Success Built on a Moral Foundation

All successful people say that success is based on hard work. That if you work really hard and work harder than everyone else you will be successful. I do not necessarily agree with that. There are people who work hard all over the world every day and struggle putting food on the table. What I do believe is that success is built on a foundation that is morally sound. When this foundation is, laid success will look different from what the majority expects. 

To begin building a moral foundation you must be a person with integrity. I define integrity as you and your word being one in the same. You are not a person who is wishy washy because you do what you say and you say what you do. This, of course, is based on moral soundness. Meaning that you do what is right regardless of the cost. To add to this, you must also be concerned about others. You will be a person who realizes that you cannot get to where you are going without the help of others and in doing so you bring them up as well. You must also be a person of character. By this, you must focus on build yourself into a person who is the same regardless of where you are and who you are with. Building one's character requires that you take an honest look at yourself and face the real you. Then begin the demanding work of dealing with your character flaws and reinforcing the good about you.

Success is not just working more hours or dedicating more effort to a project. What success is, is the building of a moral foundation where you look to succeed by being a person of integrity so that others around you know that you and your word are one in the same. People will rest in the fact that you are not a chameleon but that you are true to yourself and others at all times. This foundation also rest on knowing that your success is based on others around you so you focus on making those around you better as well. So maybe I got it wrong. Success does require hard work it is just centered on building a moral foundation.

Character Key of the Day: Live Life

Learn to live life and enjoy it for what it is. Do not be so consumed with trying to live such as earning money, paying bills and all of that other stuff. Of course we have to do all of the mundane things but you should not get so caught up in the mundane that you forget to live. Even if you are at a job you do not enjoy do the things you do enjoy when not at work and if possible try to find a job that encompasses your passion. Enjoy family and friends because life is nothing without them and without them memories cannot be made. Pursue your passion with intensity and let success be the pursuit of your passion and not money or fame. We all have one life to live and the choice to live it to the fullest or just make do. Live life!

The Illusion of Power

 

     Through out history all over the world people have chased after power and have often used all kinds of means to attain it. This quest for power has lead to wars, the deaths of many as well as the oppression of many people. In our society, power can come in many forms such as through possessing a lot of money, position (government, politics, business, etc.) and physical. Even through the imagination of man he has created characters such as Superman and other comic book characters to satisfy his longing for power. The problem with attaining power in any form requires that you must work even harder to keep it because of the fact that others want what you have.

     What is true power?  I believe that if one has real power then no one, regardless of who it is, can deprive you of it. True power is not found in money, position or physical means but is actually based on a different set of rules that few have come to master. In order to have true power it must come from within and it must be realized and not acquired. Power is based upon realizing who you are and developing yourself so that you are in the position walk in your destiny. Having true power enables you to control your own destiny instead of others controlling it for you. Just like supporting a cause isn't support until you invest time, money and effort into it, you must have skin in the game to obtain true power. All one has to do is look at great people of history who had true power and they all had something in common. They knew who they were, developed it and had skin in the game (made a sacrifice). With true power, you can be an employee but get paid what you think you worth instead of settling.

     True power can only come from within and it never seeks to dominate others but instead causes others around you to improve. You be willing to invest in yourself and make the sacrifice of doing the hard work of looking within and dealing with the good, bad and the ugly. Never have a false sense of who you are and learn humility and meekness (strength under control). Dealing with who you are on the inside while at the same time developing your talents and gifts will cause you to become a very powerful person, which is someone who writes their own story and controls their own destiny.

Never Give Up

As a high school student, I participated in track and field for four years.  After seeing Carl Lewis in the 1984 Olympics I decided I wanted to be a sprinter and long jumper.  I found out that although I was not slow, I was not the fastest in the 100 and 200 meter events but did excel at the long jump. One of coaches by the name of Coach Burke was an elderly man who volunteered on our track team.  He was a former college track coach and knew his stuff. He was over long jump and hurdles. He suggested that I give the 110 meter high hurdles and the 300 intermediate hurdles a try because he thought I would be good at them.  I followed his advice and I found my place.  Coach Burke always use to tell us that no matter what happens during your race to never give up and always cross the finish line because you never know what will happen.  During a track meet I made it to the finals in the 110 meter high hurdles and three people, including myself, fell over hurdles at the start of the race.  The other two guys got up and walked off the track and I heard Coach Burke in my head saying to finish the race.  Although I was scraped up and embarrassed I finished the race. About thirty minutes later the results of my race came over the PA system and I got fifth place.  Coach Burke looked at me and said, "See, you never know what will happen if you just finish the race."

I will never forget that day or the lesson that I learned for the rest of my life.  Often times in life when it seems as if things are not going our way we want to give up and quit.  One of the keys to success in life is staying in the race and enduring to the end.  One thing that might have to be considered is if you are running the right race.  This requires you to find out how to apply all of your gifts and talents in the most effective and efficient way. A long distance runner would not find success in the 100 meter dash. Once you find out what race in life is better suited for you, remember to always finish and never give up.

Going Where You Have Never Gone Before: Doing New Things for Different Results

     You may have heard the definition of insanity which is, "Doing the same thing but expecting different results."  So many people get into this rut and feel like there is no way to get out which can be very frustrating.  As a result, a person might think they are doing something different but it is actually the same thing.  So if that is the case, how does someone do something different to get different results?  I am so glad you asked. In order to do something different does not mean coming up with a new idea or scheme to reach the level of success you are looking for.  It actually means that your thought process has to change in order to achieve different and more specifically better results.  Ideas are great and wonderful things but if the idea is not carried out using the right plan and strategies all you have is a good idea. So in order to go where you have never gone before requires you to be willing to get out of your comfort zone.  Here are some steps you can use to help you achieve different results:

1. Read- The wonderful thing about reading is that it is the quickest way you can expose yourself to different ideas and ways of thinking.  You don't necessarily have to spend money traveling to attend conferences or workshops.  You can read books, magazine articles, blogs and numerous other publications.

2.  Networking- Associating with others who are like mind as well as others who are where you want to be is invaluable.  Networking can help to keep you motivated as well developing contacts that can help you in your journey.  One area of networking can your local Chamber of Commerce where weekly or monthly networking events are often held.

3. Conference/Workshops-  Although it may involve some travel and possible participant fees, conferences and workshops are great ways to hear directly from experts who are successful in their fields and are willing to share knowledge.  Conferences and workshops are also opportunities to network and build key relationships

4. Life Coach- Working with a life coach is a wonderful way to have someone help you to break out of your rut and do something new to get different results.  A life coach can help look at what you are doing and provide you with feedback so you develop new ways of thinking. They can also help you overcome any mental blocks you may have that are preventing you getting to the next level.

5. Study Successful People- By studying successful people, you can see what road blocks in their lives they had to overcome to achieve success.  It will help you to see that they are regular people like you and had challenges they had to overcome.  One major thing you learn is that successful people think differently and see the world in a different way.  You will also see that successful people look at failure in a different way than others.  They look at failure as feedback and use as a spring board to get to the next level.

    Success can be yours for the taking but you have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone.  Having a good idea and simply working hard is not enough but you have to be willing to do new things to get different results which is done by learning to think differently.  This can be challenging because at the end of the day the thought of falling flat on your face is not attractive and can discourage you from moving forward to success.  Once you get out of your comfort zone and achieve the success you have been looking for you can go on to teach and encourage others who where you are at now.

Leaving Your Mark on the World

I have had conversations with people where we talked about leaving their mark on the world or in other words leaving a legacy. This is a noble desire to have especially when we hear of people who did something that either changed the world or did something memorable. We all cannot be in positions where we get recognized for something we have done but we can definitely leave a legacy. The one area where we can change the world is by how we raise our children. With the busy life styles that we lead in can be really easy to focus on just taking care of them and not take the time to really pour into our kids. The fact of the matter is that our kids will remember what we have taught them over any other thing. This can include how we have treated them, what we value and how we have have lived our lives before them.

When we have taken the time to really share our wisdom with our children they will take those lessons into adulthood. There is nothing worse than not preparing our children for success. Of course, you never know if you have raised a future president, scientist or great performer it is still important to teach them. We cannot let our own hang ups and failures get in the way and we can most definitely not try to relive our lives through them. When I look at my kids, I realize that my DNA will live on through them but I really want my wisdom to live on through them as well as they teach their children.

It's Your Choice

One of the great equalizers in life is the fact that every person has one thing that everyone else has.  The power of choice. This ability to make choices is so powerful that it can make or break a person so great care must be exercised in using it. You can choose what kind of day that you are going to have, what kind of person you will be among other things. One thing everyone must be aware of is that we live or die by the choices we make. The ability to choose is what sets us apart from other living beings. The ability to choose is based on free will and the ability to think and decide for ourselves which is also a part of personal freedom.  When the freedom of choice is taken away or we perceive that it has we do not like that and we feel like our freedom has been taken away.  In order to achieve success and live the life you desire it is very important to become much better at making choices. 

1. Become More Informed
It is very important to become as informed as you can in the area that you must make a choice.  Whether that be deciding whom to marry, choosing between job offers, etc.  The more information you have the better equipped you in making the right choice. There are many ways to get the information needed such as books, the internet, etc.

2.  Seek Counsel
It is often very wise to seek counsel from people in your life whom you can trust and also have life experience.  They can help you see the situation from a different perspective that you may not have considered.  You can not speak to just anyone because they may not have your best interest at heart.  People that you seek counsel from not only need to have wisdom but they need to have a certain level of success in their lives as well.

3.  Learn How to Trust You Instincts
Your instincts, if used correctly, can take you a long way in making the most of the power of choice.  Many times we ignore what or instincts are telling us and we end up saying, "Something told me to."  Take the time to learn you inner voice by spending quiet time listening, in prayer or meditation. 

4.  Own Your Choices
When making choices you must own them.  In owning your choices you must take the good with the bad and most importantly you must learn from the mistakes of making the wrong choice. If making a particular choice comes with some negatives aspects but are out weighed by the positives learn to be satisfied and take the negatives in stride. 

The power of choice is one of the things all humans have in common and is a great equalizer.  In order to live the best life possible learning how to become better at making choices is the key to not only to success.  Unfortunately, we are not going to hit a home run with every choice we make but it is very crucial to learn from our mistakes and to own the choices we make. 

Right Place, Right Time

I have often wondered why certain people end up being successful and why others don't.  This has been a puzzle for me for the last few years.  I have seen people do everything that is required for success such as graduating from college and working hard but still not find success.  So if doing everything required doesn't guarantee success then what does?  After years of studying successful people I have found that they were in the right place at the right time to take advantage of an idea or opportunity.  Trying to do something at the wrong time in the wrong place often leads to the failure of achieving success.  Sometimes people experience failure at trying to start a business or some other venture at the wrong time or place to end up achieving success later down the road.  Failure is feedback and will help to propel you forward if you are willing to learn the lessons it provides.  What is interesting is that not only being in the right place at the right time a key ingredient to success but knowing how to recognize it when you are there.   There are many people who missed out on opportunities or being with their soul mates because they did not recognize the right place and right time.  In order to recognize the right place and right time for opportunities it is important to become in tune with your surroundings.  It is not enough to just be there but you must learn to pay attention to what is going on around you or to put it another way learn to gauge the atmosphere.  Intuition plays a big part in this.  My mother often said to me that it is important to pay attention to what your gut is telling you.  How often have you said to yourself, "Something told me...."  That is your gut.  Your intuition must be paired with your knowledge and experience in order for you to get the most impact.  I believe that everyone has the ability to this but it is often ignored because we either expect things to be easier than what they are.  Hard work is still very important.  I believe that learning to recognize opportunities is a spiritual concept. Learn how to quiet your mind and learning how to focus your thoughts or meditate.  Many people are focused on their outside influences that they never stop to look within and listen to their inner voice.  Then learn how your inner voice (gut) sounds and learn how to trust what it says.  Also prepare yourself for what ever your goal is because if the opportunity arises at the right place and time and you are not prepared it will not feel very good to see it pass you by.  Being in the right place at the right time is a very important key to success but you have to recognize when it is upon you.  Investing in yourself and learning how to follow your intuition will go a long way to getting you where to go.

Change What you Can, Your Perspective

There are many things in life that we do not have control over and just can not change.  Unfortunately, that is just a fact of life that we all have to come to grips with and although, there are many things out of our control we are empowered to change the things we do have control over.  There is one area that is probably the biggest thing you can change that will have a profound effect on your life which is your perspective. The beautiful thing about life is that everyone sees it from a different perspective and therefore interprets the same experience differently. This adds diversity to the world and this can be seen through art, music and other avenues of creativity.  There are times when we can see things in a negative light and it prevents us from finding a creative solution or recognizing the good in a situation.  When this happens progress can stall and if we dwell there long enough depression can set in.  Learning to see things different is a skill that takes time to learn but once you get a feel for it the same life that you live will become entirely new.  Here are some steps to changing your perspective:

1.  Think Positive:  The analogy of seeing the glass half full or seeing half empty is a great example of positivity.  Positive people tend to be more successful and attract more opportunities for success due to the fact that they are more open to it mentally.  In the case of negative people they look for reasons for things not to succeed and therefore attract failure.

2.  Speak Positively:  Be careful to use words that are positive more in your every day speaking.  This will not only have an effect on your life but on others as well.  Of course you do have to recognize when things are not going right or when you experience bad things bit the goal is not to stay there any longer than you have too.  Your words are a gateway into your thinking and will expose you as being a positive or negative thinker. 

3.   Embrace Problems:  We are conditioned to think that problems are a bad thing and so we go to any length to avoid them.  Problems in and of themselves are not a bad thing.  A problem that presents itself is showing that what you were doing is not working and that should cause you to think more creatively. 

Things do often happen that are out of our control but we can control how we see those events and how they affect our lives.  By learning how to change our perspective we can experience life in a totally different way and as a result attract more opportunities for success in all facets of our lives. 

Tame Your Mind and Release the Dragon

The other day I was helping my fifth grade son with his math homework and every time it looked like he understood the work whenever he tried the next problem it seemed like he never learned the mathematical concept.  What should have taken no more than thirty minutes to complete ended up taking four hours and a lot of frustration.  Fortunately for me, being an educator, I knew exactly how to show him what he needed to do and we got through it.  My son has always been very bright and has done well in school until recently.  It is not that he lacks intelligence or talent to become a successful student, but he has an uncontrolled mind.

"A man without an organized system of thought will always be at the mercy of a man who has one." — Edwin Louis Cole.

How many people  have big dreams to do wonderful and incredible things, but never manage to make those dreams become reality.  I believe one of the reasons most people never achieve their dreams are due to having an uncontrolled mind.  The key to achieving any kind of success is learning how to tame your mind. When your thinking process is brought under control you can then begin to create wonderful ideas and bring them to completion.  When a person creates and idea and is not thought through to completion the idea is not worth anything.  A fact that most people are not aware of is that thinking is a skill that is taught and not caught and so as a result there are many people who do not have control of their minds.  There are several ways to develop the ability to think in an organized fashion.  Some ways are reading books on a variety of subjects, playing an instrument, learning a technical skill such as how to build things for home improvement projects and games such as solitaire.  Once an uncontrolled mind is tamed it can then be released to be a creative and powerful force because we are not held back by others, but we are held back by our thinking.

Know What You Don't Like

Finding that place in your life where you are doing what you want to do and are successful at it can be tough.  Especially when you hear or read about someone who is successful and they just enjoy what they do so much.  Quite often people will live their lives in a reactive fashion and end up taking jobs out of necessity with the results being that they are miserable.  The key to avoiding this pitfall is to do what you are passionate about and as you may have heard when you do what you love it is not work.  But how do you find out what you love and are passionate about? 

A good place to start with is to find out what you do not like.  Doing this will help you to eliminate things you are not willing to do and help you to focus on finding your passion.  For example, if you are looking at working with children as a passion you can look at the age groups you know for sure that you do not want to work with.  You can also look at subjects, grade levels, setting and many other things to eliminate.  When you discover these non-negotiable things you know what to avoid because wouldn't it be such a waste of time to prepare for something you do not like?  Here is one thing to keep in mind.  Sometimes you might have to do what you do not like in order to do what you do like.  There are times when sacrifices have to be made in order to get to where you want to be.  It might mean going back to school even though you hate school to get the required credentials or you may be at the right company but have to work hours that you do not like until the right moment comes along.  This is where having a vision or a goal in place will keep you motivated in doing what you need to do.  At the end of the day in order to be happy and do what you love find out what you like and what you do not like.  Then focus on getting rid of what you do not like so you can focus on what you like. 

Managing a Negative Environment

We have all heard people say that it is important to surround yourself with the right people if you are looking at becoming successful.  This is absolutely true!  You must find people who are like minded, positive, and creative people who are either where you want to be or are going to where you want to be.  This would be a wonderful scenario if it were a perfect world.  The fact of the matter is that we have people in our lives that we cannot easily jettison because they may be siblings, a spouse, parent or even our boss.  The key is to learn how to navigate our path to success even with negative people in our lives.  Here are some tips on how to do this:

1.  Learn how to encourage yourself-   It is important to learn how to speak positively to yourself in spite of any negative influences.  You can to keep a daily journal where you can actually keep track of  your inner conversation.

2.  Stay focused on your vision-  By keeping your eye on the prize, your vision, this will help to keep you motivated.  Post your vision where you can see it constantly.

3.  Read, Read, Read-  By immersing yourself in books you will always find someone who can motivate you to achieve your dream. 

4.  Learn how to handle negative people-  The problem with negativity is that it is contagious.  It is important to know that people negative views are theirs and theirs alone unless you buy into it.  Listen but do not take ownership and do not try to change their view point.  Remember that negative people are people too and it is more to them than their negativity.

While it would be nice if we could distance ourselves from everyone that does not add to our lives in a positive way, in reality it is just not possible.  Negative people are people as well and are more than their negativity and in reality negativity is driving by some type of fear.  Love them anyways but remember that if you are going to reach for success you have to keep your eye on the prize.

The Reward for a Vision

If we all were willing to admit the issues of life can become overwhelming at times.  These experiences can make us want to give up at times or they can cause us to take our focus from our goals we are trying to accomplish and instead place it on the issue at hand.  The issues of life cannot be avoided because they can be compared to storms since sooner or latter a storm will come.  The key thing to remember is that storms do not last always!  Knowing this it is so important to keep your vision first and foremost so that you do not lose sight of what you are working towards.  A vision will motivate you and keep you encouraged even through difficult times.  The reward for the vision is seeing become reality.

Experiencing Growth Pain

As a parent it is always interesting to see your children grow and go through all of the stages of development.  Some of it is amusing to experience while some of it can be down right painful.  I remember experiencing growth pains in my legs as I grew taller.  It was not all that enjoyable because I did not understand the reason for the pain until my mother explained to me what was happening.  I can also remember the emotional growth pains I experienced wanting to be my own person and making my own decisions.  Although we are now adults we still experience growth pains.  Growth is a constant in life and if we ever stop growing we start to experience death and with growth there sometimes comes pain. This pain has a purpose and when we realize this we can begin to focus on the end result instead of the discomfort.  Many people often give up during the growth process because the pain and discomfort is too much to bear which is a travesty because many times the finished line was very close.  Learning how to endure to the end is key to allowing the growth process to work because life is a long distance race and not a sprint.  Focus on your vision and most of all never lose hope and keep the faith. 

Living Big: Vertical Living

Have you ever had the feeling that there was more to life than what it is?  If you are like me you have.  The feeling of dissatisfaction and knowing that you were meant for more.  Most people settle into the routine of living linear lives which is graduating from high school, maybe go to college, get a job, get married, have kids and retire.  For most living a linear life is reality and the measure of success but the problem with this mindset is that it is so easy to run into disappointment.  In order for the linear life to work everything has to go perfectly.  There have been so many who have faced disappointment due to unexpected things in life happening such as serious illness, death of a loved one, losing a job and many other things that can mess up the plan.  Linear living works for some and that is great but isn't there much more to life other than the predicable? 

On the other hand, living big opens the door to living a life of satisfaction.  Living big requires a different way of thinking which is vertical living which can provide a much more satisfied life.  The vertical life doesn't require you to meet certain goals in order to be successful and it also makes allowances for the unexpected things life.  Vertical living requires you to dream big, live by faith and take bold steps because the measure of success is you reaching your potential rather than completing general goals set for everyone.  The major difference between the linear life and the vertical life is that the linear life focuses on you alone.  The vertical life not only allows you to focus on you but it will also change other lives as well because in order for you to reach your potential you are helping someone else.    What is so amazing about fruit trees is that they do not exist just for themselves.  From one seed comes a tree that produces fruit for years and years and it provides food for the life in its habitat.  Vertical living will cause you to understand that everything you do is not just for you but also for others.  So your marriage, your career, and everything you do is also for others because our lives are interconnected.  So vertical living is about finding your purpose and in doing so you reach your potential.  Then what you have to offer others will add significantly to others lives and just like a fruit tree you are giving more than you take but you will always have more than what you need.

Character Key of the Day: Being Prepared

Many of us are looking for the right opportunity to come along hoping that it will bring success along with it.  Opportunities present themselves in life every day and we really do not have to look to hard to find them.  The key is knowing when to recognize opportunities and most importantly being prepared for them.  It really makes no sense to come across an opportunity for success and not be able to seize it because you were not prepared for it.  Preparing means that you have to invest in yourself through reading, taking courses, networking and whatever else is required.  In preparing for opportunities when they come you will be able to recognize them when you see them. 

It is Better to Give than to Receive

In our society we mostly look for what can benefit us or get us ahead because we think of that as a part of success.  What is it that actually gets us ahead in life?  It is actually a simple answer but a complicated thing to do.  The answer is giving.   Anyone who has become wealthy or has obtained any type of success is really due to what they have to give.  It really does not matter what arena you are in it is a matter of giving something that is worth something of value to someone else.  When you come to understand this and also understand the fact that we are all interconnected you can begin to find success.  The key then is to have something of value that adds to others lives where they benefit from it rather than you.  Success for you then becomes a natural by-product rather than the end goal.   The statement, "It is better to give than receive, " takes on a whole new meaning.  To give something of value that adds to others lives requires that you have to be invested in whatever it is that you give to others.  What you want for yourself  is going to be what you want for others.  Not giving because you want to do a good deed so that you can feel good about yourself or any other motivation.  That is when success becomes a by-product of what you offer rather than the goal.  This will be true whether you are in business or any other venture.  The law of reciprocity then takes effect in a totally different way because you begin to get for yourself what you wanted for others.  So remember it is always better to give than to receive.

Adjust Your Aim

When I went through Army Basic Training one of the major things we had to learn as recruits was how to fire a weapon.  We learned that your weapon is your number one tool as a soldier so we learned not only how to use it but also how to take of it.  I remember firing my weapon for the first time and not hitting the target so I had to adjust my aim. This meant that I had to adjust the sight and windage.  After doing that I was able to hit the target and go on to qualify as a marksman.  When we are not achieving the results we want in life or relationships sometimes all we have to do is adjust our aim.  Many times we want to start over but is that really necessary?  Adjusting your aim can mean adjusting your attitude.  Do you have a positive attitude or is there some negativity there? Adjusting your actions can mean you may have to do something different such as getting up earlier or whatever is required to get the results you are looking for.  Adjusting your expectations may mean you have to refine them by seeing if he ar realistic or if they need to be more specific.  This is especially true of relationships.  People will often have unrealistic expectations which leads to relationships going from good to bad.  Look to adjust your aim so that you can begin to hit what you are looking to achieve.

Character Key of the Day: Determination

When things seem like they are not going well it is very important to maintain your determination to succeed.  Keeping your eye on your vision is what will carry you though any difficulty that may be present.  Look at your vision for success, whatever it may be, as a marathon and stay in the race.

What You See Is What You Get

In order to get to where you are going in your life it is always important to see first what you want to become.  That is why,  "What you see is what you get."  This can be accomplished in several different ways and with the internet it is even easier.  Volunteering in areas of interest is always a great place to start.  This will put you in contact with people in that particular field or area of interest and you have the opportunity to get first hand experience.  Finding a mentor gives you the opportunity to ask questions and get advice on the steps you would need to take to get to where you want to be.  Having a mentor also gives you the chance to see a person who is successful in that field and they can also be a role model as well.  Using websites such as Youtube can give you some exposure in seeing what you would like to become.  As they say seeing is believing and seeing what you want to become modeled for you gives you to ability to really start to believe that you can accomplish your goal as well as achieve success because you have seen it done.  So what you see is what you get.