Our struggles make us stronger, they help us grow!

Don't regret your struggles!  We all face challenges, some that are tougher than others ... but we all have them!

Death, Divorce, Debt, Disease ... we all have challenges, we all have struggles.  As my mentor Jim Rohn would say ... these things happen to all of us, it's what we do about them that matters.  Or as Bob Proctor would put it:  E + R = O.  The Event plus your Reaction equals your Outcome.

How you react to the things that life throws at you will determine where you end up tomorrow.  Whether you become stronger, smarter and more courageous ... or you become weaker, dumber, more afraid!  Face your challenges head on; react in ways that you will gain or grow from your challenges.

Whether you choose action or inaction you won't be the same person tomorrow that you are today.  If you rise to the challenge you will grow stronger, your life and all aspects of it will get better.  If you run from your challenges you will shrink, grow weaker ... you will be less tomorrow than you are today.

Here's the irony ... if you do nothing (meaning don't face your challenges, but don't run) ... the effect on you is the same as if you ran away from your challenges.  Doing nothing will cause atrophy in your mind, your will, your heart, your muscles ... your being.

Choose to face your challenges!  Choose to face your struggles!  Choose to grow!  And if you don't have challenges get some!

EASY IS NOT THE SAME AS SIMPLE

I've been bothered by this recently ... and have meant to post/blog about it ... but it's not easy, so I haven't until now.  So, in case you haven't realized it yet ... "Easy is not the same as simple."

Many people will use easy and simple interchangeably ... but they are not always synonyms.  Yes, they can often be used in the same context, but they are more often than not misused.  Many times when people use the word "simple" they're using it as a reason ... but it's really an excuse.  Here are a few examples that I've come across (read "struggled with") in life:

1. I just can't lose weight/get into shape.  It's not so simple!
2. I can't seem to save money, I work hard and I am careful how I spend my money ... but I simply can't get ahead!
3. I don't have the time to do all the things I need to do ... there simply aren't enough hours in the day!

Do any of these complaints/excuses sound familiar?  They should ... we've all used them. =)

The fact is these things are actually very simple to accomplish, they just aren't always easy to do.  There aren't too many steps standing between you and accomplishing any of the three examples, but they do require the following:

• Clearly defining your goal
• Budgeting
• Focus
• Sacrifice

Those are four very simple bullet points.  And they apply to anything that you want to achieve in life.  But they aren't easy ... they require that you think, make choices and then take action!  Here's a little more explanation on the steps:

• Defining your goal - if you dream about having something or becoming someone write it down, make it a goal, give yourself a deadline with measurable "checkpoints" along the way.  There are many "gurus" with further detail on how to set and accomplish goals.  Read two or three authors (I recommend Ziglar, Rohn) and you will see some basic steps that they all recommend.
• Budgeting - whether achieving your goals requires managing your time or your money better, you need to control both.  Create a budget and track how you spend your time or your money; or both!  Once you figure out where each is going and devise a scheme to control it you are halfway to your goal
• Focus - if your goal is really, really important to you ... you will make it a priority, you will devote to it the resources that are necessary to achieve your goal and you will not be distracted by temptations around you (TV, friends who want to "hang out", laying in bed when you aren't tired, etc)
• Sacrifice (read focus again) - you are going to have to sacrifice.  If you are trying to lose weight you are going to have to put the twinkies down!  If you are trying to save money you are going to have to say "No!" to unnecessary purchases.  If you are trying to get more done at work or spend more time with your spouse/significant other ... you are going to have to give up something else on your calendar (or get more efficient at the other things)

It may sound like a lot of work ... but nothing is ever really work if you have a worthwhile goal/dream.  And it really can be quite simple. From now on when you think of "easy", insert the word "lazy" ... because isn't that really what many people mean (not you ... other people).  They don't want to put in the work or effort into fulfilling their dreams or goals ... they wish someone would just hand them the "money" (lottery winner?) or the "skinny body" (liposuction) or the give them more "time" (think of all the time saving devices we have - washing machine/dryer, dishwasher, DVR, fast cars).

The temptations are all around us; there are many things that we do because they are easy and/or make us feel good.  They may not be the right things for us, in other words - don't help us fulfill our goals; but they often don't take much effort. 

Do yourself a favor and stop inserting "simple" where you actually mean to use the word "easy"; and if you take it one more step and insert "lazy" instead your life may just change for the better after hearing yourself say that out loud a few times!

Have a great day!

Compromise is everywhere.

Compromise is everywhere.

Some would say that life is a compromise.  And they would be right  ... some of the time.

Do you have to compromise in relationships, when going out to the movies with family or friends, at work, in negotiating with a client? Yes.

But there is one thing that you should never compromise ... and that is your values.  Your values aren't depicted in what you say ... Your values touch everything you do, how you react in various circumstances, how you persevere through tough times, how you interact with others - including people you don't know.

The trouble for most people is that they don't think about their values (or beliefs).  They (may) have them and it'll be obvious to those around you (through your actions) what your values are.  But don't fool yourself.  If you are not aware of your values or you DON'T act in a way that honors your values ... then you are a lost soul.  You will float through life like the wind blown seeds of a dandelion.  You will be susceptible to the values and beliefs that others push on you.

Know what you believe, know your values (what is 'valuable' to you) and know the impact that your values have on others.  It very well may change your life ... it will certainly change how others see you.

Have an awesome day!

Your Dreams

What do you consider the biggest failing of the education system in the United States?

Is it the lower math and science scores that our high school graduates have when compared to other nations?  Is it the number of children who don't graduate high school?  Is it the number of children who graduate high school ... but with a 9th grade education?

For me it's the lack of dreamers that graduate from high school.   Our school system was developed largely to educate the masses so that when they arrived at the factory door they were able to begin work with limited training.  Schools were never designed to help children learn to dream, to set goals and then to pursue their dreams.  Their intent was to make it easy for the barons of industry to grow their business.  In some ways our schools have evolved; however, I believe in the wrong direction.

Gone at many schools are: typing class, home economics, wood shop, electrical shop and small engines/automotive.  Replaced with higher math, philosophy and higher sciences.  But then what do they do with it?  Do we require kids to take classes that will prep them to become rocket scientists?  And now that NASA has been decimated, how many rocket scientists do we need?

I heard today on the news: Entrepreneurship in the U.S. is at it's lowest point in over 30 years!  And business failures/closures/consolidations is at a high point!  The net effect is fewer available jobs, lower real wages, lower production, increase in the gross import of goods to the U.S. and eventually a further devaluation of the almighty U.S. Dollar!  We've seen it in the news for a few years now that college graduates are moving back home to live in mom & dad's basement and in their luggage is $200,000 of student loan debt.  Apparently, there just aren't as many jobs as there use to be for people with double majors in German Polka and Advanced Basket Weaving.

My theory is that not everyone needs to go to a college or university, more should go to tech/voc schools (research Mike Rowe's position) and that all of our high school students need to be taught how to "dream".  We need more dreamers.  We need more dream followers.  We need more people reaching for the stars!  We need to show people how to dream ... how to turn those dreams into goals ... and how to turn those goals into reality!

Paraphrasing a song I heard this morning (thank you J. Geils Band) ... "and [you] never had dreams so they never came true."    The late great Zig Ziglar said "Don't become a wandering generality, be a meaningful specific."  You can't do this without dreams/goals.  Have a great day!

Dead weight or ballast?

Your friends, associates, spouses ... are they "dead weight" or are they "ballast?"

There's a difference between dead weight or excess baggage and ballast.

We all need ballast, just like a ship does.

But there's no place in our lives for dead weight.  Dead weight slows you down.  Dead weight keeps you from performing at your peak.  Dead weight wears you out.  When you face headwinds in life that dead weight will bring you to a dead stop ... maybe even make you go backwards.  Maybe it will send you in the wrong direction, down the wrong path.

I love this quote and I think I've used it before, Mark Mero said "your friends are like an elevator, they can bring you down or they can bring you up."  So very true!

The ones that bring you down (physically, spiritually, etc) are "dead weight"... jettison them!  Be polite ... but don't spend too much time with them.  You will develop their habits, mannerisms and vocabulary. 

Take some time, step back and take a look at your friends ... do you really want to be like them?  Separate your friends/associates into two categories ... the "dead weight" category and the "ballast" category.

The ones that bring you up belong in the "ballast" category ... they're not perfect.  But they can help you set the right course, sail straight, they bring you up.  They don't always have all the right answers ... but they care and they won't steer you wrong.

To quote a corny phrase, the ones in your "ballast" category will be "the wind beneath your wings."  They will lift you up.  They will help you focus.  They will help you "be all that you can be."

Have a great and blessed day!