In our last blog we discussed the first part of the Value of Preparation. In this post I share with you some of the things you can do to make sure you are prepared when the opportunity arises.
How to be prepared:
Dream About What You Want to Accomplish. Know what you want to accomplish. Let it burn within you. Make it a part of your very being. In your mind, see exactly what needs to be done and what you want to accomplish. All great things come out of a dream that someone has had. What are your dreams? What excites you? What motivates you to action? What can you do to make a positive difference in the world around you? These are all indicators of what you were created to do. Allow God to birth a dream that you can pursue.
Be Informed. Get all of the knowledge and information available for your particular project. Go to seminars. Read books. Talk to experts. Immerse yourself in knowledge concerning what you want to do. Right knowledge is power. Seek to know more about your field then your competitors.
Develop an Action Plan. Plans are important to the success of any venture. You wouldn’t build a house without first of all having blueprints (plans) drawn up down to the last detail. Plans allow you to determine each step of the way. They give you the ability to know exactly what to do in any given situation. To fail to plan is to plan to fail. Success doesn’t happen accidently. It is always on purpose. Take the time to Make plans and then follow-through.
Get Focused and Stay Focused. Train yourself to concentrate on the task at hand. Successful athletes learn how to block out everything but what they are doing at the moment. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by other things or people. Michael Jordan says he never even saw the crowd when he took a shot. All he saw was the basket. In life there are all kinds of things that can distract you on the road to success. Focus gives you the ability to ignore the distractions and concentrate on the end result.
Retain a Coach. Find someone who has the knowledge and ability to help you get where you are going. Make it someone you can trust. Coaches are like miners; they see hidden talent and potential and bring it to the surface. Get a coach that will teach you, train you and encourage you. Find someone who believes in you. Someone that you can respect and listen to. And then follow the directions they give you. Teaching and training are of no value if they are not implemented. (I am available as a life coach to help you prepare for success in life.)
Perfect Practice. An old adage says, “Practice makes perfect.” In reality “Perfect practice makes perfect.” Take time to make sure that what you are doing in practice is essential to what you are seeking to accomplish. More than anything, practice should be a time when you develop your skills, increase your stamina, and build your confidence. It is a time when consistency is developed. Practice that doesn’t make what you are doing routine is useless. Perfect practice prepares you for perfect performance. When I was playing professional golf I would practice hitting balls from similar spots and situations that I might face in a tournament. I would practice until I developed a perfect routine that worked under pressure.
Develop Courage. Fear will stop you from going forward if you allow it to. In essence fear is the feeling that something bad is going to happen to you and keep you from doing your best. It is that daunting voice that keeps telling you why you can’t succeed. Preparation produces confidence which produces courage. Courage says, “I can do it because I’m ready.” Through courage fears die.
Find a Mentor. A mentor is different than a coach. A coach teaches, trains and guides you. A mentor inspires you because they’ve been there done that. They inspire you not by what they say but by what they have done. They are a role model. They are someone you look up to. Someone for you to emulate. Pick someone who comes from the same type of background as you. Someone who has a similar style as you. Someone who has succeeded in spite of the setbacks they’ve had, and the obstacles they have encountered. Find someone with strength of vision, strength of action and strength of character that inspires you to greatness.
Build Your Faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” Faith is looking past the present and seeing what can be. So how do you build your faith? Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” As a believer, when you spend time reading and studying scripture, something super natural takes place. You faith begins to grow. I would challenge you to spend time reading the accounts in the Bible of people that through faith accomplished great things. I would also suggest that you spend time reading, listening to, and associating with people today that are accomplishing great things in life. You will begin to see that ordinary people accomplished extra ordinary things because they believed they could. By developing your faith you will begin to believe that you too can accomplish great things for God, your family, and the world around you!
The Value of Preparation - Part One
The Value of Preparation
For about 8 years I had the opportunity to play golf at a very high level of competition. One of my dreams as a young man was to play tournament golf as a professional golfer. While I never made the PGA tour, I did play on what are known as the “mini tours.” These are basically the minor leagues of golf. This t is where players work on their games in order to prepare themselves to play on the PGA tour.
I worked hard at honing my skills, sometimes hitting more than a thousand golf balls a day as well as playing at least one practice round of golf. I would be on the golf course or the driving range for up to 8 hours per day practicing all areas of the game. I would practice my pre-shot routine, driving the ball, hitting all of the clubs in my bag, drawing and fading shots, hitting out of sand traps around the greens, hitting out of fairway bunkers, and hours putting on the green. Even when I didn’t feel like practicing, I practiced anyhow. Why would I put myself through all of that? If I was going to realize my dream, I had to work on improving all areas of my game. I had to value preparation.
I’ve never met anyone that enjoys the rigors of preparation. As we get ready to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, there are two teams that are practicing and preparing as if there is no tomorrow. And in their cases there isn’t. This is the pinnacle of the NFL. This is what every player in the NFL works towards on a daily basis. It’s not just about the money; it’s about winning the Super Bowl and being crowned world champions of the NFL. I can tell you exactly who is going to win the game. It is the team that prepares the best and then executes its game plan most efficiently in the big game. Personally, since I live in Phoenix I hope it’s the Arizona Cardinals!
The people, businesses, organizations, and ministries that accomplish the most in life are the ones that are prepared for success. Through preparation great tasks are accomplished. You can have great potential deep inside of you, but it can only be drawn out through preparation. Jerry Savelle says, “I would rather be prepared and never have an opportunity then to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”
Can you imagine an army going into battle without preparation? Usually months, if not years, of training and planning go on before the first shot is fired. No one would play a sporting event, and expect to win, without preparation. Preparation is fundamental to success in life.
Preparation always precedes accomplishment. Mike Murdock says, “The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance.” Great coaches push their teams to victory through preparation. Practice isn’t always fun but it’s essential. The great heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of the training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Preparation produces confidence. If you do the right things on a consistent basis during practice, you will be able to do them for real when the time comes. Olympic champions don’t just happen by accident, they are made. By taking their talents and abilities they are molded into experts through preparation and practice. True champions are never surprised by victory. They were expecting it, that’s what they had prepared for.
In scripture Noah prepared for 120 years to be ready for the flood God said He was going to bring on the earth. Moses prepared for 80 years to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Joshua prepared for 40 years as Moses’ assistant to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Jesus prepared from before man was created to come to the earth as their Messiah and savior. The Apostle Paul prepare for at least 14 years for a ministry that would turn the world upside down.
For about 8 years I had the opportunity to play golf at a very high level of competition. One of my dreams as a young man was to play tournament golf as a professional golfer. While I never made the PGA tour, I did play on what are known as the “mini tours.” These are basically the minor leagues of golf. This t is where players work on their games in order to prepare themselves to play on the PGA tour.
I worked hard at honing my skills, sometimes hitting more than a thousand golf balls a day as well as playing at least one practice round of golf. I would be on the golf course or the driving range for up to 8 hours per day practicing all areas of the game. I would practice my pre-shot routine, driving the ball, hitting all of the clubs in my bag, drawing and fading shots, hitting out of sand traps around the greens, hitting out of fairway bunkers, and hours putting on the green. Even when I didn’t feel like practicing, I practiced anyhow. Why would I put myself through all of that? If I was going to realize my dream, I had to work on improving all areas of my game. I had to value preparation.
I’ve never met anyone that enjoys the rigors of preparation. As we get ready to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, there are two teams that are practicing and preparing as if there is no tomorrow. And in their cases there isn’t. This is the pinnacle of the NFL. This is what every player in the NFL works towards on a daily basis. It’s not just about the money; it’s about winning the Super Bowl and being crowned world champions of the NFL. I can tell you exactly who is going to win the game. It is the team that prepares the best and then executes its game plan most efficiently in the big game. Personally, since I live in Phoenix I hope it’s the Arizona Cardinals!
The people, businesses, organizations, and ministries that accomplish the most in life are the ones that are prepared for success. Through preparation great tasks are accomplished. You can have great potential deep inside of you, but it can only be drawn out through preparation. Jerry Savelle says, “I would rather be prepared and never have an opportunity then to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”
Can you imagine an army going into battle without preparation? Usually months, if not years, of training and planning go on before the first shot is fired. No one would play a sporting event, and expect to win, without preparation. Preparation is fundamental to success in life.
Preparation always precedes accomplishment. Mike Murdock says, “The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance.” Great coaches push their teams to victory through preparation. Practice isn’t always fun but it’s essential. The great heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali said, “I hated every minute of the training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”
Preparation produces confidence. If you do the right things on a consistent basis during practice, you will be able to do them for real when the time comes. Olympic champions don’t just happen by accident, they are made. By taking their talents and abilities they are molded into experts through preparation and practice. True champions are never surprised by victory. They were expecting it, that’s what they had prepared for.
In scripture Noah prepared for 120 years to be ready for the flood God said He was going to bring on the earth. Moses prepared for 80 years to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Joshua prepared for 40 years as Moses’ assistant to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Jesus prepared from before man was created to come to the earth as their Messiah and savior. The Apostle Paul prepare for at least 14 years for a ministry that would turn the world upside down.
Someone Is Looking For You
Try to wrap your mind around this truth. For some it’s a new if not almost foreign concept. Whether you realize it or not, you are a problem solver. Most people only spot problems. But you are different you solve them. Someone, somewhere, is looking for what you are uniquely qualified to solve.
Everything is created to solve a problem. Everyone is created to solve a problem. Every product and service is founded on this principle. Think about this. Chefs solve hunger problems. Doctors solve health problems. Dentists solve teeth problems. Lawyers solve legal problems. Personal trainers solve exercise and fitness problems. Mechanics solve automobile problems. Teachers solve education problems. Coaches solve motivation problems. Factory workers solve production problems. Ministers solve spiritual problems. And so on. Do you get the point?
What is it that excites you? What is it that angers you? What do you see around you that you want to help change? How can you help others solve the problems they are encountering? Your answers could be an indication of the problems you are created to solve.
You can’t fix everything wrong in the world. You can’t solve every problem. You can’t answer every question. Everyone won’t need what you have to offer, but somebody does. You weren’t born to be the savior of the world. But you were born to solve some problem. This one is one of the most liberating things I’ve ever discovered. It helped me become real. It set me free from what I’ve termed “The Messiah Complex.” It enabled me to focus on what I could do to solve the problems I am qualified to solve, and from trying to solve problems I’m not qualified to solve.
What would the world be like if we could all grasp this concept? I think the world would be a better place if everyone found their place and solved the problems they are qualified to solve.
Your life purpose may not be the same as mine, but you have one, and it’s important. It’s important to you and it’s important to others. Your talents, your skills, your strengths, your interests, your passions, your experiences, are all part of what makes you qualified to be a problem solver. Why not make the decision today to use what you’ve been blessed with to help others solve the problems they are facing in life. Someone is looking for you. They are looking for what you have to offer. Find them. Help them solve their problem and they will be eternally grateful!
My challenge to you today is, BE A PROBLEM SOLVER NOT JUST A PROBLEM SPOTTER!
How to Have a Great Day
Today is the most important day of your life. Your destiny is determined by what you do today. The attitudes and ideas you have today will help to determine your successes tomorrow.
Author J.J. Turner writes:
Today is the day of Action.
Today is when the battle shall be won.
Today is yesterdays tomorrow.
Today is all you have.
Today is the time for winning.
Today you will take a step toward your goal.
Today must not be wasted.
Today is under your management.
What will you do with today?
If you are going to experience great success then you must learn to live in the present. You must quit just dreaming about tomorrow and reminiscing about yesterday. Determine to live today with all the gusto you can muster.
Determine that nothing is going to keep you from having a great day today. Nothing is going to keep you from recognizing the opportunities that each day presents you with.
Believe That Something Good is Going to Happen Today
Having a positive mindset determines the course of your life. Jesus said, “As your faith is so be it unto you.” In other words what you believe is what you will receive. This is true in both a negative and a positive sense. If you start your day with a negative mindset, expecting the worse, then that is what you are going to experience. Conversely, if you start the day with a positive attitude, expecting the best, then that is what you will enjoy.
Make the decision to begin looking for and believing for the best in your life every day. Begin to say to yourself “something good is going to happen for me today.” Repeat it often until it becomes a part of how you really feel.
Begin Each Day With Prayer
Prayer is simply spending time communing with God. It is what gets God involved in your circumstances. As my mom used to tell me, “Things go better with prayer.”
The Bible is full of teachings as to the power of prayer. Jesus said these things about prayer, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) He further said, “Hitherto have you ask nothing in my name, ask and you shall receive that you joy may be full.” (John 16:24) “What things you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)
Organize Your Day
Much time is wasted by people who don’t take the time to plan their days. As someone has so rightly said, “Time is money.” Start each day with a list of prioritized things that must be accomplished. Learn to manage your time so as to get the most out of each day.
Look for Opportunities to Use Your Skills and Abilities
God has created you with certain talents and abilities that make you unique and important. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing what you were made to do and using the talents that God has blessed you with. On any given day you will encounter many opportunities to use what God has given you. Be who God made you to be not what others want you to be.
Have a Positive Attitude
It is very important that you maintain the proper perspective if you are going to enjoy the winning life. Many have said that attitude is more important that aptitude when it comes to being successful. While aptitude is important without a positive attitude it is powerless. Having a positive attitude is a prerequisite for using what you know in a productive manner.
Your attitude determines how far and how high you will go in life. We have all met extremely talented and brilliant people that are not accomplishing their dreams because of a poor attitude. On the other hand, we’ve all met less talented and less brilliant people that are accomplish great things because they have an upbeat positive attitude. The attitude you possess is your choice. Make the decision to start each day with a positive outlook and high expectations.
Practice Acts of Kindness
When I was in the Boy Scouts as a young man we were expected to do a good deed for someone everyday. That was part of our motto as Boy Scouts. I still remember the positive feeling I had every time I did something nice for someone else. While most of my deeds of kindness were not a big deal, it was a nice feeling to see how good you made the other person feel.
I have paid peoples meal tabs without them knowing who did it. I have paid toll for the people in the vehicle behind me for no reason at all. I’ve paid for the groceries of people in line ahead of me just because I wanted too. Now, none of these things are to brag on myself, but to simply illustrate what I am talking about. Try it and see if you don’t get the same feelings of joy that I’ve experienced. If you want to have a great day, help someone else have a great day!
Live Each Day As if It's Your Last
Enjoy each moment. Enjoy the company of others. Learn to appreciate the sunshine, the flowers blooms, the bird’s songs, and everything else that you come in contact with. Make each moment count. Do the things that will bring lasting results, things that will benefit and promote others. If you are going to experience success in life then you are going to have to begin to live in the now. Oh by the way, Have A Great Day!
Be A Person Of Value
Albert Einstein wrote, “Try not to become a man of success, rather try to become a person of value.” In our society many are selling themselves short simply by trying to succeed at any cost. While success is the by-product of vision, goal-setting, planning, action and determination, it should not be your ultimate goal. You must not get caught up in the web of trying to be a success so others will think you are great.
Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. I have met countless numbers of people in my life who have experienced mental breakdowns, a loss of proper desires, and emotional breakdowns because they chased success instead of letting it follow them.
It is startling to finally reach the top of the ladder only to realize it’s propped against the wrong wall. Your life does not consist of the abundance of things you possess. When you die you will not be remembered for what you owned as much as for who you were.
A person of value not only has worth but also adds worth or value to others. There are many ways you can add value to those around you. Here are a few. Compliment someone that does a good job. Smile at others and make eye contact when you talk to them. Encourage others in the pursuit of their dreams. Find a need someone has and meet it. Place value on others by listening to their ideas. Always treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” In order to be the person you were created to become, your life must be founded on right and moral principles. Show me a person with no values and I will show you a failure.
In order to leave a positive lasting legacy you must seek to be a person of character. Seek to live a life based on principles and values. Be a person that makes the difference in the lives of others. Live a life that exemplifies the life of Christ in all you do. In other words be a servant. Zig Zigler says, “If you help others get what they want you will get what you want.”
To Your Success!
Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Your soul is your mind, your will and your emotions. I have met countless numbers of people in my life who have experienced mental breakdowns, a loss of proper desires, and emotional breakdowns because they chased success instead of letting it follow them.
It is startling to finally reach the top of the ladder only to realize it’s propped against the wrong wall. Your life does not consist of the abundance of things you possess. When you die you will not be remembered for what you owned as much as for who you were.
A person of value not only has worth but also adds worth or value to others. There are many ways you can add value to those around you. Here are a few. Compliment someone that does a good job. Smile at others and make eye contact when you talk to them. Encourage others in the pursuit of their dreams. Find a need someone has and meet it. Place value on others by listening to their ideas. Always treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” In order to be the person you were created to become, your life must be founded on right and moral principles. Show me a person with no values and I will show you a failure.
In order to leave a positive lasting legacy you must seek to be a person of character. Seek to live a life based on principles and values. Be a person that makes the difference in the lives of others. Live a life that exemplifies the life of Christ in all you do. In other words be a servant. Zig Zigler says, “If you help others get what they want you will get what you want.”
To Your Success!
Staying On Track
When we got out to the field he began the task of plowing the soil to prepare it for planting. I watched in awe as he expertly handled that big tractor. When we looked behind us we could see the straight as an arrow rows that he had plowed. After what seemed like an eternity he ask me if I wanted to try. With pride I jumped behind the wheel of the tractor and away we went. When we looked behind us the rows were as crooked as if a snake had plowed them.
It was then that I learned a life-lesson I have never forgotten. My grandfather told me the reason the rows I plowed were not as straight as his, was not because I couldn’t drive the tractor right, but rather because I was focusing on the wrong thing. You see when I drove the tractor I was constantly looking behind me to admire what I had done. He taught me the secret to plowing a straight row was to find something on the horizon to aim at and to stay focused on it. He taught me you can’t plow a straight row if you are constantly looking back. So I did what he told me to do. I picked a tree or a fence post on the far end of the field and never took my eyes off of it. When I finished my first row we looked back and the row I had plowed was as straight as any he had plowed.
This is the way it is in all areas of life. You cannot arrive at your destination if you get off course. Far too many never see their goals fulfilled because they lose focus of where they are going and what they want to accomplish. They allow circumstances and people to distract them from their main objectives. They constantly look back at what they’ve done or could have done differently.
Track stars understand the necessity of keeping their eyes on the finish line. One of the first things you learn when you begin to run track is to look straight ahead. You learn to not look around at what the other runners are doing. Why? Because doing so will distract you, slow you down, and cause you to get off course. By focusing on the finish line, you are putting yourself in position to win the race.
What are you aiming at? What goals do you want to achieve? What do you want to accomplish? How is your focus? Are you on track or are you off track? By learning to stay on track you can be assured that you will reach your destination if you don’t quit!
Here are some keys to help you stay "On Track."
1. Focus. Great achievers have the ability to focus and stay focused on their goals. They have the ability to block out things that would destroy their focus ability. To succeed you must learn to concentrate on what you are doing until. Don’t break your focus until you have reached your goals.
2. Beware of distractions. There are all kind of seemingly important things vying for your attention. Everything from phone calls, unexpected visitors, honey-do lists, and even emergencies can distract you from your objectives if you allow them to.
3. Don’t be easily discouraged. Another deterrent to staying on track is discouragement. Setbacks, criticism, unexpected circumstances, can all produce discouragement. To be successful you must learn to stay encouraged. Keep the end result in mind. By focusing on the joy of accomplishment you are able to ward off discouragement.
4. Commit to the long haul. Far too many give up to soon because of delays in reaching their goals. You must remember that in most things there is no overnight success. There are many delays on the road to accomplishment. Don’t allow yourself to give up because of delays.
5. Make on course adjustments. When NASA launches a spacecraft to travel to a particular destination, whether it is the moon or a planet, in order for it to reach it’s destination there must be constant course adjustments made. Being off just a few centimeters can cause the craft to miss its destination by thousands of miles. So it is with all of life. In order to successfully reach your goals and objectives you must make constant adjustments to your goals, plans and thinking, to get where you want to go.
Personal Development
Life is about learning, growing, and improving. It is impossible to be as effective as you could be without constant personal development. You should be constantly seeking to improve your abilities, your knowledge, and your person.
You can be all that you were made to be. Growth or maturity takes time. It does not happen overnight. It is a process. Given the proper effort, discipline and perseverance you can develop your potential.Personal development keys:
Don’t think you have arrived
No one has arrived to the point of maximum potential. Researchers tell us that upon the examination of Albert Einstein’s brain after his death, they discovered he had only used fifteen percent of his mental capacity. This brilliant man still had room for improvement. Think about it, eighty-five percent of his mental potential was undeveloped. With that in mind it is easy to see that human beings never truly arrive at a place of maximum potential. There is always room for improvement.You are what you think
Solomon wrote, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” It is a true statement that you become what you think on a continual basis. People that see themselves as losers or failures actually live down to their expectations. They literally find ways to sabotage their lives. Conversely, people that see themselves as winners, in turn live up to their expectations. They find a way to win. It is important that you guard your thoughts, because your thoughts determine your actions.Birds of like feather flock together
Your associations are important to your personal development. You tend to become like the people you associate with on a continual basis. If you want to soar with the eagles you can’t flock with the turkeys! There are some people that are toxic to your life. Their negativity is poison to themselves and those they are around. In order to become the person you want to become you must sever any relationship that pulls you down instead of building you up. Hang around positive, faith-filled, achievement oriented people, if that’s the type of person you want to become. Run with winners. Solomon said, “Walk with the wise and you will be wise.”Try new things
In order to be successful you must be willing to take new risks. One reason many never accomplish much is because they are afraid to try anything different. Many times in order to have what you’ve never had; you’ve got to do what you’ve never done. The only thing worse than the person who fails, is the person who never tries.Refuse to accept the status quo
To experience personal growth you must be willing to leave your comfort zone. As creatures of habit it is easy to get locked into certain patterns that are comfortable but not necessarily productive. Just because things have always been done a certain way does not mean there isn’t a better way. Look for it. Find it. All great achievers have this mindset. That’s what drove Thomas Edison to find a better way to light the world.Keep Learning
We’ve all met people that are “know it alls.” At least they think they are. They act as though they are experts at everything, when in reality they aren’t. The longer I’ve lived the more I realize I still have a lot to learn. I like to spend time reading positive books on success and achievement. I spend time regularly listening to audio presentations of successful people. I attend seminars on subjects that interest me. Why? So, I can continue to grow as a person. The day you stop learning is the day you die!Develop a Personal Development Plan
Nothing great is accomplished in life without a plan. The old adage “To fail to plan is to plan to fail” is true. Achievers spend time developing their skills, dreams, goals, aspirations, health, finances, and relationships. Make a list of the areas of your life that need improvement. Set aside time everyday to begin working on these areas. Read, listen to audio teachings, attend seminars, take a webinar, join a networking group, find a mentor, for the areas you want to better yourself in. Begin to apply what you are learning and you will begin to see major improvements in your life.Take Responsibility
Personal responsibility is a characteristic lacking in many. Ever since the Garden of Eden, when Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent for their disobedience, humans have been playing the blame game. Rather than accept personal responsibility for their lives they would rather pass the buck to others for the place they find themselves.
The fact is the sooner you accept personal responsibility, the sooner you begin to excel in life. All high achievers have learned the value of accepting personal responsibility. They understand “If its to be, its up to me.”
You are the only person that can determine your future. It is your responsibility to be happy, to be proactive rather than reactive, to step out and do something about your situation in life.
I am responsible for the person I am today as well as the person I am becoming.
While there are many things that have an impact on who I am and who I become, ultimately if I am going to be a better person than I am right now, it’s up to me. As Robert Schuller says, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Change will only happen in my life when I make the decision for it to. Regardless of how others try to influence me to be all I can be, it is my responsibility to do so.
I am responsible for my choices and my actions.
Flip Wilson made a fortune with, and popularized the saying, “The devil made me do it!” While that may be a funny line, it is far from the truth. In reality no one can make me do anything I don’t want to do. To blame others for where I am in life is simply to make excuses for my lack of making the right choices and doing the right things. I am where I am in life today as a result of my decisions and actions of yesterday.
I am responsible for my attitude.
Did you know attitudes like measles are evident to everyone around you? How you view life and the perspective you have of life is solely dependant on you and you alone. If you want to you can be an up person in a down world. I’ve heard people say when they have a bad attitude, “I guess I got up on the wrong side of the bed.” With the disposition they display most of us wish they had never gotten up! The good news however is you don’t have to have a bad attitude and be a pain in everyone’s neck. Recognize you are in control of your attitude, no one else. Choose to be more optimistic and pleasing in your relationships with others.
I am responsible for the attitude I bring to my work.
A lot of people bring their home problems with them to work. As a result of their personal frustrations, anger and disillusions of their home life, they are not as effective as they could be. I have found that people that get ahead in life have developed the knack for compartmentalizing their life. They have learned to focus on the task at hand and to give it their all. Determine to leave your home problems where they belong, at home. After all stewing and worrying all day about the problems you are facing will not change them at all. So make the decision to come to work with a good, positive, upbeat attitude.
I am responsible for my relationships.
As stated at the beginning of this chapter, ever since the Garden of Eden mankind has played the blame game. After all, it’s easier to blame others or circumstances for trouble in relationships, then it is to take a good hard look at ourselves and then admit that we aren’t perfect. My mother told me along time ago, “It takes two too tango.” In other words relationships are a two way street. If I am going to develop and maintain good relationships, whether it the family or at work, I am going to have to do my part to make them work. That means I may have to make some changes in how I treat others and how I expect to be treated. Usually if there is a breakdown in a relationship it is because someone failed act responsibly and do there part to make it work.
I am responsible for the quality of my communication.
Communication is the bedrock of success in all areas of life. Perhaps no other culprit is as destructive as a lack of communication. Communication involves more than just talking on your part. It involves listening, empathizing, and understanding what the other party is saying. While we must seek to be understood and to understand during the communication process, we must also be cognizant of how we say things. So what we say, and how we say it, are equally important. Our volume, tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions are all part of the communication process. I must seek to be kind, considerate and understanding of the person or persons I am communicating with.
I am responsible for my happiness.
Since I am in control of my life, I can be happy regardless of what’s going on in my life, if I choose too. As with many things, happiness is an attitude. As a Christian I can be happy because I have the joy of the Lord inside me. Happiness does not come from what I have or don’t have, it comes from knowing who I am, what my purpose in life is, and in doing what I was created to do.
I am responsible for my financial situation.
My financial condition is a direct result of my financial literacy, work habits and personal discipline. While there are times when bad things happen to good people and as a result they face a financial setback, for the most part people struggle financially because they don’t have a good grasp of how money works. They don’t understand the need for financial planning, setting financial goals, learning to invest, paying their bills on time, and saving for the future. If I want to become financially free, where I don’t work for money but instead money works for me, then I must seek to become financially literate.
I am responsible for my mistakes.
Any mistake I have ever made was of my own volition. I either did what I knew better than to do or didn’t know what to do in the first place. Even if I followed the advice of others or allowed them to pressure me to do something I wasn’t comfortable with, ultimately I am responsible for my actions. The sooner you recognize that you are responsible for the mistakes you’ve made in life the sooner you can do something to change the. Now let me say right here, don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in great sorrow for the mistakes you’ve made, and for goodness sakes, don’t hold a perpetual pity party because of them. Learn from them, let them go, forgive yourself and get on with your life.
I am responsible for my personal success.
No matter how much someone else may want to see you succeed in life, no matter how much they encourage and motivate you, no matter how much they try to help you, only you can make the decision to be successful. If I am going to be successful I am going to have to do the right things the right way in a consistent manner. I am going to have to set goals, make plans, work hard and not quit if I want to have success in life. Success belongs to everyone but not everyone will enjoy it because they aren’t willing to do what it takes to have it.
Building on Your Strengths
Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses. The difference between great achievers and those that aren't is that great achievers have learned to capitalize on their strengths and not be limited by their weaknesses.
In order to begin to experience success it is important to take personal inventory of your life. Make a list of your strengths (what you are good at) and of your weaknesses (what you aren't good at). By having a clear picture of your strengths you have an understanding of what you can build on.
While it is important to seek to improve your areas of weakness, it is more important to continue improving your strengths. Great athletes have learned this secret. One reason Tiger Woods is such a phenomenal golfer is because of his burning desire to continue to improve his skills. After winning the 2000 U. S. Open, by a record margin, he was talking about things that he needed to do to improve. This is what sets him apart from his peers.
Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player of all-time by continually striving to strengthen his strengths. The reason he could pull off seemingly impossible feats on the basketball court are because in practice he worked on developing his strengths. While some viewed his accomplishments under pressure as being lucky, the truth is they were the results of much practice and preparation. If he was lucky it was because he created his own luck by doing the right things consistently.
You too can enjoy extraordinary results if you will begin to spend more time developing your strengths than your weaknesses. Take your strengths and begin to improve them until they are stronger. In doing so you will begin to accomplish greater things then you ever expected.
Practice, practice, practice!
By continually working on your strengths you are constantly improving what you are good at. Just like Tiger Woods you become great not because you are lucky but because you work hard at improving what you are already good at. By honing your skills in practice you are insuring peak performance when the pressure is on. In the heat of the battle you will naturally do what you perfected in practice.
Don't focus on your weaknesses
You will always go in the direction of your dominant thoughts. If you focus on what you aren't good at you will insure failure or defeat. However, if you begin to focus on what your strengths are you will move towards success. Simply put, "accentuate the positive!"
Find a coach or mentor
Gain the assistance of someone that's "been there, done that!" Allow them to teach and train you. Learn from their experience and expertise. Let them motivate, inform, and correct you as necessary. Make yourself accountable to them.
Determine to do your best
Always give yourself 100% to what you are doing. Make the decision to do the right thing the right way consistently. Demand excellence of yourself. Don’t settle for anything less than your best. Constantly seek to improve. Keep raising the bar of what you expect of yourself. You will be amazed at the outcome.
Believe you are created for greatness
You have incredible potential and possibilities. There is no reason why you can't excel in life. God has given you the abilities you need to work with in order to succeed in life. You are made in God's image and likeness; therefore you have the right to greatness. You have the right to be a success.
In order to begin to experience success it is important to take personal inventory of your life. Make a list of your strengths (what you are good at) and of your weaknesses (what you aren't good at). By having a clear picture of your strengths you have an understanding of what you can build on.
While it is important to seek to improve your areas of weakness, it is more important to continue improving your strengths. Great athletes have learned this secret. One reason Tiger Woods is such a phenomenal golfer is because of his burning desire to continue to improve his skills. After winning the 2000 U. S. Open, by a record margin, he was talking about things that he needed to do to improve. This is what sets him apart from his peers.
Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player of all-time by continually striving to strengthen his strengths. The reason he could pull off seemingly impossible feats on the basketball court are because in practice he worked on developing his strengths. While some viewed his accomplishments under pressure as being lucky, the truth is they were the results of much practice and preparation. If he was lucky it was because he created his own luck by doing the right things consistently.
You too can enjoy extraordinary results if you will begin to spend more time developing your strengths than your weaknesses. Take your strengths and begin to improve them until they are stronger. In doing so you will begin to accomplish greater things then you ever expected.
Practice, practice, practice!
By continually working on your strengths you are constantly improving what you are good at. Just like Tiger Woods you become great not because you are lucky but because you work hard at improving what you are already good at. By honing your skills in practice you are insuring peak performance when the pressure is on. In the heat of the battle you will naturally do what you perfected in practice.
Don't focus on your weaknesses
You will always go in the direction of your dominant thoughts. If you focus on what you aren't good at you will insure failure or defeat. However, if you begin to focus on what your strengths are you will move towards success. Simply put, "accentuate the positive!"
Find a coach or mentor
Gain the assistance of someone that's "been there, done that!" Allow them to teach and train you. Learn from their experience and expertise. Let them motivate, inform, and correct you as necessary. Make yourself accountable to them.
Determine to do your best
Always give yourself 100% to what you are doing. Make the decision to do the right thing the right way consistently. Demand excellence of yourself. Don’t settle for anything less than your best. Constantly seek to improve. Keep raising the bar of what you expect of yourself. You will be amazed at the outcome.
Believe you are created for greatness
You have incredible potential and possibilities. There is no reason why you can't excel in life. God has given you the abilities you need to work with in order to succeed in life. You are made in God's image and likeness; therefore you have the right to greatness. You have the right to be a success.
Persistence: The Key to Success
Persistence: The Key to Success
How many people do you know that have stopped just short of reaching their goal? How many times have you stopped short of what you desired to see become a reality? Unfortunately, the number is greater than it should be. Many times just one more try would have meant victory instead of defeat.
Persistence is defined as “continued effort or tenacity.” It is not accepting defeat and continuing on inspite of the obstacles in your path. It is doing the right thing, the right way consistently.
Throughout scripture we are admonished to be people of persistence. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “That you be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12) The word patience could also be translated persistence. In this particular scripture, the word patience does not imply putting up with or coping with the circumstances at hand. Rather it means to continue doing what you are doing until the desired results are yours.
Scripture gives us Abraham as our example of a man who through faithful persistence received the fulfillment of God’s promises to him. (Hebrews 6:13-15) Abraham, the father of the faithful, had to persist in faith for twenty-five years before he saw the physical manifestation of God’s promise to him.
We live in an instant society. We tend to want everything, and we want it right now. When we don’t see what we are praying and believing for in a short period of time, we are apt to become discouraged and give up. Many times we give up just short of what God promised us becoming a reality.
If you are going to be successful at whatever it is that God has called you to do, you must become a person of persistence. You need bulldog faith. Bulldog faith is “faith that won’t let go!” Winston Churchill is reported to have said, “The reason a bulldogs nose is slanted backwards, is so that he can breathe without letting go.”
Here are some keys for developing persistence:
Keep your eyes on the goal.
You cannot lose sight of where you are going. It is imperative that you remain focused. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. God told Joshua “do not turn to the right hand or to the left. that you may prosper wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7)
Believe that you will meet with success.
There is nothing more powerful that positive faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23) The great motivator and trainer Dale Carnegie said, “Believe that you will succeed. Believe it firmly, and you will then do what is necessary to bring success about.”
Maintain a positive attitude.
When the going gets tough sometimes it is easy to lose perspective. Your attitude, which is your perspective or how you see things, must remain positive if you are going to succeed. You must look past the negative circumstances and see the victory that is yours if you will but persist. Paul wrote, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal and the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18) In other words, don’t look at what is, but rather at what can be. Keep the right attitude.
How many people do you know that have stopped just short of reaching their goal? How many times have you stopped short of what you desired to see become a reality? Unfortunately, the number is greater than it should be. Many times just one more try would have meant victory instead of defeat.
Persistence is defined as “continued effort or tenacity.” It is not accepting defeat and continuing on inspite of the obstacles in your path. It is doing the right thing, the right way consistently.
Throughout scripture we are admonished to be people of persistence. The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, “That you be not slothful, but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:12) The word patience could also be translated persistence. In this particular scripture, the word patience does not imply putting up with or coping with the circumstances at hand. Rather it means to continue doing what you are doing until the desired results are yours.
Scripture gives us Abraham as our example of a man who through faithful persistence received the fulfillment of God’s promises to him. (Hebrews 6:13-15) Abraham, the father of the faithful, had to persist in faith for twenty-five years before he saw the physical manifestation of God’s promise to him.
We live in an instant society. We tend to want everything, and we want it right now. When we don’t see what we are praying and believing for in a short period of time, we are apt to become discouraged and give up. Many times we give up just short of what God promised us becoming a reality.
If you are going to be successful at whatever it is that God has called you to do, you must become a person of persistence. You need bulldog faith. Bulldog faith is “faith that won’t let go!” Winston Churchill is reported to have said, “The reason a bulldogs nose is slanted backwards, is so that he can breathe without letting go.”
Here are some keys for developing persistence:
Keep your eyes on the goal.
You cannot lose sight of where you are going. It is imperative that you remain focused. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. God told Joshua “do not turn to the right hand or to the left. that you may prosper wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7)
Believe that you will meet with success.
There is nothing more powerful that positive faith. Jesus said, “All things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23) The great motivator and trainer Dale Carnegie said, “Believe that you will succeed. Believe it firmly, and you will then do what is necessary to bring success about.”
Maintain a positive attitude.
When the going gets tough sometimes it is easy to lose perspective. Your attitude, which is your perspective or how you see things, must remain positive if you are going to succeed. You must look past the negative circumstances and see the victory that is yours if you will but persist. Paul wrote, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal and the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:18) In other words, don’t look at what is, but rather at what can be. Keep the right attitude.
Have a made up mind.
You must be determined. Determined people win in life because they don’t allow anything to break their focus. The great baseball manager Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” Someone else said, “It was through persistence that the snail got to the ark!”
You must be determined. Determined people win in life because they don’t allow anything to break their focus. The great baseball manager Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” Someone else said, “It was through persistence that the snail got to the ark!”
Find someone to stand in agreement with you.
“Two are better than one, and a threefold cord is not easily broke.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12) There is something powerful when you have others to stand with you on the path to success. There is strength in unity. You must understand that you cannot make it without the assistance of others. Successful people, regardless of their position in life, understand the value of teamwork. Together we stand, divided we fall.
Are You Determined?
Nothing is more powerful than a made up mind. In order to achieve greatness, determination is required. Someone once said, “A determined person will do more with a rusty monkey wrench, than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools of a machine shop.”
You win or lose because of your determination or lack thereof. Determined people are able to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to win in life. Malcolm Forbes said, “Your degree of determination determines your outcome.”
Ten things about determined people:
You win or lose because of your determination or lack thereof. Determined people are able to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to win in life. Malcolm Forbes said, “Your degree of determination determines your outcome.”
Ten things about determined people:
- Determined people don’t know how to take the word “no” for an answer. Their philosophy of life is, “Find a way or make one.”
- Determined people refuse to quit until they win. Their philosophy of life is “Nothing can stop me or keep me from winning. Victory belongs to me.”
- Determined people realize that success comes little by little. Their philosophy is “Inch by inch anything’s a cinch!”
- Determined people are not moved by what they see around them. Their philosophy of life is, “We walk by faith not by sight.” They choose to see what can be, instead of what is.
- Determined people choose to be positive. Their philosophy of life is, “Positive anything is better than negative nothing!”
- Determined people expect a positive outcome. Their philosophy of life is, “You get what you expect.”
- Determined people understand the value of goal setting. Their philosophy of life is, "You can’t hit it if you don’t aim at it!”
- Determined people believe in the value of planning. Their philosophy of life is, “Plan your work and work your plan.”
- Determined people believe that success comes in cans not cannots. Their philosophy of life is, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
- Determined people associate with winners. Their philosophy of life is, “Iron sharpens iron.” They recognize that you become better by being around better people.
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