Success...One Day At A Time

Colin Or Arnold. You Choose!

Even though I'm not a golfer...I found this very interesting.

The top golfer (and Brit) Colin Montgomerie talked about how his entire round of golf can be ruined by things that get in the way of his habits.

For example...he always drives himself from the hotel to the tournament just in case the driver is late.

He never eats breakfast at his hotel just in case it is late and he has to rush!

And...one of the things that really puts him off is if the announcer on the first tee says him name as Co-lin (as in Colin Powell) instead of Colin!

This in particular annoys him so much that he often mucks up his first shot off of the tee...and then has to try to mentally get it together to rescue his entire round!

Blimely...what's amazing is that he has won ANY tournaments despite always having the possibility of his routine ruined at any opportunity!

I don't know about YOU...but I know a few people like him!

Just the slightest upset or change...and their entire DAY is ruined.

One little argument can ruin an entire weekend!

Me?

I'm much more in favor of the Arnold Palmer school of golfing (and also LIFE) philosophy.

"I stand there and hit the ball as hard as I can. Then I go find it and hit it hard again."

Makes sense to me!

You Are That Person...Whether You Like It Or Not!

It's often very easy to assume that your past is a guide to your future.

I can categorically say that it is not!

Whatever you background or your current financial status...the ONLY thing that will get in the way of you achieving whatever you want from your life is...

YOU!

Yep...and I'm sorry to say that most people who wish their lives were different forget that every single decision that they have ever made...was made by THEM.

Yet still...they blame other people for where they are or what they don't have.

It's easy to do, isn't it?

I personally made a big leap in my own development when I finally admitted to myself that I ALONE am responsible for my OWN future.

I know that my results will be determined by my efforts. MY efforts.

The 'buck stops here'.

Sure...things may not go the way I expect sometimes...but, as long as anything that I have control over delivers...then that's the most important thing.

Other people WILL let you down. Other people won't necessarily help you.

Accept it. That's life.

And...YOU are the person who is in SOLE control of YOURS!

Do I Have Time For New Ideas?

It's funny...

Even though I already have loads of ideas either at the 'paper' stage or in development...I STILL can't help myself from having more!

As with everything success-oriented...you constantly attract what you think about.

I'm constantly thinking about new ideas and opportunities...and guess what my subconscious delivers to me?

But, of course...there is always a twist.

I find that I ALWAYS have to sacrifice something else in order to make new things happen.

Today's idea, for example...involve me exchanging a not-that-small amount of money in order to take the first step!

Other ideas involve me having to push myself in a direction that I might not feel comfortable...but is ultimately for my long-term benefit.

And...above all...ALL of these ideas involve a TIME COST - which, to me...is more important than ANYTHING else.

The trouble is that it is SO easy to just accumulate unfinished ideas...that you never end up with anything that actually generates income!

So...despite my eagerness to line up yet another future project...I am going to ask my subsconscious to consider whether the 'idea-of-the-day' today is something that I should commit myself.

And...I'll find out in the morning if it is!

As you may know...I am almost fanatical about NOT overcommitting myself on the time front...so it is very important to me not to just take on whatever comes my way.

After all...I'm here to experience LIFE...not to just sit in front of a computer all day long chasing more digits on my bank account!

And...so should YOU.

I've Failed (And That's What's Good About It)

In my post on October 9th...I told you what I would complete before Christmas...

Guess what?

I failed to release almost any of the 'products' that I said that I would...although I have COMPLETED a few of them.

Why am I not too bothered? Well...let's go through each of the six products that I mentioned...and I'll tell you why at the end...

1) My first hour-long audio CD

Completed...I just need to write the salesletter for it...and decide if I will send it out myself or get somebody else to do it for me. Even the CD cover graphics are done!

2) The home study version of my "Truth About Success" Mentor Program

I have so far sent out 20 to people who were at a conference I spoke at earlier in the year.

Again...the salesletter needs writing...but, again...I am considering outsourcing the production/delivery side...because...well, it's too much hassle and time consuming to do it myself!

Burning 20 lots of 6 cd sets isn't fun...I can tell you!

3) An enhancement to my "Law of Success" package

The enhancement is forming part of my Teleclass Program that I both conceived and released after I wrote this...and we are at Week 6 out of 16.

Once the Program is completed...I will have the enhancement to the main ebook...but will also have a 16 CD Home Study Course of some description.

Not only that...I will have personally summarized in my own words the entire 1,100 plus pages of "The Law of Success"...which is an excellent way of continuing my education.

4) At least one teleclass series

I haven't created a standalone series...but the "Law of Success" Teleclass Program that I mentioned above is, for the most part..exactly that!

5) The audios for my "To Our Success" E-course

I started off quite well with this one...but we moved in the mean time...and my commitment slipped at the expense of other projects.

But...I HAVE recorded the first 91 Lessons (out of 183)...so I'm halfway there!

6) Something exciting that, for the moment anyway, I'm keeping to myself!

That something was a brand new idea at the time...and is still undergoing development.

BUT...come January it will be 'out of the blocks'...and is something that I am both excited about and proud of.

Also...it is a little departure for me is that I am working with someone else in making it happen.

Why? Because I would gladly forgo 50% of any future profit in return for not having to do the stuff I don't want to!

I have already written most of the salesletter for this one...and it is actually online SOMEWHERE if you can find it!

So...six projects...all at various stages of completion.

Would you call that a success or a failure?

Well...put it this way...

If I didn't set myself such 'lofty' targets for what was only an eleven week period out of the year (during which time we moved house)...do you think that I would have achieved much more than I did?

I very much doubt it.

You see...the 'moral' of this story is that YOU need to set yourself some TARGETS...challenging, yet acheivable ones!

Of course...life will probably get in the way...and you might not achieve what you set out to do...but I bet that you would have achieved a LOT more than if you hadn't set ANY targets at all.

So...that's all well and good for ME to say...but what are YOU going to do about it?

I Resolve To Change. I Resolve To Change.

Christmas is over...and the conversations turn towards New Year.

And resolutions.

Which I personally don't believe in.

Why?

Because...if you really NEED a 'reason' to do something about your smoking, your weight, your career etc...then perhaps where you currently ARE is where you REALLY want to BE.

Think about it.

If you want to lose 20lbs...wouldn't you have done so if it meant that much to you?

Almost certainly.

But...because most of us aren't really 'bothered' enough about how heavy we are etc...that it's an easy decision to go back to the way you have always been.

I can safely say that...unless you really have a REASON to make changes in your life...whatever they are...then it will be almost impossible to stick to your resolution.

Because I had bad asthma as a child (and still suffer from it when I am unwell)...I was told by my doctor when I was about aged 11 that if I smoked...then I would be lucky to live beyond middle-age!

So...I have NEVER even had a 'drag' of a cigarette. Never even been tempted.

I haven't done so...because the FEAR of doing something outweighs the SATISFACTION from doing it!

But...when addictions are concerned...the satisfaction issue doesn't even come into it any more...then it's all down to HABIT.

Which...we both know...are very difficult to break!

So...before YOU consider what resolutions YOU might take up next year...think about whether you have a good enough REASON to stop doing whatever you don't want to do...and whether you have something lined up to replace the HABIT that smoking, or snack-eating etc has become.

Then...at least you'll have an EXCELLENT chance of making changes in your life.

Whether it's 'resolution time' or not!

It's Christmas...And It's That Important...

It's Christmas Eve...and usually this means that everyone is getting all excited about tomorrow.

For us...it will be a different Christmas this year - for obvious reasons.

But...I've got a feeling that we going to have some fun this year.

Despite our ups-and-downs...both Lesley and I realize how important just LIVING is...even though sometimes it takes some work to make it 'work'!

We both know how important it is to value your relationships - ALL year round...not just because it's Christmas.

I'm sure that YOU do, too...but do you show it?

Should you treat your friends and family any different just because it's Christmas?

Shame that a lot of people do.

What's important at Christmas should be important ALL YEAR ROUND...no matter what 'day' it is.

Of course...I am not for a moment suggesting that you ACT as if it is Christmas every day.

All that I am suggesting is that, when you are sitting there on Christmas afternoon...full of whatever you have eaten...look around you.

Look at the people that you are SHARING Christmas with.

Look at EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.

Even those ones who perhaps you'd rather not want to be around...wouldn't they still be MISSED in some way if they weren't around next year?

Now...I'm not attempting to be morbid.

All I really want YOU to do...is to appreciate those around you a LITTLE MORE...that's all.

A tiny little effort can often make a BIG difference...believe me.

So...have a wonderful Christmas...and don't forget to appreciate WHATEVER and WHOEVER is in YOUR life during this wonderful time.

Doesn't it always FEEL better deep down when you GIVE something?

Begin NOW...it's THAT important.

Power vs Force...You Choose

When I hear about a book from more than a couple of people...I know that I should at least make the effort to read it for myself.

The book is "Power vs Force" by Dr. David R. Hawkins.

I'm about half-way through it...and it's certainly one of those books that CHANGES you after you have read it.

Its premise is based on kinesiology (muscle-testing)...which, whether you believe the results from the tests or not...this book certainly throws out a few very interesting questions.

Apparently testing whether your muscles are 'weak' or 'strong' when asked a yes/no question determines the true answer to the question.

There's a lot more to it, of course...but, even if you think that this sounds like 'new-agey' stuff...then, all I can say is...what if it ISN'T?

An open mind leads to an open future in my opinion.

It's been around since 1995...but, I KNEW that it was TIME for me to read it when, the day after I ordered on Amazon...I saw a copy on the shelves at my local bookstore (in an area that it shouldn't have been).

Now...you know what I am like where coincidence is concerned...I certainly 'got the message'!

All I can say is that...if YOU want to be more 'in tune' with the spiritual (as opposed to religious) side of WHO you are...then this will certainly make you think.

Not since I read Neale Donald Walsch's "Conversations With God" (which, if you aren't particularly religious (like me) is THE book for you) have I read something that just MADE PERFECT SENSE to me as I find my path to a better way of thinking.

"Power vs Force" may NOT be for you. (If you haven't read the first "Conversations With God" I would suggest you read THAT first.)

It's one of those books that you either agree with or don't.

A few years ago I would have just dismissed it. Now I KNOW better.

Even if you don't agree with the basis upon which the book is based...it is still one of those books that REALLY changes you after you've read it.

Isn't that what books are supposed to be about?

YOU Are NOT 'Most' People...

It's that time of the year where everything (apart from Christmas shopping) slows down.

I've received hardly any emails today...it seems that even those underhand people who revel in sending spam are taking some time off!

But...why should I? And...why should YOU?

We're at the beginning of what will be a two-week period this year where inaction and lack of urgency is the norm.

But...why should it be?

Two weeks is almost four percent of the entire year...yet it is so easy not to 'bother' when everyone tells you that nobody else is, either!

Aside from the fact that Katie is around...I'm not treating most of this week (and next) really much different to how I normally would.

I STILL have projects that I want to work on.
I STILL have (a few) emails to answer.
I STILL have books to read and audios to listen to.
I STILL have this to write (with a couple of days off, of course!)

So...just because OTHER people 'stop'...I CAN'T!

Why?

Well...because I can't stop being WHO I am. And...who I am is defined by what I do and how I act.

I am ME...not my job. And...neither are YOU!

Of course you should spend time with your family.
Of course you should have a great couple of days off.
Of course you take it a little easier.

BUT...you should NEVER STOP being YOU.

And...you should certainly never stop IMPROVING on being YOU!

I may sound as if I am telling you to do the opposite to what MOST people do.

I AM.

YOU are NOT 'most' people....successful people NEVER are!

I Don't Care Whether You Understand Me Or Not...

"Gary, I've read 'Magnetic Wealth' a couple of times...and you are spot on with it. I now have made the great realization that I have been reading tons of self-help material and not acting on it! I just keep buying more stuff to read instead of taking action on the ideas. This is going to be a breakthrough point for me and I REALLY appreciate it! Best wishes." - Richard Duszczak, Derbyshire, UK, http://www.cartoonstudio.co.uk Remember...part one of the Magnetic Wealth ebook - a guide to the basic principles for attracting wealth into your life, was just one of the bonuses for the Our Wealth Partnership newsletter subscribers!

It's so easy just to conform to what 'society' expects from you that, well, that's exactly what the vast majority of people do!

I'm still looked at as the 'black sheep' of my family because I 'do that motivational stuff'.

And...earn a living from it!

It would make much more sense to my parents, for example, if I just worked in bank like I used to. At least they wouldn't have trouble explaining to other people what I 'do'.

And that's the problem.

You see...because what I 'do' changes almost from day to day...it's not easy for ME to label myself!

So...I might be a writer, a coach, a marketer, an entrepreneur, an speaker, and information-seller...and soon to be mail order businessman.

That's not easy to put into one simple sentence when people don't really understand HOW you can make money from the Internet!

But...do you think that this holds me back...or stops me from pushing myself even harder in the direction that I want to go?

Err...nope!

Even though I know that a couple of my brothers who are on my list could read this (oh the shame!)...or that Lesley might be surprised at how much I tell YOU about what I do...

I DON'T CARE!

And...neither should YOU!

I KNOW that I am on MY right path to the future that I want...and, to be honest, I don't care whether other people 'get it' or not.

All I know is that...it's pointless trying to be someone or something that YOU are NOT.

It's taken me close on twenty years to realize this...and, now I'm not going to let go of that!

What about YOU?

YOU Are BETTER Than YOU Think!

It's all relative.

Whatever you believe in...your life will become a mirror of that.

Based on my own experiences - I can say this 100% conviction.

I USED to believe that who I was as a person was defined by my role at work (and therefore in society).

So...I was a clerk, then supervisor, then section head, then manager...followed up by consultant as I changed jobs.

The trouble was...as a person...I wasn't ANY of those!

I was BETTER than my 'position'...except I hadn't rally convinced myself that I was.

Now...just a couple of years later...I KNOW that I was holding myself back for so many years.

Sad really.

It's even sadder...that I KNOW that YOU are holding YOURSELF back for those very same reasons!

It's time for that to change.

It's time for YOU to realize that YOU are talented enough to make a success of whatever YOU choose to do.

As long as you make sure that YOU are doing it for the RIGHT reasons!

You may think that you want to break away from your career...but you might not realize how much (on a non-monetary basis) YOU actually may get from going to work.

Even now...working at the 'job' that I love...I STILL miss the social side of working. (But...I'm now working on changing that!)

This time of year is always a time for reflection...and the FIRST thing that you should give some thought to is to the question...

"Aside from money...what do I WANT from my commitment of 35 (or more) hours per week?"

If there is a gap between what your job 'title' is...and what you KNOW you can get for yourself...then it might be time to start a little 'hobby' on the side that might test your abilities.

Who knows if your 'hobby' could turn into something else?

But...if it doesn't, then at least you will benefit from the knowledge of TRYING.

And perhaps you'll realize that YOU are BETTER than YOU think!

By The Sea...I'm Talking To Myself!

Over the last couple of days...I have spent almost an hour or so talking to myself!

(No...I haven't gone mad...yet!)

You see...as I now live just a little way from the sea...I've decided that, if the weather is OK...I should go for a walk.

Otherwise...I'd just sit on my backside all day like I've always done for the last couple of years!

Not only that...I love the sound of the waves...the fresh (but cold) sea breeze.

It's not really exercise to me.

So...where does the talking to myself come into it?

Well...as I very rarely see anyone when I'm on one of these walks...I have begun to practice a little 'self-talk'

Call it affirmations, if you will...but with a twist.

I talk out loud (or in my head if someone walks by!) about what I want from my life...who I want to be, how I view money, exercise etc.

Usually...it might begin with "I am...", but I don't worry too much about what I am saying exactly...just that I KNOW what I mean.

The reason why I don't worry about starting everything like 'they' say you should?

Well...I just say the first things that come into my head as I am walking along.

And...for the past two days...I have managed an almost non-stop 'self-talk' for an hour each day!

I figure that, if I'm out walking...then I might as well put a little effort in on the positive thinking and talking front, shouldn't I?

(Just don't tell Lesley...she'll think that I'm going mad!)

At the very least...I end my walk feeling refreshed for having walked for so far...and for 'clearing the clutter' in my head as I focus on the sort of person I WILL become in the future.

I'll let you know how I get on as time progresses.

But...in the meantime...how can YOU fit in some positive self-talk into YOUR day...if only for a few minutes?

It's A Mad World. Are You 'Going Nowhere'?

"All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places – worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere – going nowhere"

Here in the UK...we always have a race for the "Christmas No. 1" in the top 40 singles' charts.

It's a mixed bag between re-issues, new songs, and novelty records.

This year, however...a dark horse has emerged...and, although it will only probably get to #2...it will be one of the top sellers of the year.

Why am I telling you this?

Well...the song is by an 'unknown' American called Gary Jules. It's called "Mad World"...and is a cover version of a song by Tears For Fears released in the eighties.

Not only is it a striking re-working...it made me listen to lyrics when, in the original, they were more drowned out by the music.

The lyrics at the top of this entry start the song...and they certainly got ME thinking!

What about YOU. Look at them again...

"All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places – worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere – going nowhere"

What does it make you think about?

For me...it reminds of how I USED to be like on my daily commute into work for fifteen years.

That glazed expression of 'people going somewhere to do something they don't like doing just to earn enough money to survive'.

Is that YOU?

Are YOU 'going nowhere'?

I sincerely hope not.

Whatever YOUR age or background...it's NEVER too late to START living the life YOU want.

The first step is being aware that you need to.

I hope that now...YOU are.

All It Takes Is A Little Imagination

Last night I led a teleclass on the Program that I am running based on Napoleon Hill's "The Law of Success In Sixteen Lessons" ebook.

It was on imagination.

As I've spent a few hours reading, analyzing, and teaching about imagination over the last couple of days...it made me realize how powerful (yet underused) it is!

Too often we get held up by trying to come up with the 'next big thing' when instead a much easier way to success is there all along.

All you need to do is to use your imagination to look and see what works in one 'industry'...and see how you can apply it to another.

Quite often...what may seem ordinary to one section of the community can be quite amazing to another.

There's nothing NEW out there...never forget that.

So...stop making things difficult for yourself...and begin to use your OWN imagination to see how you make something 'old' seem 'new' and exciting.

Look at how the humble cup of coffee made the fortunes of the owners of Starbucks.

All it takes is a little imagination!

Lessen The 'Downs'...Leverage The 'Ups'.

It's not that often that I get 'wound up'.

But...our seven-year-old daughter Katie is going through one of those 'screaming, shouting, rudeness' phases at the moment.

It's her way (I think) of reacting to our move last month.

Although she appears to have settled into her new school OK...and is involved in things generally...both Lesley and I think that she is still a little way away from being 'settled'.

And...perhaps Lesley and I are the same.

We've got a nice house, just a 15 minute walk or 5 minute drive from the sea...and things are winding up to Christmas (although the first Christmas without Connor being around will mean that it is more of a reflective, rather than celebratory one).

But...

Mainly because of Katie's daily outbursts...there can be an atmosphere in the air occasionally.

But...isn't LIFE like that sometimes?

That's part of the FUN!

Sure...we all have 'off' days...but, by showing a little empathy to Katie instead of just shouting at her...we can try to make the path a little smoother, can't we?

Plus...it's great to be able to take an hour out of the day to wrap up and go for a walk along the coast. (Boy...is it windy here!)

The trick with the game called life is to lessen the impact of the 'down' times...and leverage those 'up' times.

Some days it might take more work than others...but if you can aim to come out 'ahead' EVERY day...then, life can't be that bad can it?

Keep Away...Time Thief!

Time thieves.

We all have them.

It could be watching a soap opera for the sake of it. It could be reading a newspaper.

Perhaps even more scarily it has become email...or (even worse) Instant Messaging (IM)!

I've just spent 20 minutes that I would have otherwise spent working IM-ing (is that a word?) backwards and forwards with my brother Mark.

And...I haven't done a THING!

Now I know why I never really got around to doing this IM lark. It eats away at my time!

But...it IS addictive...being able to chat as if they were on the phone.

Except...IF they were on the phone...you KNOW that you weren't working and would make sure that you didn't spend too long, wouldn't you?

So...do you think that I am going to be giving out my IM details.

Nope. Definitely not. Never.

Please don't take it personally - I would LOVE to chat to you...but if I did I know that I wouldn't be able to help myself...and I would NEVER finish a thing!

But...it sure takes a lot of self-control NOT to!

Doing Something Instead of What Thing?

Being the 'ideas man' that I am...I often have to challenge myself to actually do SOMETHING instead of worrying about WHAT THING to do!

When you have fifteen things going on in your mind at once...it can be easy to fall into the procrastination 'trap'.

So...I get around this by doing a small amount of work on many different things!

Now...this flies in the face of common wisdom which says that you should just focus on ONE thing at a time.

But...isn't it easy to get bored that way?

I don't know about YOU...but I do!

So...one day I might spend the entire day working on one thing...and then not touch it for a few weeks because something else more 'exciting' comes up!

Of course...this principle only works if you actually COMPLETE things by doing them this way.

(Which, of course...I'm working on!)

Doing things this way means that you MUST have a prosperity or abundance mindset as it can be a period of time before you actually finish something!

But...sometimes...you can be almost at the completion stage for a number of projects at the same time...which is where I am at the moment!

The key to making this 'work' is that you don't write your projects off as non-starters...just realize that, when YOU are ready...THEY will be completed (and not the other way around!).

Of course...this process isn't entirely limited to business projects for example.

There are many people who have a number of different books 'on the go' at the same time who will testify to that.

Variety IS the spice of life...and life DOES get boring if you are doing stuff you don't really want to do at that time.

So...am I mad...or do you agree with me?

What works for YOU?

What have YOU decided?

Who knows where the decisions that you will make today will take you?

We get so 'hung up' on trying to predict our future based on our past that we forget that we cannot possibly have a CLUE about what may lay ahead for us.

It's SO easy not to make decisions when you've managed to get away with it for years.

But...unless you start making some DIFFERENT decisions...then you are going to continue to get what you've always got.

Is THAT enough for you?

(Perhaps not if you're reading this.)

What will it take for YOU to DO something about where you are?

YOU have the ability, the talent, the knowledge...now all you need are GUTS.

So-called successful people are not supermen (or women) - they were just like YOU once...and started to make MORE decisions...not necessarily better ones!

Where your future is concerned...you don't know WHAT will happen, or WHY it will happen.

So...isn't time that you stopped trying to 'second-guess' the outcome of your possible decisions...and actually started to try and MAKE more of them?

It's all down to YOU.

What have YOU decided?

Me? Planning? But...It Might Be Right For You.

There is one thing that you can be certain of in life...and that is that most things never go according to plan!

To me, a plan is a useful tool...but really, all I concern myself with is what I need to do NOW!

Sure...you need to know what you want to achieve, but, as far as I am concerned...I don't want to get 'bogged down' in the details.

I just want to get on with it and just do ANYTHING that moves me towards it!

Now...if you have an analytical or structured mind...then that will be total nonsense to you I expect!

But...I can only tell you what works for ME...and it's entirely up to YOU how you APPLY it to YOUR life.

That viewpoint is VERY important.

Too many people assume that, as it works for 'x' then it will, of course, work for them!

Wrong!

Whoever 'x' is...is not YOU.

So...whether you agree with me or not...it's up to YOU to make a decision on whether to APPLY it based on who YOU are!

THAT is THE most important thing!

Push through for success!

You know, some people don’t know when enough is enough.
Interestingly enough, this is where you will find the greatest of achievers.

Pushing and pushing and pushing a bit more until they break through. While others scoff, achievers brush it off and apply even greater focus on their goal. I know pushing through perceived limits works.

Having a healthy level of skepticism is fine if it helps you to be realistic enough to avoid major disasters. A little skepticism may serve you in planning stages but it doesn’t give you the wind under your sails or feed the burning desire that helps you achieve. Trying, failing, assessing, learning, trying again. It’s a cycle. Learning by persisting makes us better, more deserving of success.

Take this man – a real-life example of ultimate persistence to
achieve…

He was the son of a very ordinary man. He had rudimentary education. His mother died when he was only nine. He worked in a grocery store at 21. At 22, he decided to open his own store and as bankrupt a short time later!

When he was 23, he stood for a seat in parliament and was defeated. He was broke again at 25 when he attempted to build another business. When he found his true love and proposed, she died just before their wedding.

He suffered a nervous breakdown and studied part-time for 6 yrs to become a lawyer. Please note, mental sickness is not a pre-requisite to a law career, but working as a lawyer may cause the condition ;-)

When 29, he tried for parliament again and was defeated a second time. He tried again at 34 and again at 37 - defeated both times.

Finally he married, had four sons and three died. He was defeated in parliament once again at 39. That didn’t stop him from trying yet again at 46....

and at 49!

Do you think he listened to the scoffers around him? Do you think he bowed to pressure to give the career as a politician away? No!

He kept trying!

Finally at the age of 52, Abraham Lincoln became the President of the USA. This man was one of the greatest and should give us motivation to address what we really want to do, what we would want to do if we hung in there and worked the Success Cycle.

My point is this, the number of times we actually succeed is based on the number of times we try and not give up!!

Yours in abundance!

The Richest Man
Richest Man

You Can If You Really Think About It

Every day...I try to come up with something useful to say...which is usually based on what has happened to me, or my current thinking.

Could YOU come up with something constructive and positive about what you learn from YOUR day?

Of course...it's not always easy to do...but, get this - it's possible!

This blog is proof that it is.

Now...what I write may not be of a great interest to you...but it sure as hell makes ME focus on what I can learn from what I do every day.

Then...it becomes a challenge to make sure that you 'get it' as well.

Hopefully...for the most part, anyway, I succeed in doing that.

So...what about YOU?

Give me ONE single thing that you have learned from YOUR experiences today...

Go on...you CAN if you REALLY think about it.

I dare you!

Are You Thinking Your Way Out Of It?

It's easy to THINK yourself out of doing something.

I know...it's exactly what I used to do...and sometimes still struggle with.

What do I mean by this?

Well...have you ever been in the position where you KNOW that, if you did something, it will be 'good' for you...yet you find some way of getting out of doing it?

Most people hate change more than they think that they will enjoy the possible benefits from doing it!

When...in fact...the very REASON that the opportunity for a change has come about is because they NEED to do so in order to move forward in their lives.

You may think that this seems like those people are almost afraid of success...afraid of the possibilities that will, of course, open up to them when they put the change into practice.

You'd be right of course.

If it isn't enough to be scared of NOT changing...for a lot of people, it's almost as if changing is just as bad!

Are YOU like that?

Remember...what we ASSUME to be the outcome of any decision that we may make is usually way off what ACTUALLY happens.

So...if YOU are THINKING your way out of making some decisions...isn't it about time that you just got on and DID them?

Are You Climbing The Stairway To Heaven?

Ever get the feeling that there may not be a 'way out'?

I certainly used to feel that way.

It's easy for me to tell you what I did...but it won't mean a thing until YOU have DECIDED that the time is NOW.

Have you?

What have you done over the last week to prove to both yourself and those around you that you mean business?

Well?

Unless you CONSISTENTLY move forward in some way...then you will never end up where you really want to go.

It's like a staircase.

It's all very well you stepping up to step#1...or even up to step#5...but unless you climb all the way up to step#15 at the top...you won't get there!

Of course...you may well not know what step#15 LOOKS LIKE...which is fine.

But...unless you climb step#1 with the knowledge to find out how to get to step#2...then you might as well not really bother.

This may seem a little harsh...but, really, is it worth wasting your energy if you aren't SERIOUS about going the FULL distance?

Only YOU know the answer to THAT!

It's My Birthday...For A Change

Today is my 34th birthday.

It's scary to think how old I would seem to an 18-year-old!

But...as far as I am concerned...I'm just STARTING!

So many things have changed in my life over the last few years that I dread to think how bored, depressed, under-valued, and under-appreciated I would feel if my life hadn't apparently taken a 'turn for the worst'.

On my birthday six years ago...I was just a supervisor in a bank...wishing that I could do more with my life.

Then Connor came along and my life changed forever.

On my birthday four years ago...Connor made one of his very few 'public outings' at my surprise 30th birthday dinner arranged by Lesley.

Little did we know how much more difficult and frightening our life would become.

On my birthday two years ago I had just quit my job a week earlier...without a clue of how I would earn a living.

If you've been along with me for the ride since my ezine started on 10th March 2002...then you'll know the rest of the story!

(You can still catch up with the last 20 months through this very blog.

One thing that I have realized...

Is that your life ONLY changes when YOU start pushing out your boundaries.

Don't wait until another brithday (and another...and another) passes you by before you realize that YOUR life CAN change.

But...do you REALLY want it to bad enough to do something about it?

The Songbird Of Coincidence?

Today we went to a candlelight service at Demelza House - the children's hospice where Connor used to have so much fun when he was around.

Although not the first time that we had been back, it was the first time that we went back into the main living/kitchen area.

It brought back so many memories that it was a moving experience just walking through the doors.

What with the candlelight service...well, you could say that it was an emotional and thought-provoking day.

Especially as we were wandering through the peaceful 'rememberance' garden where Connor's ashes were scattered.

Just as Lesley and Katie went to sit in the pergola...they screamed and jumped up!

There was a little bird flying under the roof of the pergola...which seemed very unusual - especially considering that...at 5.pm. on a near-freezing countryside afternoon - it was dark.

Of course...our parents didn't give it a second thought...but, I bet that you know, that I KNOW different.

Not only that...one of the verses chosen by the head of care at Demelza House was a few lines from a song by Eva Cassidy...who (coincidentally?) was the singer of the song we played at Connor's service earleier in the year...the one which I mentioned was in the movie - "Love Actually" - that I wrote about on 21st November.

The title of that song?

"Songbird"

Makes you think, doesn't it?

You've Moved Further Forward Than You Think

It's easy to forget that...on the whole...you HAVE moved forward more than you think.

Don't agree with me?

Well...it may not seem like it...but I bet that, good or bad, you have learned a LOT over the last five years.

Even if you are, at the moment, raising your eyebrows...the lessons that you would have learned over that time would have certainly changed your life in some way.

You may look upon this period as a negative time...but, what if what has happened to you is nature's way of preparing you more fully for where you really SHOULD be going?

I've had some seriously difficult, unpleasant, and downright heart-wrenching moments over the last five years...but, without them...you wouldn't be reading this now.

So...I am in control of my life DESPITE what has happened to me.

It's easy to say how terrible things were...when in fact I am sure that you can draw strength from so many OTHER things that happened to you.

So...what's done is done.

The only benefit from dwelling on what has happened to you in the past is to see how you can LEARN from it...and use that knowledge to your ADVANTAGE in the future.

"A mistake only becomes a failure when you repeat it."

Never forget that.

I Believe In YOU!

I had a very interesting 'chat' today with a good friend of mine - Andrea Lee.

As I was talking...I realized a very interesting thing.

There I was...chatting away as if I was an expert in what I do...yet, all I am doing is playing to the strengths that I KNEW that I had for many years.

I always knew that I could...

- Work well under pressure
- Pick the important 'bits' out of what I am reading or listening to
- Come up with new ways to solve 'old' problems
- Thrive on challenging myself

ALL of these I used to do when I was working in a bank...without a doubt.

Yet...I ALWAYS thought that I was never quite good enough.

Now...my belief system has changed so much that now...I KNOW that I AM good enough.

And...so are YOU!

(Yes...you ARE!)

It all comes down to whether you BELIEVE in yourself or not.

I believe in YOU...

It's about time that YOU did, too.

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life...

Whichever way you look at it...it's always difficult to maintain a positive attitude where life is concerned.

Why do you think that the phrase 'one step forwards...two steps back' came from?

BUT...it doesn't have to be like that!

There is usually a HUGE difference between what actually HAPPENS to you...and your INTERPRETATION of what happens to you!

If you are the sort of person who looks for the cloud on every silver lining instead of the other way around...then guess what you're going to find!

So...take a step back before you start jumping to conclusions.

You may be surprised at how supposedly impossible situations can be improved dramatically...just by giving yourself the space to look at them from a detached perspective.

I have a rule...it's quite a simple one.

It based on a Monty Python song...

"Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life!"

It certainly works for me!

The Past IS A Guide To Your Future

Sometimes all it takes is one event to change your future.

It's funny...because up until around five years ago (perhaps not surprisingly - before my son was born)...I can't recall having any of those times, which in retrospect, were what I would call 'turning points' in my life.

Yet...in those last five years...I can honestly say that there are at least half-a-dozen cases of situations which I had to deal with thst literally turned my life 'path' in a completely different direction.

Why do you think that it's only happened so recently? (I'm almost 34 years old after all).

Well...I firmly believe that, because I was actively seeking a 'way out', or a means to develop myself, or had a desire to emulate someone that I admired - this meant that I was leaving myself 'open' for those life-changing decisions.

Strange...but nevertheless true.

Have YOU got any events in your past which defined where your future went (even though you may not have realized it at the time)?

It's all very having them...but in order to use them to your FUTURE advantage...you need to look at what you might have done differently to get yourself into that life-altering position in the first place.

Remember...your limits are only defined by how much you BELIEVE in yourself.

So...isn't it about time that you got yourself into more of those 'defining' moments?

It all begins with deciding that there is NO way back to your old 'habits'.

Are you ready for THAT?

YOU Are MUCH Better Than That!

Have you ever wondered how people seem to succeed against all the odds?

I bet that you've probably looked at them...and thought that they must have been 'special' in some way in order to do so.

Well...I can tell you that they are NOT.

They're not because I know that, to some people, what I have achieved despite what has happened to my family may seem difficult in some way.

It's NOT!

Sure...looking back...I wondered how we ever dealt with some of the situations we found ourselves in as Connor struggled to survive.

But...deal with them we did. And then just got on with our lives.

I never knew that I would have such a capacity to juggle so many different things at the same time as learning a new 'skill'...24 hour nurse!

Of course it wasn't easy. Events that define your life very rarely are.

But...whether events work out in your favor in the end...it doesn't really matter in the 'big scheme of things'.

All that matters is that you come out of the other side...and realize that you were NOT 'just' such-and-such person...you were able to be much more than that.

And...if you can deal with so much at one time in your life...then there is certainly no reason why you can't at ANY other time.

It's just a shame that all too often you need one hell of a serious challenge to make you realize that you were NOT the limited person that you thought you were.

YOU are MUCH better than that!

Choices. Choices. Choices.

I realized today how much impact your choices have on how successful you can be.

Most people seem to try to go through life without making any real choices apart from the same ones that they have been making for years.

Are YOU one of them?

Do YOU find an excuse when the more 'difficult' choices come along?

Do you suddenly become ill...or tell yourself that you're not capable...or just plain avoid the whole situation?

If you do...you're not alone.

The thing is...the easy option is not usually the BEST choice for getting you to where you really want to go.

Whether you may like it or not...you usually have to 'work' a little to make things happen.

All of us are guilty of just 'treading water' at various times in our lives.

But...

The strange thing is - once you start making the more challenging choices more often...you'll find that you begin to find that, in retrospect...they were the RIGHT choices for your long-term future!

So...start pushing yourself that little bit harder in the direction of feeling a little uncomfortable every now and again.

You certainly won't regret it in the long term...that's for sure.