2007 is winding down and coming to an end. Did you live this year with purpose, on purpose, and for purpose? Ashamedly, I must admit that I did not. I wasted too much time doing things I wanted to do while neglecting the things I needed to do.
What about you? What do you need to do in 2008 so that you can do what you want to do? I need to listen to my James Malinchak's CDs. James is one of my mentors, and because one of my goals is to make a high six-figure income as a professional speaker I have to take the time and make the time to do what he tells me to do. The challenge is that I don't always want to listen to CDs or read a book or write. Nope, most of the time I want to surf the web and play Party Poker. However, after watching the movie, The Great Debaters (a must see, by the way), I realize afresh that if I keep doing what I want to do, dismissing what I have to do until ... well, I will have lived and died never really having done what I really wanted to do.
You figure it out.
The Purpose Professor
"Teaching people how to succeed on purpose."
Life On Purpose LLC
www.lifeonpurposellc.com
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
The Purpose of Your Gift
I love this time of the year! Generally speaking, people are little nicer. For instance, they let you get in front of them in traffic, smile, and the CVS cashier who hardly spoke all year wishes you a "Happy Holiday!" I also love the gifts ... giving and receiving.
Now, as a devout Christian, I am focused more on the gift I have received in the person of Jesus Christ. Today, Christmas Day, is John 3:16 manifested: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..." And really, that's the real purpose of a gift! We give to show our love, or at least we should. With love as the premise of gift-giving that ugly tie or sweater doesn't look as bad because the person who gave it did so to show their love.
I believe the purpose of your gift, like the gift God gave us, is to demonstrate your love. That's it! So the question becomes: are we giving out of "it's-that-time-of-the-year" obligation OR are we giving because we have so much love for the one we're giving to we just want them to know it?
Without shame, I say to you all MERRY CHRISTMAS!
The Purpose Professor
"Teaching people how to succeed on purpose."
Life On Purpose LLC
www.lifeonpurposellc.com
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Now, as a devout Christian, I am focused more on the gift I have received in the person of Jesus Christ. Today, Christmas Day, is John 3:16 manifested: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son..." And really, that's the real purpose of a gift! We give to show our love, or at least we should. With love as the premise of gift-giving that ugly tie or sweater doesn't look as bad because the person who gave it did so to show their love.
I believe the purpose of your gift, like the gift God gave us, is to demonstrate your love. That's it! So the question becomes: are we giving out of "it's-that-time-of-the-year" obligation OR are we giving because we have so much love for the one we're giving to we just want them to know it?
Without shame, I say to you all MERRY CHRISTMAS!
The Purpose Professor
"Teaching people how to succeed on purpose."
Life On Purpose LLC
www.lifeonpurposellc.com
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Purpose - Check Your Brakes!
Trying to be successful without purpose is like driving a car without brakes. You may go along just fine using the gas pedal, but when the time comes for you to navigate a turn or stop you'll end up wrecked.
When I was 13 (many years ago!) my mom and I were headed home from the family's restaurant, which was about 10 miles start to finish. We had a 63' red Buick Riviera that my dad kept so shiny you could see your reflection in the paint job. This car was in pristine condition, inside and out ... the black vinyl seats were lovingly maintained with saddle soap, and the chrome polished with Mother's Chrome Polish. Riding in that car in Newark, New Jersey in the summer time was the coolest feeling any 13-year-old could ever have because everybody admired it and Dad got countless offers to buy it. The car was just that cool!
It was a scorching hot August day and we were driving down Bergen Street coming to the intersection of Avon Avenue. Aretha Franklin was belting out Respect from the car's 8-track while Mom and I engaged in our favorite sing along (she was Aretha and I was "re-re-re-re-re-re-re." ) I don't know how fast Mom was driving, but as we approached the intersection she started to pump the brakes only to discover we had none! "Ann, sit back!" she barked while trying to maneuver the red Buick. Being a kid, I sat up just in time to see that we were about to be broadsided by an on-coming car on the passenger's side. Instinctively I slid over to the driver's side behind my mom, screaming as I heard screeching wheels and the loud thud of metal hitting metal. Amazingly, mom and I escaped unharmed, but our beloved red Buick was totalled.
So, I'll say it again ... Trying to be successful without purpose is like driving a car without brakes. Take away the brakes, and your life, just like our red Buick, will eventually become an unguided missile -- headed for a wreck.
Until next post,
The Purpose Professor
"Teaching people how to succeed on purpose."
Life On Purpose LLC
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com/
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
When I was 13 (many years ago!) my mom and I were headed home from the family's restaurant, which was about 10 miles start to finish. We had a 63' red Buick Riviera that my dad kept so shiny you could see your reflection in the paint job. This car was in pristine condition, inside and out ... the black vinyl seats were lovingly maintained with saddle soap, and the chrome polished with Mother's Chrome Polish. Riding in that car in Newark, New Jersey in the summer time was the coolest feeling any 13-year-old could ever have because everybody admired it and Dad got countless offers to buy it. The car was just that cool!
It was a scorching hot August day and we were driving down Bergen Street coming to the intersection of Avon Avenue. Aretha Franklin was belting out Respect from the car's 8-track while Mom and I engaged in our favorite sing along (she was Aretha and I was "re-re-re-re-re-re-re." ) I don't know how fast Mom was driving, but as we approached the intersection she started to pump the brakes only to discover we had none! "Ann, sit back!" she barked while trying to maneuver the red Buick. Being a kid, I sat up just in time to see that we were about to be broadsided by an on-coming car on the passenger's side. Instinctively I slid over to the driver's side behind my mom, screaming as I heard screeching wheels and the loud thud of metal hitting metal. Amazingly, mom and I escaped unharmed, but our beloved red Buick was totalled.
So, I'll say it again ... Trying to be successful without purpose is like driving a car without brakes. Take away the brakes, and your life, just like our red Buick, will eventually become an unguided missile -- headed for a wreck.
Until next post,
The Purpose Professor
"Teaching people how to succeed on purpose."
Life On Purpose LLC
http://www.lifeonpurposellc.com/
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Practicing What You Teach
It's been a long time since I blogged and primarily it's because LIFE just keeps on happening! Since my last entry I've gained a new daughter-in-law, purchased a new home, made $10K in one month for the first time in my life, cleaned up my credit, had to deal with my mom who had a severe stroke and heart attack, and ... had MAJOR birthday!
Birthdays are significant for me because I always start my "New Year" the day after my birthday which happens to be 12/13. I gave up making resolutions a while ago, but I have made a few purposeful decisions. Yippeee!
The problem with decisions is that most of us just make them haphazardly based on a crisis instead of thinking about the decision from every angle. I teach people to make decisions on paper. Look at the pros and cons, engage the left brain so that you can analyze and go through a process. Well, I'm practicing what I teach. Going through this process helped me decide what I need to do to make $10K every month, not just once in a while.
So, what kinds of decisions are you facing? Why not get out a piece of paper or better yet use Mindmapper (great thinking software) and make smarter decisions on purpose!
Happy Holidays!
The Purpose Professor
Life On Purpose LLC
www.lifeonpurposellc.com
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Birthdays are significant for me because I always start my "New Year" the day after my birthday which happens to be 12/13. I gave up making resolutions a while ago, but I have made a few purposeful decisions. Yippeee!
The problem with decisions is that most of us just make them haphazardly based on a crisis instead of thinking about the decision from every angle. I teach people to make decisions on paper. Look at the pros and cons, engage the left brain so that you can analyze and go through a process. Well, I'm practicing what I teach. Going through this process helped me decide what I need to do to make $10K every month, not just once in a while.
So, what kinds of decisions are you facing? Why not get out a piece of paper or better yet use Mindmapper (great thinking software) and make smarter decisions on purpose!
Happy Holidays!
The Purpose Professor
Life On Purpose LLC
www.lifeonpurposellc.com
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Saturday, March 24, 2007
The Purpose of a Goal
E. R. Haas, writes that 74% of the population allow their dreams and goals to die because they are not focused. I like to think I'm in the 26% of those who are focused. What about you?
Anyway, Haas' article was a wake-up call for me. I do have goals. I do write them down. I do read them occassionally. But, the sad truth is my life does not reflect focus. I have unfinished projects, great ideas in my head, and brilliant advice for others. What about you?
Have you identified something you can focus on? Something you absolutely must make happen, period? Haas' went on to say that people confuse dreams, goals, and plans. This confusion leads to a mental disconnect, so the goal falls by the wayside.
The purpose of a goal is to help us narrow our focus. A goal gives us something to work towards, it gives us a reason to keep moving forward. Back when I was working on my degree, I created a doable plan to help me accomplish that goal. I remained focused on completing each small tasks (homework, papers, etc.) realizing that each small tasks would eventually add up to one big goal completed. I wanted my degree. It was a consuming passion, and I was determined that I would do whatever I had to -- I had to reach my goal.
Well, now that I'm awake, I'm revisiting my goals, my dreams, and my plans. I believe to be successful (you define it) we must have all three. The trick is to know the difference in the purpose of each, and to integrate all three into our lives.
Until next post, remember ...
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Anyway, Haas' article was a wake-up call for me. I do have goals. I do write them down. I do read them occassionally. But, the sad truth is my life does not reflect focus. I have unfinished projects, great ideas in my head, and brilliant advice for others. What about you?
Have you identified something you can focus on? Something you absolutely must make happen, period? Haas' went on to say that people confuse dreams, goals, and plans. This confusion leads to a mental disconnect, so the goal falls by the wayside.
The purpose of a goal is to help us narrow our focus. A goal gives us something to work towards, it gives us a reason to keep moving forward. Back when I was working on my degree, I created a doable plan to help me accomplish that goal. I remained focused on completing each small tasks (homework, papers, etc.) realizing that each small tasks would eventually add up to one big goal completed. I wanted my degree. It was a consuming passion, and I was determined that I would do whatever I had to -- I had to reach my goal.
Well, now that I'm awake, I'm revisiting my goals, my dreams, and my plans. I believe to be successful (you define it) we must have all three. The trick is to know the difference in the purpose of each, and to integrate all three into our lives.
Until next post, remember ...
"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"
Friday, March 23, 2007
Purpose and A Burning Desire
It's been hard for me to get in gear these days! I have set a financial goal for my speaking business this year, and I know if I just sit around playing Hearts it will never happen. It's already March! I know that as a motivational speaker and trainer, it's my job to motivate, right? Truth is, I haven't felt motivated. So I thought about why?
I remembered a book I read by Jack Canfield called, "Success Principles" and Jack says you have to have a burning desire ... your why you'll do whatever you have to do to get what you want frame of mind. If you don't have a why, you won't do the what!
Sometimes, as in my case, your why is just not strong enough to sustain you. Translation ... it's really not that important! So I revisted my goal and decided to adjust it. 2007 won't be the year I become a multimillionaire. Heck, I'd rather spend some of my time visting my kids, and grands, anyway.
I remembered a book I read by Jack Canfield called, "Success Principles" and Jack says you have to have a burning desire ... your why you'll do whatever you have to do to get what you want frame of mind. If you don't have a why, you won't do the what!
Sometimes, as in my case, your why is just not strong enough to sustain you. Translation ... it's really not that important! So I revisted my goal and decided to adjust it. 2007 won't be the year I become a multimillionaire. Heck, I'd rather spend some of my time visting my kids, and grands, anyway.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Speak Life!
I just returned from a 2-day trainer/speaker workshop in Kansas City. My friend, "Mr. Lifestyle" aka Jamie Swindell did the honors. It was phenomenal!
How? You wonder? Well, unlike most "train-the-trainer" events, Jamie started the day off with us focusing on our internal dialogue and how it hinders our external dialogue. He mentioned that we trainers have huge egos ... Naaahhh! To learn from another trainer, we had to promise to take our egos off, throw them out, and not hurt anyone. Okay, so it was a little hokey. But guess what? That little hokey exercise helped me see that my internal self-talk has kept me from delivering 100%. You see, not only is "Mr. Lifestyle" a great trainer...he makes six figures and only works 5 -- yep, count 'em -- f-i-v-e days a month, teaching Excel no less.
Anyway, this training got me to thinking about what I'm saying to myself. What's keeping me from breaking out of the rut we trainers sometimes crawl in to? Yep, you got it! Negative self-talk! Mmm...reminds me of a Proverb I heard recently: "The power of life and death is in the tongue" How about we start speaking life?
How? You wonder? Well, unlike most "train-the-trainer" events, Jamie started the day off with us focusing on our internal dialogue and how it hinders our external dialogue. He mentioned that we trainers have huge egos ... Naaahhh! To learn from another trainer, we had to promise to take our egos off, throw them out, and not hurt anyone. Okay, so it was a little hokey. But guess what? That little hokey exercise helped me see that my internal self-talk has kept me from delivering 100%. You see, not only is "Mr. Lifestyle" a great trainer...he makes six figures and only works 5 -- yep, count 'em -- f-i-v-e days a month, teaching Excel no less.
Anyway, this training got me to thinking about what I'm saying to myself. What's keeping me from breaking out of the rut we trainers sometimes crawl in to? Yep, you got it! Negative self-talk! Mmm...reminds me of a Proverb I heard recently: "The power of life and death is in the tongue" How about we start speaking life?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
