Do you see your success?

The question is asked because of its importance. I'm reminded of the child that practices basketball. Every child that plays basketball dreams of taking a last second game winning shot. They setup the situation in their mind and then proceed to count down to the buzzer. They make their moves and then right before the buzzer, they shoot. When they score they are overcomed with the thrill of victory.

It is that situation and feeling that remains in their mind. The feeling of victory is summoned when they have the opportunity to fulfill that dream in a game. When that opportunity comes they already know what to do. They have replayed the situation in their mind a thousand times. Well before they ever played on a organized team. They saw the situation and their success years ago.

To get there took hardwork, dedication and sacrifice. To get to that point took believing in themselves and their teammates. To get there began with seeing that success. They have been countless interviews with athletes after hitting the game winning shot or throwing and catching the game winning pass. In those interviews, they have always said "this is what you dream about".

For anyone that wants to achieve success, you have to see it before it ever happens. See the job you want to get, the promotion you want to receive, the business you want to start, the car you want, the vacation home you want. Capture the feeling of accomplishment you detect when you visualize your success. Think about how you will feel in getting that job, promotion or starting your business. Think about how the breeze will feel when you have the windows down in the car you want or how the sun feels as you sit on the deck of the vacation home you want.

Hold those thoughts and feeling in your mind and keep them in the forefront. This is your picture of success. Do you see it?

Who do you believe in?

This is not a question about religious faith. This is a question that you must answer when you have doubts about yourself. When you have doubts about achieving your goal. When you have doubts about your direction. Who do you believe in? When you had determined in your mind that you were going to pursue a goal, who did you believe in? When you thought about the plan to achieve your goal, who did you believe in? When you started on your journey for your goal, who did you believe in?

So now you may be at a crossroads. So now your plan may not be going the way you had hope. So now you feel it may not happen. Who do you believe in?

If you believed that you could do it in the beginning, what has changed? No one who has achieved success was not first met with failure. Failure is nothing but a stepping stone. It is a part of progression. If you fear to fail than you will not succeed. It is when you have accepted failure as defeat that you have lost. So the question again, who do you believe in?

If you have a strong desire to achieve your goal, then nothing will stand in your way. The only person that can ever stop you is YOU. The only person that can prevent you from achieving your goals is YOU. The only person that can give up on you is YOU. When times get tough you have to dig deep within yourself. When you do that you will find what is the foundation of your future success. When you do that you will find the foundation of your courage, persistence and perseverance. When you do that you will find the foundation for your positive attitude. I could tell you what you will find but more importantly is the answer to the question.

Who do you believe in? Once that is answered, you will then find your foundation.

Invictus

Invictus - By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

When I read this poem, it reinforces the control we have. We control how we deal with situations in our life. We control whether we accept defeat or pursue success. Many have referred to this poem as a point of inspiration, most notably Nelson Mandela.

By believing in yourself, you will persevere through trying moments in your journey to success. You have to believe you will make it through. Your positive attitude will enable you to make it through.  Simply put it is up to you.

Remember:
YOU ARE THE MASTER OF YOUR FATE: YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN OF YOUR SOUL.

Progress is a fuel

Progress is a beautiful process. When you are working towards a goal, the interim milestones are tremendous to your success. As you progress, your confidence grows stronger. You will automatically be more energized. Your enthusiasm will increase. All this is possible when you know what you want to do. All this is possible when you are self-discipline. All this is possible when you have the burning desire to achieve. Motivation is the key but success is up to you! Go forth and progress, you will arrive at your destination.

Imagination and Enthusiasm

If you work for someone or want to work for yourself, two things that will bring you success is imagination and enthusiasm. Imagination sparks your creativity. We tend to call this "thinking outside the box". Imagination in business is not excepting the status quo. Imagination is allowing yourself to explore all options on how things can be done better. Imagination is seeing the impossible be possible. Imagination back with enthusiasm is critical to your success. Enthusiasm gives you the motivation to bring your imagination to life. Enthusiasm helps to create more Imagination. Enthusiasm with Imagination will bring you great achievements. Imagine that and get excited!

Are you a winner?

You have heard the phrase " Winners never quit and Quitters never win". It is simple enough to understand. The question is do you have what it takes to win? Do you have the commitment to stay the course to reach your goal? Do you believe in yourself that you can reach your goal? Are you willing to do all the necessary things that will assist you in achieving your goal? Another phrase you may have heard "when the going gets, tough the tough get going". I'm going to change it to "when the going gets tough, the tough keep going". When things are not going your way, can you keep going? You are on a mission to accomplish a goal. Fifty percent of reaching your goal is all mental: faith, belief, commitment, resolve, perseverance, adaptability, motivation, enthusiasm, etc. The list is infinite. You have to decide in the beginning if what you want is worth the battle. The battle will sometimes be doubt from you. The battle will sometimes be fear from you. The battle will sometimes be discouragement from you. It matters not what others think. It only matters what you believe. You decide if you win or lose. You decide if you quit or finish. You decide your future. You determine your fate. You can do anything you want to do. The only person that sets a limit on you is you. The only person that can stop you is you. The only person that can fail you is you. This is your life. This is your future. This is your goal. This is your time.

State of Mind

How you go depends on how you think. If you think positive, positive things will happen. If you think negative, negative things will happen.You may already be aware of this. Nonetheless,  I know that your state of mind will determine your circumstances. When you are pursuing a goal, the foundation of that pursuit begins with your state of mind. If you believe that you will accomplish your goal, you will. This is not to say that there will be no effort on your part to achieve it. You will have to put forth effort, determination, perseverance, persistence just to name a few. It will be hard work. There will be obstacles and failures but if you want to succeed, you have to believe. Believing that you can do it influences your ability to do what is necessary to achieve your goal. You will look beyond disappointments and focus on being closer to reaching your goal. When you have faith in yourself, you will have the courage to embark on your journey to success. Your state of mind is the beginning and the end of your success. My motto is: "Motivation is the key but Success is up to me!" Your state of mind is equated to "Success is up to me!" Regardless of where you are socioeconomically, changing your state of mind to a positive "can do" thought process will change your life. You will only go as far as you think you will go. Your thoughts will determine where you go. Everything that has been created on this earth began with a thought. Look around you, everything in your current environment began as a thought. The creator, when it was thought of, believed that it could be made. Through planning and hard work, it became a physical reality. You are no different. Think of the person that you want to be and then begin becoming that person. It all begins with your state of mind.

It's all about you

The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own - Benjamin Disraeli

It's all about you. If you read this blog, you want to achieve something in your life. The purpose of the blog is to educate, enlighten and energize. I may provide insight but you have to be open-minded enough to consider it. You have the traits to obtain success inside you. Whether I'm awaking a sleeping giant or energizing your soul, you are ready to accept it. I know this because you take the time to read this blog.  You are on the path to success. Anytime one seeks knowledge, they want to elevate themselves. Continue seeking, evolving and progressing, it's in you to do so. It's all about you! Be great everyday!

To change is to believe

I have often wondered why change is so hard. I understand that people resist change because of the unknowing. The thought of embarking on a path that has not been traveled by you can be frightening yet you know where you want to end the destination. You know where you want to go. They say insanity is repeating the same thing over and over but expecting different results. We call it insanity but is that the result of fear? The fear to change. The fear to take the path not traveled. If you want to be successful, you have to get out of your comfort zone. You have to change. If you want to achieve a goal, you have to change. If you want to fulfill a dream, you have to change. It starts with changing the way you think. You have to believe that you can do it! Change has to start today. I have talked about failure in another post and how it is a step towards success. In order to overcome failures, you have to be able to change. Change is making adjustments. Change is a part of progression. Change is a way of life. When we resist change, we are unsure of ourselves. We don't have the faith in ourselves like we should. You must believe in you! All achievements began in the mind and in the soul. Believe and Change.

X-factor

Everyone has that something that makes them unique. The something that not only sets you apart from others but makes you. Let's call it the X-factor. My x-factor is my unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I'm constantly looking for information about things that interest me. I'm in the library and in the bookstore. I can never get enough of gathering information. The excitement level of learning something new is off the charts.Yet, gaining the knowledge is not all about me. The reason why is not for my own personal gain. It is to be able to give the knowledge to others. To educate, enlighten, energize and empower others to reach their maximum. When I reflect on my past, I realized that is what I have always done. Regardless of what role I have had in my jobs, I have taught others in order that they can succeed. I recognize that being a leader is not directing, it is empowering. For me, my x-factor makes me a better leader, a better person because I refuse to believe I know everything. So what's your X-factor?

Listening as a motivator

The greatest motivational act one person can do for another is to listen - Roy E Moody

 

Often we think that motivation comes from someone giving us words of encouragement through speech or writing. How is it that having someone listen to you is more motivational? When we talk about our goals and dreams, having someone listen is comforting. When we are faced with a problem, having someone listen is supportive. When we are working through a solution, having someone listen is empowering. Listening allows the talker to think about what is he/she is saying. Listening gives the talker the ability to analyze or assess what they are saying. Listening shows the talker that he/she had the answer inside of them along. Listening is powerful. There have been times where someone wanted to talk to me about a situation and what they should do. I would listen and without having said anything, the person would arrive at the solution. More importantly, the sense of confidence that they had after our conversation was energizing. They became motivated to follow through with their decision because of their realization of the solution. As a supervisor, I listen to my people everyday. In some instances, I may not be able to do anything about the situation but listen. What I know though is that by listening to them, they feel motivated to do their best for me because I care enough to listen. I write to motivate you because I cannot listen to you. If I had my choice, I would listen. I love listening! I charge you with motivating someone through listening. I would love to get a report back on the experience! Until next time...

Believe

You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore - Christopher Columbus.

I love this quote because of what it represents. Columbus, as we know, was ridicule for believing that the world was round. He was ostracized for having a belief that was not consistent with others. His desire to set forth on an idea that at the time was radical should be inspirational. How often do you think people are discouraged from pursuing their dreams? I am going to say every moment of the day someone is being told "you can't do that" or "it will never work". When faced with negative support, do you believe in your goal or dream? Do you have the courage to continue to follow your plan in achieving your goal? Perseverance and persistence will never emerge if you first do not believe. Motivation will not help you if you do not believe. You have to have self-esteem. You have to believe in your abilities. You have to believe in yourself. If you don't believe in you then who will? Your confidence has to be as strong as your desire. You have to be able to take the risk. Fear is always present but be not afraid. If you truly desire to reach your goal, believe in you. Believe in you. Courage and every other positive attribute will come to your aid. Believe in you.

Positivity

What does it mean to be a positive thinker? Can you remain, in the face of adversity, positive regardless of the outcome? If you do not know by now, you are what you think. The thoughts that dominate your mind will transfer themselves into your physical reality. I call it self-proclaimed prophesies. If you have negative thoughts then you will be surrounded by negative people and situations. If you have positive thoughts then you will be surrounded by positive people and situations. It is really that simple. You are what you think. The difficulty comes in being able to maintain a positive attitude. There are a couple of ways to maintain a positive attitude. Your first step is through meditation. Take the time to relax yourself and fill your mind with thoughts of happiness, love and joy. Focus your attention on the things in your life that causes those emotions to overcome you. Understand that regardless of what our situation is, we are thankful for something. Command yourself to be filled with positive emotions and thoughts. Do this everyday for at least 30 minutes in a quiet place. Second, recognize what you have control over and what you do not. You may not have control over a situation but you do control on how you deal with the situation. Understanding that as long as you maintain a positive attitude, you will overcome any obstacle. I have experienced trying times in my life. What has been consistent is my positive attitude. My positive attitude will never change. I believe that you will achieve your goals as long as you have a positive outlook. The positive outlook will engage you to think clearly and make adjustments to your plans when necessary. Your positive attitude will bring what you desire. I am positive of that.

Passion

What is your passion in life? This question was posed to me by a friend. I'm passionate about a few things that drives me to do what I do. I love getting knowledge and sharing it with others. I love helping others to fulfill dreams and reach goals. I love problem solving. I love teaching. The question is am I doing those things to make a living. The answer is yes and no. My job as a supervisor involves those passions but yet there is no real satisfaction. My big picture goal in life is to be able to do whatever it is that I want to do. I have always said that whatever you can do for free, that is what you need to do to make a living. I can do my passions for free. I can spend hours researching. I can spend hours sharing what I know to others. I can spend hours teaching. The problem is that I got caught up in the rat race. I pursued goals that may not have necessarily been mine. This is not to say that I'm not happy but I'm not doing what I know I should be doing. What is your passion in life? I decided that I'm going to pursue my passions again. I decided that I have a greater responsibility to others to give. I decided that if I want to achieve my big picture goal, I have to follow my passions. This is why I write. This is why I speak. This is why I coach. My happiness is delivered when I reach one person. My satisfaction is received when I help someone achieve their goal. What is your passion in life? What is it that you could do for free? What brings you happiness? Money is always associated with success. Yet is success defined by how much money you make? Money has allowed some of us to pursue not our passion but money. What is your passion in life?

Luck - continued

So you want to be lucky? When I talk about "being lucky", I'm referring to how we view luck. Typically, we can all think about people who we considered to be lucky (you may be considered lucky). They have a great job, in a great relationship, know this person or that person, you can fill in the blank for why we consider people to be lucky. I don't believe in luck. I believe that everything happens for a reason. If you are reading this blog daily, it is for a reason. I'm writing this daily blog for a reason. Having said that, what I do believe is this definition of Luck that I found years ago. The definition of Luck is Preparation and Opportunity. Have you ever heard that before? The definition for me firmly says that Luck is not by chance. I have some control over what happens to me. I can look back in my life at certain situations. Some would say I was lucky but I would say that I was prepared. Think about this, if there is a goal that you want to achieve applying this simple Luck philosophy will get you there. Once I have laid out for you the Luck Philosophy, you will have a better understanding of just how much control you do have. This is not a dream. This is not a crazy notion. This is real. Stay with me, our next post will breakdown the first component of the Luck Philosophy: Preparation.

Luck

Is there such a thing as Luck? Do you believe that things just happen? If you look up the definition of 'Luck', it  is some unknown force that operates for good or bad regarding someone. So 'Luck' is beyond our control. We have no bearing on what happens so therefore either you have luck or you do not. I don't believe that. First, let me say that I don't believe in Luck. Second, if you want to hold on to the word 'Luck', I have found a definition that will change the way you view 'Luck'. What if I told you that 'Luck' is something that you can control. What if I told you that 'Luck' can be predicted. What if I told you that ultimately you can create your own 'Luck' or at the minimum influence it. Let me be clear: YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR OWN LUCK; YOU CAN INFLUENCE LUCK; YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK. Over the next several posts, we will breakdown what I believe 'Luck' is. We will analyze, have examples and conclude that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LUCK. Sound crazy? I promise you that when I'm done breaking down 'Luck', you will have a new outlook on life. On the next post I will give you the definition I have found (not created by me). We will begin to break it down. Get Ready!

Encourage or Discourage

When we talk about motivation from external sources, encouragement or discouragement to me is the same. It is motivation! To tell me that I can achieve my goal has at least the same weight as to tell me I cannot achieve my goal. Motivation is the key but success is up to me! We discussed how failure is just a step towards success. Failure is motivation. Achieving small goals: motivation. You can achieve whatever it is you want to achieve, Motivation is the key but success is up to me! Motivation is the key but success is up to me! Are you motivated? Are you ready for your journey to success? Are you motivated? Are you ready?

Failure

We have always been taught that failure is not a good thing. Failing is never an option and when you do fail, you are seen as a failure. You will never be successful because you failed. First, let me tell you that failure is a step towards success. For any undertaking, you must have a plan that will guide you to reach your goal. If you fail, that means you need to reassess your plan and begin again. FAILURE IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS. The greatest accomplishments throughout history were the results of numerous failures along the way. Nothing is ever done right the first time. No invention was made the first time. Those people who we say are successful, failed but did not give up. What they did not do as accept failure as defeat. FAILURE IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS. Realize that nothing comes easy and we all know that. If you truly have the burning desire to achieve a particular goal, do it. Prepare a plan and follow the plan. If and when you fail, celebrate! You have just eliminated a plan that will not work to achieve your goal. Now try again, and again and again. Continue until you have eliminated all the ways that will not work and you are then  left with what will work. Embrace failure, it is your friend not your enemy! It is your beginning not your end! It is your guiding light! Failure has been misrepresented and misinterpreted. I'm telling you right now that if you want to achieve a goal, you will at some point fail. I cannot reiterate this enough: CELEBRATE! YOU ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO REACHING YOUR GOAL. Rethink your plan and start off on achieving your goal again. This is your time to reach your potential. Do not be discouraged. Do not be afraid. FAILURE IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS. KEEP STEPPING!!!!!!!!!!

Adaptability

I tend to translate lessons of success from those in the athletic field. Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski became the winningest coach in men's college basketball last night. His adaptability in changing as the game of basketball has changed (began coaching in 1975) is a testament to his greatness as one reporter wrote. Adaptability. Can you adapt? When things change, can you change? To adapt is not giving up on who you are, it is you evolving. Your principles don't change but how you achieve your goals do. Understand that the one who is steadfast on doing things the way they have always done them will not survive. I use survive but this is not about survival, it's about your evolution. It's about recognizing when you have to change. Adapting will always equate to longevity. So I leave you with this question: Are you adapting or being steadfast?

IF

If is the middle word of Life. Our lives revolve around decisions; decisions made or not made. Better yet, choices. You choose to do this and not that. You choose to be with this person. You choose your destiny. Therefore, think about what it is that you want and/or need. Decide what is most important to you. I live with no regrets. Everything that has happened in my life, I would not change. It has made me who I am. No regrets! You can only have no regrets when you are comfortable with the choices or decisions you make. Choose wisely and live free!