Wednesday, November 23, 2011

LIVING AN AMAZING LIFE

You've heard it all before,..."you only have one life", "only one time around the track"' etc. But how many of you can honestly say you are living an amazing life?   I wish the consensus would be that everyone is.  But the reality is that most do not.  Most are quite frankly going through the motions of life, settling for what is and how things are and have always been, etc.  In many instances people knowingly go just through the motions.  The motions they learned by the display and example of their parents, friends, associates, and the like. 


If you are not living the most amazing life you can live, then maybe this entry can help in some small way. 


I could say that I can't imagine what it is like "not" to be living an amazing life but that would be untrue.  It is only recently that I have finally discovered what it is like to live an amazing life.  What is an "amazing" life anyway? Is it living a financially independent life? Is it just being happy? Is it sharing your life with loved ones? Is it doing what you love? Is it feeling great every day? Is it giving of yourself in every way possible?  Is it feeling a sense of confidence that makes you believe you can conquer anything?  Is it the pride you feel when you know you gave your very best? Is it the happiness you feel when you know you helped someone else? Is it accomplishing something you set out to do?  Is it the self-esteem you enjoy when you make yourself do things you hold yourself accountable to?  The answer is a resounding YES!!!!  It is all of these and way more.  Essentially it is a "feeling" you have while you walk the earth. It is the "being" part of the human experience. 


You are going to live and die. Period. How you choose to experience your life is obviously your choice. Why do so many of us choose mediocrity and a life without most of the aforementioned amazing life qualities and features? Why do we get caught up in the rut where we are awakened alarmed by an alarm clock, rushed off to work, dragged through the day, scurried home to an electronic lollipop (TV) and then slide off to bed, only to start it all over again tomorrow?  Why? Is this what life is all about? 


I contend that there are a bunch of psychological issues that would allow one to remain in a state less than amazing.  For me it came from "events" in my life that for some reason didn't turn out how I anticipated, or hoped for or desired. Unfortunately, during those low moments of my life I focused on something "in" my life and not "on" my life. There is a huge difference.  I have and many others define ourselves by our outcomes instead of who we are. We fail to take stock in what we have become and how we have improved the world by being the best we can be at everything we do. It's easier said than done. In the end it is how we process our life in our head that dictates how we feel each and every moment of each and every day. 


The fastest and easiest way to kick start living an amazing life is to introduce discipline in your life.  Strict, unwavering and relentless discipline is what is necessary in order to get the “feeling”.  The feeling you get when you exercise discipline is one of the most empowering feelings you can experience.  It is one of power, upright posture and un-limitedness.  The first time you do something you promised you would do for yourself certainly spurs a major powerful feeling, but the subsequent delivering of promises to yourself will give you wings. 


I think most would agree that it feels better to think of yourself as an unlimited being. It feels better after we make ourselves do something we told ourselves we must do than it does to slack.  It feels better when we do our very best at whatever the task is at hand that it does when we half ass something.  It feels better to help someone else out than to walk on by.  It feels better when we eat a healthy meal than opting for the greasy, carcinogen laden dead food. It feels better when we have the money that supports our design on our own mobility in life than it does to scrape by. 


So how do we affect how we feel? How do we manage our thoughts and our internal conversations?  Only you can manage your thoughts. In your head you are master and commander. You are given choices on how you process everything in your life. Choosing the path that promotes a good feeling versus a bad feeling is what is necessary to feel great. Habit will get in the way and habit is to be tamed like a subservient. You command habit by forging new healthy habits in place of old habits that were not allowing you to feel great.  Habits of how we think can be the most difficult. Here you must control your own thoughts.  This control will not happen overnight. It will take many events where you think the way you used to think, and then catch yourself so you can replace it with the new and improved thinking habit.  Each time you do this; you will be strengthening your new habits and weakening the old. Over time the new habits will reign dominant and your life will have changed.  You must be patient through this process but consistent.  Life will NOT change overnight.  Change, real consistent change is a process of small steps stung together to become an amazing result.


Choice.  As the great teacher and philosopher Jim Rohn once said, "human beings have been granted a unique ability which no other member of the animal kingdom possesses - the ability to choose.  It is by exercising the gift of choice that we can alter what was and what is.  You see, life doesn't get better by chance - it gets better by choice." We are all equalized with 24 hours in a day and the power of choice.  The choices we make and execute on today in our "given 24 hours", will affect our tomorrows and years to come.  It will also affect everyone who knows you and experiences you in their daily life. 


 I recently golfed with a man named Dennis, a former Chief of Police in Canada in which he shared an experience he had back in 1965. One day he showed up at a golf course to play and was paired with another two golfers to make a threesome. The man, Ralph Boston, quickly took control and got the three of them to start playing without paying the fees, stating they could do it after they play. They all agreed and off they went. Ralph then proceeded to make a wager with Dennis.  After they both inflated their golf handicaps, they agreed on a pitcher of beer as the wager. They had a great day of golf and laughter.  When they got in, Dennis went to pay the fees and the attendant at the course told him that Ralph had already paid the fees before they even went out.  Dennis, while extremely grateful, could not accept such a generous offer and told Ralph he simply couldn't accept it. Ralph told him that he had a really great time and it was worth it to him; and that if he didn't have such a great time, he told Dennis he surely would be paying. As they made their way to the bar inside the clubhouse, they were presented with a pitcher of beer and they had not even ordered yet. Dennis now anxious to pay for something asks the waiter how much it was and the waiter advised them that is was already paid for by Ralph and that he ordered it before they went to play.  What a guy! What a unique way to affect someone else's life by demonstrating there are people out there like that.  And he did indeed change his life by inspiring Dennis to pay it forward.  Some 47 years later this man's deeds were retold to me and probably countless others before me, living on as a story that brings a sense of "I can do more to make the world a better and a more interesting place". 


Ralph could not have ever known that his actions, as simple as they were, would live on and inspire others for years. 


So here I share it with you.  Wouldn't it be nice if someone were to tell a story of you and your good deeds well after you die?  A story told about how you profoundly affected someone’s life in a positive way is the best testament of your life.  Start small with paying for the person behind you at the toll booth and work your way up to making profound contributions to the lives of others.  Start small by being consistent with your actions.  Start by maintaining an amazing attitude that serves to be inspiring to others.  Start by asking how you can serve instead of how you can be served.  Start, today.  Start now.  Start really “being”. 


Co-Written by Frank Clark

Friday, October 21, 2011

YOU are responsible for changing the world

You have a morale obligation to change the world by becoming a better human being everyday that you get the gift of living life.

Take stock for a moment and recognize each time you went out of your way consciously to help someone else. Perhaps you mentored, guided or provided leadership to someone. Of course (hopefully) you have many instances of this. Most people do. Some have more and some have less and the quality of your life is most likely commensurate with your contribution.

Now reflect on the people who have influenced you that you never even met. This may be a person you admire for the way they are, how they act or the things they might have said. Here you will find countless. Maybe a person who spoke up for a group they were among when no one would. Maybe it's a person who always seems to be happy. There are selfless people who exist who may very well be feeling angry, depressed, anxious or whatever, but do not show it in an effort to not poison a workplace, or bother other people.

Regardless, direct or indirect influence by others actions are powerful indeed. Something along the way that someone else did or said contributed to your wellbeing, making you a happier person, more educated, fulfilled human being. Conversely, the negative affect exists where the influence of others have made you doubtful, fearful, disgusted, upset, inadequate, worthless or just a nuisance in their way.

Every single interaction you have with another human being holds with it the awesome responsibility of changing their world and by doing so, yours. I contend that making the cashier you greet feel like the most important person on the planet is your moral responsibility. I ran into a particularly grumpy and from the looks of it, depressed sloth of a human not long ago at a drugstore. It took several comments and questions and even coaching about why he should be happy to be alive to get him to even lift his unshaven, unkempt head. He was reluctant to even acknowledge me. Whether he "turned" he knew I went out of my way. I didn't expect anything in return and that should be a rule to live by. I actually felt rejected right away when he didn't play along with my ultra happy and talkative approach. I immediately reminded myself that I was not doing it for me and trudged on. The moment you make it about yourself, is when you lost sight of the mission at hand.

Taking this concept further, the more self actualized you are, the healthier you are, the more patient you are, the more balanced you are, the more happy you are contributes to the whole and serves as a person of influence in the community at large. Lead by example. In fact, this way of life is the epitome of leadership. There is no challenger to the leader of example.

Obviously, if you are a parent you have an immediate audience for your leadership by example. If you are not taking care of yourself, what kind of leader are you showing yourself to be to your children? If you are nasty to other people, what does your "example" say to those around you? Keep in mind the countless people who have influenced you without you ever even meeting them, whether they demonstrated a positive or negative "example" experience; you are part of those indirect influencers group to everyone around you.

If you think about the world, most people have observed a lot of the negative aspects of our time and the societies of the world. It's easier to talk about what's wrong than what's right. Ask a stranger in an elevator how they are doing, and you will most likely be met with "it's Monday" or "It's cold out" or whatever. We have become conditioned. A man walks down an alley on his way to work and notices garbage on the ground. He is overwhelmed with disgust and the lack of respect for property it shows. He goes on to work and begins talking to his colleagues about how filthy the city is. Another man by contrast who walks the same alley on his journey to work hold the same contempt for the culprit of said filth. He on the other hand doesn't think it's the city's problem. He asks himself if walking on by is his very best. With the obvious answer handy, he picks it up. He doesn't go on with his day using it as a tool for attention and mere mindless chit chat. Because he exercised his very best, he in fact is feeling quite empowered and is now in the position to be a great positive "example" of leadership, because his shoulders are pulled back and he walks with confidence knowing he is disciplined and is also a great leader. You don't have to lead a workforce to be a great leader. Every single human being is in a position of leadership.

How do you want to contribute to society; as an example of how to live or as an example of a casualty of failed leadership? If you look within and take a hard look at yourself, what kind of leader are you? If you are not a force for good, begin today with making small modifications to your day. Start with how you greet strangers. A smile is one of the most powerful things you can contribute to society. It's contagious and it makes people feel good. catch yourself before you complain and replace it with a positive statement. Why not ask those around you what they think of you? Ask for an honest evaluation on your leadership by example.

You may not be the leader of the free world or of a department, but you are a leader of the human race. As a leader of the human race, live by an amazing example and help others to do the same. While there is no quick fix to the world or society, over time we will all enjoy a better life together.

Who's responsibility it is to change the world? If not us, than who? You know the answer.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Dealing with Financial Stress


Dealing with Financial Stress
It has been said that stress is the silent killer. I would argue that stress is not silent at all.  Add "financial" to the picture and you now have a cocktail that can disintegrate a marriage, erode the human body and cause the mind to contort situations from bad to catastrophic. So, is financial stress silent? No! Lethal? Yes!
Having been completely broke on several occasions, I can relate this to subject matter.  Our minds tend to make matters worse when a worsening situation is the last thing we need.
 On no account brood over your wrong-doing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean. ” Aldous Huxley (1894–1963), English writer
How we make things worse:
1. Negativity - It is far easier to be negative when times are tough. This one alone is the biggest culprit of making matters worse than they are. It serves as the proverbial snowball that plows over everything in your life and leads to a number of other bad circumstances.
2. Desperate or fearful moves - Being cornered will make most people turn to a reactive state and necessarily so.  Being cornered financially with a lot of financial responsibility often makes people make rash decisions that don't make sense. Remember that decisions made out of fear are always the wrong ones.
3. Indecision - Doing nothing at all is a recipe for continued failure.  DO SOMETHING.  Call your creditors and work out a mutually beneficial payment plan. Seek coaching with a financial planner. Remember that to move a boat that is anchored, the anchor only needs to be lifted one inch from the bottom of the sea.  A small correction can have an immense impact but it starts with lifting the anchor that is tying you down.
4. Going down with the ship - Sometimes we have to open our eyes to the reality around us and cut our losses.  Don’t let your pride get int he way.  Pride clouds judgement with the intensity of a sand storm.  Ask yourself: “What is the worst thing that can happen?” and once you realize what that is, make a decision.  I’ve held on too long several times only to look backs years later to say: “I wish I had just let go.”
5. Be honest about what the situation REALLY IS!  In order to fix anything, you need to know from what point you are starting at. If you want to increase your net worth each year but only know what your income is without knowing your debt load, you will have no clue on the amount needed to accomplish your goal.  Be honest also about what got you in this situation in the first place. Financial stress was created, promoted, or allowed by YOU.  What habits are you constantly doing that are adding to your financial angst?  Are you eating out every night of the week?  Are you allowing your spouse or children to overspend without discussion?  Are you living well beyond your means in order to present a facade of wealth to boast your image or perceived social status?  If you want X and you do Y and expect X, then you are living in delusion.  
6. Quit blaming others.  Your credit card company did not “screw you” by charging you 25% interest on a card that you ordered and over charged.  Your brother who failed to pay you back the money you loaned him is not the reason you’re having issues right now. Take responsibility for the problem.  The fastest way to get on a course of recovery is to first know that you “own” this problem and that YOU can change it.
7. Be cognizant of your internal dialogue. What is the message that you are telling yourself?  How you talk to yourself is the single most important element of living.  The worst can go before you and your candle will not flicker when you “Feel” amazing! If someone told you everyday day that you are stupid and worthless and ugly, etc., you would eventually believe it.  What are you telling yourself every day, every moment?  
Written by Jason Caras and Frank Clark

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Birds of a Feather

Imagine that every human is born a featherless bird. Every bird has a dream to fly, nay, “soar” like they know deep inside they are truly designed to do. Dreaming of soaring and deserving the flight are two different things. So many people expect to take flight in life without first earning their feathers. Consistent discipline is the key to accomplishing things we desire. How do we earn a feather? How do we collect enough feathers to be able to take to the skies of the good life; to achieve our dreams? Assume one feather represents one action item we commit to take each and every day to bring us inch-by-inch closer toward our dreams and goals and what is important to us. We can’t change our lives until we change something that we do every single day.

Let’s make the act of soaring in the sky the analogy for something that we deem to be important in our life such as our health, our family, our income, our job, etc. Next, let’s determine what we must do every day to make it possible to earn our flight. Each deed we “must” do each day represents one feather. Because it is easier not to do something than it is to do it, we earn our feather each time we give ourselves our very best and actually do the deed we committed to. It is often painful to always give our very best. Let’s assume every time we do give our very best we earn the opportunity to jam a feather into our skin. I use the word “jam” because it sounds painful and giving our very best when there are a number of easier options available especially when no one else is watching us is often painful. Conversely, for every deed we do not do and create or accept some excuse, we must yank a feather out and that too is painful. Even the word sounds painful. Not delivering on a promise to our self is very painful indeed. Unfortunately the pain is not immediate and is instead a gradual decline in our energy, self-confidence and sense of purpose. Our posture diminishes, our demeanor changes, and even our speech inflection is affected. This phenomena occurs because we are no longer impressed with ourselves; no longer proud of ourselves and it affects our life, our plans, momentum and puts this lack of internal leadership on display for everyone around us. It is here that the most important factor rears its presence, accountability. Without accountability for our own adherence to our commitments or the lack of we often allow ourselves to slip slowly into the way of life that was once abandoned for something we believed to be a better life; a better way; to take flight and soar! But for many of us, an all too common result is we end up frustrated and aggravated with our progress asking “Why are we not in flight”? Interestingly, if we were literally keeping track of our “daily” actions of whether we always gave our very best and did the deed OR took the easier route and forewent it, we could have some insight as to why we have not achieved what we set out to do. We could learn why we are not soaring in that big beautiful sky and doing aerial acrobats. For many of us, it is quite revealing when we look back at our actions over a period of time. If it were a runway would we see the runway littered with feathers that were once in our power to earn but were instead not done to our very best or at all?; remnants of an internal conversation that occurred in your brain that no one else could here and a decision was made to do the deed or not; to give that extra oomph or not. If it is revealed to us that there are more feathers on our runway of life than on our body we have our answer. Because most of us do not pay attention to our own actions and I mean actually “document” our performance on a daily basis we often don’t realize when we have missed a week or a month or even longer. Because it is not front and center in our mind by doing the act of writing it out each day, we lose track and days and weeks pass. Yet, when we realize we are still not taking flight, we get angry with the results. It’s actually comical but it’s not funny.

A simple act of actually documenting what you do every day to work toward what is important to you in your life accomplishes at least two things: 1) It keeps what is important to us front and center in our “daily” life and 2) it makes us accountable to ourselves so we don’t live in that place often referred to as delusion. Are you better than that? Do you deserve the flight you desire? Do you want to remain a featherless bird at the bottom of the tree of life making excuses for not having the “gift” of flight? Or do you want to truly feel the wind beneath your wings powered by feathers you earned?

The question is will you take the time to document your daily life performance and become keenly aware of your actions?

I am willing to wager that most people have spent more time writing their resume than they have writing out a plan for their life. The irony is that a job is something “IN” your life. Your existence and how we actually feel about yourself “IS” your life. It takes about 30 seconds each day to mark a series of X’s on a calendar or a spreadsheet to be accountable to yourself. This effort will inevitably translate into you getting what you want, you becoming who you want to be and you becoming part of an exclusive club in the sky called “Birds of a Feather”.

P.S. I use a tool called Streaks on my iPhone. It is easy to maintain and use. There are many habit type applications available for most mobile devices and even more for PC’s.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Centering

I find that most of us are typically awakened by an alarm clock each day and after a standard routine we dash off into our world.  We may be in traffic every day or not. We May make phone calls on the way to work or not. If we are not working, we most likely have a destination. Or if you are a stay at home mom or dad, the activities surround you right where you are.  Either way, I found myself getting caught up in the action of things much like being in a sling shot and fired off into the crowd and frenzy of our world.  This process worked against me in many ways. First, I was reactive in nature and that is not a characteristics I aspired to.  Second, I didn't take any time to set my mood and center myself on the man I want to be out there in the external world I was about to enter. One instance that arose gave light to this discovery which was when I darted off to work, started making phone calls on a very big business objective and when I didn't like what I heard I reacted with furious anger.  The nano second that occurs between a situation and a reaction happens to be the most important element right after listening intently in any situation. I am dedicated to better managing this aspect of my personality and leadership.  It is my objective to listen or observe intently and then take the necessary time to address the situation - not simply react. After the dust settled, I reflected on how I just reacted and became disappointed with myself. After I intellectually fist beat myself frontier style, I realized I had set myself up to fail.  I didn't take the necessary time to center myself as I embarked upon my day. Now, I take five minutes on the way to work to get centered and review the man, the leader, the friend, the lover I want to be. I review the aspects that need special attention and in this case, "reacting" would have been addressed with a commitment to myself to NOT be so.  I would have handled this particular situation in a fashion that would have made me proud had I centered myself. 

When we go out into the world we represent EVERYTHING that we are, where we come from and what we aspire to. How we act, serve, engage and communicate with the closest people in our lives to the total strangers makes up what I refer to as our existence and consequently our legacy. How do you want to be remembered? Because EVERY interaction you have out there in the world is on the record and will serve to sum you up in the minds of others, I believe it should be handled with care and acute attention.  Every conversation IS a public speech. 

If you have goals and objectives that revolve around your character, your way of being, your leadership, your energy, etc., centering will certainly help you improve in that direction.   Ultimately, with care and nurturing, your existence in the world will be reflected as a beautiful, powerful, attractive and fulfilling one that will make you proud and others proud of you. 

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Living with Finesse

FINESSE. It's not just a shampoo ;) I believe everyone should practice demonstrating finesse in their daily lives; every aspect of it. Think about it for a moment, everything you say to someone is considered a public display. Everything you do in terms of actions and acting is a public display. Everyone views public displays as truth. Kind of like, "well, he/she says that or writes about that, but CLEARLY demonstrates this". So, which will you believe about this person's character. "Do as I say not as I do" rings a bell here, but it is not directed at a child as it usually is, but in this instance, it's directed at you, me.

Communicating with some finesse, character, and style will make you a better person and make the interactions with you more pleasant for everyone else, if not inspirational and educational. Every person has the same amount of time in a day. We can spend those precious moments reacting haphazardly and without the contemplation of what you are about to say, how you will say it or what you will do and how you will do it. It's easier said than done for yours truly, and that's exactly the point. For some, finesse is present and has been for a while. While for others it is something that is being actively worked on and consistently developed. And there are the countless many that have not considered it at all or have ever been approached with the concept.

How can you apply finesse in your life? Start with listening intently and then thinking before
you speak. When you approach the clerk at your regular convenience store, start with a sincere smile, make eye contact and sincerely ask how their day is going. Then tell him you are there to rob him. Just kidding. Unfortunately most people will respond with some sort of a negative response and that's their bag. Not yours. They will however feel different from the way you treated them. When a child or even a dog does something you are not happy about, pause and ask yourself if you are about to perform with finesse. And make no mistake about it, you are performing. You perform for everyone you interact with whether you believe it or not. You are on display and actions speak much LOUDER than words.

Finesse can be seen in the paperwork you hand in, the check you write, the wrong number call you receive, the coffee you buy, the interaction with the incompetent support person, the motorcycle coming down the road, the workout equipment you just finished with, etc. There are countless opportunities to stimulate and demonstrate finesse.

Lastly, finesse also encompasses the honesty factor. We tend to tell people what they want to hear instead of what we are really thinking or feeling. What a great opportunity to work on your finesse. Holding to the truth in the face of adversity, disagreement or the potential of hurting someone's feelings takes finesse to stay true to yourself while delicately embracing someone's feelings.

Why is finesse so important? Because it makes you feel better; it makes you a better person; it makes the experience of interacting with you pleasurable and it lays down your legacy and how you will be remembered.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Who looks you in the eye and says, “given your skills, you could do better…”

My friend Frank Clark shared this with me and it came by way of Keith Cunningham.  While it is not my work, I felt obligated to share it. 

We have to accept that becoming uncomfortable is not a nuisance, but a necessity to growth, excellence and success.

Who looks you in the eye and says, “given your skills, you could do better…”
  • You are not using your strengths to really make a difference.”
  • “What would happen if you committed your life to excellence?”
  • ‘What are you waiting for?”
  • “Could you set aside the fear and just go for it?”
  • “Why can’t you do it faster?”
  • “What are you afraid of, I know you’re holding back?”
  • “You need to think bigger and step up your game?
It takes love, kindness, confidence and boldness to bring the truth to a friend you care about.
One final question…if you’re insulating yourself from these conversations and challenges, who benefits?

Saturday, June 4, 2011

BIG Changes and even bigger Risks

I love big fat bodacious life changing decisions. These crossroads serve us in many capacities starting with the quintesential pinch we all we need at times to lift our heads above the tree line. They invigorate; call everything into question; make us dream again; allow us to ponder new possibilities and ultimately serve as monumental shifts in our lives. My favorite is when I meet someone in the middle of such a quandary. First, I feel honored to be brought into someone's life for coaching and mentoring on this subject. Second, I feel a sense of duty to others in the world to assist in any way I can. The fact is that most already know the decision they need or want to make. They often just need a nudge. Others may just need a new perception on the subject and others may need a whole new outlook on it. In any case, these types of events "usually" work out to be things we would NEVER trade an alternate outcome for. They end up being major shifts that lead us to where we are today, whether you are where you want to be or not. If however, you have made such decisions and grew to regret them, you can resign to the reality of it being a bad decision, but that would negate the lesson you inevitably learned from it in the first place. None-the-less, GIANT challenges, decisions, quandaries, dilemma's, etc., are in fact exciting and exhilarating. They demonstrate to me that life has really nothing to do with the destination and everything to do with the process by which we exist in the world each day, hour and moment at a time.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Your Moments of Outrageousness

When you actually let go and have a moment of outrageousness, you well up with a beautiful emotional energy seldom visited. It is this "feeling" of exhilaration that keeps the flame of youthfulness and fun ablaze. It makes life a bit "007" for many of us. Not to be mistaken with absurdity or silliness, these moments are special and expressive; on the edge of your personality boundaries. What keeps us from more of these exciting moments? It is mostly the thought and judgment of others that keeps us from our own happiness and fulfillment. To be shunned, judged, or even just observed. Seriously, like my dad used to say, "in a 100 years, what will it matter?" So, I say rip that shirt off, dance like an idiot, sing aloud, laugh historically, sprint on a sidewalk in suit, be embarrassed, flirt, play, take a risk, go for it and really really put yourself out there. Where is "there"? It is here; when you wake; when you get out if your car; when you are presented with a stranger; it is in your existence of the world, where you are right now. Tom Cruise said it best...sometimes you just have to say "what the..."

Enjoy your 1 ticket pass at this amazing and irreplaceable thing we call life; Your life.

Jason Caras

Monday, May 23, 2011

Your Inner Voice

Your "inner voice" MUST hold more sway when you are in the midst of pushing yourself than the voices from other people such as trainers, mentors, parents, etc.  The commitment to the extra degree of effort MUST come from you.  The internal conversation going on in your head is judge and jury on how you perform when no one else is watching.  Don't let someone else have higher expectations of you than you.  Jason Caras

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Taking time to reflect

We are so quick to look outside of ourselves for answers, encouragement, guidance and comfort. While a necessary endeavor, one ought to look within with some well needed silence and solitude. Most would be surprised with the genius that lurks within standing ready to serve. Quiet the mind and ride in like a Viking. Jason Caras

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Stains & Taking yourself too seriously

I love waking up, showering, slipping on some freshly dry-cleaned clothes and heading to the office; only to find when I arrive that a coffee stain remains somewhere sure to be seen by others. I used to get angry about this sort of thing. Now, I laugh and remind myself not to take myself so seriously.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dreams and Goals

Establishing Dreams and Goals is a vital part of our culture at IT Authorities. Our employees are highly goal oriented and we are successful because they set goals and dream big.  Thought I would share this article by my #1 mentor, Jim Rohn.