Who is standing in your way?Imagine someone regularly tying small weights around your ankles as you try to climb a mountain. Doesn't sound fair, does it? But that's exactly what you can do to yourself, a little bit at a time, if you don't watch out. When you think of who and what is standing in the way of your dreams, it's easy to forget your own responsibility. Even the best of us can be guilty of unknowingly hurting our own progress. Procrastination, lateness, being disorganized, pessimism, not being honest with yourself, severe self-criticism, downplaying achievements, focusing only on weaknesses while ignoring strengths, keeping goals a secret, demanding perfection, giving up after a small setback--these are all ways you can make it tough to be (and do) your best. Smart systems, the right attitude, and a promise to keep going no matter what will make a world of difference.  ¶ Sunday, December 31, 2006

  Seeing is Achieving Picture Weight Loss Success With Visual Cues

Visual images hold amazing power. We can all still "see" the Challenger disaster, the flag rising over Iwo Jima, even our own high school yearbook pictures. The images are still with us today. And so are the emotions that go with them.

You can use this power to your advantage to help you lose weight. If you surround yourself with visual cues, you have a great chance of meeting that goal. A picture of what you want (or don't want) to look like; a vacation postcard that you're using as a reward; a picture of your kids who you want to stick around for - these images can stick around and pull at you even when they're not in sight.  ¶ Saturday, December 30, 2006

  Taking inventory of your gifts and blessings You'll probably spend some time this weekend thinking about the good things in your life and your loved ones. Before you do that, take a moment to just consider how lucky you are to be here in the first place. In the 21st century, we can experience more in a month than most people throughout history did in a lifetime. Instead of appreciating that fact, we usually just end up wanting to do and have more. We look at what's wrong rather than what's right. This is a perfect time to take a look at your life and priorities again. Can you make some extra time every day to just enjoy the moment and your loved ones? You've been given the gift of a lifetime of moments. Accept the gift and prove yourself worthy.  ¶ Saturday, December 30, 2006

  Your smallest actions add up to something big Everything you do makes a difference. Even if you're not on the front lines leading the effort, you have a contribution to make. Without your contribution, no matter how small, so many other things would never happen. The world needs what you have to offer. You have no idea how the simplest of your everyday actions can effect your child, and even people you've never met. Chances are, you'll never know. But if you're looking for a purpose to work toward, all you need is the desire and the right perspective. Define yourself as your task, and that's all you'll ever be. Define yourself as your contribution to your family, and suddenly you're a very important part of a bigger picture. The biggest pictures are the ones where there's room for everyone to be seen.  ¶ Friday, December 29, 2006

  Making your own opportunities Wow! Three for one! If you see a common theme between the three, it's no accident. It's up to you to make sure your goals come to pass. If there are things standing in your way, waiting for someone to take care of those obstacles will result in a long wait. When things aren't going your way, change generally starts with you. Why sit around hoping for big things to happen, when you can take control and force the issue? Don't settle for the leftovers in life. Take a seat at the head table and order up a five-course dinner of everything it has to offer. No invitation necessary.  ¶ Thursday, December 28, 2006

  Can you stir things up to make something special? Magic happens when you combine things in unexpected ways. You may think that certain parts of your life aren't related, but in reality it's all connected. By combining strengths, you're multiplying their effects and creating something new. Try throwing a talent of yours in the pot with a hobby or interest and see what happens. Try finding a personal goal that can be joined with a social goal. Try digging out that old Halloween costume and see if it inspires an idea for work. The recipe for success is different for each of us, but we have all the ingredients we need. So have fun and experiment with the combinations you can make in your life. Besides, it's just fun to watch things get mixed up a little bit.  ¶ Wednesday, December 27, 2006

  How can you bring out the best in others? Everyone has hidden treasures of talent and undiscovered potential. Everyone has something substantial to contribute. Why are these valuables still buried beneath the surface? Why don't they shine through? Confidence may be an issue. By teaching someone a new skill, you can help build that confidence. People need someone to believe in them. They need to know that if they take that first step out of their comfort zone, someone will be supporting them all the way. With small words of encouragement, with just a little extra time, that someone could be you. In some cases, others may just be unaware of their true abilities and potential. If you've never tried to shoot an arrow, how do you know that you're not the next Olympic archer? Concentrate on bringing out the best in others, and you'll bring out the best in yourself. Then stand back and watch 'em go.  ¶ Wednesday, December 27, 2006

  The real measure of your contributions What is accomplishment? Is it measured by the number of zeroes in your salary? By status or your level of fame? Or could success possibly come from the number of lives you touch? In today's world, where people are famous just for being famous, it's easy to get caught up in the quest for being noticed and appreciated. People and ideas can be trampled along the way if nobody looks out for them. If leaving a legacy is important to you, it should not come at the expense of your values. If you let it, you'll end up leaving a legacy you didn't want, and that kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it? The greatest and most noble acts are the ones that are done when we think no one is looking. When you stop expecting thanks or anything in return, your contribution is more welcome than ever. The irony is, the nicer you are, the more important you become.  ¶ Wednesday, December 27, 2006

  Are you satisfied with the status quo? While you work to be a spark for your loved ones, don't forget that your light is only as strong as the fuel you supply it with. That means food. Good food. Eating plenty and eating right keep that flame from dying out. When you're at the top of your game, your body uses up nutrients as fast as you can put them in. Starving yourself, even for a little while, takes your flame down a notch or two and is a very bad idea for your health. And without real nutritional value, junk food is just as useless as no food at all. A healthy, balanced diet is like a constant power boost. Replenish your energy before you wear out, and your fire will burn brighter and brighter every day.  ¶ Sunday, December 24, 2006

  Taking two steps forward Slow and steady has not always been an inspiring concept. It's not as sexy as speed and sharp turns of direction. But it may be just the thing to keep you from running out of gas, while still moving you forward. Abe is telling us that the most important thing is to keep walking forward, no matter how slowly. Sometimes slowness can be frustrating. You might become impatient; you might get discouraged with a setback. But a setback doesn't have to set you back. Simply using it as a learning opportunity can leapfrog you ahead again. From now on, try paying attention more to your direction and less to your speed. Be patient, focus on a little bit at a time, and soon enough, you'll be further than you ever thought. Besides, it's a good bet that by always looking forward, Abe rarely looked back in regret.  ¶ Saturday, December 23, 2006

  A meaningful life requires hard work Part of being a good leader and good example is holding people accountable to their promises. To reach your goals, you need to be a strong leader of yourself. That means making sure you live up to the promises you made to yourself and to others. Your goals are important to you. They'll also require some work. If you could put one person in charge of your most personal, most precious goals, would you hire someone who looks for the easy way out or just talks a good game? Or would you entrust them to the person who willingly takes action and does whatever is needed to make it happen? You can handle the job. Prove yourself trustworthy by showing up every day with your sleeves rolled up.  ¶ Saturday, December 23, 2006

  Spreading goodwill that can return to you This quote can be read in a few ways, and all of them are worth thinking about. First, complimenting and encouraging others is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to be a positive force in someone's life. As long as you're sincere, repeating that encouragement as often as possible can have effects that far outweigh the effort. Countless people have exceeded their own expectations just because others believed in them. Second, giving positive feedback works even better if done publicly. Take those kind words and repeat them until everyone knows the great things that this person is doing. Third, we've all had kindnesses bestowed on us in word and deed. In return for that favor, it's up to us to repeat that generosity for someone else's benefit. However you read this quote, the point is that there's a kindness out there to be performed. And you're just the person to do it!  ¶ Thursday, December 21, 2006

  Making the most of every day and every hour If he felt this way at the start of the 20th century, imagine what he would think today. We have the freedom to do more now than ever before. But more options can bring more frustration, because we still see all of the things we don't have time for. Before you plan another day/week/month/year, write this thought at the top of the paper: I Cannot Do Everything. It's a truth that applies today even more than it did 100 years ago. Life becomes easier when you accept the fact that you will never be able to do everything you want. Once that happens, you can start to look at what you want to do the MOST, and plan accordingly. Priorities bring peace of mind. They help you relax, knowing that you're doing all you can by making the most of your opportunities. Low priorities are the seeds of wasted time. And days don't need any help getting shorter.  ¶ Thursday, December 21, 2006

  How do you show your individuality? Voices screaming for originality surround us in today's culture. Problem is, most originality is happening just on the surface level, and is usually not original at all. People are so "original" now that tattoos--once symbols of rebellion and individual freedom--are now a tool of conformity. Sometimes, you can adopt someone else's value system without knowing it. When that happens, you dilute the one thing you have complete control over: your unique self. People who are truly individuals are ones who are true to themselves. They are self-made people, not composites of borrowed personalities and values. They created their own value system and gain strength by living within that system. These are the people who do more than shock; they leave long-lasting impressions.  ¶ Thursday, December 21, 2006

  The power of having a dream and a vision We've all worked with people who just show up to fill space. Uninspired and stuck going through the motions, they pick up a paycheck on Monday and wait for Friday. Some are just killing time until retirement. Maybe you even find yourself in this mindset. Not a very satisfying way to spend your days is it? Sounds like an easy life--except that in life, retirement can be permanent and unexpected. In your life, are you actively heading straight for your goals, or are you puttering around vaguely? Nothing is wrong with hard work; determination and elbow grease are what make the best dreams possible. But it's interesting that most work makes us look downward, while dreams lift our eyes to the sky. While you're keeping that nose to the grindstone, make sure you keep your head up to see where you're going.  ¶ Thursday, December 21, 2006

  What would you do if you knew you wouldn't fail? What kind of person would you be? What would at typical day look like? There's a reason that star-gazing provokes the most powerful dreams. They're right there for the taking, yet you can't touch them. Their distance only feeds an ability to inspire. Dreams may seem out of reach, but that's not the point of dreams. They're there to be felt, not touched or dissected. What a star is made of is meaningless to a moonlit dreamer. The epic possibilities are what are important. The payoff is not so much in the destination as it is in the journey. By following your dreams, you make their beauty a part of who you are. Your life begins to shine. You become a better person. By chasing that star, you've already captured its magic.  ¶ Sunday, December 17, 2006

  Do you have a recorded history? The secret to reaching your goals may rest in the written word. Writing is a common theme through every stage of successful goal achievement. The act of writing creates a promise, and having that visual promise in front of you every day won't let you forget it. Got a problem remembering what goals you met last week? Start tracking them on a daily basis. No more guessing and fooling yourself. The only way to get a really accurate picture of your progress is to record what you've done when you do it. Got something to say or a breakthrough to announce? Write it in a journal. Journals can show you what works and what doesn't. And the stories of your success can be great motivators in the future, right when you need help the most. From pregnancy start to pregnancy finish, you can help your memory and your goals by putting ink to paper. It can make up for fading memory and keep motivation from fading at all.  ¶ Saturday, December 16, 2006

  Blazing your own trail History is written all around you every day. It may not be history that makes the college textbooks, but it's your history just the same. Do you make your own history? Or do you endure the life that others make for you? When you choose a direction and dedicate yourself to it, you make history. When you listen to naysayers who convince you that it can't be done, you endure history. When you set your priorities and stick to them, you make history. When you get distracted by things that you find useless, you endure it. When you decide to have a good day, you create a life you want. When you allow outside forces to dictate your mood, you get the life that's given to you. There are an infinite number of possible histories out there, waiting to be lived. Whatever your life has been up to this point doesn't matter. What counts is the history that awaits you in the future. Which do you choose?  ¶ Saturday, December 16, 2006

  Seeing the wonder in the smallest details What do you appreciate and what do you ignore? Is a sunrise any less special because its image wouldn't make it on a magazine cover? Is any day less precious because, in your mind, "nothing special" happened? For some reason, it's hard to be impressed with anything these days. Driving a car is a source of strain instead of wonder. The internet is already old news. Quick--when was the last time you paid attention to a space shuttle flight? Remember when that was all people could talk about? Once you take something for granted, you also take the life out of it. When nothing is "special," boredom and gloom aren't far behind. Look around where you're sitting right now, and try to see it for the first time, like a child would. Think about the human potential that created the stuff in the room. Think about the miracles of nature right outside your window. Think about how amazing it is that you're even here to see it.  ¶ Saturday, December 16, 2006

  The biggest obstacle to your momentum Farmers rotate different crops on the same piece of land to give the soil a rest and let it replenish nutrients. How do you replenish? How much sleep did you get last night? Two-thirds of Americans get less than the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep can set the tone for your actions for days and weeks to come, not to mention your mood and brain power. Even small amounts of lost sleep add up to a sleep debt that muddles your brain and fatigues the rest of you. The negative cycle created by sleep debt may be the #1 way people destroy their healthy lifestyle momentum. Regular amounts of good slumber set a sleeping/waking rhythm that energizes you in the daytime and relaxes you at night. The more your body gets into the rhythm of regular sleep, the more the rest of your life can find a similar, consistent rhythm. So hit the pillow and hit your stride.  ¶ Saturday, December 16, 2006

  Remembering the good times, learning from the bad Memory can be used for good or for evil. If you use your past as a source of learning, it's worth remembering. If, however, all you do is mull over your mistakes and punish yourself for your failures, it's a waste of time. Rehashing failure can paralyze you in mortal fear of making another mistake, which, of course, just makes the feeling worse and practically guarantees future letdowns. The key to making meaningful changes is to pay more attention to the future than to the past. Have you ever noticed that the best athletes also have the shortest and most selective memories? Instead of dwelling on a missed shot or a flawed dive, they concentrate on making corrections and getting the next one right. It's as if the failed attempt never happened. It's forgotten and they don't fear trying again. If you mess up, even in an epic, life-altering way, work hard to leave it behind and concentrate on the possibilities yet to come. Tomorrow is much brighter when it's not smeared with a fixation on yesterday.  ¶ Saturday, December 16, 2006

  Giving your body and mind a break For 16 hours a day, you drive your body hard. You put pressure on joints for hours on end, you expose it to who knows what kinds of germs and bacteria, you put it under major strain and stress, you demand everything it can do and some things that it can't. Let your body have the other 8 hours to itself. It's earned it. After a long day, your body needs to heal and recover. Let your muscles and joints take a break. Your immune system needs strengthened and cannot always be stretched to its limits. Your body has a way of letting you know when it's not getting the rest it needs- it wears down and feels fatigued. And eventually it breaks down. So do everything you can to pay your body back by getting a good dose of sleep. It will love you for it.  ¶ Monday, December 11, 2006

  What do you do to motivate yourself? Makes sense doesn't it? The secret to staying consistent with your goals is to stay motivated. That means finding ways to fire yourself up on a daily basis. Being inspired at a seminar, by reading a book, or while talking to a dynamic speaker is easy. But what happens when you're on your own? To follow through on that burst of motivation and reach the finish line, you need regular booster shots. Give yourself those little positive reminders that you have an important job to do and a good reason for doing it. What's pushing you? Surround yourself with visual, verbal, and physical "pep talks" that trigger that motive. It doesn't take long for dust to gather on your momentum, making your goals turn stale. A daily dose of motivation kicks off the dust before it can settle and gives you a fresh, clean start.  ¶ Sunday, December 10, 2006

  Finding fault with everything you see We all know people who just like to complain. It seems that no matter how good they have it, they're always spreading negative energy. Even the best, most painstaking listener can have trouble with someone who finds fault with everything around them. You can shine even in the worst situations if your character is strong. If you're starting to see the "dark side" too often and find yourself blaming your circumstances on other people, take another look. If you think a change of scenery will solve all your problems, think again. Change can be good. Moving on to new things can be an exciting chance to stretch yourself and break a rut. But it's important to start with yourself when you're finding things to improve. No matter where you live, work or play, the only constant is you. You can't escape yourself. Change on the outside will have no effect on your happiness or fulfillment unless you change on the inside too.  ¶ Saturday, December 09, 2006

  Knowing your role in the world Here we have one of the smartest people who ever lived, accepting the fact that he couldn't do anything alone. He understood that he could not know what he knew or do what he did without the help of others. Greatness happens when people get together and pool their strengths for each other's benefit. It happens when lessons are passed down and taken even further. Who do you know in your life that you could learn from? Do you have a hero? How can you build on the opportunities that are given to you? How will you pass your knowledge down to the coming generation? Learn your strengths and the strengths of the people around you. Find out how you can help each other achieve what you never could alone. Right now, you can be the one "seeing farther." Be the "giant with shoulders" for someone else. Either way, you'll be part of something big.  ¶ Friday, December 08, 2006

  Are you a good friend to yourself? If you met yourself, would you want to stick around and talk? Are you the kind of person others can be proud of? Hopefully you are, because that's who will be with you for your entire life. Your values and beliefs create a pretty good picture of what you want to see in the mirror. To be proud of yourself, do everything you can to make real life look like that vision. Find people that have the qualities you want and learn from them. Becoming a person you like gives you the confidence that you're someone worth being friends with. There's also a flip side to the friendship coin- you also need to cut yourself as much slack as you do your friends. You have friends because you see the good in them, not the flaws. You like them the way they are, warts and all. You enjoy their company and root for them to be happy and do their best. Look at yourself the same way. To be a good friend to yourself, accept your blemishes, while still pushing yourself to reach your full potential. Don't harp on your weaknesses. Take another look in the mirror and be kinder this time.  ¶ Wednesday, December 06, 2006

  Being a positive force in someone's life Perhaps you've seen how an upward spiral can happen as you build a healthy lifestyle. With momentum and small, but consistent, healthy actions, success comes easier and easier until results start to exceed the effort you put into it. Well, the same thing can happen when it comes to being a positive force for others. One small action leads to another, which can lead to many. Your actions may inspire others to do the same, with far-reaching results that completely outweigh that first effort. You'll probably have no idea how much of a total effect your actions will have. But that kindness will often be paid back two-, three- or even tenfold. If not from the person you helped, then from someone further down the "kindness" chain. So go try it out! Do a kind thing for the next person you meet, and see if you don't get a positive return.  ¶ Tuesday, December 05, 2006

  Becoming the person you want to be Take a look at your priorities and your goals. Where did they come from? Are they the products of soul-searching, self-analysis, and careful planning? Or are they a reaction to pressures from other people? Did you find them within yourself or within the pages of a magazine? The answers to these questions are important because they tell you if the person you're becoming is someone you want to be. Here's another way to look at a goal: do you want it, or do you just think you should want it? It's not easy to follow your own direction in life. But it's more possible than you may think. Question everything. Every priority in your life needs to justify why it's there. If you can't come up with a good reason that actually comes from YOU, maybe it doesn't belong.  ¶ Sunday, December 03, 2006

  Do you see possibilities or problems? It's been said that some of the smartest people around would make lousy entrepreneurs. How can that be? The fact is, some people are so smart they can easily see all of the problems, roadblocks, and snafus that they'll need to overcome to succeed. They can think of all kinds of reasons why their idea won't work. This knowledge can overwhelm any thoughts of possibilities or dreams. When you think of your goals, do you focus on the positives of making it happen, or the negatives of potential barriers? To reach your goals, you gotta really want them. More importantly, you gotta really believe that you can do it. Think more about why you CAN make it happen instead of why you can't. No more excuses.  ¶ Saturday, December 02, 2006

  Why "sleeping on it" is good advice Tough challenges call for clear heads. Muddled minds and sluggish skulls make bad decisions and are quick to rash reactions. For sharp thinking, nothing beats regular amounts of good sleep. Some say that your subconscious works on problems while you rest, and that's why solutions come easier in the morning. Could be. Or it could be that brain power is strongest after a good night's sleep. So instead of staying up late, you might actually get more done in the long run by going to bed instead and closing your eyes. With just a little sleep awareness, your mind can stay alert longer through the day and block out your troubles when it's time to sleep. Because if you're dragging all day, or nearly fall asleep in the afternoon, you may be causing more problems than you solve.  ¶ Friday, December 01, 2006