Money Back Guarantee

"If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster." -Clint Eastwood

Have you seen the television commercials that advertise the most amazing products ever known to mankind? And for a limited time only, they are the most amazing thing you will ever want to have. There are products that can clean the dirtiest rug and make it look new. There are others that can make your teeth look like sparkling white porcelain for only ten dollars.

Still other products will endow bald men a full set of youthful hair, give you an amazing sex life and promise you the body of a well-toned 20-year old. For the kitchen you can purchase gadgets to make you as good as any famous chef. In the garage, there are car additives to turn your 1988 Mazda into a gleaming new BMW. And what about all of those doctor-approved items that will make your baby boy or girl smart?

Some of these products are great, others are ridiculous in their claims while others are just over-hyped. Many of these commercials come with the guarantee of 100% satisfaction or they will give you your money back.

Wouldn't it be great if I could give you that same guarantee that you will have a great life by staying positive?

I enjoyed watching that spokesperson Billy Mays. He was a high energy and very convincing sales pitch man for many products. The belief he had selling all of those products seemed very real. He was very successful at it and every pitch came with that same 100% money-back guarantee. I just wish I could make that same "100% Money Back Guarantee".

Life and all it throws at us simply does not provide any such guarantee. We have only one life to live and live it the best way we can. You go through it trying to enjoy each day of it. Living positively will set you up for opportunity and greatness that may or may not ever arrive. But the journey is the greatness of your life. That is the part you should enjoy and those things that do come to you will be even more enjoyable.

Dream big things and act upon those dreams. Go in search of the dream and let life unfold in front of you. The only guarantee that I can give you is that life will reveal itself to you in many different (and unexpected) ways. Take each of them and enjoy.

Stay inspired my friends.

Random Thoughts - 09/28/2012

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." -Albert Einstein

Today I have random thoughts to express and hopefully you will get a little something from each one.

You say its your birthday!

Well, as the song goes, "Happy birthday to you!" It is my brother Jim's birthday today. I'm not sure if he is working today or relaxing with a nice cold beer. What I do know is that I'm proud to look up to him as my brother. I admire what he has accomplished in life, his wonderful wife and beautiful kids and grandkids.

A most happy birthday to you Jim!

What is your will?

This morning my wife and I were privileged to attend a breakfast meeting in which the talented Jan Overton, Attorney at Law spoke. We learned of those things many of us refuse to talk about; wills, estate planning and trusts. What do those that remain do once we are gone?

WILL you make those plans today, because it WILL be too late once you are gone.

Can we get back to more important things now?

It is finally over. The National Football League owners have settled a contract dispute with the NFL Referees Association. After weeks of fans, analysts and the world coming to an end due to replacement referees, the professional ones are back on the field. The economy, job growth, worries of terrorism and general mayhem took a back seat while we all gnashed our teeth over a few bad calls.

I understand sports are a distraction for many from our real problems. But let us never forget, even with all of the money involved, it is still just a sports game.

Have a great weekend everyone and above all, stay inspired!

Focus and Focus More

"We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right." -Marianne Williamson

In 1890, an American psychologist and philosopher by the name of William James wrote a textbook called Principles of Psychology. In it he remarked:

“Everyone knows what attention is. It is the taking possession by the mind, in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. Focalization, concentration, of consciousness are of its essence. It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state which in French is called distraction, and Zerstreutheit in German."

So my interpretation of his writings is that focus or attention is the ability to ignore or put of of mind everything else except for a narrowly defined subject or idea. We each do this from time to time in our work day, in our relationships, and in many other aspects of our lives.

Focus can be highly focused on singular subjects or generalized on broader things in life. You could focus on being more positive in life as opposed to being negative about things. That is a very generalized focus put on your life. Your focus could be on a specific task or goal that is all consuming to the exclusion of everything else.

The importance with either type can be illustrated in a story.

A man that I know had become very involved in the hobby of model trains. He became very impassioned with trains, so much that he built a large set in his basement. It had multiple rail lines, various levels and multiple train engines.

His train model set was so intricate that he could run multiple train engines on the same track, each timed to pass and bypass each other in the appropriate siding locations. But he indicated to me one day that "if I allow myself to get distracted, my trains will run into each other."

Without some level of focus in your life, your own trains may come crashing into each other. Find your level of focus and tune out the distractions that do not matter. Achieve your goals with focus, achieve great relationships with focus, achieve your best life with focus.

Stay inspired my friends.

And for all the model train enthusiasts out there...

Keep Smiling

"Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth." -Martin H. Fischer

Each of us, including me, get discouraged at times. Our work, our relationships, our lives can go through periods of frustration and disappointment. Many times it is simply circumstance finding its way onto the path we are walking.

For me the frustration is work at this time and I do know that this too shall pass. I do not blame the frustration on others but upon how I am responding to it. So with that, I will be taking a bit of my own medicine today.

When things get to a point when it seems all is lost, keep smiling and always look on the bright side of life.

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...



So keep looking upon the bright side of life folks and stay inspired!