Row Your boat

Hello All,

I have found myself recently beginning a new habit of multi tasking in the morning. I often workout to a DVD series in the mornings and since I have been doing the same workouts I have found I no longer need the instruction the entire time as much as just cues of when to change exercises. Since this routine has become very standard for me I found myself feeling like I was leaving something on the table each day in the work out time not being totally productive. The past couple of weeks I tried something new by turning off the volume while doing the workouts and listening to different speakers over audio CD's. I have been finding myself keeping a notepad close by to write down the thoughts or realizations I have while listening to many of my favorite speakers. Speakers like Robbins, Rohn, Maxwell, Ziglar, Dyer etc....

This last week there were several thoughts I heard that resonated with me so much but I wanted to share one thought by Dr. Dyer that I found to be so true. Now understand that my personality tends to lend towards the Ziglars and the Rohns of the world when being communicated to but for some reason listening to Dr. Dyer tends to really capture me even though his style is often monotone from what I typically seek out. On this one day last week I was listening to him speak of his love for his daughter and how he used to enjoy playing with her as a child in the pool or the ocean. He shared how she would often sit on his stomach in the pool and laugh and play and sing etc... He began to speak of a child's song we all know and have sang and then he opened my eyes to one of the simplest truths imaginable!!

He said when my daughter was young we used to sing a song and it went like this......Row.............................Row..................................Row

Don't speed, Don't race, Don't fly but rather ROW!!

and what should we Row???

"Your Boat"

Not your brothers boat, nor your fathers boat, nor your mothers boat but rather YOUR boat.

Now lets pause there for a moment because if this simple children's song never utters another word it has already given us incredible direction. In fact from my experience I would say a large majority of people live their entire lives without finding this truth. I see so many people "Keeping up with the Jones" trying to insure everyones acceptance of them and who they are "supposed" to be. I see so few people from my experience who simply choose to be who they really are. From the moment we are born we are essentially taught to be "good" boys and girls to do the "right" thing without really having the opportunity to determine for ourselves with cognizance what good and right are all about. I understand as children the instruction and discipline needed to protect us and teach us values but at what point in life are we taught to follow the teachings of the great thinkers like Plato, Aristotle and Socrates and search out right and wrong for our own understanding. I see many more people adopting their belief systems of how to build their lives then I do people using the Socratic method of questioning the beliefs they have heard so they can actively choose that which is right for them. In essence if we were created to be clones of each other, our parents, our culture then why were we given free choice?

As I listened to Dr. Dyer speak on this simple illustration it reminded me of how important it is that I search to understand who's boat I should be rowing!! It reminded me of how important it is to help others think of their active choice in deciding what's right for them may or may not be right for those around them. I often think of how exciting it is when my mind is working at actively determining what makes the world around me work. What do I agree with and what do I challenge. When I am in this mode I am truly alive and it makes a huge difference in each and every day and what I feel as a return on those days. On the other hand I have spent many, many days in my life looking up to realize the day has passed and I was on auto pilot for the majority of the time simply allowing it's truest opportunities to escape me.

I believe it is my responsibility to myself and those around me to remove the cruise control button and stay actively in the mode of choosing my directions, my thoughts, my habits MY Boat to row. I think it is all of our responsibility to support those around us in finding their boat to row instead of insisting that their boat look like our boat.

Dr. Dyer went on to make a couple of points further in this song about how the Row should go gently not violently, not struggling not frustratingly but Gently DOWN the stream. Not up the Stream, Not against the current of our inner direction but choosing YOUR Boat and enjoying the Row GENTLY, DOWN the stream.

I have found this year to be extremely rewarding on so many levels but this talk Dr. Dyer did for me at 5:30 in the morning last week while working out was in essence why this year has been so rewarding. I found MY Boat this year. I have spent many years attempting to shape and paint my boat as others around me have done.  I have spent years hoping everyone approved of what my boat looked like or the direction it was headed but this year was different. I looked at my 4 greatest things I love to do and I came back with Lead, Inspire, Communicate and Create. I started searching for anything that did not fit those 4 areas and began to look for ways to remove the items from my life that were not in my top 4. The more I determined this would happen the more it took shape. In fact it has reshaped several times through out this year and as I sit here ready to close the year of 2011 I am closer to being in love with everything I do than I have ever been in my entire life. I have seen people rise up from places I never could have imagined with talents in the areas I wish to removed from and I stand amazed knowing that it was my decision all along. I never understood what power there was in determining what will change and choosing to not yield to the voices telling me otherwise. I have had the same surroundings and people as many others out there who tell me you cannot leave that task you must row that boat no matter how heavy and awkward it may seem it is your to row!! All the while I struggle with their expectations and miss out on a gentle row through life. I listened to another speaker recently who reminded me that there are people who play at what you may have to work to do. Find what you love to play in and do that with every moment of your life! This year I found myself thinking a lot about my talents and things I really loved to do and I made active decisions to change course and go with the stream, gently rowing my boat, I encourage everyone who reads this today to ask yourself these questions;

Is it your boat?

Are you rowing gently down the stream?

Are you willing to know yourself well enough to make changes?

and finally.....

Are you willing to allow others to row their boats and help you play in life while they get to play as well at what you may be working to do?

It is early as I sit in a hotel lobby and the thought of getting others to experience a little of how great this year has been for me was an exciting thought this morning. After all it is one of my favorite things to do which is why I find myself waking up at 4:30 in the morning anxious to row my boat today! I wish to leave you with a simple quote today and I encourage to take 10 whole minutes and read this quote at least 4 times allowing it to truly sink in....

"Our Truest Life is when we are in our Dreams Awake"  - Thoreau

I wish you the very best year of your life in 2012 and I hope ALL of it is spent in your Boat!

You always were

"You always were"

I was reflecting the other day on a story I was told one time by a Young Life director when I was 18 years old. Young Life is a Christian organization that works within secular schools to create relationships with High School kids to share with them the story of christianity. Very often you will find Young Life leaders holding "club" on Monday nights where they will gather a group of students together and socialize by doing skits, singing songs and simply hanging out. The relationships they establish usually fall over to the point that you will also see these Young Life volunteers at High School activities like basketball games, track events, football games etc....

The story this one YL leader was telling me came back to me because of a message I was listening to from a life coach on CD last week. The story was about a person who had graduated some 6 years earlier from a particular High School and was really struggling at this particular point in their life. You may know what I mean, Have you ever been at a spot where you are just really looking for answers? Where you wish you had someone to talk to and be really honest with?

This individual decided to take a trip down memory lane one Friday night by going to their High School alma mater's home football game. As the former student reached the stands he saw his old Young Life Leader and moved to sit down beside him. At first sight there was that typical reunion you might have with someone from your past..

Tell me what your up to these days?

What are you doing for work now?

All of the normal things you could see being exchanged between two past acquaintances. Eventually they reminisced about times and happenings from when the former student was in school until eventually they came to a point where the YL leader realized there was something deeper going on in this former students life. As the YL leader recognized this he started to offer assistance and understanding and the conversation became a very involved one, almost to the point that they were barely aware of any football game being played around them. The former student poured out his heart and his issues looking for direction and the more he became vulnerable it seemed the better he felt about his situation.

There is such a huge point in that last line about having the freedom to open up to those around us and by having security in knowing someone will listen and care we become stronger as a result.

As the game neared the end there was a peace that the former student had found and a satisfaction that the YL leader had from giving and caring. The former student stood to leave and said "Thank you. I knew if I came to talk to you tonight you would be able to help me." Almost caught by surprise the Young Life leader questioned him and said " I am glad I could help but it has been 6 years since we have seen each other. How did you know I would be here tonight?" The former student turned and said with a smile "You always were"

There is such a lesson here in the way we should live our lives not only giving to those around us but giving with consistency. Our opportunities increase as we increase our ability to meet our opportunities. This Young Life leader set such an example in leading a life centered around giving to others but at such a high level that the faith of those who knew him, knew he would always be there. What message do we send with our lives each day?

Is it giving or taking?

Is it consistent or is it dependent on what mood we are in?

I was listening to a speaker the other day that reminded me of this message when he shared the "bookends of his day"

He said that each day he starts off asking himself a very simple but pointed question.....

"Who today can I add value to and how can I do it?"

He has realized that his mission in life is to look for ways to make differences in others lives and that will create his opportunities to succeed. I know that the more I learn in life the more I realize how awesome it is to think of others and how to help them. The more I exercise this option in life the more I find my own challenges disappear in the light of helping others face their challenges.

I loved his first question of the day but his SECOND question was the real awakening for me......

"Who today did I add value to and how did I do it?"
There is such wisdom in starting your day and ending your day knowing that our mission is to add value to those around us. The "BOOKENDS" of our days.

I feel very fortunate to have had both of these stories come into my life and I wanted to share them with each of you today. Know that today your day will be just as great as you make it for those around you!

Zig Ziglar has said for 40 + years "You can have anything you want if you help enough other people get what they want"

Have a great day and a Great holiday!!

Do you Run??

Hello All,

I received a video a while back that made me think about the normal process of life.

I think Life feels as if it is designed as a challenge; A challenge to remain motivated in spite of the routines that "Life" naturally seems to bring us. You know what I mean, we have to have systems and schedules which lead to routines in order to be successful BUT the real balance is not allowing our lives to be controlled by the routines that come along with building the necessary systems.

Let me give you an example.

In building our businesses we work very hard to examine each hour of every day and how to allow those hours to have measurement, goals and accomplishments attached to them. We look at our 3 major Calendars (Marketing, Operations and PERSONAL) and determine what we will put into our lives that will help us reach our goals for our businesses and for each of us personally. We try so hard to follow and refine our system so that we can get GREAT results from what we are doing.

We study the results. We discuss the results with those around us. We make decisions based on what the systems helped us create.  And finally we make alterations to our system so that we create a better system to perform at a higher level moving forward.

All of these things are needed to become better people. I have known people who do not have systems, who do not set goals and ultimately achieve very little professionally or personally in their lives. We must have Jobs and measurements and Car payments and House Payments and responsibilities and structure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BUT

I want to always push myself to be stronger and I have to remember to PLAN on finding the excitement needed to build these great systems which allow me to truly succeed.

When I was a kid everything I did held excitement, passion, curiosity and the joy of learning. As I grew into adulthood the routines that started taking over seemed to zap some of that Joy. I know that we can have both!

We can set goals, build dreams, develop systems, help other people and remain passionate but this takes understanding. I mentioned that we should all have the 3 calendars in running our Businesses, I capitalized the PERSONAL calendar because I think people understand the reasoning for operations and marketing calendars (Responsibilities) but often take the PERSONAL for granted.

What feeds you?

This calendar should have Your exercise, Your reading, Your time away to re-energize, Your affirmations, Your time for gratitude, Your hobbies! Your Plan for Passion!!

As a kid it was so easy to have time to remain a kid but then it happened, we grew up. Lets make sure that the routine that life delivers as we grow up does not zap the joy and freedom we had as kids to do new things.

The day after receiving this video I had a talk with a friend of mine about how important it is for me to understand me. I need to plan to  make those things happen that feed my spirit. I hope this video means as much to you as it did to me. Systems can be great, Routines can be boring BUT Life should always be exciting.

How do you make this happen for you? Start with a PERSONAL calendar that can feed you with great things and then use that energy to build a great system for you and all of those around you to reach great goals!

Run Video Click here........

How to Be Dramatically More Productive, Successful, and Wealthy

How to Be Dramatically More Productive, Successful, and Wealthy
By Dr. Steve Sjuggerud
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Last night, I was out to dinner with a couple of the most successful guys I know – and they were giving me a hard time.

They were ribbing me about what Porter Stansberry calls "the Sjuggerud Advantage."

Hey, I can take it… The Sjuggerud Advantage, as I'll explain, is a major secret to my life's success.

The nice part is anyone can do it… The Sjuggerud Advantage requires no special skills. Let me tell the story…

We were at the Prime 112 restaurant in South Beach, Miami. It's a hip restaurant today, no doubt. As we were leaving, rap star Rick Ross was walking in, stepping out of his Rolls Royce.

Dinner was great… But my definition of a great dinner is "good times with good friends." I don't need a fancy bottle of wine or an unpronounceable delicacy to enjoy a meal.

Around 9:45 p.m., I started checking my watch… And Porter and the other guys at dinner gave me a bit of a hard time…

You see, I don't drink. I don't normally go out for fancy, three-hour meals. And most importantly, I go to bed early and get up early.

Porter was giving me a hard time about missing out on some of life's finer things. But I know these are parts of what Porter calls "the Sjuggerud Advantage."

I've heard Porter tell others: "You don't see the benefits of the Sjuggerud Advantage across a day or two. But over time, it adds up. The guy gets a lot done."

It might sound silly. But I think the most important part of the Sjuggerud Advantage is simply getting out of bed… but doing it an hour earlier than anyone else…

"Getting to work early is such a common virtue of successful people that I'm tempted to call it the single most important thing you can do to change your life," my friend Michael Masterson wrote in his book Automatic Wealth. Michael's a self-made multimillionaire.

And I agree with him…

I get more done in the first two hours of my morning than I do in any other four-hour stretch during the day. More importantly, I get my BEST work done then – with no interruptions and no distractions, just focus.

I probably take it too far… I've come to like driving the streets when they're empty, before the sun has come up. I think it's partly because I know I'm going to get A LOT done.

And I've found that once it gets past 10:00 or 10:30 at night, I'm not very productive at all. I'm tired, I'm sidetracked thinking about the day's problems, and I'm better off calling it a day and starting up fresh in the morning.

While Porter would likely tell you there's more to it, I think simply getting up early is the big secret of the Sjuggerud Advantage. It's the big secret to getting a lot done.

It requires no special skills to get up a half-hour or an hour earlier than you usually do. And most of the extremely successful people I know get their days started very early. It's a simple thing, but it could have a dramatic effect over time.

As Porter said, you might not see the benefits after a day or two… But they add up. You get a lot more done early in the morning… And ultimately, you become more successful than the next guy.

It costs you nothing, and it could make you dramatically more productive, successful, and wealthy.

It's certainly worked for me. I think it's the biggest part of the Sjuggerud Advantage.

It's so simple. But most people don't do it. Based on what I've described, though, isn't it at least worth giving it a shot?

Good investing,

Steve

9 Guidelines of Life by Steve Jobs

 

Great minds think differently. And it is one of the reasons for their greatness.

When I try to think of a successful person whose thinking and vision was so innovative it shaped the way we interact with the world – Steve Jobs immediately comes to mind. His powerful creative drive, endless search for perfection, and unconventional thinking made him a legend of this generation.
And while Steve Jobs is no longer with us, his ideas, his vision and his personal success story continues to affect and inspire millions of people in every part of the world.
Here are 9 Guidelines of Life that Steve Jobs himself preached and followed, be it when creating his latest iPhone, building multi-million dollar companies or when facing personal and professional setbacks.

1. Do what you love

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
“Follow your passion and money will follow” – is advice that has been repeated by so many successful people it almost sounds like a cliché. Yet when it comes to making a career and professional decisions, many of us believe that achieving success is about being practical, not about doing what makes us happy day in and day out.
Frankly speaking, you do not have to love your work to receive a handsome paycheck at the end of the month. But you should love what you do to become exceptional at it.

2. Develop beginner’s thinking

“There’s a phrase in Buddhism, ‘Beginner’s mind.’ It’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind.”
In Zen Buddhism having ‘beginner’s mind’ refers to an attitude of openness, eagerness to learn and lack of preconceptions when approaching a problem or trying to find new possibilities. This is similar to how children approach the world (and how Steve Jobs approached it too).
Do not let your thinking be hardened by your past experiences or your knowledge. Keep learning as if you were beginner. As Zen masters say, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”

3. Never fear failure

“I’m the only person I know that’s lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year…. It’s very character-building.”
About 5 years ago Steve Jobs told Stanford University graduates that his biggest failures turned out to be his biggest blessings. If you look back on your life, you will probably come to the same conclusion – you have learned much more from your mistakes and missteps than you did from your successes.
Do not be afraid to fail. Failure is an integral part of success. It teaches us humility. It strengthens our character. It gives us a rare opportunity to start from scratch and to build something much grander and much more satisfying.

4. Break free from routine

“Kick start your brain. New ideas come from watching something, talking to people, experimenting, asking questions and getting out of the office.”
When we feel stuck and unproductive it is because we are – we are stuck in our office chair and we are stuck in our ‘left-brain’ rational thinking.
Solution? Spice up your routine! Nothing boost optimism, creativity and desire to work more than walking away from your desk and distracting yourself with a cup of tea or a conversation with an interesting person.

5. Say “no” 1000 times

“It’s only by saying no that you concentrate on things that are really important.”
Say ‘no’ to all the distractions that steal your focus and waste your time. Say ‘no’ to unrealistic requests and new commitments that put a strain on you and rob you of your family time. And finally say ‘no’ to the numerous opportunities that lead you away from the worthy goal ahead of you.

6. Believe in yourself

“The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world are the ones that do.”
Every decision that we make is influenced by our self-perception and core beliefs. If we think that our efforts are wasted, we will never give it a shot. If we believe that what we do makes a difference, not only in our own life, but in the life of others too, nothing will be able to stop us from trying, even if our chances of success are very slim.

7. Persist

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”
Five years after Steve Jobs had founded “Macintosh” he was fired from his own company by the person he himself had hired. If he had stopped at that, we probably would not remember his name right now. The fact that he did not care about being the biggest failure in Silicon Valley, the fact that he went on and built two successful multi-million dollar companies before returning to “Apple” and becoming its CEO is what made him so extraordinary.
There are always several roads that lead to the same goal. When one door closes, do not turn around and walk away. Look for another way to get in. It might not be the fastest or the simplest road to success, but it will still get you there. And in the long run it is all that matters.

8. Give back

“You know, we don’t grow most of the food we eat. We wear clothes other people make. We speak a language that other people developed. We use mathematics that other people evolved… I mean, we’re constantly taking things. It’s a wonderful, ecstatic feeling to create something that puts it back in the pool of human experience and knowledge.”
Do you work for the money or do you work for the cause? Do you feel people owe you something or are you more focused on offering your help if needed? Are you worried that someone could steal your best business ideas or do you give them away for free, because you know that making others successful is the fastest way to succeed?
We can either focus our mind on taking or we can concentrate it on giving. When you start with the idea of how you can contribute to the world instead of what it is that the world owes you, it changes the way you work, the way you interact with people and even the way you eat your lunch.

9. Live with purpose

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
There is really not much to add, except for – Thanks for the inspiration and following your heart, Steve!

From Dr. John Demartini you get what you call for!

Dear Brian

What you do influences what you have, but what you say has a big influence on what you'll allow yourself to do. What might happen if you spoke differently to yourself?

I once worked with a classical guitarist who had just enough money to get by from day to day, and he thought it was somehow noble to be a 'starving artist'.

One day I said to him, "I know you love music, but if you continue to play without rewarding yourself, your love for playing music could wane. From now on, your conversation with yourself about being a 'starving artist' is not to dominate your life." I had him begin saying, "I am a highly paid professional musician."

You may laugh at that, because it seems so simple, but he began saying to himself, "I am a highly paid professional musician. Whenever I perform, I receive new creative ideas on how to become even more handsomely paid."

About three weeks later he said to me, "An idea came to me last night while I was playing. I'll record my upcoming performance with the symphony orchestra and sell the tapes at the end of my shows. Nobody seems to be doing it, but I'm going to try anyway and see what happens."

The very first night, 75 people paid $10 each for his tape. He said, "It was amazing. No one had the courage to do this before, but I just broke through my psychological barrier because I decided to be rewarded for my musical talent and art."

Most people ask themselves, "How can I afford to do this?" It's much wiser to ask, "How can I become wonderfully paid to do what I really love?" Ask a different question and you'll receive a very different answer to the same apparent situation.

That young man now performs in Europe and all over the United States. He has played at Carnegie Hall, at many other great venues, and with some of the major philharmonic orchestras in the country. Today he's a noted soloist who has published CDs, tapes, and books. He has more certainty, recognition, and opportunities, as well as a great deal more money and fame. He's playing more powerfully than ever and loving it even more, and it all happened for him when he gave up the belief and affirmation, I am a starving artist. You'd have a hard time convincing him he's a starving artist now--he doesn't say that anymore.

Now, besides repeating his original affirmation, "I am a highly paid professional musician," he also says to himself, "I am one of the great classical guitarists. When I play, even the birds and animals stop to listen." That man is certainly inspired, and it comes through in his music. He definitely touches people. You're not alive just to get by or survive. You're here to realize your grandest dreams even if we are in a so called "bad" economy.

The more you're willing to act on them, the more you become of service to yourself and others, the greater your self-worth, and the more you'll spontaneously receive what you would love.

When you're more willing to share your talents, inspirations, and gifts with the world, the desired gifts you receive in return will be even more abundant. Likewise, when you're willing to receive rewards for your efforts, you'll be less likely to lose heart and motivation for doing what you love. The more you're willing to receive, the more you'll be willing to give. You can't escape the two sides of doing and having, giving and receiving, in order to be.

Love and Wisdom
John

Dr John Demartini
Human Behavioral Specialist, Educator, Author, Business Consultant
www.DrDemartini.com

What a Week!!

Over the past week we have experienced a holiday centered on giving thanks and I wanted to reflect upon that thought for just a few moments today. I have been talking to many people over the past week about opportunities seized and opportunities lost. You know what I mean, there are many things we can look at our lives and recognize where we have been in the zone! Things we have excelled in and made an impression on us as an accomplishment we are proud of, a goal met we have honor for or simply a recognition that we did something others see as noteworthy.


All of these events in our lives we should be thankful for but what about the majority of time in our lives when these things are not happening? What are we thankful for during those times?

I was talking to someone this week who was frustrated with their current position in life and what they see as their less than desired outcome verses their absolute belief in what their talents should be rendering. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt as if you know your talent is not being rewarded fully? Have you ever felt like you are struggling to get back to where you have been before or where you know you should already be? I have and I think about those struggles with great fondness NOW.

At the time it is sometimes difficult to realize how awesome life is and how the opportunity to struggle is just as awesome! I found myself talking to one friend the other day and I felt like Dr. King when I said your real issue is "you have been to the mountain top" meaning he had been as high as most performers could imagine as success and recognition for a job well done. A million dollars or more in a years personal income is a great accomplishment for so many people but it has drawbacks standing on the mountain top as well. It has drawbacks when the people in the valley can look up and give you praise for a job well done. There are drawbacks when we are so high that celebration is appreciated more than the struggle is appreciated.

You see the mountain is a hard climb, rock by rock, step by step, slide by slide it takes fortitude and perseverance to reach the top of the mountain you see in your head. The challenge with feeling on top of the world is sometimes we are now able to lay down and take a rest. I mean we deserve it after all don't we? We busted our butts getting to the top! Let me take a little nap so I can just rest for a LITTLE while and then I will look for new mountains. If the feeling of yourself reaching the top ever sits in, be careful because you are likely to find that when you wake from your nap you have rolled off of the mountain top and are back sleeping in the valley. The people who gave you glory and praise now stand above you in the foothills and you realize your struggle must begin all over. The key to winning any struggle is always in your disciplines.

What does your day look like?
What have you built into your routines that insure your ascension?

Everyday I get up and now know that as much as I enjoy life and like to play and as much as I enjoy using my talents to give to others around me. My number one task is to take care of me!!

I must read daily
I must exercise daily
I must have devotional daily
I must be taught daily
I must be motivated daily
I must be grateful daily
I must celebrate my life daily
then and only then must I remember that...
I must give unselfishly to others daily!

Do you have a structure for your day, your week, your month that says you have dedicated time to you before anyone else?

You get to choose how you spend the hours of your day and I promise that in the course of your day, your week, your month and your life situations will rise and fall that are depending upon you to be your very best. Situations that will cause you to struggle in your climb to the the proverbial top of the mountain. If you have not been preparing yourself for these struggles routinely with discipline you could find yourself in the valley looking up to the foothills. Its up to you! What does your day look like today? Is it busy with tasks to get done? Your number one task in life is becoming a better you so whats your chosen course of development?

If you have been to the top it is sometimes harder to climb the second time than it was the first. The first time it was in conquering and the second time it is in returning to conquer. I have done both and I know that getting there the first time was sweet but getting there the second time was transforming me into an individual of certainty knowing that the decision to win is mine and mine alone. 

If you are one starting the climb today remember your disciplines and be so thankful you are making the climb with every step and every slip and you will surely arrive at the top.

If you have been one who has fallen off of the mountain it can be overwhelming at times, it can be deflating at times but you should be thankful because you have two things many around you do not have....

You have the memory of what it feels like to be on the mountain top and you have the memory of which path you took to get there. If you will learn to have thanks for these two things today you will begin to rise to new heights and hopefully never be completely on top again!

I am thankful for the climb and each and every opportunity I face to hold on tight and grow and I look forward to never reaching the top again!!
Video to showing it's up to me!!!