undertake
• Workout or not
• Speed I travel on the Highway
• Amount of Work I do
• Foods I Eat
• Extracurricular activities
• Places I Spend my Money
• Things I Say
• What I Learn
• The Impact I Leave On Society
• My Attitude
• My Image
• The Opportunities I Create

The possibility to influence so many things on a day to day basis is exciting.  Each day presents a thousand opportunities for something dramatic to come into your life.

Case in point.  I’m always interested in finding new people to congregate with.  Age, race, sexual orientation, height, and religion are all arbitrary to me.  I enjoy the company of people who bring energy to life.  As a result my circle is rather unorthodox.  My friends range from young blue collar workers to nearly retired Fortune 25 executives.  To me people are people.

Today I couldn’t make it to the gym in the morning so I went in the afternoon.  During my routine I noticed someone working out that I had casually met a few weeks earlier in a sports bar.  I finished up my last exercise and was preparing to leave.  As I walked away from my machine our eyes connected for a split second.  He looked at me and I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to communicate.  I took my earphones out and the conversation began. I was in no way prepared for how strange it would be!

When the conversation was over I’d been intrigued, complimented, humored, and enlightened. My new found friend had

• Complimented my physique
• Complimented my background as an engineer
• Asked why I wasn’t a model
• Offered to help me start a career as a male dancer
• Requested that I expand my circle to himself and his friends
• Explained his business ideas to me
• Given me his full biography
• Offered to take me to some places I’d never seen in Atlanta
• Provided encouragement for my aspirations to speak professionally

Did I mention the conversation lasted a mere 4 minutes?  My new friend proved to be an interesting character.  He was very direct and forward with his compliments and questions.  Instead of being put off by him and his off centered nature I was refreshed.  I’m always searching for new and unique companions and he proved to be just that.  I quickly took down his contact information and made plans to meet up later.  I’m 100% sure I’ll learn something valuable from him and be able to draw on the positive energy he brings to life.

This happened because I took advantage of the opportunity I was presented with TODAY.

3 –> Creativity

Creativity is a precious cornerstone of existence.  Without creative thoughts and expressions our life would be bland.  Music, TV, blogs, computers, businesses, restaurants, college degrees, amusement parks, government structures, and holidays would all be non-existent if human beings lacked creativity.

Anyone can be as creative as they like.  By tapping into my own creativity I’ve began to create workout programs, stories,  movie ideas, blogs, business ideas/plans, poems, speeches, and non profit ideas that I plan to unleash on the world.  Those thoughts and ideas keep each day fresh and exciting.

Tap into your creativity.  You’ll find yourself refreshed and excited about the day at hand.  You never know, you could change the world while you’re at it.

Tomorrow is Priceless

I have an endless love affair with the possibilities of tomorrow.  Tomorrow I can see the results of what I’ve done yesterday and today come to life.  My blood, sweat, and tears can bear fruit tomorrow.  The new friendship that I created today can pay a thousand dividends tomorrow.  The new workout plan I started can help me shed weight and be ready for the beach tomorrow.  The blog I write can reach 1, 10, 100, 1,000 or 1,000,000 people tomorrow.   You never know .

Conclusion

The wheels of life turn every day.  They move at a steady pace that we can’t control.  Every second, hour, and day that passes us by is part of our history. While our past is important we can’t live there forever.

Today is our greatest asset.  Today you can create change.  Today you can meet new people.  Today you can re-establish relationships.  Today you can be creative.  Today you can correct any mistakes you’ve made. Today you can laugh, cry, frown, or smile at your own discretion.

Tomorrow gives us the opportunity to see everything we do, think, and believe come together.  A better tomorrow is created yesterday and today.

Everyday we live will at some point be a yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  With that knowledge live life to the fullest by respecting yesterday, living today, and being prepared for tomorrow. The wheels of life keep turning…don’t be left behind.

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on entries RSS, and select the page you’d prefer.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!

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