Price of Choices

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice..” -Wayne Dyer

In everything we do, there is choice of some sort that can be made. It could involve not having enough money. Where and how much to spend or even if to spend on a certain item. It could be a need to change your living style to meet your income. Or taking on a second job. Maybe you could even take classes to improve you job skills and get a promotion.

Choices exist, we only need to be willing to make them.

It could be a destructive relationship you are in. There is so much that can be said about relationships, but choices do exist. Or how about the lack of a relationship? The choice might be to turn off the television and go to places where people gather.

Deciding not to do anything is a choice as well. But using that one will get you absolutely nowhere.

The health you have can be impacted by making certain choices. Disease and medical conditions are treated by physicians, with choices to be made. But we also have the choice to take care of our physical state. To again, to turn off the television and take a walk, little steps to help improve your health. I'm not here to say you will live longer, although statistics would support that. What I'm talking about is improving the quality of your life.

Will you make a choice to improve the quality of your life?

What price will you pay for the choices you make?

Choice is there for the taking and you need to make one. We each are given one life and of course, how you live it is yours to decide. But if you want to change the life you live, then stand up, choose and then step out boldly.

Stay inspired my friends.

What is Freedom

"What is freedom? Freedom is the right to choose: the right to create for oneself the alternatives of choice." -Archibald MacLeish

The word freedom is defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. It is a word that is easily ignored and also easily used in defense of one's action.

There are many types of freedom;

- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of association
- Freedom of choice
- Freedom of speech
- Economic freedom
- Academic freedom
- Intellectual freedom
- Religious freedom
- Scientific freedom

And of course, free will.

Freedom is exactly what it states, and there is no such thing as "no strings attached" when it comes to living our lives free. When we take freedom for granted, there are sure to be those that will attempt to take our freedoms away. That loss can come from an over burdening government, over zealous religious leaders, abusive relationships, and a host of other sources. For every step we fail to take in guarding our freedom is another step back into some level of bondage.

But with freedom comes responsibility. This means that we must accept the consequences of our choices. We must respect and protect each others' freedom, not just our own. Not everyone respects this responsibility and freedom without mutual responsibility becomes the law of the jungle. Everyone being out for themselves, fighting not only for their own freedom but to subjugate others to their own will.

Men and women have died for thousands of years fighting not only for your freedom to choose and believe but for mine as well. When we accept that each of us has a responsibility to protect and defend those freedoms, only then will freedom really remain freedom.

As we celebrate this week in the United States, two-hundred thirty seven years of independence; be mindful of the freedoms we have given up. We have given up freedoms in the name of national security that one could argue go beyond simple protection. We have given up financial freedoms in the form of dependence upon a government as the source of all our needs. We have given up religious freedoms in the fear of those religions different from our own. So many have simply given up.

Freedom is not lost and we can regain much of what has been lost by simply choosing to be free once again. When we acknowledge that we must work to protect not only our rights but the rights of others. When we take responsibility for our own freedom and understand the cost associated with keeping ourselves free. When we simply choose to be free, freedom then becomes real.

Stay inspired my friends.

Freedom of Speech

Almost Never Happens

"Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today." -Mark Twain

almost
Main Entry: al·most
Pronunciation: \ˈol-ˌmōst, ol-ˈ\
Function: adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ealmæst, from eall + mæst most
Date: before 12th century

: very nearly but not exactly or entirely

Yesterday, you almost called home to say hello to your mother. With a passing thought, you almost held a door open for someone carrying a package. Early this morning you almost had a conversation with your teenage child. Those things that we almost do in life but never seem to find the urge to actually do.

Your day goes by, then a week and eventually the year is nearly over. We think back and wonder at all of those things we missed doing. We feel that we came close, that we almost had the ability to do all of those meaningful things. But in our own self assessment, we know that almost really wasn't quite good enough.

The analogies one can use vary with many examples how almost results in things lost. In sports it might be said, "we almost made the winning touchdown." Yet the team still lost so almost doesn't quite cut it. In a political race, others may state, "we almost won the election." And once again, almost does not put the person into office.

Or the idea of almost completing your high school education. Almost does not make it easy to find a job or move ahead in life. There is also the big one, "I almost called to say hello," or for others, "I almost called to say I love you."

Life on earth is finite, and almost will turn into never being able to do those things. Find the time today to actually do those things that you know and feel need to be done. Do not put them off any longer, take the time now. Do not almost try it, actually accomplish and look back on all of those things you did complete.

Stay inspired my friends.

Over Deliver

"Only undertake what you can do in an excellent fashion. There are no prizes for average performance." -Brian Tracy

In an interview, former chairman and CEO of GE (General Electric) Jack Welch was asked, “What’s the secret to success?” Without hesitation, he blurted, “Find out what your boss wants and then over-deliver.” It is a simple, but true statement. When you over deliver on what the expectation is, a "wow" effect occurs that provides greater opportunity for success in your life.

Henry Cloud wrote a book called "Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World" where he describes wow as being what happens when you deliver more than your customer (boss, spouse, family, friends, etc.) expects. It is probably more true today with the short attention span most people have developed in this noisy multi-media information age; you must create wow to succeed.

The book offers some suggestions for grabbing hold of the idea that over-delivering can improve your career chances and life.

1. Make the decision to over-deliver. Few good things happen by accident. You have to decide you are going to do something differently—or do it at a different level. Just making this decision will set things in motion. It’s amazing how many aren’t willing to do this. They are content to do just enough to get by.

2. Get clear on your boss’s (or client’s) expectations. It’s really not about you—not if you are going to succeed. You have to be committed to making your boss successful. What does he expect from you? This is worth considering overall and on the front-end of each initiative. Start by asking, “What do you expect from me?” His response sets the bar.

3. Identify specific ways you can exceed them. This is where the fun begins. List your boss’s (or client’s) expectations in one column of a sheet of paper or on a spreadsheet. Now, in another column, list what you could do to exceed those expectations. How can you make his jaw drop or at least make him smile with delight? Use your creativity to create a wow experience.

4. Make wow your new standard. Every time you exceed your boss’s expectations, you create a branding impression. You want to develop a reputation for consistently over-delivering. You want to be the first person your boss thinks of when considering a new position or important project. That’s the secret to getting ahead.

The reality is that it will take hard work and additional effort to raise your level of performance. And as you continue to over-deliver, the expectations of even more will occur. In actuality it becomes a commitment to never-ending improvement. But our human potential, your human potential, is mostly under-utilized.

You can do more than we allow ourselves to believe we can do. So over-deliver on something today, then grow it day by day and realize the potential that exists within.

Stay inspired my friends.