Do This Instead of Setting Goals Do you still dream of what you will be when you grow up?   Do visions still keep popping into your head?   Is there a mission that seems to be calling you? What’s your BAM?   What’s your BIG - AWESOME - MOTIVATING - MISSION? What gives you pleasant dreams and a feeling of happiness? What scares yet excites you? What makes you smile and say, “If I could only get myself to…” Stand up? Take a step? Repeat? There’s no need to wait. You can start right now. Really! Right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focusing on Your Twenty Percent If you’re like many folks, you have so much on your plate that it’s challenging to keep up— forget about moving closer to your goal.  There’s good news: you are not alone. Everyone lives according to the 80/20 rule, which almost everybody has heard about. The Pareto Principle states that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of all causes of any event. However, to get what you want in life, there is a slight twist to the equation that says, 80% of the things you focus on have nothing to do with what you ultimately want. They are simply the busyness of life. 20% of the things you focus on in your life have everything to do with getting what you want and will yield the most significant return for your efforts. When you eliminate, delegate, or ignore the 80% and hyper-focus on the 20%, the math changes, and suddenly, you are living your best life 100% of the time. Focusing on your best 20% changes everything. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Using Natural Law to Be Your Best Personal growth is a journey. It can be a lot of work. It’s also more fun to follow the rules of ‘Natural Law.’ 1) The Law of Vibration states that thoughts are things. They are one of the most potent forms of energy. What you think about, you bring about. Pay attention to your thoughts. 2) According to the Law of Polarity, nothing exists without an opposite. Love, hate, hot, cold, yin, and yang. Opposites are different forms of the same thing. Embrace them. 3) The Law of Rhythm states life is a pendulum. What swings left must swing right.   4) Every effect must have a cause; every cause must have an effect. That’s the Law of Cause and Effect. Everything in life is perpetual and never-ending. You can speed up your success by understanding how these always-present forces are at work in your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Desire Comes From Their Desire Not a day passes by without someone asking, "How do I get another person to help me get what I want?" Persuading others is one key to getting what you want in life—and here's a big secret: It's NOT about you! You'll get what you want faster by focusing on how you can help others solve their problem - and "Ladder of Desire." This is how it works: 1) Most folks lecture others. That's a low level of communication and rarely builds a real connection. 2) A more practical solution is to show others the way and explain how to solve their problem.  3) The most potent way is to offer to take care of their dilemma. That is the top rung of the 'Ladder of Desire.' Everybody wants their problems to disappear. Make that happen, and you'll be a Hero! When you follow this approach, you make friends, prove your value, and are more likely to have your favor returned. Do good first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Next Week Begins This Week I have a saying - “Next year begins THIS year. Next month begins THIS month. Next week begins THIS week.” If you want to stay on track, accomplish your goals, and enjoy life more - you MUST take control of your calendar. It’s easier than you think: 1) Life will come at you FAST! Schedule any significant and can’t-miss life events at least one year in advance. Put it on the calendar and block it out. You can always change your mind. 2) Hold your space. Decide in advance what you will be doing with your days. When will you work on projects? When will you see clients? When will you have fun?  3) Conclude each week by securing your schedule for the next - and adhere to it. Consistency is key.  The future is always brighter when your day-to-day focus fulfills your goals this week. Focus, my friend. Focus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy No Matter What Would you like to be happy every day of the week?  Maybe it's time to start thinking like a happy person. There's no magic to being happier. Rose-colored glasses are not required. Just start looking at your day-to-day life the way a happy person does. Give this a try: 1) Accept that merely being alive means encountering occasional challenges. 2) Realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege that comes with being alive. 3) Welcome frustration. That means that you are not satisfied and are beginning to make adjustments. 4) Accept responsibility for solving your challenges. Run forward and fix them as soon as possible. 5) Deal with everything that life throws at you. Get a great night's sleep. Have another great day tomorrow. It's amazing how that kind of mindset makes most challenges never show up in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prioritize Yourself First If you spend any time listening to me, it won’t take long before you hear me screaming from the top of the mountains to ignore the agenda and propaganda-filled world we live in and focus on yourself.  Here’s the truth... Nobody is thinking about you and what you do. That means you need to pay attention to yourself because everybody else is busy with themselves. Some folks find that way of thinking difficult because society makes you believe you must do what everybody else does to be successful. But lets think about that for a minute. Is everybody more successful than you, or is everybody in the same boat? If you are being honest, you know the answer.  So, who is more successful than you? It’s those crazy people that are out in front leading the masses. You know, the ones who paid attention to what they wanted, ignored what others thought, took action, and convinced everybody else to support them on their mission. Here’s another truth… Like they say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” But never forget, when you think about yourself first, you’ll have more time to think about others too.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hope, Fear, Faith, and Courage Have you ever paid attention to the process that moves you forward - or stops you in your tracks? All change begins with Hope, a feeling of expectation, and a desire for a certain thing to happen. Right after hope comes fear, an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain or a threat. When you commit to making your dreams come true, you move into Faith; you have complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Finally comes Courage, the ability to do something that frightens you. Don't allow yourself to get stuck along the way; your dreams are waiting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop Waiting to Get What You Want I was sitting at the dining room table of a friend. We had been solving the problems of the world in an hours-long conversation when she asked, “What are you talking about on tomorrow's podcast?" When I told her that I hadn't thought about it yet, she said,  "Why don't you talk about why people don't take big chances and stay in their comfort zone for their entire life?" My mind did an instant review of my life and all the areas I had stumbled before I got out of my own way. I also remembered conversations with clients over the years on the topic of life's leaps. Before I could say anything, she said,  "I know what it is. People get so comfortable with what they've built, and they don't want to chance losing it. Their money, their home, they wonder what their family will say?" Is there anything else? "Yes. Everybody gets scared and freezes. I'm like that, but I've learned to push through fear and go for it - as long as I'm mostly sure I won't lose what I've built." We talked a bit more about what it takes to make the changes you want in life and came to three conclusions- When you have a growth mindset and believe that anything is possible, you can do anything. Holding on too tightly to what you have sends the wrong energetic message. When you are willing to expand - you will. Next, as a human, you will never be comfortable gambling on the very thing that allows you to dream. The solid foundation that takes care of your personal needs is the very reason you desire to self-activate. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs taught us that. Your foundation must remain while you expand. Finally, fear will always be present when beginning a new adventure. The cure is knowledge. When you know what you have, see your path forward, and have prepared as much as possible for your journey, you will find yourself willing to go for it. Anything is possible when you protect your foundation, respect the challenge, and honor the dreams that are whispering to your soul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are Good Intentions Enough? Do you get out of bed every day, plant your feet on the ground, and start getting things done?  Do you do it with intention? If you take a minute, you’ll notice the happiest, most successful, and content people live a life of intention. But having an intention is not a magical force reserved for the special few. It implies little more than what you plan to bring about in your life - something I was about to do. In the months after meeting my future wife, I realized an intention was emerging in my mind. With every passing day, that intention transformed into a goal. Soon, I had a plan along with a timeline. I became obsessed and was on a mission to succeed.  I had, as they say, “Good intentions.”  But more than good intentions is needed to get what you want. In my case, I knew where I was heading; Joi was only beginning to understand what was on my mind. That’s when she asked - “So, Mr. Smith. What are your intentions, exactly?” Without missing a beat, I said - “My intentions are simple. I will do everything possible to get you to fall in love, marry me, and spend the rest of our lives together.” Her jaw dropped. She smiled, took a sip of wine, and said - “Well, we’ll keep going and see what happens.” What? We’ll see how things go! I already know where this is going. Why do we need to wait? I know my intention, and I’m to get it! Of course, I didn’t say any of that to her.  Yes, getting what you want in life requires knowing your intentions. The next step is to transform them into goals and actions. But you and your dreams are not living on an isolated island. If others are involved, you must let them know what you have on your mind. But, because you said your intention, does that mean you will get what you want?  No. It means that you now have a partner in your quest. Your intentions are about to merge, and if all goes well, your actions will create success for everybody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices