Daily Boost — Motivation and Personal Growth

Your Desire Comes From Their Desire

Not a day passes by without someone asking, "How do I get another person to help me get what I want?"

Persuading others is one key to getting what you want in life—and here's a big secret: It's NOT about you!

You'll get what you want faster by focusing on how you can help others solve their problem - and "Ladder of Desire."

This is how it works:

1) Most folks lecture others. That's a low level of communication and rarely builds a real connection.

2) A more practical solution is to show others the way and explain how to solve their problem. 

3) The most potent way is to offer to take care of their dilemma. That is the top rung of the 'Ladder of Desire.' Everybody wants their problems to disappear. Make that happen, and you'll be a Hero!

When you follow this approach, you make friends, prove your value, and are more likely to have your favor returned. Do good first.

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Why Next Week Begins This Week

I have a saying -

“Next year begins THIS year. Next month begins THIS month. Next week begins THIS week.”

If you want to stay on track, accomplish your goals, and enjoy life more - you MUST take control of your calendar. It’s easier than you think:

1) Life will come at you FAST! Schedule any significant and can’t-miss life events at least one year in advance. Put it on the calendar and block it out. You can always change your mind.

2) Hold your space. Decide in advance what you will be doing with your days. When will you work on projects? When will you see clients? When will you have fun? 

3) Conclude each week by securing your schedule for the next - and adhere to it. Consistency is key. 

The future is always brighter when your day-to-day focus fulfills your goals this week. Focus, my friend. Focus.

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Happy No Matter What

Would you like to be happy every day of the week? 

Maybe it's time to start thinking like a happy person.

There's no magic to being happier.

Rose-colored glasses are not required.

Just start looking at your day-to-day life the way a happy person does.

Give this a try:

1) Accept that merely being alive means encountering occasional challenges.

2) Realize that dealing with challenges is a privilege that comes with being alive.

3) Welcome frustration. That means that you are not satisfied and are beginning to make adjustments.

4) Accept responsibility for solving your challenges. Run forward and fix them as soon as possible.

5) Deal with everything that life throws at you. Get a great night's sleep. Have another great day tomorrow.

It's amazing how that kind of mindset makes most challenges never show up in the first place.

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Prioritize Yourself First

If you spend any time listening to me, it won’t take long before you hear me screaming from the top of the mountains to ignore the agenda and propaganda-filled world we live in and focus on yourself. 

Here’s the truth...

Nobody is thinking about you and what you do. That means you need to pay attention to yourself because everybody else is busy with themselves.

Some folks find that way of thinking difficult because society makes you believe you must do what everybody else does to be successful. But lets think about that for a minute.

Is everybody more successful than you, or is everybody in the same boat?

If you are being honest, you know the answer. 

So, who is more successful than you?

It’s those crazy people that are out in front leading the masses. You know, the ones who paid attention to what they wanted, ignored what others thought, took action, and convinced everybody else to support them on their mission.

Here’s another truth…

Like they say, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” But never forget, when you think about yourself first, you’ll have more time to think about others too. 

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Hope, Fear, Faith, and Courage

Have you ever paid attention to the process that moves you forward - or stops you in your tracks?

All change begins with Hope, a feeling of expectation, and a desire for a certain thing to happen.

Right after hope comes fear, an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous and likely to cause pain or a threat.

When you commit to making your dreams come true, you move into Faith; you have complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Finally comes Courage, the ability to do something that frightens you.

Don't allow yourself to get stuck along the way; your dreams are waiting.

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Stop Waiting to Get What You Want

I was sitting at the dining room table of a friend. We had been solving the problems of the world in an hours-long conversation when she asked,

“What are you talking about on tomorrow's podcast?"

When I told her that I hadn't thought about it yet, she said, 

"Why don't you talk about why people don't take big chances and stay in their comfort zone for their entire life?"

My mind did an instant review of my life and all the areas I had stumbled before I got out of my own way. I also remembered conversations with clients over the years on the topic of life's leaps. Before I could say anything, she said, 

"I know what it is. People get so comfortable with what they've built, and they don't want to chance losing it. Their money, their home, they wonder what their family will say?"

Is there anything else?

"Yes. Everybody gets scared and freezes. I'm like that, but I've learned to push through fear and go for it - as long as I'm mostly sure I won't lose what I've built."

We talked a bit more about what it takes to make the changes you want in life and came to three conclusions-

When you have a growth mindset and believe that anything is possible, you can do anything. Holding on too tightly to what you have sends the wrong energetic message. When you are willing to expand - you will.

Next, as a human, you will never be comfortable gambling on the very thing that allows you to dream. The solid foundation that takes care of your personal needs is the very reason you desire to self-activate. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs taught us that. Your foundation must remain while you expand.

Finally, fear will always be present when beginning a new adventure. The cure is knowledge. When you know what you have, see your path forward, and have prepared as much as possible for your journey, you will find yourself willing to go for it.

Anything is possible when you protect your foundation, respect the challenge, and honor the dreams that are whispering to your soul.

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Are Good Intentions Enough?

Do you get out of bed every day, plant your feet on the ground, and start getting things done? 

Do you do it with intention?

If you take a minute, you’ll notice the happiest, most successful, and content people live a life of intention. But having an intention is not a magical force reserved for the special few. It implies little more than what you plan to bring about in your life - something I was about to do.

In the months after meeting my future wife, I realized an intention was emerging in my mind. With every passing day, that intention transformed into a goal. Soon, I had a plan along with a timeline. I became obsessed and was on a mission to succeed. 

I had, as they say, “Good intentions.” 

But more than good intentions is needed to get what you want. In my case, I knew where I was heading; Joi was only beginning to understand what was on my mind. That’s when she asked -

“So, Mr. Smith. What are your intentions, exactly?”

Without missing a beat, I said -

“My intentions are simple. I will do everything possible to get you to fall in love, marry me, and spend the rest of our lives together.”

Her jaw dropped. She smiled, took a sip of wine, and said -

“Well, we’ll keep going and see what happens.”

What? We’ll see how things go! I already know where this is going. Why do we need to wait? I know my intention, and I’m to get it!

Of course, I didn’t say any of that to her. 

Yes, getting what you want in life requires knowing your intentions. The next step is to transform them into goals and actions. But you and your dreams are not living on an isolated island. If others are involved, you must let them know what you have on your mind.

But, because you said your intention, does that mean you will get what you want? 

No. It means that you now have a partner in your quest. Your intentions are about to merge, and if all goes well, your actions will create success for everybody.

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Automatically Motivate Yourself

Over the years, I’ve learned there is one trait responsible for holding people back. While it lives at the front of your mind and affects everything you do, it is also invisible. 

You are too vague in your vision.

When most people build a successful life, they often do so with a lack of clarity or precise vision of their future. They have a vague idea. The Universe kicks in gear, an opportunity arrives, and life is good and satisfying—until it’s not.

A day will come when you desire something more. You may find yourself stuck behind an obstacle of indecision and frustration. Confused, lacking direction, fearful, and seeking the motivation that will drive you forward. It will feel as if there is a cloudy haze over your future with no clear path to success—and no motivation to go for it. 

But there is no need to worry.

Another day will dawn. You will realize that a general and non-specific approach to your future is not the fuel that will power you. Being too vague doesn’t build a vision.

A time will come when you choose to be specific in your wants, needs, and desires. You will seek absolute clarity and turn your head away from anything that doesn’t provide a clear path. It may take time, but you will discover your first step. When you do, magic will happen.

On the day that you define what you want, vagueness will disappear. Your new focus will create excitement and will manifest into automatic motivation. You will move toward your new experience.

If you want something different in life, clearly and precisely express what that means to you. When you do, you will strike gold in time and be off and running on your new adventure automatically.

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Are You Focused on The Wrong Things?

Have you ever found yourself setting out on a big mission yet not being able to define what you want? 

When I was a young man, I trained in journalism as part of my broadcast career. Radio stations would send me to the local town meetings and political events. Anything newsworthy. My job was to write a story and deliver it on the air, and I thought I was doing a great job - until my boss called me into his office. He wanted to know why I wasn't getting to the critical part of the story faster. He said I was distracting from what was important.

In my mind, I was doing no such thing. 

I told the story how it sounded best in my mind, but nobody was listening long enough to hear what I had to say. All these years later, I've learned the "I want to get more out of life" crowd does the same thing.

Recently, I spoke with a client when I realized she was very good at shifting to the unimportant—finding more time, learning more, and getting more advice. Even cleaning the garage was more important. In the middle of her wandering story, I stopped her,

"Why are you avoiding what is most important to you? Cut to the chase, say what you want, and go do it."

Her response came with a few tears.

"I thought I was talking about what is most important. Now I realize I'm telling myself a story that is comforting and sounds good to in my mind."

She is burying the lead in journalistic terms, busying herself with secondary details, and growing frustrated.

How does this relate to improving your life?

Do you say, "I can't focus?" Nope. You are focusing on the wrong things.

Do you say, "I can't get myself moving?" Truth? You are moving - in the wrong direction.

Do you say, "I don't have enough money?" Wrong again. What you need is more money!

If something is important to you, give it the honor, respect, and focus it deserves. Lose the drama, get to the point, and start getting what you want right now.

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One Thing Turns Dreams Into Reality

Do you have long-held dreams and goals that require little motivation to get yourself moving?

Laura and I have worked together for over a decade on various projects. Her latest was a move from a long-time career into something she was in which she was more passionate. After several months, her dream transformed into a goal. The roadmap was in place. Action was the only thing needed to turn dreams into reality, and nothing happened.

Months passed by with little or no action. Life seemed to always get in the way of Laura's dreams. When I asked what was going on, she said,

"Oh… I don't know. I always seem to have something more important on my mind."

That's common, and what John Lennon meant when he said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." 

Over the years, people tend to ACT and DO what serves them best. All while dreaming and planning what they want. It's an exhausting way to live, but you can set yourself free by asking yourself a simple question -

"How bad do I want it?"

Truthfully, answering that question will do one of two things. It will propel you into action or have no impact at all. If you find yourself motivated and moving, all is well. If not, you have another question to ask -

"If I don't want it that bad, should I drop it and move on?"

Everybody has ideas and dreams that enter their mind throughout their lives. The important tend to cause automatic forward action. Your life transforms, and everything begins to go in a new direction.

For the others, you may want to consider that it's not as important to you as you thought. The best thing is to get your ego out of the way, scratch it off your list, and make room for something that excites you. When you do, incredible new opportunities that have been hiding from you for years will enter your life.

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