where and when

Where and when they are time and place. How, what, and why these are the phrases that create our future, that shape our destiny.

When we are young we are asked what we want to be. As we get older, when we tell people what it is that we are going to do! they ask us how? hopefully, you had that one figured out. You must of had some sort of vision or purpose to what you were doing.

What about your why? did you know yours?
For most of us that’s easy, the money, I work for the money; money is my why for working.
No wonder money isn’t everything is a common saying or the love of money is the root of all evil.

What is the love of money anyway? Money is a tool. Do you love the tool or what the tool accomplishes? Although I do know a few carpenters that sleep with there hammers and I always cuttle up with my S.C.U.B.A tanks. And of course money is not everything; There’s aslo real estate, precious metals, jewels, stocks, cars, etc…

Money is a tool. Why do we aquire any tool. First, we have a need or a vision which serves as a purpose then we aquire the tool then action puts the tool to use.
When we do use money as our why; when do we stop? How much is enough? Carpenters have several different hammers, mechanics have all sorts of wrenches; even they have a limit on the tools needed.

I am not saying that you need to put a limit on the tools, hardly. I am asking you to expand your vision. If you want to be happy is simply being happy good enough, or do you like to spread the joy. The mechanic will run out of wrenches that he needs, luckily for him there is a whole range of tools for different jobs that he can learn to do.

Let us try something. Let us think about where we want to be at a certain time. What type of life do you want to live on a day to day? what is it that your creative self would like to accomplish? Don’t be shy, think about it, believe it. We were put here in this wonderful place with these amazing super computers called brains. “That’s all well and good but I don’t know how” Zig ziglar has a saying; If your why is big enough then the how does not matter.

One can live life like Forest Gump; “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know which one your going to get.” Or you can choose to go at life with vision and purpose, choosing which chocolate we would like to try, have a bite, take a taste, If it dosen’t resonate with you toss it grab another.

Which way do you live, do you simply except what life gives you no matter how bad it tastes or do you have a plan of action, short and long term goals that keep you moving forward each day.

To quote the master zig Ziglar; “if you do the things you ought to do when you ought to do them, then there will be a day when you can do the things tha you want to do when you want to do them.” We all grow up having dreams. As we get older we start to see all of the opportunity around us. With no vision time starts to slip away from us, our direction, may get lost in the wind simply going about our day to day. Too quote many of the greats (including zig) “We do not lack time, we lack motivation, action, discipline, determination, and persistance.”

Get out there, it’s a big world, read, observe, socialize. Become a scientist use your life as the labratory. Is there something that you have always wanted to learn, to do or try – a place in particular that you want to travel, an idea that is burning in your brain, write it down, plan it have clear definite aim, just do it. (ps yes thats a bundle of quotes of various sources)

Do some soul searching, find out who you are, what level of success do you need to achieve? Which steps do you need to get there?

My why is simply this: I must keep pushing for those who can’t, I am here becaue others pushed doors open for me. It is them that I strive for. The people that need help is why I won’t surrender.

Where are you happy, be there. If your why is strong enough; how is irrelevant. What; that’s up to you. When; look around you, your here. Experience your life, live in the moment, know your why.

First, a little background of the situation that I’m in. Two months ago I left my safe secure job as a commercial diver on the salmon farms.  I was doing a camp shift five days on and two days off.  As you can imagine that left little time for my 13 year old daughter or my wife.  The pay was good, but with all of the expenses we were just barely breaking even.  My dive medical was out of date and I had been wearing a very leaky “dry suit” for the past year, all my other gear was also due for servicing as well, my car is falling apart and I had procrastinated on getting a simple oil change for I don’t know how long.

My first week off we went to the city of Vancouver, BC, that’s where are family is, and there was a little business to attend too.  I don’t think I got anything done but it was a nice time with my closest friends and family and I got a lot of advice.

O.k I am set to get to work I said.  The next week it was time to see my mom in Victoria.  It’s O.k I thought I will just bring my books with me and study while I am down there.  Did I forget that I never could accomplish anything around my parents?  And the next week, well, camping season is almost over, I will be able to get some good reading done then.  What was I thinking? we invited my daughters friends, between driving everyone, making sure everybody was having fun, and the noise; peaceful reading time was non existent.  O.k so three weeks down that’s not too bad, where did the last six weeks go, what have I been doing with my time. I know this one! some call it fighting fires.  I have to make sure my daughter gets where she needs to be, do the shopping, the organizing, and sense the stress starts to build yes, the fighting as well. what does that accomplish I ask you? This one I can answer after 6 weeks of experiencing it, nothing, it accomplishes absolutely nothing.

When I was out at work I picked up a book every free moment, there was no computer or gadgets, so it was the books, I didn’t always have to be completely productive with my time, I still got paid. At home however I have not mastered the ability to be completely productive, my computer skills are lacking, my procrastination skills are top notch. I understand through studying the mindsets and the thought process that is needed to accomplish success, the doing, however, when the bills keep coming, when the family has another emergency problem, the doing, that is another story.

A lot of the time our problems come from our thoughts, e.g I said I am going to fall on my face in a speech contest and that is exactly what I did.  I looked as myself as not a good leader; lots to learn, nobody is going to want what I offer; and you know what happens exactly that, however, the only place that happened is in my mind, when I started to listen what others were saying about me (except my daughter of course) that is not the perception of me they got at all.

I find I write notes to my self and affirmations and such, they seem to actually cause me pain when I don’t accomplish them, there seems to be a barrier, that stops me from seeing all that I can be.  It has no problems in thinking about getting back into the diving industry, or the mining or some other job that I would hate, it has no problem with those options.

Please do not misunderstand me here I have had my share of both shitty and good jobs.  It’s not that I am unwilling to work, I love work, however, I have only done one type and that’s being a laborer and the biggest problem with that is not the work it is the mindset, it is the aggravating boredom of  having to be there, and what happens when we are constantly thinking negative thoughts, that’s right, they become the action. Instead of going home inspired full of vigorous energy, we go home tired and depressed, instead of a can do attitude it is definitely a can’t do attitude.

What’s the secret? well I don’t know that now, now do I or I would not be writing this, but I do know one thing, that writing this feels awesome like it’s one more step in the right direction, will it solve my money problems or stop my daughter from being 13? of course not.  However it is one small step to finding my passions to believing that I can live life on my own terms. will there be lots of trial and error? of course, when did we start looking at that as a bad thing.

One thing that I know is that our feeling create our thoughts and our thoughts create our actions.  I’m sure it’s a bit more complicated then that.  Let’s give it a shot for one week, let us only think positive things about ourselves.  Let’s plan our activities with only things that can get us one step further to our goal, and let the world see, what little ol’ wee can accomplish.

Go forth my friends let us conquer.

the um ah rant

 have been learning about the marketing industry for about a year now.

Here’s the biggest problem I see. There are way too many ums and ahs when it comes too information, way too many.  I am subscribed too this great program with great information, however, the amount of ums and ahs and thinking that I have to listen too, to get the information, quite frankly, gives me a headache, and the biggest problem with that is I can’t concentrate on the other things that enjoy doing.

Another problem I have is everything is so spread out, how much time in the day do we spend logging in and logging out all of the different platforms and websites. Are these not all forms of distractions that take our time, money and, energy, and is it really necessary.

When we pay for a program, why must they put up the sales call, cannot they be professionals about it and clean it up, give us the guts, k if its free or cheap then I understand, no I still don’t.  Why would leaders give such crumby service why must we listen to them blunder. why do us amateurs hesitate so much when the guys out there doing it are simply putting it out there, and call it passion.

My point is this 1) simply take action you probably already know enough or know where to find out 2) as leaders can we take a more professional approach to our business. 3) you may be the best in your niche, I still don’t wan to listen to you umm or ahh. 4) Be a leader join toastmasters or at least polish your recording  to avoid frying our brains so that we can be more productive.

a view of commitment

What is commitment? Do we really commit? Or is it something we just say? I know of countless projects that I have “committed” too and have just never completed.  Does that mean that I am not really committed to it can that project, maybe!
Commitment can come from two things: 1. it can be forced on us as in school or jail
2. Or it can come from decisive decision to do whatever it was that one committed too which takes discipline.

People talk all that time “oh he’s not committed he just does not get things done”  ”she just won’t honor her commitment.

Commitment too me is a vast subject, and I am committed to write this weather I like it and agree with it or not. Committed is not a fun word, I don’t believe it’s a positive word, it can produce positive results through positive action, but when in the world would we ever say oh, I’m committed with a big smile on our faces.

When we talk about people who are committed what are we talking about? Number 1 in the dictionary for the word commit means to do something wrong, bad, or illegal.  Number 3 for commitment in the dictionary sais a commitment is an engagement or duty that restricts freedom of action.  The word committal means the sending of someone to prison or psychiatric hospital, or for trial. the other meaning is the burial of a corpse.  Do these definitions sound positive to you? not to me. Why would any body commit to anything.

What is commitment? Do we really commit? Or is it something we just say? I know of countless projects that I have “committed” too and have just never completed.  Does that mean that I am not really committed to it can that project, maybe!

Commitment can come from two things: 1. it can be forced on us as in school or jail
2. Or it can come from decisive decision to do whatever it was that one committed too which takes discipline.

People talk all that time “oh he’s not committed he just does not get things done”  ”she just won’t honor her commitment.

Commitment too me is a vast subject, and I am committed to write this weather I like it and agree with it or not.  Committed is not a fun word, I don’t believe it’s a positive word, it can produce positive results through positive action, but when in the world would we ever say oh, I’m committed with a big smile on our faces.

When we talk about people who are committed what are we talking about? Number 1 in the dictionary for the word commit means to do something wrong, bad, or illegal.  Number 3 for commitment in the dictionary sais a commitment is an engagement or duty that restricts freedom of action.  The word committal means the sending of someone to prison or psychiatric hospital, or for trial. the other meaning is the burial of a corpse.  Do these definitions sound positive to you? not to me.  Why would any body commit to anything?

intention

what is it about intention that gets in our way?  I intended to do all sorts of things that for some reason I can never get done.  I intended to write more, read more, learn another language, the desire is there, isn’t that enough.  The greats talk about a burning desire that’s our force that we can achieve anything if our desire is strong enough. Does desire and intent create action or resistance. That burning desire that the great Napolean Hill writes about, what is it without direction.

As I write this I am simply writing, I keep thinking to myself to stop and research a little more get into the nitty gritty of think and grow rich. Is that the action of simply being busy, it’s wonderful to learn and to get involved with our passions, is there a limit though?  Yes, I believe there is.  We must get our work done first.  As creative individuals we have a duty, an honor a code to uphold, and that is to create. while you are in the creative mode let your muse take over, we can re-write or correct later.  When we simply sit down like I am doing here the idea process flows its coming to me at such a rapid pace, the intensity is exciting and my only wish is that my ogerish fingers good keep up with my overzealous imagination.

So with that I encourage you to sit down every morning, write from the heart, do your work, find time to do the corrections later, make time to study the greats write notes, take action, if your anything like me you learn by doing and you need to jump in, there countless videos, webinars, and such and even though they may teach us something, are they merely a distraction from the work that we could be doing.  Zig Ziglar has a saying;  ”we must learn to say no to the good so that we can say yes to the best”.

How do we know whats best, do not over think this, go with your gut, your intuition, turn off the noise listen, to what your mind and body tell you.  When we are going with the flow of the universe life is easy, it’s not difficult, and the precious gifts and moments in our life simply show up.

And with that I wish you a great night, my stomach is rumbling and eating is what would feel good at this moment.

So There I Was

 So there I was on our dive boat with my two workmates nicknamed Chewbaka and E.T.
Chewbaka was named after the wookie in star wars, after a few beer he's simply the Wookie.
I think it would be a great comic book; super girl meets the Sasquatch The creation of super wookie.
Although T has a quite a few nicknames it was I who named him E.T.  One day we were sitting on the boat sunbathing I mean working. I was looking down at my feet and for some reason out came, "Man, I have ugly feet",  him being a good friend responded with "there not so bad check out mine."  Mistakenly, I looked then stared I was staring at toe's that looked like mini E.T's, right there I started cracking up "I am never talking about my feet again", I giggled. His face went red and shouted at least I'm not a hobbit.  "True", I said. "Hey, E.T. Go Home.  After that the crew became the wookie, E.T. and the Hobbit, sitcom I think so.

  So there we were at work on the work boat at least.  We were sitting in the straight.  Yes, we were getting paid.  No, I don't remember which straight we were in;  Oh yeah it's coming back to me. Do you know that straight, the one with water going through two pieces of land, that is covered in trees, mountains in the distance, whirlpools everywhere, waves crashing, logs floating, salmon swimming, dolphins surfing, killer whales eating, sea lions on the rocks, bears on the beach and eagles in the trees.  Do you know that straight?  No, well that one.

  There we were with our long lines out beer in hand fishing for halibut.  Well, I had a beer in hand and a video camera in the other. They were fishing I was taping.  That day was a little different for us.  Apparently we had lost a bet. I didn't even know we had a bet going, except at the gas dock we were handed four dresses and were told that we lost the bet.  So, there we were fishing in dresses.

The wookie as captain got first pick; he chose the nice lime green one.  ET grabbed the neon orange one, and yes that left me in the oh so pretty hot pink one.  The fourth dress the violet one was raised as our flag.

  So there I was video taping the whirlpools, the waves, the logs, the dolphins eating the salmon, the killer whales playing with a seal, the sea lions baking from the rock, the scavenger bear on the beach , the eagles swooping and my two friends looking oh so pretty fishing in dresses.  
Do you know that straight the one

Defining My Demon Monkey

 Here it comes, I feel it, that sensation, anxiousness, I am fighting for a breath, a chance to be happy, to be free.

 ahhh, I had him right where I wanted him.  Why did he have to join Toastmasters, I had him, He loved that anxious feeling, bouncing off the walls, he did not realize that he was procrastinating.  His ego blew up others perceived him as arrogant.  Sure, he read lots, however, it was of anxiousness.  It was not calm and collective, he was not able to keep a positive state that is until...

 whoa, where did those angry words come from, why is there this dark cloud hanging over me.  What is that feeling that causes me to struggle, wait, did someone just talk through me, is that Guido I feel coming out to play.

  For those who don't know, Guido, is my demon monkey, he's the procrastination side of me.  The one who stops me from moving up, some would say he's my alter ego, I say he's just my ego that comes out to keep me off track...

  That's enough out of you, this guy all he does is blame, he's the one who does not commit, and so what if I give him a little boost, so he can move forward.  If it was not for me he'd  sit and dwell on how he's not good enough.  And do you know what he isn't.  He won't succeed.  So I give him a little euphoria to keep him happy.  What's the harm in that I ask you?

 Will you listen to him, telling me I am not capable, commitment, that may be an issue, maybe it's just that i cannot stand holding still.  I am learning though, it's like Zig Ziglar sais "If you do the things you ought to do today; then there will be a day when you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them."

  Do you know that feeling where you know what you have to do but things keep getting in your way, when your list of prioritize just keep getting bigger and never seem to go away.  Are people around you telling you to focus on just one thing, but they all need to be done.  That feeling of a weight on your shoulders that keeps you pinned down.  Did you know your demon monkey causes that? that it's job.  To keep our muse quiet so that we stay with what's familiar, so that we stay in our comfort zone.

  I for one refuse to listen I am fighting back, as positively as possible, I will keep learning, I will keep moving forward...

 Not if I have anything to do with it;  are you not tired yet; go to bed.  See he usually listens, he feels tired, he goes to bed, planning on finishing tomorrow. The key however is to start, to start each day because for one; tomorrow never comes and for two I have got a whole list of obstacles for him tomorrow.

  My demon monkey Guido loves to apply pressure, pressure causes procrastination by providing distractions.  One way to beat Guido here is to be focused, have a strong commitment a set of short, medium, and long term goals.  When you are studying make sure you are centered this will ensure that you don't have to read or listen 100 times to get the message.  Another way our demon monkey's get us; is when we enter the realm of negativity; this is there playground.  This could be negative talk, arrogance, cynicism, or blaming others; Again negativity can mean different things to different people. A trick that I learned is to wear an elastic band when you have a negative thought, simply snap it, you will quickly learn to think only positive thoughts.  If you find yourself saying I SHOULD simply change it to I WILL.  I HAVE to switches too I CHOOSE too and yeah but!  Well get rid of that one completely switch to Jeffrey Gitomer's patented YES! attitude. So this one has me all figured out; pretty soon there will be no more Guido, I am not ready for demon monkey heaven, any of you need a spare, no, I guess not.  The problem isn't only you, it's the books, videos, internet, and it's cheap.  Did you know for a few dollars in late one can get a great education at the public library.  Oh well I still have one trick up my sleeve, and that's arrogance, I'll just wait till there's a few more dollars in his pocket and his head swells a bit. thank you.