It’s everywhere. It dictates everything. We know how to overcome it yet we choose to accept its poison. What is it you ask?
Fear.
Fear controls our lives. Whether or not you want to accept that fact or not, its true. The people that have been able to do great things in this life have learned to embrace it and turn it into their own personal rocket fuel. Buy why is it so many peoples demise? Why is it so hard to overcome?
During my journey, Fear has been with me every step of the way. It sits on my shoulder as my dark angel. It has prevented expansion, and it has caused expansion. It routinely causes sporadic decisions and it prevents decisions. And every night when I go to bed, I know I must embrace it and use it as my fuel...yet every morning when I wake up, I realize its still with me and force myself to acknowledge its existence. I then remind myself that fear is my fuel, that I have to operate with a deep positive faith, and continue on with my journey.
My wife gave me book by Laird Hamilton, which describes his life as he knows it. With Laird being the king of surfing the largest waves on earth, he included an entire chapter on fear. I was very surprised to read his take on the importance of fear and how big a role it plays in his actions. He, like everyone else, acknowledges fears existence but makes his decisions if as fear were not present. He is one of the rare birds that trained his mind to overcome fear. His success in life can be directly attributed to having the ability to have fear as his fuel.
This brings me back to my question on “Why is it so hard to overcome?” And what I have realized is that you cant overcome it. You can only embrace it, recognize it, listen to its needs, and then make an instinct decision on the following: is it worth it?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Everything plus this
My boooyaaaness today was a passage from Pushing Up People by A.L. Williams:
There’s just no substitute for hard work. If there is a “secret" to success, this is probably it. The person who works the longest and the hardest, and with the most intensity, is the person who's going the farthest.
I believe you can beat 50 percent of the people out there by just working hard. Most people wont work hard enough or long enough to win, so you’ve got half the folks licked if you can just keep working. You beat another 40 percent by living right, finding something you believe in and having decent morals and principles.
So if you just work hard and live right, you can be in the top 10 percent. In the free enterprise system, the top 10 percent is a dogfight, plain and simple, and you’ve got to fight it out the rest of the way. In my experience, the people who win big are the people who are willing to pay the price for success. Nothing good comes easy. In the free enterprise system, you’ve got to work for it. Vince Lombardi, one of the most famous football coaches of all time, said, “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish almost anything if you’re willing to pay the price.” – Passage from Pushing Up People by A.L. Williams
It made me reflect on everything I have done thus far in my life and why things have happened the way that they have happened. I have come to this conclusion : I go harder than anyone that I know or have heard of (minus Jay-Z). I have been writing this blog for 19 months and have gone over every experience and life lesson that I have learned up to this point in my life. Everything that I have learned can be pretty much summed up in the above passage. Nothing that I have discussed can be done without the message from the above passage. If you are not willing to work harder than you can even contemplate, nothing else that you "attempt" to do will matter.
There’s just no substitute for hard work. If there is a “secret" to success, this is probably it. The person who works the longest and the hardest, and with the most intensity, is the person who's going the farthest.
I believe you can beat 50 percent of the people out there by just working hard. Most people wont work hard enough or long enough to win, so you’ve got half the folks licked if you can just keep working. You beat another 40 percent by living right, finding something you believe in and having decent morals and principles.
So if you just work hard and live right, you can be in the top 10 percent. In the free enterprise system, the top 10 percent is a dogfight, plain and simple, and you’ve got to fight it out the rest of the way. In my experience, the people who win big are the people who are willing to pay the price for success. Nothing good comes easy. In the free enterprise system, you’ve got to work for it. Vince Lombardi, one of the most famous football coaches of all time, said, “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish almost anything if you’re willing to pay the price.” – Passage from Pushing Up People by A.L. Williams
It made me reflect on everything I have done thus far in my life and why things have happened the way that they have happened. I have come to this conclusion : I go harder than anyone that I know or have heard of (minus Jay-Z). I have been writing this blog for 19 months and have gone over every experience and life lesson that I have learned up to this point in my life. Everything that I have learned can be pretty much summed up in the above passage. Nothing that I have discussed can be done without the message from the above passage. If you are not willing to work harder than you can even contemplate, nothing else that you "attempt" to do will matter.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The Tick List
My brother had surgery at the height of our company’s growth and was not able to rest to the extent he needed. Ever since that point he has been struggling to reach his 100%. After 6 months of operating at 50-75% he reached his breaking point. He felt that his work was suffering, his relationships were suffering, his body was suffering, and his mental strength was unfortunately taking the biggest hit of all.
It really opened my eyes to something that everyone assumes they understand but have all fallen victim to. I sat back and reflected not as an employer but as a peer to try and get a grasp on how I could of done things differently. It made me realize that the only way to maintain a “white flame” level of performance in all aspects of your life is to constantly renew and grow your personal “tick list”.
So I pose this question to the world: How do you get to, and then maintain a “white flame level 100%" effort when life is as chaotic as it is?
After reflecting for a couple days, I sat down and re-visited my “tick list” and wrote down the steps of how I get to 100. The following work flow process shows how you can figure out what your 100% is and how to maintain it:
1. Take a day or a couple, and figure out what makes you tick. In your heart of hearts, you know what makes you and gets you to 100. After that, start writing. Dont stop! Dont put your pen down and think, just write. After you have exhausted all options that could make you feel complete, refine the list to your personal mantra.
2. After you know what makes you complete, create a personal business plan and a personal life plan to get your complete LIFE to 100. The business plan should outline your business goals, financial goals, and professional goals. Go out 5 years from now and imagine the following:
- What do you look like
- Where do you work
- What do you drive
- Who do you do business with
- How much money do you make
- Do you have any additional professional certifications or degrees
From there, breakdown how you are going to achieve the things you imagined. Break out your next 5 years into yearly goals. Then break out the yearly goals in to this year’s goals. What do you want to accomplish this year that will put you on track to hit your 5 year plan? Break your annual goals into monthly, weekly, and daily goals. It will give you a firm understanding of what type of life you will have to CREATE for yourself to be where you want to be. After you understand the professional side of your life, write out your personal plan. What do you need to do on a daily basis to be happy? How many vacations do you want to take? Where do you want to live? What hobbies do you want to have? Does your professional plan and personal plan make sense together? FYI...THEY BETTER MAKE SENSE TOGETHER! Combine the two plans and let everyone know what you need in your life to operate at 100
3. After you have created this amazing document and shouted it from the rooftops, get rid of anyone that doesn’t allow you get to or stay at your 100. Take a look around you and make sure you are surrounded with people that can be your checks and balances system and that support you in your quest to 100
4. Finally, Read your Life plan ATLEAST once a month. If you don’t, you will forget about it and fall back to mediocrityville which is a horrible place to live.
In the event that you fall below 100, take the necessary time to get back. If it means calling out sick one day of work...do it. If you stay below your optimal performance too long, it will be hard to get back. The longer you are there, the more everything in your life will suffer. And understand that is this is a working document. Your optimal 100% right now may not be your optimal 100 in a year. Continue to grow as a person and treat your brain like a sponge. Read books to get new points of view...you never know what is going to cause a paradigm shift. Humbling yourself and trying new things is critical to your personal growth. Do something completely new at least once a month that will not only open your eyes, but will give you a gut check and a new perspective. Life is not about the end result but the journey. Include these wild adventures in your life plan and always be open minded to new possibilities that present themselves.
This list is 6 years in the making and works for me. It may not work for you but use it as your starting point. You never know what is going to open your eyes...
It really opened my eyes to something that everyone assumes they understand but have all fallen victim to. I sat back and reflected not as an employer but as a peer to try and get a grasp on how I could of done things differently. It made me realize that the only way to maintain a “white flame” level of performance in all aspects of your life is to constantly renew and grow your personal “tick list”.
So I pose this question to the world: How do you get to, and then maintain a “white flame level 100%" effort when life is as chaotic as it is?
After reflecting for a couple days, I sat down and re-visited my “tick list” and wrote down the steps of how I get to 100. The following work flow process shows how you can figure out what your 100% is and how to maintain it:
1. Take a day or a couple, and figure out what makes you tick. In your heart of hearts, you know what makes you and gets you to 100. After that, start writing. Dont stop! Dont put your pen down and think, just write. After you have exhausted all options that could make you feel complete, refine the list to your personal mantra.
2. After you know what makes you complete, create a personal business plan and a personal life plan to get your complete LIFE to 100. The business plan should outline your business goals, financial goals, and professional goals. Go out 5 years from now and imagine the following:
- What do you look like
- Where do you work
- What do you drive
- Who do you do business with
- How much money do you make
- Do you have any additional professional certifications or degrees
From there, breakdown how you are going to achieve the things you imagined. Break out your next 5 years into yearly goals. Then break out the yearly goals in to this year’s goals. What do you want to accomplish this year that will put you on track to hit your 5 year plan? Break your annual goals into monthly, weekly, and daily goals. It will give you a firm understanding of what type of life you will have to CREATE for yourself to be where you want to be. After you understand the professional side of your life, write out your personal plan. What do you need to do on a daily basis to be happy? How many vacations do you want to take? Where do you want to live? What hobbies do you want to have? Does your professional plan and personal plan make sense together? FYI...THEY BETTER MAKE SENSE TOGETHER! Combine the two plans and let everyone know what you need in your life to operate at 100
3. After you have created this amazing document and shouted it from the rooftops, get rid of anyone that doesn’t allow you get to or stay at your 100. Take a look around you and make sure you are surrounded with people that can be your checks and balances system and that support you in your quest to 100
4. Finally, Read your Life plan ATLEAST once a month. If you don’t, you will forget about it and fall back to mediocrityville which is a horrible place to live.
In the event that you fall below 100, take the necessary time to get back. If it means calling out sick one day of work...do it. If you stay below your optimal performance too long, it will be hard to get back. The longer you are there, the more everything in your life will suffer. And understand that is this is a working document. Your optimal 100% right now may not be your optimal 100 in a year. Continue to grow as a person and treat your brain like a sponge. Read books to get new points of view...you never know what is going to cause a paradigm shift. Humbling yourself and trying new things is critical to your personal growth. Do something completely new at least once a month that will not only open your eyes, but will give you a gut check and a new perspective. Life is not about the end result but the journey. Include these wild adventures in your life plan and always be open minded to new possibilities that present themselves.
This list is 6 years in the making and works for me. It may not work for you but use it as your starting point. You never know what is going to open your eyes...
Monday, July 11, 2011
Harmony and Balance
My brother is experiencing “real world” situational depression and trying to find the balance between work and play. When he dedicates all his time to work his "life" suffers. When he tries to live it up too much, his work suffers. His inner conflict has created a lack of motivation a cross the board and a high level of un-organization and inefficiencies. As I listened and empathized I stopped him and asked him one question: what makes you tick? He didn’t have an answer...so I asked him again...what makes you tick?...He then asked me what makes me tick... I went on to tell him a long list of things that I need on a daily basis from an organizational perspective, nutrition, rest, exercise, hydration, relationship/family, and fun perspective. He looked a bit perplexed. So I told him to start writing down everything that made him tick. As he was writing, I then asked him another question: what is your perfect day like? From wake up to sleep, what does it entail? What do you do, what do you eat, what do you wear, where do you go, do you exercise, who are you with, etc. I then looked at this perfectly balanced day that encompassed work, nutrition, exercise, love, fun, rest, and family and asked him about the one thing I noticed missing. How do you organize all of this? What does it take to create that perfect day? What would he have to do the night before to prepare? How would he need to wake up to get it started on the right track. After we went over everything that he had an answer for...I then asked what would happen if he decided to not wake up on time? What would be the consequences to his mood, his morning, his exercise, his energy? He had answers for everything... and with those answers, a light bulb burst out of his gingery head...he was beginning to see how pressing snooze on the alarm clock can create a snowball effect of half ass energy into the rest of the day. How a clean room and house allows him to be more efficient and positive which in turn carries into every aspect of his life. He realized that being "dialed in" in one area made him want to have everything organized, clean, and efficient INCLUDING WORK! When things work in perfect harmony and balance, it allows other things to work in harmony and balance. If you decide to get lazy in one area of your life, you will become lazy in all areas. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to be working at 100% in one area and 50% in another. The universe will not allow it. Even if you think you are at 100% in one place, try making all other aspects of your life 100% and see if the original 100 was actually fully "dialed in" at all...
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Magnetic You and the Universe
When your heart is true and your desire is great, the universe works in your favor.
I realized that today…and it is true…and it is about me…and it is about all of us…if you believe it to be true.
I read a book the other day that described the importance of Omens. An omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change or anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future…They come in all shapes and sizes but you have to be “aware” and “open” to them.
In my personal adventures thus far, I have kept my eyes open and my heart true and I must tell you…the omens are written everywhere. After I realized the importance of omens I started reflecting back on the “timeline worthy” events that have gotten me to where I am today. A lot has happened but certain events and people stuck out in my mind. It is as if I was meant to be at this very place at this very moment. I have always been a goal oriented person but the goals that I have chosen have all worked out for the most part. How? Desire, energy, persistence…we could sit here and name things all day but if you really boil it down, it has been about taking advantage of opportunities when they are RECOGNIZED i.e. spotting out an omen.
I bet if you truly commit to your one true desire, and go after it with open eyes, a true heart, and stay the course…you will begin to see and take advantage of YOUR omens.
I realized that today…and it is true…and it is about me…and it is about all of us…if you believe it to be true.
I read a book the other day that described the importance of Omens. An omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change or anything perceived or happening that is believed to portend a good or evil event or circumstance in the future…They come in all shapes and sizes but you have to be “aware” and “open” to them.
In my personal adventures thus far, I have kept my eyes open and my heart true and I must tell you…the omens are written everywhere. After I realized the importance of omens I started reflecting back on the “timeline worthy” events that have gotten me to where I am today. A lot has happened but certain events and people stuck out in my mind. It is as if I was meant to be at this very place at this very moment. I have always been a goal oriented person but the goals that I have chosen have all worked out for the most part. How? Desire, energy, persistence…we could sit here and name things all day but if you really boil it down, it has been about taking advantage of opportunities when they are RECOGNIZED i.e. spotting out an omen.
I bet if you truly commit to your one true desire, and go after it with open eyes, a true heart, and stay the course…you will begin to see and take advantage of YOUR omens.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Why not me
This is from a good friend of mine:
I'm sitting in my car in front of a high school in Charlotte NC, read that booya quote and had to share something with the Boooyaness community.
I have a motto that is rather selfish, but it is integrated into my life, work, family, basically all facets... But it applies to everything that I do and that quote really helps summarize it. "WHY NOT ME?!" Name any situation in life, ask yourself that question, then attack the scenario; running for class President, pretty girl in a bar, going for a big job, anything. Ask yourself Why Not Me? For all those scenarios then figure out how to accomplish it. You usually get to a bigger question; why me? Answer that and you can accomplish anything, get the girl, get the job, whatever.
Greg the problem today is that people are too self depreciating and sensitive. People think everyone is equal and should 'have there chance', not me. If it's me or you for any scenario it's me 100% of the time. I was raised this way, I believe it and it motivates me. It also improves my life. Because i ask myself 'Why not me' I have learned to take calculated risks, find win win situations and absolutely become more competitive in my daily life. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to beat someone to a parking spot or go through a door before the person next to me, but if there is a promotion available 'Why not me', a pretty girl who might be looking for a 6' guy, forget that 'Why not me', gonna be a person who gets to mass ever Sunday ' why not me'. want to run a marathon I could do that, 'Why not me'.
Don't let anything hold you back, it ok to be self appreciating (if you don't who will?). If there is something you want ask yourself 'why not me, why can't I have that?!' and go get it!
I'm sitting in my car in front of a high school in Charlotte NC, read that booya quote and had to share something with the Boooyaness community.
I have a motto that is rather selfish, but it is integrated into my life, work, family, basically all facets... But it applies to everything that I do and that quote really helps summarize it. "WHY NOT ME?!" Name any situation in life, ask yourself that question, then attack the scenario; running for class President, pretty girl in a bar, going for a big job, anything. Ask yourself Why Not Me? For all those scenarios then figure out how to accomplish it. You usually get to a bigger question; why me? Answer that and you can accomplish anything, get the girl, get the job, whatever.
Greg the problem today is that people are too self depreciating and sensitive. People think everyone is equal and should 'have there chance', not me. If it's me or you for any scenario it's me 100% of the time. I was raised this way, I believe it and it motivates me. It also improves my life. Because i ask myself 'Why not me' I have learned to take calculated risks, find win win situations and absolutely become more competitive in my daily life. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to beat someone to a parking spot or go through a door before the person next to me, but if there is a promotion available 'Why not me', a pretty girl who might be looking for a 6' guy, forget that 'Why not me', gonna be a person who gets to mass ever Sunday ' why not me'. want to run a marathon I could do that, 'Why not me'.
Don't let anything hold you back, it ok to be self appreciating (if you don't who will?). If there is something you want ask yourself 'why not me, why can't I have that?!' and go get it!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Even thinking
I found out yesterday that a contract I had been working on was denied (for now!). When I heard the news my heart fell in to my stomach. I got real hot...and I let myself fall into a bad mood. I went to bed thinking...and then woke up thinking...and as I worked out the next morning in the pitch black, I continued to think... and then I realized..."well who the hell did they go with?!". So I started researching...and I figured it out...and then I started laughing. They made a horrible decision. Now even though their decision was not yes today...I guarantee I will get it soon. Which brings me to a couple points that I discovered amidst this bumpy ride:
1. Try to stay relatively even keeled. Its OK to have emotion but don't find yourself on either end of the spectrum.
2. Information is power. If I had done my research in the beginning I could of used my competitor to my advantage...but I didn't. I was riding high because of who we are and did not prepare as much as I should have.
3. Combine the first two and then react...if you are informed and even keeled...you are going to make great decisions 99% of the time. If you are not...you wont.
1. Try to stay relatively even keeled. Its OK to have emotion but don't find yourself on either end of the spectrum.
2. Information is power. If I had done my research in the beginning I could of used my competitor to my advantage...but I didn't. I was riding high because of who we are and did not prepare as much as I should have.
3. Combine the first two and then react...if you are informed and even keeled...you are going to make great decisions 99% of the time. If you are not...you wont.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Dead lifting life
Preparing for life
Today I found out why this quote is true “if you fail to prepare you prepare to fail”. This is an extreme example but I am an extreme guy …I played pro lacrosse for 3 years and had a certain training regiment that consisted of 6 days a week of working out with a relatively strict diet to build lean explosive muscle. After I stopped playing I continued working out and eating the same exact way. Everyone always asks “what the hell are you training for?” and I respond “LIFE!”. Today, that answer came true! I had an early breakfast meeting which in turn had my morning routine running a couple hours behind schedule. As I rolled up to my favorite coffee shop (Caffe Pronto) I noticed a pimped out minivan with a handicapped sticker... I thought to myself “what a nice whip…I would have the same one if I was handicapped” but didn't give it any more thought after that. As I got out of my car, I saw a woman sitting in the doorway to the coffee shop smiling and laughing. I was thinking to myself “what the fuck is going on”…as I walked closer I saw her wheel chair sitting in the door way and a spilled latte on the ground. Three men were standing around her watching her try to crabwalk back to her wheel chair. She was telling them that she was so embarrassed about the wheelchair falling over but was still very light hearted about the situation. As I walked up and entered the circle of “3 little guys” watching her…I asked the woman if she was OK and if she “just wanted me to pick her up and put her in the wheelchair”. She looked a little distraught and then said she didn’t want me to exert too much energy by picking her up...my reply (of course) was that I could literally pick her up in one second. After choosing the proper lifting position that was most comfortable for her, I dead lifted her right up in her chair. As she flew into the chair, she gasped “you really can pick me up in one second”…after getting thank yous and slaps on the back…I jovially stated that all the hang cleans and dead lifts that I had been doing finally paid off, everyone laughed. But I thought to myself that the statement I had just made was true. If I didn’t work out the way that I did, I would of also been standing in the circle watching the woman try and “no leg crabwalk” into her wheel chair. Life is about being prepared. In every aspect of it. Not just work and not just your home…but EVERYTHING. I have always had the philosophy that I wanted to be prepared for anything that life throws at me, and today…I was prepared.
Today I found out why this quote is true “if you fail to prepare you prepare to fail”. This is an extreme example but I am an extreme guy …I played pro lacrosse for 3 years and had a certain training regiment that consisted of 6 days a week of working out with a relatively strict diet to build lean explosive muscle. After I stopped playing I continued working out and eating the same exact way. Everyone always asks “what the hell are you training for?” and I respond “LIFE!”. Today, that answer came true! I had an early breakfast meeting which in turn had my morning routine running a couple hours behind schedule. As I rolled up to my favorite coffee shop (Caffe Pronto) I noticed a pimped out minivan with a handicapped sticker... I thought to myself “what a nice whip…I would have the same one if I was handicapped” but didn't give it any more thought after that. As I got out of my car, I saw a woman sitting in the doorway to the coffee shop smiling and laughing. I was thinking to myself “what the fuck is going on”…as I walked closer I saw her wheel chair sitting in the door way and a spilled latte on the ground. Three men were standing around her watching her try to crabwalk back to her wheel chair. She was telling them that she was so embarrassed about the wheelchair falling over but was still very light hearted about the situation. As I walked up and entered the circle of “3 little guys” watching her…I asked the woman if she was OK and if she “just wanted me to pick her up and put her in the wheelchair”. She looked a little distraught and then said she didn’t want me to exert too much energy by picking her up...my reply (of course) was that I could literally pick her up in one second. After choosing the proper lifting position that was most comfortable for her, I dead lifted her right up in her chair. As she flew into the chair, she gasped “you really can pick me up in one second”…after getting thank yous and slaps on the back…I jovially stated that all the hang cleans and dead lifts that I had been doing finally paid off, everyone laughed. But I thought to myself that the statement I had just made was true. If I didn’t work out the way that I did, I would of also been standing in the circle watching the woman try and “no leg crabwalk” into her wheel chair. Life is about being prepared. In every aspect of it. Not just work and not just your home…but EVERYTHING. I have always had the philosophy that I wanted to be prepared for anything that life throws at me, and today…I was prepared.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Booooyaaaaaness update
Every Monday (for the most part) I send out "The Booooyaaaaness" to my group of friends that I want to get motivated. One of my buddies emailed me and asked if I kept track of all them...as I read his email I realized I did not actually have a "boooyaaanesss log"... SO... here are all the monday morning booyaaness quotes from the past year+:
December
28th- Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it, too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.”—Diane Sawyer
January
4th-
11th- There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened. We all have a choice. You can decide which type of person you want to be. I have always chosen to be in the first group.--Mary Kay Ash
18th- Self-discipline and being able to perform under pressure and exist outside our comfort zone would be the key that unlocked our success."--Maj. John Patrick Gallagher
25th- “Being the best that you can be is possible only if your desire to be a champion is greater than your fear of failure.”—Sammy Lee
Febuary
1st- “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”—Vince Lombardi
8th-
15th- Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”--Calvin Coolidge
22nd- Energy and persistence conquer all things.”—Benjamin Franklin
March
1st- The ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. -- JFK
8th- I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. – Bill Cosby
15th- “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”—Henry Ford
22nd- “Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.”—Jim Rohn
29th- “If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”—Jim Rohn
April
5th- If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.—Seneca
12th- For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is.--Goethe
19th- Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”—Sun Tzu
26th- I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”—Leonardo da Vinci
May
3rd- The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.”- Sven Goran Eriksson
10th- “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”—Colin Powell
17th- “All great achievements require time.”—“Train for a week, and you can run a mile. Train for a few weeks, you can run a 5k. Train for a few months, and you can run a marathon. Most of us—in our careers and our achievements—aren’t marathoners. We focus on one thing until it becomes good, yet abandon it before it gets to great. The truth is, there is no clear line that separates good from great. And you may be much closer to great than you think.”
24th-
31st- There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”—Nelson Mandela
June
7th- If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms.”—Colin Powell
14th- “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his greatest surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't”—Henry Ford
21st- Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”—Mark Victor Hansen
28th- If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”—Albert Einstein
July
5th A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.”—Vince Lombardi
12th- The character that takes command in moments of crucial choices has already been determined. It has been determined by a thousand other choices made earlier in seemingly unimportant moments. It has been determined by all the little choices of years past—by all the those times when the voice of conscience was at war with the voice of temptation, whispering the lie that it really doesn’t matter. It has been determined by all the day-to-day decisions made when life seemed easy and crises seemed far way—the decision that, piece by piece, bit by bit, developed habits of discipline or of laziness, habits of self-sacrifice or self-indulgence, habits of duty and honor and integrity—or dishonor and shame. Because, when life does get tough, and the crisis is undeniably at hand—when we must, in an instant, look inward for strength of character to see us through—we will find nothing inside ourselves that we have not already put there.
19th- “Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.”—Og mandino
26th- “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”—W. Clement Stone
August
2nd- “If you get the dirty end of the stick, sharpen it and turn it into a useful tool”—Colin Powell
9th-
16th- Focused, hard work is the real key to success. Keep your eyes on the goal, and just keep taking the next step towards completing it. If you aren't sure which way to do something, do it both ways and see which works better.”—John Carmack
23rd-
30th- "Go forth and set the world on fire." — Ignatius of Loyola
September
6th-
13th-
20th- Success is uncommon, therefore not to be enjoyed by the common man” --Coach Cal Stoll
27th- Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”—Nelson Mandela
October
4th-
11th-
18th- The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong”—Thomas Carlyle
25th-
November
1st- “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
8th-
15th- “You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”—Ted Turner
22nd- “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race"—Calvin Coolidge
29th- History will be kind to me for I intend to write it”—Winston Churchill
December
6th- See my world is different, like Dwayne Wayne, And if you want trouble, bitch, I want the same thang, And you know that imma ride with my motherfuckin niggas, Most likely imma die with my finger on the trigga, Don't worry bout mine, imma grind till I get it And tell all of my niggas that the sky is the limit, The sky is the limit”—Weezy
13th-
20th- I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”—John D. Rockefeller
27th-
January
3rd- Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.”—Henry Ford
10th- Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle.—Phillips Brooks
17th-
24th- The world is no place of rest. I repeat, it is no place of rest but for effort. Steady, continuous undeviating effort. Our work should never be done and it is the daydream of ignorance to look forward to that as a happy time, when we shall wish for nothing more, and have nothing more to accomplish.”—Thomas Dent Mutter
31st-
February
7th- To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything, and make my optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.
14th- “Danger - if you meet it promptly and without flinching - you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!”—Winston Churchill
21st- The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”—Charles R. Swindoll
28th- “The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains the fulfillment of its destiny.”—Colin Powell
December
28th- Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it, too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.”—Diane Sawyer
January
4th-
11th- There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened. We all have a choice. You can decide which type of person you want to be. I have always chosen to be in the first group.--Mary Kay Ash
18th- Self-discipline and being able to perform under pressure and exist outside our comfort zone would be the key that unlocked our success."--Maj. John Patrick Gallagher
25th- “Being the best that you can be is possible only if your desire to be a champion is greater than your fear of failure.”—Sammy Lee
Febuary
1st- “The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”—Vince Lombardi
8th-
15th- Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”--Calvin Coolidge
22nd- Energy and persistence conquer all things.”—Benjamin Franklin
March
1st- The ancient Greek definition of happiness was the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. -- JFK
8th- I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. – Bill Cosby
15th- “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”—Henry Ford
22nd- “Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.”—Jim Rohn
29th- “If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”—Jim Rohn
April
5th- If a man does not know what port he is steering for, no wind is favorable to him.—Seneca
12th- For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is.--Goethe
19th- Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”—Sun Tzu
26th- I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”—Leonardo da Vinci
May
3rd- The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.”- Sven Goran Eriksson
10th- “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”—Colin Powell
17th- “All great achievements require time.”—“Train for a week, and you can run a mile. Train for a few weeks, you can run a 5k. Train for a few months, and you can run a marathon. Most of us—in our careers and our achievements—aren’t marathoners. We focus on one thing until it becomes good, yet abandon it before it gets to great. The truth is, there is no clear line that separates good from great. And you may be much closer to great than you think.”
24th-
31st- There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”—Nelson Mandela
June
7th- If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms.”—Colin Powell
14th- “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his greatest surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't”—Henry Ford
21st- Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”—Mark Victor Hansen
28th- If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”—Albert Einstein
July
5th A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.”—Vince Lombardi
12th- The character that takes command in moments of crucial choices has already been determined. It has been determined by a thousand other choices made earlier in seemingly unimportant moments. It has been determined by all the little choices of years past—by all the those times when the voice of conscience was at war with the voice of temptation, whispering the lie that it really doesn’t matter. It has been determined by all the day-to-day decisions made when life seemed easy and crises seemed far way—the decision that, piece by piece, bit by bit, developed habits of discipline or of laziness, habits of self-sacrifice or self-indulgence, habits of duty and honor and integrity—or dishonor and shame. Because, when life does get tough, and the crisis is undeniably at hand—when we must, in an instant, look inward for strength of character to see us through—we will find nothing inside ourselves that we have not already put there.
19th- “Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.”—Og mandino
26th- “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”—W. Clement Stone
August
2nd- “If you get the dirty end of the stick, sharpen it and turn it into a useful tool”—Colin Powell
9th-
16th- Focused, hard work is the real key to success. Keep your eyes on the goal, and just keep taking the next step towards completing it. If you aren't sure which way to do something, do it both ways and see which works better.”—John Carmack
23rd-
30th- "Go forth and set the world on fire." — Ignatius of Loyola
September
6th-
13th-
20th- Success is uncommon, therefore not to be enjoyed by the common man” --Coach Cal Stoll
27th- Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”—Nelson Mandela
October
4th-
11th-
18th- The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong”—Thomas Carlyle
25th-
November
1st- “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
8th-
15th- “You can never quit. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”—Ted Turner
22nd- “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race"—Calvin Coolidge
29th- History will be kind to me for I intend to write it”—Winston Churchill
December
6th- See my world is different, like Dwayne Wayne, And if you want trouble, bitch, I want the same thang, And you know that imma ride with my motherfuckin niggas, Most likely imma die with my finger on the trigga, Don't worry bout mine, imma grind till I get it And tell all of my niggas that the sky is the limit, The sky is the limit”—Weezy
13th-
20th- I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.”—John D. Rockefeller
27th-
January
3rd- Whether you think that you can, or that you can't, you are usually right.”—Henry Ford
10th- Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle, but you shall be the miracle.—Phillips Brooks
17th-
24th- The world is no place of rest. I repeat, it is no place of rest but for effort. Steady, continuous undeviating effort. Our work should never be done and it is the daydream of ignorance to look forward to that as a happy time, when we shall wish for nothing more, and have nothing more to accomplish.”—Thomas Dent Mutter
31st-
February
7th- To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything, and make my optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I am true to the best that is in me.
14th- “Danger - if you meet it promptly and without flinching - you will reduce the danger by half. Never run away from anything. Never!”—Winston Churchill
21st- The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”—Charles R. Swindoll
28th- “The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains the fulfillment of its destiny.”—Colin Powell
Monday, February 14, 2011
Positive Realism
My side venture has become a journey. And in my travels thus far I have realized the importance of keeping an even keel with positive realism. It’s the only way you will survive. There are so many obstacles that are so large and painful that you have to keep focused on the goal at hand and ignore all the negativity. I have found on average, there will be 3 major obstacles a day that will shake you to your core and make you want to quit what you are doing. The only thing to get through those times will be your tenacity and big picture goal setting. Don’t get frazzled and stay the course towards your major objective. If you can find a “positive realistic” outlook on life, you will be able to keep an even keel which will allow you to move forward more efficiently and effectively.
Here are some rules that have helped me stay the course and keep a somewhat even keel:
Ignore all the rules and making them up yourself- rules were made to say NO.
Do it now—the faster you get done the less chance people can throw and obstacle in there (but don’t sacrifice quality in your speed).
Don’t take No for an answer—everyone wants to say it…
Prepare for a financial, social, and emotional disaster…but hope for none of them—that will help you tolerate the lows a little bit more (but it never gets easier)
Work harder than everyone else you know. That way there will be NO EXCUSES—enough said
Remove yourself from the situation and treat every obstacle as if you are watching a motivational movie about the life story of the next big thing…and you are it. You will be able to easily accomplish the “huge” obstacles when you put it into the grand scheme of your goals.
Remember to portray the best to the public. Only express the “highs” to people that ask, no one wants to hear negativity from their leader… just don’t over inflate the positives… "Positive realism" is what you want.
Have a beer and enjoy the highs. The positive celebrations of the highs will get you through the tough days and into the next 20 years.—Don’t get lost in the future…enjoy the moment and the journey.
…And during your journey remember this observation about the GENERAL public:
Everyone wants to tell you that you cant do it…and that is because they want you to fail. They want some company in their misery... and that is why I just don't ask anyone’s opinion anymore.
Here are some rules that have helped me stay the course and keep a somewhat even keel:
Ignore all the rules and making them up yourself- rules were made to say NO.
Do it now—the faster you get done the less chance people can throw and obstacle in there (but don’t sacrifice quality in your speed).
Don’t take No for an answer—everyone wants to say it…
Prepare for a financial, social, and emotional disaster…but hope for none of them—that will help you tolerate the lows a little bit more (but it never gets easier)
Work harder than everyone else you know. That way there will be NO EXCUSES—enough said
Remove yourself from the situation and treat every obstacle as if you are watching a motivational movie about the life story of the next big thing…and you are it. You will be able to easily accomplish the “huge” obstacles when you put it into the grand scheme of your goals.
Remember to portray the best to the public. Only express the “highs” to people that ask, no one wants to hear negativity from their leader… just don’t over inflate the positives… "Positive realism" is what you want.
Have a beer and enjoy the highs. The positive celebrations of the highs will get you through the tough days and into the next 20 years.—Don’t get lost in the future…enjoy the moment and the journey.
…And during your journey remember this observation about the GENERAL public:
Everyone wants to tell you that you cant do it…and that is because they want you to fail. They want some company in their misery... and that is why I just don't ask anyone’s opinion anymore.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Reflection
This past year has been the most profound year of my life. The fact that I happened to be blogging during the entirety of it makes me think there is some sort of correlation in the practice of recording experiences producing positive results. It wasn’t easy but I promised myself I would write a blog for a year...and I am proud to say that feat has been accomplished. My journey has been great. It has been hard but rewarding. But, I can honestly say that in writing the enlightened graduate blog for the past year, it has helped me accomplish the goals I have set for myself.
When I first starting coaching lacrosse, it made me break the game of lacrosse down into a level kids could understand (not easy)... which in turn made me a better player. I view this blog and my life the same way. In 12 months I have written down over 30 experiences that have changed my life for the better. Reflecting back, I don't think my last post would have been as insightful if it hadn't of been for the first. It is if I have evolved at a faster rate because of the constant self reflection and "sharpening of the tool" (see blog on sharpening of the tool). In all of this reflection, I now find myself in preparation mode for the New Year. 2011 looks more promising than 2010 which gets me thinking... If I don't record my lessons again this year, will I not evolve at the rate? That question got me asking myself more questions...Does self reflection make you a better person? And...Does learning from the past actually prepare you for the future? The answers to these questions will only come if I continue my experiment for another year…so stay tuned...
When I first starting coaching lacrosse, it made me break the game of lacrosse down into a level kids could understand (not easy)... which in turn made me a better player. I view this blog and my life the same way. In 12 months I have written down over 30 experiences that have changed my life for the better. Reflecting back, I don't think my last post would have been as insightful if it hadn't of been for the first. It is if I have evolved at a faster rate because of the constant self reflection and "sharpening of the tool" (see blog on sharpening of the tool). In all of this reflection, I now find myself in preparation mode for the New Year. 2011 looks more promising than 2010 which gets me thinking... If I don't record my lessons again this year, will I not evolve at the rate? That question got me asking myself more questions...Does self reflection make you a better person? And...Does learning from the past actually prepare you for the future? The answers to these questions will only come if I continue my experiment for another year…so stay tuned...
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