Success...One Day At A Time

Oh Come On! That's Not Cricket!

We spent all afternoon and the early evening at a cricket match today...as my brother-in-law needed 32 runs to beat the record for most runs ever scored for his cricket club.

He has been freely scoring runs all season long...and only last week he got a 68 in double-quick time.

All of the family turned out to watch him get the record in the last home game of the season.

You can guess what happened next...

He only got 11 runs!

Still...luckily he has two away games left to get the record.

But...his score was one of the lowest he had achieved during the entire season.

He was the first person to admit that he couldn't quite get into the 'swing of it' today for some reason.

Well...I KNOW the reason.

He 'psyched' himself out of it because he felt under pressure to perform as everyone had turned up especially to share his 'big moment'.

I bet that it's probably happened to you in some form in the past, hasn't it?

It just goes to show how what we think determines whether we succeed at something or not.

What if nobody had turned up...would my brother-in-law have beaten the record?

What if the record was hundreds away...would he have scored more today?

Or...perhaps if he had only need eleven runs...would he have scored less today?

Who knows...but we can certainly agree that had the circumstances been different...he almost certainly would have scored a different amount of runs.

Makes you think, doesn't it...about how powerful our minds really are...and how our thoughts can change our outcomes...despite nothing being different in the 'real' world?

Are YOUR thoughts determining what happens to YOU in that way too?

And Then The Arguments Began...

I hate to admit it...but I've proved myself right! lol

Getting back into this writing-almost-every-day habit after 16 days not doing a thing is a very difficult thing to do!

But...as I am a man who likes to 'walk his talk'...here I am!

Two things struck me from my two weeks away lounging on a sunbed by a swimming pool...

1. I don't need two weeks away any more!

Lesley always used to joke that it took me the first week to 'wind down' from my 9-5 work.

This time...I found that after about five days...I really NEEDED to use my brain!

I read a total of five books whilst I was away...but I realized that, because I have much more freedom during the week to do whatever I like...I don't need a 'break' away from work.

Why?

Well...because to me, work, well, isn't really work. And...therefore I don't really need a long break from it!

Now...I know that you probably aren't in a similar situation as me...but, if you fill as much time as you have control over with what you enjoy doing...then you'll find too that you don't really need a 'rest'.

So...it's only one week at a time in future, that's for sure!

Otherwise I miss trying to write this stuff for too long!

2. Why do people get so 'worked up' about so many things that shouldn't matter?

It's funny watching how people (even from many different countries) can still get stressed...despite not really having anything to get stressed about!

There were arguments, heated discussions...and even outright confrontations about...

- Sunbeds
- Towels
- Splashing
- Adults playing water polo in the childrens' pool
- Lack of cutlery in the restaurant
- Waiting for tables
- The quality (or lack of) of the 'snacks' (we were all-inclusive)
- The heat
- The reception staff
- The variety of the food
- The busyness of the airport
- The time it took to retrieve our baggage back in the UK

All-in-all...it's was quite funny to watch from a detached position like I was as 'mini-crises' evolved almost daily!

People were on holiday...yet were getting worked up about those silly little things that don't even warrant a second thought in my mind these days.

Why do they do it?

It's crazy to see holidays almost ruined over petty little things.

You may say that perhaps I was too laid back to let things like not being able to get a sunbed bother me.

But...

When you look at these sorts of things from the perspective I like to look at life...all I have to say is...

"So What?"

We go through life finding as much of what's wrong as we can...and ignore the fact that sometimes...we haven't got it all that bad!

I've always been a laid-back sort of person...but in the past I would have let a few things 'get to me'...and have an impact on how much I was enjoying my break.

Now...a lot of these holidaymakers would have tales to tell when they returned home...but at the expense of making the most of their break.

And...ultimately...filling their days on vacation with bitterness and anger would hardly constitute what I would call a break!

It makes you wonder what the purpose of all that money and travelling was for!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

"Take Me Out To The Ball game...
Root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame."

My beloved Toronto Blue Jays, back-to-back winners of
the 1992-93 World Series, have fallen on hard times in
more recent years. This is a 'rebuilding' year and
after some promising moments earlier in the season, the
team looks like it is already packing it in. The team
is young and growing. The feeling around here is they
will be back in contention within another year or two.

However, today with the final score of 17-2 (yes, this
was a baseball game!) the fans could have gone home
very upset. But we didn't. In fact, there was more
enthusiasm and cheering in the top of the ninth than
for the entire game combined.

Was it because the fans were GLAD the game was over.

Nope.

You see, there was another 'game-within-a-game' going
on... a special promotion sponsored by a local pizza
chain. The deal was, if the Blue Jay's pitching staff
was able to strike out 7 opposing batters over the nine
innings, every fan would be able to redeem his/her
ticket stubb for a free slice of pizza! And it took
nearly the full nine innings to do it. Very exciting!

So, I was thinking (as I always do) about how this
relates to life. Here's what I came up with:

Has your game plan come upon hard times recently? Are
you in a 'rebuilding' year?

GREAT! You can still go home happy if you look at the
'game-within-the-game' that's going on in your life.

When I was diagnosed with Leukemia, it was a tremendous
wake-up call. At the time, I was 45 years old and I
determined that I wasn't ready to die.

During my 'rebuilding' I was forced to change my crappy
thinking. I took a closer look at my diet and exercise
habits and found they needed a little tinkering as
well.

Five years later, I'm home and happy to report that my
blood tests are virtually back to normal.

It's so easy to look at problems as a 'death sentence';
to get caught up in doom-and-gloom. Just remember,
there's ALWAYS a 'game-within-a-game' going on. You
can still WIN, even when it looks like you are losing.

Who cares if your team lost? Get out there and grab
your pizza slice!

Yummy in Toronto,
Russ

Seeds & Weeds

Your most desired goal MAY only require having faith
the size of a mustard seed to come to fruition.
However, when that seed is planted in a variety of
tough weeds known as the 'ButWhatIf', chances are your
goal will never see the light of day.

Suppose you want to change your financial
circumstances. You may have read someplace that in
order to change current situation, all you have to do
is change the way you THINK and FEEL about them and
opportunities will magically appear in your life that
completely transform your present experiences.

Suddenly, you are attacked by the 'ButWhatIfs'.

BUT-WHAT-IF I try that and it doesn't work?

BUT-WHAT-IF I try that and it's too much work?

BUT-WHAT-IF I try that and it DOES work, but it really
isn't what I want?

And so, once again you settle for the tried and tested
ROUTINE. It's comfortable. Even if the circumstances
aren't ideal, you are still comfortable because you
know how to handle your discomfort. "After all, it
really isn't that bad where I am", you try to convince
yourself.

You know what the abbreviation for ROUTINE is, don't
you" It's RUT!

And the definition of a RUT is, "a grave with the ends
kicked out". Someplace you definitely don't want to
be... not if you are still breathing and have a pulse!

This is a most exciting time of year - even better than
New Years. For many people in the Northern Hemisphere,
summer is coming to an end and it's back to school
and/or work. With renewed commitment and dedication,
these next few months can spell the difference between
making the major life changes you've always wanted, or
spending another year in the C.A.S.K.E.T.

C = Comfort
A = And
S = Safety
K = Kills
E = Every
T = Trial

In other words, if comfort and safety are your main
concerns, you probably won't even TRY to improve your
lot in life. I don't know about you, but I'm going to
my grave kicking and screaming all the way!

What do you say! This fall, let's get ready to rumble
and make some noise!

Watch where you plant your 'Mustard Seeds' and be sure
to keep them out of the 'ButWhatIf' patch!

All the best from Toronto,
Russ

How To Be An Overnight Success in 15 Years or Less

Every once in a while I am complimented on my level of
patience and tolerance. (If only my wife were around
for those occasions)

Seriously though, I had another one of those
conversations today with one of my adult students. We
were discussing the possibility of her taking on some
students of her own when she remarked, "Oh, I just
don't have the patience. And I certainly could NEVER
be as patient as you."

Well, after squeezing my head back into my hat, I told
her that my degree of patience wasn't always what it
seems to be today. In fact, the thing I prayed for
most early on in my teaching career was... you guessed
it - PATIENCE!

Admittedly, I started out blessed with a fair amount of
tolerance; at least enough for me to survive my job
from day to day. Still, there were many days when I
got right out there on the edge. At those times it
took a major effort to prevent me from saying the
things I wish I could say. (Of course, none of you
have ever had those moments, right?)

For the longest time it seemed that the more I prayed
for patience, the more TESTS I got. It wasn't until my
beard started getting gray that I realized, "Hey, this
is how it works. It's all resistance training."

If I want bigger muscles, I don't just wiggle my nose
and blink my eyes and 'POOF'... I've got bigger
muscles. Nope, I gotta get me some weights. The
heavier the better. And the more I lift them, the
quicker I'll get results.

When it finally dawned on me that just about everything
else worth gaining in life worked like that, I started
smiling and relaxing and looking forward to my next big
test. I started LOVING those 'patience' workouts.

With enough experience, you can make anything look
easy. So much so, that sometimes people might think
you were born that way. This is not always true, at
least in my case. My patience level was acquired over
many years and I'm STILL working on it.

Next time you see my wife and I together, how about a
little compliment for my patience.

In my next life, I'll focus a bit more on modesty.

Virtuous in Toronto,
Russ

Floss

Back in the day when I took music lessons, there was a
sign hanging up in the waiting room which read:

"If I miss one day of practice, I notice it.
If I miss two days of practice, my friends notice it.
If I miss three days of practice, EVERYONE notices it!"

I was reminded of that advice learned so many years ago
as I sat in the dentist's chair today. (You just never
know when these pearls of wisdom will come in handy, do
you?)

You see, I missed more than a day or two of flossing
since my last checkup six months ago. And EVERYONE in
that dentist's waiting area, and probably everyone else
in that office building, KNEW it because that little
cleaning and scraping tool never stopped for the full
30 minutes I was in that chair. (I think the good
doctor charged me a bit extra for leaving grip marks in
his arm rest).

So for the next 19 days I'll be a good boy and brush
after each and every meal... and follow that up with
floss and a 30 second rinse with the industrial
strength mouth wash - you know the kind that makes you
wish you were back in the dentist's chair.

Lord knows, I should do it for 21 days because that's
how long it takes to become a HABIT! Fortunately, (or
unfortunately, depending on your perspective) it only
takes me a couple of days to get over the intense pain
of the visit.

Give me another two weeks and the only thing I'll
remember is that FLOSSING is a real pain! I mean, come
on... I'm usually in a rush to get out of the house and
a quick once-around-the-mouth with the brush is all I
have time for, right? And bedtime... forget it. I
barely have enough energy to get the cap off the
toothpaste, let alone USE the stuff. One more minute
to floss? You gotta be kidding me!

Seriously though, for just a couple of extra minutes a
day, I could AVOID a full 30 minutes of pain (or
worse!) six months from now.

And so it is with our goals. How easy it is to miss a
day here and there, and how quickly those single days
escalate into two and three days off until six months
later we are reminded, "Hey, wasn't this once a goal?"

See if you can find a way to break your goal down into
one minute fragments, and make a vow right now to do that
one minute a day at the very least! Six months from
now, you will be a minimum of two hours closer to your
goal than you are right now. And who knows, two hours
may be all you need to break through your success
barrier.

Gotta go brush and floss!

Got a nice clean smile in Toronto,
Russ

Let Them Pay Their Own Way

When I turned 16 a couple of major changes took place
that had a radical effect on the way I am today.

1) I got a job and started paying room and board.
2) I started doing my own laundry.

Mind you, I didn't want to do either one of these
things. I was quite happy with the previous
arrangement of having a lot of things done
'automatically' for me. I never gave a second thought
about hot meals, clean clothes, fresh towels and
bedding. When I needed a ride, taxi-mom or taxi-dad
were ready and waiting with the car already warmed up
from carting my 6 other brothers and sisters around.
Up until that time, basically all I had to do was
behave as much as possible and help out with a couple
of menial chores around the house.

My first job was working in a small grocery store for
$1.60/ hour. (geez, this guy is REALLY old!) I worked
whenever I could, sometimes logging 60 hours a week
during the summer time, happy as all-get-out to bring
home my $70 after taxes. And waiting at the door for
me on pay-day was mom.

We argued. I reeled vehemently against her logic. She
always won!

One day I was complaining about the cost of things and
told my mom flat out that I would start doing things
for and by myself. I reasoned that things just
couldn't be as hard or cost as much as she was making
them out to be. She agreed with one stipulation... I
couldn't use her appliances! She simply couldn't
afford to have her machines out of service for even one
day; not with the gang we had.

"Fine", I said. We reached a compromise that would
save me some cash and take some of the work load off of
her. Mom even went so far as to buy me a laundry
basket - (albeit with my money!)

I did my own laundry. I went on to buy my own clothes,
car and even put myself through college.

Tough love? You bet!

If I had kids of my own, I most likely would have done
things differently.

On the other hand, when I see the way many of my
students are brought up today, it makes me wonder if
they would not benefit from some of that tough love.

Maybe it's just where I live. I see kids refusing to
take jobs because they don't want to do 'that kind of
work'. Or they will keep a job just long enough to pay
for the 'prom' or whatever special event comes along
and quit shortly thereafter.

Upon graduation, there's a new car... not like the six
year old junker I bought for my first car... we're
talking brand new Lexus, Altima, BMW... statooos! I
think the parents get more of a kick out of the
bragging rights than the kids.

Then there's college (or University, as they
like to call it in these parts!) Again, it's expected
that mom and dad will foot the bill.

And don't forget the $30,000 wedding topped off with a
two-bedroom starter home thrown in for good measure.

Sorry to say, but a lot of the teens I know can't even
blow their own nose. Again, I'm hoping this only
happens in my little corner of the world.

The scary thing is, we'll soon be handing over control
to these kids. And what have they learned about
controlling their own lives when literally everything
has been done for them?

I'd love to get some feedback and hear some debate on
this important issue. Are today's kids equipped to
handle responsibility? Sadly, my vote would be no.
Please tell me how wrong I am!

Stirring up controversy here in Toronto,
Russ

What Do *I* Have To Give?

"Appreciate where you are now, because where you are
later will be where you are 'now' then." (From the
audio series "Passion, Profit & Power!!!" by Marshall
Sylver)

That quote stopped me dead in my tracks today. It was
so simple and yet so profound that I literally had to
rewind the tape and replay it while I copied it down.

Ain't it the truth though? How many times have you
thought or even said out loud, "When *such-and-
such* happens, THEN I will be happy." This habit is so
prevalent you might think it's some new-age form of
'delayed gratification'?

The trouble is, most people get so good at this
'delayed gratification' that when something comes along
to be truly happy and grateful for, they either don't
recognize it or they simply don't know how to deal with
it.

I know this all too well. For years I struggled with
abundance in health, wealth, friends, happiness... you
name it. I did the chemotherapy thing. I declared
bankruptcy. I cut myself off from family and friends.
I was constantly miserable and getting worse by the
minute.

What made matters even worse was some of the books I
was reading. They kept saying, "If you want something,
give it away."

Stubbornly, I persisted in thinking, "Well, isn't that
the dumbest pile 'o hooey anybody could ever write.
Look at me! What do *I* have to give?"

Immediately I got my answer...

"GIVE THANKS!"

Of course, my first impulse was, "For WHAT?!"

I read the books again until I finally got a grasp on
the 'Law of Multiplicity' which states, "Whatever you
have in your life MULTIPLIES."

Well, I may not have been the greatest math student,
but even *I* could figure out that if I was trying to
multiply a POSITIVE RESULT with a NEGATIVE ATTITUDE, my
end result would always be NEGATIVE because it's a
mathematical principle! (Check it out: a positive
number X a negative number = a negative number...
ALWAYS!)

Don't you just hate it when someone says, "I TOLD YOU
SO!"

Well I started giving "Thanks"... slowly and rather
grudgingly at first. Then I was quickly reminded that,
"The Lord LOVES a cheerful giver." SHEESH! Alright,
already!

Soon enough, I started getting the habit of the
'gratitude attitude'.

Let me tell you, the difference is so radical, even my
wife doesn't recognize me anymore! She keeps telling
me, "I don't know who *YOU* are, but you are WAY BETTER
than the other guy who used to live here!"

My doctor and banker agree!

Hey, don't take my word for it. Try it yourself for a
month and see what amazing changes take place for you.

"Appreciate where you are now, because where you are
later will be where you are 'now' then."

The lights are on in Toronto,
Russ

Be The First To Say, "Hello"

Living on the 18th floor in a high-rise condo building, I do my share of elevator time; you know, those tiny claustrophobic cubicles where people do their darndest to avoid eye contact. Well, not on my ride!

Mind you, I have many reasons NOT to initiate a conversation. For one, no less that 85% of the people in my building are of a different race and culture. (You gotta love these big cities!) Many of them do not count English as their first language and more than a few of them get by on just a handful of English words.

Of course, there's always the difference in ages. Why on earth would I want to start a conversation with someone 30-40 years younger - or older - than myself? What would be the point of that?

Then the real biggie - when a beautiful woman steps onto the elevator, who am I to be so 'forward' as to say "Hello"? After all, I'm married... AND I have a cat!

I hope you realize I'm slicing the sarcasm brick-thick on purpose. What are YOUR reasons for not being the first to say, "Hello"?

You know, there's a tendency to look at "Success" as some huge accomplishment. Sometimes we can get so focused on that one 'Nobel prize' perception of achievement that we fail to take advantage of the hundreds of little 'success opportunities' throughout the day.

And what could possibly be any better than acknowledging the existence of another human being with a heart-felt "Hello" accompanied by a sincere smile? Think about it. How do you feel when someone treats you as if you are invisible?

I'll let you in on a little secret... as good as you will make the other person feel by simply giving them a little personal attention, the one who really benefits is you. Trust me, YOU will feel so much better for the effort!

Want to take it up another notch? Do what my wife does - throw in a compliment.

• On clothing, she might say, "Wow, you look great in that color!"


• When someone is bringing home dinner, "Hmmmm, something smells really good!"


• When a mother comes onto the elevator with an armload of groceries and two young children in tow, "Now there's a Super Mom!"

OK, so you don't live in a big city or ride the elevator every day.

• How about being the first one to say, "Hello" when you get up in the morning.
• Or being the first neighbor to say, "Hello" when you go out in your yard.
• Or being the first to say, "Hello" when you get to work.

Like the old song says, "Make someone happy, and soon you'll be happy, too!"

Master the hundreds of little success opportunities that are right in front of you each day and soon enough you'll find yourself holding that 'Nobel prize'!

All the best from Toronto,
Russ

D.R.E.A.M.

I've been thinking about that Reader's Digest article again today and came up with this acronym for DREAM:

D = Desire

I'm going to sound like that father in the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". De means from and Sire means father. Desire literally means 'from the father' and represents our highest thoughts and wishes. (BTW: this word has Latin origins)

It's no accident that Dreams and Desires both start with the letter D. In fact, nothing happens without first being THOUGHT, and that is the essence of dreams and desires.

R = Realization

Realization is the imagination and visualization of something AS IF and UNTIL it becomes real. You are never given a desire without also having the ability to make it 'real'. In the beginning, this often takes...

E = Effort

Concentrated repetitions are necessary to form new habits and override old programs. Eventually, these once 'new' habits gradually increase in power and become effortless.

A = Attitude

Attitude may be considered the 'fuel' that keeps the dream burning long enough to come to fruition. Your state of mind, backed by your emotions, magnifies and multiplies itself exponentially, drawing to you exactly what you give out. That is why it is so important to maintain an attitude of cheerful, positive expectancy.

M = Manifestation

Believe it or not, and whether you LIKE it or not, you ARE MANIFESTING EVERYTHING currently in your life. Gosh, this took me a LONG TIME to finally figure out.

But I'll tell you what. Now that I've got a handle on being personally RESPONSIBLE for my own manifestations, I have now accomplished more of what I want in the past few months than I have in my entire 49 1/2 years combined!

So, getting back to the point made in that Reader's Digest article: Are you just one letter away from achieving your dream? Which letter is it?

And for those of you who missed that article, simply go back to my post of August 17 "No Excuses..."

Best wishes from Toronto,
Russ

No Excuses After You Read This

For years, I have been an avid reader of the Reader's Digest. Each month there are at least one or two stories that are particularly inspiring, motivating or just plain heart warming. Just when I thought I have heard about or read almost everything imaginable, along comes another story that absolutely blew me away. I simply had to share it with you.

The article is called, "Sarah's Labour of Love" (note the Canadian spelling!) and was first published in the Los Angeles Times on August 19, 2001. Prize winning writer, Bill Plaschke follows up on a coincidental email and goes on to uncover a life story so incredible as to leave NO MORE EXCUSES.

One of the most striking lines in the piece is where Bill is describing an email from Sarah Morris. In it she asks, "How did you become a baseball editorialist? That is my deam."

Bill's first thought was that Sarah was just a lousy typist. Or maybe she was really searching for something and was only one letter away from finding it.

WOW!!! What a coincidence. First of all, to have misspelled that particular word... and then for Bill to articulate it in such a magnificent way that hits home for so many of us. How often do you feel that you are 'only one letter away' from finding your dReam?

This is a MUST READ - PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY. While you are there, be sure to check out the other links on Sarah's site for other delightful surprises and insights into this incredible woman's life.

May this story bless and enrich your life as much as it has mine.

All the best from Toronto,
Russ Hamel

Serendipity... or Not

The effects of the "Great Blackout of 2003" continued today here in Toronto. I got an unexpected break from my usual routine and used it to full advantage. I worked more on my online projects making some very important connections with other like-minded people. And from my 18th floor 'perch', I observed that other people were doing pretty much the same thing; connecting with other similar thinkers and doers.

I was abruptly awakened at 3:00 A.M. by our building's alarm system, signaling that our power had been restored after being off for 11 hours. I stayed up for a bit and played with my cat. Before going back to bed for a couple more hours I noticed that cars were already lining up at the 24-hour gas station across the street!

By sunrise, the three gas stations within my viewing range were jammed with cars. Line-ups at all pumps were a solid 30 cars long at each station throughout the day. As I write this now at nearly 9:00 PM eastern time, two of the three gas stations have closed down, well before the usual 'quitting time'. Actually, it was the 24-hour station that shut down first around 4:30 P.M.

The scene was reminiscent of the early 70s "oil crisis". (I'm really dating myself now! ) And with the temperatures soaring well into the 30s (Celsius = 100+ F), it could not have been a very pleasant experience, especially if you were next in line when the station put up the "out of gas" sign!

The point of all this is "Birds of a feather DO flock together!" It certainly was a day of serendipity... or not. I could have easily chosen to join those long line-ups of over-heated and frustrated people at the gas bar, just as every one of those folks could have easily chosen to stay home and build connections and relationships that would nurture and serve them for years to come.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve" Joshua 24:15

Indeed!

Best wishes from Toronto,
Russ

Chart Your Course... It Can Make All The Difference

Chart your course - Allow me to pose the following question to you. What do you think would happen if a ship set out to sea on a long voyage yet didn't have the proper navigation system in place?

Several things might happen actually...

The ship might float aimlessly until the captain decided to give up and come back home. Another thing that might occur is that given enough time it may actually stumble upon its destination.

In each of the examples the end result could have been much different had the crew simply took the time to properly chart their course prior to setting out to sea.

Proper planning does take time, but the extra effort can make a huge difference with regards to our outcome.

The same rule applies when it comes to our own lives. Charting our course is basically the same thing as keeping a clear list of goals. My friend, belive me when I tell you that the clearer an idea of where we want to go, the better your chances will be of actually reach your destination!... Your friend in Success, Josh Hinds :-)

I'm Back (Just Barely) for Day Two

After making my big 'announcement' yesterday, I took an unscheduled holiday. Frankly, I thought I would be eating some crow on my next post, having to make my apologies for not keeping my word after only one day. Looks like I beat the clock though.

Here in Toronto, we were part of what is being called the biggest blackout in North American history. I understand that upwards of 50 million people in northeastern US and Ontario, Canada were without electricity and water. And with the temperature stuck at 31C (88F) and a humidex factor close to 40C (104F) it got very uncomfortable rather quickly in our 18th floor condo.

We were relieved to hear that terrorism was immediately ruled out. After 9/11, that was one of the first thoughts on the minds of many people, especially those in New York City.

As it turns out, those of us involved in the blackout are apparently all part of the same power grid. A problem with one sector had a domino effect that wiped out an area of several thousand square miles.

Isn't that just like life? One person can and does make a huge difference. Take our fearless leader, Gary for example. He will be away for a couple of weeks and during that time we WILL miss his light.

I must tell you that many wonderful things happened during those 11 hours. Ordinary citizens were out directing traffic and generally helping wherever they could. People were meeting their neighbors, many for the first time even though they lived on the same street for years, as they gathered around battery-powered radios sharing the news. A huge bonus for us big city dwellers is that we got to see the stars shining in our night sky for the first time. It was an awesome experience!

Similarly, it would be so nice for the 'ordinary citizens' of this weblog to take this opportunity to come out and introduce yourselves to the rest of the readership during Gary's absence. Let's surprise him when he gets back by showing him how far his influence has spread throughout the world. You can do that simply by replying to one of your favorite posts and/or creating your own.

What do you say? Shine a little light of your own. Come on out and share in Gary's absence.

Best wishes from Toronto,
Russ

It's Goodbye...But Only For Two Weeks!

This morning, Lesley, Katie and I are off on vacation to Egypt for two weeks!

Because of the situation we were in with Connor over the last few years...we were only ever able to take Katie away for a single week at a time.

So...this time we're making up for it!

What that means is that, although I may be checking my email once in a while whilst I am away...it's unlikely that I will post any entries on this blog whilst I am away.

After all...what's the point in having a vacation if you're going to work whilst you're there, right? :-)

So...have a great couple of weeks...and I'll see you again before September comes around!

What Will I Say for a Whole Year?

If you caught my commentary to Gary's post of August 11, you'll know that I threw down the gauntlet... well, at least I gave MYSELF a fairly decent challenge. The question now is, what will I SAY for a whole year?

Who... ME WORRY?

Not a chance, really. I'm sort of like the quiet guy you meet at the party who, once you get him talking, you can't shut him up. Actually, I'm fairly comfortable in this environment and I'm confident that I'll have some pretty interesting and useful things to share.

But since you ask... what WILL I find to talk about over a period of a year? Gosh, that's 365 DAYS, you know!!! What if I get writer's block or something?

Well, it's hard for me to even conceive that the people posting and reading these logs would ever run out of interesting and useful things to share. Most of us have a book or two, plus a tape program or two going each and every day. We're soaking up information like a sponge and in order to soak up even more, sometimes we just have to wring ourselves out.

"But what if we've already heard it before?" you say. I'll bet you haven't heard Dr. Stephen Covey, Mike Dooley, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, etc. as told through the experiences and perceptions of Russ Hamel.

As well, we haven't heard YOUR smorgasbord of influences as only YOU can relate, either. Who knows; MAYBE IT'S YOUR STORY THAT UNLOCKS THE UNIVERSE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.

Was that another challenge?

Sure it was! You don't think I want to do this 'Year Thing' all by myself, do you? :)

So, mark this date down... Wednesday, August 13, 2003. This is day #1 of 365.

All the best from Toronto,
Russ Hamel

I Think I Can...And I DID!

It's now Wednesday...

We have sold our house...and are buying a new one...despite only having our house on the market since Friday!

Today has been one of those days where any number of seemingly insurmountable obstacles were thrown in our path...yet, after a lot of concentrated and focused effort on our part ensured that everything fell into place.

All this...and we're going on vacation for two weeks at 9am tomorrow!

It's amazing how much you can achieve if you really accept that you CAN!

For example...I managed to get a meeting with a mortgage advisor at NO notice, which in this country is unheard of!

Then...I managed to get the right people 'working' for me at my bank...and they processed everything in double-quick time so that we would be able to fulfill the sellers requirements before he would take his house off of the market.

It would have been easy to give up and accept that things 'wouldn't happen'...but, believe me...you CAN if you THINK you can!

But only if you match it with focused and calm effort!

The Game of Moving

Today I have been in negotiations on selling my house...and buying a new one.

It's just a good job that I look at this as a 'game' instead of something to get really stressful about!

We have one whole day left until we go on vacation...and I am working on getting everything into place before we go.

Not bad considering we only put out house on the market Friday...saw one we liked on Sunday...and now it's Tuesday and things are almost there!

Who says that the universe doesn't move for you when you are working with it rather than 'against' it!

In the end...it all comes down to money...how much to sell for...how much to buy for.

But...to me, it's irrelevant in a way because ultimately I will do whatever it takes to have the 'new' house and lifestyle that will accompany our move.

Even so...it's good practice being in the middle of negotiations...and seeing how far I can have an influence on their outcome!

I know that I have control of my own situation...and that's all that matters. Ultimately it's up to me how far I am willing to go to make things happen.

And however far that is...I will make things happen!

The TV Or Moving Forward...There's No Competition

It's 8:50pm...and I'm writing this.

I shouldn't be...but because I have made this almost daily 'exercise' into a habit...I decided that I should 'walk my talk'...and force myself to write something useful!

It would be easier for me to just carry on what I was doing...watching a TV programme with Lesley and Katie.

But...I set standards that I aim for...and (at the moment anyway)...I don't ALLOW myself to miss a weekday posting unless I am on vacation or something really important has come up.

You see...success is all about doing the little things regularly.

In the big scheme of things...not writing this entry isn't such a 'big thing' when I have written over 260-odd entries over the last year or so.

But...it matters!

It matters because it keeps me thinking...and forces me to create content...even when I feel that I may be at a loss for something to say (very rare, I know! lol)

It's important for me to keep myself moving forward...and for making a contribution in some small way.

I know that the little things lead to the big things...and they lead to ultimate success.

So...what can YOU make into a habit so that you are able to move towards your goals EVERY day?

Life's A Beach...And Some Fireworks!

Yesterday...

I'm proud to say that I took the day off.

I went down to the coast to my in-laws to surprise Lesley and Katie...who were staying for the weekend and didn't know that I was coming.

All-in-all in sweltering heat...and a combination of walking, a bus, and train...and almost 3 hours of effort I made it!

Then after a cool drink it was down to the seafront at 6pm to watch the summer parade...and then spend a couple of hours on the seafront and in the sea with Katie.

As we watched the sun go down it made me realize how grateful I am to be able to spend such nice, wonderful moments like we did...just splashing around in the sea during this record-breaking heatwave that we are having.

Finally...it was amazing to watch a fireworks display at 10pm whilst laying on the beach in my swimshorts! (This must be the first and last time it would be warm enough here in the UK to do that!)

Twenty four hours later and I'm back typing this...and feeling good and at peace with the world in return for a $25 train fare...and a couple of hours effort.

Life isn't about how much you earn, what job title you have, or the size of your house.

It's about the things that money CAN'T buy...that don't cost you a single penny to experience!

That's what life is ALL about!

Are You Not Trying To Fail?

I caught some TV programme this afternoon (I can't even remember what it was! lol)...and, the split second that I walked into the room some guy who was on it said...

"The only way you can fail is if you stop trying."

WOW! Trust my subconscious to get me into my front room at the exact moment that this wonderful quote was spoken!

Do YOU fail because you stop trying?

Because it is so much easier to give up than it is to keep trying...it's no wonder so many people view their life as a series of failures.

But...I bet you that, when they look back...they find one or two cases where they COULD have made more of a success of what they did...if only they carried on that little bit longer.

Are you one of those people who seem to have a bungee rope tied around their waist as they stretch themselves towards moving forward in their lives.

And...just at the point where they need to give the MOST effort...they just relax...and get pulled back to where they started off.

It's almost as if success was only a fingertip away...and it's only when they look back that they realize that it was exactly that!

Just a liitle bit more effort...just a little more time...just one more try...sometimes that's ALL it takes.

Your greatest achievement is probably immediately after your biggest challenge.

Do YOU rise to it and keep going...or do YOU let that bungee rope spring you back to where you started?

One more try...sometimes that's all it takes!

Your Life CAN Get Easier!

Little things go a long way.

It's something I've become more aware of recently as I've been testing a few things out in my life in response to some of the discussions I have been having with the Truth About Success Mentor Program students.

I've begun to look at my day in a different way.

Firstly - I make sure that, at the end of EVERY day...I have moved closer to where I want to go.

Secondly - I've taken to look at my day as a series of different tasks or events.

What this means is that I make sure that I devote myself fully to whatever I am doing at that particular time.

So...for 15 minutes almost every day...I focus my attention completely on writing this.

By the same token...when I am having a ten minute 'break' from writing...I make sure that I REALLY take a break...and just make the most of what I am NOT doing!

And...because I know that in the periods of the day when I am working I am fully focused...I don't 'beat myself up' for not working all day long.

So...I might take an hour out to have lunch with Lesley...or take 30 minutes pushing Katie on her swing.

At the end of every day I KNOW that, as well as 'working'...I have also made time for who and what are REALLY important to me.

And that's why my life, although more challenging...is getting EASIER!

It's up to YOU to decide whether you want that to happen in YOUR life, too.

Are You Your Own Best Friend?

Here in London today...temperatures reached 97 degrees.

And...things started to go wrong!

Railway tracks melted...pipes burst...and my cable internet connection has been down all afternoon for the second day running!

You would think that these big utility companies would have a contingency plan for weather like this!

But...considering that most PEOPLE don't have anything to 'fall back on'...what else would you expect?

Do you have anything?

I'm not necessarily talking about a financial 'nest egg'...I'm more concerned with your 'support network'.

You know...your family and friends.

And, perhaps most importantly...YOURSELF!

Are YOU your own best friend? No? Well...you SHOULD be!

How could you expect other people to support you if you don't support yourself?

When things go wrong (as they invariably do)...are you quicker to beat yourself up about...than actually making the effort to make sure that you can learn from the experience?

After all...

Unless you are on your own 'side'...how do you even expect to be able to be in the 'game'?

Ask Me Ask Me Ask Me!

Let me ask you something...

"Do you ASK for what you want?"

Or...are you too busy worrying about what the response may be that you NEVER get around to doing it...even if you really NEED an answer to something?

Sure...it's not always easy to do...but it becomes easier through practice.

How do I know?

Well...let's just say that I've been practicing it a little bit more myself lately!

Take today, for example...

I had an estate agent come around to value our house as we are thinking of moving.

The trouble was...I was also meeting Lesley for lunch in town...which was 15 minutes away.

And...I knew that I would REALLY have to run if I didn't want to be late!

So...I asked a favor from the valuation guy (whom I'd only known for 20 minutes)...and asked if he could drop me into town!

You see...I knew that he was going back to his office...which was in town...so, I thought - "why not?"

I asked. He agreed. I made it into town with minutes to spare. And I got a subject for today's entry! lol

I'll be honest with you...even a few short months ago...I WOULDN'T have forced myself to ask...and I would have been running for a mile in temperatures of over 90 degrees!

So...do you think that I'm going to ask more in future? You bet!

And...so should YOU...even if they are only 'little' questions like mine!

Calm Down! It's Totally Out Of Your Control!

I've been unable to access the Internet for most of today because of problems with my cable provider.

Boy...did it upset my 'routine'!

Because I'm online all day long...I constantly jump between tasks whenever I need a short break from my writing.

So...I might respond to an email, read an ezine...or just do a little 'investigative' surfing...and then get back to what I was doing.

And...not being able to write in this way started to 'get to me' (well initially, anyway!)

It was when I started to think about getting annoyed that I realized that change CAN be a GOOD thing...if only for one afternoon!

So...I'd write...then I'd go and sit in the garden...or read one of my ebooks...or make a cup of tea.

In the end...it made a NICE change from doing what I normally do!

I always try to look at how I can get the best out of any situation...and this was a good example of something that could have got frustrating if I let it.

What about YOU? Do YOU get let yourself get all 'hot and bothered' by those little things...like your train being late, or being stuck in traffic?

These sort of things you have NO control over whatsoever...so there's no point in letting it 'get to you.

Just accept that things like this WILL happen...and look at how you can use the time that you would otherwise spend getting stressed on something more useful and positive instead!

I know that it isn't always easy...but you WILL feel much better for it, honest!

Are You Doing All This For THEM?

Have you ever wondered why seem more 'at peace' with their lives than others?

Even billionaires lead miserable existences...believe it or not!

Unless you build your life from the 'bottom up' by getting the balance right between what you HAVE to do...and what you WANT to do...then no amount of money will ever give a fulfilled life.

Ever.

It wasn't until I realized that I DID have control over the balance between what I had to do versus what I wanted to do...that my life began to change.

And...once I realized that money wasn't the thing that REALLY motivated me after all...literally overnight the stress in my life disappeared.

You see...all the worries that we have are, in most cases, built up in our minds!

Too often we are too busy wondering...

- What other people think of us
- What's in it for us.
- Why they are luckier than us
- Why we aren't just plain happy with where we are

It's all in our minds!

Unless you really do what you do for YOU...not for other people...not for money...not for any other reason...then I guarantee that, whatever you achieve in your life...you STILL won't be much happier than you are know.

Now that you know this...what's CHANGED?

What are you NOW going to for YOU?

It's OK to Try - It's OK to Fail

“A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he … stops trying.”
-- John Burroughs, 1926-, 1837-1921, American Naturalist, Author

I just realized this morning that many “success coaches” make success TOO MUCH of an “all or nothing” proposition. And in doing so, they actually overburden people rather than setting them free. I have one particular example of this in mind. I participated recently in a discussion group whose purpose was to share insights that would help us achieve greater success. In pursuit of that noble purpose, one person committed that unpardonable sin by saying he was “trying” to work on an area of his life where he was having a personal struggle. Now made vulnerable by this disclosure, the poor man was much more chastened for his use of the word “try” than he was commended for his efforts. I have to admit that I actually supported their chastening at the time, not realizing that I was putting a burden on both that individual and myself that no human being should EVER have to bear – the burden of being the god of outcomes.

Webster’s Dictionary defines “try” as “to make an attempt”. Now I ask you, what is wrong with making an attempt at something worthwhile? Or, for that matter, with making a series of failed attempts, while continually making progress? Many misinformed, but devout “success achievers” will tell you that the word “try” is self defeating and should be removed from your vocabulary, because it implies either lack of commitment or presumption of failure. To put it bluntly, that is utter nonsense, and they are not only DEAD WRONG despite their good intentions; they are selling you a sure-fire formula for needlessly multiplying the distress in your life! You can be fanatically committed, but you can’t escape the necessity of “making an attempt” if you want to accomplish something! And any attempt carries with it the unavoidable possibility of failure!

To illustrate, our extraordinary advances in weaponry have become common knowledge. This was dramatized during the Gulf War, when the media let us look through the video camera “eyes” of our missiles as they homed in with pinpoint accuracy on their targets. Did you know that these missiles are actually off course a good deal of the time? They arrive at their targets with deadly precision because they have extremely sophisticated systems built into them that continually adjust their course until their objective is reached. In other words, they continually try, fail, and adapt in flight with a specific goal, or target, in “mind”.

So clearly, as the opening quotation says, it is not in trying that we fail. It is in giving up! Instead, the first REAL issue is whether or not our objective is worthwhile. As Robert Schuller said, “I'd rather attempt to do something great and fail than to attempt to do nothing and succeed.” The second REAL issue is whether or not we can achieve it. Both of these are judgment calls for each individual based on their values and beliefs. Like Robert Schuller, I strongly recommend aiming as high as possible (or even higher), but with the knowledge that the more worthy the goal, the greater our commitment must be to achieve it.

And whether or not the “success achievers” approve of my use of the “F-word”, it is a fact of life that we are going to FAIL. That is as certain as the law of gravity. There will always be factors beyond our control or ability to anticipate, and when those occur, we will fail. We needn’t lose heart but for the moment. And we needn’t give up if our cause is worthy. Life doesn’t always play fair, and accepting that fact, even embracing the ultimate wisdom of it, gives us the serenity and dignity to rise from the dust of that failure and press on.

When we fail for our own lack of commitment, knowledge, skill or focus, let’s not punish ourselves for “trying”! It is also unwise either to waste our time on regret or close the door on our past. Instead, let’s “try, fail and adapt in flight”. Let’s learn and grow through our mistakes, and use our experience to help others along the way.

So go ahead and TRY! Break the shackles of perfectionism that say you must either “do it” or be a failure. Pick something really important to you – something great and worthy of your wholehearted commitment. Then go after it, knowing and accepting that you will fail along the way, but KEEP TRYING! As long as you’re still trying, failing and adapting, you ARE a success! You are a guided missile!

I Appreciate You,


Craig Lunde
President
EnviroMark, Inc.
909-427-1165
clunde@adelphia.net

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"Never let the fear of striking out get in your way."
-- "Babe" Ruth

Uncle Frankie And Your Year

At the moment...I'm listening to "It Was A Very Good Year" by Frank Sinatra.

In the he song takes you through his life from seventeen until the 'autumn of his years'.

And, each in their own way was 'A Very Good Year'!

Could you say that about EVERY year in your life?

Is every single year a 'Very Good Year'...but for very different reasons?

Do you look back and think..."Well...those five years were terrible"?

I've actually heard many people say that! Scary, isn't it? Scary that you can literally write off what could easily be between six and ten percent of your LIFE like that!

Sure we all have New Year resolutions to make 'this' year better...but they only usually last about a week or so.

So...we're well over half-way through THIS year now...are YOU going to look back at 2003 and say that you had a "Very Good Year" despite everything that life has thrown at you?