From time to time...

We all have "our world" that seems to cave in a bit, and we feel the
pressure from all sides.

As a matter of fact, it can feel tighter than the middle seat in coach.

But we all have choices on what to do when we feel the squeeze...we can
continue to feel uncomfortable or we can use the feeling as inspiration to loosen things up.

Being uncomfortable from time to time, is just a part of life, and it's up to us, what we want to do about it.

Yours in "Loosening Up" - Coach

There is really nothing...

More rewarding than creating your own success.

Some look towards others to help them out and to help get them started.

But the stories that have some of the most rewarding tales of
achievement are the ones that have started from scratch.

Months ago, I spoke to someone looking to raise some dough, so he could
start his business, yet after talking for a while, he realized that he
could start the business himself...he did it, and he's making great
progress.

And the thing he's really stoked about is not only that he did it
himself...but he also doesn't have to pay anyone back.

Yours in "You can do it" - Coach

When one door closes...

Other doors always open up.

Yet some of us don't see the other doors opening, because our focus
stays on the door that has closed.

That's the key to "Spinning it and Winning it".

When we face a challenge, like a door closing, we "spin it" into a
positive, lesson, or an opportunity...that way, our focus doesn't stay
on the door that has closed, our focus is directed to looking around
for the doors that have opened.

Yours in "Focus" - Coach

Does your Road to Success...

Always seem to be dusty, hard and uphill?

Well, it doesn't have to be that way...or seem that way.

Understanding that Success doesn't come overnight is a good starting
point for us not to be impatient for the results.

Following a well thought out plan for your Success, whatever you choose
it to be is also paramount in getting you to where you have chosen to
go.

Like any Road - there are ups and downs, twists and turns, potholes and
ruts, not to mention dealing with the weather - so knowing you will
encounter theses challenges, and it's just part of the trip, is crucial.

So pack your bags and set your course and let the journey begin!

Yours in Success - Coach

Distracted?

Sure, we all have been distracted before.

But, occasionally our focus stays on the distraction long after the
distraction is gone.

Someone cuts you off in traffic, or is rude in the grocery store...each
scenario is short, and they are in and out of our lives in less than 5 minutes.

So why do they stay in our head for the rest of the day, coloring our
every thought and action?

Answer that question correctly and you've solved the puzzle.

Yours in "Thought" - Coach

Building anything on a...

Strong foundation is the key to a strong structure.

Learning to build a strong foundation is not one of our inherent
talents.

As kids, we all start building what we want, and a lot of things end up
tumbling down. We may have started with building blocks, legos or
tinker toys...wanting them to be piled high, but the higher they got,
the more likely they were to come crashing down.

I made a "fort" when I was 10 and wanted it to be off the ground, so I
built it on four, 4 foot, 2" by 4"s nailed to the corners, and as soon
as
I climbed up and in, it collapsed like a cheap card table...I built
what I wanted, but forgot about the solid foundation.

So we can create and build what we want in our lives, but we must not
forget to build it on top of a solid foundation.

Yours in "Long lasting Strength" - Coach

Whatever happens...

Control the outcome?

Yet since the only thing we control is ourselves, maybe we can be a bit
more specific and say...control the outcome and how it effects us.

Want to control the outcome in the stock market and not have it effect
us? Don't play.

Want to control the outcome of our friends that keep borrowing money? Don't lend.

Want to control the outcome and have everything to go smoothly? It
won't...so we go smoothly.

Any game we choose to be in, contains inherent risks, and if we want to
control the outcome, stay out of the game, otherwise the outcome will
effect us, one way or another - but sometimes the risk is worth the
reward.

Yours in "Controlling Your Outcome" - Coach

When I was a kid...

All pools weren't concrete and plaster.

I grew up with blowups, metal walled and dough boys, and the game was
to "Blow the water out of the pool", as much as possible, the more the
better.

We did "cannon balls', "watermelons", even the "Pittsburgh plunge" and
an occasional "wagon wheel whip"...and the winner was the one who got
the most people standing around...wet.

Well, time moves on, and I bet this weekend, we can all do what we do best, with our family and friends.

Will it be our mad cooking skills, unparalleled guitar hero genius,
world class card shark abilities, or just our inherent talent of
attempting to hit a golf ball.

Whatever it is, let's plan on getting some folks wet.

Yours in "Game" - Coach

Muddy Waters...

Said it all, back in the day..."You can't spend what you ain't got, and
you can't lose what you never had".

So maybe we need to focus on spending what we got...and get it out in
the world, because we all have a lot...a massive heap of contributions to offer.

And if we can't lose what we never had, we must not be preoccupied with
losing or loss of any kind.

So let's spend what we've got, and don't even think about what we never had.

Yours in "Thought" - Coach

Simplicity counts, but...

That doesn't mean details don't.

We all seem to be in the search for more time.

And for those of us that aim to streamline and simplify our lives, we
need to be mindful that the details don't get thrown out along the way.

Details are what makes the process, and in our process to put a little
simplification into our lives, we need to pay attention to what makes
up the process.

We can compartmentalize our tasks, but keeps our tasks in the process.
We can streamline our efforts, but our efforts still need to be
included. We can simplify our lives, but keep our lives as the focus.

All in all - it's all in the details.

Yours in "Details" - Coach

Some of us are on the cutting edge...

Of Ignorance...I know I am.

We can't know everything, and we can never know it all, but we can sure
keep learning.

Remember when we were all 16? We knew it all! We were definitely
smarter than our parents and undoubtedly smarter than our teachers.

Then, once "real life" started to rear it's head of responsibilities,
we seemed to not be as smart as we thought we were.

Remembering that we were once as smart as they come, and we dummy up
over time is a great lesson and inspiration that can help us keep
learning and growing - once we pass the age of 16.

Yours in "Continued Growth" - Coach

It sure would be nice...

If we were able to achieve everything that we set out to do, when we set out to do them.

But life always changes and it seems to change our focus on what was important in the past, to what is important in the future.

So don't worry about not achieving everything we set out to, just focus on what makes the most sense as time passes.

Just like popcorn, some of them pop and some of them don't.

But the ones that do, are the ones that got most of the energy.

Yours in "Focus" - Coach

There are Imitators...

And there are Originators.

Imitators don't do a lot with the exception of "parroting" what someone
else already did.

But Originators, can be the spark that changes the way the world spins.

If it weren't for Originators, we would have nothing new in the world,
and probably still be eating around a campfire...and only if there was a
least one Originator that invented and harnessed fire.

So up to you, what you want to be, but I know that you have the power
and knowledge to be an Originator...we just need to look deep inside.

Yours in "Create" - Coach

Pride of Ownership?

Says a lot about who we are. It's not where we live, but how we live,
and has nothing to do with money, class or status.

And a simple peek at our living conditions usually is very
representative of how we take care of the other things in our lives.

Are we living in a pigsty or in an orderly fashion?

Living in order allows other things to be in order too, and living in
disorder or chaos usually has a profound effects on everything else.

So if we need to bring order to how we lives, beginning with our living
conditions is a great place to start, for once order is achieved there...
all the rest usually follows suit.

Yours in "Pride of Ownership" - Coach

Our lives shouldn't be...

A flip of a coin...a 50/50 chance.

It should be 100%...Good and getting Better.

Can't get it all at once, don't even need to, otherwise there would be
nothing to do.

Just move forward, choosing what's important to you and the ones in
your life, and let it rip, and not by chance...but your intended
direction.

Then keep moving forward, and detour when you need to, on your way from
Good to Better.

Yours in "Not All at Once" - Coach