Hurdles

We often can explain things by relating them to similar events, situations, etc...

I was recently thinking about how to reach goals and goal setting and made the association that it was like being in the olympic hurdles. 

When you sit down to watch the race, you see everyone croutched down at the starting line and the pistol goes off!  The hurdlers don't focus as much on the hurdles as they do on the finish line.  They must train very hard all year long to jump over the hurdles.  Sometimes they make it over the hurdles and other times they may fall and never make it to the finish line.

Let's look at how the olympic hurdles are like going for your goal:

The training- This is where you need to prepare and get stronger mentally and physically that others who are to lazy to get in the race.

The starting line- The morning you decide to go for your goal, you are pumped and ready to do it.  You will be scrared and have anxiety even thinking you are unprepared, but it's time to go.

The hurdles- Life is loaded with hurdles, you must be extremley strong to get over the hurdles in life.

The finish line- Your goal,  keep your eyes on the finish line at all times not the hurdles and you will get further than the competitiors who looked at how hard the race was.

If you sit on your couch looking at the olympic hurdles thinkng you could never do it,  come to realize preparation and guts gets you to the finish line.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Stop resisting

Part of being human is the wonderful daily routines we do, for fear something may make us uncomfortable. I've spoken about this several times.  Again it has to do with our comfort zones, yet we often feel a sense of strength for using the same routines day in and day out and I am very guilty of this.  I love my routines but lately I've gotten to the bottom of why I like my routines.

One reason we love our routines and defend them is that we practice resistance. We choose to resist anything we believe is associated to something we don't enjoy.

Examples:
I won't have a beer, I'll get to intoxicated and hungover. I don't want to become an alcoholic.
I would never take that job, those people are so boring and uptight.
If I don't clean the dishes right after supper, people will think I'm messy and lazy.

As you can see we make these decisions based on what we think it will turn us into.  We also believe that we are strong willed because we resist these things. 
Let's flip that belief, if you are strong willed you should be trying things to make the decisions on your own. Your true test is SELF CONTROL and not RESISTANCE. 
I'm sure you may be someone who gloats to people telling them how much control you have for not doing anything you believe to be wrong.  It's time to prove it, show yourself the self control you hide from yourself by indulging in life's enjoyment.

For many years I've avoided reading some of the most influential books, my main reason was that everybody has read it and I'm different.  When I finally read them I always find them to be the books I can't put down and they often teach me so much about the subjects I'm researching.  I often regret the things I've resisted for such a long time.

I'm slowly starting to "give in" to the things I've resisted for such a long time and I'm finding out that they are so enjoyable. I have found out resistance can make you a very dull person and I will decide to indulge in life a little more than I once did.

Your exercise

Look at things you are resisting, and actually "give in" every now and again.  I'm not saying to put your life in harms way.  I'm just saying have an extra piece of cake, the cake does not make you fat, the lack of self control over long periods of time makes you fat.

Do you understand?


Stay motivated
Shane C

Mind movies

What mind movies are you watching?

Have you ever sat at home waiting on a family member to get back and all you do is think the worst just because they are running an hour or two late?  What scenario goes through your head?  I bet all kinds of horrible things like accidents, violence and uncontrolled behavior.  We watch these "mind movies" in total horror, we pace up and down the hall calling and texting and when nobody answers it's even worse.
When your loved one finally walks through the door with bags of groceries in there hands you get this total sense of relief.  Like you've pressed the stop button on the "mind movie" you get this overwhelming sense of relief.  The relief is so comforting, it's as though you never watched a horrible movie go through your head, it was simply your imagination.

It's a fact that we always turn to negative scenarios when we delve into the unknown.  We are conditioned from childhood to always be fearful. This stems from the things people told us, the news and violent movies and television, all this has turned us into basket cases.

How to stop these scary mind movies?
We can't, but we can recondition ourselves to try and replace the negative movies with more upbeat inspirational types of thing we would like to see.

-Meditation
Meditation can totally clear our minds of the negative and begin a new style of thinking.  It centers us and allows us to have better focus in our daily living.

-Vision boards
A vision board is a great motivator, staying focused 10-15 minutes morning and night at pictures of pleasant things.  Deeply implants in your mind the things you would most love to achieve.

-Active visualization
Active visualization is much different than just seeing what you want your life to be.  It's hearing, smelling and feeling as you visualize a more positive lifestyle.  Make sure to really get involved with all your senses as your visualizing.  You can do this 10-15 minutes morning and night, this build the habit of positive visualization much quicker.
If you would like to take in visioning  one step further, see yourself through someone else's eyes in your vision techniques.

With repetitive habit you can eventually replace the negative movies that play in your mind with a whole new type of visualization that can lead you to a better quality of life.  It will be like walking into a movie rental store, you will be able to pick any "mind movie" you want.  No longer will you be forced to watch the same negative horror movie that has been going through your head.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

What are you good at?

Have you ever wondered how to deal with your weakness in the workplace?

We all have talents we are naturally better at than others.  Some people are very gifted when it comes to writing, time management, marketing and organization.  The same people who are gifted in certain areas also have things they are horrible at.

I feel I can communicate well verbally, I have great sales abilities and can be quite thorough in paying attention to small details. There are many things that I'm lousy at though, the list is a mile long. I have learned not to focus on the weakness as much as the strengths.  I have a staff that helps me out in my areas where I am weak.  If I know they are strong in certain areas, I can utilize them for what I lack.

There is a key thing to understand in the workplace and in life.  Know your strengths and be aware of your weakness.  Focus on the strengths and simply be aware where you are weak.  Nobody is great at everything, professionals excel in certain areas and so should you.  Stop panicking and trying to learn the areas you can't understand.  Simply work tirelessly on what you are good at.

Henry Ford, was once put on trial and asked several simple questions to see how intelligent he was.  After a series of questions he could not answer, he simply explained that if he wanted the answers to these questions, he could simply press a button and have the answers given to him by someone who would know the answer. Today we have Google :-)

Today's action:

In your journal or on a piece of paper write out 5 things your are great at.  This can be in your career, hobbies, etc...Anything your good at.  Now ask yourself, can these serve me any purpose, if yes figure out how to develop them more.
If you cannot figure out what you are great at, look to your boss, family members or even close friends.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

The healing process

Do you remember a time when you scrapped your knee or broke a limb growing up?
What happen once you hurt yourself?  Most of us put a bandage on or got a cast and then the healing began.  I'm sure you've heard during the healing process to rest and not pick at your wounds or they won't heal properly.
Your mind is the same thing, when you are down and out and have suffered a failure or a loss you must learn to rest, not pick at the emotional wounds or YOU will not heal properly.  Many people look to others for healing, yet people around you are meant to only act as doctors.  They put a cast or bandage on you, then YOU must heal yourself no one can heal for you.  A friend can pick you up if you fall down but you need to get back on your own two feet.
We can turn to people to ease our pain, yet think of people like as "painkillers", sure friends and family ease the pain but if we rely on them whenever we think there is pain then we become addicted.  And I'm sure you know someone who is addicted to painkillers, it's not a pretty sight.

Here is your prescription-
Stop picking at the emotional wounds, the more you analyze your pain the less it heals.
Use friends and family for comfort, use time for healing from a large blow.  You must heal yourself and get back on your own two feet.  And when you forget this, think back when you were young and scrapped your knee.
It hurt and didn't look very nice but when you took care of it, healing began and the scars were minimal.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

The security guard and the vault

How often have you strained yourself looking for a solution?  Then out of the blue, like a flash of light an idea comes to you out of nowhere that seems like the best solution to your problem.

You must to stop thinking about the problem to come up with the solution.  A strange concept but it's been used by some of the greatest thinkers of all time.
Thomas Edison the great inventor, was very well known for taking naps when he could not find the ideas he was looking for.  When he would wake up, he often had the idea magically in his head. Was it because he was to tired to think?  Possibly, but let me show you why this worked for Mr. Edison.

We've been blessed with two parts to our mind, conscious and subconscious.  We use the conscious mind when we are awake.  It's the type of thinking you reason with (the tiny voice in your head).  You also have the subconscious mind, this holds your habits, memories and hidden ideas.  You don't think with this part yet it's extremely important to help you reach the top of your game.
Think of your conscious mind like a security guard and your subconscious like a bank volt.  The bank volt holds all the valuable ideas but you have a fast talking security guard (the conscious mind) that does not always allow you to access the volt, you must wait till he isn't paying attention or sleeping.  When this happens you can access some pretty cool stuff from the bank vault.

When you are doing your least amount of thinking, things pop in your head.  This is why you need to carry a pen and a tiny note book.  Always write down your ideas, because as fast as a great idea comes to you it can leave your head just as quickly.  Getting these great ideas on paper will help you think more clearly.  The next step is putting those ideas into action.  This part is all up to you.

The next time you sit down at the kitchen table or in a meeting and you rip your hair out trying to think of some great ideas, write down your problem and let your subconscious do all the work while you put your little security guard on a lunch break.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Motivating

One of the greatest feelings in the world is when you motivate someone to make a change.  It's a great feeling that really can't be beat.

We often motivate ourselves to do better and when someone sees our improvement, they often turn to us for a little help.  Here are a few tips when motivating people to be great.

1.  Be an example.  It's difficult to get someone to do something if you can't do it yourself.

2.  Catch people doing the right thing.  It's very easy to catch people doing wrong, yet when someone finally hears they are doing the right thing it can dramatically change their self esteem.

3. If you are motivating someone individually, find out what makes them tick. 
a. Everybody is motivated by something different.  No two people are motivated the same.
b. Some people need to be reassured every hour while some people only need you to check in once a week.
c. Try and link metaphors to something they enjoy.  If someone loves sports, make sure to incorporate what you are trying to get them to understand to sports.

Not everybody can be motivated at the same speed.  And understand, nobody will make a change unless they are ready. Deep down everybody wants to make a  change and you may be the person that helps bring out their potential.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Why are the basics so hard?

Up to this point in your life you have begun many little life projects like careers, relationships, hobbies, education and the list goes on forever. Many times in your life you have also decided the projects you've started are not exactly what you wanted, so you decided to stop doing them. 

You may have come to realize that things got to difficult, boring or even annoying.  Guess what, everything in your life becomes a little dull.  This is why we need to spice things up, shake it up and constantly be learning.

One day when I was in my local book store, I came across a book on math that was related to business.  I decided this was totally for me, this was a very advanced method I was going to learn in one week.  After 2 days, I put the book down out of frustration.  You see, I had never really been that great at math.  I fluked it all through high school, I just wasn't interested at the time in this subject and I never learned the basics.  Maybe if I had learned the basics and paid attention to what I was being taught I could have learned the more advanced stuff  when I wanted to learn.

Isn't this what we all want, we want the best things first without having a clue about the basics.  Some great examples are:

We want to be promoted without understanding the basics of the job.
We want better relationships without even understanding how to respect our loved ones.
We want lots of money without understanding how to save and invest.
We want to live in another city without understanding how to enjoy where we live at the present time.
We want bigger homes without even taking care of the one we presently live in.

The list could go on forever, we always want bigger and better without understanding the basics.
Life is kind of like a video game, there are levels you must conquer before moving on to the more difficult levels.  If you start at the most difficult level of the game you are sure to fail and get frustrated.

Do yourself and the people around you a favor, learn the basics of where you are in life.  This way you can move up to the next level.  Also understand why you want to move up to bigger and better things, be honest with yourself.  If you say you will be happier you must realize that emotions like sadness, loneliness and anger still live at the top levels.  Success should mean being happy where you are in life and always striving to be greater and have purpose.  Sitting and waiting does nothing for you.  If you believe people or situations will change magically you may be waiting in boredom for a very long time, you must make adjustment so the world around you adjusts to your needs.

Today's action:

Look at your life and learn where you can improve in the following areas:

Health
Career
Relationships
Finances
Education
Rest and relaxation
Hobbies

Always try and improve, don't run when things get more difficult.  I can't tell you how to improve, life is a learning lesson.  What works for me won't work for you.  Nobody has all the answers we just need to try and achieve the best at every level. 

Stay motivated
Shane C.

The scary list

Here is a list of uncomfortable tasks, make an attempt to do at least one in the next 7 days.  This will require courage, this list is filled with acts that are not meant for the weak.  Do you consider yourself weak?

You have till Sunday to complete as many of these as possible.

1.  Ask for a raise
2.  Do something totally spontaneous for your significant other. (something you've never tried)
3.  Finish 300 push ups in seven days
4.  Write someone a thank you note that you have never thanked before.
5.  Let a teenager know they have talent.
6.  Change your hair colour to something very different than what you are use to.
7.  Call someone you have not spoken to in minimum of one year.
8.  Paint a room in your home a drastic colour.
9.  For no reason what so ever leave a service person a $5 tip without using there service.
10. If you are not vegetarian, eat only vegetarian for one entire day.

At first reading of this list your mind automatically rejects each task. Prove your mind wrong and complete as many as you can.  The fantastic thing about the tasks on the list is some people do these tasks daily without giving it a second thought

Stay motivated
Shane C.

How to focus

Have you ever wondered why the worry of bills not being paid keeps you up all night? And why is it when you want to make more money you lose focus so quickly?  It's one thing and this one thing changes your whole world when it comes to focus.  It's "emotion".

Let's look at when you run out of money and can't pay the bills, you become scared and being scared is an emotion related to fear. Your mind become clouded and the emotion runs your every move.
"Control your emotions, don't let your emotions control you".  We all have the ability to control our emotions but it's not an overnight thing.  I think we just forget about it.  The more you educate yourself about the subject of emotional control the better you will become.

What emotion do you need to succeed?  You need a more positive emotion like desire.  If you don't have intense burning desire for what you want you will never attain it.  Luke warm desire can't even do, you need the burning desire to want something so bad you are willing to do almost anything to achieve it.

Now if you don't know how to achieve desire you need to do today's exercise.

Today's exercise:

In your life you have achieved certain things because you had emotion linked to them what did you achieve because you felt:

-DESIRE
-LOVE
-FEAR
-DISGUST
-EXCITEMENT

Once you've figured out what you achieved using these emotions, try and feel that same emotion to see exactly how it feels.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

3 questions to think about

To succeed and get to the top there will be areas that need to cleaned up in your personal life.

Go ahead and answer these question truthfully to yourself. 

1. Who among your acquaintances
a. Encourages you the most
b. Cautions you the most
c. Discourages you the most

2. Every 24 hours, how much time do you devote to
a. Occupation
b. Sleep
c. Recreation and play
d. Educating yourself
e. Wasting time

3. How do YOU determine who is helpful to you and who is damaging?

Answering these 3 questions can really bring out truths you never thought of before.  I don't really care what your answers are, yet if you can't be truthful to yourself with your answers who will you be honest with?

Stay motivated
Shane C.

The long hallway towards your goal

Today's blog will describe a long hallway, think of this hallway as the journey on the way to your goal.

Imagine a very long hallway with pictures hung up every few feet.  In these pictures, some have beautiful images like nature scenes, people having good times and images of warm cottages in winter.
Then on other pictures there are disturbing images such as sadness, destruction and loneliness.

Your job is to walk down this long hallway with your eyes open, you have options on exactly what you can look at.  Some will look at the the nice pictures while others tend to focus on the gruesome pictures.  The people who focus their minds only on the bad, fill their heads up with negativity for whole journey down the hallway.  To make matters worse, once they get to the end of the hallway all they want to do is tell everybody about how bad the journey was.

There is one entirely new way to look at this, you keep your eyes on the end of the hallway (where you are going), don't even bother paying attention to the pictures.  Be aware there is good and bad around you and keep moving forward.  Getting sidetracked by the scenery will slow you down.  Especially if you focus on those "bad pictures".

When working towards your goal, you will encounter good and bad around you.

What are bad pictures?
-NEGATIVE PEOPLE
-NEGATIVE TELEVISION AND MOVIES
-NEGATIVE CONVERSATIONS

These are things you should learn to avoid, and if you cannot avoid them, just listen and continue striving towards your goal.


Stay motivated
Shane C.

I'm going to shake up your routine! Ready?

Tired of your normal old days?

I dare you today to try something totally new.  Today is the day you shake things up.  You will see how uncomfterble it will be to do something as simple as ordering a different drink from Starbucks. 

Here is your schedule for trying new things today.  They do not need to be big things, you are only making minor changes to your routine. Do you always take the same route to work?  Try a new one. 

Here is a basic schedule:
 Getting dressed
- Get dressed in a whole new way.  If you usually put on your shirt first, put your pants on first or vice versa.

Before lunch
- Say hello to someone who would not expect it.

Lunch
- Order something different.

Afterr Lunch
-Try something totally radical (go ahead and pick something).

After work
-Watch a different show on TV that you never watched before.

Doing these tiny things will make you very uncomfortable to even think about. Doing this gets you ready for more changes to get you in a better frame of mind for tomorrow.  Once you have conquered these small tasks you will be satisfied to know you can try different things on a more regular basis.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

What do Seinfeld and Disney have in common?

Have you ever been tired tyring to reach the top?

If you said yes, this is a good thing.  Most people work so hard on their dreams only to find themselves tired and wanting to give up that they wonder "what's the use?".
This is only a test, life throws tests at you all the time.  When things are going great, you never want to give up.  The true test is when you get tired, and when your tired it's time to decide you are never giving up.
Every great success wanted to give up at one time in their lives, lets' look at Walt Disney-

Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn't last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.

I'm sure at some point Walt wanted to quit, can you imagine if he did?  Your childhood would never have been the same.  You would have never been introduced to characters like Donlad Duck and Mickey Mouse.  You would have never gotten to go to Walt Disney World either.  If you've never been there put it on your goal list it's amazing!

If you never wanted to give up on your way to your dream, your aiming much to low. Dream big, you have it in you to succeed.

Jerry Seinfeld is another person that probably wanted to quit, can you imagine if he did.
The first time the young comedian walked on stage, he looked out at the audience, froze and was eventually jeered and booed off of the stage. Seinfeld knew he could do it, so he went back the next night, completed his set to laughter and applause, and the rest is history. 
Most of us would have hidden and never tried again.  But now most of us can quote any Seinfield episode. 

Jerry has determination and so should you.  Realize you are tired and strained from trying to reach your goal.  This is the point when others quit and walk away.  If you quit and start walking away you will never know if you could be the greatest the world has ever seen.

Today's action:

1.  Stop looking at the big picture, it's much to overwhelming.
2.  Look only at what you can do day by day.  Your don't have the mental or physical strength to do more than 24 hours at a time.
3.  Know what direction you are headed.  All you need is to know where you want to go.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Coolest things about you

Have you forgotten how awesome you are lately?  When you are feeling a little down about yourself, it can be difficult to stay motivated to do your best.
The little voice in our head (conscious mind), sometimes tells us we can't and we shouldn't.  Let's shut that voice up and I will remind you of a few things you forgot about yourself.

Write this list down and carry it with you if need to.

1. Your mind holds one idea that can change the world. 
2. You can make someone smile instantly.
3. Someone finds you attractive.
4. Someone loves you.
5. There is one thing you can do better that most people.
6. You can write something down that someone would love to read.
7. You can teach something to someone.
8. Your laughter can make someone else laugh.
9.  Someone would love to have a conversation with you, they are just to nervous to approach you.

Next time you feel insignificant, look at this list. 

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Good routine

We are all creatures of habit, it's a proven fact.  Now think how great you can become by introducing better habits into your day.

A man named Darren Hardy coined this term in a book called the "COMPOUND EFFECT".  It's called  "Bookends",  what you do at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day.  You need to come up with 2-3 constructive habits that you must start doing every morning upon awaking and 2-3 more before bed.

I'm not sure exactly what your morning routine is, but tell me if this sounds a little better than your present routine.

1. Wake up and think of 3 things you are grateful for before leaving your bed.
2.  Meditate for 10 minutes
3.  Learn a new word.

Now at bed time tell me if this sounds better than your present routine.

1.  Read something inspirational for 15-30 minutes.
2.  Write down a goal for the following day.
3.  Think of 3 things that made you happy during the day.

This was only an example, and you should come up with different ideas if you do not like the ones given.  I can tell you one thing for sure if you replace watching the news or reading the paper first thing in the morning you will have a more productive day ahead of you.  If YOU don't change your routine there will be no room to change your present life. Give it a try, for 2 weeks and let me know how you feel.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Things are not as they seem

Have you ever said the words "this is to good to be true"?

Things are good for a reason, it's because you see them as good.  The same goes for seeing things as bad.  It's all about how you perceive things to be.

When you set your mind out to find something it can quickly spot it because your mind finds what it seeks.  This may be the reason why you feel things always go wrong, it's because you're expect it.  You look for the case worst scenarios and as soon as something slightly negative happens, you put all your focus towards that.
I think we may all be guilty of doing this, but understanding the principle is the first step in quitting this disgusting habit.

What you look at as negative, I may look at as a total positive. Let me give you an example.

In sales, when a customer says "no" to what I am selling them.  I look at this as an opportunity to ask questions and get them to buy more.  I realize "no" is only a defense mechanism, people have programed themselves to say "no" to salespeople.  The sale always begins at "no".
I've trained many people who automatically give up as soon as a customer refuses to buy. They look at "no" as a total negative  They just haven't learned the sales process yet. 

One person sees opportunity while one sees disaster.

Today's action:

1.  If your having a great day and everything is going your way, come to realize there is no such thing as "good" or "bad".

2.  It may take awhile to understand this principle, if you are going through a tuff time, things always seem to get better.  You'll see!

3.  If there is someone you look up to, ask yourself "How would they look at this situation?".  I look up to a man named Brian Tracy, I often ask myself  "What would Brian Tracy do?".

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Top 10 movies that make want to try!

Sometimes you just need to sit down and watch something to get your motor started again.  Recharge your battery with a list of 10 highly inspirational movies that are guaranteed to get you pumped towards your goal.

1. RUDY- A movie about total persistence, never quitting no matter you are told.

2.  THE KARATE KID (original)- If you can't get inspired by this, sorry you can't be helped.
3. PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS- A movie about hitting rock bottom and proving challenges and persistence pay off in the end.  Never quit and work harder than everybody else.

4. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMTION-  Watch this if you want to know how satisfying it will be to enjoy the rewards for all your hard work.

5. THE BUCKET LIST- To me, it's far fetched, but the concept is not.  Make a list of goals and go after them. 

6. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS- Alec Baldwin's speech to the salespeman, need I say more.

7. THE GREEN MILE- You may be a bit strange, but you have something to offer.

8. DANGEROUS MINDS- Watching this you want everyone to succeed.

9. ROCKY movies- Watch a rocky movie, need I say more.9. THE KARATE KID (original)- If you can't get inspired by this, sorry you can't be helped.

10. PATCH ADAMS- This movie is about the focusing on solution not problems.

This is my top 10 list, I know everybody will ask why I don't have BRAVEHEART, I still haven't seen it that's why :-)

I want to know which are your top movies that inspire and why.  Leave your list in the comments below.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Just like riding a bike

Do you remember the first time you learned to ride a bike?  It was awesome, you woke up one morning not knowing how to ride and by the end of the day you conquered something totally new.

Why is it so easy to conquer all kinds of skills when you are younger?  It's because you had a burning desire to do them.  If you really want to do something, you can.  Just don't give up, give yourself sufficient amount of time.  Our brain is filled with the ability to learn skills, you have proven this to yourself many times in life.  Just get past the fear of criticism and your going to do it. 
Today's action:

1.  Go into your positive state and figure out 5 things you learned to do in life.  Walking, talking and riding a bike are all things we didn't know how to do at one time.  What are some other things?

2.  What have you been wanting to try?

3.  Just start trying.

Stay motivated
Shane C.

One time to be lazy

There will come a time when you start to get better at what you are doing.  Getting arrogant, and dropping routines is the beginning of the end.  Always stick to your plan.

We always love to test boundaries, we like seeing how far we can get without suffering any consequences.  I see this often when selling weight loss supplements.  Customers come in complaining the weight just won't come off.  They always claim they do everything correctly, although when I lay down the basic weight loss rules and ask more in depth questions, I find out they tested to many boundaries.  A cheat meal here, a missed workout there and a lack of water.  All these little things  add up to colossal failure in the end. 
Ask yourself this, how much fiber did you eat today?  It is very important to take in extra fiber, yet  most people come up with excuses why they don't.
"It's too hard"
                                  "I don't like it"
                                  "It makes me feel uncomfortable"
These types of excuses are the same when it comes to eating fiber or going the extra mile at work.  All excuses are the same!

It's time to start paying more attention to what you are leaving out on your way to your goal. 
This goes for weight loss goals all the way up to career goals, it applies to every kind.  Pay attention to everything you do.
All goals have natural laws you must follow, no shortcuts.  Stick to your plan, write it down and review your actions offend.  This way you can see where it is your going wrong.  Small mistakes made over and over lead to failure.  If you can prevent yourself from obvious failure it's a wise move.

If you allow yourself to be a little lazy. leave it to one day per week only.  Habits take 21 days to develop if in that 21 days you go off course, you must start another 3 weeks of this habit building.  So be cautious, your time is precious. 

Stay motivated
Shane C.

Think!

What makes one athlete better than an other?  It could be genetics, yet at a highly competitive level it comes down to preparation.  The nutritious food they put in their bodies, the rest and mental preparation and the constant amount of practice.   All this work can make them better by only a fraction of a second!   
The same goes for reaching your goals in life, prepare for every situation that could arise so you can have a clear train of thought when a difficult decision needs to be made.

This week I was faced with a confrontation, someone was very upset and out of anger started attacking my personality, morals and work ethic.  There was a time when I would have lashed out at that person, yet with some training I've been doing in conflict resolution, I listened and asked questions instead.  I put myself in their shoes and came up with a solution to the problem.  A year ago I would have left that situation with high blood pressure and both of us would have left the room a lot more angry than when we started speaking.  The preparation I took in case of this situation really paid off in the end.  I am extremely grateful for the time I took to learn a new skill.

Just because you are not faced with the issues daily, it's a fantastic idea to prepare for every possible problem that could come up on your way to reaching your goal.  Looking at the negatives is not a great way to reach your goals, yet you must be aware of some set backs that you could run into and figure out what you should do if they arise.

Today's action:

1.  Find 3 of your most common challenges you face towards you goal.

2.  Learn and practice what you could do if it happens. (Remember fire drills in school, same thing)

3.  Keep your focus on solutions not problems.


Stay motivated
Shane C.

Why people throw out the instructions

Has it ever seemed like you hit the lowest point in life where all you wanted was the answer to solve your problems?

Well I have amazing news for you!  The answers are out there, and most of the time they are free of charge.  You can simply GOOGLE a question and get the answers on exactly what steps need to be taken. You can even ask someone who has been through the same problem as you or you could simply read a book that holds the answers to your problem.  Most books are written by experts on the subjects they write.
This is fantastic news!!

But.....
It seems once we have the solution to a complicated problems, we automatically reject the concept from our mind or worse, procrastinate the solution.   As humans we always think we can re-invent the wheel.  We never seem to follow great advice from the right people. On the other hand, we tend to quickly  find every problem that could lie in successful solutions.  We always think there is an easier way. If there were really easy solutions, problems would not exist.
A fantastic example is in a book I read last year called BILLIONAIRE SECRET TO SUCCESS.  It is written by Bill Bartmann- http://www.billbartmann.com/- This man is totally self made, he went from poor to rich to poverty in the end becoming a billionaire.  What I like about this book is that he explains the mind set you must have and solutions to all kinds of problems.  Then, 1/4 of the book is written activity that YOU must complete.  How many people do you think take the time to follow Bill's advice?  How many people do you think fill out the written assignment?  The answer, not many and I'm one of them. I was reviewing the book and nothing was filled out...Oops!  I can imagine how far I could have been  ahead right now if only I would have put in that work.  This really made me think, I must put in the work, and it will pay off. 

Why don't you make the efforts in life to follow advice from mentors and role models.  They know what they are talking about.  They are successful because they put in the work, and they want to see you succeed.  You must succeed or at least put in effort, the effort you put in will be worth it more than the regret you will feel for not trying.

Today's action:

Google a problem you are having, then when a reliable source gives you the solution go ahead and do what they tell you to.  I think at this point in your life you will be mature enough to know the difference between good advice and bad advice.  If Google proves to be the wrong avenue for you, go buy a book with your next paycheck and read it.
 
This is good advice go ahead and do it.

Stay motivated
Shane C.