I’m going to propose to you that you hit exactly what you aim at.  If you aim at nothing…

I think you get the picture.  You’ve got to pick something and shoot for it to even have a chance of expecting a better life.

A few days ago I wrote about how You Need a Plan to Improve Your Life.  Of course, before you can even start on a plan, you need a target.  You’ve got to decide what you want.

This can often be one of the most difficult things to resolve.  If you are struggling with what to shoot for, then maybe I can provide some assistance.

Questions to Help You Choose a Target

What is it that you want to improve?  Is it one of these:

• Your marriage
• Your finances
• Your career
• Your grades
• Your skills in a particular area
• Your recreational time
• Your spiritual life

You might not be sure.  That’s what this article is all about.  Here are some questions to help you assess where you are and what you should shoot for to improve your life.

1.  In what area of your life are you most dissatisfied? 

It never ceases to amaze me how long people will endure circumstances that they hate.  We are not animals trapped in a cage.  We have freewill to make better choices for ourselves.  Instead of being dissatisfied, why not take positive steps to improve the situation?  If you have an area of your life that you feel is less than fulfilling, then get on a plan and shoot for something better.

2.  What makes time fly for you?

You likely have something you do on occasion that simply makes time fly for you.  It is fun, stimulating and completely absorbing.  You should aim at either spending more time doing this thing or becoming an even greater expert at it.  Why?  Because doing more of what you love is going to make you happier.  Set goals in this area and keep working toward them.

3.  What would your ideal day look like?

What is standing in the way of you and your ideal day?  Shoot for eliminating these obstacles.  Maybe you need more training or more experience or just an opportunity to prove yourself.  Think of creative ways that you can get what you need and start inching toward living every day as your ideal day.  There is no reason that you can’t get there.  It might take a little patience, but keep shooting for it and eventually you’ll hit the mark.

4.  Where can you make the biggest difference?

You have certain strengths to leverage.  Take an inventory of your strengths and look for how you can use these to make the biggest difference in your life and the lives of those around you.  If you intensely focused your unique combination of skills and experience, in what one area could you make the biggest overall difference in your life?  This is a superb place to start aiming.

5.  Is there any low hanging fruit?

Low hanging fruit is easy to pick.  In what area of your life could you easily make changes that would give you a boost in your satisfaction and happiness?  You should take a shot at a few of these easy targets.  There is nothing that says that self-improvement always has to be difficult.  Often some of the simplest changes can really add a lot of value to your life.

6.  What do your loved ones want?

I know that society today is all about me, me, me, but love is really about giving instead of receiving.  What can you do to drastically improve the lives of your family and/or loved ones?  This is an excellent way to pick a high-value target.  By improving the lives of those closest to you, you will also make your life better too.

7.  What would have the most impact 10 years from now?

I’ve written before about how important long-term thinking is to your success, but it is worth re-emphasizing.  Looking out over the horizon a few years is a fantastic way to pick an objective worthy of your aim.  What do you need to do now to prepare yourself for a brighter future?  This is one of the most common success factors among those that live the best lives.

Ready, Aim, Fire – Shoot for Results

“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”

~ Winston Churchill

If what you’ve been shooting for isn’t producing the results you desire, then maybe it is time to realign your aim.  You can use the questions above to help you find a new target.  One that will give you the happiness, fulfillment and contentment you so desire.

Which of the questions above resonates with you?  Which do you find most helpful?  Leave a comment below and let me know.

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

You hope for a better life, but do you have a plan to get there?

Hope is not a strategy.

You cannot expect the circumstances of your life to improve without a specific action plan.  A sports team would never expect to win without a game plan.  An investor would never give their money to an entrepreneur without a business plan.

Why is this so important?  Because people that win know that a good plan is crucial to success.

If you don’t have a plan, then you are just wandering through life on wishful thinking.  You hope things will improve, but without a focused strategy, what exactly do you believe is going to get you there?

A Plan Greatly Increases Your Chance of Success

I’m here to tell you that you need a plan.  A plan is like a map.  If you were in New York City and you wanted to get to Los Angeles, you wouldn’t just get in your car and start driving aimlessly now would you?  If you did, the chances that you would ever arrive in Los Angeles are slim to none.

A plan tells you how to get from where you are to where you want to be, just like a map or GPS guides you when you are traveling. If you just keep following the directions provided, it is almost certain that you will reach your desired destination. This is the value of having a plan.

“What’s the use of running if you are not on the right road?”

~ German Proverb

A plan greatly increases the probability that you will succeed.

A plan defines the specific tactics or steps you will use to achieve your desired goal.  It lays out the practical and concrete actions that you need to make your dreams a reality.

Pick a Plan and Improve Your Life

You probably know an area of your life that you’d like to improve.  You just don’t have a plan to produce the desired results.

Here’s the good news.  You don’t have to develop the plan yourself.  It is likely that a plan already exists that you can quickly and easily pick up and start using to improve your life.

You may want to:

• Improve how you handle money and discover financial freedom
• Improve the joy and intimacy in your marriage
• Improve your blog and get more readers
• Improve your overall satisfaction and fulfillment in life

Following the links above, you will find some excellent plans that will guide you step-by-step to your goals.  Yes, these plans cost a few dollars, but isn’t it worth the investment?

In most cases, for less than $20 you can get a ready-made plan that will immediately start to make a difference in your life.  I can’t think of a better way to spend twenty dollars.  You can blow that just going to a movie and walk out a couple of hours later no different than when you walked in.

A Plan Will Get You Off High-Center

If you feel stuck, confused and stagnate, then get a plan and get off high-center.  There really is no excuse for languishing where you are any longer.  There is a plan out there to improve your life in just about any area that you can imagine.  You just need to reach out and grab one, start following it and experience the difference a good plan will bring.

If you don’t see a plan above that relates to the specific area you want to improve, then there are other ways to find what you are looking for.  Here are some ideas:

• Check out my reading list – It has a ton of great books on a wide-range of helpful topics.
• Go to your local library and borrow a book – This is a terrific way to get a free plan.
• Use Google to search for a plan that focuses on your specific area of interest.
• Engage a life or career coach if you prefer a more interactive approach to building a custom plan just for you.

Ultimately, I just want to encourage you to do something.  There is absolutely no reason to continue being dissatisfied with your life.  There are just too many good plans out there that can help you.  All you have to do is take the small step of finding the right one for you.

What experience have you had using a plan to improve your life?  Please leave a comment below and let me know what has and hasn’t worked for you.

Photo: Copyright PhotoXpress.com

Do you have a positive or negative view of budgeting?

Most people hate budgets.  They think a budget will restrain them and make their lives unbearable.  Are you one of these people?  This is a very detrimental and unfortunate way to think.

How do I know?  I used to think the same way.  However, I’ve definitely changed my mind.

I’ve learned that a budget can actually improve your life. That’s right, the very thing that people despise and avoid at all costs can help them instead of hurt them.  A budget gives you financial freedom.  It doesn’t take it away.

Things I Learned Living on a Budget

Two and a half years ago, I kicked off a three-article series called Things I Learned Living on a Budget.  The articles in this series are some of the most popular on my site.

I just reread them myself and if you are really struggling with or actively resisting the idea of budgeting, then I’d highly suggest you take ten minutes and give the series a read.  I recommend this so you’ll be able to see how my own attitudes on budgeting changed fairly quickly from negative to positive.  If I can change my mind, then so can you.

I’ve lived both ways.  For the first twenty years of my adult life, I lived like everyone else without a budget.  I’ve seen both sides so therefore I’m qualified to tell you which is better.

The Ways a Budget Can Improve Your Life

Today, I’ve been using a budget to manage my money for over four years.  Obviously, my positive view of budgeting has stuck. To me, this means that it is the real deal.  If it wasn’t, I would have abandoned it because it does take a little time and effort.

Here are seven ways that a budget can improve your life:

1.  A Budget Relieves Stress

Financial stress is one of the leading causes divorce in America.  I think we’ve all experienced the tension in a household when money is tight.  A budget helps relieve this stress because it gives you back control over your finances.  It puts you in the driver’s seat.  Stress comes from anxiety about the future.  When you don’t have a budget, you don’t know if you’ll be able to meet your obligations this month or not.  With a good budget, you know exactly where you stand which reduces stress.

2.  A Budget Helps You Focus

Without a budget, no one knows where the money goes.  It is spent willy-nilly on whatever catches our eye.  A budget is a tool that allows you to prioritize and direct your money to do what you want it to do.  It was absolutely amazing to me how much I was able to accomplish financially once I started budgeting.  It is very easy to underestimate your financial strength when you don’t have a budget.  You simply do not have a tool available to focus your financial energy in any specific direction.

3.  A Budget Motivates You to Simplify

Once you start budgeting, you see exactly where your money is going.  This generally motivates people to simplify their lives because they learn that a lot of their money is being wasted on things that aren’t that important.  For example, when we started budgeting, we sold a bunch of stuff that was regularly costing us money to store, maintain and repair.  Simpler truly is better.  It also leads to less stress.

4.  A Budget Provides Freedom

Our budget gives us more freedom and not less.  It reveals when and where we have extra money to spend on the things we want.  Also, it allows us to make purchases without the guilt that was involved before.  We know we have the money so, we don’t have to feel guilty or try to hide what we are doing.  Our budget has also freed us from living with a bunch of debt.  There are a lot of reasons that living with debt BITES, but freedom tops the list and is the sweetest to savor.

5.  A Budget Makes You More Generous

As you get a handle on your finances and create some margin between what you make and what you spend, you will have more money to give to worthwhile causes of your choice.  This is one of the main reasons that we wanted to live on a budget.  It is nice to be able to help our family when they need it.  It is also rewarding to be able to give to charities and our church more generously.  A budget frees up some resources that you can then direct to greater causes.

6.  A Budget Will Make You a Better Citizen

As we started tightening our budget to reduce expenses so we could pay off debt, we discovered all kinds of ways to save that made us better citizens.  For example, we started borrowing our books from the library instead of buying them.  This converted us into supporters of our local libraries.  Also, we lowered our environmental footprint by reducing what we consume and increasing what we recycle.  A budget leads you in all kinds of better paths in life.

7.  A Budget Is Your Path to Wealth

Finally, a budget can improve your life by leading you to greater personal wealth.  You will stop paying so much interest on borrowed money and you will start investing to actually earn interest . In other words, you will put your money to work for you instead of Visa and MasterCard.  It is exciting to watch your savings grow in the bank, in your 401k and in other investments.  The best way I’ve found to make this happen is by living on a budget.

A Budget Really Will Improve Your Life

I will always budget my money from now on.  It is just a better way to live.  It offers less stress, more freedom and allows me to use my financial strength for the benefit of those I care for the most.  In my mind, living any other way is foolish, irresponsible and just plain dumb.

If you are ready to experience how a budget can improve your life, then pick up a copy of:

The Super-Charged Guide to Financial Freedom

It will explain in a simple, step-by-step way exactly how to set up your first budget.  It will also help you to make budgeting a habit that you embrace for a lifetime.  Go ahead!  Click the link and learn more.  I promise it won’t hurt.

Photo by Public Domain Photos

The steps to self-improvement are available to everyone.  You can start now and climb your way to a successful life.

You just have to decide to start climbing.  There is an overwhelming amount of material out there to guide your ascent.  However, most people out of laziness, ignorance or confusion simply stay right where they are instead of choosing to take that first step.

By reading this article, you are well beyond most people.  You are demonstrating that self-improvement interests you and you are educating yourself on how to become more successful.  I commend you and encourage you to continue your journey!

The Steps to Self-Improvement That I Use

The steps needed to improve any area of a person’s life are essentially the same.  You can follow these steps no matter what it is about yourself that you want to enhance.  Want to lose weight?  These steps will work!  Want to become better at time management?  These steps will work!  Want to get out of debt?  These steps will definitely work!

How do I know they will work?  Because I’ve used them myself to improve several areas of my life over the years.  They are the true basis of any personal development.

Here are the steps to self-improvement that I use:

1.  Realize an Area I Want to Improve

The very first step in self-improvement is to — realize an area I want to improve.  There is a lot packed into that short phrase.  Let me break it down: 

• First, I have to realize (acknowledge, conceive, grasp) there is something that needs improving.  I have to see it for myself that I need to change something for the better in my life.  This is often difficult.  I can more easily see what needs changing in others than in myself.  Just recognizing an area I want to improve in is a huge first step.
• Second, I have to narrow it down to an area (singular, specific, only).  We often try to change too much about ourselves at once.  Focus is a very important part of successful self-improvement.  I have to Isolate the one most important thing that I want to improve about myself and work on that alone.
• Third, it has to be a change that I (me, myself) want (desire, crave, yearn for).  It can’t be something that my wife or parents or friends or boss wants for me.  It has to be something that I am personally motivated to change about myself or my effort is doomed from the start.  It is often difficult to clarify this.  It is easy to confuse my desire to please others for my own motivation.  However, it is imperative for successful self-improvement that I take the time to work this out.
• Lastly, I have to be willing to improve (change, correct, adjust) this area of my life that I’ve singled out.  This usually requires that I let go of some of what I’m clinging to now and adopt new attitudes, behaviors and thinking about this area I want to improve.  Of course, this isn’t usually easy.  This is where people start talking about how to change habits, etc.  That’s why it is important to think through change carefully before trying to do it.

2.  Educate Myself on Better Behavior

The next thing I do once I pick an area that I want to improve is educate myself on how to get better.  I find books, blogs or individuals that can teach me new ways to get different and improved results. 

I remind myself that you can’t keep doing the same things you’ve always done and expect different outcomes.  Being willing to accept this new education is crucial to self-improvement. 

Initially, I tend to scoff at and reject the new ideas that I acquire through this process.  Sometimes I think they sound too hard or too time-consuming or too ridiculous.  I’ll often squirm pretty hard and rationalize until the cows come home in an attempt to talk myself out of what I’ve started.  It is kind of like how our physical bodies reject organ transplants despite the fact they are done to save our lives.

This is why it is important for me to work through each of the points in Step One above before I begin.  Without a solid basis for the why of my self-improvement, my effort would wither and die right on the vine during Step Two.

Eventually, I find something I think will work and that I can embrace.  I try not to rush it.  I give myself time to let the new ideas sink in before I ever start to attempt any real change.  Once my brain is fully marinated and has started to buy into these new ideas and only then do I move on.

3.  Decide on the New Results I Desire

Based on my new knowledge of what is possible, I envision for myself the new results I desire.  In other words, I set some goals for what I think I can accomplish by implementing the better behavior.

I hype myself up by daydreaming about what my life will be like once I get to where I want to go.  Emotional engagement is very important for me.  It is the basis for keeping myself motivated.  I have to clearly picture in my mind the ways I’ll feel better, the adoration I’ll receive and rewards I’ll experience for making the needed changes.

I try hard to be realistic here.  The danger is setting goals too high or too low.  Goals that are set too high will only lead to disappointment and discouragement.  Goals set too low aren’t generally motivating enough for me.  Hopefully, I’ve identified a trusted source in Step Two that includes guidance for what to expect once I incorporate their suggestions.  If not, I exercise my own best judgement.

Overall, I have to get myself to buy into the dream that lies just beyond the work needed to reach the promised land.  Once I have this clear picture in my head, then I’m ready to set out on this new adventure!

4.  I Start Slowly Incorporating Change

I’m a big believer in the baby step approach to change.  I like to slowly ramp up from where I am to where I want to be so I don’t frighten my brain and send it into panic mode.

I begin by weaning myself off my old behavior that didn’t work while substituting the new behavior that I think will work.  I pick the new behavior that appeals to me the most as the place to start.  A few early wins usually help me to get traction.

I like to have a written plan to follow.  For me, this usually isn’t my own written plan, but one that I’ve found documented by someone else in a book or on a blog.  I’ll sometimes customize their plan, but mostly I try to trust their advice because this is uncharted territory for me.

I work my way through the trusted baby steps over days, weeks and months.  At first, the new behaviors are sometimes difficult, sometimes awkward and sometimes uncomfortable, but if I stick with them they usually become second nature very soon.

After a month or so, I look back and realize I’m doing things differently than what I did before!

5.  I Evaluate the New Results

Finally, once I come to the realization that my new behavior has taken hold, I take a step back and evaluate the results that I’m getting.  I ask myself things like:

• Am I getting different results than I was before I started this new behavior?
• Are the results I’m getting a true improvement over what I was getting before?
• Are the new results (if there are any) worth the effort?
• Are there any changes I can make to get better results?

One pitfall I look out for is change that doesn’t produce any new or better results.  This is not self-improvement.  It is simply a different way to achieve the same or a similar outcome.  Our minds are tricky little devices and they can often woo us into thinking we are changing when we aren’t really.  I try to guard against this by being objective about answering the questions above and by gauging my outcomes against my original expectations.

If things are better, then I’ve successfully accomplished the self-improvement desired.  If they aren’t any better, then it is time to make adjustments and try again.  Sometimes, it takes a long time to find just the right recipe to get the results I really want.  Other times, I find I’m realizing better results in just a few days. 

The key is to be able to step outside yourself and think logically about the process without letting yourself get sucked down into the quicksand of despair.  Also, I highly encourage you to reward yourself along the way.  I celebrate my victories and milestones in small, but meaningful ways.  It helps me stay focused.

These Steps to Self-Improvement Work Every Time

These steps have worked for me in a wide variety of situations.  I think they’ll work for you too.  They are universal.  Apply these steps to whatever it is you want to improve in your life and you’ll be stepping up to a better life in no time!

What did I miss?  Is there something I can do to improve these steps?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

Photo by eperales

Recently, I wrote in one of my Smart Living Rules that love is a verb.  Real love is how you act toward someone.  In marriage, it is asking, “What can I do today to make my spouse’s life better and show them my love?”

The answer to this question doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or time-consuming.  We often overcomplicate love.  This stymies us and gets us nowhere.  Therefore, today I thought I’d offer you some simple ways to express your love.

50 simple acts of love to improve your marriage

Give this list to your spouse and ask them to mark the ones that would make them feel loved.  This list will act as inspiration for them so, ask them to please add to the list other things that come to their mind as they go along.

Once they’ve done this for you, then pick at least one item off the list a day and do it whether you feel like it or not.  The more you do, the more love you will feel for your spouse and the more love they will feel for you.  This will improve your marriage!

1.  Sit on the same piece of furniture together.

2.  Hold hands while watching T.V.

3.  Stop on the way home from work and buy his/her favorite treat.

4.  Ask your spouse out on a date and schedule it right then.

5.  Kiss your spouse when you leave or enter the room they are in.

6.  Call them at work just to say you were thinking of them.

7.  Ask how their day was and really listen to their answer.

8.  Watch football with him this weekend.

9.  Give up watching the game to go do something with her.

10.  Go shopping with her this weekend.

11.  Give up shopping to go do something with him.

12.  Read a book together and discuss it.

13.  Enroll in a class together.

14.  Create a special playlist of romantic songs for your spouse.

15.  Send your spouse flowers at work.

16.  Write your spouse a love note.

17.  Tell her that she is beautiful.

18.  Tell him that he is very good at what he does.

19.  Go for a walk together and hold hands.

20.  Make your spouse breakfast.

21.  Clean up by yourself after dinner.

22.  Compliment your spouse in front of others and while you are alone.

23.  Go camping together.

24.  Plan a surprise weekend away together.

25.  Be the first to say you are sorry and forgive them quickly when they make a mistake.

26.  Light a candle at dinner.

27.  Give your spouse an hour alone just to themselves.

28.  Take them to a nice lunch on a weekday.

29.  Give them a massage that doesn’t lead to anything else.

30.  Leave a rose on her windshield at work.

31.  Greet your spouse at the door with a hug and kiss.

32.  Go dancing with your spouse.

33.  Go outside and stare at the stars together.

34.  Snuggle up together and stay that way for at least 15 minutes.

35.  Do something out of the ordinary together.

36.  Be especially affectionate with touches and kisses all day.

37.  Ask your spouse about their goals.

38.  Leave a sweet comment on their Facebook wall.

39.  Buy them a small gift for no particular reason.

40.  Do their least favorite chore for them.

41.  Take their car and get it washed.

42.  Offer your spouse the chance to go out with their friends guilt-free.

43.  Take your spouse to their favorite place to eat.

44.  Take a day off to spend with them.

45.  Take the kids to a babysitter and spend a romantic night at home.

46.  Wait on them hand and foot for the day.

47.  Turn off all other distractions and just talk to your spouse.

48.  Do that one thing with your spouse that you’ve always resisted doing.

49.  Tell them, “I love you” at least twice a day.

50.  Pray out loud together.

Simple acts of love can make a big improvement in your marriage

These simple acts can make a big difference if they are done with a willing heart and a good attitude.  Some of the ones that your spouse chooses may make you uncomfortable.  Those are probably the ones that will improve your marriage the most.  Real love will push you outside your comfort zone to make a big statement to your spouse.

Here’s a bonus.  The 51st simple act is to follow-through by giving your spouse this list and asking them to mark the ones they like.  What are you waiting for?  A great marriage is just around the corner!

Which of these do you think your spouse would most enjoy?

Photo by JLStricklin

Striving for excellence is an essential part of smart living.  Why?  Because, in life, you reap what you sow.  It is a basic law.  You can’t plant weeds and expect corn to grow.

When we put our best foot forward in everything we do, then life rewards us accordingly.  It may not be immediate or exactly what we expected, but I am convinced that striving for excellence gets you a lot further than the alternative.

If you do what successful people do, then you will achieve success.  This is smart living.  On the other hand, if the results you are getting in your life are less than satisfactory, then you know you need to make a change.  Sow excellence and you will reap excellent results!

What does striving for excellence look like?

Excellence exceeds people’s expectations.  In a world of mediocrity, excellence makes you stand out in the crowd.  It is putting your best foot forward in all that you do.  Excellence is evident in the fruit it produces.

Look at your life.  What results are you getting?  As I stated above, you get back exactly what you put in.  Are you planting weeds or corn?

Think about the results you are producing in the following arenas of your life:

• Your marriage
• Your children
• Your career
• Your friendships
• Your physical health
• Your spiritual life

Are you getting the results you want and desire in each of these?  You might be planting corn in one place, but weeds in another.

What if I were to look at your home or your desk?  Would it be self-evident that you strive for excellence in all you do?  Is it time to clean up a few areas of your life?

Have the common excuses for not pursuing excellence become a trap for you in your life?  Don’t let them continue to rob you of the success and superior results that you desire!

Strive for excellence and the world will become your oyster!  You can begin to strive for excellence in all these areas starting today!

A pitfall to avoid on your path to excellence

I’d like to offer one word of caution before we look at some ways to get started striving for excellence.  There is a trap that you can fall into if you aren’t careful while pursuing excellence.

The trap is called perfection.

Perfectionism is an evil mutation of striving for excellence.  A perfectionist is often a control freak that clubs people over the head trying to reach some flawless ideal in details that often don’t even matter.  They are focused on the external without regard for how much they hurt others along their path to getting what they want.

In striving for excellence, there is a balance.  Yes, I want to do things the right way, but not at the expense of all the people around me including myself.  There is a point where things are “good enough” because the work required to produce better isn’t worth the toll it would take upon me and the others in my life.

If you think you might be a perfectionist or a control freak (they are usually one in the same really), then read my article about becoming a control freak to see if it fits.  If so, then stop it!

Assignment: Start striving for excellence in life today!

In each of my rules for smart living, I am outlining some assignments to help you get started.  These are practical things that you can do to help yourself start practicing what I preach!

Here are the smart living assignments for this rule:

1.  Learn more about how to strive for excellence in your life

If you’ve read this far, then you are probably the kind of person that really wants to put excellence to work in your life.  I congratulate you!  The vast majority of people have long since moved on to easier reading.

You are likely already a top achiever that wants even more out of life.  That’s great!  Let me offer you some additional material on striving for excellence that will help you reach even higher.

Here are four other articles I wrote on striving for excellence.  I think you will find them useful:

• Striving for Excellence
• Gaining Perspective Helps to Achieve Excellence in Life
• Striving for Excellence: Quotes That Will Guide and Inspire
• Striving for Excellence: Quotes You Should Live By

I really believe there is some fantastic value in reading each of these articles.  They will fire you up about seeking excellence in your life!

2.  Make a plan to start striving for excellence

Do you agree with me that striving for excellence is smart living?  If so, then why not take action to start having a more excellent life today?  Here is some guidance to help you get started!

1. Identify the opportunities to improve- Think about the people in your life (your spouse, your children, your boss, etc.) as customers.  Who do you need to start serving in a more excellent manner to improve your life and theirs?
2. Define what excellence looks like- Once you’ve listed the people in your life that you need to serve with excellence, then talk to them and find out what they want or need from you.  Build a clear picture of what it would take to exceed their expectations!
3. Start taking steps toward your vision – Make a list of the specific things you can start doing today to achieve excellence based on the input you receive from your talks.  Take action and live an excellent life!  People will notice.

Make striving for excellence in all you do a habit.  Let people know that they can count on you for a job well done and a live well-lived!

Striving for excellence will get you on the path to smart living!

Start sowing excellence and the harvest you reap will increase tenfold!  You will experience increases and windfalls in your life greater than you ever expected.  Let excellence spill over into every area of your life.  No matter how messed up or hopeless the situation may seem, striving for excellence will turn things around!

Follow this link to discover all the rules for Smart Living.

Photo by Noël Zia Lee

There’s some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can’t every day be just this good?
~ Travis Tritt

Are you aware of all that you have going for you?

If you read or watch the news too often, you might start to think that the deck is stacked against you.  It seems like we are up against insurmountable odds.  At present, according to the media, it would seem that Armageddon is just around the corner ushered in by one or more of the following:

• Our Crazy Economy
• Craigslist Killers
• Republicans
• The Swine Flu

Being grateful is the antidote for all the fear and anxiety that is prevalent right now.

Being grateful for the things we have in our favor

Contrary to what these naysayers would lead you to believe, I think we have a ton of reasons to have hope.  We just need to take a little time to count up what we have going for us. 

I’ll offer the following list of things that leave me feeling very grateful.  I believe these things are all we need to recover from anything we may face.

1.  I woke up and had the strength to get out of bed this morning.

This is where it all begins.  As long as I wake up in the morning, I have the power to make a difference in my life and the lives of others.  If I can get up, then all the better.  The only thing holding me back from there is my own fears and limited thinking.

2.  I have good people that support and encourage me.

I am fortunate enough that I have people in my life that want me to succeed.  My family and friends love me and cheer me on to victory every day.  Knowing they are behind me and rely on me inspires me to always reach for more.

3.  I ate yesterday and today and I’m likely to eat again tomorrow.

Not everyone is as fortunate as I am to have the basic necessities of life so readily available.  Many do not even have clean drinking water!  I don’t have to be concerned about where my next meal is coming from which frees me up to pursue greater things.

4.  I have a sound mind with which to imagine a better tomorrow.

Hope starts with your imagination.  Picturing in your mind where you want to be a week, month or year from now is the beginning of what it takes to formulate a plan.  I am fortunate enough that I can clearly envision the path to where I want to go.

5.  I have the personal freedom to choose my actions and reactions.

No matter what the circumstances, I choose my reaction.  I can decide to make the best of it.  Regardless of my government, my health, my financial situation or even if I am in prison, I decide whether I am free.  My attitude is the biggest limitation I face.

These five essentials are all we need to improve our lives

I am grateful for the things I listed above.  I believe they are all I really need to start to improve my life.  Fortunately, I am starting with so much more!  How about you?  Where are you at?  Do you have the things listed above?  If so, then you have plenty of reason to hope for a better future!

Be grateful and count your blessings regularly.  We take so many things for granted!  We are not powerless.  There is plenty of reason to have hope.  Practicing gratefulness is a great way to restore your belief in tomorrow!

What are you grateful for in your life?

Photo by JAIRO BD

BOLT is about a dog that is raised on the set of an action-packed television show.  He believes he really has the superpowers to do the things he does on the show.  He’s never known any other life.  Of course, when he is accidentally shipped to New York City away from Hollywood, he discovers he’s just a regular dog.

Five Lessons from Disney movie BOLT to improve your life

I truly enjoyed BOLT.  It was entertaining and it had some good messages that I think can benefit our lives.  Here are the lessons I took away:

1.  We do not need superpowers to do great things in life

BOLT was forced to face the fact that he was just a regular dog.  He didn’t have any superpowers.  This was a hard reality for him to accept, but one that he had to swallow if he was going to accomplish his goal.

We also want so badly to believe that there is a secret formula to success in life.  Well, there are no superpowers.  Success is earned through hard work and excellence. 

The sooner we accept this, the more likely it is that we will accomplish great things in our careers, finances and families.  Real success takes time and determination!

2.  The way we perceive life is not always consistent with reality

BOLT had to wake up to a harsh reality.  For the first time in his life, he felt pain and hunger because he was no longer living in a fantasy world.  This new reality seemed overwhelming and made him want to give up.

Often, life throws us a curve ball that makes us realize something we’ve always believed in simply isn’t true.  We come face-to-face with reality and sometimes it isn’t pretty.  These situations are tough to deal with when they arise. 

However, just as BOLT discovered, when you press through the hard times, you often find something better on the other side. 

3.  We have to commit ourselves to a purpose to persevere

The thing in the movie that kept BOLT going was his love for “his person”.  He believed that he needed to get back to Hollywood to rescue her from the evil villain.  His commitment to this purpose was the driving force behind his courage.

We all need a purpose bigger than ourselves to help us persevere through The Dip.  BOLT was able to keep going because he loved “his person” and thought she was in true danger. 

Is the cause you’re fighting for worthy of the sacrifice it demands?  If not, then maybe it is time to move on.

4.  We need our friends and loved ones even if they are a ragtag bunch

In the movie, BOLT made friends with an alley cat named Mittens and a hilarious hamster named Rhino.  They both were unlikely allies, but they helped BOLT achieve his goals.

In the same way, we need others to help us along our way toward success.  Yes, our group may look a little different than what we imagined, but that doesn’t matter.  We all have our baggage that we bring into relationships.

The key is to recognize and value the relationships we have.  These people have committed themselves to being our friends and loved ones.  I have had to fallback on my family and friends more than once so, I can testify that good relationships are essential.

5.  There is a lot to enjoy even in a normal life

BOLT had always lived an extraordinary life on the television show as a super-hero dog.  He had to be taught that there is a lot of great things to enjoy in life as just a regular dog.  He had to learn about simple pleasures.

We often get trapped on the treadmill of striving to obtain and achieve more.  However, it is often the simplest things that give the most meaning to life. 

We need to realize that life is passing us by.  We need to drink deeply of everyday life.  It holds the true joy.

Following BOLT’s example will improve your life!

In the end, BOLT was able to embrace his new reality and accomplish a great feat.  He found “his person” and saved her from near doom.  In the process, he made some lifelong friends and began to enjoy living as a regular dog. 

What more could we possibly want out of life?  Oh yeah, BOLT lived happily ever after.

THE END!

Photo by ?Karen?-celebfan-lz215?