Success Takes Energy And Focus

Staying focused on our goals can be very difficult when our energy levels come and go. This thought came to mind this morning as I am out of town on business and feeling this desire to just loaf the day away. I have a lovely hotel room overlooking the harbor and it has put my mind at ease. I have been on a great run with business this pass year. I have also been busy writing my book and planning my Executive Coaching business. The tug of war is on. Relax or get at it. The pace I have been going at has robbed me of some energy. I find when the energy level drops, so does the focus. The two are very much connected.

So my challenge today is to write an article on success then complete a presentation I am presenting as a guest speaker on Tuesday morning. I am presenting to an executive team tomorrow morning on a large project our company is proposing to a client. I have in my brief case a book and CD for an exercise and weight loss program I want to start. I also have some reading and studying to do for my coaching business. My website needs some updating. It looks like today is not a day for procrastination. Loafing is out of the question. I am focused. I could feel overwhelmed but I am not. I am just not sure my energy level is there. It's time to create some energy. I will be back.

So I now have some renewed energy. It came from going to the Hotel Health Club and hopping on the tread mill for 45 minutes. Yes exercise can and will increase your energy level. I ran out to the supermarket and got some healthier food. A salad, apples and soda water. I am certain a lunch full of carbs would have me taking a long after noon nap. So here I am, back at it.

Before you say don't bore me with all this Paul, ask yourself how often does this happen to you? You just blow off the day. Exactly. If this is what you do, tomorrow is going to be a day that controls you. Why? Because you are not fully prepared. You will be rushing and reacting. You will be exhausted at the end of the day and not certain of the outcomes from your day. What an awful place to be.

So here is the process that went through my mind this morning. It's about making a deliberate decision.

• I created a list of the have to do, followed by choose to.
• I prioritized them.
• I looked at the time I had to complete them.
• I reminded my self that I will be sailing to Bermuda and taking two weeks of in June.
• I reminded myself that I am going to Australia for three weeks this September.

The decision became easy. I was going to have a ton of what I call "gliding days" coming up. So as you can tell I have finished my article and I am now getting to work on Tuesday's speech which is already written in my head. I just need to get it to paper. Next I will get at my website. Make some necessary changes. Then have a half hour nap. I will then do some studying while I watch the golf. I will review tomorrows presentation this evening. The diet and exercise program will have to wait. But wait. I did get my exercise in and I ate healthy. Not a bad result for a winter Sunday in a hotel room.

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Are You Afraid Of What It Takes To Succeed?

More and more of people are using the power of positive thought to try to achieve their dreams. The part to understand is that they will remain dreams if you do act upon them. Leaving behind the world of easy mindless entertainment is the challenge that most of you will face. Web surfing and television require no thought. Both are a vehicle to provide your brain with lazy stimulus. Then again who would even consider the notion that success is easy. That's why true success is for those who pursue it. It all begins with you and your determination. Quite simply. How bad do you want to succeed. Contrary to what you believe it does not have to be painful. In fact, it can be fun.

OK Paul. Whats with the fun bit? Have you have lost your mind? Again I push it back to you. How fun is staring at a glass panel that produces images for your mind to process. OK. You get it. I am not a television watcher. I can go days without watching. That is of course, unless it's golf. Golf takes talent, practice,persistence and the burning desire to win. To win by the way is the goal. Successful golfers do all of the above. So now you understand my passion for golf both on and off the course. It is a journey of always trying to be better.

Let's get back to the title of the article. "Are you afraid of what it takes to succeed"? Most are. The main reason is that it takes you outside your comfort zone. Out past the easy stuff. Just imagine what life would be like if you dialed up your comfort zone. Lets imagine your comfort zone is doing things better than the average person. It's OK to want to be better today than you were yesterday. In fact it's healthy to push ones self. People who exercise and have active working minds live happier and more productive lives. In my mind that should be everyone's dream. The key to a long life.

So what are you afraid of? What is holding you back? If someone was to paint a picture of your happiest moment would you go after it? Would you be willing to give up a few hours of mindless entertainment every week to reach that end? Yes, this is a paragraph of questions. Have you been able to answer yes to any of the questions? Everyone dreams of a better you. A better life. Yet so few act on it.

So here is a little exercise to plant the seed. I got this idea from one of my mentors Jack Canfield from his book "The Success Principles". It's about creating goals. Grab a pen and paper and start to write down every thing you want in life. Absolutely everything! For example. A new car, summer cottage, a healthier you. How about a raise at work or better still, to be self-employed. Where are you going to go on that dream vacation. Don't stop. Write till you can write no longer. Phew. Are you done? Two things have happened here. First is that you did no realize there were so many things you want and are missing in life. Secondly, is you now have some goals. The first step to achieving a goal is to write it down. The next step is to organize them and start to work on achieving them.

I truly believe you have to look after number one in life. Yes, that's you. By doing so, you can be a better father or mother. A better husband or wife. A better employee who gets rewarded for your efforts. Get over the notion it's selfish to be the best you can be. A healthy, happier you has so much more to give. The biggest gift of all will be what your children learn from you. The gift being how to become a success. You don't have to teach it. They just watch and emulate you. There is no greater motivator in life than to watch your children grow and become successful. They will love you for it.

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Fly Past The Road Blocks To Your Success

How does one manage to stay upbeat when life throws challenges at you faster than you want? Are you ready for the challenges when they come? How do you react to these challenges? You can't live life in the "what if" frame of mind and we certainly can't live with our heads stuck in the sand.

How does one plan for these road blocks? I believe the mastery of this is related to understanding your goals and what your success of the goal means to you. You know the car will need repairs at some point. You know the proposal you have worked so hard to prepare will face some objections. Here in lies the key. If you know what the potential road blocks are to anything you attempt you can plan ahead for them. For some positive-attitude people this is a breeze. But if you are a fear for the worst type, this is all very difficult. To repeat one of my favorite quotes by Mark Twain. "I spent much of my life worrying about things that never happened" My spin on that is when they do, be ready. The important thing to understand is you don't live in the fear of it happening. They usually appear for a reason.

The following are some first steps that will help you stay focused on your goal.

1. Make sure you are fully committed to the goal.
2. Write down a list of possible road blocks to your goal.
3. Write down how you will respond or act once faced with the road block.
4. Once you have dealt with the road block ensure there is closure to the road block so it does not appear again.

Mental toughness can be a learned talent. An important thing to remember once a road block appears to be certain you understand what the objection is. There may be some validity to the objection. If that is the case you may need to adjust your plan or goal. The good news is your plan or goal is now stronger as you have fine tuned it. All good would you not agree? Approaching road blocks with blinders on can be deadly. Charging down a path that has no certain end is fool hearty.

When road blocks occur we must look at them with a purpose. They appeared for a reason. There are usually two main reasons for objections.

1. You have not explained your goal or plan clear enough.
2. There are real issues regarding the validity of your goal or plan.

In either case if you go back to the above two points you will find the solution. Correct it and be on your way with a stronger and well thought through goal.

Life is all about learning and putting into action what we have learned. Wisdom is earned. The will to succeed is the most important part of goal setting. I believe even more so than the goal itself. It is your commitment to success that will see you to victory. Starting out knowing in your heart you will become a success is paramount. The road to get there will be a joyous journey well worth taking. Let's get started.

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Achieve Greatness Through The Power Of Thought

This past week I read the "Science of Being Great' by Wallace Wattles. It has been an interesting read as it follows the line of his book "The Science Of Getting Rich". Once again the emphasis is on the power of thought. Wattles believes that we must work and focus on greatness but we are not to rush. For if we are shallow and unprepared people will not seek our advise. If we are boastful others will not seek your advise and in fact likely avoid you. Wattles believes and I agree we can become great by reading, understanding life's experiences, thinking and through your actions. Wisdom is in fact earned and gained through experience. No one is born with wisdom. The key is that we are truly judged by our actions. Words are just that. Words unless supported by actions.

The book "The Secret" is perhaps the most widely read book of the past decade. "The Secret" is in fact about the power of attraction. Each chapter in the book is written by experts in the fields of the law of attraction and the power of thought. The books purpose was really to bringing about what you dream about and think about. This all makes perfect sense. For example it is unlikely we do not end up as a doctors if we dreamed or envisioned being a fireman. This I believe is all gained through a thought that became planted in our minds. How good we become at it, is how well we thought it through. That what we visualized in our mind does in fact become reality. Lets call this thought, the seed. From there it grows. However we must fertilize the seed with thoughts of completion. I believe the teachings in "The Secret" to be actual fact. The thoughts that we truly believe will become truths. This can all take place no matter if your rich or poor. The first step toward greatness starts with a clear vision.

A dream is just a dream if you do not act upon it. I believe this to be the most important part that many of the authors left out of "the Secret". It is critical to your success that you remove all doubt that it can be achieved. For if you doubt your thoughts, you are not committed to achieve it. You must fill your mind with positive thought. Thoughts that will carry your dreams and aspirations to reality. Greatness does not fall out of the sky. The eureka moment will appear because you brought that action toward you. The eureka moment is really a crystallization of what you believed would happen. The eureka moment becomes the proof that you can bring about, what you think about. This is also the title of a great book written by Eddie Lemoine. " Bring About What You Think About"

This thought process can be hard to grasp when your stuck in the dreaming stage. You must narrow down your thoughts to small details. Dreams are really what we wish for. A wish is just that. A wish. The last time I looked, The Silver Bullet was a beer commercial. There is now fast and easy way to achieve greatness just like there is no Silver Bullet. Success in becoming great comes after you take the thought from your mind into acting it out in real life. From the Morning and Evening Thoughts of James Allen's book "As a Man thinketh". "Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. A person becomes calm in the measure that they understand ones self as a though evolved being."

To become great you must believe you are in fact, great. This is accomplished from starting with a positive attitude. However, it is from deep thought and a true belief that you will achieve greatness that you will in fact, achieve greatness.

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Keep Your Eyes On The Horizon - Life's Lessons Learned At Sea

So what draws people to the sea? I am not referring to those sunny weather sailors, but those sailors who truly head out to sea. Slip the lines and head off into the blue yonder. Sailing can be liberating on many fronts. It's just you, the crew and the deep blue sea. Many of today's sailboats have auxiliary engines to power you home when the wind stops blowing or is against you. Should you look at the engine as " Plan B". Perhaps so, but is the engine a way to keep "Plan A" alive? Life is that way too.
When you are sailing you have a destination. Perhaps we shall call it a short term goal. It may be a navigational mark you go to before you set course to the next mark. For all the GPS junkies out there we would call it a way point. My point being here, is that you have to get to that position before you can head on the next leg of the journey. There are steps you have to take in order for you to achieve that goal.
Taking this one step further. If the wind is in your favor the passage will be relatively easy. But if the wind is against you the trip will take longer and the seas will be rougher. However you can still get there with good planning and execution. The trick is to keep your eyes on the destination. If you focus on the waves the journey will most certainly be rougher. When you can see or visualize the end or destination you are more certain to achieve it. Achieving success in any endeavor is the same. You need to know where you are going and you need to have the tools to get there. Both physical and mental.
Having personally been at sea during several serious storms, I have learned not to fear the ocean. I have learned instead to respect the ocean. This respect has been obtained through preparation and the knowledge I gained through experience from my many years at sea. Life is also the same. If you never leave port you will never get to see and appreciate the horizon. You will never really test yourself and know what heights you can reach. That's OK if a safe harbor is all you want in life. However you would not be reading the article if you were so disposed to stay at anchor. Set sail. Take flight. What every you want to call it. If you are in search of new horizons, your life will become enriched.
The horizon is endless just like life's possibilities. To be truly successful in life we must slip the lines and head to sea. We must hike to the other side of the mountain. By doing these things we have the opportunity to grow as humans. The thirst for adventure is a catalyst in achieving your success. It is a right of passage to have your visualizations and dreams become tomorrows reality. The object after all, is to be living your dream.

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Bring In 2012 With A Positive Attitude

We have heard all our lives that if we focus on something we will be able to accomplish that desire. To focus is to zero in on our desires through intense thought. Speaking to the title of my article it is positive thoughts that we need to concentrate on. I have been a positive thinker most of my life. In looking back on my life the rough years were the ones that I allowed negative thoughts to get a hold of me. I wish I understood the power of thought back in those years. It has given me a wonderful appreciation on how older people gain wisdom.

So how do you get to this space that you are able to stay in this positive frame of mind? There are so many external pressures in our lives. Perhaps you do not like your job. The kids need your attention. It seems there is not enough time left for you. Your whole life has become about reacting to external forces. You feel like you have lost control of your day to day life. No wonder there are so many divorces in today's society. There are so many pressures coming at you from many sources. You often become bitter because you do not have enough "me time". You become very defensive of what little personal time you have to yourself. Can you be number one in your life yet be a loving caring husband and father? The answer is without question, yes. You can accomplish this by getting control over the "me time" so you can better enjoy the "we time". Once you have the "me time" figured out you now have the opportunity to gain control your thoughts. So how do you get to this space. The way there is very simple. Things will not change if you keep doing things the same old way. What it will take is for you to create a couple of new habits. Ready? Approach these suggestions with an open and positive attitude.

• Go to bed earlier. Insure you get the sleep that you need. Starting the next day from an exhausted state is unproductive and unhealthy. Using the TV to decompress is OK however it robs you of your precious "me time". Much needed time for you to think and look after yourself.
• Much of the news on television is about catastrophic events. I recommend you control the intake of this information. You can be a compassionate person however focus on how things will get better. Not on what has just happened.
• Become an early riser. Approach the day on your terms. Enjoy a cup of coffee and perhaps a little reading. The phone does not ring. No need to stand in line for the shower. Start the day tending to you and your needs. This is the time to be grateful for all you have Personally I get up at 5 am most mornings. I look out over the night ocean from our living room watching the navigation buoy lights flickering in the distance. Very soothing. In summer time I get to watch the sun rise. What a way to bring in the day. I keep a note pad beside me and jot down what I need to accomplish today and then I organize them.
• Start a gratitude journal. Yes a book that you will write in every day expressing your gratitude for all that you have. When you know and appreciate what you already have you can focus on gaining more.
• Never ever allow yourself to leave the house mad or upset. You will carry that baggage with you all day. Head out the door ready to embrace the day.

I know this all seems simple. But if you are not aware of your thoughts the negative thoughts and images can creep into your mind. Misery does like company. These are not the kind of friends you want. Stop them dead in their tracks. With this formula you will look forward to each day. A "Happy You" will be an inspiration for a happy family. A "Happy You" will be a creative contributor at work. Make it your plan to get control of your life and your mind. The first step is with a positive attitude.

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Can You Simplify Your Life And Be Successful?

Just this week I was going through some boxes in the garage. Not looking for anything in particular. I came across some old photographs of when I had hair on the top of my head. Plaques acknowledging all the boards I used to sit on. Great memories. Then I came upon a box that had some books I had read years ago. One of then a little gem. "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" by Dr. Richard Carleson. So I pulled the book out of the box and brought it in from the garage.

What a wonderful and light thinking book this is. Each chapter is just two or three pages with a little nugget in each chapter. I felt it would be fun to read just a couple of chapters a day. I smiled to myself thinking this would be a great way to help me really concentrate on slowing down. My life too can be hectic with all the community service work I do. Yes I do over commit. I surrender. But I get so much back from all the giving I do.

One of the little nuggets I read this morning was this. "There will still be things on your to do list the day you die". The to do list is a working document. It lives and has a life all it's own. That's why there is always things on it to do. Weather or not the screen on the patio door gets repaired today or next week is not life altering. The lesson from this is slow down and enjoy your life. Many things in our lives can indeed, wait until tomorrow.

So the question remains can you slow down and still achieve success? Absolutely. So how do we approach this? It's always a great time to plan for the coming year. So lets not leave it until December 28th or 29th or make them News Year's Resolutions. These changes in the way we lead our lives will take some reflection and some planning. So let's have some fun. If you have the ability to laugh at yourself this exercise will be easy. Why you ask? Because we all know we have these little quirks. Quirks about ourselves that we know we should change. Are you are a list completer? Having lists are good. Having them control our day in and day out lives is tragic.

So here we go.

1. Pull out your to do list and see what lays there.
2. Next is to start a new list but put the items in order of importance.
3. Now is a good time to add or delete items with the emphasis being on delete.
4. The next step is to put completion dates on them and makes sure you have left lots of time to complete them.
5. You may not add new items on the to do list unless it something like the garage door stopped working. Only "have to" things can be added to the list until you have mastered management of your list.
6. The second last step is to schedule these "to do" things in your diary. Yes, the day on which you will do them.
7. The last and most important step is to schedule free time in your diary. Time to read, sleep, go hiking. Go to a movie with your kids. Schedule time you are not doing task related activities.

Here in lies the prize. I expect your saying this is to simple an approach. That's the purpose of this exercise. Simplification. Why should we choose to live life the hard way? I personally believe we can achieve our goals and stay on track and enjoy your down time. Going slow from time to time will allow you to better enjoy the journey. Going slow will allow you time to reflect and to make better decisions because you thought them through. I suggest you learn to embrace your to do list. Once you take this approach you will take ownership of the list instead of the list taking ownership of you. Your family and state of mind will thank you.

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