I'll start tomorrow. I'll do it when I turn 26. I'll start next week. All of these phrases I have said in my life with changes I want to make. But usually when you are doing it that way it doesn't work.
In a lot of businesses and even churches today people are waiting for something to happen before they take action. Once the new year starts we will do this and this. I say there is no time like the present, what are you waiting for.
When you keep saying that when a certain thing happens or a certain day happens you are always giving yourself an out. Why not make that commitment today. Keep it. Find someone to hold you accountable for it. Because if you are really serious about change you will do it now. You won't wait for the perfect circumstances. Because more than likely the perfect circumstances won't come and you will be stuck with what you already are. May not be a bad thing, may even be a good thing, but it will never be a great thing. Great things take time and commitment. So make a decision to be great today and force yourself to be a little uncomfortable.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Blame Game
Why is it when something goes wrong we go right into blaming? When you start having a negative attitude you blame the people around you? When something doesn't go quite right you blame it on someone else? Why don't we just take responsibility?
I know when I think of blamers I can usually think of a few people I know but I would never think of myself. But lately I have been reading Marshall Goldsmith's book "What Got you here won't get you there."
He has 20 rules that we should look into to get to the next level. Some of them you really don't think about until someone points them out to you. Last night I wrote down some things I have read in the book to work on. One was not to win too much by using the words no, but, or however. Today while playing cards my mind had to do a total double take. We were playing 6 person pitch and my team got the bid. We had it in the bag and should have taken all the tricks and one the game. Well the first teammate layed the card worth the most points and my other teammate assumed(make an a** out of you and me) was going to lay her high card so I threw a low card. Well turns out she didn't and right away in my mind I am blaming her instead of seeing that it was just as much my fault if not more my fault because I played after her. Isn't it crazy how your first instinct is to blame. I had to step back from the situation and reminisce to what I read. It really changed my outlook and I took some of the blame, where I should have just took it all. C'mon at least I took some of it which is a pretty big step for me.
I feel like when I am tired and being too negative and talking about others and not honoring the absent is when I fall into the blame game.
So for the next 2 weeks I am going to work at taking the blame and apologizing. Boy, I better get started, and you better too.
I know when I think of blamers I can usually think of a few people I know but I would never think of myself. But lately I have been reading Marshall Goldsmith's book "What Got you here won't get you there."
He has 20 rules that we should look into to get to the next level. Some of them you really don't think about until someone points them out to you. Last night I wrote down some things I have read in the book to work on. One was not to win too much by using the words no, but, or however. Today while playing cards my mind had to do a total double take. We were playing 6 person pitch and my team got the bid. We had it in the bag and should have taken all the tricks and one the game. Well the first teammate layed the card worth the most points and my other teammate assumed(make an a** out of you and me) was going to lay her high card so I threw a low card. Well turns out she didn't and right away in my mind I am blaming her instead of seeing that it was just as much my fault if not more my fault because I played after her. Isn't it crazy how your first instinct is to blame. I had to step back from the situation and reminisce to what I read. It really changed my outlook and I took some of the blame, where I should have just took it all. C'mon at least I took some of it which is a pretty big step for me.
I feel like when I am tired and being too negative and talking about others and not honoring the absent is when I fall into the blame game.
So for the next 2 weeks I am going to work at taking the blame and apologizing. Boy, I better get started, and you better too.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
No Pain No Gain
Today I was reading a blog on How sometimes we have to go counter to our instincts. Early this week I read on how we as people think that we can do things with out failing and being uncomfortable. How do we ever expect to come up with something truly original or truly thought provoking enough to create a breakthrough if we don't experience some discomfort?
In the past couple of weeks I have been through ups and downs and looked at my life and how seemingly effortless and easy it was before I started to think and question things. I thought about how I spent my time, why I believed what I believe, why I did what I did.
I went from being a sports fanatic who couldn't get enough to looking at what does it really matter? Does it make me a better person? Does anyone care I know every Chicago Bull, Oakland Raider, and Los Angeles Dodger from the past 10 years.
I went from looking at people who didn't have cable thinking they were crazy. And now I am one of those crazy people. I decided to read instead. I decided to step out and be different, not just to be different, but to try to make a difference. I decided I didn't want a going through the motions life in comfort and decided to add some discomfort.
I know I am looked as working too much or thinking too much or trying too many different things. But I would rather be that than the flipside.
What do you want to do with your life? Are you afraid of failure? I know at one time I was, but now I say bring it on because it can only be a great learning opportunity. The next pain I have to work on now is excercising, wish me luck.
In the past couple of weeks I have been through ups and downs and looked at my life and how seemingly effortless and easy it was before I started to think and question things. I thought about how I spent my time, why I believed what I believe, why I did what I did.
I went from being a sports fanatic who couldn't get enough to looking at what does it really matter? Does it make me a better person? Does anyone care I know every Chicago Bull, Oakland Raider, and Los Angeles Dodger from the past 10 years.
I went from looking at people who didn't have cable thinking they were crazy. And now I am one of those crazy people. I decided to read instead. I decided to step out and be different, not just to be different, but to try to make a difference. I decided I didn't want a going through the motions life in comfort and decided to add some discomfort.
I know I am looked as working too much or thinking too much or trying too many different things. But I would rather be that than the flipside.
What do you want to do with your life? Are you afraid of failure? I know at one time I was, but now I say bring it on because it can only be a great learning opportunity. The next pain I have to work on now is excercising, wish me luck.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Absolutely Positively
Why do we tend to be more negative than anything? Why is there more negative people than positive people?
We don't control our mind like we should is my opinion. We don't control what we put in and don't realize the consequences of some of the things we do put in our mind. We watch the news when we get up and when we go to bed. Which mostly talks about the negative, so as we sleep the negative keeps going and going and that is what we dwell on. Then to start the day we watch the same thing of all the bad that is happening in the world. And we wonder why we are more negative? We waste our time watching TV more and TV is more trashy than ever. Instead of reading and looking at positive things we do what is easy.
We don't realize how great we have it. Don't like your job? well at least you have one. Frustrated with kids? at least you have kids. Frustrated you are sore and can't walk straight? well at least you can walk.
We don't recognize what we have until it is gone. Do you have it when you are sick and can barely do anything you tell yourself "self I am going to do all these things when I am healthy." Then what happens when you are well again? You sit on the coach and waste your life away.
Who do you surround yourself with? Are there glasses half full or half empty? Who you hang around with is what you are going to be like 10 years from now. Is that where you want to be 10 years from now?
We don't control our mind like we should is my opinion. We don't control what we put in and don't realize the consequences of some of the things we do put in our mind. We watch the news when we get up and when we go to bed. Which mostly talks about the negative, so as we sleep the negative keeps going and going and that is what we dwell on. Then to start the day we watch the same thing of all the bad that is happening in the world. And we wonder why we are more negative? We waste our time watching TV more and TV is more trashy than ever. Instead of reading and looking at positive things we do what is easy.
We don't realize how great we have it. Don't like your job? well at least you have one. Frustrated with kids? at least you have kids. Frustrated you are sore and can't walk straight? well at least you can walk.
We don't recognize what we have until it is gone. Do you have it when you are sick and can barely do anything you tell yourself "self I am going to do all these things when I am healthy." Then what happens when you are well again? You sit on the coach and waste your life away.
Who do you surround yourself with? Are there glasses half full or half empty? Who you hang around with is what you are going to be like 10 years from now. Is that where you want to be 10 years from now?
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