You Create Your Life! part 1

Today is December 5, 2014...8 days from my 50th birthday on December 12th.        "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." Henry David Thoreau   Happy Friday! I heard from some of you yesterday that did the "I Am" exercise and I truly appreciate your sharing.  I also know that some people just don't see the point.    Believe me, I understand.   There was a time in my life that I would have laughed at such a concept.  The scientist in me was "above" such thinking.  Though my father implanted the seed of success concepts in my life through books and conversation, part of me was looking at his life and thinking, "Doesn't look like this is working for you...why should I do it?"   That was the short sidedness of youth talking.  I had not lived enough life.  I had not had enough trouble or struggles.  At almost 50, I now know, that if you keep on living, life will test your principles and principals.   In our early 20's, Natalie and I built our first house.  I was proud of the fact I knew all the special first-time buyer, no money down programs and actually knew more than the agent.  My smarts got us in that home, my stupidity caused us to lose it in foreclosure.  This was the late 80's - I had my financial meltdown way before the Global Meltdown.   I could have you in tears over my next decade.  It would be like watching "Little House on the Prairie"; Paw buys seed on credit at the feed store...drought almost devastates crop...the crop that does come up gets eaten by locusts...the bank comes and gets the farm.   One thing about Charles Ingalls, that man had character.  He had principles and principals that were deeply etched into his being.      "Talent is nurtured in solitude; character is formed in the stormy billows of the world."  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe      For most of us, we live...and we learn.  For others, life's lessons never seem to take hold.  Learning life's lessons aren't a simple rite of passage with the passage of time- age does not necessarily bring wisdom.  It takes an Awakening, an epiphany, a moment where inner clarity exceeds external disparity.   At 25 years of age, I realized that the hole I had dug for myself was a result of not taking full responsibility for my life. I thought smarts, talent and drive were all that I needed.  That was not enough.  That power needed concrete direction to be effective or else it was just spewing aimlessly and wastefully.    As I hit rock bottom, Natalie still faithfully by my side and two small children, I realized I did not have a defined set of guidelines for my life and I paid the price. After my trials by fire, I was determined to be someone that didn't just talk about my ideals...I was committed to living them.   As I sought answers, the things my father tried to teach me whispered to me. The resounding words in the books and pamphlets and conversations were overwhelming consistent;   You Create Your Life!    Until Monday, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

I Am...! part 2

Today is December 4, 2014...9 days from my 50th birthday on December 12th.       "Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming." John Wooden   After you have your initial "I Am" statement the next step is to emotionalize how being that person would feel.  For example, for me, being stylish and well dressed everyday gives me more confidence.    Step 4: For each of the 5 key areas write a powerful word that brings emotion to the characteristic you want to develop.  This emotional "carrot" should evoke enough motivational juice that your desire to achieve it outweighs the work that you must do to achieve it.   Area   Physically   Mentally   Socially   Spiritually   Financially   Key Descriptive Word Stylish   Brilliant   Compassionate     Joyful   Affluent   Key Emotional Word Confident Successful Admired Grounded Secure             Step 5: Now you have to determine what you will do to become this person.  To continue my example of being stylish - in order to accomplish that I need to exercise, eat right, be fashion conscious and meticulous about details of my appearance.  There is a price to be paid to become who you desire to become.  You can wish for change but it will take work to make it happen!   Through this exercise there are three things we are trying to accomplish; Decide the person you want to become. Determine how will it feel to become that person. Pay the price to become that person.  "Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work."   H. L. Hunt   What you will have constructed through this exercise is your "I AM" affirmation.  As I turn the corner to 50, here is my affirmation for you to pattern yours; "I am a stylish, brilliant, compassionate, respected and wealthy person. Being this person makes me feel confident, successful, admired, grounded and secure.   To be my best, I exercise, am fashion conscious and pay meticulous attention to the details of my appearance.   I am a voracious reader.  I speak compassionately and powerfully to convey authority.   I encourage others, inspire/motivate them, and give of my time and resources. I change peoples lives by empowering and enlightening them in areas where I have been gifted.   I am grateful for every blessing that life gives and I remain steadfast through the challenges.  I am a cheerful giver.   I represent myself and any business I am involved with the highest integrity, bringing mutual value and wealth to all. I am successful in all my business undertakings.   This is WHO I AM!'   Who are you and what are you willing to do to become the best version of you?   I know that some of you may doubt the power of writing this affirmation out and speaking it out daily (or more) until it takes root in the deepest part of  your being.  The simplicity of this concept and process makes it seem like "magic and pixie dust".  Make no mistake, the science of this is real and valid.   Try it...what have you got to lose?  It may uncover and reveal the best you...the great I Am!    Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

I Am...!

Today is December 3, 2014...10 days from my 50th birthday on December 12th.       "I think; therefore I am" Rene Descartes       James Allen, Robert Collier, Wallace Wattles, Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Anthony Robbins and Brandon Clay (if you please!) - the greatest success philosophers of old and new all agree that affirmations are powerful ways to "program" the brain.   Affirmations, in this context, are powerful words aligned in such a way that program the brain from the "inside out".  For a time, while you are speaking them (yes, out loud!) to yourself, the conscious mind says,   "You fool, that is not true...that is not you."    but over time your sub-conscious mind says,   "This has to be true...let me tell you what to do."     I don't want to play psychologist and try to describe the mental process that makes affirmation so powerful, but millions of people (me included) will tell you that they work. Like electricity and photosynthesis, you don't have to fully understand a process to get the benefit of it.  Take my word for affirmations...they are effective.  Here is the definition;   Affirmation (noun) The act of affirming or the state of being affirmed; assertion. Something declared to be true; a positive statement or judgment. A statement intended to provide encouragement, emotional support, or motivation, especially when used for the purpose of autosuggestion. The assertion that the testimony one gives is true and equivalent to that which would be given while under oath. What we are about to construct is an affirmation all about you...   Step one: Take the five areas of your life and write five key words to describe the ideal person you want to be.  These words should be powerfully descriptive, vivid and even an "over the top" caricature departure from words might normally use.  For example, for physically, instead of using the word "beautiful" you could use "stunning", or "breathtaking".   Make sense?  See examples for Physically (yes, these are my own!)   Physically Mentally Socially Spiritually Financially 1.  Ripped 1. 1. 1. 1. 2.  Sexy 2. 2. 2. 2. 3.  Stylish 3. 3. 3. 3. 4.  Healthy 4. 4. 4. 4. 5.  Youthful 5. 5. 5. 5.     At the end of this portion of the exercise, you should have 5 powerful imagery words for each category.   Step Two:  For each category, pick the one word that epitomizes the ideal version of you.  For my list of "Physically" words above, "stylish" does the trick.  Do that for the other 4 categories until you have the one word that is the most all- encompassing and dominant word for each category.   Physically Mentally Socially Spiritually Financially Stylish Brilliant Compassionate   Joyful Affluent   Step Three: Write out the simple version of your affirmation using the 5 descriptive words.  Here is mine;   "I AM stylish, brilliant, compassionate, joyful, and affluent."   Say yours once to yourself.   Say it once out loud - don't worry, no one is listening except you....   Feels good doesn't it.     A properly constructed affirmation brings hope and hope feels good.  It is ok that you are not all that (and the proverbial bag of chips) just yet...it is coming if you remain faithful to this exercise.  How do I know?  Because...   I Am   Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

I Am What I Am!

Today is December 2, 2014...11 days from my 50th birthday on December 12th.       "I am what I am and that's all that I am."  Popeye the Sailor    I mentioned in one of my earlier crumbs that I was not a big fan of Popeye.  Hard to understand a word he said, he was obsessed with Olive Oyl (who two-timed him with Bluto) and he liked spinach.   Now that I am older I see him differently.  We are all a little hard to understand sometimes, relationships can be complicated, and now I love spinach, too!   What I like most about him is that he was always himself.  Always authentic.    That is not an easy thing to do.      In order to get along, we trim off some of our personality and authenticity.  A fair amount of "holding back the real you" is necessary - It keeps us from saying everything that comes to mind.   The challenge comes when we conform so much that we lose the essence of our individuality, we lose the    "I am what I am and that's all that I am."   A few years ago, I came up with an exercise and do it as a workshop for sales people.  Hey, we have personalities too!  It has also been effective for 100's of others, outside of sales, that I have taken through some version of the exercise over the years.  It is the "I Am" exercise.   The Set-Up   Imagine a Hollywood actor was going to portray you in a movie.  You would want the best you possible to be portrayed...right?  What qualities and attributes would want conveyed on the big screen?  How would your character respond to opportunities and challenges?  What would be their strengths, values and character?  How would they live their life?   As you sat down with the actor to give them direction, it would be some version of the ideal you...the version of you what would closest resemble what you really want to be.  I am not saying you should try to be "fake", perfect or faultless, but a portrayal that would capture the essence of you.   As we begin the exercise tomorrow, some of the characteristics you list are already imbedded deep within you.  Others are attributes that you will have to develop, or allow them to re-emerge.  This is an opportunity usually reserved for January 1st resolutions.  A chance for you to define, refine and align the real you.  The one that boldly declares to the world...    I Am What I Am!   Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!

Who Are You?

Today is December 1, 2014...12 days from my 50th birthday on December 12th.    Who Are You?    "This above all; to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." William Shakespeare     Happy Monday!   As I countdown to the milestone of 50, I have been deeply reflective, nostalgic and contemplative on my life to this point.  Make no mistake, I am not sensing my mortality (there is a whole lot more life to live!)...   but I am highly sensitive to time.   I want to make the most of it.  I don't want to waste any more of it.  I want to be purposeful and focused with every second.  That may not be possible, but I can try.   That does not mean hustling and bustling every moment, but more a conscious recognition and enjoyment of each moment.  Like yesterday, I got to hold my granddaughter, Judah, for a long time.  Peaceful, surreal...joy.   For me, that is an accomplishment!   I have done a lot in the first 50 years, but I have also wasted a lot of time.  In looking back, I recognize that most of the time wasted was me getting pulled into other people's lives, drama, ideas, visions and agendas.  I am not talking about being social and having fun.  It's all the other stuff...I think you know what I mean.   What I realize is that anytime I veer off my path, my passions and my purpose, I waste time.  I also understand that there were times I did not recognize I was being pulled off course.  The only way that could happen is not knowing myself well enough to see the warning signs that I was about to take a dangerous detour.   Have you ever taken a detour?   Some of those detours cost us days, some cost us weeks...yes, some cost us years.  We then spend double or triple the energy trying to, as the Beatles said, "Get Back to Where You Belong".   Who are you?   Answering that question is the surest way to make sure you don't get pulled off path again.  That means knowing your values, goals, likes and dislikes...the entire you.   "Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" Bob Marley   I am using my countdown to 50 to re-evaluate who I am, what my values are, what I like and don't like and what I am truly committed to doing the rest of my life. The more fiercely protective I am of being true to myself, the more I can accomplish.    That doesn't mean I lock people out of my life...it means I draw in the people who are connected to me in purpose and passion.  We enrich each others lives, mutually.  I make better choices which means wasting less of the precious commodity and the gift of time.   "As you become more clear about who you really are, you'll be better able to decide what is best for you - the first time around."  Oprah Winfrey   I invite you to reassess with me.  The next few days we are going to define, refine and align our lives in such a way that we will do more than we ever thought possible.  The first question you have to ask and answer...   Who are you?   Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!