Let Your Greatness Shine  Whether in business, having a job, going to school, or living your life, your ability to present well will supercharge your success. Here are five tips I use every day: 1) Understand that most folk only expect you to wow them. They are not expecting bad. You shouldn't either. 2) Join the conversation THEY already have inside their head, not the one YOU are having. 3) You'll move faster if you drop the small talk and dig into the meat of your communication. You can fill in additional information later. 4) The sooner you get people to suspend disbelief and engage with you, the sooner you will succeed. 5) Stop overkill. Find the first best place to take your exit and bring your meeting to an end. You're going to be amazed at how well this works. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focusing on YOUR Important As a child, I remember heading out the door for a day in an endless adventure. It usually concluded with a game of Hide-And-Seek.   Those days seemed to last forever. These days, most of us are still running until the sun goes down. But there's so much to do that we rarely have time to ponder the bigger picture. Remember- You will always find time for your most important tasks. You will eat, sleep, pay bills, feed the dog, and take care of your children - no matter how crazy life gets. When life gets crazy, and you scream, "Something has to GIVE…" it's usually your dreams for the future that get put off. Steven Covey reminded us how important it is to focus on what's important as much as possible. Make sure you put yourself on the list too. Then, when life goes off the rails, fix it as soon as possible, get back to what's essential, and keep moving. Not all dreams come true, but the important ones always seem to come your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Will and Way of Change in 30 Days Only a silly person thinks you can change everything about your life in 30 days - right? Call me silly, but everything I've ever done was rooted in a 30-day sprint - even if I didn’t know it. Here's how you do it: 1) Set what Napoleon Hill calls a Major Definite Purpose or a Big Ass Goal. 2) Stop negative self-talk. Others may throw sticks and stones; don't throw them at yourself. 3) List all the reasons you CAN be successful. Make it a long list. 4) Decide that you will do whatever it takes to reach your goal. For the next 30 days, nothing will stop you. The impossible becomes possible when you are focused, willing to take massive imperfect action, and won't take no for an answer. By the way… When you seek or follow your purpose in life, your life will become one big non-stop happiness sprint. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interpreting Your Calling Is the Universe whispering and nudging you to move in a specific direction?  Before I go on, I must admit that I am certainly not an expert in the Universe or if it works in our life. The magic of gravity is enough to blow my mind, and the only Secret I know is that you are the only one in charge of getting what you want in your life. But what if you know that Universe is speaking to you? Calling you, compelling you to get off the sofa and do what you say you want to do? But you still won’t do it? Many years ago, I was in the habit of listening to those voices whispering inside my head and following whatever I thought they said for me to do. Eventually, after many false starts, I realized the messages were not black or white. There didn’t seem to be any particular order, and they were almost always out of context with my life. In other words, mindlessly following my feelings often ended with me not getting what I wanted, and whatever I wanted to get away from became more assertive in my life. One night at about 3 AM, a thought popped into my head— “Maybe I’m not supposed to do what I’m hearing? Maybe I’m stuck in my thinking, and the Universe is giving me more of what I’m focused on. You get what you focus on. That’s a basic rule of life.  It made sense to me that whatever I was focused on would linger in my brain until I questioned it from a different angle - whether I wanted to your not. That’s when I started flipping the script and created my 180 Degree Rule. Now, when a thought pops into my head and convinces me of the direction I’m supposed to run with all my enthusiasm, I pause and ask— “What if it really means I’m supposed to move away instead of forward?” With that new way of thinking, everything changed. It didn’t get easier, and sometimes took time to choose a path. Still, questioning the context of the wisdom as it applied to my current life and experience allowed me to avoid dead ends and frustration.  And another thing happened… My life became more balanced and calm by going into “trust but verify” mode. Instead of chasing dreams of what might be a reality, I focused on adjusting my reality to be more like the vision I held in my heart. When the Universe speaks to you, it doesn’t always include context and directions. Take a minute to decide if you’re supposed to move toward or away, and clarity will emerge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Daily Rules for a Happier You Every day, we all jump into the craziness of life without much thought of the basic rules we use to run our day.  Here are a few of mine. You can borrow them if you would like: 1) Do what makes your heart sing. You'll always feel better when you are dancing down your path. 2) Believe anything is possible. As soon as you believe - everything IS possible. 3) Be nice to others. Expect them to do the same. No further explanation is required. 4) Believe in people and encourage their dreams. When you do, they'll return the favor. 5) Do the right thing. If you mess up, say you're sorry, try again.  6) Meet people where they are in their lives and walk with them to where you both want to go. 7) Do what you say you will do. It's always better to under-promise and over-deliver.  8) Make lemonade out of lemons. Everything is fixable if you have the right mindset. 9) Keep things simple. Yup. 10) Relax. Life is short. Double yup. Focusing on life's big picture makes it easier to enjoy your daily experiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Stoic Rules for Happiness I'm a fan of Stoic Philosophy. While it may be over 2,000 years old, its practicality is still valid. These rules to live by will help you have a happier life: 1. If you're going to learn and succeed, be humble. There is always someone more intelligent, more successful, and wiser.   2. Find the right scene. Choose your friends and situations. If you want to rise in life, you can't allow yourself to be held down by others. 3. Protect your time. Seneca said, "We're tight-fisted with property and money, yet think too little of wasting time, the one thing about which we should all be the toughest misers." Life is short. 4. Never do anything out of habit. Always think about how you can do things better, and always question yourself.  5. Keep it simple — do your job. Approach every task as if it were your last because it very well could be.  6. Adapt and learn from failure. Using your success to justify complacency is common. It's also easy, which is why most people do it. You can do more and be better. 7. Live below your means. The more you need work to maintain your needs, the less you will enjoy what you have. Everything in life comes down to keeping things simple and mastering the basics. That's how you get the success you deserve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Opening New Doors Fuel Your Dreams One of my favorite questions is, “What CAN I Do?”  No matter how challenging a situation.  Answering that question always reveals a clear path. As they navigate our new world, I hear my clients ask me that question, too.  My answer usually goes something like this - “Can you do it? When you open a new door, you will find a new opportunity. Start opening more doors.” Feeling empowered in a world that is draining your energy is like Tesla on a cross-country trip without charging stations is difficult. To ensure you are never running low, remember that dreams, possibilities, potential, and a feeling of certainty are all powered by new opportunities. When you open a new door, an opportunity reveals itself. Your challenges will fade as you focus on the new way. But you must be willing to open a new door to find it. The key to thriving in uncertain times is finding opportunities behind new doors. All you have to do is open the door.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Automatically Motivate Yourself Over the years, I’ve learned there is one trait responsible for holding people back. While it lives at the front of your mind and affects everything you do, it is also invisible.  You are too vague in your vision. When most people build a successful life, they often do so with a lack of clarity or precise vision of their future. They have a vague idea. The Universe kicks in gear, an opportunity arrives, and life is good and satisfying—until it’s not. A day will come when you desire something more. You may find yourself stuck behind an obstacle of indecision and frustration. Confused, lacking direction, fearful, and seeking the motivation that will drive you forward. It will feel as if there is a cloudy haze over your future with no clear path to success—and no motivation to go for it.  But there is no need to worry. Another day will dawn. You will realize that a general and non-specific approach to your future is not the fuel that will power you. Being too vague doesn’t build a vision. A time will come when you choose to be specific in your wants, needs, and desires. You will seek absolute clarity and turn your head away from anything that doesn’t provide a clear path. It may take time, but you will discover your first step. When you do, magic will happen. On the day that you define what you want, vagueness will disappear. Your new focus will create excitement and will manifest into automatic motivation. You will move toward your new experience. If you want something different in life, clearly and precisely express what that means to you. When you do, you will strike gold in time and be off and running on your new adventure automatically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You Focused on The Wrong Things? Have you ever found yourself setting out on a big mission yet not being able to define what you want?  When I was a young man, I trained in journalism as part of my broadcast career. Radio stations would send me to the local town meetings and political events. Anything newsworthy. My job was to write a story and deliver it on the air, and I thought I was doing a great job - until my boss called me into his office. He wanted to know why I wasn't getting to the critical part of the story faster. He said I was distracting from what was important. In my mind, I was doing no such thing.  I told the story how it sounded best in my mind, but nobody was listening long enough to hear what I had to say. All these years later, I've learned the "I want to get more out of life" crowd does the same thing. Recently, I spoke with a client when I realized she was very good at shifting to the unimportant—finding more time, learning more, and getting more advice. Even cleaning the garage was more important. In the middle of her wandering story, I stopped her, "Why are you avoiding what is most important to you? Cut to the chase, say what you want, and go do it." Her response came with a few tears. "I thought I was talking about what is most important. Now I realize I'm telling myself a story that is comforting and sounds good to in my mind." She is burying the lead in journalistic terms, busying herself with secondary details, and growing frustrated. How does this relate to improving your life? Do you say, "I can't focus?" Nope. You are focusing on the wrong things. Do you say, "I can't get myself moving?" Truth? You are moving - in the wrong direction. Do you say, "I don't have enough money?" Wrong again. What you need is more money! If something is important to you, give it the honor, respect, and focus it deserves. Lose the drama, get to the point, and start getting what you want right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One Thing Turns Dreams Into Reality Do you have long-held dreams and goals that require little motivation to get yourself moving? Laura and I have worked together for over a decade on various projects. Her latest was a move from a long-time career into something she was in which she was more passionate. After several months, her dream transformed into a goal. The roadmap was in place. Action was the only thing needed to turn dreams into reality, and nothing happened. Months passed by with little or no action. Life seemed to always get in the way of Laura's dreams. When I asked what was going on, she said, "Oh… I don't know. I always seem to have something more important on my mind." That's common, and what John Lennon meant when he said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."  Over the years, people tend to ACT and DO what serves them best. All while dreaming and planning what they want. It's an exhausting way to live, but you can set yourself free by asking yourself a simple question - "How bad do I want it?" Truthfully, answering that question will do one of two things. It will propel you into action or have no impact at all. If you find yourself motivated and moving, all is well. If not, you have another question to ask - "If I don't want it that bad, should I drop it and move on?" Everybody has ideas and dreams that enter their mind throughout their lives. The important tend to cause automatic forward action. Your life transforms, and everything begins to go in a new direction. For the others, you may want to consider that it's not as important to you as you thought. The best thing is to get your ego out of the way, scratch it off your list, and make room for something that excites you. When you do, incredible new opportunities that have been hiding from you for years will enter your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices