Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. They're either speaking or preparing to speak. They're filtering everything through their own paradigms, reading their autobiography into other people's lives.
To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.
-- Stephen Covey
This is profound, simple and yet how often do we do it? I know I need to apply this to all areas of my life. We plan a vacation by choosing a destination. So we need to plan the destinations we want our life to reach and then create a plan or plans to get there....
People with a scarcity mentality think there is only so much in the world to go around. It's as if they see life as a pie. When another person gets a big piece, then they get less. Such people are always trying to get even, to pull others down to their level so they can get an equal or even bigger piece of the pie.
-- Stephen Covey
I can relate to this. I grew up extremely poor and for way too long had a scarcity mentality and believed this. Bottom line it's not true. India has become wealthier not by taking from those who have and dividing the pie but by expanding and creating more opportunities and wealth. We really need to compete with ourselves to grow and expand and not complain and whine. I don't want to pull anyone down I want to raise more people up...
When life does not go our way or we inadvertently make a mistake, it is so easy to make excuses, place blame on others, or argue that circumstances were against us. But we only progress in life to the extent that we take responsibility for our actions and attitudes, and put forth the initiative necessary to create our own circumstances.
-- Stephen Covey
As long as we put the emphasis outside ourselves we disempower ourselves. We need to keep the focus on what we are responsible for and what we can do. You either make excuses or get results but not both.
While I believe in the power of positive thought, I do not believe that you or I can simply psyche ourselves into success or peace of mind.
-- Stephen Covey
I couldn't agree more. Positive thought has to be followed by action. There are no "Secrets" or guarantees to the result. Thinking positive or optimistically just allows you to spin or reframe reality into a belief that empowers instead of disempowers you. You still have to make course corrections and keep taking action until you get the results you desire.
“I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a neverending commitment to act until they achieve."
-- Tony Robbins
In all levels of life our level of commitment is tested by life's challenges. We are tested as parents, in marriage, in relationships, at work and our health. We need to be strong and meet the challenges and stay committed to our goals and dreams...
So true. I say that this is my fifth lifetime. I personally know that my past didn't equal my present and won't equal my future. We have a choice to create the future you want no matter what your past was but it doesn't just happen. You need to decide, take action and make it happen.
“We've all heard about people who've exploded beyond the limitations of their conditions to become examples of the unlimited power of the human spirit. You and I can make our lives one of these legendary inspirations, as well, simply by having courage and the awareness that we can control whatever happens in our lives. Although we cannot always control the events in our lives, we can always control our response to them, and the actions we take as a result. If there's anything you're not happy about--in your relationships, in your health, in your career--make a decision right now about how you're going to change it immediately.”
What are the areas of your life do you need to change in 2012? Make a decision to change those areas and create a plan with timelines to achieve your goals. Rise above your limitations and be a model of possibility for yourself and others.
Problems test us and I have had plenty of problems in my life that have tested me but I have grown from the problems in my life. Who I have become today is a result of all the problems or challenges I have overcome in my life.
“I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.” ―Lou Holtz
Someone once said God gave you two ears and one mouth so you can listen twice as much as you talk. Part of listening is actively asking question so you can learn. Good communication is demonstrated when you are asking questions and listening and learning not just talking. So stop talking so much and listen and especially not just from those who agree with you and echo you opinions but from those who have different ideas....
“You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser. You are what you make yourself be. ” ―Lou Holtz
This is as true in sports as in life. You choose whether you want to be a winner or loser. First you need to show up and then give it your all and no matter what happens in the game of life you can choose to be a winner.
“Don't ever promise more than you can deliver, but always deliver more than you promise.” ―Lou Holtz
Working in the entertainment industry I have met many people who promise more than they deliver so those who under promise and over perform stand out. I made it my mantra to under promise and over perform and I recommend you do the same in life.
True you don't have enough goals or your goals are too small and don't inspire you. If you are bored well it's because you are boring. Get excited about life and about all the possibilities, get out there and contribute to others, get in the game. I haven't experienced boredom in decades and don't expect to ever experience it again...
"How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser." -- Lou Holtz
Now this is as true for the second half of a game as it is for the second half of your life. Life is about who you become and how you play the game of life. Some times, you win, some times you lose and sometimes you tie but if you take advantage of all those outcomes to learn and become better you will always be a winner in the game of life...
“It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.” ―John Wooden
This quote resonates for me. When I was younger I knew everything. Sure I did. Now I realize that I don't come within miles of knowing it all so I'm constantly learning and reassessing what I know and believe. Being open-minded and constantly learning is the place I prefer to be. Now if you know it all well good luck with that....
“Don't let making a living prevent you from making a life.” ―John Wooden
I'm sure you heard the story about the dying man who talked about all the things he wished he did but he never wished he spent more time working. Now for those of us lucky to be following our passion it never feels like we are working so this is easy but the message of the story isn't to work less but to focus on the things most important in your life. Create a life you can be proud of, create a life you can enjoy, create a life of no or little regrets. You only get one life so make it the best life you can imagine....
“Never make excuses. Your friends don't need them and your foes won't believe them.” ―John Wooden
Live a life of No Excuses. Take 100% responsibility for the good, bad and ugly in your life. You can either make excuses or win in the game of life, you can't do both.
Simple but true. At the end of the day if it is to be it's up to me. I know when I look back at my life I can see the difference in my results once I learned that fact and made the best of what ever life throw in my direction. So it's up to you to make things turn out for the best.
A couple of days ago on my Birthday I reviewed and reworked my 101 Things Bucket List. I will share it in the future to inspire others to create one and to remind myself publicly of my Goals and keep myself on course and on purpose.
I want to make this my Best Year Ever. My Bucket List is one tool to help me accomplish that.
This is from a 1990 study that has circulated on the Internet but it still probably holds true
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of the people in the world.
If you can attend a church or synagogue meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are more blessed than 500 million people in the world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
So this Thanksgiving be thankful but also think how you can make a contribution to others less fortunate.
“You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands - your own.”
I couldn't agree with Larry more. I can't say it enough. It isn't good enough to have good intentions, good motives and good ideas if the results are bad. You have to judge yourself and others by the results they produce or don't produce. Hold your self to a higher standard and judge your self by the results you produce.
"If you look at successful people, you'll find they followed these steps. They started with a target, because you can't hit one if you don't have one. They took action, because just knowing isn't enough. They had the ability to read others, to know what response they were getting. And they kept adapting, kept adjusting, kept challenging their behavior until they found what worked."
-- Tony Robbins
Tony has been probably the biggest positive influence in my life. I consider him my mentor, role model and coach for living a life of possibility. I ran into to him at the right time and he changed my life. And yes this is how I became successful and how I continue to be even more successful n life...
"One of the hardest things to do is to accept the fact that we have so much more to say about who we are, where we are and where we are going than we are comfortable admitting. To know how much power we have is to be responsible for our lives."
-- Michael Josephson
I had a conversation with a young Marine this weekend sharing my philosophy of life with him. I told him how you have to take 100% responsibility for your life. He was taken aback and asked me to repeat that. I did and he responded, "Damn that is deep." And yes it is but it is the only way to be empowered and take control of the results in your life. We have to step up and being willing to recognize we are responsible for the good, the bad and the ugly in our life. And the good news if we recognize that we can change it...
"Let others lead small lives, But not you.
Let others argue over small things, But not you.
Let others cry over small hurts, But not you.
Let others leave their future in someone else's hands,
But not you."
-- Jim Rohn
This is a great thought for me to ponder today on my Birthday. When I was in my 20's my birthday was a day I got depressed and focused on all that was wrong and not working in my life. I even labeled it as my "DDD" or my "Designated Depression Day." I rarely got depressed in life so I felt it was okay to have one depression day every year, now of course what a bad day to choose and really what a dumb idea. Somewhere along the line I had a light bulb moment and realized I really didn't enjoy being depressed on my birthday so I decided to make my birthday my "DGD" or my "Designated Gratitude Day" instead. Now that was a good idea. So ever since I take advantage of my birthday to be a combination of a gratitude day and my new year's day where I sum up my life and set new goals for myself.
Today I am treating myself to day of solitude in a hotel in a beautiful place Lake Arrowhead. I will spend the day reflecting on all I am grateful for in my life, reviewing and updating my 101 Bucket List, working on my 1 and 3 year Plan, refocusing and organizing my Memoir,exercising and walking around the lake and enjoying nature, life and all that is great.
“The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in the
arena are the doers. They make mistakes because they try many things."
-- Elvin J. Dowling
I love this quote. It is so true. It's easy to criticize others and too many do in life. I challenge you to respect those who are in the game and doing their best no matter how flawed. Don't be a critic in life, get in the game, make a difference, give it your best shot.
"The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of
war."- Douglas MacArthur
Shout out to all my USMC friends, John, Michael, Frankie, Oscar and all those I have met over the years and all those who have served in the USMC as you celebrate the 236th birthday of the USMC. Thank you for your sacrifice and service....
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive- to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love-then make that day count!”
Motivator Les Brown has a saying "There is greatness in you" and yes there is greatness in all of us. We have a greatness that can overcome life's obstacles. So as James Brown would say "Git Up" and go for your greatness.
A poster I noticed in a school in Smithville, Texas last year. I was there making the film "Beneath the Darkness". I couldn't agree more. No Excuses, Make it Happen.
Trust me on this one. I'm back to playing basketball a few times a week and I have a growing bucket list that should take me to 105. I guess I'll plan my retirement for my next life. Keep growing, keep changing, keep stretching and challenging yourself....
"97% of the people in this world operate in the comfort zone. 3% of the people in this world operate in the effective zone. The difference between comfort and effectiveness is called growth, and growth is uncomfortable."
-- Krish Dhanam
Get uncomfortable, keep growing, get effective. Strive to be part of the 3%
"The truth of the matter is that there's nothing you can't accomplish if: (1) You clearly decide what it is that you're absolutely committed to achieving, (2) You're willing to take massive action, (3) You notice what's working or not, and (4) You continue to change your approach until you achieve what you want, using whatever life gives you along the way."
"There is only one person responsible for the quality of the life you live. That person is you. If you want to be successful, you have to be 100% responsible for everything you experience in your life. This includes the level of your achievement, the results you produce, the quality of your relationships, the state of your health and physical fitness, your income, your debts, your feelings - everything!.. You have give up all of your excuses."
"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that thing must be attained."
"When you always tell the truth. people trust you. When you do as you say, as promised, people respect you. When you make others feel special people like you."
"The poorest of all men is not the one without a nickel to his name. He is the fellow without a dream.... He is like a great ship made for the mighty ocean but trying navigate in a millpond. He has no far port to reach, no lifting horizon, no precious cargo to carry. His hours are absorbed in routing and petty tyrannies. Small wonder of he gets dissatisfied, quarrelsome and "fed up". One of life greatest tragedies is a person with a 10-by-12 capacity and a two-by-four soul."
This is dedicated to my 1st girlfriend "Naitia" Pattie Villanueva who just passed away last week. Stairway to Heaven was playing the night we got together in the Bronx after a People's Concert we put on in Poe Park. She was a very special person loved by family and friends. Heaven has another angel...
"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before, how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever"
“I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret.”
“The experienced mountain climber is not intimidated by a mountain -- he is inspired by it. The persistent winner is not discouraged by a problem -- he is challenged by it. Mountains are created to be conquered; adversities are designed to be defeated; problems are sent to be solved. It is better to master one mountain than a thousand foothills.”
"The caterpillar trades off its legs for its wings because it can never crawl fast enough to fly. The trade off is part of the transition and transformation. We must choose to trade off fear for "faith" ...I can't for "I can" ...and I won't for "I will" if we ever expect to experience our transition and transformation. There is nothing on the outside of a caterpillar that tells you it's genetic code on the inside is hard coded to be a butterfly. Think about it... think about you.?
“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand – and melting like a snow flake”
- M.B. Ray
Time is the one thing we can't create and we never know how much we have before we reach the end of the road. Make every moment count. Appreciate it and carpe diem....
Have you ever taken the time to figure out what is your mission or purpose in life? Have you written up a mission statement that can guide your life? I have done it a few times and plan on reviewing and redoing it for the next phase of my life. I suggest you pick up a book on it and attempt to create your unique Mission in life.
Have you ever asked your self that? Do you know the answer to that question? I like to ask that question of people when I meet them and even when I am hiring someone. I like to know what is most important to someone.
What's most important to me in my life is growth. Ever since I was 15 years old and I dropped out of high school I started to read anything I could get my hands on and I have gone on a life long journey of learning and growing.
Discover what's most important to you in life and decide if is still what you want to be most important to you. If not change it and refocus your life.
Sept 11, 2001, My city New York and my country America was attacked. I took it personal as I believe many of us did. It changed me profoundly forever. I came back to New York City from Los Angeles where I live today and visited Ground Zero that December and I felt the incredible loss and pain but also saw the strength and resilience of Americans and especially my fellow New Yorkers. Hard to believe it has been ten years ago......
There were a total of 2,977 deaths. The victims were distributed as follows: 246 on the four planes (from which there were no survivors), 2,606 in New York City in the towers and on the ground, and 125 at the Pentagon.
More than 90 countries lost citizens in the attacks on the World Trade Center
It's been 10 years since Sept 11, 2001 and I personally will never forget and hope we always remember....
I have made it a habit to attend a commemoration event on Sept 11 every year since 2002.
It is great to see the 9/11 memorial and the rebuilding of the WTC happening.
Visit here for interactive 9/11 Memorial on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NeverForget911
"America has its faults as a society, as we have ours. But I think of the Union of America born out of the defeat of slavery. I think of its Constitution, with its inalienable rights granted to every citizen still a model for the world. I think of a black man, born in poverty, who became chief of their armed forces and is now secretary of state Colin Powell and I wonder frankly whether such a thing could have happened here. I think of the Statue of Liberty and how many refugees, migrants and the impoverished passed its light and felt that if not for them, for their children, a new world could indeed be theirs. I think of a country where people who do well, don't have questions asked about their accent, their class, their beginnings but have admiration for what they have done and the success they've achieved. I think of those New Yorkers I met, still in shock, but resolute; the fire fighters and police, mourning their comrades but still head held high."
--Prime Minister Tony Blair
"Many heartbreaking things happened after 9/11 and maybe the worst is that there's no heroic statue to them, no big marking of what they were and what they gave, at the new World Trade Center memorial.
But New York will never get over what they did. They live in a lot of hearts.
They tell us to get over it, they say to move on, and they mean it well: We can't bring an air of tragedy into the future. But I will never get over it. To get over it is to get over the guy who stayed behind on a high floor with his friend who was in a wheelchair. To get over it is to get over the woman by herself with the sign in the darkness: "America You Are Not Alone." To get over it is to get over the guys who ran into the fire and not away from the fire.
You've got to be loyal to pain sometimes to be loyal to the glory that came out of it."
"We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us."
-- Virginia Satir
Not only can we not allow other's limited perceptions define us. we need to not allow those perceptions to creep into our mind and and our unconscious and hold us back. As Les Brown likes to say "There's Greatness in You." And there is greatness in us so expand your definition of who you are and grow to meet it...
"I want you to get excited about who you are, what you are, what you have, and what can still be for you. I want to inspire you to see that you can go far beyond where you are right now."
-- Virginia Satir
We all are unique with different skills, passions and interest. No matter where we are in life there is more possibilities we can tap if we choose to. We all can "Go Big or Go Home" and yes we have the ability to do more, be more, experience more, achieve more, contribute more and live more than we are right now. I know for a fact that I can go far beyond where I am right now and I will continue to strive to go there...
"Every person's map of the world is as unique as their thumbprint. There are no two people alike. No two people who understand the same sentence the same way... So in dealing with people, you try not to fit them to your concept of what they should be."
-- Milton Erikson
I learned about the renowned Hypno-therapist Milton Erikson years ago from Tony Robbins and read a lot of his work and impact in the field of hypno-therapy. Whether you know it or not we are all in the communication game either with our family, friends, co-workers and clients and understanding that no two people understand the same sentence the same way is important that just because you said something doesn't mean the other person understood it the way you wanted to convey it. So we need to understand others first and then attempt to be understood. We need to constantly check in to make sure we are indeed being received the way we are trying to communicate.
"We can learn something new anytime we believe we can."
-- Virginia Satir
I know that one of the best decisions I made in life is to keep learning and keep growing. I also learned that I can learn anything I am committed to learning. So learn something every day, better yet learn a lot of things every day. Keep learning...
"No matter how many goals you have achieved, you must set your sights on a higher one."
-- Jessica Savitch
Many years ago I learned about goal setting and have made it a regular habit in my life. For me it isn't even mainly about the goals I set but the growth I experience in going after them. I would say personal growth is one of my highest values in life. Mark Victor Hansen probably sets more goals than anyone I have ever met or read about and he sets hundreds or maybe even thousands of goals and is always challenging himself to reach great heights. It's a great way to live and experience life. So set more goals, raise the bar, raise your standards and set your sights on higher horizons.....
"Our stories may or may not conform to the real world. They may or may not inspire us to take hope-filled action to better our lives. They may or may nor take us where we ultimately want to go. But since our destiny follows our stories, it's imperative that we do everything in our power to get our stories right." -- Jim Loeher
"What if we've had it backwards all this time and it was really supposed to say, "You've got to believe it ... to see it."
-- Most Powerful Life
It starts with a a vision or a belief. Disneyland was just an idea that Disney saw in his mind vividly way before it became a reality. Many years ago I created a vision poster of the life I wanted and at the time I had no clue how I was going to achieve any of it. I was working in the Post Office in New York on the graveyard shift. I had been there 5 too many years. So I believed in a different future in California in the film industry and most of what I put on that poster came in to being. So first dream it, believe it, have faith, take massive action and you will be surprised at what shows up in your life.
"The biggest threat to your future, is the past you won't let go of."
-- Stephen Pierce
It's like the story of a dog that was sitting on a front porch, howling in misery. A stranger approached and asked the owner why the dog was howling. The owner replied that the dog was sitting on a nail.
“Why doesn’t he get off the nail?” asked the stranger.
The owner replied, “I guess it doesn’t hurt enough.”
-- Unknown
Let go of your past, don't deny it learn the lessons from it and move on and create a bright future.
Oliver Sachs (in “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat”) said that he felt that the ‘telling of life stories is perhaps one of the most powerful therapeutic tools available to man.’ (That’s not a direct quote, that’s a remembered quote.
-- Mark Travis
The stories we tell ourselves and the stories we tell others can either empower or disempower you. How you view your life and the stories you make up to make sense of that life can be therapeutic and can help you change your life for the better. Tell better stories to yourself and others. Tell stories where you are the protagonist/hero and are on a hero's journey through life.
"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can."
-- Unknown
Finding enough powerful reasons to accomplish and achieve something is the path to success. Always find reasons why you can do something not why you can't and the quality of your live will change.
I'm a big believer in creating special moments or magic moments for family, friends and for myself. Life is a collection of these moments we remember. So make it a happen to create special / magic moments in your life.
“A coach is someone who tells you what you don't want to hear, who has you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”
-- Unknown
In so many field of life it is obvious the role and value of a coach so why not in your life. We all need someone to raise the bar, demand more of us and challenge us to be the best we can be. I have had a few coaches in my life and expect to have more. I've come a long way and I have a long way to go.
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
--Albert Einstein
Starting with the miracle of life there are so many aspects of life we can appreciate and take as miracles. Whether they are or not is up to you to decide but I prefer to look at life with awe and gratitude. I prefer to not see life as mundane and ho-hum. So I'll stick with seeing the miracles in life.
“Resolve to be a master of change rather than a victim of change.”
--Brian Tracy
Life is changing faster than ever in every field. Flexibility is key to surviving and thriving. Don't resist the changes but embrace them and strive to be on the cutting edge.
“When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”
— Alexander Graham Bell
I couldn't agree more. My life has been one of going through new doors and discovering the opportunities that were in front of me. I am who I am today because I kept searching and exploring for a better way, a better life and I found a lot of what I was looking for but I keep looking for more. So when doors close in your life look for another open door and opportunity, be flexible and open and who knows where life will take you....
“When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”
— Napoleon Hill
Sometimes failure can be your best friend. I have made many course corrections in my life and anticipate making many more. Even when you fall on your face you have made some forward progress. So get up, fess up and make adjustments and step forward again and repeat this process as many times as necessary until you arrive at your destination...
My father taught me to always do more than you get paid for as an investment in your future.”
-—Jim Rohn
If you want to live an extraordinary life you have to give your all to everything you do. You have to be exceptional. You have to go the extra mile. You have to be the person who under promises and over performs. When you do more that you are paid for you become more and that is the reward to you. So don't try to get over in life and do the least because all you will accomplish is live a smaller life and get over on yourself. Be the person that goes the extra mile...
"Life is not fair, but it's not fair for everyone. That makes life fair. You have a better chance to achieve happiness and success if you stop thinking of how life has treated you, or what has happened to you and concentrate your energy creating the life you want."
-- Michael Josephson
If you have a kid you have heard that "That's not fair" moan over and over. And they are right it's not. It's normal for a kid to want everything to be fair they don't know better but it's sad when adults still have the same old whine. No life it's fair. It never was and it never will be. I know because I started out in poverty with the odds against me. It wasn't fair I thought back then but now I've let go and understand that's life, deal with it and I have. I've learned you just have to do everything to overcome the odds so you can create the life you want. Life isn't fair and there are earthquakes in California and hurricanes in South Carolina. That's life. Make the best of it.
"Don't DENY where you've been - DEFY where you've been! It shaped you but it didn't break you."
-- Unknown - Thanks Chiao Kee Lim
I don't deny where I have been. I have lived a very colorful life. I came from the bottom and went down a few wrong roads on my journey but it didm't break me it shaped me. I am today who I am because of the struggles, challenges and decisions I made in my life bad and good. I am stronger, more determined, a little wiser and still learning, growing and moving forward. I defied the odds and I have lived some great stories and I will share those with others so they can learn from my experiences.
"Each of us has been put on earth with the ability to do something well. We cheat ourselves and the world if we don't use that ability as best we can."
-- Gracie Allen
First you have to discover what your gifts or ability is if you don't already know. Once you have discovered it you need to share it with the world and pursue your passion. If you are pursuing your passions it will feel like you you are never working. I'm still discovering, fine-tuning and exploring my passions. I tell people that I feel like I have been on a permanent vacation since I moved to California over twenty years ago. And that is a great feeling. I feel blessed to have found a way to enjoy what I do and not feel like I ever am working. I wish the same for you...
:I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can't be done."
-~Henry Ford
I have worked as a line producer on feature films for over fifteen years and making an independent film with too little money is always a miracle. Every time the challenge is the same to make the impossible possible and somehow, someway make the film and come in on budget and on time and we do. I am a big believer that the main thing is your mindset. You need to have an unstoppable mindset that welcomes challenges and like Henry Ford said "an infinite capacity to not know what can't be done."
"You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight."
-- Jim Rohn
All it takes is for you to make a new decision and take action to back of that decision and you will alter the direction you are headed and over time you will change your destination and destiny. I did it years ago when I left New York with practically nothing to my name and changed my life's direction and my destiny. It was the best course correction I ever made. So if you don't like the destination your life is headed in change your direction now.....
"People love to have lived a great story. but few people like the work it takes to actually live that story."
-- Donald Miller
Donald Miller in his book "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years" shares how to experience better stories and how to live them. He looks at your life as a story that you get to write, experience and edit. The book challenges you to live better stories and a better life. Donald sums it up great by saying " If you watched a movie about a guy ho wanted a Volvo and worked for years to get it, you wouldn't cry when he drove it off the lot.. Nobody cries at the end of a movie about a guy who wants a Volvo. But we spend years living those stories , and expect our lives to feel meaningful." Now the big But comes in, you don't and won't get to live better stories unless you are willing to put in the work. And here comes another But, but it's worth it. So time to get busy living better stories...
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."
--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Just Do It. It's all about taking action. We know what's right but we don't do it. We have long lists of shoulds but we don't do them. We have lots of wants but we do get them. We MUST DO!
"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. "
"There's a difference between being committed and interested. Interested means you'll do what's convenient, while committed means you will do WHATEVER IT TAKES!"
-- John Assaraf
We are interested in many things but it is only the things we commit to that we make happen. It's the difference between something we should do and something we must do. Make all the important things in your life a MUST.
Here is a powerful story that highlights the effect our choices have on our lives. It also shines a light on how we are all looking for connection and love in our life and that can be filled in a positive or negative way. Finally it's a story of redemption and transformation.
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams. "
— John Barrymore
I hope to never reach that state. I have so many dreams and keep adding more dreams every day. I know I will run out of time way before I run out of dreams. So Keep Dreaming...
There are many tracking tools I have used to make the days count. On a daily basis I have used a tracking system called "Six Things" where I list every morning the six most important things to accomplish for the day. I also use a system I created called "DI" or Daily Improvement where I attempt to raise the bar by doing just a little more in all the important areas of my life. And big picture wise I use " The Big Five" things that I need to accomplish before I die so I will have lived a fulfilled life. I supplement that with my growing "Bucket List." whatever you use find a way to make the days count....
“Regardless of what you are or what you have been, you can still become what you may want to be.”
-- W. Clement Stone
Like the words from that famous Jimmy Cliff song "So many rivers to cross" I have come so far and have been many things and yet the journey continues. You can still become what or who you want to be. I know I keep moving forward towards who I want to be and crossing as many rivers as I have to get there. So join me on the journey..,
"I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."
-- Gerry Spence
Now we will all like this quote but will we examine in ourselves how much of our own mind is closed because of belief?
Are we really ever willing or able to listen to people with alternate or even opposing points of view? Do we just read, listen and view those who agree with us and validate that everything we think is right? Are we really not afraid to entertain other points of view? Can we truly respect those we disagree with or do we have to mock and belittle them? Do you have a mind opened by wonder or do you have a mind closed by belief? I'm sure your mind is opened. Or is it?
"There's something wrong if you're always right.".
-- Arnold H. Glasgow
I once was always right and yes something was wrong. I thought I knew all the answers and yet I only demonstrated how little I knew. Now time has passed and I have learned so much more and yet I know now how little I know and how much I can learn. And I know I'm not always right and I'm good with that and a lot less is wrong in my lfe...
"Your darkest day can be your greatest gift if you find the lesson."
--Dave Ulloa
Don't know if you had a chance to discover this yet but it is so true. Or at least it was for me. I remember my darkest day only it lasted for months. My world was collapsing in around me emotionally, personally, financially and a couple of close friends were dying and I was lost and in those darkest moments I discovered my strength, courage and what was really important in life. I found the lesson that the old was coming to an end and I needed to start all over and create a new day, a new me and a new life. It was in my darkest despair I found a path to a new life both metaphorically and physically. I packed up everything I had, that was easy it consisted of two suitcases worth and found a ride to California and started all over from scratch. I created a new life and it never would have happened if I didn't go through those dark days, nights and months and discover the lesson. So remember Spring always follows Winter....
"Everyone has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases."
~- Jeremy Collier
How often do we reflect on the fact that we truly have the ability and the opportunity, especially in this country, to be as great as we choose. We can be as healthy as we want. We can be as successful as we want. We just need to set our goals, put in the work and never give up.
Yesterday I was having a personally challenging day and feeling overwhelmed and I received a FB messages thanking me for my Blog and for helping this friend deal with some challenges in their life. It made me feel grateful that I have helped someone by sharing inspirational quotes and my experiences. After responding to that timely kind message I felt energized to handle my challenges. It reminded me what goes around comes around and what you give out you get back. I am strengthened to continue to encourage others to be the best they can be as I challenge myself to do the same.
Next up I saw post from a another friend on FB that just got her orders to ship out to Afghanistan. It put my situation into perspective. Life is challenging and we all have step up and face our tests with courage. I wish her a safe tour of duty and a speedy return.
I thank these friend's for helping me deal with my day. Stay Strong...
