Category: Choices - Coach to Expect Success

Our Choices Affect So Many People And Things In Life... Quote of the Week!

10/29/2014

“It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” -- J.K Rowling

We all have many abilities to do so many different things in life, but when it really comes down to it, it’s our choices that make us who we are. J.K. Rowling was right on with this thought.

Just think about it. How many times we have to make a choice throughout each day of our lives. There are the choices of what we think about things. So many times, the thousands and thousands of thoughts that come into our heads that we have to actually choose a response or another thought.

One of the other things that we have to think about and choose something is with our words. In communication with others, we have to quickly think about verbal responses. Those we have to be careful with to make sure they are the right ones, that they are understood and not something that will cause more problems.

Usually our choices of our thoughts and words will lead us to our actions, and that is what we really get judged by more than anything. We may have all the abilities in the world to do great things, but if we don’t indeed DO THEM, it doesn’t matter if we have the ability or not. I think one important item for me is that I’m figuring out the things that I truly want to spend time doing. Now the item for me to do, is to start doing those things. It’s something we all have to figure out. It’s something that is so very important because it’s not just us that are affected. It’s everyone around us. Now obviously those that are closer to us are affected a lot more than the casual acquaintances we come across on some days.

Another thing that popped into my head about this was due to so many recent events around the world. I really think that the world needs everyone to use their abilities along with their choices for making things better. So many examples of bad things, heck, down-right evil things going on around the world and it’s becoming very apparent to me that each and every one of us need to do our best at everything we do along with doing those things in the right way. Thereby, we can be setting examples for others about doing things the right way and having something to combat those bad and evil things going on around us. In everyday situations, our choices and actions do indeed affect others and if we realize this, we can make better choices and do things better knowing that they do affect others.

I want to expand this thought a little bit and I may do just that in the near future. Help me out by leaving some thoughts and ideas of your own. Thanks.

Don't Limit Yourself, A Few Tips - Quote Of The Week

8/25/2014

"Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." -- Mary Kay Ash

It is totally true that the most valuable 6 inches of space is right between your ears. When people learn to control their minds, control what goes in and out of their brain, that is when great things can happen. I’m still constantly working on this fact. I hope you are always working on it too.

It’s also true that our biggest critic that we will usually ever have to deal with is ourselves. As I tell my students each and every year at the start of every class I teach, we are with ourselves 24/7. We can’t get away from ourselves since every night before we go to bed, during our time of sleep and first thing in the morning, there we are again. We might be able to fool others, but when you think about it, we certainly cannot fool ourselves. We know when we do something wrong - others might not know about it, but we do. Our limiting thoughts and beliefs that we put on ourselves are far worse than what others can put on us. Now, what others say and do sometimes does add to our own negative thinking about ourselves, that’s why it is vitally important to guard the relationships around us.

So one of our most important things we must always look to do, and for me it’s something I constantly have to remind myself to do; is to always work on our thinking. We need to control as much as we can as to what goes into our minds. There are way too many people and things out there that would be glad to control us for their agenda. If we don’t control our own minds and our own lives, we will have them controlled by someone or something else for sure. Then we wonder why life get’s so hard and difficult to do things we think we want to do.

Look at what you reading or are you even reading at all? There are so many factual connections out there in the world that show massive positive results for being a reader. Leaders are readers is the old saying. Successful people in all walks of life are many times very avid readers. Try it and see the changes that will start to appear. I know I need to monitor more of my time spent watching TV instead of working on the thoughts and ideas that I have. I also need to be listening to more positive motivational content through audio books, podcasts, etc.

So what are some thing you do to help you think more positively about your life and yourself? Any success stories out there about some examples of things changing for you or others that you have witnessed when taking this process on? Always feel free to let me know your thoughts and ideas as I certainly don’t have all the answers and I’m always looking to learn new things that can help me to help myself and others.

Quote of the Week - January 27, 2014

1/27/2014

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice.” - Wayne Dyer

I've been listening to a lot of Dr. Wayne Dyer over the last few years - and I've come to the notion that the man knows what he is talking about. We all totally have choices to make every day. This is one of the most important ones that we can make every day and the earlier in the day we decide to get motivated - the better.

I've tried over the years to be conscious of this fact - that it is totally up to me to decide how I deal with things. There are certainly plenty of things in the world that can make us miserable, and that's exactly how some people deal with those things - they let them make them miserable. I like that thought - "Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice." No matter what it is - it is totally our choice.

I'm working hard at remembering this fact that Wayne brought up here. I'm trying to catch myself when I start reacting to things in a not so positive way. Try this - find some things to read, watch, or listen to from Dr. Wayne Dyer. I've found a few of his audio recordings that I have on my iPod.... great things this man brings out to the world. You want to find something to do during these cold winter months?? Listen to some of is recordings, watch some of his videos or pick up one of his many books. Great things to change your life around, that's how special this guy's work is. Let me know what you think about his stuff... great conversations can be had for sure.

Quote of the Week - October 28, 2013

10/28/2013

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way” - Viktor Frankl

I saw this quote posted from an on-line friend and the story that he wrote about it too. He was talking about having a not so good day, some things were going on that he just had to make the choice about not letting those things bother him. He used Viktor Frankl's famous quote and thought about the context of where Viktor was (surviving in a concentration camp during WWII) compared to his "issues" he was going through at the time.

That got me thinking about "issues" that I was going through on Saturday when I read his post. First of all, I knew I had to use this quote because I think if you look and think about the quote - it's totally true. More importantly, if you remember where and who it came from - well that's probably even more important than the truthful message itself of the quote. I sat there for a little bit thinking about just that fact and looking back now - I know I had a better weekend due to that quote. Now, here it is Monday and I know I'm having a better start to my week due to this quote and the thoughts that went with it, that were all shared online.

I just read the quote again - you should do it right now too... stop reading this... and read the quote.

Good - what did you think about it this time? I thought how true it is ".... the last of the human freedoms...." Folks, that is a HUGE point on why humans are so very different that all other living creatures. I figure it's about time that I quit wasting that gift and start to do more and get better without getting in my own way by having a negative outlook on things. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Always looking for your thoughts and discussions. I love learning from others and I know I'm so limited in learning things by myself. :-)

Quote of the Week - October 21, 2013

10/22/2013

"The best things come to those who Never Give Up." - Zig Ziglar

When I saw this quote from Zig - it really got me connected to the idea of starting my week off in a very positive direction. While I was doing some chores outside yesterday and cleaning the garage out a little - this thought hit me right in the nose and it helped me to get things done rather than putting them off until later.

It also helped having a good weekend too. My wife and I spent some time with some good people and had a lot of fun. This helped me to see that this quote about not giving up not only affects me, my wife and family, but also my friends and those that I don't know yet. If I give up on things (like I have in different areas of my life) I may not get the chance to connect with people. For me, it's been a personal battle throughout my life time - giving up on things. I'm working hard at not doing that anymore. Would I have liked to be like that in my past? You bet. But I can't go back and change that. But I can make changes today, and that's where my focus is. The past should serve as a history lesson for us every day. The good and the bad. Remember, we really learn more from the bad, negative things that happen to us compared to the good and positive things.

Have you ever checked out Zig Ziglar? Check him out. He's all over the place. Even after he's gone - he still has a HUGE impact on people. My kind of guy... that's what I would like to be for others even when I'm gone. Any thoughts? How have you been with this "Never Giving Up" idea?

Quote of the Week - October 14, 2013

10/14/2013

"Happiness is a choice" ~ Rick Warren

Such a simple truth that bears repeating. It's totally up to us to take this choice and make it our own. I know when I saw it this morning (Monday) I know I had to make it a focus of the week for me and for others too. I was tired after staying up watching my Detroit Tigers fall apart and lost game 2 of the ALCS. Also, it was such a busy weekend with so many things going on that I didn't get done everything I wanted to accomplish, so I was feeling a little down about that.

So not only did I see this quote when I got up this morning, but I also was thinking about it on my way into work. Reminding myself that I have the power to dictate my own day was huge! Napoleon Hill (who I was listening to this morning on my way into work) says it all the time. One of the key components of living a successful life, is to work hard at having control over our own mind. I realized through listening to him that I do indeed have a choice as to my attitude, my mindset, the way I respond to things, etc. It really helped me this weekend as I am really concentrating on watching how I respond to my wife and kids when things don't go my way.

It just occurred to me on how important this statement is. So, I just copied and pasted it into Word. I printed it out to keep on my monitor here at school. I will also have it on my folder for one of my classes too. It's just a nice little check point to re-adjust my thinking and to help me get through the rough times. How do these 4 words affect you? Any thoughts?

Quote of the Week - October 7, 2013

10/8/2013

"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Standing still is just not in my plans any more. I look back and there have been a few too many spots in my life where I have stood still and let things go by, let things affect me without doing anything. and even let things affect me where I stop moving forward and blamed those other things. This moving forward idea or mindset has been on my mind for years now. So many things happening in education for example (and life in general too) where standing still is not an option. I have really been focusing on these things that are affecting me - using them to make myself better.

Standing still is just about like giving up. Believe me, there have been plenty of times that I have done just that. It hasn't been permanent though. These things that happen throughout life - all of them are just things that we have a choice about. We can let them affect us, beat us up, change us for the worse or we can take them on, fight back and have them change us for the better. When you look and think about that statement from President Roosevelt, there truly is only 1 way of standing still. You stop. Just take a moment to think about all the different ways there are to keep moving forward. Holy Cow! Are you kidding me? How the heck did he know that this is so true? Simply put, he was a man who lived this statement over and over again throughout his lifetime. We can do the same thing.

As much as I hear just about everyone talking about how fast time is going by - and for me personally it is doing just that - isn't it time that we look at all the different ways there are to move forward in so many areas of our lives? Relationships, financially, spiritually, professionally, fitness wise, the list goes on and on and on. Just take a few minutes to think about just 2 areas where you can move forward in and all the different ways you can do just that. In the time it took to write that last sentence - way more than 2 came into my head on what I can do to move forward in. Not only think about a couple - but share them with me or others... get others thinking about this statement. Show them all the different ways there are to moving forward and not just standing still. I look forward to hearing some of your thoughts as always.

Quote of the Week - September 23, 2013

9/23/2013

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

This is a quote that I had posted onto my old computer monitor at school for years. Seeing this again, I know that I need to put it on my new monitor too. This is such a great reminder for us that if we want to change things in our world, we need to change ourselves. If we want more happiness in our lives, we can't depend on others to give it to us, we need to create it ourselves. If we want someone to listen to us more, listen to them more. I've heard it over and and over again; be the example of what you want more of in your life.

While mowing the lawn yesterday I was listening to "QBQ" - The Question Behind the Question by John Miller. In his great audio reading of his book, he covered the same point. So many times the lack of personal responsibility is evident everywhere we go, and many times it's right in the mirror for me. Gandhi had it right on target with this thought. If we want more peace in the world, be more peaceful to ourselves and those around us. Dr. Wayne Dyer brings up the same idea in that whatever we focus on, that's what our world is made up of. Whatever we focus on, think about all the time - that becomes our reality.

I know that I need to really focus on this thought and I need to start being the change I want to see in my world. It's not going to happen any other way. You know what? It starts today. Monday is always a good day to take a different approach to our world. Scrolling through some postings yesterday, this jumped right out at me. Like I said, I've heard it before. That brings up another good thought for all of us: Lesson repeated until lesson learned. I guess there is a reason why I am hearing it so many times. Is this the first time you have heard it? How can you be the change in your world? Let me know. I bet it's a great example to help so many others.

Quote of the Week - August 26, 2013

8/26/2013

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." -Henry Ford

There was a little bit of a connection to this being a Monday and this wonderful quote from Henry Ford. When I saw it this morning I thought about the fact that I needed to reset and begin a few things again today, being the start of another week. This week is crucial leading up to the new school year and there are plenty of things I need to work on in a more intelligent way than I've done before.

This holds true with work things that we have to do, but more importantly it also has to do with life things too. The sooner we look at the difficulties in our lives, how did we arrive there, what things can we learn from those experiences, how can I make changes so it doesn't happen again; are just some of the things we need to think about. This of course is all wieved arround the fact that we can't let our own negative thinking get in the way of learning from our failures.

One thought I had when I read this over a few times this morning, was that all the things I've failed at throughout my life, I must not have learned much since some of the things I'm still struggling with. From there it might be a thought like, 'what makes you think this time will be any different?' Another one; 'who are you kidding, you know you'll end up right where you started as you have tried this so many times.'

A funny thing though. As I started running the usual negative thoughts in my head there was a little response, just a little voice that said - hey, this time can be different. It also said that 'you know you can do this', along with little pictures in my mind about me being successful and actually doing these things that I'm working on doing. The key is that over time (and for me it's been a long journey) I have learned little bits and pieces even if I wasn't successful at accomplishing things that I wanted to do, I still got just a tiny bit better than I was before.

There is the key! As long as you come coming back, struggle, try and do more, try and get better, keep trying to accomplish things in your life; this quote from Henry Ford will continue to hold truth for you. This is why it's important to continue to read and listen to things more than once. In fact it should be many times - some experts even say almost 20 times we need to read or listen to something for it really to become a habit, or it gets placed inside of us that we can draw on it any time we need it. What is it for you? What does Mr. Ford's quote mean to you? How do you connect to it? As always I invite you to share with me and others your thoughts and ideas about this quote, for there will be many other ideas and thoughts that can help me and others. It's always great to see someone's thoughts and opinions that can get us thinking differently. Seeing things from different points of view are always helpful.

Quote of the Week - August 19, 2013

8/20/2013

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson

One of the simplest thoughts with some of the biggest payoffs around. When I saw this quote the other day, not only did I stop and think about it, but then I also put it into play. There have a been a few sleepless nights lately due to me worrying about things that I really can't control and / or things that haven't even happened yet, and chances are they won't happen. When I started to focus on the good things I have in my life, most of the worries take a hike. I tell you this, getting a good night's sleep is not overrated.

I've read it a lot, had this statement told to me a lot - that we are what we think about. That sure is the truth. As I get ready to embark not only on a new school year, but another year as a husband, father, son, friend, teacher, etc.; I know how much better things will be if I have my focused attention on all the countless blessings that I have in my life and not the worries, stresses, low-points, negativity from others, etc. It does indeed take effort, but it's effort that has a huge payday!

This also helps me to see more positive things in others - especially since many of the others that I am talking about are part of my blessings in my life. My wife, my kids, my parents and in-laws, my co-workers, my students, my neighbors, my friends, etc. There is a very peaceful feeling or mind-set when I sit back and think about this. It's very powerful too as I really get a sense of confidence for myself when I think about this quote from good 'ol Willie. Willie Nelson sure could sing. He also knows about life too.

Any thoughts to share? to help others? Always looking to get feedback to gather more information on these thoughts and topics. Drop me a note too if you want to.