LEARNING

Every so often, my iPhone requests a system update.  I love the option that offers this update to occur at night when I'm sleeping (that Steve Jobs thought of everything...RIP). These internal improvements and bug fixes offer new features and let's me do even more with my phone.  The upgrades are essential to prevent crashes and slower access to apps and other features.  They make my phone more efficient and effective on so many levels.

We are not much different.  In order to update and improve ourselves, we must designate time to consistently learn.  Unfortunately we don't have a night time uploading feature (dang you Steve Jobs, so you didn't think of everything!).

You may have heard the saying, "You are either getting better or you are getting worse"...or, "You are either growing or dying."  Those both sound pretty harsh, but I believe that both comments are true.  You want to win in life and be the best version of you?...then you need to invest in yourself by making time to learn new things, thoughts, philosophies, skills, and technologies - you need a continual system upgrade.

So, how can you do it?  Time is limited.  You have work or school.  You might have work AND school.  You have a family and kids to tend to.  You have to keep the house clean.  You have yard chores.  You are tired, yada yada yada.  We all have 168 hours in a week.  Take away sleep and work/school (100 hours) and we have 68 hours left.  How are you prioritizing your time to make sure that you are improving your knowledge, bettering your craft, learning something new, or getting inspired?

On a random side note that doesn't really fit, but I need to include....For my money, intelligence is very attractive.  What sealed the deal for me and Kendra was her brain.  You want to improve your sex appeal?...get smarter.  You want to keep your loved one engaged and in tune with you...get smarter.  You want to have influence on others...get smarter.  Ok, back to the originally planned content.



Accessing information is easier now than ever before.  There are Kindles, Nooks, iPads, Sony Readers, and other tablets to access books.  There are podcasts you can download.  For you iPhone users, there is even a podcast app that you can search topics and have access to a never ending supply of information.  I'm getting into TEDtalks (TED is short for Technology, Entertainment, and Design), which are video podcasts of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference each year (talks are limited to 18 minutes or less)...did I mention there's an app for that?

Here has been my formula for learning information:  I listen to audio books or podcasts in one of two places... 1) while I drive for work or 2) when I workout.  I read books before I go to bed, travel on an airplane, or when Kendra is working in her office...I have a cozy comfy chair there.

I give myself $40 per month to download at least one audio book and one physical book (either on my iPad or hard copy). iTunes or Amazon have all the books and audio books you could ever need.  I manage a large territory covering multiple states, so I don't know how I would survive without this technology.  If your commute isn't very long, let me offer another strategy...listen while you workout.  For my lifestyle, this is an ideal place to get smarter and more buff (just kidding, getting buff not so much, I prefer "toned").  Here you kill two birds with one stone...get healthy and more intelligent at the SAME TIME!  If the gym or lifting weights isn't your thing, then you can go on a walk, a bike ride, or maybe Prancercising is your thing, it really doesn't matter...just get more creative in how you can absorb new information to better yourself.

Here are 3 areas to consider that will have a direct impact on your competence: what are you reading, what are you listening to, and who are you talking to?  Aside from books, audio books, and podcasts, what are you watching on TV and who do you surround yourself with?  I just talked about the importance of mentorship.  Learning from other people in your life is as essential, maybe more essential than reading a book.

Think about forming a small group that you can meet with once a month.  I have belonged to multiple small groups either through my church or through an informal small group with friends from school and playing athletics.  We call our meetings "3F": Faith, Food, and Fellowship.  In the fall, it turns into 4F's: Faith, Food, Football, and Fellowship (oh how I miss John Gruden).  We meet one Monday night a month and watch Monday Night Football (or a basketball game) over a meal.  Every guy takes turns hosting, while we catch up on how things are going as husbands, fathers, and contributors to our community (we are on a little hiatus, but we have plans to meet again soon).  These experiences - learning and sharing have been transformational for me as a father, husband, and friend.  Forming accountability groups like this have the potential to be life changing for you.  Life is better lived in community, and not alone...these groups foster fantastic learning environments.

Here's My Learning Challenge: read or listen to at least one book per month for the next 12 months (12 books...you can do it *see my top 10 list below).  Try out some other methods and places (car, gym, bus, train, outdoors) to achieve this goal.  If you haven't, download and listen to an audio book.  Try dabbing into Podcasts as well.  One of my favorite things to listen to are sermons from my favorite pastors via podcasts (Judah Smith, Chad Veach, Carl Lentz, John Gray)...maybe give that a shot if you need some spiritual motivation.

My second challenge is to get involved in a small group that meets regularly.  Learning from peers and growing your relationships will make life that much sweeter, and hey, you could learn a thing or two from people who are going through what you are going through (mom's groups, single women's groups, men's groups, church groups, etc.).  Take the initiative and get after it!  In order to create change, we need to be intentional with our thoughts and actions...its time to take action!  You won't regret it!

*Project Rise Top 10 Book List (in no particular order):

• Love Does, Bob Goff
• The Go-Giver, Bob Burg, and John David Mann
• The Secret, Rhonda Byrne
• The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor
• The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg
• Positive Intelligence, Shirzad Chamine
• Win Forever, Pete Carroll
• David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell
• The One Thing, Gary Keller
• Unreasonable Hope, Chad Veach

MENTORSHIP

"Only two there are, a master and an apprentice"  - Yoda

George Lucas' second installment of the Star Wars Universe - The Empire Strikes Back - brought us, in my opinion (along with the majority of die-hards) the best episode of the series.  It also introduced us to one of the best mentors to dawn the silver screen...Master Yoda.  In order for Luke to conquer his fears, uncover talents he never knew he had, learn the ways of the Force, and discover his true destiny, he needed a mentor in the form of a three foot green dude with pointy ears.  Yoda pushed, challenged, encouraged, and molded Luke into a true hero.

Who is your Yoda?  Remember Project Rise is all about being INTENTIONAL with our actions to move from a lower position to a higher one.  Seeking to learn from individuals who are more experienced, seasoned, and accomplished than you is a vital piece of your development.

You can gain wisdom in one of two ways: by experience or by learning from others.  Which option seems more efficient?  Both are important.  Learning things the hard way definitely creates great life teaching moments, but for my time, money, and energy, learning from someone who has already been there done that, sounds like a pretty good idea to me.   

This approach is something I've implemented into my life and business planning for the past 3 years and let me just say, the results of this strategy have been very fruitful.  Luckily for me when I was hired by my current company, I was assigned an amazing trainer named Frankie Pretzel.  Frankie was a rockstar at work.  He was a top performer year in and year out.  I recognized that I wanted what he had...confidence, success, top earnings, all while balancing a wife and family.  That initial week I spent with him in the field, I couldn't ask him enough questions.

My boy Frankie P. getting another award.

Frankie exposed me to the concept of the Law of Attraction and the power of positive thinking.  He also shared with me a list of books (motivational, self-help, and business books).  These books and his mentorship truly changed my life and for that I am so grateful.

After that experience, I made mentorship a competitive advantage for me.  5 months into my new role at a national meeting, I asked around, who was #1 in our division the year before?  Once I learned who that was, I introduced myself at the airport before flying home to that person (one of my favorite people of all-time, Roseanne from Boston).  I introduced myself and said that I'd love to learn from you.  It wasn't anything formal, but just a verbal understanding that I'd reach out to her a few times a month to learn what she has done and does to be a high achieving rep.  Rosie taught me so much that I could not have learned riding solo. 

Most people remember when they were new and were just getting started. You would be surprised how open they are to help.  I'm in my 3rd year in my sales role, and I'm onto my 3rd mentor.  These relationships have been tremendously rewarding for both parties involved.  This has been one of the best things I've done and I encourage you to make this part of your routine in being the best version of you.  My amazing mentors have pushed me to these accomplishments in a relatively short time:

• 2014 Rookie of the Year
• 2015 Top Performer Award
• Selected as a Sales Trainer

I could not have achieved these heights without my mentors. Here's another thing, you don't have to limit you mentors to just work...life mentors are vital as well.  So what's holding you back?  Here are two potential roadblocks for you:

1. You are too prideful to seek mentorship
.......You either think you have everything figured out, or
.......You are too embarrassed to put yourself out there and ask someone to mentor you

Let me say that for those who bail on the idea of humbling themselves and seeking peer mentorship, need to get over it.  You are never too old or accomplished to learn from someone.  Execs and leaders of all levels have mentors.  We all can learn and get better, no matter our age, experience, or title.

2. You are worried you are bothering someone
.......You feel like people won't have the time to help, or
.......You will be a nuisance

You are not asking someone to do your taxes for you; you are simply asking someone to talk to you on the phone for maybe 10 minutes twice a month.  My mentors lived in Atlanta, Boston, and Florida.  We just connected via phone twice a month to get started and whenever we needed to catch up and connect.  Trust me, people have enough time.  If someone says they are too busy, then whatever...they missed out on an amazing opportunity to learn from you.  There's somebody better for you to gain wisdom from.  Go into it with a positive attitude and expect this relationship to be beneficial to both sides. 

Here's my challenge...think of someone who has something you want; someone who you respect and admire; think of someone you believe you can learn from.  Ask them to be your mentor and see if you can check in with them over the phone and possibly occasionally for coffee or for lunch.  And just see what happens.  I believe you will reach your goals faster and on a grandeur scale by gaining wisdom and knowledge from someone who has already been there.  Go for it!  As Yoda would probably say, "A bright future you will have, if a mentor you choose."  

We are coming down the home stretch with my series 30 Days of Gratitude and Service.  My next three posts I'll cover the 3L's: Learning, Listening, and Love.  I can't wait!  Go dominate today!

  

DON'T BE PERFECT

"Never perfect, but never settled." 

I love this quote.  This is from the 2015 reigning NBA MVP, Steph Curry.  This statement rings so true to me and speaks to some of the issues I've had to overcome and still work on each day.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  Thus, it pains me to say that I'm a little tardy on my 30 Days of Gratitude and Service posts.  I'm about a week and a half behind schedule.  Forgive me.  I need Steph's quote right now just like the Golden State Warriors need his lights out 3-point shooting.  This quote hits the mark.  Arguable the best player in the NBA, Curry is reminding me to not let perfection get in the way of very good.  Do not let the thought of not being perfect be the reason why I quit or to take a long hiatus from finishing my blog series (or anything in life for that matter).  But he also says to not settle for average, mediocrity, or anything less than your best.  We are not defined by outcomes.  Sometimes I fall prey to that concept.  I'm working on judging myself not solely on wins or losses, but on my process and most importantly, my effort and attitude.  I'm learning that not being perfect is ok.

This is where some people give up though...when things don't go as planned; the process or the outcome was not the same as the vision that you created when you started on the journey.  You failed, you missed your mark.  It was too hard or too scary.  Let me just say that writing this blog has not been easy.  I mentioned earlier in my post "Habits," that I get annoyed when people glorify being "busy"...what's another word for busy?...I'm looking this up right now...ah found it, actually a few words popped up: occupied, involved, hectic, engrossed (my favorite).

So, it takes me, I've calculated, about 1.5 hours per post.  Before I ever typed one word for this blog, I had already thought about content and even wrote down notes for this entire series.  However, additional research, proof reading, looking for the perfect picture, and sighting sources - some posts have taken much longer than 1.5 hours.  Though its been hard, it has been a therapeutic process for me to let myself open up and be vulnerable.  I've had to work on not worrying about if people aren't going to like what I write, or if its not worded perfectly, or if each sentence structure is grammatically correct (did I mention my mom is an English teacher?).  I'm still working on this with my writing and how I live life.  I need to just let it go (where's Elsa when I need her?...oh that's right, she's possessed my 2 year old daughter), be me, and not get wrapped up in what I ASSUME OTHER PEOPLE WILL THINK.  Hey, I'm a work in progress here.

Most people are forced to balance multiple commitments at a time...this is nothing new.  But,
 I've been juggling my commitment to this blog on top of managing a 5 state territory and traveling a lot (flying to Anchorage, Boise, Spokane, driving to Eugene and back in one day...that was a doozy), One entire week was spent training a new rep.  On top of that, the time I'm at home I want to be present and engaged with my kids and give my wife the QT she deserves.  Let me just say that its been hard...BUT, meaningful and rewarding.

I've received amazing messages via text, Facebook, and Instagram.  I've connected with people I haven't talked to in a long time because a post has really helped them.  One of my most rewarding opportunities that has come from this blog was speaking to the Puyallup Foursquare Church Ministry Institute students on Thursday (this is actually the reason, I'm behind on posts, I was preparing for a lecture).  Being in front of over 80 college aged kids and sharing my message of gratitude and service made all the hard work worth it though.  Chatting with a few of these students and staff after my talk and hearing how impactful my message was, made all the extra hours, getting up at 5am some mornings, missing a few shows on TV at night, and skipping a few workouts, all for the sake of a blog and a message worth the hard work.

I need to invest in an iron (T. Wade photo cred).

My encouragement today is that life is not a straight line.  Things don't always work out perfectly.  Do not put the burden of perfection on you.  The only person to walk this earth perfectly was Jesus.  When things get hard, dig in, have some grit, and keep going.  Keep your sight on your goals and go for it.  My supervisor when I worked in the WSU Athletic Department, John Johnson, used to say, "They said it would be hard, but they said it would be worth it."

You are worth it.  Don't give up.  Keep going.  

Don't be perfect, but never be settled.  

I'm committed to finishing my series 30 Days of Gratitude and Service by next Monday (April 3rd).  If you have fallen short on a commitment, its time to get back on the horse and try again.  I opened with a b-ball quote, I'll end with one too.  Michael Jordan once said, "I don't fear failure, I fear not trying."  I love you all.  I'm out.

RESILIENCE

resilient (adjective)

• (of a substance or object) able to recoil or spring back into shape after bending, stretching, or being compressed.
• (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. synonyms: strong, tough, durable, stout, flexible, pliable 

Life is hard.  Life isn’t fair.  This sucks.  It’s not my fault.  Why did this happen to me? 

Have you ever felt that way?  Trust me I’ve been there, but there is a few things I believe to be true: 1. God loves us, 2. He loves us when times are good, and 3. He loves us when times are bad.  The moment Adam and Eve ate that apple, heaven on earth was no more.  From the Old Testament to New Testament, throughout history and in the future – bad things have happened and are still going to happen.  However, if we have a plan for when adversity strikes, we can walk side by side with HIM and come out the other side better, stronger, and smarter than before. 

The further you stretch a rubber band, the further it will go. We as people are not much different. During challenging times, there's tension, struggle, and added pressure; but if you can withstand that period of change and turbulence, there's no telling how far you can reach. But, just like pulling a rubber band back, we must be careful not to stretch so far that we break. There's a fine balance between being pushed to the limit versus blindly going so far you snap. When you are going through times when you are pushed to the brink, know that you are never alone; you are loved; you are not defined by failure, and you will overcome.

So here's the thing, if we fully understand that failure and challenges are going to come throughout our life, but we build for it, have a plan of attack when it comes, and we execute sound strategies and techniques - we will be properly equipped to learn much deeper, grow higher, and be able to bounce back much faster. With the perspective of GRACE, TRUST, FOCUS, and HOPE, obstacles can be used as building blocks, not road blocks in our life.

GRACE
In order to move forward, you must forgive.  Have grace for yourself when you fail, and forgive those who have done you wrong.  Mark 11:25 says, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you." Letting go of negative emotions and being intentional with your feelings will bring healing much faster.  Grace is not condoning, excusing, or pardoning wrongful behavior.  Research though as shown that people who forgive are happier and healthier than those who hold resentment.

TRUST

A model in trusting God's plan was Joseph (not Mary's husband...though he was a trusting man marrying a pregnant virgin). The Old Testament Joseph was abandoned by his brothers, sold to slavery, was wrongfully sent to jail, and put through a 7 year famine. However, each step of the way, God improved Joseph's position, finally making him second in command in all of Egypt, being Pharaoh's right-hand man. Joseph trusted in God's plan and never played the victim card and he was handsomely rewarded.

I've tried to apply this trust even at work. Being in sales, I hear no all the time. I'll visit an account and I'm not allowed access; or the key person I wanted to talk to wasn't there; or the main decision maker is just not interested. When moments like this happen, I tell myself, "This happened for a reason. I believe that there's something better around the corner. I was told no, because the next account on my schedule needs me more right now and this timing needed to happen...because of this there is something BETTER out there for me."

Let me just say that I understand that there are way more serious tragedies we face than this example, but no matter the hardship (loss, health issues, etc.), if we trust and believe that somehow our adversities will be used for GOOD; and that what we are going through and feeling is a SEASON, and will not last forever; we can GET THROUGH anything.

FOCUS

Once we approach hardships with trust, then we can start to work on the day to day  tactical approaches to get through:
1. The first step is to remember to focus on what you have and be grateful.  Dwelling on the past, your failures, or obsessing on your current hardship will get you know where.  Practicing positive thinking and being aware when negative thoughts are flooding your mind, you need to be able to "reset" and get your thoughts back on the right track.  
2. Talk to a friend or loved one. This is where your network of support comes in.  Remember, you are not alone.  We are all in this game of life together.
3. The last step is to create a few goals that will help you get back on track.  Think about what you need to get done to feel better or achieve your goal - write it down.  By focusing on these positive things you need to do, you can use your energy to complete the necessary tasks to get you back where you need to go...one day at a time.  Channel your emotions and energy for productive purposes instead of self destructive thoughts and actions.  

HOPE

H.O.P.E. stand for: Hold On, Pain Ends.  You are not defined by your failure.  Don't ever let a mistake or traumatic life event define who you are.  If you feel you are being judged by another person or my multiple people, just know that opinions are not facts.  Do not give other people that power.  You have the power to control how you view yourself...and that personal self image should be a positive one.  The most important day is not yesterday, but the next day.  Believe that the BEST IS YET TO COME.  The antidote to fear is hope.  Believe that God is in control, He's got your back and you will come out of this better than before.  Utilize these experiences to learn and grow personally...YOU GOT THIS!    

In order for an egg to hatch and a chick to survive, there must be struggle.  In order for a diamond to form, there must be intense pressure and heat.  In order for us to grow and learn, we must overcome adversity and challenges.  When we have grace, trust, are focused, and live each day with hope, we can approach these trials from a different perspective – an opportunity to learn, improve, and be better than we were before.  Nobody tries to fail, but when it happens, we must never quit.  See below how my boy Abe used his failures as stepping stones for future success.

Check this video out of one of my all-time favorite characters - Rocky.  This is a very inspiring video...please watch!  Be blessed and enjoy the rest of the week!

HABITS

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle  

There are 168 hours in a week. If you take out work and sleep, that adds up to 100 hours (56 hours of sleep and 44 hours of work per week...you may be only getting 44 hours of sleep and working over 50 hours...but, you get the point).  This leaves you with 68 hours left.  That's almost 3 days worth of time each week.  Listen, I know the common statements that come up about being busy - kids, activities, work related stuff that fills up your plate, etc.  My wife Kendra and I talk about this a lot, how so many people glorify the word BUSY.  Hey, everyone is busy!  You don't get a special badge because you have a lot going on.  Can we think of a better word than the cliche response when asked,
"Hey, how are things going?"...the common response, "Busy, busy, busy."

My question is this, what are you doing with your time?  What habits and routines have you formed with your 68 hours, good or bad? Are you maximizing each hour and each day?  Are you prioritizing the right things?

Charles Duhigg, a business reporter for the New York Times explains how people and even companies have achieved a great deal of success by altering habits.  Duhigg discusses this in his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.  By design or sheer luck, these people have been tapping into a powerful psychological pattern called: the "habit loop," which is a three part process. "First," Duhigg says, "there's a cue, which is kind of a trigger for an automatic behavior to start unfolding.  There's a routine, which is the behavior itself...and then there's a reward, which tells our brain whether we should store this habit for future use or not."

If you are ready to make a change in your life, then that change requires you to create a new habit.  There are many different sources that make claims on how long it actually takes to form a new habit.  "A small dose of discipline develops into a long-lasting habit," says Gary Keller, author of The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.  Keller notes how researchers at the University College of London determined that it takes on average 66 days to acquire a new habit.  Depending on the type of habit you're trying to build, some will require fewer days and some more, but the research showed that 66 day's represents what they called the "sweet spot."

If there is one thing you do today, please read this book summary for The One Thing.  It will take around 5 minutes to read, but the reward will be worth it.  The premise of the book focuses on this question, "What's the ONE Thing you can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?"  The whole entire book is based around that single question, and the power of organizing every area of your life around ONE Thing (per area).  Focusing on achieving this ONE Thing per day, will change your habits for the better.

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Mental Conditioning specialist, Trevor Moawad, was working with NFL running back Fred Taylor.  Taylor's career was at a crossroads.  He was getting older, he had a recent string of injury ridden seasons, and his production on the field had declined.  This is where Moawad stepped in.  They closely examined what the Pro Bowl players and elite teammates on the Jacksonville Jaguars were doing that contributed to their success.  They were looking to find a commonality that Taylor could tap into.  They found a variety of factors that helped with performance, but the one thing that they found that the best players did was show up to the Jaguar facility 2 hours early each day (before meetings started).

Taylor for years, used to arrive at work right when he had to.  His new plan for that season, was to arrive at the Jaguars facility at 6am, which meant more time in the training room keeping his body healthy, more time watching film, extra reps in the weight room, and keeping a consistent habit and routine.  This one simple thing - showing up to work 2 hours early each day produced fantastic results.  Taylor had one of the best seasons of his career.  He stayed healthy all season and rushed for over 1,000 yards.  This One Thing helped make all the difference.

Just like Fred Taylor, its time to reassess your habits.  What are you doing with your 68 hours each week?  Action item:

1. What is one habit you'd like to quit?...now is the time to supplement that with a more productive habit.
2. Revisit your goals...short term and long term.
3. For the next 2 weeks, each day, make a list of what you need to get done, and prioritize it in numeric fashion.  What is the ONE Thing you need to accomplish to "win the day"?  Focus on making that happen and you will find that by adding up those daily wins, you will produce long term results and better habits!

Good luck, I know you can do it!  Just focus one day at a time.  Today is the day to form winning habits!  Check back in as I will continue my series 30 Days of Gratitude and Service by discussing how to handle failure by being resilient...we all get knocked down, the ones who win in life, know how to get back up.

Believe Part II

Let me share about my experience with the Law of Attraction.  The basic premise of this concept is that thoughts become things.  Meaning, what we think about the most and believe will come true, often time does.  If you believe that good things will happen or bad things will happen, you are usually right.  Our brain is like a magnet.  What we are constantly thinking about, we often times attract in our lives.  God is in control of our lives and always has the final say, but He also gives us the freedom of free will, which includes how we think.

Some people are born with the advantage of consistently being a positive thinker and believing the best is yet to come, but the vast majority of us are not.  For many, including myself, this way of thinking is a learned skill.  When I switched companies almost two years ago, one of my colleagues shared with me the power that the Law of Attraction offers.  For one year, I read a plethora of books and articles on this topic and applied these teachings to my life.  I've created my own diagram on how to apply this way of of thinking (see below):

Law of Attraction Steps:

Step 1 - Be Grateful: In order to get into the right frame of mind, focus on all the things you are grateful for.  Those who are constantly bitter, stay bitter because they chose to focus on the wrong things.  Don't be bitter - be better!  Being grateful is the first step in achieving your goal.

Step 2 - Feel Good: Being grateful helps turn our internal frequency into a positive one, which helps us feel good inside.  Feeling good sends out a frequency (much like a cell phone tower) that attracts more positive things.  Think about past positive experiences, laugh, smile, dance, or do something nice for someone.  Our mind is like a television, when you feel positive and happy emotions inside, you are taking control of what pictures show up on the screen.  You will set your internal television channel into a positive one that creates happy results. 

Step 3 - Set a Goal: This one is simple...what is it that you want to achieve?  First, focus on what you are thankful for, then focus on feeling emotions of joy and happiness.  These two steps will help you determine what it is that you truly want and set your internal frequency to a positive one, which will open yourself up to receive more positive things.  Once you've decided what your goal is, write it down somewhere and look at it everyday (If you haven't, see my post on Goal Setting).

Step 4 - Visualize: Creative visualization is a mental technique that uses the imagination to create success and make dreams and goals come true.  Richard Bach once said, "To bring anything into your life, image that it is already there."  When you spend time imagining in vivid detail the sights, sounds, and feelings of acting out your goal, the odds of it coming true drastically improve.  This is a technique used by successful athletes and business men and women all over the world.  Check this article out: 8 Successful People Who Use the Power of Visualization  

Step 5 - Believe: Whatever the mind can conceive and BELIEVE, it can achieve.  You must believe with all of your mind, body, and soul that you can achieve your goal.  Belief is the single most important step in turning your dreams into reality.  Anyone who has ever achieved anything of significance, first believed in themselves...YOU CAN DO IT!  BELIEVE IN YOURSELF or no one else will. 

Step 6 - Achieve: When you do these 5 steps, you will achieve your goal.  Remember that success doesn't come overnight, but takes time and hard work as well.  Many people are looking for a quick fix.  However, when you apply this approach to your life and consistently practice these steps daily, you will see your life truly change.

X Factor: Serving and helping others magnifies what you attract in your life.  Love is the most powerful emotion in the world.  Serving and helping others is a close second.  When you live your life making love and service a main focus, you will attract deeper relationships, success, and true happiness...you will also receive more than you can ever imagine.

This approach helped my wife Kendra and I get our dream house, when it looked like it wasn't possible.  This technique has helped me reach monthly and yearly goals at work never seen before from a 1 or 2 year sales rep.  My life and job satisfaction have never been better.  I hope you apply these Law of Attraction techniques in your life as well - and make your dreams a reality!

Exercise: Close your eyes, and visualize that you already possess or have achieved your dream.  Imagine what you are wearing, the people around you, where you are, how it feels, and the praise you are receiving for achieving your goal.  Believe with all your might that you can achieve this goal.  I can't wait for you to apply this way of thinking to your life - and see what you WILL accomplish!

My next post I'll review the importance of creating strong habits.  I hope you are enjoying and seeing the benefits of this journey 30 Days of Gratitude and Service!

Believe Part I

"Confidence is at the root of so many attractive qualities, a sense of humor, a sense of style, a willingness to be who you are no matter what anyone else might think or say..."
                                                                                    - Wentworth Miller

Andrew Carnegie, the leader in the expansion of the steel industry during the late 1800's and early 1900's understood the power of serving others.  He was the Bill Gates and Warren Buffett of his time.  In 1901, Carnegie sold his steel company for $480 million dollars (that's $370 billion today), yet for nearly the last 20 years of his life, he had given 90% of his income away to charities, foundations, and universities.  He also did something possibly even more philanthropic.  During his booming years of pioneering the expansion of the steel industry, he recruited a young writer named Napoleon Hill to follow him and his wealthy business associates around and observe their behaviors.  Carnegie's goal was to have Hill write a book to be shared with the world on what traits, habits, and thought processes that were practiced by the wealthiest and most successful people at that time in America.  He wanted to share this knowledge with the world to hopefully help others be the best version of themselves.

After studying these behaviors for 20 years, Hill was able to drill down to one common thread that these successful people possessed.  After capturing these observations, he wrote one of the best selling business books of all time (70 million copies sold world wide) entitled Think and Grow Rich. What was the common trait that these individuals had?...self belief.

Hill introduced a concept he called, "The Law of Success," which is often called, "The Law of Attraction."  The Law of Attraction has been written about and shared by many (see The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne or The Magic of Thinking Big, by David Schwartz).  It is the philosophy that what Hill famously said, "Whatever the mind can conceive, and believe, it can achieve."  People who have unwavering conviction and belief in themselves, usually are the ones sitting on top of the food chain of life.  We all are going to hear "no" and sometimes fall flat on our face.  However, the ones that do not let these setbacks detract them, but continue to have unwavering faith in themselves, ultimately find success.

There are few athletes that exemplify the power of self belief more than Derek Jeter.  One can go on and on about his accomplishments - he's a 5 time World Champion, clutch performer in the post season, and Yankee record holder in many categories, but there are 2 Jeter stories that I love the most that deal with self belief (gotta represent #2 for The Captain!).

When Jeter was a young boy in Kalamazoo Michigan, he always dreamt of playing shortstop for the Yankees.  He was so passionate and focused on his goal that he pinned a Yankees hat, jersey, and baseball pants up on his wall and looked at them every day for many years.  Despite being from a cold state that didn't have the best track record of generating first round draft picks, Jeter truly believed and continually visualized himself as a Yankee.  Sure enough, his self confidence and belief paid off when he was selected with the 6th pick in the first round of the 1992 draft.  Jeter innately practiced the power of visualization during his youth.  While no one gave him a shot, he helped make his dream a reality by mentally picturing himself already accomplishing his goal.  

The other story I love about Jeter had nothing to do with an amazing clutch hit or game-saving play at shortstop.  It had to do with failure.  During his first full season in the Minor Leagues, Jeter set a record for the highest number of errors, a whopping 56!  Many scouts and even Yankee coaches considered moving him to the outfield.  But Jeter stuck with it; he didn't waver in his confidence, he put in the work and got better and better each year, later winning 5 Gold Gloves in the Majors at shortstop.  

These 2 stories about Jeter teach us a few things:

1. Do not limit your dreams or goals...remember: Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve...I also love what Russell Wilson often says, "Why not us?"  I'll ask a similar question..."Why not you?"  The "haves" versus the "have nots" often comes down to self belief.  You already have everything you need to be successful.  You just need to believe it!
2. The power of visualization is real.  When you consistently visualize yourself already achieving your goal - imagining yourself attaining what it is that you want - what you're wearing, your exact location, the smells, the sounds around you, etc - you will greatly increase the likelihood of making your dream a reality.  Make this a daily habit of picturing in your mind already achieving your goal and what it will feel like.
3. Do not let failure detour you from your goal.  Learn from your mistakes.  You are not defined by your failure.  All successful people fail...some hundreds of times.  The difference between the ones who succeed vs. the ones who fail is only a matter of getting back up!  Thomas Edison once said, "I haven't failed, I've just found 10,00 ways that won't work."

A goal without belief is like a car without an engine.  We can't make goals and hope they happen.  We must take control of our life and MAKE THEM HAPPEN, through determination and conviction. Check back in as I delve deeper into the Law of Attraction and the power of belief, while sharing a few personal stories to help bring this concept to life.  Happy Friday!!!