Category: - Coach to Expect Success

Quote of the Week - September 16, 2013

9/15/2013

"You are more than the mistakes you've made" - success principle

What a great reminder for all of us. When I saw this a few days ago, it really got me thinking about things. I'm glad I found this one as it helped to set some things a little bit clearer for me. I've made plenty of mistakes in my past for sure. Looking back, those have helped me become who I am today. Just like the classic movie title - The good, the bad and the ugly! LOL!

But just like it says - we are more than those mistakes. We hopefully have learned and gotten better from those events that we didn't do so well. In my case, way too many years of beating myself up from many of those mistakes instead of learning from them. After 47 years I'm getting better from that mistake. This is one of the many lessons that the sooner you learn from it the better off you will be.

There are so many things that go into what makes you up to the person that you are. Our mistakes are just one of those things. How we respond to learning from them is a big part too. We have heard countless times that our attitude makes a huge difference with how successful we are or not. The people who we surround ourselves - that makes a big impact on us and who we become. One last item (but there are many more) is our thinking. That old saying is so very true - we are what we think.

I'm glad we got this out there. What do you think about this? Do you see how true it is? Once you take this in, can you see how much this frees you up to keep moving forward and getting better? That's one of the many thoughts I had from when I saw this. I like it.

Quote of the Week - September 9, 2013

9/10/2013

"The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief." - David Schwartz

My favorite, all time book is "The Magic of Thinking Big" by David Schwartz. The book has so many great nuggets that I always tell my students that it is a must read on their book list. Our belief has so many key elements to it, especially when it comes to believing in ourselves. That is one of the most difficult challenges during our life time, for most of us that is.

Some people naturally believe in themselves as they have an over-abundance of confidence. They just need to be careful that it's not too much where it's considered being conceited. There is a general rule of being humble that helps throughout life. It is another of the important traits of success. Self-confidence and belief in ourselves is something that most of us have to work on, and the sooner we do that the better.

Another key element to this thought I think is we need to ask ourselves, what are we chasing in life? What are we really all about? If we know why we are doing things, if we have that passion in our lives for going after things, if we have that direction that we are going in - WOW, does that make a huge difference in believing in our selves. The sooner we figure out our purpose in life, the better not only we will be but generally most of those people in our lives will also benefit.

Have you read this book before? If not - get it! I will put my top 25 list on my home page for you to check out. Any thoughts or ideas on the fantastic quote from Dr. David Schwartz? I'm always looking to learn from others and you should always look to see how you can become better along with helping those around you too. Let me know.

Quote of the Week - May 20, 2013

5/23/2013

"Two things define you. Your patience when you have nothing, and your attitude when you have everything." - Unknown

What a simple statement that if you just take a moment, you can see is really true. Patience is something that the sooner you realize you need it, the better off you will get. That's been a life-long battle for me. I guess with age comes the understanding on it's importance. Patience is needed in all aspects of life. It's a skill that can be improved upon and really needs to be focused on.

Attitude is the second piece of this 2 piece formula towards success. It, like patience, is something that we have control over. Looking at the two, it's easy to see how others can judge us fairly quickly on if we have enough or not enough of these two important qualities. How we respond to things shows our attitude. How we deal with people shows our attitude. How we deal with ourselves shows our attitude. It's easy to see on how important it is to recognize when things start going our way, our attitude better be right. It's the only way to handle things at that time. The combination of patience and attitude is used in tough times and in good times for sure. How do you measure up in these two areas? I know I have to constantly look to try and improve upon both of them everyday. I could use some help and advice on how you are able to do it. Let me and others know by leaving a few thoughts.

Quote of the Week - April 1, 2013

4/1/2013

Even with a break from school - I still wanted to get some thoughts out.

"Learn from your failures or be conquered by them." - from livelifehappy.com

This quote just jumped right out at me from two standpoints. First, learn from your failures is something that I know I need to always focus on in my life. Sure wish I had a clue about that earlier, but now I do. Failures happen, but we need to learn from them, make adjustments and move on. So many times I see myself and others making mistakes and failing... but then we don't learn from them. Ouch! Life is all about mistakes happening. Life has failures in it everyday. But we don't have to choose to keep making them over and over again, do we?

Second, if we don't learn from our failures and we don't make adjustments to become better or to get through those things that we struggle with - those failures will end up holding us back, really conquering our futures. There are obviously so many different levels to this as there are different levels of failures. Another key element to this that when we don't learn from these failures, they will also affect the other people in our lives that we are connected to.

Too many of my failures and shortcomings that I've had in my life have affected my family. Whereas if I would have learned from them and gotten better, things could be more positive in many ways for me and my family. These really end up getting in the way of our relationships in life. Which, if you haven't figured out by now, are really what's important in our lives.
Any thoughts or ideas on this? Have you thought about how things like this might be getting in the way for you? Always looking for discussion points.

Quote of the Week for February 25, 2015

2/27/2013

“What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise” - Oscar Wilde

We all have issues going on in our lives.  It seems now a day that so many people are having more issues in their lives that they must deal with. From money problems, the poor economy, the negative news around the country and around the world, in the media; there is no wonder the mood seems to be sad and depressing at times.

But what about if we took a step back and took a deep breath and tried to look at each issue by itself instead of one big jumbled mess. The things that I’ve been working on, I’ve tried to do just that.  I’m trying to ask myself, “What can I do about that?”  It’s always good to try and deal with things that we can actually do something about. It’s taken me a long time to realize that fact, and to tell you the truth, I still need to be reminded about it all the time it seems. Worrying really doesn't do any good at all.   I've found that if I deal with things that I can control, I feel much better about all the things going on in my life.

I've also began to see that there is opportunity in these bitter trials. Mostly it’s the opportunity for me to get better.  While others may blame, criticize and condemn others for their situations; I’m trying to learn to look for the chances for me to get better and to improve the situation that I find myself in. Does it work all the time? No way, but it’s getting better. There are usually things that come out of tough times that make us better in the long run. That involves having patience and the ability to actually do something about the situations that we find ourselves in. It’s a long process sometimes and we have to remember that life is indeed a journey and there are many things that happen along that journey.

Any insights? Any thoughts? Ideas?  Always looking to learn from others – and I know others are looking to learn from you too. Go on… be a difference maker by offering your ideas to help yourself, me and others.

Quote of the Week, January 14, 2013

1/15/2013

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” -- Charles Dickens

One of the things that I try and get across to my students is to be a difference maker. I put my weekly picture on my Blackboard sites and it was that exact message. So when I found this quote
and how much it connected with that important idea, I had to get it out there.

When we set out to make a difference with others, that can be done in so many ways. It is something that all of us can do each and everyday with so many people. First, would be to make a difference with yourself. With everything going on in the world, we can make a huge difference with ourselves by working on how we think. By watching our self-talk, making it more positive rather than negative, that can really help ourselves out. We all have critics taking shots at us along with the everyday trials and tribulations taking shots at us too. How we "defend" ourselves from these issues is very important in making a difference with ourselves.

Once we make a difference with ourselves, we are then able to have a huge impact with helping others. Making a difference with others is one of the things that is most needed in today's world. So many people need help in many different ways and you would be surprised to know that you might be the one that can do it with someone that you will see today. So, see who you can help today along with helping yourself. Make it a point every day you can to lighten the burden of someone else.

The few people that have responded to these thoughts, please know you have already helped me, a great deal with your time and thoughts. So, you've already taken care of helping someone - that someone would be me. :-) I appreciate it very much. Leave me your thoughts since it will not only help me, but in turn it will help others too.

Best Stories Come from Struggles.

7/10/2012

This is one thing that is easier to see with age.

But, oh how important it is to learn this sooner rather than later.

Throughout life we have successes and we have failures and setbacks.

Any successful person knows that you learn much more from one than the other.

Our successes are easy to celebrate.

We have plenty of other people around us wanting to share our successes.

We feel good about ourselves during those times.

On the other hand, when things are not going so well we find out some things then too.

Many people are not around to help us get through tough times, except true friends that know how difficult a time you are having.

At these times is when we can learn the most about ourselves.

Will we quit, make excuses, blame others and just generally let negativity take over?

Or will we sit back, take a deep breath and look for ways to solve the problem.

Will we take ownership about doing something about the problem, rather than quitting, make excuses or blame others?

I think most of us, especially when we become teenagers and beyond, understand that there will be plenty of struggles in life.

It’s important to have a frame of mind that knows when those times hit; it’s not the end of the world.

It’s also important to know that we can indeed do something about it and we can learn from the experience too.

As we go through life and we deal with problems, disappointments, set-backs and failures; understanding that we should take responsibility for getting through those issues, we can learn from them and we will become better for getting through those situations – that is such a key ingredient to success.

The sooner we connect with that the better off our lives will be. Along with the fact that other people that we are connected to will be better off as well.

Always interested in your thoughts and comments.

Invest now? Are you crazy??

8/10/2011

Invest in these crazy times? Are you nuts?

So many things are happening with the economy lately, not just in the U.S. but around the world too.

It’s enough to make us want to not invest money into stocks for sure.

How about the banks, they are safe right?

Some are, but not a great return on your investment right now.

I’ve said it before.

And I’m saying it again.

It’s always a great time to invest in YOURSELF.

In fact not only is always a great time to invest in yourself, it’s a must that you invest in yourself.

Here’s a big reason why.

Nobody else will do it.

Here’s another big reason to do it.

Not many people invest in themselves.

You want to make yourself to be able to keep moving forward, keep getting better, keep learning, etc., no matter what is going on in the world.

By understanding those two points we can really move ahead of ourselves and most other people by acting on those two points.

It’s actually a very good insurance policy for yourself too.

One of the best ways to do it is to, just as the great Bob Proctor says “we need to turn off the radio, turn off the t.v. and get into a darn good book”.

Good books include books that make us better, that get us to see what we can do with our limited time that we really have.

They get us to think differently and then to start making the changes in our life that we must do in order to go in the direction that we want to go in.

It can be any type of different information that gets you going in a positive direction towards where you want to go.

Do your homework.

Think about one thing that you know you need to get better at. Or the direction you want your life to go.

Find some time to learn the thing or things that will help you in that area.

Just try it and see what happens.

Now is the time my friend to invest in yourself like no other time in history.

Any thoughts or questions on this, please, let’s talk about it and see what happens.

Copyright 2011 http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com

Best Apologies We Can Do

7/13/2011

“Right actions in the future are the best apologies for bad actions in the past.” -Tyron Edwards

I read this quote on a Facebook posting this morning and it got me thinking.

What a great quote to think about and then put into action.

Since we all make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes hurt the ones we love; one of the best things we can
do to make amends is to change the way we act and the way we do things in the future.

Summertime is a great time to take a look at where we are going in our lives. Certain times during the summer, when we get the chance to hopefully slow down and relax; is the perfect time to reflect on things that have been going on in our lives.

Then upon that reflection, it’s time to do something about it.

That "doing" piece, has been a problem of mine for as long as I can remember.

It’s one of the main missing puzzle pieces in my life. I have recently found that I knew what it was, but yet I still have had trouble making that piece fit into my puzzle of my life.

I have found myself saying a I’m sorry to people for not doing things I said I would do.  My wife is the main person that I need to focus this quote on in my life. I can start doing it right now, I actually started yesterday.

Actions speak louder than words. I have learned that in my life and continue to learn it all the time.

What areas can you work on that would make things better with someone you care for?

As always, I think when people share experiences, we all get to learn from those shared stories.  Let me know your
thoughts.

Copyright 2011 http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com

Music is so powerful

6/26/2011

Reposted from 2009 on my former blog site with help from a friend and former student with one of her blog postings about songs.

It’s amazing that music has a power all its own. Certain songs help us connect back to specific memories and for many of us, those memories become crystal clear when we hear certain songs. I like having music on now when I am working. With all the sources on the Internet, on I-Pods and MP3 players, with the music channels on digital cable, or the music channels that come with our cars today – and don’t forget about regular, good-old radio too – all types of music is available to us all the time.

This morning, in trying to accomplish things for my business and teaching career, I turned on the 80’s music channel (graduating in high school in 1984 and college in 1989 has doomed me forever to love the 80’s music
– at least that is what my two kids have said) and I heard the song by Atlantic Starr – “Always”. Wow… instant
connection with my wedding. My wife and I have been married for 19 years and that song connected with us so
much that we chose it as our first song to dance to at our reception. That song brings back so many vivid
memories, clear pictures in my mind that really help connect me to the thoughts and feelings that were going on that night. Those thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc., help me with what is going on today. It gives me great perspective as to why I got married to my wife. It helps me remember the pieces to the foundation of why I love her so much. In getting back in touch with those thoughts and memories, it helps me to quickly forget little things that might be getting in the way of our relationship. It also helps me to think about ways to get better at being her husband – she deserves it.

Sure, it brings on the tears a little bit, but just like basketball coach Jim Valvano said when he was battling cancer –

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every
day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two
is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you
should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think
about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a
heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something
special”.

If you laugh every day, cry everyday and think every day – that’s a full day, that is, like he said, a heck of a great day. I’ve done those today and I try to do those every day. Have you? When was the last time you did that? Music helps you know. Find those couple of songs that help you remember a time when you felt good about yourself. Think back with the emotions and feelings of the songs on when you had dreams and goals, when you were inspired and fired up about doing something great. My Life and Success coach, Mike Litman said it last night, “We need to stop belittling our gifts and start believing that we are useful to helping others.” Find those songs, listen to them however you can – a lot, every day if you can. Then go out and find more songs that give you the same connection to those positive thoughts and feelings. Here is the kicker, the real big point – then go act upon those thoughts and feelings. After 43 years that action step is finally kicking in for me. All I can say thank God for the music that helped kick me into finally doing something about my goals and dreams.

© Coach John Daly – 2011
- http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com/