I would like you to fill in the blank as you say this sentence to yourself: I am _________ by the people in this world. Just fill in the blank with the first thing that comes to your mind. Don’t try to think it through, just do it as it comes in flow. The first thought that enters your mind is the one that fills the blank.

What did you put in there? Are you disgusted by people? Are you amazed, set back, motivated, threatened, deranged? Depending on your answer, this is a great way to determine whether you are being at cause or being the cause.

Now, let’s rephrase that sentence a bit: I am _________ by those I associate with everyday. I am _________ by my family members.

What did you put in those blanks? Whether good or not, listen to the words your mind places there. Sure the word may change from time to time depending on how you allow your circumstances to effect your mindset, but ultimately, you choose the word to fill in the blank.

I once heard a phrase that went something like: If you would like to see more kindness in the world, become kind. If you would like to see more success in the world, become wildly successful. Become exactly that which you would like to see in the world. Only then will the world, in your mind, become what you would like it to become!

For me, I am “inspired” by the people in this world. I am “inspired” and “motivated” by those I associate with everyday. I am “empowered” by my family members!

Have you ever heard of TOMS Shoes? Here is an example of someone that inspires me in this world. This guy decided that he was going to start a company that made shoes and for every pair of shoes that someone buys, a pair is also given to a child in need somewhere around the world. TOMS Shoes is an example of someone deciding to be “At Cause” instead of “the cause.” He is making a difference in the world with his idea.

Do you think that it was easy for Blake Mycoskie to start this company? Do you think everyone thought it was a great idea, to start a company that gave away shoes? If you have read any of my articles or blog posts, you will know the answer. He was laughed at! People thought he was crazy and foolish. There were nay-sayers. There were people who didn’t want him to succeed because they wanted him to stay just like them, “the cause.”

Blake is part of the 3% of people that achieve their dreams. My hats off to him and the thousands of others like him who passionately follow their goals regardless of fear or opposition. I am INSPIRED by the people that surround me! You should choose to be as well! Here is a link to their site.

http://www.tomsshoes.com/

Be part of the ones that make a difference. It’s very difficult to make a significant difference in the lives of those around while sitting in your cubicle at work all day. Become an Entrepreneur. Start a business that inspires you! I have…..and I teach others, who inspire me, how to do it as well!

Enjoy the video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt3BQQ6dQaQ[/youtube]

For the next 30 days I am going to take a challenge to arise before the sun does. Why am I doing this? Well, there are multiple reasons.

First, I am a father of three girls all under the age of 8 and for the most part, the only “Me” time I get is early in the morning. I use this time to educate myself. I once read a quote by Mark Twain, “Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.” If I am not learning, I am wasting my life away doing nothing. What good am I and what difference can I make in the world if I am not making a difference in my life. Educate yourself! Learn as much as you can. As you do, apply it and use it to serve and inspire others.

Second, there is a power spoken of in ancient scripture about arising early. I certainly don’t write all these blog posts just to write them. I do it to teach people what I have learned. Scriptures were written to teach wisdom. Amazingly enough, the principles taught thousands of years ago still work today, and may even be working better today than then. Just as I write, they have written, with the intent for others to read. Scripture reads, “Retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.”

Third, I take a moment every morning to express my gratitude for all that I have and know. This is actually the first thing I do every morning. Unless I am grateful for what I currently have, I will never be blessed with more. As I take the time to think of all the abundance in my life, more abundance is added to it throughout the day.

Fourth, I set goals in the morning and come up with some of my best ideas. My mind is rested and fresh. Ideas just pour in like rain in the morning time. It is a self mastery period for me. Visualizing, goal setting, thinking of ways to improve, saying affirmations and setting courses of action for the day are a few of the things I do. For all you fisherman, remember, the big fish are always caught in the morning!

During this challenge I will think of 5 new ideas that will move me toward my goals, every morning. At the end of 30 days, I will have a ton of new ideas to work with, of which, many will already be put into action. I will have my journal on hand to keep record of these ideas as they come to me. I challenge each of you to do the same.

Think about the power that comes with arising early on your own terms. What I mean by, “your own terms,” is doing it not because you have to, but because you choose to. If you are employed and are compelled to get up before the sun does, wake up a little earlier on your own terms. Claim victory on your day instead of giving credit to someone else or doing it because you have to. It will change your outlook. I promise.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I love getting up early. I love it even more than sleeping in, but it can be hard, if you’re not in the habit of doing it. Once that habit is created, it is as easy as brushing your teeth every morning. So starting tomorrow, June the 6th 2009, I’ll beat the sun up.

If you’d like to take this challenge along with me, congratulations! Let me know your thoughts and experiences! See you in the morning!

Amy had a conversation with a fellow associate the other day who shared his story of success. It’s a great story. He got started in this business opportunity and set his goals to replace his current 6 figure income. All he wanted was to be able to quit corporate America and to do that, he had to replace his income. His motivation to be home with his daughter was his fuel. Well, in a fairly short period of time he accomplished his goal. He retired himself from corporate America and was still making his 6 figure income. Shortly after, his results dropped a bit. He was still making a good income but not as much as he was. He just couldn’t figure out what the difference was between then and now.

I think the answer is clear. It goes back to when he got started. He had a clear definition of what he wanted. He had a vision of quitting corporate America so that he could enjoy his family and travel the world. He accomplished that goal. Then what? Did he set a new vision for what he wanted in his life? He failed to set a new goal or purpose that he was as passionate in reaching as the first one. That was the gap.

A man without a vision is for himself and his future is a man without purpose. What happens to something that has no purpose? It is thrown away and considered to be of no value. It is useless, worth nothing.

So you get the point. Unless you have a purpose, and know your purpose as clear as day, you will be wasting your life away. Others without a purpose will begin to be attracted to you so that you can all sit around and be purposeless. So if you have been wondering why some of your friends seem to have no life, take a look at your own life. Hold yourself accountable and set a purpose.

My purpose is to assist a ton of people this year in quitting their jobs by making a massive income from home in this business, and how to I do that? I will make a ton of money myself, enjoy my lifestyle to the fullest, and teach how I have done this to all those who are as ambitious and motivated as I am.

This is the only way to lead. Do it yourself and then show others how to do it as well. In order to effectively “do it,” I must have a purpose. Be purpose driven and make things happen. Know what you want and then go get it!

Have you ever been on a roller coaster at six flags, Disney Land, or some other amusement park? Do you remember the feeling you get as the coaster is rising to the top of the first summit? Do you remember the feeling that you get when you experience that weightlessness right before you drop to the bottom of that summit? Or, have you ever been cliff jumping, bungee jumping or sky diving? Can you remember what it felt like as you were in that plane or on the top of that cliff moments before it was your turn to jump? Think real hard now. Visualize what it felt like. You start to recreate those feelings right? You know what it feels like to do it and when your mind makes the connection, a feeling is recreated. You have a perfect knowledge of what it felt like to go on that roller coaster or to jump out of that plane and can now recreate that feeling.

Now that you know how to recreate a feeling, is there any difference between recreating a feeling that you have experienced physically and recreating or creating a feeling you have experienced mentally, in your visualizing? We know that in order to truly be connected to your goal you must be able to believe that you are already in possession of that goal. There should be zero doubt in your mind that you will achieve your goal in the specified time period. If it is a car that you have set as your goal, what color is it, how fast does it go, what do the pedals feel like when slammed to the floor, how does it smell inside, how does it feel when you grip the steering wheel, how does it feel when you crank the radio up? Are you really there? Are you really in that car?

Now here’s the connection to the feeling side of it all. Do you remember that feeling you recreated with the roller coaster? If you are as passionate about achieving your goal to get that new car, then you will have a feeling that burns within when you think or visualize having that car. It will feel like that feeling or that goal is about to explode from your chest at this very second and because of that feeling, your actions will be constant and extremely persistent in moving towards achieving that goal. It will feel like it is going to happen now, not tomorrow but now! If you have to wait another second for this goal to materialize right in front of you, you might not be able to cope! It fuels you and gives you the energy, the ambition and the drive to go out and get it! It is more than a want or a hope now, it is definite because you have made it so with your emotional connection to this goal. It will happen, because you know it!

So, let me ask you….Have you been achieving your goals? This might explain why.

I Googled the words “financial freedom” and came up with two results, wealth and reverse mortgage. Since I am not a lender, I will not be posting about mortgages although it was a pretty good concept. So besides mortgages, the other result was wealth. Financial Freedom equals wealth! Wealth, is the abundance of something that is of value to the economy. You can split it up into three different areas: Income, Property, and Value of Investments. So you can see that your direct income is only part of accumulating true wealth, BUT, the other two are directly related to your income. How will you ever be able to invest in property or stocks without a healthy income? Your income, initially, is a major part to accumulating true wealth.

So let’s break down financial freedom. Simple right? It’s freedom from the financial aspects of life, freedom from financial burden and hardship. I mean, if you think about it, freedom is the right to do what you want, when you want, and how you want to do it. Freedom is the right to think and act for yourself without restriction.

Bills can seem like they destroy that freedom, don’t they? They can drag you down, cause tremendous stress and burdens, bind you, restrict your lifestyle and can even take a stab at your confidence in your own abilities to provide for you family. They prohibit your ability to live life the way you would like to and have always dreamed of. They can keep you from having the things you want and the lifestyle you deserve.

Now here’s the truth….It’s not the bills that burden you. It is your income that burdens you. The only way to overcome your bills and your financial burdens is to make a lot more money. The only way to live the life of your dreams is to increase your income. The only way to have true financial freedom is to become wealthy!

Here’s an interesting and pathetic fact: Less than 10% of all people alive in this world will ever see financial freedom. Less than 10% will ever live out their dreams or accomplish their goals. So what are the other 90% doing? They are still blaming the bill collectors and the utility companies for their lack of income.

Now on the other hand, the 10% are living large! They have experienced true financial freedom and are enjoying the fruit their labors. Some people may think that they have all the money and that is why the other 90% struggle. If you believe that you may never experience financial freedom unless you learn to change your mindset. I might suggest some Personal Development on prosperity consciousness. The wealthy know this one simple concept….there is an abundance of money and plenty of it to make YOU wealthy. All you have to do is find a business opportunity that will provide a vehicle for you to achieve your financial goals and for you to decide to make it happen. That is it!

In my own words, “To be rich is to have an abundance of money. To be wealthy is to have an abundance of both time and money!” So do the world a favor become wealthy and increase the ratio to something better than 90/10. Financial freedom is for everyone, but will only come to those who choose in!

Here’s a question for you to think about: Have you ever been in a hurry to get somewhere and it seems like all the slow drivers in the world just happen to be driving that day? I mean, these drivers don’t seem to be going slow just because you are going fast. I mean these guys are going like 15-10 mph under the speed limit. Does that ever happen to you? It happens to me all the time! Maybe that just means I should leave the house a few minutes earlier, but that’s beside the point!

The other day, we were in a hurry to go somewhere and there was a guy going 20 mph in a 35mph zone. We were also in a semi-residential area and so I was also in a no passing zone. Well, being a man, driving a Hummer, all that power under the hood, I saw a clearing and I went! I had an objective, a place to be, a purpose and it seemed as though this other driver was just lolly-gagging around, taking his sweet time, with no destination or sense of time whatsoever.

So I gunned it and as we were passing him, he turned and flipped the bird, was yelling at his own window and we could tell that he was obviously a little upset. He must not have liked the fact that we were passing him up and that we had somewhere to be. So we drove on and arrived at our destination just a few minutes early, just like we had planned! Had we continued to follow this other driver, we would probably have been late as the no-passing zone went on for a few more miles.

Success Highway

Lesson: This is a parable or a comparison to the journey of success. Here are a few points that I would like to bring out.

1. Those without a destination, a goal, a vision or a passion will always get passed up by those who do!
2. Those without a time frame connected to their goals, destinations, visions, or passions will take forever to get there, if they ever do! Never, ever, ever feel guilty for passing up someone standing still. There is no such thing. You are either moving forward or backward!
3. Adversity is always there. Challenges will arise on your journey. No-passing zones, speed limits and slow drivers will always be there. True success is achieved in the midst of all adversity.
4. Those with a premeditated destination and a plan of action to arrive there will take the necessary action to arrive there, regardless!
5. The ones who are left in the dust, the quitters, the unsuccessful and the nay-sayers will always despise you for your success and your accomplishments. It is just something that is going to happen. Accept it, but don’t dwell on it. That is their problem. Help those who can help themselves has been my philosophy when it comes to starting a business!
6. Put the pedal to the medal and go for it!!

So, fellow associates, welcome to the success highway! Gun it, put your pedal to the metal and reap the rewards!