It's All In Your Head

Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way, you are right. ~Henry Ford

If you genuinely set out to accomplish something, do you expect failure? If so, why even begin.

Success or failure is a foregone conclusion. If you expect positive results you will work toward those and not stop until the mission is completed. If, however, you actually expect failure, at every obstacle you convince yourself all the more that you are destined to fail.

Most people who constantly fail see it as destiny. They expect failure.

Whenever you start some new venture, no matter how big or small, tell yourself that you are a winner and imagine your successful conclusion. Don't be foolhardy about it. Do your homework. You should know what it is that you are trying to do and what is needed to accomplish the task. The Internet makes that part much easier than times past. You have a vast library at your fingertips, literally.

Make a check-list as you prepare to launch your endeavor and follow through with all of your preparation. Keep your thoughts positive and go through every step in your mind from the onset.

Make sure you plan interim goals so that you can actually see and measure progress as things start to gel. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Be ever mindful of what Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, either way, you are right."

Now, it's all in your head.

Problem Solving Skills

Problems are challenges to creative minds. Without problems, there would be little reason to think at all. ~Earl Nightingale

The foremost goal of education should be instilling in young pupils the ability to think and solve problems.

Our educational system is designed around the discipline of memorization. One could study for an exam and, if their short-term memory was good, they could pass the test. The better their recollection the higher their test scores. Therefore, those individuals with the best memory appear to be smarter when it really might not be the case.

It is said that deductive reasoning is what separates man from beast. In other words, it is man's ability to solve problems-- to think, if you will-- that affords us this level of distinction. Why, then, is our educational system built around memorization rather than problem solving ability?

If you want to have the best career potential, hone your thinking skills. Next, work on the development of communication skills.

You might be the most brilliant scientist on the planet but if you cannot convey your observations to others, then they are worthless.

The best business leaders are those with the strongest communication skills, problem solving abilities, and know how to get things done. They manage their time well.

Strengthen these assets and you will be an MVP in any organization.

Don't Take Things So Seriously

The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken seriously. ~Samuel Butler

One of the biggest problems in the world today is that people don't seem to be able to laugh at themselves.

There are some people who take everything so seriously that they have become high-strung. They have become neurotic. They constantly worry about what other people think about them. They want to interact with others, but, they have become very thin skinned and are easily offended.

According to the online Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary, the definition of neurosis is as follows:

"A psychological or behavioral disorder in which anxiety is the primary characteristic; defense mechanisms or any phobias are the adjustive techniques that a person learns to cope with this underlying anxiety. In contrast to the psychoses, people with a neurosis do not exhibit gross distortion of reality or gross disorganization of personality but in severe cases, those affected may be as disabled as those with a psychosis."

Let me clarify this for you: The Internet is supposed to be the greatest information library that the world has ever known. It is filled with reports from every scientific institute on the globe. There are innumerable research papers available. There are ancient manuscripts. There are archaeological and anthropological reports from excavations in the Holy Land. There are entomological studies on aquatic insects.

There are books from the public domain freely available... some literary classics... the works of Shakespeare and other poets and playwrights. There is music from every corner of the world.

...and, then, there is social media...

 There are people online who seem to take delight in attacking others. They find some sort of morbid pleasure in the misfortune of others. They like causing stress and anxiety in others. They exhibit anti-social behavior for sport.

I have seen this on occasion in the workplace, but, I witness this virtually every day on the Internet. These people are miserable or bored-- probably both.

My advice to anyone and everyone online is to remember the words of Samuel Butler (the quote at the beginning of this post). Indeed, nothing is to be taken seriously.

Don't feed the trolls and don't let other people bother you. If you don't react, they won't receive the reactions they crave. In the end, you'll be happier and they will go attack someone who reacts.

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. ~William Jones

Every one of us is the sum total of our own thoughts. ~Earl Nightingale

If you want to change your life for the better, start thinking better. You might not realize it, but, your thoughts have a way of manifesting themselves. Literally, thoughts become things.

Negative thinking brings about negative circumstances by a series of self-fulfilling prophesies. Your negative thoughts program your attitudes through auto-suggestion. By constantly dwelling on negative thoughts you are creating an expectation for more of the same. What happens is that you start to attract negative people and conditions to you. You've no doubt heard the old saying that misery loves company. Well, keep thinking negatively and that is what you get.

If you want to change your life for the better, then stop thinking negatively and start imagining yourself being successful. Start thinking of yourself having great opportunities and good times. You will reprogram your life with auto-suggestion.

Much of what comes from positive thoughts and ideas is opportunity. Your positive mindset attracts circumstances to you by way of the people with whom you associate. Surround yourself with positive thinkers and you'll be surprised to find out just how much opportunity you will be given to grow, learn, and prosper.

So much has been written about the Law of Attraction, but what you don't hear is HOW the whole thing works. You don't wish THINGS into existence. When you think positively you attract the people and the circumstances that lead to future possibilities. In a way, those people and conditions pave the road ahead.

Change your thinking today and enjoy a better tomorrow.

Don't Sell Yourself Short

I bargained with life for a penny
By Jessie B. Rittenhouse

I bargained with life for a penny,
And life would pay no more,
However, I begged at evening when
I counted my scanty store.

For life is a just employer,
It gives what you ask,
But, once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menials hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of life
Life would have willingly paid.

When Jessie Rittenhouse wrote the poem above, little did the author know that it would be repeated by Napoleon Hill (in his book Think and Grow Rich), by W. Clement Stone, and countless others.

What An Important Lesson

Many times, you will find that people often settle for a lot less than they are worth when they offer their services to others. With that in mind, I added these follow-up questions to the poem above and e-mailed it to several people I know in the business world.

How much value do you place on yourself?
How much value do you place on your work?
How much value do you place on your experience?
How much value do you place on your education?

Don’t Sell Yourself Short

When you go into business for yourself, you must never forget that your time is worth something. Your talent is worth something. Stores don’t give away merchandise. Why should you give away your services or sell at bargain-basement prices. YOU ARE NOT THE ODD-LOTS of the FREELANCE WORLD!

Don’t under-value yourself. Micro-stock photography houses devalue the work of photographers and freelance wannabees diminish the value of professional graphic artists, content, and copy writers.

DON’T SELL YOURSELF SHORT!

Never Stop Dreaming

The greatest achievement was at first, and for a time, a dream. ~James Allen

It is important to remember that every great invention began with a single idea. James Allen, in his book, As A Man Thinketh, teaches us that our dreams are the seedlings of realities.

Albert Einstein said: "Imagination is everything, it is the preview of life's coming attractions." If you can daydream about something, if you can imagine it, then, you can make it happen.

By all means, daydream, but daydream with a purpose. You can turn your dreams into realities.

You Are What You Think

Every one of us is the sum total of our own thoughts. ~Earl Nightingale

Earl Nightingale once said that all of our limitations are self-imposed. With that thought in mind, think about times in the past when you wanted to do something, but you were afraid to try. You limited yourself.

People of my age, who were raised by parents born between the 1st and 2nd World Wars, were often stunted in personal accomplishment by an undercurrent of fear and cynicism. Their parents had good intentions, but they passed their own cynicism onto their kids.

Many people of my generation were taught such pearls of wisdom as these:

Money doesn't grow on trees.

Everybody hates their job.

You're a dreamer.

In the late nineteenth century people were spouting these words of wisdom:

If man were meant to fly he'd have wings.

 

Time marches onward and we are learning new things every day. At least, we should be. Just like technology has changed the way we live, the rules of business have changed. The days of working thirty years at some company then settling into a nice comfortable retirement have gone the way of the dinosaur. Pay increases are few and far between. Often, job-hopping is the only way to make more money. Some modern business practices are legal but totally unethical. Employers have little regard for their employees and employees have no loyalty to the company or individual who hires them.

Like successful men and women of the past, there comes a time when you have to take the first step into your future. You have to recognize that your limitations are truly self-imposed. You were programmed to doubt, programmed to fear failure, programmed to be satisfied with a life of mediocrity.

Ultimately, you work for yourself. When you agree to take a job, you are in control. If you decide to quit-- again, you are in control. But, going into business for yourself still doesn't change the fact that you are working for someone else-- in this case, your customers.

In the end, satisfaction, like happiness, comes from within. You are what you think.
 

When you finally realize that you are the captain of your own destiny, you can accomplish just about anything. So, forget about petty annoyances and everyday frustrations. People can be a pain, it's their nature. The road ahead may have speed bumps. Roads are sometimes like that. But, the sun also rises.

Tomorrow is another day and the start of a brilliant future.

All Power is From Within

The secret of prosperity lies in so vividly imagining it in your own mind that you literally exude prosperity. You feel prosperous, you look prosperous, and the result is that before long, you are prosperous. ~Robert Collier

The essence of this law is that you must think abundance, see abundance, feel abundance, believe abundance. Let no thought of limitation enter your mind. ~Robert Collier

All power is from within and therefore under our control. ~Robert Collier

NOTE: The three quotes above are an important lesson. So many people have become fans of "The Secret" without realizing that nothing is really FREE. The things you want in life will not just fall into your lap because you wished them into reality. The KEY to success is belief that you can achieve everything you want, but, you have to work for it.

Earl Nightingale understood this when he gave the following instruction:

Goals are the very basis of any success. ~Earl Nightingale

also... The moment you decide to go after wealth, success, or anything you desire in life, that is when you will start thinking about ways to accomplish it. ~Earl Nightingale

Earl Nightingale's advice is that you set clearly defined goals in order to achieve clear results and work on accomplishing your goals one at a time... through to completion.

Robert Collier's work is legendary. He was one of the best copywriters of all time and he was a leader in what has become known as "The New Thought Movement" --a teaching that you become what you think... what you are outwardly is a reflection of what you are on the inside.

Think of yourself as a success and you will behave like a success. You will win opportunity, and in so doing, you will become a success. It all comes down to believing that YOU CAN DO IT.

You Are the Master of Your Own Destiny

That a man can change himself and master his own destiny is the conclusion of every mind who is wide-awake to the power of right thought. ~Christian D. Larson

All that we are is a result of what we have thought. ~Buddha

The power of thought should never be under-estimated. Our inner-most thoughts, whether they are positive or negative, have the power to shape our lives by a method known as auto-suggestion.

If you are trying to be a success in whatever you do, listen to the little voice inside your head. If it says things like this: "This will never work." or "What if I fail?" or "What if I make a mistake?" ...then, you are already defeated.

Did you know that you can change that little voice inside your head? You can. Write your goals on paper and read them first thing in the morning and just before you go to bed at night. Now, before you fall asleep, imagine yourself doing whatever it is you want to do with raving success. Write a small note to yourself and stick it in your pocket and read it several times during the day. Picture yourself successfully accomplishing whatever challenges you have. Just take a few seconds to visualize your success when you read the note.

What you are doing is reprogramming yourself to remove the fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD). Before long, your challenge is beaten and you are on the move. Now, you can use auto-suggestion to say "I'm a winner" rather than "This will never work."

Buddha was a teacher, not a god. Buddhism is a philosophy, not a religion. It does not rely on deity. So, even if you are a devout Christian, you should have no fear about reading any of the teachings of Buddha. I say this because Buddha was right-- indeed, all that we are is the result of what we have thought. If you want to be a success, you have to think like a winner.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

A person who sets his or her mind on the dark side of life, who lives over and over the misfortunes and disappointments of the past, prays for similar misfortunes and disappointments in the future. If you will see nothing but ill luck in the future, you are praying for such ill luck and will surely get it. ~Prentice Mulford

I used to read lots of news stories and watched the news on television. Most of the conversation I would hear among friends and family centered around current events and other top news stories. Then I realized...

Prentice Mulford was right. Thoughts become things. Your thoughts are things and circumstances in the making. By Dwelling on all of the negativity we see and hear in the news, more of the same is a self-fulfilling prophesy.

When I first started looking away from the news and the trash that mainstream media was spoon-feeding the populace, things started happening. I became more productive. I was focused on positive thoughts, not negative. I became happier (well, I was a pretty happy guy from the start, but, negative thoughts and cynicism eventually taints you). I made it a mission to fill my head with edifying thoughts and positive mental images.

People who constantly dwell on their misfortunes seem to attract more of the same.

Today, I skim the headlines to see if there is a news story that I should read-- just to be aware of what is going on around me, but, I spend very little time on it. The things that get my attention are those which edify, those that are profitable to me.

Once you break the news habit, you will be amazed at how much your outlook improves. When you see riots in Baltimore or Ferguson, ask yourself this: What can I do about it? Nothing? Well, don't concern yourself with it. When you find that you CAN do something about something in the news, then, give it some time and energy. Most of the time you will find that dwelling on these things only saps you of precious time and poisons your attitude.

That's when it's best to look the other way.

The Future Belongs to Creatives

There's just as much opportunity in one business as another, if you will only stop playing copycat and begin to think creatively. ~Earl Nightingale

Creativity is that seemingly magical ingredient that separates inventors from the rest of humanity. Our educational system is built around the memorization of facts and figures, but it ignores critical thinking skills. Our work environments don't generally encourage creative thinkers.

If you feel out of place in today's business world, you are not alone. You just might be a creative trapped in the sterilized, structured world of the autocrat. They are locked into ways of thinking and doing things based on tradition and habit.

The future belongs to creatives

In many ways, free-thinkers and those with the gift of imagination have never quite been in lock-step with the rest of humanity. They were the Edisons, the Eastmans, the Wright Brothers. They were the visionaries.

Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."

That Earl Nightingale quote (at the start of this post) really hits home for me. I see people in business doing the same things from day to day. They confine themselves in a way of thinking that can easily become out-dated. By simply copying everyone else or falling into the "this is the way we've always done it" trap, you seal your own fate.

Always remember, if you can imagine it, you can make it happen. Teach your children facts and figures-- by all means. More importantly, TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO THINK and you give them the keys to the kingdom.

Success Secrets of A Samurai Master

Musashi Miyamoto was one of the most famous of Japan's samurai. This list below reveals the secret to his success and his fame. These rules of success were penned in his book, Go Rin No Sho (A Book of Five Rings).

Do not think dishonestly.
The Way is in training.
Become acquainted with every art.
Know the Ways of all professions.
Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters.
Develop intuitive judgment and understanding for everything.
Perceive those things which cannot be seen.
Pay attention even to trifles.
Do nothing which is of no use.

My comments: I was taught these things in Togakure Ryu Ninpo. They apply to much of life-- not just the way of the warrior. Study Musashi's rules and you will come to understand the people around you. You will gain insights into human behavior and you will understand your "place" in the scheme of totality (where you actually fit into the world).

The path of the warrior is far more than combat. It is understanding the nature of humanity. It applies to business, art, communication, relationships, and conflict. Studying and following this list will put you on a path to great understanding.

Making Decisions

Analysis of several hundred people who've accumulated fortunes well beyond the million-dollar mark disclose the fact that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly and of changing these decisions slowly, if and when they were changed. ~Earl Nightingale

Decisive Action = Strong Leadership ~Mickey Maguire

Many years ago, in leadership training, I learned that decisive action is a characteristic of every great leader. My training had a military element to it, but, Earl Nightingale's conclusions were made by observing the habits of successful people.

My wife and I had a debate when we were first married: Who is the stronger Star Trek leader, Captain Kirk or Captain Picard? Mary Rose thought that Picard was because he sought other people's input. I thought that Captain Kirk was the better commander because he relied on his own military experience and he was willing to take ownership if he made some sort of mistake. Over the years my wife began to agree with me. Now, she thinks Picard is a wishy-washy captain and more a diplomat than a military leader.

Many great military generals of the past exhibited incredible leadership skills. They made decisions quickly and with confidence. They accepted responsibility if something went wrong and they took command of the situation and fixed it quickly. The best of them exhibited compassion, but made tough choices when necessary. Most of all, they knew how to build a team and win a war.

Bosses are a dime a dozen. Bossing people around is no big deal-- anyone can do it. BUT A LEADER INSPIRES PEOPLE.

Right now, our country can use a genuine leader and countless numbers of businesses can, too. Unfortunately, so many people are filled with fear and doubt. Diplomacy is a good thing, but, when it comes to the interests of a nation, or a business, a leader must have the mettle for it. Something inside me wants to spell it metal because, in this world, it sometimes takes a force of iron will to do what is right.

Goals: The Key to Successful Living

The establishment of a goal is the key to successful living. And the most important step toward achieving an objective is first to define it. ~Dr. Ari Kiev

The Secret to getting things done is to act. ~W. Clement Stone

Goals are very important.

When you make a long-term goal, break it down into smaller interim goals and complete them one-by-one. Write your goals on paper in order of importance. Then, start at the top and have at it!

W. Clement Stone is right. The way to get things done is DO IT NOW. Setting goals is important, but, unless you act on them, they are just daydreams. And don't delay or put things off-- if you do, then you will create a habit of constantly talking about wanting to do things and never accomplishing anything.

Interim goals are important. They give you a sense of progress toward completion of long-term goals. The bigger your goals, the more daunting they become psychologically. Making interim goals helps your long-term goals appear much more attainable and completing interim goals gives you a sense of progress.

It used to be quite common in business, especially sales, that people used some sort of daily planner. Day-Timer, Day Planner, and At-A-Glance were three brands that could be found in almost any office supply store. Just about every executive I knew used one. The Palm PDA (personal digital assistant), the Palm 1000, came to market in the 1996 and soon had two siblings, the Palm 5000 and the Palm Pilot Professional (I owned one of these). To most people, a PDA was somewhat of a novelty.

Paper daily planners still sold like mad. Today, not nearly as many people seem to use them and that is unfortunate. Palm devices have faded away to a distant memory for most people. I still have a Palm Tungsten E2 and I use it regularly, although I don't carry it will me all the time like I once did. Smart phones are just not as efficient when it comes to productivity. There are just too many distractions.

If you really want to get things done, putting your goals on paper in some sort of journal and actually holding yourself accountable for completing them is the very best way to accomplish them.

Remember... IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU PLAN TO FAIL.

Happiness Is A Decision

My wife, Mary Rose, was telling me about an article she was reading that was saying young people today are so easily offended and their college professors are walking on eggshells trying to avoid offending them.

The thrust of the article was that young people need to grow up and realize that they are responsible for their own happiness.

When I wrote the book "Get Happy, Write Away" I pointed out that happiness is a state of mind, not a state of being. You can tell yourself that you are happy, or, you can tell yourself that you are miserable.

I actually had a lady ask me why I was always so happy. I told her that I wrote the book on happiness. She did not understand... well, I actually DID write the book on happiness.

Happiness is a decision. Sure, life has ups and downs. Good and bad times are a part of everyone's life. Dwelling on the bad continually only serves to create more of the same. Choosing to be grateful for all the good that happens is a way of "placing an order" for more of it.

Life is the journey. It is not the destination. I wrote about that previously. So, make a list of all your blessings and when you are feeling down or need encouragement, read that list. You, and you alone, are responsible for your own happiness. Teach your kids to be happy. Roll with the punches and embrace the good times.

Remember this: Adversity makes us stronger. Success rises from the ashes of failure. Never lose hope and never give up.

You Are What You Think of Yourself

Whatever you're looking for must first be found within you, whether it be peace, happiness, riches, or great accomplishments. ~Earl Nightingale

Whatever goals you set for yourself, whatever dreams you have will never be achieved if you cannot imagine yourself already accomplishing them.

I learned about visualization and how it could be used as a tool to master various martial arts techniques decades ago. That is what Earl Nightingale meant when he said it must first be found within you. If you can imagine it-- through visualization exercises-- then, you can walk through it in reality when the opportunity presents itself.

Let's take that one step further...

When you have a burning desire to succeed in any endeavor, you can walk through the process in your mind and create the opportunity.

The "new age" ideas put forth in "The Secret" are really a very old teaching put into practice by Japanese Shugenja priests and Chinese practitioners who taught them. For a thousand years or more, people have used their force of will to influence circumstances and make opportunties for themselves.

Having a clear goal and believing you can make it happen puts your feet on the path to your dreams. From there, your clear intent and your determination will help you complete your goals. In that sense, there is really nothing mystical about it. Although it might seem miraculous, it is not.

What I learned from the ninja was that many things that appear mystical are really based in physical reality. They are rooted in science. They are time-tested. It starts with faith in yourself.

Your Life Is What You Make of It

A man's life is what his thoughts make of it. ~Marcus Aurelius

Today is the beginning of the rest of your life. If you have feelings of failure or you feel defeated, fear not. Your thoughts pave the way for your future. That means, your future can and should be far better than your past.

Rather than allow your thoughts to guide you into more of the same old condition you've had in the past, you can set your mind focused on future opportunity, future growth, and achieving your potential.

It is estimated that we use about 10 percent of our true mental capacity. Start your day with a list of your blessings... then write your goals for the day on a piece of paper. Then, start working on the list.

If you have never really had a "vision" of what you wanted in life, you can change that right now. Ask yourself, "What do I want to do with my life?" And "What will my future be?" -------before you flash to a scene from the Sound of Music--------

Remember this: WITHOUT SPECIFIC GOALS IN LIFE, YOU WILL ACHIEVE NO SPECIFIC RESULTS!

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So, What's it gonna be?

Start by planning your day. Then create a long-term vision of YOUR LIFE and all of the successes that await you.

Start Now and Think Your Way to Success.

Who Am I?

Who Am I? Ask yourself that question.

Oddly, in the Western world, many people you first meet socially ask what you do for a living. In some countries it is considered ill-mannered to ask such a personal question unless you are more than casual acquaintances. In America, it is almost the first thing that comes up in conversation. We are often defined by what we do, not who we are.

If I introduce myself and say that I am an author and publisher, right away, people make assumptions about me. They might be educated guesses and might even be accurate, or they might be totally wrong, but, people make assumptions every time they meet someone new. Right or wrong, lasting impressions are made in just a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds, and often those impressions set the mood for the duration of the relationship.

That's why it is so important that you are happy and confident. You see, whatever you do, if you are happy doing it, you will wear it on your face. You will speak about your work with passion. You will display enthusiasm and it is contagious.

When I go to work each day, I can predict that someone will say, "How are you doing?" in a very casual manner. I almost always shoot this response at them: "Pretty good, not bad, can't complain." It is from a song, Pretty Good, written by John Prine.

I can predict that everyone will say something to the effect that complaining doesn't do any good anyway... then they mumble something about nobody ever listening. True enough. After hearing so much negativity all the time, people just tune it out.

Try a positive reply and see what it gets you.

Success Is Available to Everyone

The moment you decide to go after wealth, success, or anything you desire in life, that is when you will start thinking about ways to accomplish it. ~Earl Nightingale

Success is available to everyone who commits to being successful. ~Earl Nightingale

I used to teach fly-fishing for a living. Before that, I taught fly tying. In case you don't know what I mean, I am talking about taking fur and feathers and wrapping them around a fish-hook to make little imitations of insects to trick trout into biting. I became an expert fly-tyer and fly-fisherman and taught in a world-famous fly-fishing school in the Catskill Mountains, upstate New York. I taught clientele from all over the world. They paid lots of money to spend a few days with a handpicked group of instructors just to learn how to "match the hatch" and catch wild trout on a dry fly.

Most of my clients were doctors, lawyers, or big industrialists. Some were celebrity actors or musicians. They spent a few days with us on the best fly-fishing rivers in North America. We taught them about the insects, about the gear, how to cast, and talked "fly-fishing" over breakfast, lunch and dinner during their time with us.

I can't tell you how many times I had a client say to me: "I wish I had your job!"

Our students were a very wealthy bunch. Any one of them made a lot more money than me at the time, but, so many of them would rather do what I was doing. They'd love to have left the operating room, the court room, or the board room, and trade places with me. To them, I had a "dream job" and they envied me. I had the kind of job that most people would want, no, not fishing, per se, but a job doing what you love to do and making a decent living at it.

How did I land this job? Let's take a trip into the past. My high school senior year...

My older brother was getting married. My uncle, the big Philadelphia banker, was in town for the event. He said to me, "Michael, you will soon graduate and enter the working world. What do you want to do with your life?"

I told him I was going to work in the fly-fishing business. I would write articles on fly-fishing. I told him I would teach fly-fishing and fly tying. I said I was going to tie flies and build custom-made fly-rods. I was going to live my dream. My uncle, being the old-school banker, then asked, "Are you going to be a gigolo all your life?"

I started working toward my goal. I started a fly-fishing business tying flies. I sold to retailers. I barely broke even at first. Later, the business grew and I built a reputation. After some time, I was teaching fly tying and started meeting the "right people" in the business. Finally, I had an offer from Al Caucci, co-author of the book Hatches, and four other fly-fishing books. Al offered me a chance to work for him at the Caucci-Nastasi Fly-fishing School. I would also build rods and tie flies for the school. The offer was too good to resist.

(the above is an excerpt from my book, "Get Happy, Write Away")

At ten or twelve years old, I knew what I wanted to do. How I got there was a simple process.

First, I made it my life goal.
Second, I was determined to get as good as possible in the art of fly tying.

Third, I worked my butt off and became one of the best in the business.
Fourth, I NEVER GAVE UP.

At thirty-one years of age, my work was on exhibit in the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum and was sought by collectors and fishermen around the globe.

When I officially announced that I was leaving the fly fishing business, people who knew me for decades were shocked. I was in my fifties at that point, but, I have other goals.

LIFE IS ABOUT GROWTH...

Life is about growing and learning new things. Life is the journey, not the destination. I have accomplished all I can in the fly fishing world.

Earl Nightingale once said that it is important to make goals. When you have succeeded in one goal, to continue growing you need another, and another, and another. It is an ongoing process.

I have lots of goals remaining, but, my list of successes is too long to write here-- and why bother.

The day is young. Have you set any goals for your day? your week? your month? or the rest of your life? Go ahead... You're burnin' daylight...

Thoughts Become Things

Your brain sends out energy in the form of brain-waves, and this energy is power which can affect another person or an object. ~Napoleon Hill & W. Clement Stone (From the book "Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude")

Whether you realize it or not, at a root level we are all pure energy. Our thoughts are energy, too. Like light, which spreads outward from its source and slowly diminishes, thoughts behave in the same manner.

Have you ever entered a room where people have been engaged in some sort of conflict and while they are doing a great job hiding it, you can still sense the tension? Thoughts of anger and hostility are still radiating from those involved as long as they persist in thinking about it.

Thoughts of anger, depression, conflict, every negative thought imaginable will spread and can influence people nearby. It is even believed that at a scene of great stress or mayhem those negative thoughts might linger for many long years. It is called a psychic impression. Whether you believe that or not, some people claim to feel it even decades later.

The most powerful feeling in the universe is love. Just like stress and argument can taint people's attitudes, love can influence people. That holds true for happiness as well.

You have heard the old saying "misery loves company" may times over the years. Negative thought does spread by influencing others. A room full of people can all change from a positive mood to a very negative one in short order with the right circumstances.

Don't be influenced by negative energy. You can block that influence by reflecting on happy times and positive thoughts. Count your blessings when other people are trying to drag you down. It's the best protection from negativity.

Genuine Success is Happiness

[Excerpt from my book, Get Happy, Write Away]

First off, we need to be on the same wave-length, so, let's define success.
What does it mean when someone says, "I am a success." To most people, they equate success with money.

When you say that someone is successful in business, almost universally, people imagine multi-millionaire entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft. The computer industry is filled with young, energetic computer gurus that became over-night tycoons and lost untold sums of money when the bubble burst.

Success is accomplishment. It is triumph over adversity. It is the completion of a task. It might be as simple as learning to tie your shoe laces or ride a bicycle. You might not realize this, but, you have had so many successes in your life that they far out-number any failures that you have had. Just think about it.

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Ask yourself this simple question: If I could be anything I wanted to be or have whatever job or lifestyle I wanted, what would it be?

Now, how are you going to get there?

If you remove money from the equation, just simply go by whatever you would love to do, what would you choose? Now, how could you monetize that?

I found out long ago that money can't buy happiness. It CAN buy CONVENIENCE, but, that won't necessarily make one happy. What most people want is simply to pay their bills, have a little money for a rainy day, a little nest egg for retirement, and no worries.

Figuring out what you'd love to do for a living is three-fourths of the battle. From there, it's relatively easy to figure out how to turn that passion into an income. Remember, it you love what you do, work is play and you'll just keep getting better.

Just how much time do we have in a day?

Earlier today, Jane Pleiman Helbling asked me how I find the time to "master" so many different things. Jane and my father-in-law have been together for several years, now. In that time, she has heard of my various artistic pursuits, writing, musical projects, photography and more... so, this question was one of amazement, not sarcasm. Well, that started me thinking.

Just how much time do we have in a day?

The average person sleeps eight hours a day, works eight hours a day, and has the remaining hours for play time, or does he (or she)?

In my case, I take thirty minutes each way to and from work. That kills an hour. I also figure about one and one-half hours for meals (but how much time is spent in prep?). How about an half-hour in bathroom activities (including shower and shave).

Let's figure what an average person has available...

8 hrs ...sleep
8 hrs ...work
1 hr ....travel time
1.5 hrs ...meals
.5 hours ...restroom

19 hours used (five remaining in a 24 hour day).

Now, I am lucky. I sleep five hours on an average day. I do work four ten-hour days in a week (Monday-Thursday). That gives me less time during those days, but, I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. That gives me 72 hours of almost totally free time. I can use that toward fulfillment of my goals.

If you take the average person and the formula above (five-day work week, eight-hours a day), any time you use watching television is time gone forever. How much time do you need to accomplish your goals?

Mary Rose and I took most of the afternoon, yesterday, and went to Cedar Falls in the Hocking State Forest. That time was well-spent, but, it was spent, after all. I did take some pictures that might be sold in a gallery at some point, so, I would consider my day productive, but, this is time I cannot play music, or write an article, or accomplish anything else.

So, ask yourself, How do I spend my time?

Remember that recreation time is valuable as well as time for industry. Without play-time, you can lose motivation, you can lose focus, you start to live an unsustainable life. So, each day becomes a matter of priorities.

In the end, it is all about achieving happiness and living a rich and rewarding life.

In Defense of Cursive Writing

For centuries, official documents were penned in beautiful hand-written form. Penmanship was considered an art-form, not simply communication.

When schools stopped teaching penmanship it was a sad day for America. Think of those early historical writings, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and others. What a loss. Some of the most beautiful verse the world has ever known was penned in "long hand" or cursive writing.

Indeed, we are losing a discipline that teaches kids something far more important than simply putting ink on paper. Cursive writing teaches patience-- it teaches self-control and self-discipline. Those are LIFE SKILLS.

We now live in a world filled with spoiled brats who always want instant gratification. Many people give up on things long before they ever reach any worthwhile goals. As a result, they never attain the level of expertise they could if they would have kept going.

It takes an estimated 10,000 hours of practice for a musician to reach virtuoso level. Think what the world would lose if everyone gave up because they were not mastering their instrument fast enough. There is no such thing as instant learning. The same holds true with visual art. Mastery of any discipline takes time, energy, and perseverance. You can't "jack in" and have Morpheus load you with the mastery of any skill. That's the stuff of cult fiction.

It seems, for lack of patience, we are on a fast track to mediocrity.

In the words of the Bard of Avon, "What fools these mortals be."

Success or Failure, It's Your Choice

Success or failure is merely a state of mind. ~Robert Collier

Believe that you cannot do a thing-- and you can't. Know that you can do it-- and you will. ~Robert Collier

Robert Collier was one of the greatest copywriters and advertising men of all time. But, he was also a leader in the "New Thought Movement" (a precursor to modern books on positive thinking and motivation).

When it comes to success or failure, it is true that most ideas never get off the ground because people are afraid of failure. While they talk about wanting to do this or that, they never really put forth any effort because fear of failure hangs over them like an anvil waiting to fall-- at least, that is the mental image they have at that defining moment.

That FEAR or FAILURE can easily be applied to the lesson in the second quote I have above. Belief in being able to do something successfully will motivate you and keep you trying. Like Edison, and his light-bulb, countless failures will serve to weed out the bad ideas from good ones.

Knowing in your heart that you CAN do "it" (whatever "it" happens to be), and actually being determined enough to take that first step, then build momentum, is the difference between being all talk and actually making something happen. You have to WANT it. You have to keep going when the going gets tough. Sure, there are daunting times, but, the reward is worth the effort.

Remember the words of Andrew Carnegie: "Anything in life worth having is worth working for."

So it is with success. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Now, let's go from the talking about it phase to the making it happen phase. You'll be glad you did.

Shoot For the Stars

Too often, what we read and profess becomes a part of our libraries and our vocabularies instead of becoming part of our lives. ~E. E. Bauermeister

The higher you set your goals, the greater will be your achievements.
~W. Clement Stone

Many years ago I used to fish with a guy who read all sorts of bass fishing magazines. He had stacks of the things lying around the house. You would have thought that with everything he had read he would be a bass fishing guru. He seldom caught more than a fish or two. I caught one after another.

E. E. Bauermeister had it right. People often have a collection of books on relationships, money management, or making the most of life, and while they are in their libraries (or on a bookshelf somewhere), the advice in them is never put into practice.

The number of self-help titles on Amazon or in a public library is staggering. Many of the authors simply parrot each other. Some of those authors have accomplished nothing aside from producing a book or two. Others have had countless successes. And many of those authors need help themselves. They really need to follow their own advice.

One of the reasons I really love the work of W. Clement Stone, Earl Nightingale, and Napoleon Hill is that they were doers. They achieved a lot in life because they set their goals high and followed through with their plans.

I am frequently asked how I find the time to do all the things I do. Well, a lot of it is making the time available to do it. Don't simply talk about it. But, there is more to it than that.

When I started in the fly fishing business, I said I wanted to be the "best fly tyer living in the world today." People criticized me for making that my goal. Why? Perhaps we have been programmed to settle for mediocrity. If you AIM FOR THE STARS, you'll go a lot farther than if you want to be a "pretty good" musician, artist, writer, baseball player, ________________ insert your dream here. Are you with me?

I chose to become a damn good fly tyer. I wanted to be the best. I set my goal high because I knew that it would get me farther than if I settled for something less. I kept a healthy attitude about it, but, I actually made a very nice reputation for myself with this lofty goal.

Set your goals high. Work toward excellence. Don't settle for being an also-ran. I had a friend who played tennis. His mother bought him a tennis outfit by a company called "Runner UP" (What the...). The runner-up in tennis is the loser! That makes no sense.

Set your goals on winning, on being the very best you can be. Don't settle for something less. It requires work. CULTIVATION is the key.

This image is a fly pattern that I invented and one in the collection of the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum. Mickey's Pearl Muddler Minnow.

Be all you can be. Set your goals high and shoot for the stars.

Satisfaction Is A Mental Attitude

Satisfaction is a mental attitude. Your own mental attitude is the one thing you possess over which you alone have complete control. ~Napoleon Hill & W. Clement Stone

Having many years of business management experience (including sales), I am amazed how many people I see every single day with a bad mental attitude. MOST people see work as a necessary evil. They are never satisfied no matter what they are doing.

We all have the power to change our circumstances by changing the way we think. We can look at challenges as pains in the rear-end, or we can see them as an opportunity to show what we can do. Without challenges, there would be no opportunities. Without problems to solve, we would not have the opportunity to grow. When we become a problem fixer, we become more valuable to any organization.

Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone said in their book, "Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude", that if you want to be a success, you have to sell a product or service that is a necessity-- preferably at a reasonable price.

Let's look at the job market as it stands right now. We are in competition with a global labor supply. There are manufacturers all over the world paying 18 cents per hour (seems to be the going rate thanks to the IMF and World Bank). Even copywriters have to compete with low-priced hacks from every corner of the globe.

Keep in mind that when you have a positive mental attitude, you know what you are worth. So, don't fight the low-ball price war. Sell VALUE! The better you are, the more in demand you'll be.

You can't control the global marketplace, but you can control the way you think and the way you operate in it. Put your best foot forward. Here is your chance to SHINE.

Socrates on Marriage

My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. ~Socrates

I was once told that a man's not complete until he's married-- then he's finished.

I do firmly believe that a man who has a loving and encouraging wife is truly blessed and can achieve more in life than if he were alone. Mary Rose and I often talk about things we are doing and what we hope to accomplish in the future. Our conversations stimulate activity. We are more productive as a result of it.

Life is meant to be abundant and joyful. But it seems, in today's world, that people are not convinced of it. Living a virtuous life makes a man much more appealing to a virtuous woman. A good mate is a treasure and all the gold in China can't make a house a home. I tell my wife that home is where she is.

Socrates said: "Virtue does not come from wealth, but. . . wealth, and every other good thing which men have. . . comes from virtue."

I consider myself fortunate that my wife loves and respects me. Indeed, Socrates is right. Had I lacked virtue, had I lacked integrity, I would never have won the heart of my wife. So, today, I would say this to everyone:

Never lose sight of virtue. Always do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Be honest. Be sincere. Never let a day end without saying "I Love You" to your spouse and your children. But, don't just say it-- show love in the things that you do. Consider your mate's feelings and needs before your own and your blessings will be ten-fold.

The Mental Discipline of the Ninja

"The mind is just like water or a mirror. Water or a mirror does not move itself but is still and serene. However, it is stained by dust or dirt from outside, or moved by wind or men. It then loses its stillness and serenity and does not reflect anything truly, if anything should stand in front of it." ~Bansenshukai (from Chapter Two - The Right Mind).

Note: Bansenshukai is twenty-two scrolls from the 17th century Japan teaching the way of the Ninja.

One of the great Ninja philosophies is that the mind of mankind is guided at one of two levels. It either serves the "nature" of man, with all his failings (lust, desire, greed, strife, ego, etc...) or "principle" which is also translated as "heaven's path" (faith, loyalty, benevolence, mercy, honesty, integrity, and the protector).

By nature, mankind is swayed from the proper mind and is influenced by the cares of this world and lust for pleasure. Therefore, to properly serve humanity, the path of heaven is the way that the ninja is supposed to walk. That's a far cry from the depictions of Hollywood.

Just as Socrates spoke of virtue as the root of good things, the person who walks in principle walks with the virtuous. That is the path of heaven.

It is amazing that ancient teachings, germinating in China and migrating to Japan, speak to modern people when they stop and listen. Amid the hustle of today's world, in the shadows there is a faint whisper. It is the wisdom of Japan's shinobi warrior-- the protector, the observer, the poet, the philosopher.

What you see in the mirror is your reality. Coming to understand yourself, you will know if you are serving the "nature" of mankind, or principle, the path of heaven.

It can be summed up in this simple instruction: Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

Setting Goals and Getting Things Done

Writing your goals on paper is a commitment to making them happen. That is the first step to accomplishment. ~Mickey Maguire

When you write your long-term goals on paper, whether it's in some sort of organizer or journal, or on a sheet of paper and that you hang on a wall by your desk, you have taken the first step in making them happen.

Writing your goals on paper makes them tangible.

 
Once your goals are committed to pen and ink, you can read them daily. I recommend reading them first thing every morning and again before you go to bed at night. Then, take a moment and imagine those goals being completed successfully. When you write down your goals in long-hand, that is, cursive writing, it is like imprinting them in your mind forever. Make them as neat as you possibly can.

The hardest part of getting anything done is actually starting. Taking that first step is the biggest obstacle. But once the wheels are turning, you can gain momentum. The farther along toward your goal you have gone, the closer you get, the more likely you will see it through to completion.

Building momentum is called the "flywheel effect" and the concept helps you visualize how productivity works. With the flywheel effect, if you change directions, you slow the wheel and have to start it turning the other direction. Inertia is lost. If you change direction, again, you are starting the flywheel from a dead-stop and, once more, inertia is lost.

With that in mind, you have to write your goals on paper, keep moving in that direction, and see them through to completion if you want to actually achieve them. Then smile and add them to your list of accomplishments.

Take the first step today.

Do You Want to Grow Your Business?

Do you want to grow your business? Start with your workforce. The success or failure of any business rests on how well your workers perform their jobs.

In the manufacturing industry, the best workers are the most efficient, most energetic, and the best focused. They not only produce the number of units per hour needed for profitability, those units are properly made and meet or exceed all quality expectations.

In the service industry, the best workers provide exemplary customer service. Finding workers who want to do the best job they can is more than half the battle.

Having been in business management for many years, I can tell you that finding people who want to work and who do the job right gets harder every year. A strong work ethic is hard to find. Many job candidates come to an interview dressed as though they just came from the beach. They don't appear to be taking the job interview seriously. Will that sort of candidate take the job itself seriously? Likely not.

Many people look at every corporation with contempt. It's the "corporations are evil" mindset. Some people see corporate jobs as a sell-out. They want to go straight from college to their own business start-up, but they don't know how to run a business and they can't manage people. They know little about customer service, except perhaps: "Do you want fries with that?"

If you own or manage a business, and you want to make it everything it can be, start with your people. If you can motivate them and help them grow, your business with grow along with them. It takes energy. It takes enthusiasm. It takes genuine leadership. And it takes people who care.

A great company is built on great people.

You Are What You Think

A man's life is what his thoughts make of it. ~Marcus Aurelius

Have you ever wanted to play hookie from work and called in sick only to get sick a little while later? Believe it or not, you are the victim of your mind trying to actually justify staying home from work.

The mind can be a terrible influence on the body-- or a good one-- it's up to you.

Your life is the product of your thoughts. If you are a positive thinker, you'll enjoy life. If you are always looking for the "catch" or you find yourself constantly awaiting failure or disappointment, guess what? You will receive what you expect.

Rather than expecting disappointment or failure, why not try expecting success. Look for good in everything and look for something positive in everything.

Life is full of surprises. When you are confronted with an unexpected issue, look at it as a chance to grow by overcoming it. Every time you fix a problem you grow and get stronger and better. You become resourceful when you solve problems by creative solutions.

Every morning, when you wake up, look at the day with enthusiasm. Tell yourself you "feel great" even if you don't. Tell yourself that it's going to be a great day. Monday is the start of a new opportunity-filled week. Tuesday is a day to get things done. Wednesday is a wonderful day-- halfway through the week and there is still time to make more money. Thursday, you are moving at a brisk pace and delivering the goods. Friday, you are looking forward to the weekend and the coming week of more and bigger opportunities!

Projects come and go. Money flows in and out like the tide. By always looking to the future with expectation of success and anticipation, you are setting the stage for more good things coming your way.

One last thing...

Start every day with an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. Be grateful for what you have and more will come your way.

You Are A Success Waiting to Happen

Bruce Lee said that you have to empty your cup before you can fill it again. In martial arts, it is a way to say that you have to unlearn your bad habits before you can learn proper technique.

Life is that way, too. You have been programmed to believe what you do and act the way you do, including fear, uncertainty, and doubt. The FUD FACTOR.

All of your limitations are self-imposed.

Since you have been programmed to limit yourself, you can unlimit yourself. Brian Tracy said it this way: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life.

Start by believing in yourself. Tell yourself this: I AM A SUCCESS WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Now, several times a day, say to yourself, "I am a success."

It is called auto-suggestion.

When you do this you are reprogramming yourself to believe that you are on your way to being a success. Your self-imposed limitations will all fall away.

If You Can Write A Simple Letter...

Copy-writing has become the "get rich quick" scheme of the day. Now, here's the truth about writing ad copy: It's hard work.

Copy-writing is salesmanship in print. Yes, you can still make a comfortable living as a copy-writer, but you have to work hard to fill the pipeline and 75 percent of the job is selling yourself and administrative functions.

For all of the copywriters who submit specs from the AWAI boot-camp's job fair, don't be discouraged if you never hear from anyone to whom you sent a spec.

I told my wife this when Mary Rose sent about a dozen specs after the job fair in two different years.

The companies that were in attendance were looking for the next Clayton Makepeace. They want to discover someone who is on a fast-track to that status. This means that you have to be more than a good copywriter. You have to earn your stripes. But AWAI markets the job potential with "if you can write a simple letter" you can make lots of $$$ in copy-writing.

What a lot of people don't realize is that you can start working in your own home town and make a pretty decent amount of steady income if you do it right. After getting some experience, you can start working more online by networking with businesses via LinkedIn and other means and avoid competition in the Upwork type bidding sites where you are trying to bid against people who can make a living on one-tenth the income that the average American makes.

I wrote lots of copy in the 1980s and 1990s for small businesses and made plenty of money at it. But, I was actually working in the fly fishing industry at the time, so, I was copy-writing part-time. Most of that was newsletters and print advertising. Newsletters are making a comeback because they bring repeat business into every pet store, every sporting goods store, every gun shop, every craft store, etc... I had clients who made as much as $20,000 extra business per month from those newsletters.

Think about it. You have a world of opportunity at your fingertips and it starts in your own neighborhood.

Get your portfolio filled with success stories at the local level and you'll get plenty of work.

Just keep plugging and you'll make it if you really want it.

The Second Sleep

Have you ever awakened in the night and got up, read for a while, then returned to sleep– if so, that used to be known as the “second sleep” and was quite common.

Ben Franklin and others from the past mentioned it as such. Before alarm clocks, when people woke with the sun, it was a common thing. Back then, if you mentioned the “second sleep”, people knew exactly what you meant.

Last night, for whatever reason, I woke up, found myself full of energy, and did not get to sleep again until some time shortly after 11:00 PM. I go to bed early, because, my days generally start at 2:00 or 3:00 AM. I am always up before the sun.

I have found that the best way for me to get things done is to be awake before sunrise and start to work on creative pursuits before the rest of humanity is awake to distract me and take me from my latest project. And so it is with people. When you work in a home office, it is very common for family and friends to assume that you are available. They don’t recognize that you have “office hours” just like the people who work outside the home.

You have to establish boundaries if you are to be a success working from home. You must separate yourself from your family and let everyone know that between this time and that, you are working. Working from home is only convenient when you can still be productive; otherwise, you might be better off having an office-space that you rent somewhere.

Establish clear boundaries and rules for everyone– family, friends, associates. You set your own hours and you set your own pattern of behavior. Do it right and everyone will learn quickly. Do it wrong… well, if that happens, I’ll see you at the office.

Personal Branding

We read a lot of opinions about "personal branding" these days. 

Some people, like Dan Kennedy, think it's a bunch of hooey. Other people are big advocates of the idea. I think that there is more to it than meets the eye.

I have a photo business card that was custom-made with the same image I wish to convey to any client who might ask me to speak to his or her organization on positive thinking, business management, and motivation.

My image has been carefully constructed to reflect several things about me. First, I am Irish. The look fits the name. Second, I value timeless principles. Third, I make sure that I appear disciplined and cultured. There is a sense of refinement in little things, like the pocket watch, the right ink pen, the right hat and shoes. It all shows careful planning. In short, I make an effort to be memorable.

So what image do you want emblazoned on your website? What picture do you want lingering in the mind of people you meet?

My wife and I know of one business owner who has been known to speak at tech-industry events wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and Crocs. Oh, he'll be remembered alright, but not in a good way.

Remember, you have but one chance to make a good first impression. Knowing that, make every effort to craft a lasting one.

Wisdom of the Ages

I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think. ~Socrates

Ah, the wisdom of the ages. Does it strike anyone as funny that Socrates, one of the greatest minds of all time, said that he could not teach anyone-- only make them think; while today, academics spend all of their time teaching impressionable kids HOW TO THINK.

Socrates said, "To find yourself, think for yourself."

Like the Oracle at Delphi (Know thyself), Socrates believed that to truly understand yourself, you had to think for yourself.

At one time, the goal of schools was to teach students to think-- not how to think. The former is called learning. The latter is called indoctrination.

When I look around me, I see a world filled with conflict. I see a world of dichotomy. We have thousands of books filled with advice on how to make the most of life, how to find happiness. People read them with the thirst of a camel at an oasis, but, they don't digest them.

We have every convenience, every luxury, and people, everywhere, are taking anti-depressant drugs.

As if we cannot survive in a world of germs, we now have anti-bacterial soaps everywhere and staph-infection is a problem in innumerable hospitals. Why do we need anti-bacterial soap after inhabiting the Earth for centuries without it? Because we are told we NEED it. That's why. I DON'T WANT IT.

Socrates was right, he could not teach anyone. But now that nobody is teaching people to think, civilization is on the decline.

--Just for the record, no, I am not on medication.

Want to Feel Great?

Want to feel great? Start every day by making a list of the blessings in your life… the people you love… and your goals for the day. Writing those things will unlock the power to transform your life. Starting your day by counting your blessings places your focus on gratitude. You acknowledge the things in your life that give you happiness. Enumerating those blessings is a form of recognition and giving thanks for them. When we are grateful for our blessings we are given even more of them. Next, by listing the people you love, those people who hold a special place in your heart, you turn your thoughts to fondness– not of material possessions, but people. You cannot love a bicycle, for example, in the same way you love the people that add richness to your life. It is the relationships we have with others that truly make us rich. If that doesn’t make sense, then think of richness of life as the fullness of life. After writing your blessings, followed by the people you love, list your goals for the day. Why? Because you have opened your heart to gratitude and love. It is now the perfect time to focus your attention on what you’d like to accomplish today. You have started your day on a positive note by focusing your attention on your blessings. You reinforced that with feelings of genuine love and caring. Now, you have two of the most powerful sensations running through your head. Love and gratitude are full of positive energy. Write your list of goals for the day. If you start every day this way, indeed, you will unlock the power to transform your life into one filled with the richness of love, gratitude, and success. Your positive energy will help you achieve all of your goals by removing the barriers that get in your way (negativity, cynicism, pessimism, fear of failure, anger, hostility, and doubt). The goal of this exercise is to control your thoughts from the very start of your day. You change your focus from negative to positive. Thoughts become things. Negative thoughts bring about negative results. Positive thoughts bring about positive results. Start your day with this exercise and you’ll unleash the power to transform your life.

Are You Looking For A Job?

Are you looking for a job? Maybe this will help. For all of my readers, you can download a mini e-book I wrote titled “Thrill of the Hunt” –yeah, it’s FREE. It’s jam-packed with job hunting secrets like these: How to craft a winning resume. How to Interview. How to get noticed in a sea of applicants. How to follow-up after the interview. And more… http://www.tricornpublications.com/the_hunt.pdf This little book is only six pages of text, a cover page, and a back page advertisement for my book, Get Happy, Write Away (Step Into Your Zone and Turn Your Dreams into Realities). You are not obligated to buy anything and there is no hard sell here. So, what’s in it for me? Just the chance to help you find a job if you are looking for work. It’s good karma. You know, what goes around comes around. Do a good turn for a neighbor. Tell all your friends. Tell your family. Share the link. Good Luck on the job hunt.

Do You Like Yourself?

Do you like yourself? Are you happy with your life? Do you have regrets? Most people have had times where they wish they could do something differently. Some people refer to it as a “do over” –but, in the real world, it is seldom possible. If you want to change your circumstances in life, you have to change yourself from the inside out. Who you are as a person is a reflection of who you really are on the inside. You are the sum total of your life experiences– because they are shaped, in large part, by the way you think. For example, when things go wrong in your life, if you react in violence, you can change that. If you feel that you fail in everything you attempt to do, you can change that, too. So, do you like yourself? If I told you that you have the power within you to be exactly what you want to be, what would you change? You can change your attitude and behavior by creating an ideal you on the inside that will THEN become you on the outside. You will be able to exercise restraint and self-control, have perfect self-discipline, and become a whole new you– the living embodiment of your “perfect image” from the inside out. It all starts with whether or not you like yourself the way you are right now. If you want to be the perfect you, then list all the qualities that you want, including how you want to act, the type of career you want, the kind of home you want, attitudes about life, everything. Now, picture the YOU from your list. Picture yourself in every situation acting and reacting in the way you really wish you were. Visualize yourself saying this: “Nothing bad ever happens to me.” Think of every challenge and every negative experience as a way to make you stronger and better. Look at your list every day and work on matching your list. Start with the self-discipline and mental attitudes. Your list should begin with self-control, self-discipline, confidence, assertiveness, even-handedness. You want to be totally ethical. Don’t think of anything controversial or that borders on illegality. You want to be a straight-shooter all the way and win yourself over as a model citizen and a success in every way. You want to be the kind of person that people emulate. You want to be the kind of person that inspires people to want to be like you. Think of the people you admire. If they are not ethical, law-abiding, hard working, energetic, and successful in life, then you also need better role models. Remember, you want to be the best person you can be on the inside so that you will, in turn, be the best person you can be on the outside. Think about it.

Happy People Are the Best

Happy people are the best. They are much more enjoyable company. When I meet happy people, I find myself being drawn to them. My wife and I went to an event in the nearby town of Grove City, Ohio. They called it Heritage Days (June 6th and 7th) at Fryer Park. I saw it listed on a web-based weather site. Being a short distance from the park, and seeing that it was free admission and free parking, we went. I met a guy in the blacksmith shop who was one of the Parks & Recreation folks who puts together these sorts of events. It turns out, he was born and raised in Mid Ohio and, although he is younger than me, we both know several people with whom we have worked in the past. We had a pleasant conversation. It’s great when I meet people who love what they are doing. We also met a lovely “school teacher” in the one-room school house at the park. She was a librarian at the Grove City Public Library. She was a beautiful lady with a great smile and enthusiastic about life. It was a pleasure speaking with her, too. After the “festival” we went to a Kroger grocery store to pick up a few things and a young lady bagging our groceries asked just how I won the heart of this “lovely lady” and nodded her head toward my wife. This young lady was adorable, cute as can be, full of personality, and enthusiastic. I told her that I wrote the book “The Art and Craft of Romance, A Gentleman’s Guide to Romancing A Lady” and we had a pleasant conversation. If I were a young man, I could easily fall in love with a girl like that. My wife is very much like that, in fact. Meeting so many upbeat and happy people in one day is rare. The usual folks that I meet are cynical and pessimistic. They are depressed and have no zest for life. I wish every day were like yesterday. Yes, indeed, happy people are truly the best. The world needs more of them.