I am a basketball fanatic. If I were to choose between all sports, basketball would be at the top of the list. Not that I don’t enjoy any of the others, I just know the sport of basketball and like to consider myself pretty good at it as well. Well, I guess that directly depends on the physical shape I am currently in. I have recently noticed that it really does make a huge difference in your game if you can barely run up and down the court once before collapsing. Heaven forbid you might have to jump during the whole process!

Recently I came across some old high school basketball footage. Talk about awesome! These tapes were used to critique ourselves and our performance during our past games and to get a little insight as to how the other team plays. Although we had these videos, I don’t recall ever having access to those tapes. During my entire High School basketball career, we didn’t spend any time critiquing ourselves. We just moved forward to the next game. I guess our coach didn’t see the importance of it.

Now let me ask you all a question, and tell me if you think this would be beneficial to you. If you had a recording of your games, would it benefit you to review yourself in action? Do you think it would give a difference perspective on how you perform?

You know, it is said that we are our own worst critics. And if that saying is true, as long as you are being constructive about it, wouldn’t it benefit you to watch yourself in action? I say absolutely yes! As I watched myself in these old recordings of my past High School games, I saw the areas of my game I was slacking in. Most areas I was slacking in have changed since then, but some I can still see myself doing and I am now conscious of those areas. Because of my awareness, I can now correct those bad habits. These tapes would have been so valuable to me when I was in the during, instead of the after stages of that time in my life. Yet, would I have noticed my faults then? Would I have been critical enough?

The best way to help someone recognize their faults, and then to change them,is not to tell them or show them, but to allow them to see them for themselves. That is the most effective way. Me telling you that your actions of having a job that barely pays your bills, is a waste of your talents, time and in general, your life, won’t inspire much change. But for you to tell yourself, that’s power. It’s all about awareness. Once you are aware, you can then decide to change or not. But that awareness is and will always be there to remind you. From that point, it’s up to you on whether or not you would like to take the easier path of not changing, or you can take the more difficult yet most rewarding path of change. At least you are aware of your options.

Now obviously it is much easier to simply film your basketball game than it is to film your entire life, so here are a few ways to keep “footage” of yourself:

• Keep a Journal!
• Start a Blog.
• Spend time with people you respect and ask for feedback or constructive criticism!

If you think that keeping a journal is solely for your ancestors to find out about their great, great, great great grandpa well after you die, think again. That’s one reason. It’s for you, to track your progress, to record wins, to look into as a reminder of how good or how bad you have been doing. It’s a source for you to critique your performance in life. A blog can do the same thing without as much personal details. I have noticed how much I have progressed in my mindset and writing skills since the beginning of this blog. And always be willing to ask and then receive constructive feedback from people you respect.

Don’t ever let your pride get in the way of you becoming better than you were or currently are. There is ALWAYS room for more……YOU!

This is going to be a topic of common sense that many of you are already aware of. But quite frankly, so many people lack common sense. What seems clear to one might be completely confusing to another.

Many of the terms we use in the English language are simply descriptions for the absence of something or the lack of something. These “terms” are ways to describe things that exist but are not tangible, yet, at times you can see them and feel them and at times these “terms”, if allowed to, can effect your thoughts. Now we all know that thoughts are energy and will eventually turn into action should the thought remain consistently.

Here’s an example: Darkness! It exists. You can see it and one might say that the darkness was so thick you could feel it. I think we would all agree that darkness can definitely effect ones thoughts and actions. I know full grown adults that still will not go out in the dark by themselves to take out the trash. It is something that generates that state if mind that we all know too well, it’s called fear. Darkness restricts movement, vision and ones ability to act normally. So what is darkness? Darkness is simply a term used to describe the absence of light. Light is the measurable factor here. Without it, there is darkness.

Another example: Debt! Debt definitely exists. You can see it in your life and we know that a significant amount of debt can effect ones thoughts and actions. In speaking with people about starting a home business, their main goal is to get out of debt. Debt instills fear in people. Fear of losing their home or not being able to make their bills. If it is bad debt, it restricts people in their ability to live a happy and fulfilled life. But what is debt? Debt is simply the absence of cash flow, or money! With money, debt doesn’t exist.

So here’s my point: A goal to get out of debt is a goal trying to get out of nothing. The real goal is to make money. So set that goal to the amount you desire. Getting out of debt is part of the process. Setting a goal to get out of debt is like saying, “Can you please take away the darkness?” We don’t say that! We just say, “Hey, can you turn on the lights?” The darkness goes away as part of the process.

You can’t take away the darkness without the proper actions and tools. You are required to get your butt up, walk to the switch, flip the switch on and have previously paid your electric bill. It works the same way with debt. Simply wanting to get out of debt won’t work. You’ve got to take the appropriate actions with the correct tools in order to fix your status of being in the “Absense of Money!”

If I can teach you anything, learn this one thing…debt is only the lack of money in your life. So instead of focusing on NOTHING (debt), focus on something. Focus on the things you want AFTER you have created the income that will, along the process, relieve you of the “absence of money.”

Just as periods of time throughout history have been named for their accomplishments, such as the Ice Age and the Industrial Age. With the creation of the Internet and the ease of communication around the globe, today can honestly be considered the Information Age. Passing information from one person to the next or finding information on any conceivable subject is just a click of the button away. On top of the Encyclopedias, media, dictionaries and other sources of recorded facts and information, there are blogs full of the wisdom of millions of professionals in every different profession. It is literally impossible for someone with access to the internet to be ignorant, unless by choice.

All is good when it comes to learning right? But there is one principle that always stands true with everything: “To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.” Everything has it’s opposite. Good and Bad, Right and Wrong. With all this accurate information readily available, it is sometimes difficult to decipher what is legitimate and what is not. With all the good information available, there is the opposite…..bad information.

I know you have all heard the phrase: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet!” I know! You are reading this on the internet! You are and have always been entitled to your own opinion, and so is everyone else. That’s why what you read on the internet is not always fact, or as accurate as it should be. Between the self proclaimed guru’s and professionals out there, confusion can set in. Look at the Network Marketing industry. You can find good and bad on just about any company large enough to be on the map. Who do you believe? Is the information you are reading right now correct and true? Can you trust David Allred? How do you know that I am not filling your head full of crap right now?

Guys, there is a way to gain clarity and to decipher what’s right! I have always operated on a core set of principles. These principles are based on religion, common sense and my personal education. These core values are impenetrable. They remain as the source of sorting through all the misinformation out there. What seems right to Joe may not be right for John and what’s right for me is not right for you.

Here’s a prime example that I am sure many of you can relate to. Do you remember the movie “The Secret?” It was a huge phenomena that many people connected with and many people disagreed with. The Law of attraction is a true principle to me regardless to other people’s opinions. The part that didn’t sit well with me, was the fact that the “Universe” is the energy behind the law of attraction. Being religious, I know that is GOD. So instead of completely disagreeing with the entire documentary, I took what I knew to be true according to my core values and used it to my advantage. I left the rest. My core values are the pattern that I compare everything to. When they don’t measure up, they don’t hold weight.

My advice is this….don’t be confused about who you are. You know! All you are searching for are ways to add to the person you already are. Establish your core values, get some education on how things work, and add to that. The things that measure up, keep…and the things that don’t, leave. In fact, I am in a business opportunity of media. Positive media and Personal Education is the way to gain clarity on what these core operating values are. It all starts with a DVD called “Know for Yourself” and moves into a higher level of learning that will teach principles of success, value and surety.

If you knew how to gain clarity on every bit of information you become exposed to….whether accurate or not, would that be something that would benefit you? It has been priceless for me.

This is a perfect example of one of the biggest Losers of all time! Many of you will know exactly who this is at a glance. Check out the amazing record of failures this guy had in his life compared to the amount if wins. It’s pretty shocking. I bet he was made fun of quite a bit by his peers and was told to give up on his dreams….

• 1831 – Lost his job
• 1832 – Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature
• 1833 – Failed in business
• 1835 – Sweetheart died
• 1836 – Had nervous breakdown
• 1838 – Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker
• 1843 – Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress
• 1848 – Lost re-nomination
• 1849 – Rejected for land officer position
• 1854 – Defeated in run for U.S. Senate
• 1856 – Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President
• 1858 – Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate

How pathetic is this guy!? Well allow me to introduce you to Abraham Lincoln, elected President of the United States of America in 1860!

How many times was he defeated before he won? Count ’em! Whenever you hit a hard spot, don’t EVER think that you are special….or any different than anyone else who has chosen to go down their own road of success. Talk about a perfect example of persistence and willpower. You can accomplish ANYTHING you set your heart on. Celebrate your losses….because all they have done is put you that much closer to the wins!!

While in Puerto Rico at this last event, I must have taken around 10 full pages of notes. Six of those were from Yossi Ghinsberg. The guy was a walking quote book and if you’re like me, you get more out of a simple, blunt and to the point statement than you do a long drawn out explanation. Simple minded! That’s me.

One of the things he said was, “I don’t dream when I sleep….the dreams keep me awake.” This statement had a little deeper meaning for me than what it might have intending. Now it’s obvious that we all dream when we sleep and if you’re anything like me, most dreams you might have really make no sense at all and have very little meaning. If you forget them the moment you wake up, it’s okay. But, every once in a while you might have a dream that wakes you up in the middle of the night because if feels as if you just had instant revelation or pure knowledge flow into your brain. Instead of being able to sleep you are prompted to get up and write it down so that you can remember it in the morning. It has you inspired and excited to face the next day. You now have an immediate purpose or a direction…. and that’s exciting! Don’t under estimate the power of your dreams. If you are on purpose, they can be a great source of direction to you.

How many of you just can’t wait until the days passes so that you can hit the pillow? On the other hand, how many of you just can’t find enough hours in the day to fulfill your passions and accomplish your goals, having to be forced to sleep while eagerly awaiting to start the next day? Some people love to dream without action and others love to dream in real time….in action. That’s the difference. One is really happening and the other is forgotten.

In a true dream, you should be awake. Stop sleeping through your dreams and start living them!

Yossi went on to say, “If you don’t have a purpose or a dream, that is the most dangerous place you can be.” If you don’t have a purpose, then you fall back into the default purpose….which is the purpose of those that have a purpose. This means YOU are the victim, the one being directed…not the one directing. That is default.

If your purpose is to help everyone else in the world achieve their purpose, the way to do it is proactively. A dream is only a dream and will never become reality without belief that it actually can. Today, define your purpose or your dream. What is it that you are here on Earth to do? Stop thinking of what others would have you do! What is it that YOU want to do? Now, write it down, IN DETAIL, and then go do it. You are right in the midst of your dreams. The only difference between a sleeping dream and that same dream awake, is that one is done without your body. Just include it next time. It really is that simple. And according to my watch, that time is NOW!

We have all heard of the common phrase “think outside the box!” At times, it is used WAY too much. While in Puerto Rico, Yossi Ghinsberg gave a description of the meaning of this so called, “box,” and how it effects our lives. At this very moment in time, as you read this post, you are using a box. It’s all about leaving the normal grind and getting in touch with nature. Enjoy the video!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4RcpMVLvM0[/youtube]