Surround Yourself with the Right Kind of People

Just a few weeks ago I attended the “life celebration” of my dear friend Joe Land. At this gathering I was reunited with many wonderful and influential people including some of the people that went on speaking tours with Joe and I. Guys like Hal Morris, John Childers and Steve Thomas—hard working men of integrity and wisdom. I had not been very good at keeping in contact with these amazing people over the past few years but I was so grateful to have the chance to spend time with them again. It made me realize how much richer my life was because of them and could continue to be if I just kept in touch with these good, honest, and inspiring people.

That day, I decided to recommit myself to keeping connected with these people, the kind of people that motivate me with their ideas and their own ‘Passion for Living’. No matter where you are in life, you need to have the type of people around you that support what you want and what you do with their words, actions, and energy. But too often, our busy lives distract us and we drift away and lose contact with these precious friendships and business partnerships. We need to realize just how valuable these relationships are in our lives and hold onto them now before we lose them, maybe forever.

Who are the people in your life that inspire and energize you? Who are the people that drain you and hold you back? You only have so much time in a day, a week, a year … in your lifetime. So choose to spend it with the right kind of people and cultivate relationships with those you admire and know you can learn from. Let go of the people that bring you down or hinder your efforts. Commit to living your life with passion and surround yourself with those who can help you do it.

Never work another day in your life

Would you still do the job you do (or did most recently if you’re not presently working) if you didn’t need the money? If you answered that with a resounding no, then its time to look into something else, something that will get you bounding out of bed in the morning, excited about what you’ll be doing that day. As Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. If what you do doesn’t feel like work, then you are where you need to be. If you dread your job, it’s time for a change.

Most people spend half or more of their waking hours dealing with their job—they are either at work, getting to work, getting ready for work, dealing with issues from work, talking to others about work or thinking about it. If you don’t love what you do, you are spending most of your life unhappy and regretful. That is not living.

Making a job or career change may not seem like the thing to do now with the economy the way it is but you could wait an entire lifetime waiting for the ideal moment to change careers or go into business for yourself and never see it. Don’t waste another minute doing something you don’t love. Take those first very easy steps and start planning for a life you will be truly happy living.

If it’s a matter of not knowing where to go from here, stop looking at jobs and careers in terms of money or perks or titles. Start looking at what energizes you, what inspires you, and what work you do that makes you feel like your efforts matter. Write these things down and make them the priorities that determine the direction your career and life will take.

Once you have your new career goal in mind, work at it every day. Look to my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living, for all the steps and help you’ll need to get you to the point where it’s not longer work–it’s just what you love to do.

There is No Time to Waste

Last week I received some very sad news. A good friend and an amazing individual, Joe Land, passed away. He was only 65 which seemed far too young for a man who had done so much, given so much, and certainly had much more to offer.

The news of his passing made me cry, however, when I stopped to consider all he had done in his life, I could only smile. I am certain he was in the middle of some great project, chasing whatever idea had most recently grabbed him. He never stopped going after the things he wanted.

Joe, a grammar school drop-out, was a self-made millionaire who helped people all over the country find fulfillment and happiness through his subliminal learning techniques, tapes, and books. He was also one of the greatest public speakers I have ever heard. He really knew how to live life to the fullest and loved what he was doing. He was an inspiration to me and, as evidenced by the fact that he always got a standing ovation whenever he spoke, to many others as well.

But suddenly he is gone and yet I am certain he left with no regrets. I am glad Joe was able to live such a full and amazing life. But many other people take too long to try and grab their dreams and make a life they are truly happy with. And that is what I’d like you to take away from this little story—that there is no time to waste.

If you aren’t working towards what you really want, get started, right now, this very minute. If you are taking steps to build your ideal life, are you putting your all into it? Take time to re-dedicate yourselves to living every day to the fullest and set your minds to go after what you really, really want in life. There is no time to waste and no good reason to wait. Go out and live. And live well.

He was only 64 which seemed far too young for a man who had done so much, given so much, and certainly had much more to offer. However, when I stopped to consider all he had done in his life, I could only smile. I am certain he was in the middle of some great project, chasing whatever idea had most recently grabbed him. He never stopped going after the things he wanted.

Joe, a grammar school drop-out, was a self-made millionaire who helped people all over the country find fulfillment and happiness through his subliminal learning techniques, tapes, and books. He was also one of the greatest public speakers I have ever heard. He really knew how to live life to the fullest and loved what he was doing. He was an inspiration to me and, as evidenced by the fact that he always got a standing ovation whenever he spoke, to many others as well.

But suddenly he is gone and yet I am certain he left with no regrets. I am glad Joe was able to live such a full and amazing life. But many other people take too long to try and grab their dreams and make a life they are truly happy with. And that is what I’d like you to take away from this little story—that there is no time to waste.

If you aren’t working towards what you really want, get started, right now, this very minute. If you are taking steps to build your ideal life, are you putting your all into it?  Take time to re-dedicate yourselves to living every day to the fullest and set your minds to go after what you really, really want in life. There is no time to waste and no good reason to wait. Go out and live. And live well.

The Wisdom of a Child

Remember when you were a child and someone would ask you what you wanted to be when you grew up? What did you say? It might have been something like a baseball player, doctor, teacher, writer, or artist. And did you grow up and become the person you wanted to be then or are you still just dreaming about it?

Children don’t tell us they want to grow up to be something great and important on a whim. They really believe they can be anything they want. They do not have the fears and limiting beliefs that we gather as we grow up. They think that all they have to do is want it and work towards it and they will reach their dream. And you know what? They’re right.

If there is something you have wanted to do or become but haven’t tried to attain it yet, its time for you to regain your childhood outlook on life. Become fearless. Know that anything is possible. You can still be a great athlete—look at me, a gold medal tennis champion at the age of 63. You can still return to school and become a doctor or a teacher. You can start your life as a writer or artist by sitting down right now with pen or brush, signing up for classes, and joining art and writing groups. You can do or become anything you want. You are only restricted by your hesitation and fear.

With this unwavering belief that anything is possible, along with a few tips and tricks like the ones you can find in How to Ignite Your Passion for Living, there is nothing you can’t accomplish. Just let go of all your excuses and limiting beliefs and start making them real today. A child wouldn’t wait and neither should you.

What You Believe is All That Matters

Over the last few decades the amount of information we are exposed to daily has increased drastically. But for all the abundance, we still don’t get a clear picture of what is going on in the world. Most of the news we hear is highly negative, overly dramatic, and inspires fear. So it doesn’t surprise me that so many people are afraid to take a risk and go after their big dreams. However, right now is exactly the time–yes, in the middle of this recession–when you need to jump in with both feet. You just need to believe in yourself. If you have that, all else will follow.

I started investing in real estate in 1972, in the middle of the worse recession in the US since the great depression. Fortunately, I didn’t know that and even if I did, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference because I really believed that I could succeed. And sure enough, not only did I not lose my shirt, I became a millionaire. That recession didn’t stop me and this one shouldn’t stop you. Not believing in yourself and taking immediate action is the only thing that is guaranteed to kill your dreams.

Remember, all you need to worry about is your life, what you need, what you want, and know that if you keep working at it, you will get what you are after. If your dreams are that important to you, you will want them bad enough to do whatever it takes. And no fear filled news story will get in your way.

So turn off the TV, stop reading those dramatic headlines, and unsubscribe from all those pessimistic reports. Instead, read up on all the great success stories you can find on-line, in responsible and inspiring periodicals, and among the many stories in my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living. The most amazing stories of success are most often accomplished by ordinary people who simply have an extraordinarily strong belief in themselves and what they want. And there is no reason why you can’t be one of them.

Riding the Goal Setting High

So, did you go ahead and get a new goal written down this past week? Did you notice that after you wrote it out and had your plan in place, you had increased energy and enthusiasm? That feeling is an actual adrenaline high, a rush you get from seeing all the potential and knowing what you want is reachable. And it can be an addictive. For some, this results in continuously setting new goals and making new plans but not necessarily completing the previous ones. If you really enjoy that goal setting high (I know I do!) you can get that on a regular basis with the same goal and use it to keep you motivated and energized every step of the way.

First, break up your bigger, long-term goals into bite-sized pieces then plan them only one or two at a time. Planning–being able to visual how you will reach your next mini-goal–is what brings on the excitement.

Secondly, bounce ideas about your plans off someone else, someone who is supportive and maybe even a little challenging or has goals of their own to share. These conversations can bring up all kinds of new ideas and possibilities that you might not have thought up on your own. It also forces you to be clear about your goals and plans and draw very concrete pictures. And the clearer you can see what you will do and what it will accomplish, the more sustained enthusiasm you will have.

And lastly, whenever you feel your enthusiasm waver, sit down and write out what you are doing, where you are at, and what you plan to do next to reach your goal. This will re-immerse you in your planning, give you a clear idea of how far you’ve come, and how easy the next steps will be. And you’ll find yourself excited all over again.

Chapter 3 of my book, “How to Ignite Your Passion for Living” speaks to the magic of goal setting and the adrenaline rush it creates. Take a look and see if just reading about this simple but fantastic technique doesn’t get you excited and maybe even a little addicted to the goal setting high.

To inspire you, I have put together a collection of my videos and interviews on YouTube. Just go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/tmassociates1

Build Your Passion for Life Through Constant Challenges

These past few weeks have been extremely busy for me. Besides working on and traveling for interviews, TV spots, and other promotions for my book, my wife Kimberly and I have been building a new home. We are at the point where we are moving in but are still in the middle of completing most of the rooms which makes life in general rather chaotic, to say the least.

There is nothing I’ve done in real estate that has been quite like the experience we’re having in building our own place. It’s both thrilling and stressful, the process is intriguing, and nearly every day presents a new, often minor, but still necessary challenge to deal with. I am very grateful that my wife has been steering most of the decision making—her great taste is turning the house into a true masterpiece—but it is still a stress and a challenge for both of us.

Now, we could be letting ourselves get exceedingly frustrated and have that color our overall experience. We could also just step back and let the contractors make all the decisions and end up with something livable but not uniquely us. We could have given into easy and quick methods and had this done already. But this place will be a sanctuary for us and a place to gather and build memories with family and friends. So, even though giving this our hands on attention has been time consuming and trying, it is another great challenge and an energizing experience that we know continues to feed our passion for life.

As I talk about in my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living, keeping your passion for life strong means constantly challenging yourself. This should be applied to all areas of your life. Whether you’re changing your financial situation, simply trying to improve your cooking skills, or building a home, put the greatest effort into your goal to get the most you can out of it and to grow your passion for everything you do.

Treasure Your Loved Ones

This past month my wife had a big milestone birthday so I threw a huge party for her complete with a lavish spread, entertainment, and friends from all over. It was such a joy to see her surprise and delight at walking in on such an affair. But it still seemed like such a small thing considering how much she has done for me. Not only has she stayed by my side all these years but she has been my primary support in all the many endeavors I’ve gotten into, she’s kept me in line when if I’ve gotten a little out of hand, and, most importantly, she believes in me and the life we share.

I am not sure how much I would have accomplished without her. I certainly would not have enjoyed all I’ve done nearly so much, nor pushed myself quite as hard, as I have with her by my side. But we have all seen too many remarkable people jeopardize the very relationships that give their accomplishments that greater, personal significance and satisfaction. Consider carefully who you want to have by your side when you reach your goals. Would it be your spouse who has seen you through the hard times and truly knows how important what you have done is to you, or a stranger who came around just as you were reaching your pinnacle of success?

I simply want to say that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you have to work, or how your life changes as you progress towards your goals, do not ignore or forget the people that have stood by you. Do not work so much that you don’t have time to spend with your spouse and kids or that you forget to share all your little successes with the people most important to you. Reaching a long sought after goal is a tremendous feeling, but ultimately it is an empty accomplishment if you don’t have the people you love close to you when you reach it.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to add to your B-RAM list how your goals will improve the lives or support the dreams of the people you care about and how you will feel when they see what you have accomplished. (See Chapter 7 in my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living on how to develop great B-RAM lists) And always treasure the ones you love.

The Time to Start is Now

This coming week is when you start getting asked, “What are you New Year’s resolutions?” Hopefully you have a detailed, clear, and measurable set of resolutions to answer that question with. If you’ve got that–fantastic. But now, when do you start on it? Without a start date and the first few actionable steps planned out, what chance do your dreams have of becoming real?

My first suggestion is that you make your start date TODAY. That’s right, start now. There is no reason in the world that you can’t take those first, maybe very small but necessary steps, towards your goals. If you haven’t clearly defined your goal, then that is your first step. If you know what your goal is but you haven’t written out the first steps, then your first actionable step is to make that list. And the first thing on that list should be the next step you’ll take, scheduled, if not for the same day, the very next day. You should always know what the next step is and exactly when you will take action on it. A lack of specific planning is the death knell for most dreams.

Now as I mention in my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living, you don’t need to know every details of every step you will need to take to reach your dreams. Much of what you’ll need to do will only become obvious as you progress. The important thing is to keep moving forward. There will be times that you will have to take two steps back and head in another direction but the fact that you are continuously working towards your goal guarantees you will reach it! The only way you’ll fail is if you stop working towards it.

So whatever your New Year’s resolutions are, whatever goals and dreams you want to realize in 2010, don’t just talk about them, get them done. Start now, keep it going, and look forward to an amazing year.

Being Healthy: Your Umbrella Goal for Life

During the last few weeks, I’ve been talking about health and the benefits of a good diet and hopefully it’s inspired you to eat better. The question is, are you, or will you be committed to it, not just for the near future but for life?

Getting down to an ideal weight and getting off junk food are great goals but your hard efforts will be wasted if you don’t make it a modification to your lifestyle rather not just a temporary change.

As I mentioned about the CRON diet last week, these healthier eating habits can lengthen your life—an actual fountain of youth! But if you can’t keep it up, it probably won’t get you halfway near the 140 years that the CRON scientists believe a healthy person can reach.

If you lose 30 pounds then gain back 20 a few months later, lose another 10, gain another 15, and keep this yo-yo dieting going, you aren’t helping your health at all. In fact you’re stressing your system. Same goes for the ‘occasional’ junk food meal. Can a coke addict get high just once in a while?

The bottom line is, you have to decide that you want to live healthy–determine the specific weight you want to reach and stay at, commit to eating healthy, minimally processed, whole foods, and keep active. Look at this commitment as a commitment for life, an umbrella goal that will support every other goal you make but giving you the health and energy to pursue all your dreams.

So be good to yourself these next few weeks and aim to eat and live healthy for the rest of your life. You can start by reading Chapter 10: An Umbrella Goal for Life in my book, How to Ignite Your Passion for Living. As I explain, 42 days is all it takes to form a new eating habit. After that it’s just a little bit of vigilance.

Use the goal planning tips in my book and you’ll certainly get there. Do this for yourself, your family, and, of course, for the success of all your dreams.

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