Starting Over - Day by Day

On this Valentine's Day I am reminded that my mom and my wife had at least one thing in common, they both love feel-good, happy-ending, Hallmark movie classics. One of my mom's favorites was the Anne of Green Gables series and I always remember her quoting Anne, "today is new and fresh with no mistakes in it."

As I begin this beautiful Valentine's Day morning I am reminded that I have been given stewardship over today. I have more than my share of mistakes and failures in days past and I have an almost limitless number of opportunities for the future. Just for today I have the chance to live life to the fullest, to accomplish great things, the opportunity to change a life, help a friend, or just spend that important time with family that I so often neglect.

Chances are there will still be things that slip through my grasp today. Tasks, goals or objectives that go unfinished, opportunities that might be missed, or stupid mistakes made along the way. The beauty is that tomorrow I get to start over once again.

All too often we let the failures of yesterday have a negative impact on our ability to pursue our goals today. Here are a few simple rules to start each day "fresh and new with no mistakes in it."

• Ask God for forgiveness - then forgive yourself. Don't allow Satan to hold you hostage because of past sins.
• Make reconciliation with those you are at odds with. Most of our differences can be resolved if we humbly seek to pursue the path of peace.
• Pick a goal or objective that has been sitting idle and get busy. If you want to write a book, write a few pages today. If you want to lose weight, cut back on your calories.
• Take small steps each day. You don't accomplish most of your goals all at once - take small steps and it will amaze you how quickly you will make progress.

God has given you a fresh lease on life today - take advantage of it.

When did you say . . .

"So when did you say you were going to get around to that?"  Someday I am going to live in a house on a beach in Belize. Someday I want to travel and see all the countries of the world. Someday I . . .

We do a lot of talking when we should be doing a lot of living. Don't misunderstand, you can't live an untethered life without a plan. You have to put some money away. You have to know  how you are going to sustain the lifestyle you want. You have to be assertive in achieving your goals.

I turned 50 this year I realized I am not where I want to be in a lot of areas. There are things I should have accomplished by now, books that should be written, speeches I wish I would have made, people that I should be close to. This is not a "woe is me" laundry list of unfinished dreams, but a reminder to get after it.

When did you say you are going to get around to that - TODAY! Today I will take significant steps towards fulfilling some of those dreams. I will move closer to my goals. I will accomplish something tangible that reminds me I am moving in the right direction.

How about you?

Turn Right

Each decision you make today will take you closer to your goals or further from them. That is not particularly profound, but it is true. When I get up each morning, I go through a simple exercise - I make a list of things I need to accomplish that will take me closer to my goals.

Each day is filled with decisions that will take you closer to where we want to be or farther from your dreams. Do I turn right, or left when I come to a fork in the road? Let me give you a simple example from this week. About a week ago I bought a couple of Kit Kat candy bars. I ate one and left the other in the fridge at work. Over the weekend I decided it was time to get serious about my eating habits and get back to the gym. This morning I went to the fridge to get a bottled water (that I spike with Hydroxycut) and staring at me was the abandoned Kit Kat bar. A simple decision right - eat it and move further from my goals, give it to a co-worker and move closer to my goals (not that it helped their diet any). Fortunately I also had 100 calorie Slim Fast bars in my drawer making my decision easier.

Making a series of small, but RIGHT decisions makes an impact. Here is a list of decisions I made this week to move closer to some of my goals:

1. I opened an Amazon resllers account so I can sell some old books gathering dust (made $32.50 the first day). I also plan to sell fundraising guides designed for the Kindle Reader.
2. I added three new books to my personal development list to read and started the first one.
3. I ordered P90X to suppliment my workouts (or as I  understand - it becomes the workout).
4. I didn't eat that candy bar today and gave it away so I wouldn't be tempted.
5. After this blog I will return to writing the first fundraising guide designed for high school bands, sports teams, or any agency needing to raise a few hundred to a few thousand dollars (as a group or individually).

How about you? Are your decisions moving you closer, or further from your goals.

Living Vicariously

When I walked into my office this morning, the buzz among all the women was about the Bachelor, tomorrow it will what happened on American Idol and next week it will be whatever scandal was uncovered by the National Enquirer.

Why is the United States so consumed with "reality" television. I fear it is because most of us have surrendered. We quit pursuing our dreams and have become content in living vicariously through a 42 inch flat panel screen.

I love the Olympics - especially the back-stories of hope and inspiration. I was transfixed as the United States Hockey Team held off Canada for an amazing win on Sunday evening. Its not the Bachelor, or American Idol, but I was still living vicariously through my national pride, through my passion for sports - all the while sitting on the sofa accomplishing nothing of real value.

Our problem in America isn't selecting a television show we love and following it, or the occasionaly guilty pleasure of looking through the shades at how others live (or pretend to live). The problem is that it has become a national epidemic. I get home from work and my personal operation system defaults to ESPN.

I have set some ambitioius goals for 2010, but they will never be accomplished if I spend 15 - 20 hours a week in front of a television set. I want to live the life for myself, not through some emotional connection to a bachelor, or athelete or adventures show contestant.

So how about joining me in devoting at least one hour a day to personal development, to pursuing your goals, to living your dreams. Let others live vicariously through your successes. As a friend of mine says at the bottom of all his emails - "Be the weapon and not the meal."

Find something to do.

"Big jobs usually go to the men who have the ability to outgrow the small ones." Teddy Roosevelt

I still remember my first real job. I was doing grunt work at a food plant where my dad worked. One day after lunch I was sitting on a loading dock waiting for my boss to come tell me what to do next when I heard a loud, gruff voice shout out, "Get off your ____ and find something to do." My father wasn't particularly gentle when it came to crossing certain lines of expectation.

I hate to hear people whine about how bad life is (especially when they are sitting around doing nothing). I am not a fan of the social welfare system, or any system that gives people something they are perfectly capabale of working for.

Everyone wants the executive office, the promotion, or they have the next great idea that will change the way we slice bread, but so few people are willing to take responsibility for their dreams. You want to live your dream, you want to have an exceptional life - then get up and find something to do. Take at least one practical step in the direction of your dreams. Still struggling? Here are a few ideas:

1. Take 10 minutes today to write down your dreams.
2. Make a list of some of the things it will take to reach your dreams.
3. Accomplish at least one small item on that list. It may be as simple as avoiding Starbucks and putting that $5.00 in a savings account.

If you truly want to succeed, you need to take charge of today. You are the one who can make it happen.

This time you can!!!

So why do we fail to fulfill our New Year's Resolutions. There are a couple of reasons:

1. We tend to make our resolutions rashly. An hour before midnight someone hands us a slip of paper and we right down next year's resolutions. I am going to quit smoking, lose weight, increase my income. All worthy goals, but they are empty promises we make to ourselves. Mary Kay Ash (MaryKay Cosmetics) says "A goal is a dream with a deadline."
2. We lack focus! We can make a laundry list of all things we hope to do, or we can choose one or two very specific items that we are determined to accomplish. I have a good friend who looks over his business at the end of every year and implements a very simple, but effective plan. First, he cuts the 20% of things he is doing that are the most unproductive and uses that energy to apply towards new projects he wants to purse.

So here is my simple approach to succeeding this year and using that success as a springboard for a more productive life.

• Identify the single most important thing you want to accomplish this year. Attack it with reckless abandon and don't rest till it is done. If you want to lose 20 lbs. make it a priority in everything you do. If you can't resist buttered popcorn at the movies - don't go to the movies till you lose the 20 lbs. A single-minded approach will help us to avoid the detours and justifications that keep us from reaching our goals.
• Remind yourself of the impact that attaining that one goal will have. Success breeds success. Achieve that goal and you will be ready to tackle the next one with the same fire in your belly. When you feel like giving up - remember your approach to this one thing will affect every avenue of your life. If you succeed, you will be ready for the next challenge, if you surrender - you will be less motivated for future goals.

The only thing that can stop you from succeeding is you. Whether it is food, finances, or professional goals - you are in control. You have to take the wheel and make things happen. Don't fall into the blame game, don't look for a scapegoat, take responsibility and make it happen.