Success is a Habit

Success is not a destination; it's a journey.  

One success leads to another.  The methods used to achieve one success builds your confidence for trying new things and building even greater success later.  Success is a process that is consistently and continually reproduced based upon the daily thought and action habits you develop.  

I wake up everyday and here's what I do:

* Gratitude

* Prayer

* Meditation

* I ask myself "How am I going to live today to create the tomorrow I'm committed to?"

* I take action

* Pray more if I need it; meditate more when feeling stressed

* Rest and sleep as I need it

* Workout

* End the day in gratitude, prayer and meditation 

This is my routine, my daily habit.  Some days it's easier to do than others.  No matter what, I get up and I do it.  Why? 

Because success is a habit formed long before you experience the tangible "big" dreams you're desiring to achieve through it.  

Take heed to the words of Aristotle:

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.  We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly.  We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."

Don't be Special...

Did you know that there's a HUGE difference between being special and being unique?  

Yup.

So many parents are used to telling their children "You're special" in an attempt to build up self-esteem and self-confidence.  What these parents do not realize is that "special" implies separateness.  If I'm special (i.e. set apart, different, possibly superior), what does that make everyone else?  Less than.

More than this, if my 'specialness' is based on everyone else being ordinary (i.e. not special like me), what happens when I grow up and meet someone who, to me and everyone else, has a new kind of special I don't have?

Special implies separation.  Built within it is the feeling of competition.  If you're special than it has to be in contrast to other people which means others have got to be ordinary.  There's no feeling good all the time with special because, in one way or another, you're always keenly aware that someone could show up and be more special than you, thus eroding self-esteem and self-confidence.

The truth is that you and I are no more special than anyone else.  What each person is is unique.

The definition of unique is as follows:

"radically distinctive and without equal."

By definition, there is no comparing one unique person to another.  There is no equal to your uniqueness.  There is no other you and there will never be another you.  In this sense, your self-esteem and confidence are eternal because what you offer cannot be measured against or compared to someone else... and neither can theirs.

Within each of us are the seeds of greatness.  No one is excluded which means no one is special and every single person is unique.  

The bottom line?

Stop trying to be special and totally embrace the fact that you're unique.  Pass this on to your children so they grow up knowing that it's good to be "radically distinctive and without equal."   

A Centered Mind is a Successful Mind

My most productive days come when I operate from a centered place.  My mood is peaceful, my mind is sharp, and I feel free to create without fear, worry, or doubt.  

What gets me to this place of super-productivity?  A centered mind.

I begin and end each day with prayer and meditation.  It is my way of connecting to my Source, remembering who I am and how powerful my life's purpose is to the world.  My ability to function doesn't come from a cup of coffee (although it helps).  It comes from an infilling of Spirit that moves me in miraculous directions.  

Whether you are spiritual, religious, or agnostic, connecting to your higher self, being grounded in what's really important to you is crucial to your success.  Frederick Douglass once said, "Stand for something or you'll fall for anything."  

When you begin and end each day with a centered mind, you are rooted in your core beliefs and are best equipped to move through any life experience unshaken and victorious.  If there is one success tool to possess, it's a centered and peaceful mind.  Begin today!

One of the benefits of premiere Stay Strong membership is the Stay Strong Power Meditation audio that can be used as a daily centering practice.  It's portable, purposeful, and extremely powerful.

Become a premiere Stay Strong member today!

Are You Preparing For the Tide to Change?

Despite whatever it is you're dealing with right now, have you stopped to consider the inevitable? The tide will turn.

Sit with that for a moment.

No matter what you're experiencing right now, you are going to get out of it. The tide's going to turn but you've got to be ready for it when it comes. Spending time in worry, doubt or fear will not prepare you for the shift. You've got to mentally place yourself in the space your life will eventually lead to.

What does that mean?

Consider your future.

What will your best life look like?

What will you do for work?

How will you spend your time?

What career will you be in?

Now, what steps can you take right now to best position yourself for that?

The steps, 99% of the time, aren't huge. They include things like:

1) Update your resume and cover letter

2) Join a gym or start exercising

3) Take a class

4) Read a book

5) Meet up with a mentor

6) Go to a workshop

7) Order a free copy of your credit report

8) Make arrangements with bill collectors

9) Defer student loans

10) Refinance your house

11) Rent out a room in your house

12) Start a business

13) Find the right summer camp for your children

14) Balance your checkbook

15) Clear the clutter in your house

16) Clean out your vehicle

17) Volunteer

18) Get your car serviced

19) Check your plan on your cell phone and see if you can get a better, more affordable plan

20) Pick a date to take a vacation and start planning (and enjoy it!)

Whatever it is, you have a choice right now:

you can get determined and take action knowing that the tide will change

OR

you can get disgruntled and not take action and when change comes, find yourself unprepared and ill-equipped to take advantage of it.

Choose to be ready for all the good that's coming your way. It's time to Stay Strong!

You can get your daily dose of unstoppable, inspirational, downloadable, Pump-You-Up-And-Bring-You-Back-to-The-Greatness-That-Is-You daily inspiration by becoming a premiere Stay Strong member.

Stay Strong is for the individual who knows there's so much more to life than this.

Are you the one?

Become a premiere member today!

Are You In the Lemonade Business?

Ever hear the saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade" or "I bought a used lemon"?

Lemons seem to carry a negative connotation.  Why?

When you dig deep into the whole lemon "issue", it's not the lemon that's the problem.  In fact, lemons have all kinds of health benefits, including:

* cures digestion problems

* serves as a tonic for the liver

* treats infections (due to high Vitamin C content)

* can stop nose bleeds

* helps break fevers (as a lemon balm)

No, it's not the lemon.  It's the lemon's sour taste combined with its short lifespan.  Put a lemon in a hot car and see how fast it goes moldy.  How can such a powerful health booster have such an inability to weather adverse circumstances?  

The goal is not to explore why lemons don't last but to find ways to recreate the positive aspects of lemons so longevity is no longer the issue.

Back to my original question: 

Are you in the lemonade business?

When life hands you lemons, those sour experiences that, when subjected to heat or pressure, go bad, what do you do about it?  Do you throw the lemon out?  Do you buy a new one?  Or do you find a way to get all the juice with none of the rind?  

Think about it: success comes to those who request, invest, and persist.  If you're always throwing away life experiences because they've gone "bad", how are you doing all three?  You aren't.  

Success is not a destination; it's a journey filled with daily commitments to be made or broken.  

If you'd like to renew your commitment to success on a daily basis,

become a premiere Stay Strong member today!

How to Say No to Users

Users are people (family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, or strangers) who believe in two things:

1) Something for Nothing

2) The Pleasure Principle

Let me explain.

When someone is using you, they have a very specific rationale for why that's okay.  From the user's perspective, it is his or her God-given right to ask AND receive things from other people without having to give back anything in return (hence, something for nothing).  

In fact, from a user's perspective, their using you does give you something back: the gratification of being able to help them (pleasure principle).  

Users employ a variety of tactics, including:

* guilt/blame/shame

* hardball negotiation

* playing hard to get ("No, I couldn't let you do that... okay")

* hopelessness ("I don't know what I'm going to do")

* final resort ("I wouldn't come to you if it wasn't an absolute emergency")

* temper tantrums ("You know you can help me but you won't!")

The list could go on and on.

Users get better over time at using.  Remorse or guilt are not a part of their vocabulary.  From a user's point of view, if you agree to help, it's your problem if the result you get from them isn't what you expected because "You knew what you were dealing with" and don't even ask for a favor in return.  When you need them, they are no where to be found.  

Doesn't that make you mad?

Well, let's get to the bottom of this user phenomena right now.  

Users will not stop using you until YOU stop letting them.  Although very misguided, users are right about one thing: your helping them is a choice you are making which means the consequences are also a choice you are allowing for.

If you want to end the vicious cycle of users in your life without getting bitter or resentful, here are six steps you must take:

Step 1: Get comfortable with being the "bad" guy.  Your opinion of you is the only opinion you need to be concerned about.

Step 2: Stop lending money to people who you know won't pay you back.

Step 3: Conduct the user test.  Don't call your user associates for a week or two and see if and when they call you.  If they don't even so much as drop you a text to say "Hi, how goes it?" or only call when they need something, you've got a user on your hands and there's no real relationship going on.  Let them go.

Step 4: When a user asks you to spend your precious time doing something for them (like babysitting, laundry, or typing), charge them for your services with with payment due in advance.  If someone else was going to do it, the user would pay them.  Why not you?

Step 5: Don't bend your boundaries.  If every Sunday is your day of rest, your "you" time, and a user asks you to do something on that day, say "No" and offer another day.  You teach people how to treat you and if they know they can walk over you and get what they want, users will.

Step 6: Be real with yourself about the relationship.  So many of us have fantasies of how we'd like our families and friendships to be and we let those people use us because we think that our support will make them into those poeple.  Not so! 

Guess what?  Change is a personal choice and most users like who they are and how they live.  If they aren't co-creating the kind of relationship you desire, that's their choice not to co-create with you and your choice not to be used.  There are too many other people in the world who you can co-create with to be stuck on folks who aren't interested in an equal exchange.  

Users exist.  We often find them in our own families.  Don't judge them for being this way.  Recognize who they are, love them as they are but love yourself enough to say yes or no when you want to say yes or no.  

Not being used is a key component of Staying Strong because you can't be 100% focused, on fire, living your dream if you are bombarded by people who are sucking the life out of you.  

You need every bit of energy and passion you can muster and that means you release the users. Sometimes, love is best from afar.  

Need more help in releasing the users in your life?

Become a premiere Stay Strong member today! 

What is Your Morning Ritual?

What is your morning ritual?

"Motivation is what gets you started; habit is what keeps you going."  

- Jim Ryan

When you open your eyes in the morning, what's the first thing you see?  What's the first thought you have?  Is it "Good Morning God!" or "Good God!  Morning!"?  

Do you stretch and smile, thinking of the adventures of the day top come or do you hit the snooze button and glance at the alarm clock, hoping you've got ten more minutes to avoid the "chores" of everyday life?

Whatever way you begin the day (those very first five minutes) sets the tone for your entire day.  If you begin it in joy and gratitude, you'll discover that the day presents you with so much to be joyful and grateful for.  

"What if I work at a job I hate?'

"What if I'm unemployed and it's another day of online job hunting?"

"What if I'm in a loveless marriage?"

Give me any scenario you want that seems negative and I'll tell you the same thing: Embracing everyday for the gift of life it is is the ONLY way to get from where you are to where you want to be.

More darkness will not brighten a pitch black room.  If you want to see, you'll have to turn a  light on.  The same applies to starting your day.  No matter what you face, make the choice to wake up everyday "turning the light on" in your life.

Stay Strong is 365 days of life.  It's your personal joy-filled, momentum building wake-up call.  Don't miss out!  Become a premiere Stay Strong member today!

Who Would You Be...

Who would you be if you knew you couldn't fail?

What steps would you take if, deep down, you had no doubts, no reservations, no concerns about your ability to succeed?

Getting to our greatest level of success does not require more degrees, certifications, money, experts, or life experiences.  It requires an undeniable sense of urgency, an unyielding belief in your ability to move forward, and a tireless curiosity that says "How can I get this done?"

There are no 'ifs' in this mindset; there are no 'buts' or 'shoulds.'  

There's only "I AM" and "I will."

So many of us have had life experiences come and set us back to the point where we question our ability to do any better than we did before 'things went bad.'

Wouldn't you like to live a day without that doubt?  Don't you want to know what it feels like to live on the side of achieving your dreams (rather than wishing they'd come true).

What got you here won't get you there and if 'there' is the unlimited success you crave, there's one thing you need to do: make an investment in yourself.

Stay Strong is that investment.  

Don't you deserve the best?

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Are You Worth 97 cents a day?

What are you worth?

Sounds like a loaded question, doesn't it? It is.


You know you deserve love. You know you "should" have a good life but what keeps showing up for you is less than that.


Why does it seem like other people are living the life that you "should" be living?
Why does it feel like you get two steps ahead but always with hard work and struggle?
What is it, within you, that keeps attracting thoughts of being "not good enough"?

Do you know what you're worth?

Stay Strong reminds you EVERY SINGLE DAY, 365 days a year, what you're worth. It's an inspiration, motivation, and momentum creation guidebook that is dedicated to doing one thing: create and keep in you the burning desire to bring to pass every dream in your heart.


You may be thinking "I can't afford $350.00 for another subscription."


This isn't just any subscription and you aren't just any ordinary person.


Your dreams deserve your complete love and support and that will only happen when you stop selling yourself short.

What are you waiting for?

Know what you're worth and make an investment in YOU!


Become a premiere Stay Strong Member today!

The Benefits of Belonging

Where do you belong?

Big dreamers, visionaries, purpose-driven people often go through life feeling "different."  In every moment of their lives, they recall having a burning desire, a longing for greatness and an unwillingness to settle for a 'normal' life.  

Dreamers recall how different they felt from family, friends and co-workers.  

Remember when people would tell you "You don't want to be rich.  All you need is enough money to have the basics in life" or "Why can't you be happy with what you have?" or "You expect too much from a relationship.  Why don't you cut back on your criteria?  You'll never find someone with all those traits"?  

Remember what it felt like to hear those naysayers and walk away thinking (even if only for a split second), "What if they're right?  Am I asking for too much?"

What you didn't know then and what you're sure of now is one thing: if a dream is within you, you have every ability to fulfill it.  

You're in an exclusive club of extraordinary people.  

Most people settle because it's "safe" and they feel, on some level, that there's something wrong with wanting and deserving more and, although that's not you, you're surrounded by these people everyday.  

You need a place where dreamers belong.  You need a daily reminder that is exclusively for visionary people.  You need a premiere membership with STAY STRONG.

Join me in the elite realm where dreamcatchers, visionaries, big thinkers and success-minded people experience 100% of the time 365 days a year what it feels like to truly belong.

Claim your 7 day FREE trial today! 

Are You Wishing Or Creating?

You have a dream, a goal, a life plan and there's nothing more in the world you want than to fulfill it...

When you close your eyes, the vision of what you want is crystal clear.

You've got every detail down and it's so vivid you can taste it. 

One problem: It's not manifesting.

For whatever reason, you have the vision, you're holding the dream, you know it's on its way and, yet, each day, no new thing arrives to show you it's coming.

Nothing appears to be manifesting.

What's up?

Ask yourself one question:  

Are you wishing or creating?

Stay Strong is 365 days of education that teaches premiere members the difference between wishing and creating and how to know which side of the coin your dream is living on.  

If you'd like the answer to wish/creation questions, claim your 7 day FREE trial today!

Get Rid of Worry, Doubt & Fear Once and For ALL!

Your life isn't working, you're tired of worrying about what's coming and success feels so far away.

Why is this happening?

What should I do?

How will I get through this?

Will I ever get back to "good"?

If you want to put an end to all the sleepless nights, hours spent second guessing yourself and time wasted fighting for things in life you're not even sure you want, then stop whatever it is you're doing right now and discover how to regain the confidence and courage it takes to make a clear and final decision.

It's time to get your life back!

Stay Strong is the premiere Unstoppable, Inspirational, Downloadable, iPhone & Blackberry compatible, Pump-You-Up-And-Bring-You-Back-to-The-Greatness-That-Is-You daily inspirational e-zine that will transform your life, one daily email at a time.  

But don't take my word for it.  Become a premiere member!  

Claim your 

7 day FREE trial 

and experience the transformation for yourself!