How will "doing for others" affect you?

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" - MLK

Intentions - what fuels your actions - are so important to outcome. While good intentions don't always yield the desired results, having them will bring your peace in your everyday choices.

What are doing for other people? What do you give to this world? What are you contributing? To give is to receive. There is no better feeling than to watch someone else do better, grow or achieve something - especially if it is partly because of your own contributions.

Regarding Work:
When I sell / develop a website for a client, I take great pride in contributing to their business's exposure. It feels good to know that the website I built for a roofer brought him 20 extra jobs for the year. It makes me feel valued and appreciated.

When Ryan builds a business with someone else that secures their future as well as our own, it just feels good. It's crazy to watch people go through a commission pay cycle in one week partly because of your help and efforts. Aside from the emotional success, it is financially a smart thing to do.

When we teach dance or music - it feels good to put good energy out there. It feeds the soul to do something liberating and then teach others how to do the same. Watching Iris at Umass, or Wes in drum corps, or Meg teaching music or Steph directing a play is a very relaxing and proud feeling to have.

The fact is: The more you do for others, the more successful you become and the richer you will feel. The energy and happiness you receive as a result is not something you can manufacture. Nobody ever became successful alone or by beating some else down. Build each other up. Help someone out. Build a life you want to live everyday by choosing to give to others.

The difference between making the cut and not.

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. – Walt Disney

 Never have truer words been said.  At some point in our lives, we have all had dreams, goals, aspirations and visions for the way we want to live our lives.  Hopefully, you haven't forgotten this important part of the process, because to dream is certainly the first step.

So, what makes us different?  Why do some people seem so lucky?  Why do some people become blessed with the fortune of realizing their dreams while others aren't so "lucky" or even worse, forget how to dream?

 It's been said so many different ways, but the truth is:  Successful people did what others failed to do.  It's the courage to keep going that will take you directly to your goal.  Never stop.  Never give up. Never let obstacles throw you off track permanently.  We're all going to have better days than others.  What we have to remember is that the prize is always sweeter when you've earned it.  You either have the courage to keep going or you don't.  You either get to where you're going or you choose a stopping point along the way.  Successful people understood the steps necessary and the commitment necessary to get to where they were going. (As per JR Ridinger) They ran into the same problems that everyone does, the major difference is: they ran into a whole lot more and kept plowing through!

It's always easier to settle into a routine than to create something new.  It's easier to send an email than to reach out and talk to someone.  It's easier to avoid tackling a problem with a situation or person than it is to face it.  It's easier to talk about people behind their backs than it is to focus on your own life.  It's easier to be on the sidelines instead of in the game.  You certainly are less vulnerable to failure.  It's always easier to participate in these unproductive activities because it is a safe haven from the things you should be doing.

The point is:  the courage to endure the harder things in life determines the speed you take on your path.  Don't allow unproductive activity, toxic relationships or negativity to influence how you make your decisions.  If your dreams mean that much to you, you have to do something different. 

So I guess it all depends on your game plan.  Are you in this game as a spectator or are you in it to win it?  

Pictured:  Dennis Franks (VP of Market America, Former Philadelphia Eagles Player, Mentor) giving us a permanent visual of him telling us to "keep going and never give up".  

What's your filing DNA?

I can bet that we have all researched tons of ideas and listened to people on how to have a successful filing system.  I'd like to invite you to throw away the idea that one day someone else's filing system will work for your business.  

People are creatures of habit.  We like things done a certain way.  We crave structure and organization...but of course we crave our own particular flavor of all of that.  We want to be part of a routine, however, we like the idea of creating that routine.  (Especially if you are a business owner)

The best way to keep yourself organized is to develop your own system.  One person's step by step system will not necessarily work for you.  Instead of wasting another year attempting to implement someone else's organizational structure into your life, why not spend a week pulling the best ideas from many to create your own?  A week of deciding what will work for you will save you months or even years of insanity.  I'm not suggesting that other people's filing systems are bad.  I'm simply suggesting that for you - creature of habit -  setting yourself up for the best possible result means choosing a system that you can actually file and thrive with. 

Remember, leading the pack usually means creating your own way.  It starts from how you will approach your life/business to how you implement it. Once you have your direction, then you're already one step ahead and on your way to the top!

Cheers!

How do you like your coffee?

How do you like your coffee?  It's a question we all know the answer to.  Whether you're like I am and like "Soy vanilla latte, extra hot with no foam" or your answer is "I don't drink coffee", the answer is usually a solid one. 

Today and this week, I will allow myself to understand the things that I really love and identify the things that I could use less of.  The answers to more difficult questions such as these may not come so quickly, however, in order to keep growing and being happy, I feel that these answers should be solid.  By solid, I mean that they should be clearly understood and acknowledged.  They may change from year to year, but I will strive to be aware of them. 

What are some of the things that you love to do, be a part of or be around?  What are some of those exact things that you could shave off so that you are not allowing yourself to be pulled in a direction that is unproductive or creates feelings of unhappiness?  How do you like your coffee?

Destined for greatness

For those of you who know me, it's been a tough few weeks for several reasons which are not worthy of rehashing.  I will say that regardless of every speed bump along the way, I am still moving full speed ahead with blinders on.

I wrote an email to the CEO of a billion dollar company that I am blessed to own a small part of. (Market America)  This guy, from day one, has inspired me to be the very best I can be. Through his example, training and opportunities given, I am able to offer my family possibilities that many people would not have thought were possible.  What is even more mind boggling, is that I don't have to be selfish about it - I can offer the same opportunities to other people who are willing to go to work for their in future and for their own dreams.  Well, JR wrote back to me within a few hours and left me with such great hope that I thought I would share with you one of the most powerful statements I have heard in a long time. 

The question I had for JR was "Have you ever doubted yourself?  How do you get through the really tough times when you're not sure if you're going about things the right way?" 

Embedded in response were some statements that reaffirmed some things I already knew but needed to be told by someone else. :) "Never never never give up" being one of those affirmations.  But at the very end he said:
 
"You must logically understand how you will reach a goal in order to believe it and become it." 

There it is.  The words of a dreamer.  Dreamers are the most logical thinkers of all.  We don't do what we are told.  We don't follow the rules.  We invent them. Through careful calculation, our dreams become true because we understand no other outcome.

Feeling blessed to have such an amazing life, surrounded by the best people on earth and able to make choices that I otherwise wouldn't be able to make.

Love and Peace, SR