Walking in the Darkness

Is the title a give away? Too true too true you say? Well I agree totally.

Finding yourself in the seemingly never ending void between ideas and accomplishment is no fun at all. All seems black and results are the last thing shedding any positive light on your world. It's the void between and idea and it's fulfillment, an introduction and a relationship, a dream (or belief) and it's fulfillment. Like the time you began a business and now you find yourself in this void where nothing seems to work and work is all you do for precious little results. Or your working at getting fit, or digging into your own self improvement in another way. You search for things that will work, you try this and you try that only to find time spent again with little or no results. Maybe your even a few dollars lighter than when you began, wondering if this (or anything) will ever payoff.

I was reading this book that talks about "keeping alert with all perseverance" When I understood. It's the being consistent in the little things that bring small but definite results is what matters. SO . . . keep it up! Whatever you do that brings those small but measurable results in you life. That one more call, that one more repetition, or one more set, maybe just that one more "Hello, my name is" . . .

Have you ever heard the story about the person offered a penny doubled every day for a month vs. getting an mediate lump sum of one million dollars? You see most people would jump at the one million looking to avoid the work, when actually a penny doubled every day for a month equals more than FIVE MILLION DOLLARS!!!

The lesson here is. . . keep doing the little things you do right, the simple things. Here's another lesson I learned lately too: Don't panic in the moment when things aren't going the way you like. Do the right things right even when wrong things are happening around you.

Many times we complicate our lives and others with new things when the simple old tried and true done consistently are the answer. When those pennies pounds or whatever) are added continually, consistently, they will add up to huge gains in the long run.

That hit me in a huge way recently. Yes it's been dark lately and I've been uncomfortable, but it dawned on me I had been handed a simple solution and I was deviating from it. I heard the words in my mind, "Stay the course son and things will work out. Do the right things right and the end is guaranteed."

When you started your journey you had a couple of simple ideas and doing a little bit consistently was the answer to all your problems. Did you leave the track, deviate form the truth? Only you can answer that. But here's a truth that always works. KISS - Keep it simple stu...(baby). Even when it's dark . . . NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER.

Just call me persistent. I'm going to the other side. . . are you coming?

Scarey . . . But Done!

I read this recently, "An entrepreneur (or person) should do at least one thing a day that absolutely terrifies them. I think you have to do things that scare you. There are so many more amazing life experiences when you operate on strength and courage, as opposed to fear."

Oh ouch, is that SO TRUE! So the question this statement begs is: "WHAT THE HECK ARE WE (YOU) SHYING AWAY FROM!"

Remember the last time you tried something new and it worked!?! Remember that feeling!?! Wasn't that great!?! That's what this person is talking about. That fantastic feeling that overtakes you when you try something new, and it works. But it doesn't have to be a complete success! You can get and incredible lift from just trying. You might fail the first time or even the second time. But you know what? After that, the third times not so hard (or frightening).

What would happen if we all took this persons advise? Everyday we tried just one more thing that we had deemed "scarey", something we shy away from because we consider it too hard. Why we would have conquered or taken a stand of strength in a new area of our lives three hundred and sixty-five times in one year! IS THAT ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE OR WHAT!?!

What if you only did it 100 or 50 or even 25 times in one year. You would have taken a position of strength that many more times. Standing up to something that before just scared the bejeebers out of yo!. OH MAN I"M GETTING PUMPED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!

I say we do it! Jump it, I mean whole hog! (well you can work your way into it if you want) How much more than average is that? The average person just avoids the things that bother them. (Saw somebody at work do that) This is a road map to ABOVE AVERAGE! Take the high road with me! Let's go!!!!

Thinking about it!

Hey blog lovers!

My apologies for being away so long. Frankly I don't know how a daily columnist does it. I try but woof. . . !

Anyway . . . the fight goes on. You know life jumps up and bites you in the a__ occasionaly, but you've gotta keep moving forward. Set a target, take aim and go for it no matter what. I believe that everyone who stops here for a read has the power within them to be better.

Here's what I've been concentrating on lately. Thoughts. That's right. Here's something I read recently, "Be careful what you think. Because your thoughts run your life." You see, if we start changing our thinking then our words will change (how we talk about ourselves and others), then our actions will change creating new habits, and then AWESOME RESULTS! Cool huh?!

Did you realize that thinking (or saying) something as seemingly innocent as "That makes me sick." can effect you personally? Every time you have a sad, angry or unkind thought, your brain releases chemicals that cause stress in your body! That's why some of us get a headache or a stomach ache when we get emotionally upset.

So what are you thinking? Because your body reacts to every positive thought you have also. In a good way. Your brain releases chemicals that relax you and make you feel good. I mean come on, who doesn't want to feel better?

This goes a long way on fighting the enemy called average. If we would all start thinking differently . . . well just think what could happen. You know if enough of us would do this a world could change. So start with yours. I know you can do it.
Thinking better and seeing you later.

The Angry Rant!

I AM SO TIRED OF THE AVERAGE SAME OLD, SAME OLD!

"Average performers live their lives in first gear, resisting or ignoring change and avoiding risk! The masses all have the same talent and opportunity as the world class; yet they choose to play it safe and avoid the pain of possible failure and the uncertainty of (temporary) defeat."

Don't statements like that just tick you off! They do me! It's like I find myself playing not to lose too often, or playing to cruise. And it gets me no where. Just the same old thing. This whole journey out of the average is really causing me to take stock on a regular basis and see where I headed. Or if I'm even moving at all. The scariest thing I encounter regularly is the fact that if I don't do something, make at least a little change, take a little risk, that everything will be exactly the same in the future. And that more than anything is starting to scare me.

I mean really! Do you want to wake up in five or ten years and find that everything is still the same!?!

Really! I (we) need to make a commitment to spend as much time as possible PLAYING TO WIN, and quit play to just exist! The later is just boring!(Oh, and has no future by the way.) In a world that is changing, and all of the so call guarantees are fading fast. We have to shift gears and get out of our comfort zones to challenge ourselves to realize our true potential. In each one of us is something more than we presently are. Maybe reading a new book (something other than fiction), or spend a few minutes a day contemplating the way you wish things were (Dreaming), or doing one thing outside the norm. Could change the entire landscape of our existence.

I spent time with a guy this week that has such awesome potential and if (when) he finds that one thing that clicks with him. His AH-HA moment! With his personality and latent talent, he is going to open literally thousands of new doors.

Here's a challenge! SHIFT GEARS into the possibilities! Take a chance this week on the "Maybe it'll work". Try one thing that you've never done. Oh it's exciting! I for one am after the new things. The challenges. Yeah some of it's scary. But something tells me the payoff is awesome.

Ignore the mountain and envision the ride down the other side after the victory of getting to the top. See you on the other side. Later . . .

OMG!

OMG, is an understatement. I've spent considerable quiet time reading and contemplating the subject of change today.

AWK! Here's a taste:
"Mignon McLaughlin said, 'It's the most unhappy people who fear change.' When patterns and traditions are broken, new opportunities come together. Defending your faults and errors only proves that you have no intention of quitting them. All progress is due to those who were not satisfied to let well enough alone. They weren't afraid to change. CHANGE IS NOT YOUR ENEMY - IT IS YOUR FRIEND."

Unfortunately (because like all humans I enjoy the comfort of the status quo)I know this to be true. Yesterday my wife and I managed to complete a budget! And as my wife stated "We're still talking and smiling!" In fact we are looking forward to some things! Knowing where you're at helps you see where you are going, and that is initiated by a small amount of change.

HERES ANOTHER ONE: "To have more than you've got, become more than you are." - Jim Rohn

Of course realization is only the first step in change. The second and more important is ACTION. To have knowledge of where your at and not taking steps toward your destiny is like sitting in the car without the keys.

How many things have you seen change in the last few years? (This is tough I know. Think economy.) You can be change. What small thing can you do today? Realize where you are and just take one step in the direction you want to go. The ancients remind us that the journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step. Just a single tiny step defeats the enemy called average.

And remember this: "Only fools and dead men don't change their minds. Fools won't. Dead men can't"

Changin' to defeat the average. See you tomorrow.

Oh Ouch!

Here ya go the day started with these:
"You can't fulfill your destiny on theory . . . It takes WORK!

" What you believe doesn't amount to much unless it causes you to climb out of the grandstand and onto the playing field."

"The only time a lazy person succeeds is when he tries to do nothing."

And . . .
"God made the birds and the worms. But he didn't drop the worms in the bird's nest."

Talk about convicting stuff! So I head off to work with good intentions. Bent on be more (better) than average. Ta da! So I volunteer at work to go to a different area and look for the dead mouse that someone says they can smell. Well they were right. It stinketh! And . . . fifty 40lb. bags, two dead mice, cleaning up a ton of bird seed, 5-6 bags with mouse holes in them and a whole lot of bad smell later and I have accomplished what no one else really wanted to do. (You know that smell seemed stuck in my nose all day.)

But here's what I learned. Sometimes being a bit more than average means taking on what others will not or do not want to do. Going the extra mile so to speak. And you know what else? It will get you noticed. I was affectionately nicknamed "The Verminator" today. But I was also named team member of the week in my department, someone who did something extra.

So I guess I'm feeling pretty good about the fight today. A small victory is in hand. AND I can definitely say it fells pretty good. Now to translate it into other areas of my life. I think I'll drag this over into exercising and diet tomorrow. Whoa there now. Easy. Well you know what I mean.

Take the small victories and use them to accomplish a little more. Never give up! Never surrender! There's a long year ahead.

See you tomorrow.:>)

Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH NO!

Wow. what an interesting day. I won't say it's easy this thing, fighting average. I will admit to the struggle of not falling into the negative conversations and attitudes. Keeping your head above water swimming requires effort and so does this.

So I read this today and it really helped me. Maybe it can help you too.
"Life is too short to think small. . . so march off the map. Most people can do more than they think they can. (Just try) The answer to your future lies outside the confines that you have right now. If you want to see if you can swim, don't frustrate yourself with shallow water. Launch out in to the deep"

So even in the difficulties to just be the same, do the same, say the same, think the same. I'm going to march outside the box. Do something different, be something different. What ever the results. The way I figure it you can't change if you do the same things all the time. So I'm choosing the positive and the possibilities. It can't hurt and who knows, for some reason I believe it just might get better. So here's to all the different things I can do to change the way things are. How about you?

Here's one for today. If you get what you ask for. Ask for commitment. From yourself and others.

See you tomorrow.