I Thrive Here

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.~Og Mandino

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12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever – Part 9 – Risk Is Part Of The Game

I want to talk about something in this article that scares the hell out of most people and that is RISK. Taking a risk can be a sketchy prospect for most people. Before we start talking about what risk is:

Definition of; Risk (excerpt from Merriam Webster Dictionary)

1 :possibility of loss or injury :peril
2 :someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard
3 a :the chance of loss or the perils to the subject matter of an insurance contract; also :the degree of probability of such loss
b :a person or thing that is a specified hazard to an insurer
c :an insurance hazard from a specified cause or source war risk
4 :the chance that an investment (such as a stock or commodity) will lose value
— riskless play  \ˈris-kləs\ adjective
— at risk
:in a state or condition marked by a high level of risk or susceptibility patients at risk of infection.

Well as we can see, the word risk has many meanings depending on how it is applied to a situation. But let’s take a moment to look at how risk applies to our lives when we undertake the journey to improve our lives be it personally and professionally.

It’s easy to dream about the life you wish you were living. But, when we look at major change in our lives, most of us are taking a big step out of our comfort zone of what we are used to and of what we know. When the realization hits about what we are reaching for and what we may have to risk to grab the brass ring, it scares the crap out of us. Instead of looking towards the rewards that are to be gained, we look at what we could potentially lose. That is usually our material possessions even worse, it may change the way others look at us. Instead of seeing that perfectly constructed veneer that has been so carefully constructed to fool others into believe that we really have things together, it could reveal us to be actually vulnerable…even, heaven forbid…human.

This is not talking about strangers, friends,  people that are close to us, or even you. Being completely transparent, I am talking about myself as well. This is a real issue that I have struggled with in the past and continues to challenge me personally to this day. No matter how thick of skin we have, somewhere deep we all care about what others think of us. With the world being the way it is these days, it seems like everyone is ready to pounce on us if we make the slightest misstep. So risk? I’d have to say that there is some risk involved in the pursuit of what you want so badly. But, there always is risk in any endeavor in life worth pursuing. What about what you stand to lose? If what you have is so great then why do you want something different than what you already have, it’s great right? So do you really have so much to lose by going for it?

  •  Stuff? They make more of it everyday, there is no danger of running out of it.
  • Money? They make more of it constantly and there is billions, if not trillions of it in circulation all over the world. Again, no danger of running out of it.
  • Friends? You found the ones you have, right? There are over seven billion people on this planet, ‘nuff said?

Respect and love? Would anyone that respects and love you stop just because because you fail at something? Love is unconditional and respect? Well, have you ever lost respect for someone to works hard and is willing to try for what is important to them?

One more thing to remember is that anyone who has ever been successful did not do so without taking some serious risks. The only thing to remember that there is a big difference between taking a risk and gambling. Gambling leaves your chances up to the luck of the draw. Those who are successful have learned from their mistakes and failures. They know the odds because they have done their research and taken effort to ensure that any risk they take is minimal. In other words, they take calculated risks by making their own “luck”.

As we come to to the end of this article the one take away is that you need recognize is that anything that is worth having comes with a price. That price is that if your arms are full of what you can’t let go, there is little room to hold what is yet to come. Let it go! Because if you want to win, you have to realize that risk is part of the game!

Thank you for reading this week’s article. Please join me for the next article in this series, Surviving In The Ordinary Vs. Living In The Extraordinary.

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12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever – Part 5 – Reinvent Yourself

So far, if you have been following our articles on “12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever”, you have:

  • Learned how to create your map that will help guide you to a new life.
  • Learned that you will need to get used to being in a state of being “uncomfortable”.
  • Learned that you have to think in “bigger” ways to have a “bigger” life.
  • Learned that you have to change your habits and rituals if you want a different result in life than what you have been experiencing thus far.

 

The question is that, while you may have learned some of what you will need to do to have the life you desire, have you been applying what you have learned? If not, you will continue to get more of what you have received in the past and while that may be enough to allow you to survive, it will not be enough to allow you to thrive in your life. You cannot continue to be the same person that you have been in the past with all of the same routines, work ethic, habits in your finances, lifestyle, health, and mindset and live the life that you want. You may have heard stories several times in your life about people who have literally went from rags to riches through playing sports, inheriting money, or winning the lottery only to find themselves back in the grips of poverty or even owing millions just a few years (or even a year) later. This is because they had no time to learn what they need to know about managing large sums of money when they had only dealt with meager amounts prior to receiving massive amounts of money. They never had the time to develop the discipline, habits, education, and experience necessary to successfully build, maintain, and grow their fortune. They never had to deal with failure and losses along the way to teach them what to do if things started going wrong. They never learned about living on only part of what you earn and diverting the rest to savings and investments. This is only some of the reasons why you cannot become who you want to be and live the kind of life you want and remain unchanged from the person you currently are.

 

What you must learn to do next to become who you want to be is Re-Invent Yourself! This is not to say that you have to become something that you are not. After all, who would want to sacrifice who they authentically are for success? I, for one, would not and neither should you. What I am talking about when I say “Re-Invent Yourself” is that you have to replace your mindset and how you presently do things with thoughts and actions that are useful in leading you from where you currently are in your life to where you wish to be. To be a true success and experience the happiness, that you hope, comes with it, you must be able to believe in yourself and you must feel good about yourself (and what you do). You must have the confidence & knowledge that comes from achieving your goals through working smart as well as being able to learn from your failures and keeping a proper perspective on both.

 

Imagine, if you will, how you would feel when things are going great for you. You have a nice home, the car you wish you had, a loving family, plenty of money, no debt, you are doing what you love to do for a living, you have & wear nice clothes, you are a picture of health, and live your life exactly as you wish to be living it. How would you feel if you were living this life? How well do you think your existing life, possessions, financial habits, your work, and your mindset would fit into that picture? Probably not so well. Maybe, wealth and material possessions are not your thing. Maybe you would like to travel the world, help others, and be free from your present work-a-day life; is that you? Either way, is how you picture your ideal life a far cry from what you have, what you do, and who you are today? If so, think about what you would have to do to be that person in your mind? You would have to re-invent who and what you are to become what you want to be. The thing is, what most people in that position do not realize is the best and fastest way to accomplish this goal is by becoming the person you desire to be one step at a time, in any way you can bring it into your life TODAY! You may not have the money or ability to just walk away from your life and re-invent it overnight. But what you can do is start with the little things that can make a big difference in your life immediately. If you want to feel better about yourself and build a solid, positive self-image:

  • Start by working on your health and physical condition. Eat better by making smart choices in what you consume, get more exercise (you don’t have to be a member of a gym to walk more, do some sit-ups, and get more physical activity). Do this consistently and you will begin to see results!
  • Dress yourself better! While you may feel more relaxed, you may notice how you never feel as good when you are dressed in old, poor fitting clothing as you do when you are dressed up and ready to go out for a night on the town. The old phrase “you clean up nicely” applies more than you know. While there are times that are appropriate to relax and dress down, most people feel much better about themselves when they are cleaned-up, well groomed, dressed up and looking their best. This is not to say that you need to be dressed up in a tuxedo or if you are a woman dressed up in a formal gown or dress to go out in the day or go to work. But if it’s appropriate, it doesn’t hurt to be dressed in a nice pair of slacks and a crisp-ironed shirt or a nice polo shirt. If you are a woman, you might want to consider a blouse and pants that flatter your figure (whatever it may be) or maybe a business-style dress. The point is, whether man or woman, when you look & smell nice, you feel great and that is exactly what you want to feel like, better about yourself.
  • Surround yourself with people that inspire and motivate you. Jim Rohn once said, “You‘re the average of the five people you spend mostof your time with”.  This is truer than most people like to believe but, you can see it time and time again if you just look around. How many underachievers do you see hanging around successful people? How many pessimistic people do you see in a crowd of positive, optimistic people? How many poverty-minded people do you see in a group of wealthy people trying to learn what they know, and vice-versa? Not many, if any. I say this not to judge, but as a fact. It does not typically happen in normal life UNLESS, a person is on fire about changing their paradigm (and their future). The point of this is that if you are serious about changing your life for the better and permanently; in the process of re-inventing yourself, you also need to change the people that you spend the most time with. Work to surround yourself with the kind of people that you admire and want to be the most like. It is only there that you will learn what you need to know and grow into the person you wish to become in the process.
  • Find a mentor! Make a real effort to find a person that you respect, admire, and who has been successful in life (and business if that is what you are looking to do). When you find them, introduce yourself and authentically become the friend that they would like to spend time with, provide them with value and make yourself useful in their lives. Do not become an annoyance by picking their brain for what you are wanting to learn. Instead be truthful with them and let them know of your desire for them to become your mentor then, if they accept, be open to learn from them in what they are willing to teach you and grow more from the experience.
  • Make a conscious effort to live in a state of happiness and gratefulness. This can prove to be one of the biggest challenges in re-inventing yourself, especially if you are not normally a person that always has an optimistic point of view. Until you develop these habits to the point where you don’t consciously have to pay attention to them, make the effort to maintain a smile most of the time, pay attention to keeping a positive point of view when dealing with situations in your life and work, and most importantly, you must learn to consistently live in a state of gratitude for what you have in the moment. While is fine to want to have more, you must learn not to focus on that. Having abundance in your life is a by-product of being grateful for what you have, what you are given, living in a state of happiness in the here & now, being open to receiving, and taking action towards your goals in your life and work.
  • Dream Build! Take some time every week or so to spend a few minutes or hours feeling what it would be like to have the life that you want. Remember that feeling something in reality is a powerful motivator. Go into the car dealership where your dream car awaits and take a test drive (don’t forget to dress the part when you go in if you want them to take you seriously). Visit some open houses on the weekend in the style of the home you want to live in, it makes no difference if you can afford it today, browse your way through the rooms and take it all in while keeping the thought in your mind of what it would be like to live here. Save some of your money so that once a month or so you can splurge on something that you could enjoy on a regular basis if you had the means to do so. Get away for a weekend, stay in a nice hotel (there are great travel discounts available if you just search a little), if you are at the beach, rent a jet ski and go riding or go out on a deep sea fishing expedition, have a nice dining experience, and maybe rent a luxury car if you are on a mini vacation (or for a weekend of driving enjoyment) so you can really get the feel of what it would be like to live this lifestyle every day.

 

Bear in mind that you will not only re-invent yourself once, but many times as you learn and grow as a person and in your knowledge that you attain along your journey. And what about once you achieve your goals? Then the journey will continue as your reach ever higher towards becoming all you can be in this life. Change is perpetual. Here’s to the Re-Invention of the new YOU!

 

Thank you for reading this article. Please not only read it, but apply it in your life to get real results that can change your life for the better. Please join us next week in our continuing series of articles on “12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever” as we explore the next topic on Living Life As An Adventure.

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12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever – Part 4 – Change Your Habits

A big challenge in leaving your comfort zone has to do with your habits. Your habits have great control over what you think, what you speak, what you do and most of them have been a part of you for a long time. Your habits have everything to do with your accomplishments, your level of success in life or your lack thereof. The blessing and the curse that lies in our habits is that they help the things that we do in our lives virtually run on autopilot. This is why without the proper habits, most of us stay where we are in life or in the case of bad habits they allow our quality of life to decline. The good news is that we cannot only learn positive new habits and reprogram old habits, but we can do away with non-useful or negative habits.

Now this is not to say that this can be done without quite a bit of work. To learn new habits or reprogram old habits requires commitment, consistency, effort, attention and time. While it can range widely from person to person, the accepted time to form a new habit is typically 21 days. It can also take about the same amount of time to rid yourself of old habits that hold you back from accomplishing what you desire most in life. Without a doubt what keeps most people from achieving their dreams in life is taking the time to assess all of your habits in every area of your life and determining what habits help you in achieving your goals, and also which habits are destructive to what you’re trying to achieve. This leads us to the first step in the creation of your new positive habits and the elimination of your old, useless and negative habits. Block out one hour of your day when you can spend some focused, uninterrupted time with some paper and a pen (and yes handwriting this exercise is necessary if you truly want make a difference in your life). By handwriting your existing habits, your goals, and determining which new habits you will have to cultivate to achieve your goals; it will give you a reference to turn to when things become difficult in breaking old habits and creating new ones.

We all know how hard old habits can be to break and new habits can be just as hard to form because you will not only encounter great resistance in creating them but often along the way we can lose focus and question while we are doing this in the first place. A great example of this is in getting our health on track, especially if we are out of shape and have not been eating well or exercising on a regular basis. While it is easy to think about the benefits of getting yourself in shape and it is exciting to take out the new gym membership, after about the first one to three workouts (when your muscles are aching and the last thing you want to do is trudge back to the gym to endure even more pain) you think to yourself “what the hell am I doing”? You begin to question “why did I start this in the first place”? If you are serious about developing this new habit of eating better, working out and taking better care of yourself; it is at that moment you need to refocus on your goal of getting yourself in the best shape of your life.

What you need to know is that changing your habits is one of the key points necessary if you plan to leave your comfort zone behind and move forward with the pursuit of the life you’ve always dreamed of, the one that you’ve always desired to live. But in the process of getting motivated to change your habits, one thing you do not want to do is try to change or create too many habits at once. That is a recipe for failure.

Depending on your fortitude and commitment it may take less than, or more than, 21 days to change your habits. But rest assured, the rewards outweigh the sacrifices and the things that you will be able to achieve in the future may very well astound you (and even some of those who said you could never do it). Now that you know what to do, there’s no time like like the present, let’s do it!

Thank you for reading our article on Changing Your Habits. Please join us next week for a continuing series “12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever” with our article focusing on Reinventing Yourself.

 

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12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever – Part 2 – Get Used To Being Uncomfortable For A While

If you are reading this, you have created your “map” or plan, if you will, to help get you from where you currently are to where you wish to be. If not, go back to our previous article on 12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever – Part 2 – Create Your Map by clicking here. So the next thing in creating your ideal life is to put your plan into action. One of the first issues you will encounter in this process is resistance, otherwise known as fear. Be it your own fear of failure or someone else’s fear for you, or even someone’s fear that you will be successful when they aren’t. Either way, you will encounter resistance to what you are trying to do. This is where things begin to get a bit uncomfortable, and despite what you may think right now, it’s a good thing. This means you are beginning to make progress. What you have to keep in mind is anytime there have been major changes in your life you have felt uncomfortable. It’s only human to feel uncomfortable when you are experiencing anything that you have not done before. Fear, trepidation, uneasiness, anxiety, doubt, dread, or (for a few) even sheer terror; these are all feelings that we all experience at one time or another when faced when we get pushed or pulled outside of what is considered normal for us. This is what you may feel when you begin to venture outside of your comfort zone. But this is necessary to achieve more than the average way of life. One thing you will soon realize, once you do leave your comfort zone a few times, is how exciting and great life can be outside of it. Think about it, which sounds more exciting to you: A – Kicking back in your easy chair with a drink and watching yet another show about someone else’s life or B – Living your own life socializing and making friends with successful, happy people that are all about achieving their full potential in life and helping you to do the same? It’s a no-brainer.

Living your life outside of your comfort zone reveals opportunities that you never saw before. It opens up your mind to possibilities for your life that often exceeds your wildest dreams and desires. It exposes you to people and situations that you would never have the chance to meet and experience. Yes, stepping outside of what you know and what you are comfortable with can be a scary proposition. But if you can overcome your fear and take the steps necessary to engage with the unknown, you will have overcome one of the biggest obstacles you face in creating the life that you desire to live. Remember that you haven’t gotten to where you currently are in your life without going through big changes in your life in the past, and you survived them. The changes that you will need to make and go through to get you to where you want to be are no different. You will have to become a different person than you are to live a bigger, richer and more abundant life. You may say to yourself that you do not want to be any different than you are now, but you want “more” in your life. Know that to have “more” in your life that you have to know “more” on how to manage “more” and what to do with “more” to make yours and others lives better through your state of abundance. You will become more of what you already are. If you are generous, kind and compassionate; you will be even more so. If you are greedy, self-centered, and hoard what you have, well, you get the picture. The message here is make change your friend, step through your boundaries of fear and instead of focusing on being a good person, be great.

Please join us next week for our next article in this series as we continue with Step 4 in our 12 Steps To Leaving Your Comfort Zone Behind Forever series.

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Five Steps To Get You Started In Living Your Ideal Life – Part 3 – Become Your Own Hero By Rescuing Your Time

In our previous articles, we talked about how to define the life you want. We also talked about how to prepare for your “new normal” by learning how to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. With each step you take your coming closer to living the life you dreamed of for so long. Now it has come time to discuss one of the most crucial resources that you must master in your journey to build the life you desire, time. Your time is yours to do with as you wish you can invest it, give it away, spend it building your future, or waste it, the choice is yours. But one thing is for sure, when you choose to use it, you can never have any of it back once the moment is gone. In this part of our five-part series we will show you how to be your own hero by rescuing time for your use that you may have never realized you had. Read on because the clock is ticking…

  • Rescuing your time. Time is a valuable commodity. You cannot buy any more of it that you already have and you cannot go back and recapture any time you may have wasted in the past. But there is something you can do about the time you currently have. You can plan better, work efficiently, and rescue time that you might would spend on fruitless endeavors. You can devote it to creating the life that you only currently dream about. Life is busy and time is at a premium, this is not the case in just your life, but countless others lives around the world. We all have the same about of time in our lives. We all have 168 hours in a week. This is all the time we have to do to everything that is necessary in our lives. This includes work, eating, sleeping, personal & household tasks, hobbies, kids’ soccer games, errands, get together with friends, etc. It is how we choose to spend our time that determines the quality and quantity of the life we lead.
  • Everyone from President-Elect Donald Trump and Bill Gates, to Dave Ramsey, Dan Miller, and Pat Flynn have the same time constrictions in their lives as I do and you do. But some people excel at creating remarkable success in their lives. Others, given the same amount of time, do nothing of consequence with their lives. The difference is how focused they are with the time that they have. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who is successful that spends their time watching television, hanging out at the local bar, or doing anything that had no return on the time that they invest. Many of the most successful people have, at times, sacrificed sleep to make progress towards their goals when necessary. It is easy for people to notice those who have become successful in life. They want what successful people have while dismissing, or worse, never even noticing all the hours of hard work that have been spent building up to that level of success.

How are you spending or wasting your time? What level of effort are you willing to spend to have what you want, to live the life that you desire? Is it too high of a price to not know how your team did in their last game, to not know what the score was? Is it too hard to not watch that show or movie that everyone is talking about?

Think about it this way. You can’t turn the television on when you are lying on the beach on a Wednesday morning when everyone you know is at work pounding away at their jobs, but isn’t the sacrifice worth it?

Time is your most powerful tool, how will you use it?

Please join us for our next article in our series – Part 4 – Make A Plan, Stan

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