This is meant to be an exhaustive list of the very best motivational and personal productivity quotes in existence.  Over time, as it builds in size, my hope this that will be a great recourse for those who need a motivational boost and/or some fresh insight into the challenges of personal productivity.  So to reach this status as the very best motivational and personal productivity quotes around, I need YOU to help in the process.  I would like for you to share with us what you believe to the the very best motivational and personal productivity quotes.  The ones that have really made a positive impact on your life.

The way this works is simple.  The comments below have the ability to initiate direct replies to any one specific comment.  They can go 6 deep which means that one comment can have up to 5 replies.  I’m am allowing each commenter to have their own grouping of up to 6 total comments (all connected by direct replies).  You can only post 3 total quotes and then use the other 3 spots for you own personal thoughts about the quote.  Maybe you can expand on the quote or tell us why you feel it is one of the best quotes around.  Also, I would encourage you to include at least one quote that is your own, if you have one that you deem worthy to make this list of the very best.  Don’t be shy, WOW us with your amazing insight!

An example of this layout would be as follows:

Comment #1: “Quote” ~ Quote Author

Reply #1 to Comment #1: Personal thoughts/insight.

Reply #2: “Quote” ~ Quote Author

Reply #3 to Reply #2: Personal thoughts/insight.

Reply #4: “Quote” ~ Quote Author

Reply #5 to Reply #4: Personal thoughts/insight.

Sorry if this seems complicated, but it’s super simple.  Just lay out 3 of the very best motivational and personal productivity quotes on the planet and reply to each one with your own insight and do so by sticking to your boundary of on comment grouping.  The point of this list is the be clearly focused on sharing the best quotes, not holding conversations, so try to keep your comments focused on that goal.  This list is intended to be a growing resource for inspiration, insight and all out motivation.  So let’s make it that way!

I’m going to start by sharing some quotes from a man who has had a lot of impact on many people’s lives and who has said many powerful things to boost our motivation and personal productivity.  His name is Zig Ziglar and here are 8 of his quotes that I believe simply and clearly sum up this very subject.

“You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

This is something I struggle with.  I seem to split achievement and helping others into two separate categories.  But I’m finding that these two actions couldn’t be any more interconnected.  Sure, you can be a tyrant and get what you want, but few of us want that.  And the fact is, people aren’t stupid.  Our intentions our as clear as day and those around us are inspired by honesty, a positive outlook and the desire to make OTHERS successful, not just have the whole pie to ourselves.

“The greatest good we can do for others is not just to share our riches with them, but to reveal theirs.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

Along the same lines as the first quote, this one represents a passion I’ve had ever since I started seeking success in my own life.  Nothing inspires me more than being able to help another human being see their own unique abilities and the amazing possibilities that lie ahead.  It goes along the lines of the idea that if you, “Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.”  (OK, so I kind of snuck two in their… )

“It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that determines your altitude.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

It may sound a bit corny to some, but I can’t think of a more simple and direct way of summing up motivation and the idea that success comes to those with the highest tolerance to friction, not the highest IQ score.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing.. that’s why we recommend it daily.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

I LOVE this one.  How many of us get motivated to do something and then become SHOCKED when that drive doesn’ t last.  We have to CONSTANTLY reconnect to our passion and drive, reminding ourselves why we are moving in a particular direction.  Fail to do so and we’ll find ourselves stranded on the side of the road with no gas station in sight.

“You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind. “  ~ Zig Ziglar

Between our self talk, the TV/Internet and the people around us, we are constantly bombarded by manipulation.  Just by changing what goes INTO our minds, we can change so much of what comes out of them.

“If you don’t have daily objectives, you qualify as a dreamer.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

OK, so this might not qualify as the most powerful quote to have ever graced our visual receptors, but I believe that it holds a truth that we need to be aware of.  I relate so much to this quote because I am SUCH a dreamer.  Part of what makes me such a driven person is the fact that I can see so much possibility on the horizon.  I day dream about great things, but with out a daily road map of what I need to do to actually REACH those wonderful destinations, I’m nothing more than a day dreamer, living in the mirage of my own made up metropolis. (And you can QUOTE me on that! )

“The major difference between the big shot and the little shot is the big shot is just a little shot who kept on shooting.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

The essence of motivation and the results of personal persistence!

“You need a plan to build a house. To build a life, it is even more important to have a plan or goal.”  ~ Zig Ziglar

Many of us live our lives under the illusion that a life is just a mix of whims and chance.  That somehow our location in 10 years is up to the direction of the wind.  We need to map out our desired destinations, learn the ins and outs of our abilities and then harness the many great opportunities around us to push ahead.  We may not have complete control over the obstacles just ahead, but our heading is absolutely determined by our own personal decisions.

Choose wisely!

You have 3 slots to share what you believe to be the very best motivational and personal productivity quotes on the planet.  Don’t feel the need to do so all at once.  Feel free to come back months from now and lay down your next great quote.

And whether or not you share anything with us, I hope this page becomes a powerful resource for motivation, inspiration and personal productivity insight.  That you may be driven to passionately push ahead as you pursue a life that is an extraordinary act in the making!

Eric

Let me introduce you to Bob.  Bob is a thirty something guy with a loving wife, two kids and a 9 to 5 job that keeps him busy and slightly stressed most of the time.  He lives in a fairly nice, modern home, in a nice, comfortable neighborhood.  With two cars in the garage (along with a hefty car payment), a mortgage that snuck its way into his life, and a load of bad buying habits eating up the little bit of savings they have, Bob is not exactly at peace with his situation.  To put it more bluntly, Bob sometimes daydreams about running away to a deserted island where he can hide from all the amassed pressure and responsibility he’s brought upon himself and his family.  Let’s just say that Bob’s a little stressed.

But it wasn’t always this way…

Let’s go back in time to when Bob was just out of high school and ready to conquer the world.  This was a time in Bob’s life that the debt had not yet had a chance to pile up and the only one he had to take care of was himself.  He had little stress and a lot of passion behind his dreams of having an amazing career and an even more amazing family to share it with.  Bob was in a place I like to call ‘Pre-Paralysis’.  A place where he had yet to become paralyzed by the pressures of day-to-day life.  A time when the weight on his shoulders had barley even made itself noticeable.  Bob was free and his enthusiasm, unstoppable.  Or so he thought.

When Bob met Jane

Bob was blessed with an amazing girlfriend, Jane.  They met at their post high school job at the local grocer and fell in love faster than they could learn how to work the register.  There was no doubt in their minds that they were meant for each other, each one completing the missing half of the other.  Though they knew marriage was not an easy road, they had no doubt it was the necessary next step.  Both Bob and Jane loved children so talk of kids was an exciting regular conversation.  Bob just knew his life was going to be even more amazing than he had imagined.  The thought of taking on the challenges of life, side-by-side with the woman he loved, was enough to give him goosebumps.

As the wedding came closer, Bob and Jane frantically looked for an apartment that they could afford.  They settled on a place that was small, but sufficient.  As they stood there in the empty one roomer, their imaginations began to run wild with thoughts of what it will be like to live on their own as a couple, with no one to stop them from pursuing their passionate dreams.  Bob squeezed Jane’s hand to confirm their connection as they silently envisioned their future.

Making bad decisions, one day at a time.

One of the fist things Bob did after the wedding was buy a new car.  They had needed to take that next step sooner or later, but Jane had questioned the need to buy new.  Blinded by the excitement of a shiny new toy, Bob convinced himself that this was a need and therefore not possibly a mistake.  A month later, when Bob was writing a check for that first car payment, he felt this unfamiliar pressure on his shoulders.  Not knowing what it was, he disregarded it and quickly forgot about its existence.

Now it was Jane’s turn.  Love of knick knacks, Jane was not a big item buyer.  As excited as Bob had been when he purchased that new car, Jane could equal that enthusiasm when she’d sign up for her next magazine subscription.  But being a person who greatly enjoyed those small purchases, Jane made many of them.  She’d sign up for this, and send away for that.  Rarely did Jane make it home from her weekend trip to the mall without bags in both hands.

IT’S A GIRL!!!

Taking that natural next step, Bob and Jane had a beautiful little baby girl.  So excited and happier than ever, they both spread the news as if it were the cure for cancer.  Bob never thought he could feel a joy greater than what he felt when he met Jane, but holding his little blessing in his arms for the very first time sent a sensation through his body like he had never felt before.  This was his daughter, his child.  Bob looked over at Jane and they shared a short silence, communicating a new kind of connection.  They were no longer just a husband and wife, but a mother and father to this beautiful little blessing.

The Daily Grind

Let’s fast forward a few years.  Bob’s been working as a sales rep for the local yellow pages.  Great at what he does, Bob made a good living off his commission.  The problem was that he had to put in 60 to 80 hours a week to do so and the work was anything but congruent with his original pre-paralysis dreams for success.  When he’d come home in the evenings, Jane would be exhausted from taking care of their, now, 2 kids as well as making sure dinner was waiting for Bob at the end of his long day.  Their enthusiastic relationship had been diluted by this daily grind and their passion as parents was lacking, to say the least.

The weekends were barely any better.  Bob sat in his office all Saturday morning, writing check after check to cover all their monthly bills.  Not quite sure how they had amassed such a stack of financial responsibility, Bob just turned on his auto pilot and got the job done.  Oh, and remember when I mentioned that first sensation of shoulder weight?  Well, Bob now had a whole pile of bricks to deal with.  It felt like he was wearing a backpack full of concrete, ALL THE TIME!  And let’s just say that Jane was right their with him, bearing the brunt of this misguided mass.  Whether dealing with her own stresses or feeling Bob’s financial frustration, she could barely tend to her own needs, let alone those of her children.

Somethings got to give!

One day, while working in the yard, Bob felt a crippling pain in stomach.  At first he tried to ignore it, but soon it was evident that this was serious.  So he went inside and asked Jane to take him to the hospital.  Jane was worried about her husband as they drove to the ER.  Not sure what was wrong, they both sat in the waiting room as Bob silently screamed in agony.

They  finally were able to see a doctor who proceeded to run some tests.  Fairly quickly it had become evident that the problem was a large ulcer in Bob’s stomach.  The doctor prescribed some medicine, but had to ask, “Have you been under any stress lately?”  Bob laughed, as if he thought the doctor was joking.  “Stress?  Of course, isn’t everyone?”  The doctor then continued the slightly uncomfortable conversation by agreeing that we all deal with stress in life, but that the level of stress Bob was living with was literally eating away at his insides.  Basically, Bob was bearing too high a dose of dysfunctional lifestyle.  If he continued in this way, this agonizing ulcer will seem like a slight stomach ache compared to the heart attack that awaits.

On the ride home from the hospital Bob and Jane talked about making some changes.  Both completely agreed that they made a wrong turn somewhere early on and that for their own health and happiness they needed to find their way back to sanity.

“What happened?”  Bob asked in the tone of a statement.  “I mean, how did we get here in the first place?”

“All I know is that we went from white to black with so many shades of gray that we never realized the tone of our life had changed.”  Jane responded as she turned the wheel to re-enter their driveway.

Before the car had come to a complete stop in their garage, Bob made a clear declaration, “We’re getting off this ride!”

Jane smiled.

That night, Bob and Jane slept better than they had in years.  Both at peace with their agreement for drastic change, they felt the shoulder weight lighten, even if only for a moment.

Undoing The Damage

The next morning was a beautiful sunny Sunday.  Off from work and well rested, it felt like the day had been hand made for the very purpose of planning their new lives.  Jane made some hot tea and they sat at the dining room table, ready to collaborate on their massive undertaking.  Only armed with a pad of paper and a pen in hand, Bob was ready to get to the bottom of their unexpectedly stressful existence.

This is what they came up with:

Practical

• Bills. Go through every penny that you pay in bills and separate the wheat from the chaff.  Determine what bills are going toward necessary items/services and which ones are not.  Then cut out EVERY bill that you don’t absolutely have to have.  Are you subscribing to convenience  on a monthly basis?  Well, decide if that convenience is worth the extra shoulder weight you bare when paying the tab.  ALSO, the bills that are tagged as necessary, be sure they are absolutely necessary and then see if you can’t reduce their cost in any way possible.
• Non-bill payments. Now it’s time to look back over the last couple of months.  Where have you spent your money?  Do you buy expensive coffee, a magazine now and again or are you going out to eat because you just don’t feel like cooking dinner?  While trying to undo the insanity of debt and overspending, it’s crucial to completely cut the fat and stop the leak all together.  There’s nothing more frustrating then bailing out a sinking ship without first plugging the hole.
• Debt. One of the biggest culprits in our stressed out lifestyles is the big D word.  Starting out as a common inability to wait, debt is the love child of impatience and discontentment. The best thing you can do with your debt is pay it off as soon as you can.  Get that weight off your shoulders TODAY and you’ll have more energy to take on the world tomorrow.
• Sleep. Without a consistent regimen of sound sleep we are crippled by low energy and lack of enthusiasm.  Sleep not only restores our physical strength, but our confidence and clarity of thought.  So if you’re not getting the sleep you require, get to the bottom of the issue.  Be sure your diet and activity level are consistent with good health.  Analyze your thought process before bed and make sure it’s not filled with stress and stimulation.  And check out your routine to determine the level of consistency in your sleep patterns.  Out of all the physical things you can do for yourself, your health and your happiness, a good nights rest should be at the top of your list.
• Free time. How we spend our free time can greatly affect how we feel the rest of the time.  We may not have complete control over what we do when we’re at work, but our free time is a time where we are free to do what we want.  If you feel you’re wasting ANY of that time, you will gain shoulder weight just out of feelings of regret.  Our time is precious and we can’t afford to waste even an OUNCE of it.  Fill it with fulfilling activity and you will be much more likely to make the most of every other second that comes your way.

Emotional and Psychological

• Relationships. Any relationship we have plays a role in our sanity.  Certainly some more than others, but even the way we treat a person behind the counter at the grocery store has an effect on how we feel about ourselves and our life.  I recently gave a customer support person a hard time because of a misunderstanding of something petty and I was left feeling less than peaceful.  This guy was just trying to help and because he didn’t have the information I impatiantly wanted, I kind of snapped at him.  A few days later I noticed that every time I worked with the issue I was trying to resolve, I felt a bit of anxiety.  I quickly realized that this bad feeling stemmed from this earlier situation and so I sent this guy an email apologizing for being a jerk.  It may sound like a little thing, but without reconciling even the slightest wrong doing toward another, we are prone to a negativity that will do nothing but eat away at our peace of mind.  And if this one little incidence was that important, how much more important is it that we take care of those who support us on a daily basis.
• Addictions. Whether we know it or not, we ALL have additions.  Some are more obvious than others and they all have differing levels of damage, but the common thread is that we are trying to fill a void in our lives, whether big or small.  Sometimes it’s just out of a lack of stimulation, while other times it stems from the need to dull a pain inside us.  Some of us have troubling childhood thoughts that bring on bouts of abusive behavior, while others of us may just have a thing for shopping and take it a little too far (as Jane exhibited earlier).  But to deal with these addictions we have to deal with the source of their existence.  You can’t tell someone with anorexia to JUST EAT!  Their lack of ingestion comes not from a fear of food or their need to control weight, but from some pain in their lives that probably goes way back to a forgotten time.  We need to unravel the mess of memories and expanse of experiences so we can figure out why we do X, Y, or Z.  Once we work through these issues, we can be free to wisely pursue a different path.  But until then, we’ll be fighting a losing battle.
• The Joneses. An idea that has been beaten to death, I will not kick it while its down, but I will just say that when it comes to other people’s ‘things’, just remember that they are no happier because of them.  No object has ever proven to create happiness in an individual and no object ever will.
• Past mistakes. Often times we don’t realize that it is our past failings that are keeping us from succeeding in the future.  Whether we’ve lost our confidence or feel discouraged because things didn’t go the way we’d hoped, we need to address those things that are always nagging us with negative notions of our ability to reach our goals.  Leave these unchecked and we are doomed to repeat our past.
• Insecurities. With red hair and freckles and the fact that I look about a decade younger than I actually am, I got a lot of flack as a kid.  Constantly being singled out by the current bully of the month, I found myself being beaten down with constant negativity.  Once or twice and you can blow it off as the exception to the rule, but after many times of abuse, you can’t help but believe it as gospel.  We all carry the weight of insecurity and none of us are spared the inconvenience of a poor decision or two because of it, but we must make sure our lives are not being torn down as a result.  Take some time and look back on your childhood.  Figure out where the negativity came from and how you learned to cope.  We can learn a lot about our bad habits by analyzing our past and we can also find the key to fixing the problem.

Where are Bob and Jane today?

Still paying down the debt of their past, Bob and Jane are fighting for a more positive future.  Bob is still working long hours, but now with the motivation of digging themselves out of their financial mess.  Jane has not only stopped spending money on things they don’t need, but is dong everything she can to save on those things they do.  And when Bob gets home from work he not only enjoys time with his family, but has started setting aside time to train for a new position.  He’s seeking out a role that will allow him to work less time, while still making the money they need to make ends meet and save for the future.  Both Bob and Jane are now learning from experience that one positive action leads to more of the same.  Each step forward strengthens their stride and reinforces their foundation.

It’s not our location, but our heading that matters most.

People often talk about where they are in life, but I find that it’s where we’re going that is most important.  Time is a relentless taskmaster who never listens to reason and just because we’ve made it to a positive plateau doesn’t mean that tomorrow won’t be filled with a barrage of backsliding.  Even more importantly, for those who find themselves in a pit of despair, everything feeling like a failure, I encourage you to focus on your direction, not your current place on the map.

That’s what’s so great about life!  We can make our own choices and choose to live the life of greatest fulfillment, for us and those we come in contact with.  We ALL make mistakes and have to deal with the consequences, but that doesn’t mean we can’t, AT ANY TIME, decide to take hold of the reigns and steer ourselves toward a more positive future.  Stop focusing on the mistakes you’ve made and start planning for the future you’ve always imagined.  Stop listening to the voice that says that you can’t and start chanting the battle cry for a better future.  Stop reacting to life and start challenging yourself to push for greater forward progress.  You can’t undo the past, but the present and the future, they are shapeless objects, waiting for your hands to mold them into the life of your choosing.

Eric

The ‘ball dropping’ hype, followed by a passion and excitement for a more fantastic tomorrow, seem to absorb much of the energy that’s meant for the actual changes to take place.  We fill up on bread while waiting for the opportunity to dig in to the main course, only to find our appetite has been prematurely and unintentionally quenched.  By the time we enter into the very beginnings of February we are already falling back into our blandly average existence.  What went wrong?!

The Gym Membership Mistake

I’m sure many of us are aware of the masses of new gym memberships that are acquired this time of year.  People who have never seemed to break through the barriers of that one month hump, seem to feel that THIS year will be different.  But for about 80%, it is not.

I had a great ‘back and forth’ in the comment’s section of Writer Dad, with James of Men With Pens.  I had written a guest post about the importance of motivation in reaching our goals this New Year.  James brought up some excellent points about our need to clearly define our desires and know what we really want.  Toward the end of this comment conversation we had defined the need for both desire and motivation to ‘join together in Holy Matrimony’.  It is only in this perfect marriage that we can possibly think something like a one month barrier can be broken.  Attempt this feat, one with out the other, and you’re journey will be doomed from the start.

Here is a ‘snippet’ of one of my comments:

“I’ve always believed that they go hand-in-hand; work together. One without the other (desire without motivation, for example), going back to the engine analogy, is like driving a car with square wheels. You may be able to keep moving forward with brute force (desire), but will never pick up momentum (motivation) and ‘fly on by’. You may be thinking that motivation is supposed to be the brute force, but I look at the other way around.

Let’s say you’re driving along, motivation keeping the odometer pegged. Suddenly you hit a hill and lose all momentum. At this point you have to dig deep and feed off the desire to make it up the hill (losing that last 10 pounds, as you mentioned). But once you reach the top of the mountain your momentum/motivation builds back up and you speed on down the hill.

So I’m saying it’s a perfect marriage, one that can’t be separated. At least if you want the ‘full effect’ of your forward motion.“

Basically, our initial motivation to make positive changes in our lives is what gets us through the first stage of the New Year.  But it’s when we hit that first ‘hump’ that the wind can completely leave our sails and we must rely on our deep desire to push ahead and stay on track.  Fail to do so and you’ll just roll backward, but make it over the peak and your motivational momentum will kick back in and give you the boost you need to truly change your life.  (Oh, and speaking of going down hill; the later part of the discussion turned into talk about how Sean’s lazy, how I clean his gutters and do his laundry and how James has his toilets cleaned for free.  DON’T ASK! )

In light of the above thoughts and our absolute need to make it to that next level of lasting positive change, I’ve provided 10 things that I believe will help us all make it into February, heads held hi and goals becoming realized.

1. Start small. A great way to get no where in January is to try and take on the World from the start.  I’m not saying you don’t have that on the list, just be sure to build up to it with some small accomplishments already under your belt.
2. Clearly define your desire. Don’t just say you want to lose weight.  Make sure you know how much you want to lose.  And know exactly WHY you want to make the change.  The closer you are to grasping your goal in the precise form you desire, the more effective your drive will be as you periodically perceive the purpose of the pain involved in your pursuit.  (Does anybody see any P’s around here?  I’ve seemed to have run out. )
3. Adjust your surroundings appropriately. Can you see an alcoholic sitting in AA, telling the group about their struggles to stay sober while working at a bar?  If we want to stop eating junk food then we need to rid our kitchen and pantries of this particular food.  Not only that, but we need to be careful where we go when our cravings strike.  Basic preparation is not enough.  We need to think ahead and be ready to defend our desired change to the ‘death’.
4. Substitute a loss with positive gain. If you take something away from yourself in making the change, make sure you’re aware of the void you have created.  There was a need or desire that was being fulfilled that is now left in want.  Find a healthy, positive substitute and place it accordingly.  If you’re not eating dessert, have a small piece of fruit instead.  If you’re buying less things, find free activities to fill the ‘purchase time’ that used to take place.
5. Enlist a friend to aid in the journey. There’s no better way to stay on track than to have a fellow human being encourage you along the way.  When things are going well, they can applaud your accomplishments, but when you find yourself running out of steam it will be their cheers that will re-establish your enthusiasm and get you over that hump.  Finding someone who is ALSO pursuing positive change is even better.  This way you can share the pats on the back and cherish each others cheers.  And what you’ll find to be the best medicine for success is the wonderful feeling of encouraging another.  Suddenly your focus is pointing outward and your own struggles feel less impossible.
6. Declare your resolutions to the World. Letting the ‘masses’ know about your personal challenge will help keep you from letting the desire die.  Accountability is at least ‘lightly’ established and your statement is set in stone.  If you’d like to share your resolutions with this particular community, click here and let us know what you plan to pursue in 2009.
7. Set a time line. Don’t leave your resolutions to ‘rot’ over the next 365 days.  An entire year for a deadline is almost always too much cushion.  Set fairly aggressive spans of space to reach the next mile post on your journey.  Once accomplished, reset the clock and continue to push forward.  This may sound like a recipe for burnout, but the opposite will most certainly be a road to failure.  Just be sure to listen to your mind and body and take breaks when you need a breather and you’ll be just fine.
8. Celebrate each step forward. Nothing better promotes forward motion than our own excitement of the ground we’ve tackled thus far.  Make sure you are fully aware of every victory (no matter how small) and you will build up a momentum that can carry you through the bumps in the road.
9. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments, as long as they don’t lead you in the wrong direction. If you realize that losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks is too drastic and unhealthy, than make the proper adjustments and keep on going.  Don’t become discouraged or feel like you’ve failed.  It’s not about the numbers or the time, but it’s the lasting results that matter.
10. Take it one day at a time. It’s classic advise that’s passed the greatest tests of time.  Though having a strong vision of our future is important, reaching these mileposts in our journey requires steady steps and finite focus.  When thoughts of where we MIGHT be crowd out the facts of our current state, we risk becoming unnecessarily discouraged.  Running that marathon in march might not seem possible by the middle of January, but let time tell that tale.  Your job is to tame the tasks of today and nothing else.

It’s 12:22am and I still have the after taste of the sparkling toast and celebratory kiss (from Liz, of course ) of moments ago.  We’ve said goodbye to 2008 and an anticipated, “where have you been all my life?!” to ’09.  A new year, new opportunities, and a psychological clean slate.  Tomorrow is a new day, and that tomorrow is TODAY!!!

Solidify Your Resolutions Here

This is the post for our resolutions to be written.  If you want to share your new found commitments with the “Motivate Thyself” community, this is the place to do it.  I’ll start…

My New Years resolution for ’09 is that of FRUGALITY. My goal is to be much more mindful of every purchase I make.  I’m tired of either blatantly wasting money, or letting the finances flow out of my bank account with no apparent purpose for the spent ‘cash’.  So it will be THIS year that I will not only MAKE money for my families future, but take better care of the money that already resides on my ‘plate’.

So let us have it!  What’s changing for you in this new 365? And how can we encourage you to maintain your composure as the days turn to weeks and the buzz of the new year starts to fade?  Either way, this is the place to help keep your wheels turning, so be sure to pop on by.  I’ll not only leave the light on for you, but I’ll keep the ‘digital caffeine’ flowing.

TO OUR BEST YEAR YET!!!

TO OUR SUCCESS!!!

P.S. Be sure to check out my previous book about how to get a good night’s sleep…

We are in the final ‘leg’ of our journey as I talk about the twists and turns that we encounter as we try and endure the road to success.  But we’re not here to just endure, but to conquer.  We’re on this road because we want to be more than average and rise to our greatest potential.

This final leg is just as important as the first.  It is here where we are not just trying to stay on track.  It is this part of our journey where the 5 percent is separated from the other 95.  It’s the innovative and creative that succeed past this point.  Anyone can fallow a plan to succeed, but few blaze their own trail and make their own rules.  But this is exactly what I’m going to ask that you do.

About a month and a half ago I wrote a guest post for Pick The Brain called, “10 Traits of a Successful Human Being“.  In point #4, ‘A Big Imagination’ I say this:

“When I think of some of the greatest ‘achievers’ in American history I see great innovators and people of purpose.  Names like Henry Ford, Walt Disney and Bill Gates come to mind.  From cars to cartoons to computers, their personalities were as diverse as their pursuits.  But one thing they share is the wonderful ability to see what’s not yet visible to the naked eye.  It was the imagination of Henry Ford that first painted the picture of a car in every garage, and Bill Gates, a computer in every home.  And it was Walt Disney who continues to inspire millions with the idea that ‘anything is possible’.  Those with inevitable success can see the unseen.  They’ve become successful in their minds before they laid their first brick.“

Seeing the unseen.

My first year of consulting was filled with the commonalities of a new business.  I was just trying to get to the point where the training wheels could come off.  The thoughts of innovation were non existent as more pending concerns like building a client base filled my mind and imagination.  But after I broke through ‘The First Valley‘ and made my way along the winding road of success, I found that a barrier would soon make itself known.   Kind of like a fallen tree laying right across the middle of the road, I was stuck.  Sure, I was making money and paying the bills.  My clients were multiplying and the word continued to get out as my services were above average and readily accessible.  But I wasn’t growing.  At least not in the way that could be considered exceptional.

I mean, that’s what we’re after, right?  A sort of uncommon success that only comes from innovative thinking and is near impossible without the ability to see the unseen?  I’d go as far as to say that without forward thinking, we will never make it past the back seat.  It has always been the person in the driver’s seat that steers the vehicle, and only those with this ‘forward vision’ that are positioned to take the wheel.  So by year two I was forced to break free from the ‘playbook’ and start looking for the answers to this riddle.  I decided that ‘uncommon success’ was what I desired and that no ‘textbook’ could paint my path.  Here is what I started doing differently:

• Look around you. The first thing I did was open my eyes to my competition.  What were they up to?  How did they deal with their clients?  How did they advertise and what image were they attempting to project?  And most importantly, how (if at all) were they preparing for the future?
• Look at yourself. Next, I took this information and compared it with my own policies and philosophy.  How did I compare?  What did they know that I didn’t and vice versa?  Interestingly, I found that most of the other consultants in my area, including the big names, were doing things just the same as myself.  I didn’t see much innovation, nothing that set apart the wheat from the chaff.
• Look at the business/niche. After realizing the lack of creativity going on in the computer service industry, I realized a great need to analyze the business itself.  What I realized was that the state of this particular industry allowed for ‘lazy’ imaginations.  The need for these services was much greater than the amount of those addressing them.  And the willingness to pay top dollar only added to the problem.  I realized that I was in a great position for seeing the unseen, as most were too caught up in the now to compete for this future space.
• Look at what the business/niche is NOT. Now was the time to figure out where these technology tentacles had not yet tainted.  It was time to figure out where ‘tomorrow’ would position the industry and how I could position my business to monopolize most.
• Listen to the clients. Now that I had gained an accurate perspective on the position of the industry, I was ready to start building my own understanding of the future.  I started asking a lot of questions and then REALLY listening to the answers.  I tried to figure out what the average computer user was in need of, but not receiving from ‘Joe Consultant’ down the street.  What needs were not being met and what needs were not being met effectively.
• Test the waters. By now I had a strong understanding of what needed to be done to blaze a trail of my own.  Now it was just a matter of figuring out what ideas worked and which ones did not.  It’s now time to start throwing things against the wall to see which ones stick.
• Stretch your imagination. Finally, it was time to really dig deep and start seeing the unseen.  I had to break free from the mold that had been created by following the lead of others and take that scary step of independent thinking.  But it was only after letting go of this ‘security blanket’ that I could clearly see the road ahead.  I had stopped looking to the industry for answers and started using my own abilities and imagination to dream of the next path to pursue.

As I mentioned above, some industries are positioned for ‘lazy innovation’.  The housing market, before the ‘bust’, was in just this situation.  Everyone and their granny was selling real estate and everyone, including granny, was making money, hand over fist.  But now that the bubbled has popped we finally see an industry that actually REQUIRES innovation and forward thinking to succeed.  It is through these hard financial times that we will watch the likes of a Bill Gates-esque innovator, rise from the rubble.  Now is the time when imaginations will be rewarded and thoughts of tomorrow, necessary for success.

One final note. You may be wondering, “How can you fallow a post about leaving your consulting business with one chanting tales of innovation in this very industry?”  The fact is, as I started building up steam in my business, I also began to realize that I was in an industry that appealed to me less and less.  But instead of looking at this as a waste of my time, I realized that it was just a stepping stone to get me where I wanted to go.  The lessons learned were/are completely transferable.  The secret to success is a universal ‘recipe’.  It is only in the fine details that the differences become known.

I was supposed to finish up this series by talking about ‘staying one step ahead of the competition’, but this particular subject revealed itself as an important issue to add to the ‘package’.

When I began this journey of blogging it was with the full intention of changing ‘careers’.  I’d been running my computer consulting business for almost 5 years and was ready to move on.  Four months had gone by and I had found myself coming up to a kind of crossroads that I’d never seen up to this point.  Unfamiliar, though it was, I knew that my focus needed to be on a direction and not on its distinctive features.  So I thought long and hard about which way to veer and finally came up with a choice that has been executed as of last week.

First, let’s look at the ‘Catch-22′…

What made this directional dilemma so unique was its inability to give a clear right or wrong answer.  It seemed as though no matter where I leaned, I was given both positive and negative play.

The road forked because my time was becoming ever so limited with the pending launch of some near sighted ventures.  My current business was paying the bills, but my future goals were paying the price of its hunger for time.  The sign between the splitting trails said something like this:

“TURN LEFT: Here you will regain the valuable time needed to properly produce the ‘product’ of your future.  Be careful, though, as your finances will be uncertain and the ground less solid for the first few miles.

TURN RIGHT: Here you will continue down the road you remember as you reap the rewards of certain solid ground.  Be careful, though, as you will continue to neglect your dreams and most certainly restrict your future possibilities.”

So you see my dilemma?  I think this is something we all face at one time or another as we make our way down this road of life.  But it isn’t until you’re faced with this fork that you feel its heavy hand fondling your fate.  You mistake the feeling of uncertainty as a sign that there’s only one correct coordinate.  But if you happen to be the author of a blog that’s titled with verbiage of forward progress, you may find that certainty is not always a requirement for right direction.

So which way did I ‘turn the wheel’?

If the above directions were to be taken literally, than I would answer this question by stating that my heading went from North, to North-West.  I decided on the potentially shaky ground, for the ability to fully follow my future endeavors.  So last week I said goodbye to my computer consulting business and hello to my online opportunities. I’d spent 5 years building certainty, but it had become boxed in by boredom and other captivities that I’ll purposefully fail to explain.  I don’t have regrets for this recent past, but I knew as I stared at this fork, that regret would make itself known if my dreams weren’t properly tended to.  Sink or swim, as Sean and I like to say, but treading water is just not in the playbook anymore.

As stated in the previous post of this series…“Please don’t miss next week as we go into the final leg of our race to success and talk about innovation and our constant need to stay one step ahead of the competition.“

Last week in this series called, ‘Enduring The Road To Success’, we talked about ‘keeping your feet on the ground‘.  This week we are going to focus our attention on the obstacles that lie ahead as we encounter, what I like to call, ‘The dangers of being a quick study’.

If you’ve ever checked out my ‘About Me‘ page you know that I’ve done just about every J-O-B known to man.  OK, maybe not everyone, but A LOT!  One of the common threads that you’d find if you were to follow me back in time, would be that of ‘boredom after 6 months’.  I say six months because that’s about how long it takes to master most J-O-B’s.  (Please don’t take offense to my use of J-O-B here.  I’m just referring to many of the 9 to 5ers out there.  I’m fully aware of the great number of jobs that require huge skill sets and dedication to master.  I mean no disrespect.)  After you have elevated your skills to a point where you could man the register or the phone or the customers or whatever, in your sleep, with both hands tied behind your back and only using 2% of your brain power (hold on, I need to catch my breath…OK, I’m good!), you will start to get seriously bored.  And I’m not talking ‘looking at the clock every couple of hours, bored, but, “PLEASE, let me out of this place” (and it’s only 9:15am on a Monday) kind of bored.

Now these might sound a little extreme, but the fact is, if you are a quick learner and have any kind of initiative at work, you will quickly get to that place where you can choose to stop striving.  In my consulting business that time comes and goes.  It is certainly much more challenging than anything I had ever done in the past, and running a business keeps you on your toes with regularity, but even all of that can get quite boring as time goes on.

Just after tackling the unforeseen dangers of our previous summit, and right after coming out of our first valley, we are now feeling pretty confident.  But this is exactly the problem.  Our confidence, if handled improperly, will most certainly lead to boredom and then very quickly, complacency.  And it’s complacency that will always bring us mediocrity.  The problem is, we tend to seek comfort after all the previous struggles on this long road to success.  Like any human being, the first signs of peace make us feel like we’ve ‘finally made it!’  But nothing could be further from the truth!

We need to translate the positive energy that comes from our newly found confidence, into the push we need to make it up our next mountain.  But instead, our natural reaction is to start to strut our way along the road.  We think, “I could do this in my sleep!  I’m awesome!”  And you may be awesome (the jury’s still out ), but being awesome isn’t going to make you a success.  Passionate persistence with a side of personality and people skills should be what you’re after. And this only comes in time and with experience.  Because the passion and persistence I’m referring to will find it’s way as you get your battle scars and keep coming out stronger than before.  A rookie’s optimism is only a small portion of the personality I am speaking of.

How to avoid the wrong kind of confidence as we face boredom.

• View your current skill set as only the tip of the iceberg. If you look at all the successful people in our lifetime and compare their ‘time of striving to improve’, you would likely see this time as open ended.  It’s that drive to always look for a better way of doing things that reveals someone who is serious about maintaining momentum.  We live in a go-go-go society and it is one that never stops.  Those who stagnate in their skill set will most certainly be left behind.  And the fact is, boredom stinks!  If you want to continue to enjoy your work, it is essential that you keep moving forward in both your knowledge and appreciation for what you do.
• Keep your focus outward. One of the things that tends to occur as we become complacent is that of inward focus.  Whether we are over confident, frustrated or just plain bored, it is our obsession with ourselves that can magnify these emotions.  It is only when we keep our eyes outward and onward that we can maintain a healthy perspective on reaching the goals we strive for.  And it is when we maintain this perspective that we can more easily see the next motion in need of mastery.
• Question your current path. I truly believe that each and every one of those jobs were essential in forming the skills I needed to move forward.  But there came a time when that particular path had run out of road.  We need to make sure that our current heading is still right for the success we seek.  Because if our job has finished playing its part, we need to stop running in place and find the beginning of the next trail.
• Be the best at what you do! I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about saying to yourself, “Man, I really wish I weren’t so good at this!”  Striving for excellence for the sake of being the best is something that will always keep you sharp and safe from the blisters of burning boredom.  I’m not suggesting you waste your time trying to ‘one up’ everybody, but if you realize your great need to keep learning, keep your focus on the trail ahead, and are certain you are riding along the right road, you should feel confident in seeking your spot at the top of the list.  Technically, there will always be somebody better than you, but playing a healthy game of, “I bet I can do it better”, will always keep you on your toes and off the path of mediocrity.
• Diversify your growth. Kind of like multitasking, but without the newly negative notion of ‘system slowdown‘, diversifying your growth can be a great way to keep the boredom at bay.  If you are constantly focusing on one area of mental growth, you will find yourself quickly tiring of this tedious tyrant.  Our minds crave many tastes and it is essential that we feed them a ‘balanced’ diet.  Too much of any particular ‘food’ and we risk negative effects.  Not only will you gain a wider range of knowledge, but the single skill in question will benefit from getting a break now and again.

The Bottom line is, human beings are active creatures with highly reactive minds.  We constantly need things to react TO as we go about our days.  If our ‘day jobs’ aren’t bringing us the stimulation we need to keep a positive pursuit of success, than we need to rethink our path.  And if we know we’re on the right road, it’s time we take a good look at the method to our movement.

Please don’t miss next week as we go into the final leg of our race to success and talk about innovation and our constant need to stay one step ahead of the competition.

Note: ‘Dealing With A Catch-22‘ found its way into the next slot in the series and THEN the one mentioned above.

Last week was the first installment of this ‘Enduring The Road To Success’ series.  I am going through the common stages that we encounter as we seek to reach new heights of success in our lives.  As a guide to the process, I am pulling from my experience as a self employed computer consultant.  Through the ups and downs of my journey to build my business I’ve encountered many situations that I will share with you as we walk this road together.

If anyone needs to see numbers to backup the notion that our society has a tendency to ‘over shoot’, all they have to do is check out the daily headlines.  Sure, our economy’s woes are incredibly complex and created by multiple factors, but the overwhelming number of businesses and individuals who went overboard while the bubble was inflating is staggering.  A few years ago, things were moving so quickly that if you were a real estate agent you would have thought retirement at 40 was nothing less than a certainty.  As a result, many got a little too aggressive and much too confident.

This brings me to the next obstacle on our journey.  We’ve just pushed past the first valley and have started to increase in elevation as we make our way back to the peaks of progress.  Only this time, it’s not just adrenaline, but informed optimism that is fanning our flames.  Now we grow confident as we feel the first true sensations of success.  But just as the valleys threaten our voyage, so too does this exciting new hill bring danger to our designated destination.

The confidently climbing computer consultant.

About 4 and a half years ago I was climbing with just this kind of confidence.  I’d learned much from my ‘first valley’ experience and was excited to continue moving forward with a more educated engagement.  The money was just starting to flow with more consistency as my name began to establish itself among the local community.  The more clients I encountered, the more efficient and effective I became.  I was really starting to get the hang of the whole thing.

But fairly quickly I started making my first ‘post valley’ mistakes.  For one, I was spending money with the perspective that things were always going to flow with ferocity.  This not only kept my financial buffer quite thin, but it began building bad habits.  Secondly, my imagination started taking over my goal setting as my immature success made me feel amazingly invincible.  Just like a good run can boost your endorphins, so too can a mountain ascent bring on floods of feel good hormones.  As we start to see the world once again, perched on our high mountain peak, loss of perspective finds its way back.

And if that weren’t already a plate of potential mishaps, I went one step further as I found myself lightning my load of self taught technical training.  As a computer consultant it is absolutely crucial that you stay ahead of the curve with the latest technology trends.  The last thing you want to do is fail your client by falling short.  So constant intellectual updates are a must.  But with everything going so well, I started to become complacent in my computer curiosity.

The danger of the self induced valley.

It’s one thing to find yourself in the lowlands because of uncontrollable circumstances, but all too often it is the result of confident complacency that gets us into trouble.  As I just mentioned, over confidence in my misdiagnosed maturity was weakening the very wheels I had ridden to win the first race. I had done what many tend to do, as I disregarded the very same growth that had helped gain my positive progress.  I had found a formula that worked and then depleted the dose as if my recent increase in elevation would take it from there.  I joined the ranks of so many who frequent the valley as if it were their second home, as I started to see my ascent turn downward.

One unique characteristic about this particular path is that it moves with momentum.  Once you start your decent, just like a train slamming on it’s breaks, you can only sit and watch as you skid down the surface of the mountain.  As I started to run into those unforeseen slow times, I wasn’t prepared to properly proceed with the pursuit.  My finances were depleted, my daily habits, set for a sustained success that wasn’t currently accessible and my technical skills were starting to rust.  This wasn’t an on/off switch situation.  It was in those moments that I not only realized my mistakes, but had to accept a foreseeable future of a valley voyage.  I knew it would now take some time to repair the damage, learn from my recent over reaction and start the upward climb I so desired.  It was in this second valley that I was once again faced with a split in the path.  There were two arrows pointing opposite of the other, one promoting progress while the other pointed perilously to a path that provided a quick and easy escape from the pains of my previous elevation.

5 Tips to help you keep your feet on the ground as your progress continues to push upward.

So I’ve presented you with some images of over extension and under estimation that help reveal my inability to stay grounded when things were looking up.  It was this lack of personal gravity that pulled me up and then pulled the rug right out from under my shaky foundation.   But it wasn’t all for not, as I came away with a few notions of new knowledge that would help me not only regain my footing, but maintain longevity in the higher altitudes ahead.  So here are some tips that I would like to share with any who find their ability to maintain a positive momentum to be minuscule at best.

1. Continue with the formula that works. If I could give you only one piece of advice concerning sustained success it would be this very point.  It may be a simple step, but easy it is not.  The low points on the journey make it hard to maintain motion, while it is the peaks that leave us light headed and overly optimistic.  So it is absolutely crucial that you not only find this righteous routine, but that you run with it regardless of your current elevation.
2. Be frugal whenever possible. With anything in life, money is often the ultimate voice of progress.  It speaks to us in reward as well as recourse.  But it is what we do with these multidirectional decibels that determines our destination.  The saying may be true that it takes money to make money, but I would suggest with certainty that much of our spending does not come in the form of progress.  It is especially crucial during these high points in the journey that we take advantage of this successful surge.  Because the buffer we are building will become our life raft when inevitability finds its way back once more.
3. When viewing from a peak, take your vision and dial it back. (Translation: Don’t let yourself get overly confident.)  I made the mistake of riding my new found success right back down the mountain.  As my elevation started to increase, the view seemed to become more beautiful with every upward turn.  But it wasn’t just the situation that was changing.  My ability to see the fine details of my journey were becoming obscured as well.  And with this diluted determination, I was much more prone to make mistakes as I calculated my course.  This is why it’s absolutely imperative that you base your decisions on the previous steps of success instead of the hypnotic hype that the hills tend to harbor.
4. Avoid complacency at all costs! As I mentioned, it was during this particular ascent that I began to let off the throttle of sustaining my skill set.  But I would urge you to avoid this immature act and always be at your best.  The fact is, there are many who are competing to maintain footing on this very path that you pursue, and it will be those who keep their focus fixed on their foundation that will make the most headway.  So always stay sharp while maneuvering your way up and down these monumental mountains.
5. Plan for the next valley. As I stated in a previous paragraph, some of the valleys we face are an inevitability.  So it’s just as as important that we plan for the next descent as it is to pursue our upward progress.  Following the steps I just laid out will benefit this future battle plan, but we also need to prepare our minds as the adrenaline will certainly stop pushing our forward potential.  The best example I can think of when describing this process is with the cycles of blogging.  Monday starts off strong with emails and comments and traffic, OH MY!  Then continues the motion of this joyous momentum as the week goes on.  But as the weekend starts finding its way closer to the current moment, we see a significant lull in the action.  It is during these times that, if unexpected, may be perceived as a negative reflection of our Internet offerings.  But for those who are aware of the cycle and therefore prepared for the minuscule motion of the two days before Monday, it is just another weekend, a ‘mini valley’ so to speak.  So whether or not you blog, and therefore grasp this grossly simplified concept, it is absolutely crucial for your perspectives to be prepared for all that lies ahead.

Please join us next week as we continue down this road of excitement and uncertainty.  Now that we have covered the two points of extreme positions, we will move onto the dangerous ‘middle ground’ as we touch on the temptations of distraction while facing boredom.

This is the first post in a series called ‘Enduring The Road To Success‘.  Each week I will add to the series until it naturally finishes.  In other words, I have no idea how many posts it will take to go through the content.  The basic premise will be to walk through the road I’ve taken in my past and present ventures as I touch on key points in the journey.  Since my consulting business is the largest ‘project’ I’ve taken on thus far, it will be my main point of reference.  I hope you enjoy these posts as we go through the struggles and triumphs of seeking success in our lives.

The exact numbers may vary depending on the source you take them from and the goals in question, but the general consensus is that 1 out of every 2 people who attempt to obtain success, will fail. Here are some examples:

• 30% of college students leave after the first year and almost 50% will never graduate.
• 50% of businesses fail within the first year and 80% will never make it to year 5.
• 95% of all blogs will fail.

Now these are just a few areas where people attempt to succeed and I’m sure you will find other ventures that have higher or lower rates of failure, but the point is clear; people fail just as much as they succeed.

The road to success.

The path between the starting line and the final destination of your pursuits can be a long and winding road.  Hills and valleys are up ahead and the weather is never certain.  You stock up for the mission, but uncertainty is at the forefront of your mind as you embark on this very important journey.

When I started my consulting business 5 years ago, I had no idea what to expect. I had heard the statistics, but wasn’t too concerned.  I figured I was one of the few who would succeed.  Looking back, I’m not sure if this was arrogance or ignorance, but somehow I seemed to pull it off.

Coming out of the gate, I was driven by the momentum of my enthusiasm.  You could say that I started on a ‘hill’ and could see all the great potential ahead.  I was sprinting with all my mite as I couldn’t wait to make up some ground.  But it didn’t take long for me to find myself in the first valley, unable to see beyond the next bend.

Enduring the first valley.

So here I was, experiencing the first real stumbling block of any journey for success.  It’s in the first valley that many will fail. Not only are you in a low point on the trail, but considering it’s your first encounter, you literally have no idea what to expect.  It can be petrifying to say the least, and has a tendency to take every last molecule of wind out of your sails.

So what brought me to my first valley?

It was probably a combination of my first bad experience with a client as well as the realization of the work involved in building a successful business.  In other words, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Starting at such a high point and then finding myself tumbling down the mountain, I was experiencing, for the first time, the roller coaster ride to success.

Cameron Herold wrote a brilliant guest post on Tim Ferriss’s blog that tackled this particular subject.  He broke the experience down into 4 steps, with the last one being a juncture that had two possible outcomes.  It’s called the ‘Transition Curve’ and it looks something like this:

1. Uninformed Optimism (At a high point…)
2. Informed Pessimism (Starting to crash…)
3. Crisis of Meaning (Stuck in a valley…)
4. And then either ‘Crash & Burn‘ or ‘Informed Optimism‘ (Do I give into failure or take what I’ve learned and move in a positive direction?)

The basic idea is that most of us start this journey with an optimism that is not completely founded in reality.  So when reality does finally hit, your drive can take a serious nose dive.  Then you find yourself wondering if this really IS what you want to do or if it is even something that you CAN do.  It is at this point that the road splits and you are left to make a potentially life changing decision; “Do I give into failure or do I push through this?”  If you choose the latter, you will begin the final step of ‘informed optimism’ where you will have a positive outlook that is based on facts and not adrenaline.  Not only will you continue on your journey, but you will have just gained a very important skill that will be crucial in the many ‘miles’ ahead.

The breakthrough of moving beyond your first valley.

Honestly, I think the fear of being broke was what helped me make the decision to push ahead.  But the ‘skill’ was still learned and the next valley, not as much of a threat.

Many things in life are setup this way.  Whether it be the breaking of a bad habit or the pursuit of a dream, making it past the first ‘bump in the road’ is one of the hardest and most crucial parts of the process.  It’s the moment the road forks for the first time that you will find out if you want it badly enough.

Your motivators will have their first real test as their ability to drive you is called into question.  As I just stated, fear was a big motivator for me in the early stages.  This may not be the most ‘attractive’ drive to admit to, but it served its purpose none the less.  So as you start to ascend into this dark, unfamiliar land, know that it is up to you to make it through.  Nobody will force you to ‘push through the pain’.

6 tips to help you get past this crucial point.

So you’re stuck in this valley and are having trouble finding which ways up, let alone knowing how you’re going to keep moving forward.  I’ve been there many times and have thus far made it to the next step, so I not only feel your pain, but have some insight that might be helpful.

1. Don’t freak out when you realize it’s not as easy as you thought it would be. When the initial crash begins to take place, panic is often the first reaction.  You start asking yourself, “What am I doing here?  I can’t do this!  This is too hard and just not working out like I thought it would.”  I can tell you from experience, THIS IS NORMAL!  Relax and know that this was to be expected.  Not because you can’t do it, but because your expectations were off to begin with.  With a little bit of time and some adjustment to your perspective, you’ll be on your way before you know it.
2. Take a weekend and forget all about it. One of the best things you can do to prevent unnecessary panic, is to get away from the situation.  Clear your head of the whole matter by taking a weekend and just having some fun.  Get some exercise, get some good sleep and relax.  Try not to think about what you’re going to do, but instead, focus on getting that mind fresh for the week to come.
3. Make sure you’re on the right road. After some R&R it’s time to ask yourself a very important question, “Is this really the right thing for me to do?”  The fact is, often times the reason we fail is because we are attempting something that just isn’t for us.  You must be careful, though, because this is also an easy time to make excuses and talk yourself out of the RIGHT path.  But be sure this is something your REALLY want/need to do.  Once you’ve decided it is, you need to…
4. Remind yourself why you started this journey in the first place. Sure, you were pumped with optimistic adrenaline in the beginning, but that doesn’t mean the reasons for your pursuit were any less important.  Think back to the starting line and re-feed on the ideas for your future.  Only this time, do so with your new found appreciation for the challenges that lie ahead.
5. Get advice from a veteran in your field. After you’ve refreshed your memory, it’s time to seek the advice of someone who’s been there before.  Find that person who’s been through many valleys before and keeps rising to the top.  Ask for their insight as you…
6. Prepare a counter attack. Now that you have the help of a veteran and you are completely convinced that you’re on the right path, it’s time to layout a game plan to push through this and start your ascension to a successful future.  Figure out what things ‘pulled the rug out from under you’ and learn from the mistakes you had made.  Accept the reality of your current obstacles and figure out the best ways around them.  Look at this whole thing as a learning experience, a necessary ‘lesson’ of life, and make things happen!

Next week we will be touching on the other end of the spectrum as we talk about the ‘hills’ and the importance of ‘keeping your feet on the ground‘.