Welcome the possibilities!!!

Welcome the possibilities!!!

If I've learned anything over the past few years, it is to welcome the possibilities and be open to new opportunities. 

Opportunities present themselves in oh so many ways and it's up to us to figure out what they are.  Many opportunities scare us so we shy away from them.  This of course causes us to miss some golden opportunities to advance us towards our goals.  Successful people take risks and risks are taken in opportunities.  So many people want to play it safe and stay within their comfort zone.  These people totally miss the opportunity boat as others hop on and enjoy the cruise.  Now I'm not saying you should take your life savings and place it all on one bet in Vegas but you do need to reach outside of your comfort zone.  I mainly do better when pressured into something.  When I have no other choice but to act is when things start moving.  This is where procrastination is a goal killer.  We can waste countless hours of energy thinking about what we'd like out of life but if we never act upon it we'll never see it come to be.

Goal setting is a very important part of finding our success.  It took me a long time to turn things around but finally realized that the process wasn't as hard as I thought it was.  Every financial books advice kept saying the same things over and over.  The problem some people face is that they think if they find abundance, someone else will lose it.  This isn't the case at all.  More and more money is being printed everyday.  Mines still produce silver, gold and diamonds, plus other precious metals and gem stones.  The world is full of opportunity for prosperity.  A little effort can lead anyone up into the top few percent of the elite wealthy.  Do you need that kind of wealth?  Not really.  I look at what it will take for me to live comfortably and without further worries.  I know I can't predict the future but being prepared for it is half the battle.  I people everyday complain about their situations and still do nothing different to change it.  This is what I call Virtual Insanity, looking for a different outcome without changing anything.  We need to be continually tweaking our lives, making changes to achieve a better outcome.  If I would have sat back and did nothing over the past few years, would life have become better?  Maybe a little but not to the extent that it has to date.  Although things look good now, did I stop making adjustments or pursuing new goals?  No, not at all.  We can't grow and achieve more if new goals don't replace the old ones.  We literally have to trick our subconscious mind into a new reality.  Force ourselves to move forward into the unknown.

I had recently read the book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.  It had many strong points on how we are creators of habit.  Ever notice that your morning always starts and plays out the same way and if something should change how that schedule goes it messes up the rest of the day?  We create habits and follow those habits, good or bad we follow them.  Pets will follow our habits as well.  They know precisely when they will be fed, when you have to leave and when you'll be home.  This is because we formed a habit of feeding them at the same time everyday, we tend to leave and come home from work at the same time everyday.  Here again like writing in this blog.  It needs to be a habit, something that is done everyday without fail.  Like wise not writing in it has been a habit for the past few years.  Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing that unless it became a goal and formed into a habit, it wasn't going to get done.  Let me get out my soap box one more time.  This is where I strongly recommend Simpleology.  Mark Joyner the creator has done a fantastic job at laying out the framework for goal setting and motivation.  I have started using it again daily with great success and will continue to keep you informed on how it has helped improve my success.  It starts out with Start my day and walks you through the whole process of setting up your day with daily targets.  You can choose to do it yourself or delegate to someone else or even schedule it for another day.  There is also a dump it feature that allows you to say forget it, I would get to that today anyway or possibly something that isn't in line with your goals.  The Dream Catcher feature is fantastic for jotting something down the pops into mind for you to ponder on later.  You can set a goal for how many times you'll log in and it keeps track of it.  It even has a place for your major goals and asks you to fill out why it's important to you.  It's free so give it a try and please leave me a comment on how it works for you.

On another note, I've been doing a lot of cleaning up the past two weeks and must say I'm quite the hoarder of paperwork.  My wife has been after me for some time to get my stuff together and get organized.  I finally see it coming together but still have quite a way to go.  I'm relocating my office to another room so it's been more like making a mess out of a mess.  I'll have way more trash than usual to burn this week.  I'm actually very impressed with the progress I've made.  It will hopefully prove to be great help in my productivity.  I guess we'll find out but thanks to the above mentioned Simpleology I've been able to stay on track with getting it done.

Well I hope everyone has had a great start to the New Year.  Tomorrow I may not have a chance to blog anything since I will be traveling tomorrow evening to a customer for service but will be sure to post something on my return to the office. 

Saying Goodbye to 2016

Saying Goodbye to 2016

Well this is it... The final day of 2016.  A look back and a look forward for success.

Sitting here writing this causes me to reflect on the past year but also look towards the new one.  I believe we shouldn't dwell on the past but learn from it.  At times I find myself falling back into the same old habits that drug me down into financial despair.  This is why continually reading books relating to personal finances is so important.  Even if you only take 5 minutes a day to read a couple of pages.  You'll find yourself advancing towards your ultimate goals.  Remember that when you reach a goal, reward yourself and set a new goal.  We can only move forward if we always have a goal in front of us.  This takes time, patience and practice but is very achievable.

The past couple weeks I have been home with my family to celebrate the holidays.  Come Tuesday, January 3rd, I'll be off and running again.  Although I still work to make ends meet, I have set new goals to replace the old and am on a direct path to reach them.  This brings me to one of my greatest downfalls, procrastination.  Procrastination has plagued me my whole life.  I will sit there thinking of all the things that need to be done and put it off until the last minute.  Sometimes I perform better when pressured into doing something, having no choice but to tackle it.  Other times I need to self-motivate.  I'm sure many of you have the same problem as I do.  We look for the easiest path and when we can't find one we step aside and hope for the best.  I know it can be hard at times to find motivation.  Believe me, I know how hard it can be but people who "Just Focus and Do It" achieve so much more.  Now for my disclaimer... "Just Focus and Do It" is derived from my training at Rapport Leadership International.  If you ever get invited, and you can only attend if invited, do not hesitate to go.  I had sent my oldest child and intend on sending my other two as time allows.  It is a very mind opening experience that gets you to dig deep into yourself and find the leader qualities we all have.  What you take away from it is up to you.  Some have gone and really find nothing.  They are happy with how they live and the situations they are in.  Others have revelations of great proportions that forever change their lives such as I did.  When things get tough, I look back on what that has taught me as well as the books I've read.  Much like this blog, I had put it off for so long.  I have come to realize that this is truly a great way for me to journal my progress and help others discover their own "Success from within".

As far as today goes, we finish some holiday cookies, cheese balls and Chex Mix.  I'll make some bacon wrapped smokies later.  I'll cut up some summer sausage, cheese and veggies.  It'll only be my wife and myself but we will toast in the New Year as we do every year.  Since moving to the Mid-West, I don't watch to ball come down but I'll still toast to everyones health and good fortune for the coming year.  I've already prepared for tomorrows dinner from Honeybaked Ham.  We'll be having Prime Rib as our first family meal of the New Year.  A prosperous year helped make that a reality.  I've prepared for my trip to Kansas on the 3rd so I don't have to worry about that.  Very little left to do except so sprucing up around the house.

What does 2017 have in store for me.  Well in the next couple weeks I'll see an addition to the family.  Our first grandson will be brought into this world.  My oldest daughter will be coming back to Iowa for that event.  With all the traveling I do, I was able to book her first class on Delta for the week visit.  This too is a result of a prosperous 2016.  I do wish she would listen to us and move back here but she is old enough to make her own decisions and mistakes.  I will no undoubtedly be traveling when the baby arrives but I know he'll be surrounded by family and loved ones to welcome him into the world.  New goals for the year is to really make progress on the house and a new savings goal.  It is tough at times to say no to buying something when the money is there but really has another purpose.  I also have been looking at new ways of relaxing.  Ways to let me unwind with the week after week travels I've run into the last couple years.  The money is good but it shouldn't come at a cost of personal health.  With that I've been working on getting the funds together to follow some passions of mine.

Allowing yourself to pursue your passion can be a great personal healer.  Finding a way to monetize your passion also opens up a whole new world of opportunities.  It creates extra income or even a fall back if you lose your position in economic unrest.  Allows you to be creative in your own way.  Brings happiness and self piece because you are doing something you enjoy.  Personal satisfaction since you may even be sharing it with others who enjoy the same thing.

Well I'm going to get back to getting rid of some more office clutter, so I can start the New Year with a fresh outlook and a cleaner working environment...

Wishing everyone safe travels and Happy Holidays!!!

Another year passes by....

Another year is reaching its end!

For anyone who has stumbled upon my blog and has read any of it.  You will know that I have not stuck with it and only write once a year.  Commitment is part of success.  I've had ups and downs over the last few years and am now ready to share what I've learned.

At times life tends to catch up to us.  We miss small opportunities that would lead us to a better, more fulfilling life.  I travel for a living and have for the past 8.5 years.  I have relocated my family to provide a better living environment and made every attempt to improve our lives.  I've made several mistakes along the way but have been able to learn from them.  In the interim, I have read several books to help with finances and gathered much knowledge to advance my goals.  Does this qualify me as an expert?  Probably not but does it allow me to help someone else avoid the same mistakes?  Most likely but as the old adage goes "Opinions are like @$$holes, everyone has one".  If I offend anyone, that's good, means you're reading, listening and learning.  It gets you out of your comfort zone, causing you to form your own path to success.  If you're easily offended, then "Suck it up Buttercup" because the road to success doesn't get any easier and isn't for the soft hearted.  I'm not saying that you shouldn't be kind at heart or caring but you will need thick skin to advance.  You may feel I'm pushing your buttons at this point but that is also good.  Everyone needs a little poke now and then to get up and moving towards their goals.  Every year I make new commitments.  Some I keep, some I lose and forget about.  Kind of like this blog, seems to get lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

So lets get started....

First off, my thoughts tend to be a little scattered at times and the order of events may vary from what is told.  I will do my best not to jump around but I can't guarantee this.  Secondly, although spell check is available for this, my grammar isn't always the best either.  As most anyone may know the English language isn't the most friendly to learn.  Thirdly, I don't believe in or perform "Political Correctness"!  You can see for yourself what political correctness has done to USA so if that's what you've come looking for then you've arrived at the wrong location.  Please take your ball and go home, with your tail between your legs or what ever you feel necessary to shield yourself from the offensiveness I may spew out.  Don't worry though, I'm an equal opportunity offender and won't discriminate when I do offend.

With the disclaimer out of the way, lets continue....

In 2007 the economy headed into a tailspin that would last what seemed a lifetime.  I was actually making more than I had my entire life but still like most living paycheck to paycheck.  We lived in PA and over my life the area progressively went down hill.  The bad elements from NJ and NYC were slowly moving in as the older generations moved out or died off.  My home which had been my grandfathers since 1948, went from having a latch hook on the garage door and a skeleton key for the back door all had to be dead bolted.  A security system was installed to reduce the threat of break-ins but to no avail.  Security systems had to be installed on the cars that use to be left unlocked only a few years earlier.  This was the breaking point.  As much as I liked the home and wished to keep it in the family I quickly realized it was time to move on.  My wife had prodded my for years about leaving and now was the time.  I told her pick a state and I'll find a job there.  Our first original focus was on Maine but a recruiter called with a position in Iowa.  If I had been a little more knowledgeable of the countries events, I probably would have passed on the opportunity.  It was in the automotive parts manufacturing industry.  When I interviewed there, it seemed like a golden opportunity to get my family to a better part of the country but little did I know that the industry itself was about to spiral into a bottomless pit.  It was the end of 2008, I excepted the position and used my life savings to move the family to a fixer upper farm house in rural IA.  At first the position itself paid well with the overtime but then the cutbacks started.  Reduction of hours yet to mention the temporary shutdowns that mirrored car manufactures which meant temporary layoffs.  I should have figured that there was something up with the new employer when everyone I met and heard where I was working suggested other places that could use my expertise.  Needless to say, there was way more drama there than I wanted to deal with.  After 8 months, enough was enough and I was in search of something better.  In mid 2009 I lucked out and found a position that I already knew the equipment and some of the people that worked there.  The pay wasn't as high as I'd like but I figured it would work out.   Unfortunately the economy was worsening and everyone was tightening their belts including my new industry.  What made matters worse was that I had dug a hole that was a bit of a challenge to dig out of.  The car and house were behind and I couldn't afford to lose either one.  Another thing that went against me was that the IRS had audited my move and were nailing me with some new taxes for the money I used to buy my house.  Life seemed to make a turn for the worst.  We were close to losing everything just when things should have been getting better.

The next couple of years almost seem like a blur.  2010 led to many sleepless nights of worry.  The problems compounding themselves like catching up on payments and the fixer upper house needing way more than anticipated.  Our electric had issues and I had started a claim that didn't turn into anything payable for insurance but my insurance company decided to drop us.  Now was a panic to find a provider and after several I finally found one that would work with our otherwise non-insurable house.  I had to resort to hiding our vehicle to prevent repossession.  My new company gave us 2 weeks of unpaid furlough which didn't help matters.  Our church though, gave us some money towards our bills and took a collection that paid our propane for the winter.  A change in how we shopped also proved to help in cost cutting.  This is when we went to a Thrift Shop that was missions based.  Everyone working there were volunteers and all proceeds went towards bible missions.  We bought the kids a ton of clothes and I picked up a handful of financial books.  Can't be reading material for a quarter.  This is what started me on a new path, a new path to financial awareness.  This isn't the only thing that helped.  My Dale Carnegie coarse also added great value to my knowledge of our financial situation.  Due to my hard work ethics and being dependable my salary increased to more livable levels for the family.  Also the kids were growing up and moving out.

2011 was the getting over the hump year.  It was still tough but the light started to shine brightly at the end of the long tunnel we were in.  The Yukon was finally paid off freeing up a substantial amount of cash and lifting a very heavy burden off the family.  I was able to slowly make the changes mentioned in the books I was reading to secure financial stability.  I pretty much broke even that year with at least making on time payments.  The older 2 kids were the new problems where they needed transportation so I forked over money I really didn't have to get so vehicles.  Of course this placed new added costs to my bottom line that I wasn't ready for.  Let alone things that had to be fixed on the house such as the porch floor, stairs and roof.  Seemed like every time I had a plan to save something else would pop up to take it away.  This is were I became creative and used forced savings.  So before I continue with my trials and tribulations, lets look at what some of the financial books said.

• Pay yourself  before all else

This is in every book.  You work hard for you money so you should get to keep some of it for your own wants and desires.  We are too quick to create bills and make that the focus a priority in our lives.  In todays society everything is direct deposit.  We don't get a paycheck and then run to the back to cash it, split it up between savings, checking and cash in the pocket for shopping.  Those days are long gone.  The ATM and credit cards are the norm.  With that being the case we have a bad habit of going to the ATM, looking at what's in the account and judging how much we can suck out for cash and what needs to remain to pay bills.  This is where forced savings really helps.  I have a couple accounts that aren't easily accessible.  They aren't with a local bank that I can just go to a grab the cash.  I know when my check is deposited so I have a portion automatically rerouted to these "other" accounts.  If you start with a small amount, you will never miss it.  Once you realize that it doesn't hurt you and you see the cash growing, you'll find more ways to add more.  I get paid twice a month on the 15th and 30th every month.  So on both those dates I have $5 transferred from my main account to my forced savings account.  I also had a written goal of how much I wanted to have in the bank.  This amount can be what every you feel comfortable with.  I also looked at tax advantages such as my companies 401K that has a match percentage up to a certain amount.  That's like getting free money and you should take as much advantage of that as possible.  Here again I started small with 1%.  Every year when my raise comes up I'll add 1%.  I never miss the few extra dollars that are being deferred plus it helps shelter some of my earnings at tax time.  I also started putting towards and IRA.  I started out small and keep working my way up. 

• Give to your church or charity

I understand that this can be as challenging at times the same as paying yourself but it plays a very important part of how money works.  The funny thing I've found about this is that although I didn't give regularly, every time I did things seemed to improve.  After our church had given to my family to get through the tough financial situation we were in, I made a conscious decision to give back.  I had never had an institution give in such a way.  I have successfully increased my contribution to them every year since.  You can feel good knowing that the money you are giving is going to help others.  Along with this it is tax deductible and will help when the tax man comes knocking the following year.  Here again it is best to start out small and comfortable.

I know what you're thinking... I can't make ends meet now and you want me to give my money away. Even stash some for a rainy day.  It seems ominous and near impossible but here I am today working on my new 2nd level savings goal.  I've given more than I have ever given in my life and have put more away then ever before.  I now have some cash set aside for true emergencies.  Remember, you can have more than one account where you put your money away.  I have several and the "total" of all accounts is what sets my goal.  I can easily switch funds between accounts via on-line and have debit cards tied to them for true emergencies.  A true emergency isn't the need to have Chinese or a movie night.  It's for when you need the doctor, car repair or some other unforeseen issue arises.  You'll be happy you saved it up.  Also make sure there aren't any fees and you're getting interest on your money.  If you're not gaining anything or you're paying out just for the convenience of have the money in an account, it's not worth it.  Find a bank that allows you to truly save and earn.

I'm going to stop here for today but I hope this gives you some encouragement and a place to start your road to success and financial freedom.

Regards and Happy Holidays

It's been a while... but I'm back and ready for an exciting New Year!

So here is the update that has been over two years in the making!

     When last I entered anything into this blog, I was making great strides to a better life, brighter future and more success.  I am happy to report that all of that and more have been coming to pass in my life.  I have saved more and gave more then I have my entire life.  I have truly been blessed these past couple of years and would like to share it with you.  I have been for the most part reading many financial books as I've been flying.  Needless to say when one spends about 16 hours a week traveling through various airports, it is best to have something that will help pass the time.  What is interesting about all the books that I have read over the past couple of years is that they basically all say the same thing.  Pay yourself first, this puts money away for that rainy day.  My thought follows what many claim, but I don't have any money left to save.  Every dime goes towards bills and food.  This is where I'd like to point out the "Pay YOURSELF first!"  Even if you only put $5.00 into a separate account each pay, it's at least something and believe me, you won't even miss it.  I have an account through the former ING Direct, now Capitol One 360, and have X amount automatically withdrawn every pay period.  I started out small and slowly raised the amount as I felt comfortable and as my bills were paid off.  Yes, paid off!  You can also create as many accounts as you'd like and set up as many different automatic deposits as you see fit.  Each account then can be labeled for specific things such as, deductibles or Christmas fund.  Typically you should be socking away 10% of your income.  Next all the books pointed to giving of tithing.  This too should be at least 10% of your income.  Now I had barely given anything to anyone for all my life but since the gift that our local church had given us in our time of need, that was about to change.  I made it a point to give something, every week or at least every pay period.  Again I started small and worked my way up.  Given that most people will look at their account balance and go from there, I never really missed the money that I saved or gave.  I have been doing this ever since and this has actually help in some unforeseen situations.

     Now you don't have to take my word for it but after reading about 10 different books on finance and getting out of debt that all mentioned the same thing, I had to believe there was something to it.  Over the past couple of years, I have proved what the books had mentioned.  I only have two payments that are loans, all else are regular monthly bills such as telephone, satellite, electric and gas.  Of course we still have groceries and auto to contend with.  The economy picked up which led to more traveling and longer hours which also contributed to socking away a few more bucks.  My company began giving out bonuses again which also helped.  On the downside of things my children are slowly growing up and moving on.  My oldest has lived just over 1000 miles away but luckily I get to see her once or twice a year.  My next graduated in 2013 so I've slowly lost some of my original tax advantages.  With that being said I've recently started an IRA separate from my 401K plan to leverage some more tax relief from my growing income.

      I'm sure I could go on and on but seeing how this is the last day of 2014 with mere hours left before the New Year, I'd like to leave everyone with this:

I wish everyone a Blessed and Prosperous Holiday and New Year!

Seasons Greetings 2011

     First I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, although a day late.  It is tough at times to find the time to do all the things we'd like.  So with that in mind I'd like to also wish everyone a Happy New Year as well.  As 2011 comes to a quick close, I have been giving the past year a quick review.  The start of 2011 was a rough one with great financial strains throughout the world.  I had proclaimed that 2011 would be the year to overcome many of my personal challenges.  Financially, 2011 was a roller-coaster ride from hell.  Many of us fell off the ride, while others barely hung on to what we had.  Here again, from personal experience, I too clung on for dear life.  Yes, that's right, I did anything and everything to keep what little I had.  January to March was a battle of keeping my home, job and car.  Congress was playing with the taxes and delayed my return but in the end I still have all three.  I had mentioned in my last blog that I learned many things from my Dale Carnegie training.  Getting stressed out over things that might happen can kill you or in the least, make you very ill.  Everything that I worried about never came to pass.

     March to June looked promising and did fare pretty well, but with summer rolling in the financial woes started again.  Robbing Peter to pay Paul seemed to become a way of life.  I will tell you from this repeating experience, it DOESN'T work long and only make things worse.  Lucky for me, things seem to turn out right, one way or another.  July and August brought family issues and concerns that made for a very emotional time.  The decisions made during this time governed September.  We had to send my oldest daughter to stay with some friends over 1000 miles away.  October was a settling month, trying to get things back into some kind of order.  November is to be a month of thanksgiving.  This is where the financial company for our car lowered the boom.  When the statement came, my chin hit the floor.  The loan hit it's maturity and I owed a balance of $6000.00 by the due date.  Normally I would have panicked, but instead, I analyzed the situation and decided to try for a refinance to the balance.  Although the vehicle is blue booked for twice what I owed, no one would refinance it.  So I stuck to my guns and kept sending the normal payment.  They haven't come for the car and the December statement only states the same as the last but with a lower balance.  Again, here is an excellent example of why not to worry about things such as this.  December is here and Christmas has come at last.  Only days remain of 2011 and now I look towards 2012 with great promise.

     So what's in store for me in 2012?  Well first, the financial outlook is way better this coming year then last.  The 2011 tax return will pay off the remaining balance on the car.  This will free up all that money that has been going towards it all these years.  With that we can follow some of the principals that I have learned through several financial books I have read this past year.  I have vowed not to make the same mistakes that I have made in the past.  This will mark a new success in my life and your invited to follow along.  Discover the true meaning of Success from within.

     Recently, sometime in October, I had traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a service call.  When returning, I picked up a few gift items at the airport for my family.  I did find an item that I had some time ago and thought I should pick it up.  It's called a worry stone.  I had one years ago, when worry consumed me and was taking a huge toll on my health.  It came from an Irish stand at a mall that explained it's use and why you shouldn't worry.  Since we moved several times over the years, my worry stone has disappeared.  This presented me with opportunity to revisit it's use.  Simpy put, I will use part of my Dale Carnegie training with the help of my new found worry stone.  I write my worries down on a piece of paper and place it under the worry stone.  If I have new worries I right them down and place them under the stone.  After some time passes, a few weeks or a month, I check my list of worries.  I have come to find that most of my worries are meaningless and come to pass with no real issues.  This is a big key to finding success from within.  If we burden ourselves with worries, we'll have no time to realize our successes.

    

Have a Happy and Wonderful Holiday Season!

What is your definition of success?

What is your definition of success?

          When I started this blog, I gave the definition that Websters Dictionary had for success.  As noted by them, the definition changed.  I know it has been a while since my last posting but on occasion, everyone needs time to reflect.  Society today, looks very differently at success then we did in the past.  The whole point of this blog is to show everyone that our perception of success is wrong.  After spending 8 weeks in Dale Carnegie training, I have learned many things about getting my point across and giving my readers a true visualization of what I'm talking about.  First off, how can anyone relate to what I'm trying to convey without proper examples?  Real life examples, to show that everyone has experienced success at some point in their life.  Stories of real people who found out that success is not just being wealthy or having that high paying career.  I have also been travelling much of this year and found a lot of time to read several books on debt elimination.  This subject can be tied into ones desire to discover success from within.

          Let's start with the basics shall we...  Success to me is setting a goal and seeing it through to it's conclusion.  Resolving a problem or issue can also be called success.  Why?  Simple, if John needs some money to replace his tires he could go to the bank but if he doesn't have enough in his account, he will need to get the money somewhere.  With this example, John has two goals.  First is to get the money needed for the tires and second is to take the money and get the tires he needs.  John can solve first situation in a few ways.  John can save up the money, putting a few dollars away each pay period until he has enough for the tires.  He can work more hours and use the extra money earned to get the tires.  He can borrow the money, this is not recommended seeing how the value of the tires decrease over time.  All of the debt management books I have read agree that using credit to buy such an item is finacial suicide.  John can sell something he no longer wants or needs to pay for the tires.  So you see John has many options to get the money.  Once John has collected enough money to cover the costs, we can say that John was "successful" at reaching this first goal.  Next is getting the tires.  John simply needs to find a tire dealer, make the appointment and purchase the tires.  John now has "succeeded" in replacing the tires he needed.  Society doesn't see this as a success but John was successful in getting the tires by being successful in getting the money needed to purchase them.  It is the little successes we have that lead us to greater success.

          All the experts and guru's tend to agree, that we need to take little steps to reach a big goal.  A hand written plan that lays out little goals that help advance us to our final goal.  If a goal is set too big, we tend to get frustrated and give up easily but, if we set smaller goals, not achieving one is just a minor set back.  I, myself, have been battling a finacial crisis for the last fee years.  Every time I think I'm getting close to surmounting the situation, something new pops up to knock me down a few pegs.  I use to worry about this constantly, causing many nights of lost sleep and stomach ailments.  While attending the Dale Carnegie training, I was assigned to read How To Stop Worring & Start Living by Dale Carnegie.  The information contained within this book was life changing.  Sir William Osler was quoted "Live in Day-tight Compartments."  Shut the doors on the past and the future, live the day and the day alone.  With this the past is the past and should not be relived and the future hasn't happened yet so why fret over it?  I also learned to write my worries down and stick them in a drawer.  In a month or so pull them out and see the results.  Most of our worries are for nothing, by writing them down and later seeing the outcome reassures us of that.  I worried about my job, home and vehicle, just to see that my worries never materialized.  Now I use what is called a worry stone.  I take the worries I have writen down and place them under the worry stone.  Now the worry stone can worry about them.

          The last thing for today would be another quote from Dale Carnegie's book How To Stop Worrying & Start Living is "Thy will be done".  All the books that I have read dealing with overcoming financial burden mentioned giving and accepting the will of God.  Following the belief that if it is God's will for this to happen to me, than so be it.  It is said in the Bible that God provides for our every need and rewards us when we are deserving.  The mistake that most people make is that we, myself included, believe things are owed us but in God's eyes we truely are not deserving.  I will leave the giving discussion for another day but want to point out that unless we are thankful for the things we have, the Lord may take them away.  It has taken me many years to realize that I should be thankful for even the smallest things.  By being thankful everyday, my life has greatly improved and brought me to greater accomplishments.  With that in mind, be sincere and truely appreciative of the things and people in your life.  This will bring great opportunity to your door.

          In closing "God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change... the Courage to change the things I can... and the Wisdom to know the difference."

Inspiration

Inspiration

"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, (c. first to third century B.C.)

As you can see I have been focusing on how the mind can be used to get what we want - Success.  We need constant stimulation, motivation, inspiration, encouragement and a sense of well being to move forward.  I'd like to share another quote from an email I received.

 

Enlightenment Is About Being Available

By Jafree Ozwald

The most exquisite and enlightening experience of your life instantly shows up when you are fully open, receptive and available to the Universe. By being completely open, receptive and available to whatever the divine existence is offering you in this moment, the greatest experience of life simply pours in. Every deeply loving, successful, and magically divine experience will throw itself at your feet when you are open, available and receptive. This moment contains the magical state of enlightenment, and you can discover it spontaneously when you give up searching "out there" for the happiness, fulfillment or the "answers", and start trusting your ability to receive the grace that is inherently yours to be experienced.

Imagine you are like a wildflower, who is always opening and receptive to the warm gentle light from the Sun. The soft delicate flower petals must then also be open to experiencing the harsher elements, such as the wind, rain, fertilizer and competitive weeds for a growing life to persist. When you live your life like this wildflower, you root yourself deep into fertile soil and welcome whatever enlightening or not so enlightening experiences life brings you. You know that all the soft and hard elements you attract are necessary for your soul's highest evolution, and thus allow for each experience to enter you fully. As a result, a great strength and beauty is developed, and only is seen when you are consistently open and receptive to every experience life brings your way.

The experience of being open, receptive and available spontaneously happens when you have an unshakable trust that this highly intelligent loving existence always knows what's best for you. Unstoppable receptivity is your ticket into Heaven, and yet to open the door and walk through the gates you will need 100% trust. When you've reached absolute trust on your inner world, your outer world feels this divine quality radiating from you, and the spark of enlightenment instantly ignites within you.

Living in this supreme state of trust and enlightened availability means you need to be a spiritual warrior on your inner world. You get to constantly choose to be a radically free from all limitations that arise in the mind, and decide to live beyond the confines of every social belief the world presents. To go beyond the limits of your own ego/mind takes a very courageous warrior-like energy that is ready to die for freedom. This may be the most terrifying and/or a liberating experience you'll ever have in your life, yet it also means that you are ready to truly be alive, and live your truth on the deepest levels.

Inside your heart of hearts is a state of immense joy, unfathomable love and freedom that is independent of any outer cause or experience. This enlightening experience is found only through letting go of this constant struggle to attain some better, new and improved experience of life. As you slowly tire of the ego's constant outer search, you will naturally start being divinely receptive to the Light within and discover an exquisite infinite source of inner peace inside you. It is already here, at the core of your being, just underneath all your desires. This enlightening path leads you to a life that is naturally spontaneous, creative and devoted totally to this moment of existence. From here you don't have to search for any profound life experience, the enlightenment experience simply finds its way into you. As you become available to experienc e anything and everything that arises inside you, you'll see this enlightening existence naturally awakens within. Have a deeply profound and super enlightening week...enjoy!

As you can see that this message holds great meaning and is inspiring.  Find your inspiration and let it enlighten you to great success.

Think Bigg...

Think Bigg...

I mean BIGG -- it's a simple process that leads to success all the time.  Most people don't think BIGG... they just think and wonder why their lives never change or get better.  Thinking BIGG is simple... you're probably wondering what BIGG is or what's the BIGG deal.  When you think BIGG and stay on track you'll succeed, no matter what your goals.

Here's what thinking BIGG really means:

B - Believe in Yourself.

I - Inspiration from others.

G - Goal setting.

G - Go for it.

There is a process that you need to apply in order to make thinking BIGG work for you and today I'll show you exactly how to apply the process of thinking BIGG so that you get the results you want.  It's pretty simple and straight forward and when you follow what I outline you'll get the results you want.  So read on and enjoy...

When you think BIGG you get your subconscious mind focused on bringing you the people, situations and circumstances that will help you succeed.  Thinking BIGG is more than just having a few thoughts and big ideas.

The first step is to believe in yourself.

A lot of people want to make more money, they want to be in a great relationship, they want to have a great career, they want to enjoy life but they really don't believe they can.  Believing means you absolutely know that you can and will succeed.  Wanting is a yearning.  You want something to fill a void, it's a good starting point but you need to go from wanting to believing.  When you believe you basically tell your subconscious mind that you're ready for success and that you expect nothing less than success. It's not about saying I will instead, believe that you are succeeding and getting what you want (filling that void).

Next: Inspiration from others.

Draw inspiration from others.  I do this all the time.  Hey if they can succeed so can you.  You can do anything that they can do and you may even be able to do it better.  Learn from them but be inspired there are new achievements being made everyday and your achievements are just around the corner.  Every 4 years we see Olympic records being crushed.  Those athletes believe in themselves and they dray inspiration from their predecessors.  When you're inspired you basically light up your subconscious mind, you give it some extra energy and extra drive; it realizes that what you want is important and begins working harder for you.  When you see somebody succeed praise them and be inspired because you're next.  It's a message your subconscious mind picks up and drives you to succeed.

Step 3 - Goal setting.

Believe it or not this is where a lot of people fail.  They don't set clear goals, they don't know what they want and they don't have measurable goals.  So set a goal.  Be clear and be specific.  Understand why you want this goal.  The why helps you be clear and stay motivated.  Make sure you can measure your success otherwise you won't know if you're making any progress.  Then check your progress and make adjustments.  When you have clear goals, you can stay focused.  When you're focused on something and repeatedly give it attention you begin to draw the positive people who will help you succeed.  Your subconscious mind sees this as a clear instruction and it understands that it needs to get this done.  Your goal needs to be achieved.  Your subconscious says this is so important we have to make this happen.  At this point your subconscious begins to work overtime to help you achieve your goal.  But success won't happen without the final component.

That's the second G - Go for it.

You have to go for it.  You have to take action.  You can't sit around and wait for everything to come to you.  That's not how you succeed.  Olympic athletes train everyday for years... their success doesn't come overnight.  They have to keep going for it; even when they were tired, when they have setbacks, when they get sick or injured, they keep going.  You have to keep going for it.  You have to keep pursuing your goal because the minute you give up you fail and that's a certainty.  When you keep pursuing your goal, when you believe in yourself, when you draw inspiration from others, when you set clear goals and you go for it; you mind, subconscious mind and the universe get the message.  They realize that this is something that must happen and they have to make it happen for your.  You're doing everything you can to succeed and they have no choice but to help you.

Start thinking BIGG today.

Start achieving your goals today.

When you think BIGG you succeed.  When you direct the full power of your mind an subconscious mind you enjoy success sooner and it becomes a habit - so you succeed and achieve your goals more and more often.  Think of it as a way of programming yourself to get more of what you want.

Right now you've likely programmed your mind and subconscious mind to create more and more of what you don't want.  That's why nothing changes.  You may want change but your subconscious mind is programmed to create the same thing over and over again.  It's time to change the way your mind and subconscious mind works.  It's time to re-program your subconscious so that it creates more of what you want.  Begin applying a new thought process.  Begin seeing things differently and begin directing your mind and subconscious mind to create more of what you want.

Remember if you don't do anything - if you don't change the way your mind works and direct your subconscious mind to create the life you want - everything stays the same - nothing changes.  This is you life - make the most of it - begin working with the power of your mind and subconscious mind to create the life you want and deserve.

How badly do you want it?

How badly do you want it?

That is the question of the day.  How badly DO YOU want it?  How badly do you want Success?  I recently found myself asking that question.  When I look at how the past year turned out, I realized that it was time to change the strategy.  I had written down in "My book of knowledge" that you can't expect a change if you don't change the strategy.  If the results you are getting now are not what you want then you'll need to make a change.  How big of a change?  You may only need to make a small adjustment in order to get your desired results.  When I look back at the past few years I realized that I had made many mistakes.  I didn't stick with what was working for me.  I didn't even realize that I made that change until the results were near devastating.  I took a step back and formulated a new game plan to make this year the best yet.  It still comes down to how badly I want it.

I had mentioned in the past about conviction to yourself and your goals.  This still holds true and correlates to how big your desire is to achieve something.  I also spoke about perseverance and this also ties to your conviction and your desire for success.  This is why Writing your goals down is essential and placing reminders in plain sight.  This keeps that burning desire to drive forward towards your goal.  Success does not come from thin air.  I wish at times that I could just wave my magic wand and say "Abra freakin' cadabra" *POOF* your a success but that just isn't realistic.  I have had such burning desires to accomplish a task that I couldn't sleep at night.  My mind constantly thinking about the problem at hand, searching for a solution.  Sometimes the solution is so simple that is often overlooked.  So how badly do you want it, the success, the achievement, your dream, your goal?  Do you have that overwhelming desire and drive to see it through?  Here again I'm on top of the soap box, preaching about things I have found to work for me.  You may get tired of hearing it but I can't drive this home hard enough that everyone and I mean everyone runs into a state suspended animation.  By this I mean we literally stall out and float with no motivation to move forward.  Inspiration does not always just come to us, we need to find it.

I enjoy receiving The Daily Energize sent out by Rich German or receiving my daily Enlightened Messages.  They both help to keep me focused and on track.  They have a way of picking me up when I have fallen into a state of inactivity.  People like Rich German or Patric Chan are an inspiration by overcoming the obstacles and reaching a level of life that they enjoy. So as I had mentioned in a previous blog along with a Stevie Nicks video, don't let the "Landslide" bring you down.  Here is to all of your future successes.  Cheers! 

Perseverance!

Perseverance!

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

—Thomas A. Edison, on inventing the light bulb

These are words to live by and tie into what I had discussed earlier about conviction.  I'm not sure if I shared this following story before but even if I did, I believe it is well worth repeating.  It is an excellent example of how perseverance along with conviction would have made someones dreams come true.

During the gold rush, a prospector staked a claim on a piece of property that he felt had a large amount of gold buried on it.  He started digging and found various bits and pieces but nothing very significant.  He invested every bit of money he earned to buy equipment to dig his mine.  After years of digging the prospector started growing weary of his claim.  A man visited him one day with a proposal to buy his claim and all his equipment.  The prospector thought for a moment about all the years of hard work he had put into his mine but thought this was a way to recoup his lost money.  The prospector took the money joyfully thinking that this poor guy will find nothing as well.  Now the man that bought the claim had no intention of digging himself, in fact he hired a geologist to study the land.  He was very pleased when the results came back.  It seems that if the prospector would have stuck it out and dug about another 3 feet, he would have hit one of the largest veins of gold ever found.

So you see, perseverance pays off.  If Thomas Edison would have given up inventing, many of the great inventions that revolutionized our world today may not exist or may have taken many more years to be discovered.  Think about the light bulb, telephone, phonograph and even motion pictures all were invented because someone believed that it could exist.  In this day and age we tend to take for granted the modern conveniences we have.  Just visit a country that doesn't offer the electric, transportation or even the clean water that many of us enjoy today.  You will see how the perseverance and conviction of many great people in history has helped to mold the world in which we live in. 

If you are facing challenging times and are about to give up, don't!  Your salvation may be just around the corner.  I have been tested during these financially tough times.  I believe through my constant perseverance I will come out ahead and with that I want you to be able to say the same thing.  I realize that my definition of success is a little different from what many believe.  This brings to mind another topic I will share with you in the future about the concept of money and what it represents.  I have recently read some information that opened my eyes about the way I think and feel about money.  I have come to a part of my life where it is make it or break it.  The pinnacle of a new beginning of financial freedom.  To have one of the biggest debts payed for in full.  To be down to counting the months left until that fateful last payment is sent out.  To finally be on a cash for everything basis.  Now that is a success in my mind.  I have followed programs, guru's and advice from so many on how to handle a situation that came out of nowhere like a landslide.  Just to emphasize the point I have included an excellent version of Stevie Nicks singing "Landslide".





Remember not to let the landslide bring you down.  Perseverance will prevail.

What Time Is It?

What Time Is It?

This is a popular question that comes up on Cartoon Network.  What time is it?  It's Adventure Time!  That's what Jake on Adventure Time exclaims as he's off on some new, wild adventure.  For most of us though when asked "What Time Is It?" we just look for a clock or our watches for the actual time.  We don't really realize that time is more valuable then we perceive it.  How quickly time seems to pass us by.  Another quote that comes from a teachers wall above their clock is "Time Will Pass Will You?".  This quote made you think of your not so distant future of being able to pass or fail the class.  The truth in that statement is that time will pass.  Time is infinite and will never stop so what we do with our time is so very important.  So why am I bringing time up now in the midst of helping you focus on creating your convictions?  The answer is simple, there is no time like the present to get your life in order and make a difference in your success.

Tom Hanks as Forest Gump had said "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get".  This is true to a point and that point is whether or not you make the active decision to do what it takes to make a change in your life.  So many of us are constantly picking through the box of chocolates searching for what's best.  It's hard to figure out which one is the one we are looking for unless we are given a map to which chocolate is which.  This is why writing down our objectives is so important.  With out a map we become lost.  So what does time have to do with all this?  We can not reach our goals with the map alone, it takes time and effort to reach the end.  If we do not set a time to reach a goal we may never achieve our objectives.  Our mind will think that it's OK because there is no sense of urgency.  If we set a time to reach our goal then our mind will start to work on ways to reach the objective.

I have set many goals for 2011, some are very ambitious and others are not so but with one month down already I am on track.  Hopefully you have set your goals, have your objectives in sight and are on track with your resolutions as well.  If you haven't started yet then there is no time like the present to get started.  Goal setting and time management are a big part of a successful persons life.  I have personally started using several tools to strengthen my conviction towards my goals and objectives.  Better organizing my time and energy so I can be successful in achieving my goals sooner.  I have even looked into different programs that will strengthen my weaknesses and make me a better person in the future.  I have checked my lists to determine which goals are still valid and where I need to focus my attention so I can reach my objectives.  You will find yourself doing the same thing.  You may find that a goal you had set last month no longer applies and you will need to rethink your strategy to achieve your new goal.  As life goes on our goals and desires change as well.

I'd like to leave you with a song that's been on my mind a lot lately Joe Walsh "Life's Been Good".

The Daily Energize

The Daily Energize

I opened my email today and BAM, there it was an email from Rich German.  It is The Daily Energize that I receive from Rich everyday.  It always has some sort of inspirational story, video or text but today's was special.  The theme for this week is CONVICTION.  Ironic how just only yesterday I decided to do a blog on creating convictions to live by and now this email comes to me as the theme of the week.

"Which is stronger: your belief or your circumstances?"

--Rich German 

So what is your motivation?  What is driving you to continue from day to day?  Are your circumstances causing a wave of disruption in your life?  Rich sends out The Daily Energize to start your day with a dose of energy and inspiration!  Sometimes that is all that is needed to kick start our day, get our mood set and get us underway to the opportunities that lie ahead.  Are you manifesting problems or solutions?  Is your passion and beliefs strong enough to help you overcome adversity?  These are questions that you need to answer and answer truthfully.  If not you are only lying to yourself about the direction your life is heading.  I've created this blog to show you how to learn by your mistakes and strengthen you pursuit of you goals, dreams and hearts desire.  I like to show you the people, places and literature that has inspired me to reach for greatness.

The Daily Energize has help me realize my potential, the potential within.  The potential of success and what it truly means to myself and my family.  I don't need to be a millionaire to find happiness.  I enjoy a fairly simple lifestyle with a few toys and some luxuries.  I don't need a mansion or a yacht, just a nice modest home and some water craft.  Land to look out upon and appreciate the wonders of the world.  A nice vehicle that I don't have to worry about breaking down when travelling around the country.  I enjoy my career and would keep it since I like what I do and the people I meet.  I would give back to my community that has showed my family kindness and support like no other.  These are the things I look for in my own success.  My success is truly unique and so is yours.  Only you can create the path you wish to travel.  Maybe a mansion and yacht are your thing.  Leaving the hustle and bustle of everyday life to do as you please.  Not worrying about money or waking up to an alarm clock.  Travelling the world and seeing sights that many dream about but never realize.  Yes, The Daily Energize will give you that motivation, power and inspiration to create a desire to achieve greatness in your life.

I've been working on another addition of this blog titled "Are you destined for greatness?"  May people are but haven't tapped their full potential yet.  They need direction and guidance to lead them down the correct path.  In order to be destined for greatness you must create your convictions and stick by them, live by them and utilize them in your everyday life.  I will be following Rich's Daily Energize and share with you his views on conviction.

Creating Convictions to Live By

Creating Convictions to Live By

How do we "Create Convictions to Live By"?  Through faith, focus and commitment, we create our goals.  Our desires and dreams can only become a reality if we completely commit ourselves to them.  We must live by these convictions that we have created or they will die and be lost forever.  As a student we strive for good grades and we study to get them.  As an athlete we practice or workout everyday to strengthen our weaknesses so we can perform at our best.  As parents we strive to provide for our children and give them the best the world has to offer.  Then there are those who do as little as possible to get by.  These are the critics and people who ridicule because they don't understand or know any better about what we are trying to accomplish.  They are the dream stealer's, the goal smasher's, the people who are only happy when the rest of the world is miserable.  Only through our own convictions can we overcome and surmount the negativity that these people spew out at us.

Are you stuck in the past?

Are you stuck in the past?

This is the question so many successful people will ask.  The past is the past and unless you are looking towards the future the past may actually bring you down.  It is great to have memories and reminisce about yesteryear but is it killing your chances for success?  I'm going to do something crazy here and show you some things that are from the past.  You may or may not remember any of these.  It is all dependant upon your age but see if these bring back some good memories of day's gone bye. 

My Blackberry is not working!

My Blackberry is not working!

Now you may think this is a strange topic for finding success from within but I would like to share with you some humor that I found about the real world technologies we have.  The British really do create a good chuckle with this video.

Remember that life is too short and anything that can bring a smile to your face is worth sharing.  All work and no play wrecks your chances of greater creativity.  I had an exercises in a power communication class that had us act as kids.  Showing us that if we don't take time out of our busy schedules to have some fun we would eventually end up in a rut.  Our careers or future plans would become stagnant and stall out.  When we were children, our creativity flowed, ideas and dreams grew into realities.  Even as adults we need to momentarily return to that state so we can refresh our ambitions to pursue our dreams.  With this we can truly achieve success from within.

Climbing the mountain of failure!

Climbing the mountain of failure!

So what does it mean to climb the mountain of failure?  Successful people do not become a success over night.  Just as with anything in life, when we strive to reach a goal and there are bound to be set backs.  Everyone who has achieved success has failed at some point but the key here is not to quit.  Never surrender your dreams or ambitions.  Many successful people keep a log or journal to track their journey to success.  With this they can keep track of what works and what does not work when achieving goals.  I have my own called my "Mystic Book of Knowledge".  I jot down my thoughts and things that I may tend to forget.  I would like to share some of these with you now. 

Directions?

Now I normally don't put 2 blogs out in a day but I have just received another email that I think drives home the point that our direction can cause us to succeed or fail.

 Scientists at NASA built a gun specifically to launch standard 4 pound dead chickens at the windshields of airliners, military jets and the space shuttle, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea is to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields.




British engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high speed trains. Arrangements were made, and a gun was sent to the British engineers.

When the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer's back-rest in two, and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin, like an arrow shot from a bow.



The horrified Brits sent NASA the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the U.S. scientists for suggestions.



NASA responded with a one-line memo --



"Defrost the chicken." (True Story)
 
You can clearly see that by missing a simple step or following the wrong direction can mean the difference between success and failure.  I hope in the least that this gave you a good chuckle and brightens your day.

It Don't Cost Nuthin' To Be Nice...

IT DON'T COST NUTHIN' TO BE NICE

You may think this is a strange title but I received an email yesterday that had very important message in a story about being nice.  I also believe it reflects on how we can utilize it in our search for success. 

Words to live by...

          Words to live by...  In our endless pursuit of happiness and success, we are left with many decisions.  Different paths to follow that will hopefully lead us to our goals, dreams and desires.  The one thing that always remains true is the fact that we each need a definite and defined purpose.  It is part of the Law of Attraction and is a key component to achieving success.  I have stumbled across a great video of Napoleon Hill that I'd like to share with you.

2011 Bring it on!

          That's right, 2010 is gone and aren't you glad?  So many problems affecting everything we do and love.  Making so many sacrifices to keep what we have.  Selling off precious heirlooms, 401k's, collectibles and what ever else may contain some sort of value just to maintain our ability to live.  Turning down the heat that you can see your breath and feel a cold breeze across the floor.  Giving up that vacation timeshare or any kind of vacation at all for the sake of paying bills.  Dodging the repo-man, tax collector, debt assessor or who ever else wants what you don't have.  Afraid to open the mailbox or answer the phone.  Getting nervous every time a strange vehicle pulls up to the front of your house.  These are all things that all too many of us have had to face some time in our lives.  We work long hours or multiple jobs to make ends meet and they only get further apart.