Brock Cannon

3 Powerful Things To Believe In

2012-01-25T07:45:00.000-08:00

“What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” -Napoleon Hill

Belief plays a vital role in our lives, especially as we develop stronger perseverance. To me, belief is simply a hope of things working out for the best. It is closely related to hope. However, belief is a stronger conviction than hope in my opinion. Belief is the fuel that propels our soul through life and its challenges.

For years I was caught in addiction. This was not an addiction of drugs and alcohol, but an addiction of destructive behaviors. I was inconsistent to the person who I appeared to be on the outside, and inside I was living a lie. These behaviors would appear when I was out of town, and when “no one was looking.” I believe most of us have some type of addiction, whether it is to food, Facebook, anger, or being a workaholic.

Nearly three years ago, I nearly lost my family from this behavior. I had lost belief in better things. I felt trapped. I nearly took my own life. As I overlooked the cliff that my car was sitting on the edge of, I had a desperate talk with God. Through His mercy, I backed up the car and started my “recovery.” I had a lot of changes to make, and belief has been the guiding principle that has helped me to change. I’ve been able to rid my life of those destructive behaviors and persevered through the challenges.

Here are 3 things that we can believe in to give us strength in perseverance.

1. Belief In A Higher Source

Belief in a Higher Source is powerful. I happen to be a Christian, but this Higher Source has many different names: God, The Universe, Allah, Buddah, Krishna, etc. To be able to call on this Source for strength and guidance has been critical to my perseverance everyday. We can’t do it alone.

2. Belief In Ourselves

Believing that we are a special creation of God, allows us to believe in ourselves. You and I are unique. As Kevin Hall, author of Aspire says, “You are an unrepeatable miracle.” Believe that you have a unique purpose and mission to fulfill here on this planet. Believe that all you need to fulfill that is already within you, it is just your job to untap that potential.

3. Belief In Good Things Happening

W. Clement Stone used to tell Jack Canfield that he believed each day the world was plotting to do him good. What an amazing perspective we all would have if we stopped watching the news so much and believed that instead the world was plotting to serve us it’s best! Belief in a good day, our ability to succeed, to serve, to make positive change is what keeps us going. After storms come sunshine.

Wherever you are right now, whether its the victory stage or the recovery stage, you can harness the power of belief. Start with believing in a higher power and work on that until you have solidified it in your life. Then focus on believing in yourself and finally realize that good things are constantly happening. Using the power of belief will strengthen you as you persevere in this life journey.

Get Consistent, Get Ahead

2012-01-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

I still remember an experience to this day that taught me about the power of consistency. I was 15 years old and my friend Scott invited me to my first local mountain bike race.

We drove to the course and I paid my 5 bucks and prepared to race nervously.
The man at the start line counted us down.
"5,4,3,2,1, Go!"

We were off. Right off of the start line was a hill. I was out of breath way too fast! I endured that race painfully. Needless to say it was much harder than I thought it would be and I took second to last.

Losing that race was a hidden learning experience at age 15. I realized that I may not have the most natural gifts, but that I could become the most consistent in my training. I knew that most teenagers my age were messing around doing other things, and that if I would just train everyday effectively, that I would be faster.

That next winter I trained everyday, rain, snow, or shine. I had to start small and build up, but it paid off. My first goal was to climb up the nearby 10% grade hill. Once I could do that, I then focused on riding up the nearby canyon. Each day I did the work, even if I didn’t feel like it! The following Spring, I won several races in a row, and had one of my best seasons ever.

What do you do to employ the power of consistency?

The following are some suggestions that you can take into your life to improve your consistency, which will in turn make your stronger in your perseverance.

Establish 3 “Musts” Each Day

Linda Eyre, who is a New York Times bestselling author, a mother of nine kids, and a parenting expert, talks about doing 3 things per day that are her “musts.”
They include:
1. Doing something for myself
2. Doing something for my business
3. Doing something for someone else

I’ve found this to be valuable. If we establish great habits that will build us each day, we begin to understand the power of consistency.

Eliminate The Useless

Cyclists like to eliminate weight. No cyclist wants to ride a 50 pound bike up a hill. It’s no different with us in life. Eliminate anything that is weighted as useless. What are the life-wasters that are holding you back? Too much TV? Too much Facebooking? Chit chatting with co-workers? Figure out what is slowing you down.

If You Miss, Bounce Right Back

Many people get stressed about if they mess up a day of good habits. Whether you blotch on your diet, your workout, or how you treated your spouse that day, be determined to bounce back ASAP. Instead of saying, “I already messed up my diet, I’ll never be thin,” just do better the next day. Forgive yourself, bounce back, and try harder. Champions try again.

Establish the habits that will consistently get you to where you want to really go. Being consistent day in, day out will catapult you ahead of others who are too lazy to do the little things each day. Get started! Watch yourself ride up that hill of life faster as you develop good habits of consistency.

Drink The Kool-Aid! (And Lots Of It...)

2012-01-12T07:38:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a life transforming weekend retreat in beautiful Coronado Island, CA. It was the launch of a new community, a new movement focused around the powerful word Genshai. Gen-what? I can hear you asking. Genshai (pronounced Gen-shy) is an Indian word that means,

"To never treat another person in a manner that would make them feel small-including yourself."

If you think on the meaning of that word, it will begin to transform the way you think day to day. It has for me! Genshai to me, means not making fun of people, and to not backbite or gossip.

I'm ashamed to admit that I used to do this all the time. I'm sure I did it out of my own insecurity, and it was so wrong. For example, I would be at a gas station with my family pumping gas and see another couple that was covered in tattoos, dressed sloppily, and listening to loud music or talking extra loud and funny. I would make remarks to my wife like, "That's W-trash!"

Just writing this memory makes my stomach churn now, but I want to make it clear that I did this all the time. It wasn't always just words that I'd use to belittle someone. Often it would just be inside my head. I was NOT practicing Genshai. I was not viewing each person like my brother or sister. One day my wife said to me, "You know, it honestly really, really turns me off the way that you belittle people and make fun of them."

Daggers to the heart. I knew she was right. I had been making other people feel small for too long. And the interesting thing is that as a result of me doing that to others, I only made myself feel small as well.

I try to live Genshai everyday now. Sometimes I have to bite my tongue or catch my thoughts, but I view everyone in greatness. Why would God view me better than anyone else? I'm a parent, and I truly love each of my two daughters equally.

After my return, I was telling a colleague who is in his late 50's about my retreat and about Genshai. This man is single, lonely, and seems to do what I used to do a lot, belittle other people with his thick sarcasm. I admit, I usually have to really, really try hard to practice Genshai around this man.

As I was telling him about my experience in Coronado, he interrupted me and said:

"You're really drinking the Kool-aid with this positive crap aren't you?"

I just smiled and said, "It's the best Kool-aid out there."

Over the past two days I've been thinking about this. We choose what kind of Kool-aid we drink each day. We can choose the positive, the uplifting, the inspiring, and the things that bring us closer to God and help us better serve people.

Conversely, we can choose a Kool-aid that is dark, depressing, negative, cynical, and that belittles ourselves and others.

Let's choose to drink of the Kool-aid that uplifts and inspires each day. We have the choice. It can start with the books we read, the shows we watch, and the conversations we participate in. Frankly, I RUN from negative. If someone is complaining about the economy, I excuse myself to the bathroom. I also don't watch the news at all. If something is really important, I'll usually hear about it from others. I just don't need to hear about all the murders and rapes etc. I want my subconscious mind clean.

Make the choice today to practice Genshai, and drink clear Kool-aid (and lots of it).

Why We All Need a Coach: The metaphor of the Pioneer Tea Plant.

2011-12-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

In 2012, BREAK All The Rules

2011-12-27T06:04:00.000-08:00

Henry David Thoreau wrote, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer."

As the masses prepare to think of or possibly write down some resolutions for the upcoming New Year, most people will conform to the rules of society that will only allow for their small goals. Most will set goals that follow the "rules" that have been pounded in to them from the time they were young from parents, siblings, teachers, and neighbors.

Simply put, they will set goals that the masses set.

Most of these will not last longer than January 31 according to statistics. But this short article is not about goal setting, it's to stimulate your imagination as to why we follow the "rules" that we follow.

Do you hear to the beat of a different drummer? It's been said that, "If you do what the masses do, you'll have what the masses have." That can be applied financially, in relationships, in family, in health, and in reference to your spiritual life.

Personally, I question what the masses do all the time. If there is one thing that I get a little irritable about, its watching what the masses do. I see people everyday in jobs that they clearly hate, yet they will stay they as long as possible, crippling themselves to a life of mediocrity. I see people yell at their spouse and settle for a horrible relationship that they only complain about, instead of striving to make it better, or find one that is more healthy.

It's easy to be average.

Punch in, punch out. Watch TV. Hit the snooze button. Drive thru meal again.

Average becomes life. If you want to change your life this year, do the opposite of what the masses do. If you actually ask yourself that question daily, weekly, and monthly, I can promise you that your life will end up in a totally different place at the end of 2012. Ask, "What are the masses doing? How can I do the opposite?"

Bertand Russell observed that, "from childhood upward, everything is done to make the minds of men and women conventional and sterile."

From a child to adulthood, we hear the following:

"Be quiet and try to fit in."
"Do as you're told."
"Take the advice of the authorities."
"It's wise to live near family."
"Live in this neighborhood."
"If you declare this major, you'll get a good job when you graduate."

My advice growing up was no different. In fact, at the time of this writing, my Mother is still trying to give me the same advice and is telling me that I should end the pursuit of being an entrepreneur and get a good job. You see, it doesn't end! You have to choose who you are going to listen to. You have to start getting in touch with your own heart, then following it.

Stop listening to the ones who tell you that you can't and start listening to the ones who tell you that you can do and be anything.

Wayne Dyer says this about breaking rules, "I am encouraging you to give up habituated behavior that demands following rules and obeying laws when this keeps you from fulfilling your destiny."

For 2012, I have set goals that scare me, yet motivate me. They send chills up my spine. Best of all, these goals ALREADY wake me up in the morning. I don't have to try to wake up. I'm up, and ready to go! You'll know if your goals are big enough if you can wake up excited to take on the day. If they are not, chances are you aren't on the path you should be.

99% of you will NOT do this, but for the 1 or 2 people who do, it will be eye opening and helpful to do the following exercise:

Write down the "rules" that you have been taught your whole life regarding the following areas:

1. Career
2. Schooling and Education
3. How to live spiritually
4. Where you should live
5. Financial
6. Health and fitness
7. Family and relationships

Now, write down a NEW "rule" for yourself that would allow you to do exactly what the opposite of the masses do. Write down a a rule that would allow you to grow and progress faster for those same categories:

1. Career
2. Schooling and education
3. How to live spiritually
4. Where you should live
5. Financial
6. Health and Fitness
7. Family and relationships

I hope that you will have the courage to pursue your own passions and purpose. Henry David Thoreau gave the following advice, "Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

Don't be afraid to be different.

The 3 "M's" . How to tap into your ultimate potential!

2011-12-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

The Crooked Christmas Tree-A Valuable Life Parable

2011-12-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

This year our Christmas tree is crooked. Its not like the straight, farm grown blue spruce trees that we've had in the past. This year, a friend from our church who was getting permits to chop a bunch of trees down in the mountains picked us up one. The bottom is...well, crooked. The bottom of the trunk not being straight caused more of a problem than we thought. Even though we cut the bottom again with a chainsaw, we still couldn't fit it in the stand. It wasn't straight enough. Rather than ditch the tree, we started to like it. We ended up having to just put in in a large bucket, and lean it against the wall. To the Christmas decoration specialists, it would be humorous and uncalled for.

We got it to stay put once we leaned it against the wall, and although it may be crooked, we draped it with ornaments, lights and all the trimmings. Its a beautiful tree now. We always have a great family experience as we pull out the unique ornaments we've collected over the years. The crooked, sap spewing tree brought us all closer this year.

"Its unique," my wife replied. "This is a year that we will never forget because this tree is different than all the others we've had."

She had a point.I began to think about all the lessons this tree had to teach us.

1. We All Have Imperfections

As humans, we all have our "crooked" imperfections. I once heard a wise old spiritual leader say, " Take a look at all the people you see at church, school, work, or wherever.Although plastic smiles may prevail, 50% of the people have problems worse than you that you'd never know about."

We all have our imperfections, but to our Creator, we are beautiful just the way we were made. It is up to us to discover our beauty and see ourselves, and others, the way our Creator sees us.

2. We Can Be Made Beautiful

Even though our tree was bulky, had sap pouring out in insane amounts, and had a crooked truck, we were able to make it beautiful. It lights and adorns our home just the same as any other tree would.

All of us can be made "beautiful". I'm not talking about makeovers and new clothes (although sometimes that can help people), I'm talking about the beauty that comes to our soul when each of us discover our purpose. When we discover that we our beautiful and useful to our Maker, then we take on a whole new light. We serve an amazing purpose and shine our light(just like the tree illuminates our home) with the world. We can be made "beautiful" when we overcome bad habits, help others out of addiction, become a better listener, smile at people, say "hello" to people, and open the door for people. Whenever we lose ourself, we become even more beautiful.

Everyone of us have times in life where we're a little bit crooked (or sometimes a lot "crooked"). We can be made beautiful

. Spend time with the ones who seek to bring you up, and bring up the ones who need to be brought up.

CHANGE Your Life with this One Simple Experiment...Yes, You'll Want to Read THIS.

2011-12-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

I stumble out to my living room at 5:30am. Its my new designated quiet place for meditation I've decided. In fact, I have my very own corner behind the coach equipped with my favorite blanket to keep my warm.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you..."

My soul is taking a whole new solace and connection to my Maker as I say the very words. I get in to some deep relaxation, with a "thank you" placed in between each breath.

I'm alive.

It's another gift today to be alive. I know it, I feel it.

Two of the most powerful words in our language: Thank You.

I tried an experiment yesterday of which its effects blew me away. It won't cost you a dime, and there are no weekend seminars to be attended or books to read to implement this amazing change to your life.

The experiment? To say Thank You way more often than I usually do, and mean it. Call it, "The Gratitude Project."

I woke up walking, looking at a beautiful desert sunrise and began prayer to my Creator.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

It's amazing, I nearly began crying as I felt the very words become liberating to my soul. How often do we just ask, ask, ask, ask ask, ask? I don't believe there is anything wrong with asking God to help us, but do we thank Him enough? I know I didn't.

Anthony Robbins says, "If you're grateful, you're rich."

I'm a believer.

Whether you are experiencing the biggest financial reversal of your life, (as I have this past year) or you're in the stages of success and joy, we all need to receive the gifts that come from getting the attitude of gratitude.

It's freeing. It's liberating. I can't tell you how full I've felt these past days since I've started this.

So what else do you do in this experiment?

This is more than just saying "Thank You" in the morning.

So often we get caught up in the business of the day. What you are going to do is say Thank you under your breath as often as you can. I probably say it close to 100 times a day now. It's a wisper under my breath as I'm walking between places or driving in my car. It's a quiet thank you said verbally as I see my kids playing together and I'm touched at how blessed I am. Say it as often as possible. The fact that you have a little bit of food in your cupboard and you woke up on United States soil today would be a good start as to why you can say thank you.

It begins to flow outward to others next. Begin to look for reasons you can say Thank You to others. Call it the Law of Attraction or whatever you will, but you'll also begin to attract kindness in your life. People like a person who is grateful. Maybe you can slip a Thank You note on a co-workers desk to tell them thank you for their hard work lately. Or perhaps its a thank you note to your parents or siblings that you haven't talked to for a long time. There are many people you can thank. Sincerity is the key. Get comfortable telling people Thank You verbally and make sure they know that you mean it.

It helps you to find the good in people. Its beginning to do what my good friends Lance Schiffman and Kevin Hall call living Genshai. Genshai means that you would never talk small about another person. I believe its finding the greatness in others. Taking this focus off of yourself will be liberating.

End the day with a gratitude journal. As your awareness grows, you should be able to write a long list in a journal of all the things you're grateful for from the day. Start with just 3 things.

This will help you to get out of the "victim" mentality too.

You'll go from thinking, "Why can't anything good ever happen to me?" to this:

"Why is God so amazing to bless me so much?"

Try this experiment with me. Please write me and let me know how your life is changing.

This is simple to do. But as Jim Rohn says, " The things that are easy to do, are also easy NOT to do."

3 Ways You Can Bring Gratitude Into Your Life Today

2011-11-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

Become a Morning Person Now! 6 Proven Ways.

2011-11-10T08:52:00.000-08:00

Are you a morning person? Or just a walking zombie until noon each day?

I have had phases where I am a total morning person, and times when I was struggling to get out of bed by 9:30am. Recently, as I've relocated to the desert, I've committed to become a morning person again and seize the day.

Its working like a charm and I've adapted quickly.

Here are 6 proven ways you can become an energized, happy morning person.

1. Go to Bed Early

This one should be pretty obvious. Most Americans are not sleeping enough and as a result are getting sick, stressed, and coping by taking massive amounts of synthetic caffeine throughout the day. As an adult, you need to aim to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Adjust your evening to wind down earlier and make sure you discipline yourself to turn the lights out earlier. If you're really active or an athlete, you may need even more sleep.

2. Exercise

There are incredible benefits to excercising in the morning. The main benefit to exercise is a natural dopamine high and endorphine release in the body. Have you felt that post-workout "buzz"? That's it.
If you can't carve out enough time for a full hour, do something! Go for a 15 minute power walk, do push ups, jumping jacks, ab work, or step ups. There are tons of things you can do even in 10 minutes. With that said, if you can get out and cycle, hike, ski, bike, or get a full routine in at the gym, go for it! You'll actually feel more energized througout the day if you workout in the morning and won't get as sluggish.

3. Super Hydrate

Your body natually dehydrates itself as you sleep. The first thing I do in the morning is super hydrate. Drink 16-20 ounces of alkaline water or green drink first thing as you pop out of bed. You'll immediately start to feel a rush of energy to your body. I like to drink three 20 ounce bottles of water before noon or more. Your target for proper hydration should be your body weight divided by 2 in ounces. For example, if you're a 160 pound male, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day.

4. Eat Breakfast

Similar to hydration, your body has essentially been fasting while you've been sleeping. Your body needs some calories to kick start it in the morning. I'm mezmorized at how many people skip breakfast. This is stupid!!! Don't do it. If you're trying to lose weight or cut calories, don't cut them here. If you're going to cut a meal down in caloric intake, do it at dinner. Eat a breakfast that will energize you. Avoid heavy foods that are high in fat. Eat healthy foods that are alive and will get you going. Some of my favorite breakfasts are the following:

1 bowl of natural low fat granola with almond milk
4 egg whites and two pieces of super whole grain toast
A fresh green smoothie
2 pieces of whole wheat french toast and cocounut milk or orange juice
Oatmeal with raisins and a little bit of almond milk or fresh peaches

If I'm really in a rush, I'll grab a Clif Bar and a green drink, plus bring a banana or a pink grapefruit.

Think do avoid:

MacDonald's "McFat" breakfast items
Biscuits and gravy
White flour pancakes
Anything else that is super high in fat or high in grease

5. Pray or Meditate

Whether you're religious or not, you can always pray or meditate. There is power to connecting with your Higher Power and getting some help each morning. Even if you take 5-10 minutes of quiet time to connect and relect, I've found this to be valuable. It gives me strength throughout my whole day. I like to do deep breathing and meditation, pray, (which includes wishing good things on people and praying for people that I'm having a hard time getting along with) and complete my affirmations. I recommend all or some of these for you. You'll have incredible peace of mind.

6. Read Something Inspirational

Don't feel like you have time to read? Start making time! I read 5 pages every morning of something inspirational. Currently I'm reading Aspire by Kevin Hall. I love reading things that uplift me and give me power and belief to take on my day. Find what works for you, but make sure its uplifting and motivational. Some of my favorites include:

You Were Born Rich, or anything by Bob Proctor
Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The Bible
Published sermons by my church leaders

and so, so many more in the personal development field.

Remember; Readers are Leaders!

The 3 Reasons You Don't Apply What You Learn and What You Can Do About It

2011-11-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been frustrated when you've read a great book and then a year later when someone asks you about the book, you can't remember much about it!?

Or have you ever been to a fantastic seminar, or heard a great talk in church, and the next week, you can't recall anything from it?

I have experienced this a lot, and it drives me crazy.

Thanks to a great book I recently read (I'm remembering), I was able to learn the 3 reasons why most people can't recall knowledge. Here they are:

1. Too Much Information! (TMI!)

Simply put, we learn more than we can apply. Its easy to get excited about new knowledge and concepts (flavors of the month), but its harder to master new concepts.

2. Negative Thinking and Programming

We may get excited about new knowledge, but our negative thinking often stops us. For example, you may learn about a new business concept that makes complete sense to you, but due to your lack of experience you might tell yourself, "That may work for some people, but that could never work for me." We talk ourselves right out of great new opportunities to grow.

3. Lack of Follow Up

Since we love to learn new flavors of the month, we don't take the time to master and follow up on the new skill we've just learned! I remember when I was learning Korean. I could study 10 new words per day easily. But if I didn't follow up on those words the next day or at the very least that same week (and use them) I would always lose the great new vocabulary I had just learned. We HAVE to follow up.

In conclusion: Its better to learn fewer things and master them, than to learn a lot of things and not retain it.

3 Ways to Detox and Alkalize Your Body

2011-10-26T07:57:00.000-07:00

Its no secret that people are talking about detoxing the body more than ever. There are crazy diets and detox plans that do have some effect, but here are 3 simple tips you can implement today to detox the "crap" out of your body and alkalize (reduce the acidity in your blood)your way to health.

1. Super Hydration

Most people don't drink anywhere near the amount of water that they should be drinking during the day. They start with coffee (which dehydrates the body) and get a few sips of water from drinking fountains now and then. Top that off with the average person's consumption of alcohol (pure acid) and they end up extremely dehydrated and acidic at the end of the day.

You should drink water that is alkaline in a nature and seek to drink at least 1/2 of your body weight in ounces. So for example: 150lbs male should drink 75 ounces minimum.

Start and end your day strong by drinking 20 ounces right when you wake up and have 20 ounces at dinner. I shoot for an alkaline solution. There are green drinks, alkaline water systems and many others, but I like a simple sachet that I can just put in my water bottle.

2. Eat Green and Alive

Since our bodies are 70% water, doesn't it make sense that we should eat foods that are water rich and alive? Eat greens, vegetables and fruits that will energize you. Some foods to avoid:

Dairy
Soy
Animal products
Alcohol
Coffee
Soda
Processed Sugar

3. Exercise and Sweat!

Getting out for some exercise everyday will allow your body to detox naturally. Get up to a sweat. If you're in a gym, don't be afraid to sweat! (Its actually easier indoors to work up a sweat)

Be sure to replace lost fluid and electrolytes.

Start with these 3 tips today. Give your body a 90 day committment with these things for even better results! Happy Health!

Let Go Of Your Baggage!

2011-10-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

"But its not my fault!"

Do you ever say this to yourself?

Its no reason that in Jack Canfield's best selling book, "The Success Principles," this is one of the first principles that he covers.

You will never progress very far if you constantly blame others.

You must take responsibility for your own actions.

This is something that each of us has to face. I had to face this recently when some misfortunes plauged me and my own family. Its so easy to say, "It's not my fault because...."

I realized that it doesn't matter. If its to be its up to me.

What are you blaming right now in your life? What are you making excuses about?

We all do it. Myself included.

Jenny and I know a family that we really admire that is truly living their dreams. They are driving from Alaska to Argentina with their 5 kids in a Veggie powered truck. Yes, adventure at its best for sure!

They just created a fantastic video that sheds some great light on this concept. I encourage you to watch it. It made a difference in my day. I hope it does the same for you.

10 Ways to Take Advantage of Opportunity

2011-10-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
-Milton Berle

Are you seeking the best for your life? I get a kick out of the people that I run into who say,

"There is nothing going on right now in this dead economy."

"There are no jobs."

" I wish the good old days were back."

I know you've run into them too. I want to shake people and say, "Wake up! This is the best time ever! " The fact is you really do need to learn how to spot opportunity, even if that involves making lemonade out of the lemons that life has dealt you.

10 Ways to Take Advantage of Opportunity

1. Change your thinking and get away from people that are living in the past. There have always been opportunities throughout time. Now is no different.

2. Ask yourself if the opportunities presented will help you fulfill your personal plan. If not, don't take it. Do you have the enthusiasm to take it?

3. Make sure the opportunity aligns with your values. If it compromises your core values, don't take the opportunity. Do what is best for you and your family.

4. Beware of the things that sound too good to be true. They probably are.

5. Don't believe that you have to get lucky to win. LUCK stands for: Learning Under Correct Knowledge. YOu create luck.

6. Know that setbacks can often propel you forward as long as you are willing to learn in each situation-even difficult ones.

7. Don't give up too soon. Make sure you give yourself proper time to flesh things out.

8. Get advice from successful people. Different perspectives are often helpful, don't take any one person's advice as pure gospel.

9. Gut check. Make sure it "feels right" .

10. Few opportunities are made into success without overcoming fear. Shine your light on the fear, and it will disappear like shadows do.

Donthitbikes.com founder Brock Cannon interviews rising star cyclists Ch...

2011-10-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Are You Prepared for Potential Economic Collapse? 5 Things You Can Do To Prepare

2011-10-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

The other night I was on a mastermind call with a good friend and mentor. We were talking about business ideas and investments. After a short conversation about real estate opportunities, he told me,"Brock, the only thing that seems to matter now are the 5 G's."

"The 5 what?" I asked.

"Didn't you see Robert Kiyosaki on the Glenn Beck show the other day?"

"No," I replied.

My friend proceeded to tell me that the 5 G's are the following.

1. Gold
2. Grub
3. Gas
4. Guns
5. Ground

I proceeded to go home and watch the clip by Kiyosaki and learn more. Honestly it was a little depressing and "doom and gloomy", but at the same time, it was powerful information to hear.

If an economic collapse does ever occur, think about what will really be valuable. Look around your home and think what would be of real worth. In addition to your family and your faith, those 5 G's pretty much nail it.

What are you doing today to prepare to the unknown? Hey, I don't want any sort of collapse. That's the last thing I want! I want to have prosperity and peace and pray to God that my children have the same for their kids.

But we must be prepared. We must not neglect any longer.

Its all about peace of mind. What are you working so hard for? I hope that its not all for just the fast, fading luxuries of life but that you also have your house in order.

This video clip was a great reminder for me.

Top 3 Ways to Create Great Social Media Content

2011-10-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

It is important to remember that although you have the ability to share anything at any time on social media sites, people don't always care to hear what you say! For example, I know of a guy who almost religiously day in and day out posts the following:

"Hit the gym, had a nice dinner, and now its off to bed. Good night everyone."

Ok so I guess that's informative, but do we really care? And please, don't tell people when you're going to the bathroom. We for sure don't care on that one!

The following are 3 ways you can create great social media content:

1. Adding Value
What can you tell people about that will add value to them today? Now we know that not every topic is valuable to everybody, but what would add the greatest amount of value to the greatest number of people?

People are always looking for solutions to their pain and problems. Why? Because people have problems! Be a valuable resource for them in what you post. It may just be a link that would be helpful for them.

2. Add Humor
I have a friend named Chris Fox who is always coming up with the funniest tidbits that crack me up everyday. Facebook is like a party. We all like to laugh. Just keep it clean and realize that not everyone may have the same type of humor as you.

3. Add Images and Pictures

A picture really does speak a thousand words. Put up pictures that lift, inspire, and make others laugh. Studies have been done that show how pictures pull in readers attention way more than text. Be original, and don't be afraid to snap a photo on your phone while you're out.

3 Ways You Can Live More Complete Today!

2011-10-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

Top 3 Reasons We Should All Seek Wealth

2011-10-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Wealth is defined in the eye of the beholder. Recently, I've had some real breakthroughs in realizing that wealth is not so much measured in money, as it is in the time to enjoy your life. With that said, you need the green stuff to be able to accomplish life's objectives.

The only people who think more about money than rich people are poor people who don't have any money! If you don't have any money, all you are doing is thinking about it!

Here are the Top 3 Reasons we all need to build wealth:

1. Lifestyle.

What do you define as a nice lifestyle? I had a friend who defined that as mansions,Ferraris and butlers. I know others who define that simply as money to travel. Others define it as being in a position to help others a great deal from a charitable perspective.

Define what you think is a nice lifestyle. Let your mind expand and think big. For my family and I currently, its being able to travel, have a really nice tent and all the equipment we need to be in the most stunning outdoor locations in the world. That's our choice. But what is yours?

2. Contribution

Its been said that money makes you more of who you already are. Are you a kind, generous person? If so, chances are that money will make you more kind and generous.

Its your respnosibility to be able to help people when you have money. How can a poor person help another poor person? You need to be able to contribute not only with dollars, but with wisdom in who you have become. That leads us nicely in to #3.

3. Who You Become

Jim Rohn the famous American business philosopher said,"Life is not about where you go, its about who you become in the process."

Who you become in achieving wealth can never be taken away from you. If you lose it all like Donald Trump, you have the power in your brain to be able to gain it all back. This is true with any of the super wealthy. The mindset that is developed, the character, the personal growth and education that is gained, is valuable. Feeling good about who you have become is something that no amount of money can buy.

T. Harv Ecker says, " It doesn't take much to be broke."

I would add that it takes amazing mental strength to build wealth. It doesn't always come from hard labor, but it comes from hard "thinking" . Maybe that's why Napoleon Hill names his book, "THINK and Grow Rich." I guess we can't just grow rich, then think.

Are you REALLY Passionate About What You Sell or Market?

2011-10-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

I was moved today by something I heard T. Harv Ecker say. I am paraphrasing, but basically he poised a powerful question:

"Are you truly passionate and proud enough of your product or service to shout it from the mountain tops?"

That got me thinking. He follows up by asking:

"Are you so proud of what you are selling that you could go to your own mother with the same enthusiasm?"

Wow. I believe that is a strong test for many people. I would imagine that a great deal of us would not say "Yes" to those two questions.

What are you marketing or selling? Are you truly proud of it?

I'm not talking about getting pumped up by your VP of sales and then regurgitating what they tell you to say. I'm talking about in your GUT.

Are you proud? Do you feel morally obligated to share it?

If not, you may want to get out.

Get out!

Really, life is too short to not be passionate about what you are doing. Don't settle for a stupid job that you hate. Don't sell a product that is a rip off. The opposite of rip-off is extreme VALUE. If you can't find something that is an amazing value-create it.

We'll talk more on this tomorrow.

2011-10-09T21:11:00.001-07:00

12 Powerful Words to Use to Get Results

2011-10-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

Words are powerful. I recently enjoyed an amazing speech from Kevin Hall, the best-selling author of the book Aspire. He opened my mind up to the power of the words we use.

There have been many studies done on the power of words and how they emotionally effect us. One such study was done in the 1970's by Duke University's Psychology Department. The following words are proven to evoke strong emotion in the reader or listener.

You
Money
Save
New
Easy
Love
Discovery
Results
Health
Proven
Guarantee
Free

You'll see these words everywhere in media and in marketing. You might consider implementing them into your business dealings, or into your sentances more for benefits that you can only imagine.

Pick one today, and focus on it.

Will you be Remembered?

2011-10-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

With the passing of legend Steve Jobs, we can all take the opportunity to ponder the difference (or lack of) in our own lives. Are you living ordinary? Or extraordinary?

I often find it interesting when I go to funerals and learn things about others that I never knew. Some people lived quiet amazing lives filled with travel, seeing the world, touching lives, and giving service. Others just lived mediocre and died.

I suppose the test is this: after you die will people remember you for a day? A week? A year? Decades? Centuries?

What are you doing today to have history written about you?

Cyclist Bombs Down 8% Grade at 40 MPH holding Android! Sketchy!

2011-10-03T21:14:00.001-07:00

How Much Would YOU Pay?

2011-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Today I'm posting something a little different. I believe in real world market feed-back, and I need that currently as I'm preparing to write a new E-book that I really believe will benefit thousands of people.

So many people are often stuck at the end of the month (or at some point in-between) with a lack of cash. It's the old saying, " Too much month at the end of the money." I believe that an extra $1,000 would greatly empower most people. There are also those that are stuck and really need to get some cash quickly. They don't have time to get a part time job, because they needed the money to pay their rent yesterday. They need real life solutions that can help them to earn some money NOW.

I'm writing an e-book that is going to explain how they can make an extra $1,000 cash in the next 30 days or less. These are non-scammy, realistic, legit, and concrete ideas that I've not only used, but others who have possessed a little intuition have used.

My question to you is this:

If you were strapped, but knew a short e-book had the knowledge and tools to help you gain that extra $1000 that you desperately needed, how much would you be willing to pay for that?

A) $29.95
B) $19.95
C) $9.95
D) I would not pay for this.

Please let me know. You're feedback is greatly appreciated.

5 Tips To Get You Off the Road to Nowhere and on the Road to YOUR Dreams

2011-10-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

“The road to someday leads to the town of nowhere” -Tony Robbins

You wanted to start that diet and get the body you envisioned. You wanted to take that vacation to Italy last year. You wanted to work less, and coach the kids soccer. You wanted to quit drinking so much and start a healthier lifestyle.

Everyone of these statements in the case of most people can be followed by a big BUT.

They didn't follow through. Something got in the way. Dreams remained dreams and they didn't solidify into reality.

Why? The only missing link is a little word called action.

You have to eliminate the word someday from your vocabulary. What a stupid thing.
Really? You won't travel the world until you are in your 70's? Old and grey? You won't start exercising even 30 minutes a day until you get so fat you can't stand it?

THE ROAD TO SOMEDAY LEADS TO NOWHERE.

How You Can Make It Reality

1. Figure out what you want-down to the details!
2. Know WHY you want it. This must be emotionally powerful or you'll quit.
3. Look at others who have achieved your goal. Build your belief.
4. Plan out the steps needed to achieve. Monthly, weekly, daily. Chunk it down to the simple.
5. Start immediately. Do something now. Write that email. Make that call. Go out for that jog.

Turning Your Problems Into Profits

2011-09-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

A woman suffers a terrible divorce.
Another man loses his little sister who has tragically been killed by a drunk driver.
One family, who at one time had over 10 Million dollars in real estate holdings, gets into a law suite, and loses everything.
A young girl is kidnapped, suffers terrible things, but remarkably is found and returns home.
One woman who works on wall street working 80 hours a week, goes from casually riding her bike, to becoming one of the fastest female cyclists on the planet.

What do all these stories have in common? First, they are all true. Second, they have overcome significant problems, but have not taught the rest of the world how they overcame them! Money is being left on the table, and the lives of many who could benefit from their knowledge are not being blessed.

Don't let this happen to you.

I can hear you say."I haven't overcome anything so remarkable that people would pay to know how I overcame it." Or you might be thinking, "I'm still kind of in a big problem and not yet out of it myself!" Well, to the latter I would say,"If you could overcome the current problem that you are caught up in, and you could teach others how to overcome the same problem for 1 million dollars, how quickly would you now be able to find a solution!?"

Let me give you some example of super successes who have done this and now have become huge best sellers with their books or programs:

Anothony Robbins. The story is told of how we was broke, living in a 400 square foot bachelor apartment one year, and then the next year was able to move into a 10,000 square foot castle over looking the ocean in California.

Dani Johnson. The woman was homeless, jobless, and down on her luck. She began calling people for her "home" based business from a pay phone, and a year later was a millionaire.

Lance Armstrong. Having been a world class cyclist, but then getting cancer, he nearly died. He then came back to win 7 Tours de France.

I could give you so many more examples. The fact is, there are everyday people that turn their problems into profits. YOu need to write down right now, what problems in your life you have overcome. I know that you have had some! How do I know? Because you're human.

Write me and tell me what problem you want to turn into profit, and I'll tell you how to get started in the next article.

"What Should I Be Mom?" -A Teaser Section from my New Book

2011-09-27T20:35:00.001-07:00

What Should I Be Mom?

In high school I loved to write. I don’t know how I exactly got into it, but I loved writing short stories and particularly poetry. I joined the high school poetry club and enjoyed learning from other young writers as well. As a result, I decided in high school that I wanted to be an English teacher when I grew up. Its interesting how life’s course changes. After high school and a year of college, I volunteered a couple of years for my church and went over to South Korea. After I got home, I fell in love with my wife Jenny, and we were married shortly after. We were young, broke, and in love. I was living my dream of trying to be a professional mountain bike racer and my lovely wife was supporting me in that. We traveled extensively to different races. I remember there was a national race being held in Sandpoint, Idaho and we invited my mom to go along with us. I think we invited my mom partially because we needed support with the race, but also support financially! She was extremely kind to drive up there with us. Following the race, we decided to take a couple extra days and drive up into British Columbia. I remember specifically we were driving around this beautiful lake and we started talking about what I wanted to “do” with my life. I was kind of uncertain at that point. Ok, I was really uncertain. I knew that professional mountain biking paid next to nothing unless you were in the top 1%. I was not. I had been working as a server at a Sushi restaurant, and I knew that I didn’t want to do that forever. So I began asking my mom what she thought I should do. The brainstorming began. I remember that it was hard for her to think of career choices for me, but that she specifically told me that I should stay away from sales because I would never be good at it. I took mental note.

Interesting how life’s directions can change. Less than a year later, I not only got into sales by a strange fluke, but I actually got fairly good at it. By the time I was 23 I was making a 6 figure income in sales. My mom had told me to stay away from sales because I was shy in high school. And the truth was, I was shy in high school! Very shy at times! She assumed that my past would equal my future. I learned that true salesmanship was more about educating people and becoming a trusted friend. I learned to love sales and still do. I believe everyone needs to learn how to sell. Whether its selling your prospective employer on why they should hire you, to selling your significant other on why they should marry you, everyone is selling something at all times.

I learned that parents don’t have to decide your future path for you. I know of an occasional person that truly loves the career that their parents do and they truly, deep in their gut want to do the same thing, but so often I see opposite. I see young men and women go into law school or medical school just because they couldn’t think of anything else and they think that will please their parents.

I you want to be truly fulfilled, you need to figure out exactly what it is YOU love. Take a minute and do this now. Write down the five things (hobbies, personal interests, etc) that you love most).

Think About It!

2011-09-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

It was last night between 10pm and 12:22am that it started happening. The kids were in bed, it was quiet, and I could finally relax. What started you ask?

Inspiration, ideas, creativity, and a well of intuition springing forth out of the mind.

The problem with being too busy is that we often don't make time to think. I remember this when I was caught in the rat race of a job. You wake up, get ready, eat, and rush out the door. Most people listen to mind numbing talk radio or mind numbing music that doesn't allow them to think on their commute in to work. By the time they get to work, the days challenges begin, and they become reactive to problems. They eat lunch, or maybe take a late day gas station run to get some caffeine to escape the sheer boredom and pain that slowly kills them inside their cubicle walls.
Finally, the clock ends the work day, they get into the car, listen to more mind numbing news, and walk in to the house. Now the family responsibilities hit, time with the kids, dinner, and then maybe some sports or news before they go to bed. Light out-another day done. Time to think? Zero.

I know this is the pattern for many because it was similar to what I used to be stuck in. The rat race. But even worse than the lack of freedom, it was the lack of time to just THINK. Abraham Lincoln said, "Take time to think, its a source of power."

I am absolutely convinced that some of the best entrepreneurs and business minds of our day THINK for a living. They are not dealing with the fires-they have someone else doing that. They have a clear mind so that they can rest. Where do your best ideas come? Think about that. Mine come when I am traveling. When I am in beautiful, interesting, inspiring locations, the inspiration comes to me. Imagine that! This is part of the reason I am so excited to travel the country with my family starting in a copule of weeks. I will be forcing myself to be in locations to clear my mind, think, and come up with some of the greatest business ideas yet. Its already happening now that I have the freedom to think! Remember, freedom isn't measured so much in money as is it measured in time to live YOUR life.

Take time to think. Schedule it. Do it-and watch the inspiration and creativity flow back in to your life.

Everyday Remarkable People Who Inspire Series: Brian Tolbert

2011-09-23T12:12:00.000-07:00

Great people who inspire can be found all around us if we just look. Now, I don't believe that the masses always inspire.Most people are trying to watch TV after work to view the remarkable things OTHERS are doing.But if we look for the remarkable, we always get what we are looking for. So often we tend to seek inspiration from those who are business moguls, professional athletes or entertainers, but I believe that "everyday" people can and should inspire us too. That is the purpose of this new series that will take place each Friday on my blog. We're going to feautre one weekly. These will be"Everyday," but extraordinary people to inspire you. People connect with people who appear "real" to them, and my hope is that it gives you belief and motivation to pursue your dreams and goals.

Who is Brian Tolbert?

Brian is a great friend of mine. We met at age 15 when we both started racing mountain bikes. Fast forward 15 years and we're still both riding together and having fun. Brian is remarkable in many ways. He races at a very competitive level, has a grueling race schedule, and also is a full time professional. He has a family, church responsibilities, and also has a well rounded life outside of cycling.

Recently, on a ride about a month ago, I was listening to Brian tell me all the races he's done this past season-about 15 BIG races total. I couldn't believe it. Knowing what I know about him and how busy he is, it was remarkable. I took the liberty to interview him. Below is the content from our interview. I hope that you enjoy getting to know Brian, and also get inspired.

1.BC:How did you start mountain bike racing? What motivated you to get into it?
BT: I started Mtn Bike Racing because my dad was racing back in the early 90s when Mtn Biking was just starting to pick up steam.

2.BC: Tell us about your family.
BT: I have been married to my wife for 8 years and we have 2 beauiful daughters.

3.BC: What do you do professionally?
BT: I am a sales rep for a large software company.

4.BC: What motivates you to keep racing at the level that you do?
BT: The people! Most of the racers I have grown up racing with for the last twenty years.Where else do you get to hang out with all of your best friends and pop wheelies?

5.BC:What was your most epic racing moment this season?
BT: Every weekend there is an epic moment where you think you are going to crash or you think you can't go any further but you keep on going.Thats the rush that keeps you going back every week.

6. BC:Tell us about how you balance your life to be able to ride/train at the level that you do.
BT: Family and work are always first.Then if I have time I will go ride.I don't have time to ride the big base miles anymore, so I try to just keep my fitness up year round. I like to mix up what I do so I don't get bored. I trail run,dirt jump,back country Ski,cross country ski,on top of my bike riding just to keep it interesting.

7.BC: What advice would you give to our readers regarding living their dreams and chasing their passion?
BT: Prioritize, take an honest look at your life, and see what really matters and make those things the priorities in your life.Everything else will fall into place.

8.BC:What's the single most challenging aspect about your racing/riding?
BT:Taking the time to train with Family obligations, Work, travel etc.

9.BC:How do you discipline disappointment and frustration?
BT:I don't take things too seriously especially for racing.You have to keep things in perspective.

Brian had a full calendar of racing this past year. He races for the Kuhl Mountain Bike Racing Team, which is one of the most respected and fastest teams in the Western U.S.
Check out this amazing video featuring Brian!

In addition to being smoking fast in regular length mountain bike racing, Brian has also done a series of "marathon" or endurance events this past season including the PC 50, the Tusher Crusher (75 mile endurance race), the Park City Point to Point 100 mile race, and many more. These long endurance races are 8 hours+ typically. Certainly, a long time not only to be on your bike, but to be going full throttle.

Find someone like Brian that can inspire you to acheive whatever it is you want to do. You can see that it IS possible, to live an extraordinary life chasing your passions.

Yes You CAN Earn a Living Doing What You Love (A Continuation From Yesterday)

2011-09-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

When we were children, we thought we could do anything. What did you want to be? I wanted to be an NBA basketball player like John Stockton. I had other dreams too. I wanted to explore the world. I then wanted to be a professional mountain bike racer (which I kind of briefly did, but not the big time), and many, many other things.

What starts to happen? People tell us even as kids what we can and can't do.

"You can't touch that!"
"Eat your broccoli!"

While some of the things told to us to do as little children really are for our protection, it starts to evolve as we get older.

"You don't really want that."

"You can't have everything you want."

"Money doesn't grow on trees."

"Come do what I want you to do."

We learned how to act to get others approval and now we do a lot of things to please other people. We get a "real" job to please our parents instead of following our passions. Who said you couldn't take a semester off of school and go backpack through Europe? There's a lot of things we wish we could do, but society or the "norm" tells us that its not responsible and that we have to "grow up."

So can you really make a living doing what you love to do? Yes, you can. Do you know what you love to do? Let's say that you love to hang out with people and talk to them. Well, Oprah makes a living hanging out and talking to people. Hmmm. Interesting side note-you can have a lot of friends by taking an interest in others. But what else could you do if you don't want to be a talk show host? A friend of mine loves to travel and hang out with people. He has a small business where he takes groups of people all over the world to exotic places and "hangs out" with them. He makes a great living doing that.

I'm not going to list a bunch of "careers" here in this post because I want YOU to think. That is most people's problem, they are too busy to think. This is your life! Take a minute out to do the following:

Write down 15 more things that you love to do.
Under each item, write down 5 ways you COULD make money doing that thing.
Continue to work through each item until you have a page full of possibilities.

I promise you this will be life changing. Trust your gut. What sounds exciting? What sounds maybe even a little scary? What would YOU love to do?

I'll give you an example to help get you started.

Let's say you love snow skiing.

SNOW SKIING:
1. Start your own heli-skiing business.
2. Become an independent ski line rep
3. Freelance write for a ski magazine.
4. Become a private ski teacher or ski guide.
5. Become a ski photographer.

I could give you more! But I stopped at 5 for example's sake here. Think of all angles. Think of different niches within that thing you LOVE. And have fun with this!

I hope that this inspires you. Oh, and one last thing. If you've already done a lot of schooling or gained a lot of experience in one thing, it doesn't matter. Don't look at it as if you're throwing it all away or wasting it. I know a lot of lawyers who have gone on to write books and be motivational speakers. Their law background didn't hurt them. There is always experience to help in other ways. I even know doctors that spent years in medical school but realized they didn't have the time freedom they wanted so they pursued other business ventures. Its all ok! Ask yourself this one question, "Will you get to the end of your life and regret not having done something?" Don't live with regrets.

Are You Waking Up Passionate or Dead?

2011-09-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

From being in stuck in dead end jobs, to having time that felt euphoric, I've been there. I remember when I hit a low point in life, told myself that I had to get a job, and got one. It was funny, I seriously didn't really care in the interview, and by being relaxed, I got the job. But the day that I had to set my alarm to 6am to get ready to drive a full hour to be there by 8am, I remember having the biggest pit in my stomach. I remember I felt like the life had been sucked out of me!

Now I know that some of you reading are rolling your eyes because that is what you just "buck up" and do every morning. You may believe that reporting at 8am to your boss is just a necessary part of life. But I want you to just question that for a minute. Is it really?

Take a moment and go to a place mentally where you woke up totally un-passionate. What did that feel like? Did you have the proverbial "pit" in your stomach like I had? Ok, ok, let's get out of that state.

Now, go to a place mentally where you felt TOTALLY passionate. Was it the morning of departing for an amazing vacation? Was it Christmas morning? What were you doing? Were you skiing? Running on a beautiful trail somewhere? Walking on the beach? Heading out on a date with your sweetheart?

Whatever it was, I want you to think about how you felt! Was it true passion? I'm not talking about some kind of sexual passion per say, but just JUICE for life. Excitement. Joy. Total satisfaction.

So the question again: Is it truly possible to wake up every morning with total passion for life?

Bob Proctor, who is a featured teacher from hit movie The Secret, and an amazing life teacher in general, says that if you are not waking up each morning with excitement and passion, that you are NOT living your life purpose. That's a sweeping statement! I know you may say, "Well that's just not reality." Isn't it? Have you tried to find your life's passion?

I dare you to do something RIGHT NOW that will change your life. Take out a piece of paper and right down your top 10 passions. What do you love doing!? Don't think. Just write.

We're going to help you find a way to provide abundantly by doing what you love doing. If you have had people that have squashed your dreams and told you that you CAN'T make a living doing what you love, I want you to throw that bull crap idea away right now. I believe you can. And there are many successful people that are doing what they love and getting paid lucrative quantities of money for it.

Just write down those top 10 things you love doing. We'll revisit this tomorrow. This is getting fun!

10 Dynamite Ways You Can Bounce Back Quicker, and Become More Resilient!

2011-09-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

Its been said by wise people that its not how many times you fall down but how many times you get UP that counts. Its true. The only people who are losers in life are the ones that succumb to its hardships, and quit. The following are some ways that you can bounce back up quicker-how you can be more resilient. 1) Take on your most challenging problems FIRST. Get things out of the way that will mess with your excitement and destroy your dreams. 2) Remember that the only thing that is truly permanent in life IS change. Its just part of the deal! Become a pro at adapting to change and you'll become a pro of your life!3) Think like Edison. He said, " I never had any failures-only learning experiences." Do you view life the same way? You might also consider eliminating the word "problems" from your vocabulary. Try instead replacing it with "challenges" . The brain hates "problems" but enjoys a good "challenge." 4) Pray. It works. 5) Exercise. Let me say that as a competitive cyclist, I'm very biased on this idea, but truly, this is an amazing outlet. Whether you like cycling, running, hiking, doing a fitness video, hitting the gym to lift weights, or swimming, do something. Exercise is one of the most powerful ways to decrease stress and increase endorphins in the body. I just know that when I don't get out each day to do something, I'm cranky. When I've just had a great ride and then I face a challenge during my day, I feel like I can fly. 6) Remember a time when you overcame an extreme challenge. Sometimes all the mind needs is a good reference and it can overcome anything. That's why Tony Robbins does the famous "firewalk" in his seminars. He creates a reference so strong in people's lives that they remember the firewalk, and feel that they can tackle anything difficult later in life that is thrown at them. 7) Take a stress management course. There are great ones that often come into town. 8) Remember: If you can't control the outcome or situation, you CAN control your attitude. For a great book on this, read Man's Search For Meaning, by Frankyl. 9) There is good stress! Sometimes stress is the nudge that tells us that we need to get something done. For example, if you're self employed and you make your money based on customer appointments, and you are low on appointments for the week, you might have stress inform you that you need to get it in gear! This is good stress, its just reminding you of what needs to get done. Listen to this kind of stress, and you'll accomplish what you need to, and then feel happy and fulfilled. 10) Use the numbers in your advantage. Put things in perspective. Babe Ruth became the home-run king by striking out 1,330 times. If you dare to fail more than anyone else, I guarantee you will also succeed more than anyone else.

Why Being Sick Can Actually be Good for You

2011-09-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today I'm sick. Stuffy nose, aches, sore throat-its no fun. However, I started thinking about why it can be a good thing to be sick. First of all, it makes me appreciate when I am healthy! I was thinking that I haven't been sick for many, many months now. The interesting thing? I know exactly why I am sick! I allowed myself to get too worn down this past month. Long training hours, a big race, stress in business, etc, etc. Sickness is the way that our body tells us, " I'm breaking down and I need a rest, so I'm forcing you to take a rest." Indeed my body is forcing me to take a rest now! Its a lesson to be learned. 1) We need to appreciate our health when we have it. And 2) We need to take care of our body and allow it to get the proper rest, nutrition, etc. So, pace yourself. Its easy to be busy, but its not so easy to take a rest sometimes. Often we think that the world and others around us will respect us more if we're running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I think that's dumb. Let's be smart (I'm talking to myself!!!) and pace ourselves knowing that this life is a marathon, and not the 100 meter dash.

Want More Business? Become a MEGA Provider of VALUE.

2011-09-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in my room today listening to a great book called, "Inbound Marketing" by Brian Halligan. Its a rude awakening to the way that companies are finding customers these days. The ones that are still living in the last decade are still sending out direct mail and telemarketing their customers. The ones that are keeping up and getting ahead, are thinking of new innovative ways to "attract" customers to them. The key word that keeps coming to mind is VALUE. There are websites or even brick and mortar businesses that you go to that you feel like you just get VALUE from. I'll give you two examples-one of each. First, yesterday I went to the Christian Center in Park City, UT where they have all sorts of Christian books and also a great thrift store. Its the best around! Upstairs they do kind of the "higher end" stuff and downstairs they do blowout deals on everything else. Its not uncommon for my wife to stumble on designer jeans for a buck, which she then re-sells on Ebay for $40 or more. VALUE. Upstairs as you walk in the lobby, they always have a great looking plate of fresh muffins, coffee cakes, pastries, and drinks-all complimentary. It makes it fun for our girls to want to go there, I love it, and we have a great valuable experience while we shop. As you can see, adding value to your customers can be in the littlest of things. Another example is one of Robert Allen's sites called www.multiplestreamsofincome.com. When you go there, whether you've even read the book or not, you can load up on free reports that give you detailed information on how to improve your finances, find real estate deals, pick better stocks, etc. Available instantly, these free reports are given to you. When I think about that site, I think value. When I think about value, I can think of a few businesses. Unfortunately there are a lot more businesses that I DON'T associate value with. How can you be a MEGA provider of value? How can you just do a little bit more so that your customers are not just sort of glad to see you, but fired up to see you?!As always, I look forward to your comments and feedback.

10 Ways To Be More Organized

2011-09-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

I am not the authority on this subject by any stretch, but am one that is continually trying to get better organized like most people. I believe its okay to go in cycles. When I go to someone's home several times and their is nothing messy about it, I honestly think, "What planet do you live on?" If we're busy, productive people we are going to have times that we're more organized than others. However, I hope that these Top 10 Tips will help you, as they've helped me. 1. Develop Systems! Have a place for things so that you don't spend time looking for them. 2.Choose a time management system that you like and stick with it. Whether you're a Franklin-Covey person, or like Tony Robbins' OPA System, stick to something. 3. Handle each piece of paper once. For example if you get mail, open it, read it, and either file it, or throw it away. 4. Read only what's important, then toss it. If its a newspaper or magazine, read through it and cut out what you like or want, then recycle the rest. 5. Hard things first! Of all the tips here, this one has changed my life more than anything else. Brian Tracy calls it, "eating the frog." It simply means that you tackle the most difficult tasks of the day FIRST. Its amazing how light you feel when you have gotten some great, difficult tasks done before noon. 6. Take a time management course. Don't act like you know everything. I've been to many, and I learn something new at each one. 7. Contact Management. Make sure that you have a dedicated place to keep your contacts so that you can access them! Whether its on paper, in your Gmail, or in your phone, be sure you keep this up to date and accessible. 8. Organize your day. 15 minutes a day in planning your day could literally save you hours. I plan my day the night before typically, then when I wake up, its in my Android, and its go time. If I ever stall or wonder what I need to do next, or if I feel like I'm getting sidetracked, I just look at my task list in my phone. In any case, plan. Its amazing. 9. Clean up as you go. My dad taught me this one. I remember when my mother used to cook a meal, she'd pull everything out and by the end of the meal, the kitchen was an overwhelming mess. My dad privately one day taught my brother and I, to clean up as we went. It was amazing! By the end of cooking or whatever we were doing, the kitchen was clean of "stuff" lying around and it saved us time after. His mantra was, "If you're done using it, put it away." 10. Clean your car. This is a hard one for me. It really isn't adding to the overall productivity of my life, but to me, I just feel better when my car doesn't look like a Tornado. Vacuum it once a week, wipe off the dust, and keep an air freshner in there. You'll not only feel better, you'll know where everything is in your car, and you won't have unnecessary crap such as cups and restaurant bags lying in your car that make you look like a slob.

What Do You Look Forward To?

2011-09-09T12:21:00.000-07:00

Today is the eve of a cycling race that I've been training and preparing for all year. I'm excited! Why? I don't know. Most people would not be excited to go and ride 206 miles due to the physical pain, but I guess I love the challenge and I love the experience. Isn't that what life is about? Having some amazing experiences that years later you look back on and say, "Remember when we did...". I don't want to die and not have some of those amazing experiences. What are you waiting for? What could you do right now in your life that would give you something extraordinary to look forward to? Could you book a cruise to Greece or the Baltic Sea a year out? Could you register for a Marathon that would really fire you up? Plan a major service project? I don't know. But I know this: You must have experiences in life that you are looking forward to or else life gets mundane. Life doesn't always fuel us, so we must add the fuel to life!What are you waiting for? Plan something, do something, go arrange something now! Have fun.

20 Types of Residual Income You Can Start Earning

2011-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Which type of income are you working hardest for? Linear or Residual? Linear income is simply income that you work for and it pays you once. Residual, or repeat income, is money that pays you again and again after you perform the work. There are actually many types of residual income-possibly more than you have ever thought. Start thinking today like en entrepreneur even if you still currently have a job. Become your own free agent and start to generate one or many types of residual income to ensure your true security. Here is just a short list of the many types of residual income: You can earn interest on your money (I hope you're getting a higher rate than your local bank)Songwriters can earn royalties on songsRoyalties from books and audio programs producedInsurance agents Securities agentsNetwork marketing can produce residual incomeActors get a piece of the long term actionLong term business profits as an entrepreneurFranchisors get ongoing franchise fees. What idea or business can you franchise?Investors get dividendsVisual artists get royalties from artSoftware creation can earn royaltiesGame designersInventorsBusiness partners can work an ongoing residual into the dealMailing list owners get rental feesOwn rental real estateBe a celebrity endorser to get a piece of the ongoing profitMarketing consultants can get a piece of ongoing revenueThis is just a short list, but you can see there are MANY options. What is your best option? What can you do today? If you aren't cut out for acting or songwriting, look at other options that you CAN do. As always, I'd love to hear what residual options you're currently pursuing and welcome your comments.

Network Goodness:How to end World Hunger and Make an extra $500 a Month

2011-09-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

How to Get Rich by Little Everyday Savings

2011-09-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

America's first Billionaire, J. Paul Getty was a was a brilliant businessman no question, but one thing that he was also extremely skilled in was saving money. He is known for saying, "I buy my straw hats in the Fall." What he meant by this was simply that he bought things when no one else was buying them. He says that he bought his oil wells, his businesses, his corporate jets, and his real estate all when no one else was buying them. He bought them when they were on sale. Do you buy things when they are on sale? Not just Diet Coke and bread, but also assets? As Robert Kiyosaki says, "An asset is something that puts money in your pocket." Right now many great investments are on sale. They are everywhere! There are real estate bargains, businesses, and many other things. Just open your eyes and don't just shop for bread and butter items at the store, but shop for assets. What stocks can you find that just seem to be so incredibly undervalued? What piece of real estate is priced way lower than it should be? Try to get in the habit of just shopping for 1 asset per day. It doesn't cost you anything to shop. Now, back to the bread and butter type items. Saving money on those things is great too! I want to talk about a principle that I learned from best selling author and wealth guru Robert Allen. He teaches that a lot of people feel good when they buy a shirt for 50% off, or save 10 cents on their gasoline, but are you really "saving" that money? What he means is, are you really taking that "savings" and putting it away in a tangible place where you can see that extra dollar you saved on gas, or that extra $15 you saved on that shirt. I encourage you to do so. You'll be amazed at the little nest egg that starts to overflow as you put it in an envelope or a clear glass jar. When you have actually put away $15 or $25 dollars, then take it and put it in the bank or in the investment account of your choice. Then do it all over again. You can literally get rich by actually "saving" the money you "save" on everyday items. But what do most people do? They simply use that money saved and buy other doodads with it. Try this for 30 days and see how much you actually put in an envelope or a jar. I look forward to hearing your success stories.

I like Win-Win Deals

2011-09-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

I like Win-Win deals. Frankly, I've been thinking that no one in life should seek anything else. As I think about the greatest American success stories in business, or even in personal growth, I think that they fostered situations in which Win-Win deals were created. The more win-win deals you can create for others, chances are the wealthier you will become.

Love McDonalds or hate them, they have literally moved a lot of food. What do the signs say? "Billions and Billions Served." Its true, while McDonalds may not be the healthiest, they provide affordable food, fast for a lot of people. They fill a need. They make a little on each hamburger, ice cream cone, or salad that is sold. They win, and the people that are trying to stick to a budget and get to their next meeting win too.

I've been impressed with a gentleman named Glenn Sparks from Oregon. Glenn, who is a former pastor, created the Network Goodness Project. As he puts it, the project is to help people do well, while they do good. Its a for-profit program that provides hunger relief to children in multiple 3rd world countries. The food is sent in the form of a necessary nutrient dense meal pack, a powder that is mixed with water and eaten or drank as a porridge. Its helped many children come out of the stages of starvation and get them back to a healthy weight. A very good product to say the least that provides a purpose-in this case, saving a life.

The project is partnered with a multi-million dollar wellness company called XANGO that pays independant participants basically $5 per meal pack that is donated. The donor also can also receive affiliate checks as they share the program with others. Glenn says that we have two problems: We have a massive world hunger problem, and we have a massive financial recession in the US. This program is a win-win that helps people get the extra cash they need to make life better, but also provide a life saving gift to children abroad.

What win-win deals do you like or are you creating? I'd love to hear from you.

For more information on the program, see: www.xangogoodness.org

Choose Your Thoughts Wisely

2011-08-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

Our thoughts become our emotions, and our emotions become our actions. Our actions then become our habits! So we must choose our thoughts carefully. I do believe that thoughts become things. I do believe that what we put in our "inner" world, does in fact come out into our "outer" world.

So if our thoughts become things, then what are we choosing? There is an old computer term that most of us have heard; "Garbage in-garbage out." How true it is!

I grew up in a home where my mother turned on the ten o'clock news like many other people. I always thought that is just what you do, you stay informed that way. What I never realized is that what we were all putting into our brain right before we slept were the reports of the houses burning down, the kidnappings, the murders, the robbery downtown etc! Yikes!!! What do you think went into our brain the next morning? Well, most mornings it was the newspaper. I would read it as a high school kid while I ate my morning cereal. Again, more bad news.

Now, I'm not saying its important to ignore everything and keep your head in the sand, but I do believe many, many people live in front of CNN. What a difference it would make if they put something positive in their mind first thing?

Most people wake up with fear, dread, and grogginess. I know because for many years I lived that way. When you wake up early and read something positive, it absolutely changes the way you feel immediately. I know because I started doing it.

Many people will brush this idea off and say, "That's too simple. What a cheesy idea." Well, I dare you to do it for a week. Just try it! Read some of the Bible, an inspiration self help book, or even something like Success magazine. Just try it! I promise you that if you do it daily for 7 days your life will never be the same.

2010-11-07T19:50:00.001-08:00

My Philosophy on Life

2010-08-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

I may not be the smartest. I may not be the best looking. I may not be the most gifted in certain areas. BUT I do know the secret. Everyone wants to know what the magic bullet to life success is. Is there one? I don't think so. But I do think there is one thing that has made the difference in my life.

Consistency.

What does it boil down to? Doing the little things that will lead you to success and doing them everyday. Success is built up from thousands of small efforts over time that no one notices.

I learned this in my cycling. I started racing when I was 15 years old and instantly fell in love with the sport. I have been training 5 or 6 days a week now for almost 13 years. Rain, shine, mud, snow. Now, I am not the most gifted cyclist. I may not have the genes of a George Hincapie or a Lance Armstrong, but I have made up what I lacked genetically by hard work. It HAS paid off, and I have reached my goals in competing at a high level over the years.

Do the hard things first each day. Get em done. You will glean confidence and the more you do them,the easier they will become. You don't have to be a superhero, just be consistent. Keep a reasonable pace. What will begin to unfold in your life will be amazing in the end.