Appreciate Everything!

With so much going on in the world today, there are times when we may forget to take the time to stop and simply appreciate where we are and what we have.

No matter what is going on right now in your part of the world, please appreciate where you are.  Know that where you are is where you need to be in order to learn, grow and succeed!  Appreciate that you have the ability to do whatever it is you want to do. Appreciate all of the accomplishments you have made in your life.   Appreciate that you have the ability to brighten someone's day or ask for help and support when you need it.

As you are working towards your dreams and goals, obstacles will definitely come out of nowhere. If you feel that a problem or obstacle you are facing is stronger than you, think again.  You are really capable of handling so much more than you realize! Sure, there may be some obstacles and problems that can really shake you up; however, you must not let them stop your progress towards success.

Obstacles come along for several reasons: To show you how strong you are; To help you get over your fears; to teach you something new; to test your character and to help you be an example to others. Obstacles are absolutely necessary for your success, so, appreciate your obstacles as well.

When you appreciate everything in your life, there will be more to be appreciative for. 

“Wherever you go, whoever you meet, and whatever you do, give love and appreciation, because that is your true nature. How do you know it is your true nature? You feel so good when you are giving it!” – Rhonda Byrne

“Trade your expectation for appreciation and the world changes instantly.” – Tony Robbins

How to Tap into Your Potential for Success

As you already know, potential is something we all have.  However, potential is something that is dormant.  It’s just sitting there.  You must do something in order for that potential to come alive.  It’s my personal mission to keep you constantly aware of this important and wonderful quality you possess.

You have the potential inside to have the successful life you desire.  The meaning of success is different for everyone. So, what does your successful life look like?  Owning your own dream home? Being able to work less and play more? Or creating a business or product that will help to bring more peace into the world?  If you would like for your life to be bigger and better, know that it is possible!  No matter what your reality is at this moment, please realize that you already have what it takes to turn things around.

In order to make the shift from where you are to where you want to be, all it takes is to be willing to learn something new and different.  You are the driving force to your dreams.  There will always be new information you can learn.  There are plenty of new things to learn.  Take a course or read the latest book on time management. If you find that you are not able to make ends meet financially, take a course about creating the ideal budget. If you always wanted to make your own suit, take a sewing class.  All you have to do is apply yourself.  Learning something new is one sure way of tapping into your inherent potential for success. 

"If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten." – Tony Robbins

"All of the top achievers I know are life-long learners – Looking for new skills, insights, and ideas. If they're not learning, they're not growing... not moving toward excellence." – Denis Waitley

"Untapped potential is the difference between where a person is now and where he or she can be." – Bo Bennet

Your Power to Choose

Are you still taking action towards your goals? I hope that you are still choosing to live the life of your dreams. As sure as you are a human being, you have the power to make choices. You made the choice to take the time to read this. We make choices so easily and frequently that we are not aware that we have great deal of control over what we choose.

I had the opportunity to see the movie “Selma”. The movie highlighted the marches that took place in Alabama in 1965 to give blacks the right to vote. The participants in those marches made the choice to take action, no matter how bad it could be for them, to make things better for their lives and ours. Realize that the choices you make not only benefit your life but the lives of others as well. This is especially true for parents. The choices we decide to make most certainly have an effect on our children.

I have accomplished many things in my life because early on I made a choice to believe what I heard about human potential and then took action based on that belief. You can change your life for the better when you first make the choice to. Choose to live your life in a positive way! Choose to accomplish your goals! Choose to win! Choose to be wealthy, healthy and successful, no matter what!

You have the potential inside for great success. Your success is possible! You are capable of doing anything you set out to do. It’s all up to you and the choices you make. Realize that you are the one who makes the choices to live the way you do. Please don’t settle for a life of mediocrity. Choose to let your greatness shine through.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”~Viktor E. Frankl

“You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.” ~E. O. Wilson

What to Do in Life When You Feel Stuck?

Have you started working on your goals for the year? There are times when we just don't know what step to take next or we have fear about moving forward. It is not unusual to hit a wall, so to speak, at various points in our life. Being stuck happens to all of us from time to time. What we must realize is that when making any kind of change in our lives, we will be faced with obstacles.

I’ve felt stuck many times during my life. I’ve thought, how am I ever going to get through this! Fortunately, I’ve also learned that I shouldn’t be concerned about how something is going to happen, just trust that it will happen and keep moving forward toward my goal. So, whenever I find myself stuck in a certain situation, I take whatever action I can to get passed the feeling of being stuck, even if it's something small. I know that I have the potential in my life to get past any obstacle that comes my way. You have that same potential!

The key to getting unstuck is taking action. Do anything. It's that simple. Doing anything gets you going and helps to change your perspective. If you find out that what you're doing is not exactly the right thing to do, you can always change what you're doing. It’s possible that you may need a success coach to help you map out some specific action steps to take toward your goals. Please keep in mind that the key to getting unstuck is taking action. When you do one thing, it leads to another and another and all of a sudden you're not stuck anymore.

“Everyone gets stuck in the process of creating. It’s the great among us who religiously who practice getting unstuck.” Keith Yamashita

“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” –Mandy Hale

4 Steps for Increasing Productivity

It’s so easy to get distracted while in pursuit of an important goal. It seems that while every step ahead may get you closer to your destination, it also presents you with turning points, junctures, and new paths of “opportunity” (which are often distractions in disguise).

Therefore, if you don’t keep your goals in the forefront of your mind and take discernible steps towards them, then invariably something shiny and alluring will knock you off track.

However, there are steps for increasing productivity. To eliminate the ‘shiny object’ syndrome, try these 4 easy strategies to keep moving in the right direction:

1. Write down your goals.
   We all have heard this…but do we do it? Studies show that by writing your goals down, your chances of success increase exponentially. Putting your goals in writing makes them tangible and reminds you of what you are working toward. Place them where you can see them such as around your computer monitor, on your bathroom mirror, or on your personal altar.


2. Align your daily choices with your goals.
   Every day, pick one of your goals, and choose 3 things you can do that day to move toward your chosen destination. Put those three things on your “to-do” list, and don’t go to bed until you’ve accomplished them.


3. Share your goals with someone you trust.
   Create accountability with those closest to you by simply sharing your goals, so when you start to veer off track, they can help you through. This process is a mutual beneficial activity because you are keeping each other focused on your stated goals. An additional benefit of this accountability practice is that it can keep situations in perspective.


4. Set milestones of success.
   Nothing is more frustrating than feeling like you are not making enough progress towards accomplishing a big goal. Set milestones of success where you can stop, celebrate and reward yourself for your accomplishments. But don’t sit for too long – get started again soon to keep up your momentum.

Every day, everything that you do is either moving you toward or away from your goals. Don’t let temptations, frustrations or the feeling of immediate gratification keep you from achieving what matters most to you. Keeping your goals in the front of your mind will allow you to make the decisions that bring you to the success you desire.

What steps will YOU take for increasing your productivity today?
Post your answer in the comment section below.

The World Needs You

There’s an old story about jazz great, Miles Davis. It’s said that when he was first starting out as a young man in the NYC jazz clubs, he loved the way that Charlie Parker played…so he imitated him. 

One night during a jam session, one of the players said, “Hey Miles, you’re playin’ real good, man! You sound a lot like Bird (Charlie Parker).” Miles was flattered, then the player went on, “We want to hear YOUR thing, though. Bird’s got Bird’s thing covered. What’s yours?” 

From that experience, Miles Davis embraced his true self and his individual talent and went on to have a long, illustrious career, largely defined by his unique sound.

Much like Miles, it is important that you find your unique voice instead of molding to what others think you should be, conforming to societal norms, or playing small because of the criticism of others.  You shine brightest when you embrace our unique gifts, talents, passions and interests…and the world needs you to shine. 

You are truly a unique being.  From the billions of others who have walked this planet, there is not and will not be another like you.  You are unique, you are extraordinary, and you are here for a purpose.  And there are NO mistakes.

Recognize the value you have and do something about it! What are you good at? What do others say you are good at?  Make a list of what you enjoy doing. Look for people who are in need of what you can offer. 

“If you want to be truly successful invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it and focus on it and persevere your success will blossom.” -- Sydney Madwed

“No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning.” – Barbara de Angelis

Now is the Time to Achieve Your Goals

Let’s get straight to the point…we all have a finite amount of time on this planet. One day our work will be done here on earth, and no one has a crystal ball to notify us when exactly that day will come.

Knowing that, what are you going to do with the remaining, rare and precious moments you have?

You have the potential inside of you to achieve your hopes, dreams, goals and desires. When are you going to tap into and activate that potential to have the success you desire? Later, when you’re older and more tired? Now is the time to achieve your goals.

Of course, there are a million reasons why you shouldn’t…you have errands to run, bills to pay, work to do, and people to care for. Guess what…that never stops. Life does not stop for you to achieve your goals. Living well is accomplishing your goals despite the life events that will inevitably happen.

Right NOW is the only time that you can count on. Right now, you have the fire. Right now, you have breath to breathe. Right now, you have an interest and desire that is needed to fuel your actions to achieve your goals. Right now is the only reality you know. The future is an illusion, and the past is a memory. So do yourself (and everyone else) a favor and get moving on those dreams TODAY.

When you accomplish your goals, you serve the world simultaneously. You demonstrate what is possible when you put forth maximum effort. You also can bring recognition to the industry. Sometimes your work helps others learn an option they did not know existed.

Steve Jobs co-founder and visionary of Apple Computer said it best when he said, “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Today is your day. Now is your time. Don’t look back 5, 10, 20 years from now regretting that you waited so long to go after something that mattered - or worse yet…that you didn’t even try.

Are you ready to achieve your goals? Do you know what you want to do but you don’t know where to get started? Join me Thursday, Jan. 8th at 1:00PM EST when I share 6 steps to help you reach your goals in my free teleclass. Register for the class by filling out the form to the right of this article.

What will YOU Do NOW?