At The Lazy U Ranch

So let's end 2010 with a bang, beginning with this series.


Laziness. Negative aspects: It has been too long since I posted last. I procrastinated, kept putting it off, until finally the pain of inaction was too great. Like the dog in the story, I got up off the nail. And it's also part of my comfort zone. I could, if I wanted to, just do the same I've been doing in years past, just working enough to sustain myself, and spend my leisure hours doing fun things.


Well, if I want to achieve all the things I want to in 2011 and beyond, I have to break free of my lazy nature and spend my time more effectively. That means planning my days carefully and making every moment count--which means no more playing Windows Solitaire! 


Now like I've said before, these traits I'll be discussing are neutral, meaning both positive and negative. The negative of course is just settling for a mediocre life, just getting by. And that's not for me,


Positive aspect of laziness: Everyone wants an easier way of doing things. For example, I rely on my spell-check feature on my software. I don't have to have a dictionary beside me, the program will tell me when I misspell a word. Also we like food that is easy to prepare, freeing up time doing a recipe from scratch (unless you enjoy preparing meals this way) to do other things. So wanting things easy is natural.


In Goal Setting however, it is both easy and hard to do. For me writing down my Goals every day is easy, but if I don't set aside the time to do this, then Life is difficult and hard.


So don't deny your lazy self, acknowledge it then get off your ass and DO SOMETHING.


ACTION STEP: On your to-do list, do the hardest and most difficult task FIRST. Then the other items will be easy to do.


I include to-day part 1 of an early Brian Tracy video, shot probably in the 1980s. Enjoy.


To Your Greater Success,

Tim

7 All-too-human Traits: Introduction

To-day I'm just going to briefly go over what I'll be covering in the next few weeks here. For this list I have to acknowledge Brian Tracy where I got this list from one of his video programs. 


So in no particular order of importance, the 7 traits:


WE ARE-
* Lazy
*Greedy
*Ambitious
*Selfish
*Vain
*Ignorant
*Impatient


Now you might be saying that these are all negative-not so! All of these traits I've listed are neutral. It is how you VIEW them that matters.


What my intention is for this series is to show you how to put these traits to work FOR you. For now until we meet again next week, is to think about this list and see if any of them apply to YOU.


To Your Greater Success
Tim

Time To Challenge Your BS?

Belief Systems. We all have them. The ones I'm going to focus on here are the ones that may be holding you back.


Story:
A young man of 25 is told of a Gypsy Fortune Teller who is uncannily accurate in her palm readings, so he goes to see her.


She reads his palm and tells him, "I see you in a dead-end, low-paying, career you will be dissatisfied with until you are 45."


Naturally, he is disappointed in hearing this, so he pays her and gets up to leave, but just before he does so he asks her, "What happens when I turn 45?"


"You'll get used to it."


So vigorously ask yourself, "Are my beliefs true?" Now, we have all kinds of beliefs, and some serve us well. Like the ones that protect life. If we're crossing the street and if we have the belief that being hit by a car is A Very Bad Thing that kind of belief serves us.


Someone may have the belief that people should pay him a premium wage for mediocre work, rationalizing it embracing the attitude that he is entitled to rewards without extending effort. Of course, he can't be bothered by people who might suggest he do more than he's paid for. Perish the thought!


Or a group of people go into business with the sincere belief that their product or service fulfills a real need, but do not do research into their market, write a business plan or put in the long hours needed to make the business a success.


The most spectacular collapse of a belief system that endured for nearly 70 years was that of the Soviet Union. Many people sincerely believed in Communism...but they were sincerely wrong! 


Now, I encourage you to-day to examine your own beliefs. If you're just doing OK, just getting by, ask yourself, "Can I do more? Is there more?"


Remember, it is not just the attainment of the Goal itself that matters--the new car, a relationship, career advancement--it's the person you become while working toward the Goal that matters.


Next time, I'll begin a 7-part series on Human Nature.


To your greater success,
Tim

Beliefs: Are They True?

Let us now look at the B in our C B S formula: Beliefs and how they are shaped.


Babies are not born with any beliefs-someone might say "I was born a Baptist" or "I was born a Republican" or a hard-core biker might have a tattoo reading "Born to lose".


Beliefs come through family and social CONDITIONING. A child may be bullied by her older sister and brother and mother does nothing to stop it. The girl will then form the belief that she is "less than" in her family and it affects how she interacts socially with other children in the classroom and the playground.


Left unquestioned, any negative and disempowering belief that one has will adversely affect relationships, career, spiritual life and physical health.


When you're writing a Goal, you must write it in the present-tense as if you already have it. The idea here is to re-program your Mind to accept only positive, enriching and empowering thoughts. When you have negative thoughts-and we all will from time to time, you must follow the 95/5 Rule. Which means you only allow 5% of your time to devote to worry, impatience, irritation and other stressors and the remaining block of time to positive thoughts. Only babies are 100% positive in their thinking-they pick up all that other crap as they grow older.


Next time, I'll bring it all together as we look at Belief Systems as a whole, and how you can use that most wondrous Power you possess to literally create miracles in your Life.


To Your Success,
Tim 

Q: Who Likes Change?

A: According to speaker & author Nido Quebin, the only person who likes change is a baby in wet diapers.


This is the first of 3 posts I'm going to write about CBS I talked about last time. And the first part is C, CHANGE.


An old man and a dog were sitting on the front porch of an old wooden cabin, and a young man approached them. As the young man came closer, he heard the dog moaning.


The young man came up and asked the old man, "Why is your dog moaning?"


The old man replied, "O, that's ol' Duke. He's lying on a nail."


"Why doesn't he get up?" the young man asked.


"'cause it don't hurt him enough yet."


Ever hear about someone in a job or relationship that is not working and causing pain? Perhaps you've been in a situation where the potential pain of doing something different might be greater than the pain of what has become familiar.


Let me share part of my story about change.


About 10 years ago my life was a disaster. Due to some rotten choices I made I was faced with being unemployable and incapable of independent living. So I was told that I had to go on SSI, continue to take psychiatric medications and live in a boardinghouse, and it probably will be for the rest of my life. So I faced a lifetime of sharing a house with men I didn't want to be around, eating food I didn't want to eat and just sitting in the living room watching endless hours of T-V. A few years passed like this.


Finally, in 2007 the feelings of discontent were too much to bear. But what to do? I found a program on Google Video called The Secret. I was only able to watch a portion of it, as I was at the public library on their computers. Well, I put down the $29.95 plus shipping for the DVD and the film inspired me to take action to affect real change.


So I took pen and notebook and wrote down onto 4-5 pages exactly what I wanted in a new place to live; the kind of people I wanted to be around, the furnishings, appliances, location, all of it in great detail, and--this is IMPORTANT, I added the phrase after I wrote this goal down: OR SOMETHING BETTER.


Four months later an opportunity arose that WAS better than what I originally wanted-independent living in my own apartment. So now I have the freedom to come and go when I want, eat what I want and when I want it, and be able to contribute more. I'm going now on my fourth year. When I told the owner of the boardinghouse what I was going to do, she objected and told me that I couldn't make it on my own, that I needed to stay where I was. Well, I had to take a chance and it paid off.


Now, since then, especially in the last two years for me, change has accelerated rapidly. Opinions that I once clung to have started to change with new, better, empowering Beliefs...which will be for next time.


ACTION STEP: When you write your goals, always add the words OR SOMETHING BETTER. 


To Your Greater Achievements,
Tim

CBS 60 Minutes Sunday

No, I'm not writing about the fabled T-V newsmagazine show, to-day I'm talking about how you can create your own news.


This is another work assignment for you.


Change
Belief
Systems


60 Minutes: The time you spend each week on this assignment.


Sunday: The day of the week you do this on. Now, your "Sunday" may be on Wednesday, or another day in the week that you're not otherwise working.


What you'll need:


* Pen
* Spiral notebook
* A timer or clock to time yourself
* An hour minimum to devote to this


Now, I want you to challenge your BS...Belief Systems! that are not serving you. So write out in full detail any disempowering belief you might have, then substitute one for one that better serves you. Write out exactly what you want your life to look like when it is ideal. Note I said when  not if, because we're in the business here of literally changing your Reality. And you don't have to write for the entire 60 minutes, you can take short breaks, but try to keep them very short, no more than five minutes, because I want you here to focus and attain clarity about what it is you're really wanting to achieve in Life.


Now, you might say, "Tim, you're having us do all this writing and thinking and it's too hard." You think this is hard? Try failure.


The purpose is to ultimately for you to take the next steps, which I'll outline in my next post. For now, do this for at least 12 weeks and see what happens. What else are you going to do for an hour, anyway? Watch someone else make the news?  Go out and make some of your own.


To Your Greatest Life,
Tim

ThanksReceiving

On this particular day, there is lots of commentary about the necessity of gratitude. Every good personal development resource has emphasized the need for it, and all such material is readily available.


HOWEVER, to-day I'm going to talk about the need to be an excellent RECEIVER of blessings. When you receive a compliment about something, an excellent recipe, an article of clothing or something you do that helps someone else, do you say "O it was nothing" or "O this? I just picked it up at The Thrift Store" or "Hey, that's what I'm paid to do" ? 


If you have ever said anything like that STOP IT. Simply say, when you receive a compliment of any kind, "Thank you." That's it.


You are deserving of Great Things and Great Experiences. Remember this, on this Day of Thanks.


To your Success,
Tim

5-Minute Weekly Jump-Start

What you'll need:


* A notebook 
* A pen
* A timer


Each Monday morning before I go to work I sit down with all of the above and set my timer for five minutes. That's how long I give myself to write out each of my major goals. Each goal, five minutes.


Why do this? The time constraint forces you to write only that which is necessary about the goal and eliminates the need for needless detail. This also brings clarity, which is vital as well.


I recommend that you have at least a minimum of five goals in each of the following areas:


* Career & Financial
* Relationship & family
* Health & wellness
* Spirituality
* Educational


Now, if you need to take a rest from writing in between, go ahead, but keep the momentum going.


Do this at least once a week for at least 3 months and see what happens. And of course, re-write each goal in 1-2 sentence form daily. 


To Your Greatest Life,
Tim

Continuous Baby Step Improvement

What I've committed myself to do, is practice what is known in business as Kaizen. This is the philosophy of incremental, continuing improvement, or baby steps if you will.


When engaging in a personal development program, set a goal of improving your performance by 1/2% each week. In a 52-week year that's 26%. And if you're committed for the long haul, that's 2600% over 10 years. 


Remember, an avalanche begins by the smallest snow ball that rolls down the mountainside, picks up momentum and eventually overwhelms everything in it's path. That's what you need to strive for too. Remember, if you're not getting better, you're getting worse.


ACTION STEP: Ask yourself where in your life and career can you apply the Kaizen philosophy.


To your growth,
Tim

Be A Reverse Paranoid

About 12-13 years ago, I had a dream to get into the adult entertainment industry, to work behind the scenes in sales and distribution. So I figured the first step on this career ladder would be to get a job as a clerk in an adult video store. So I read the want ads in the newspaper every day and lo and behold a job came up that was what I thought I wanted.


So I went, filled out the application, fervently prayed for it, and nothing happened. So I figured, OK, another position would come up later on. Well, I wound up working in retail at another job, and I forgot about what I originally wanted.


It was only in later years that I realized that not getting what I had originally wanted was actually the best for me. The adult entertainment industry was not an area would've been comfortable or happy for me. The direction my life and career took was much, much better.


I have become a reverse paranoid. What does that mean? It means that I believe the world is plotting to do me good. Everything that happens to me that I consciously cause to create, all the people I meet, the circumstances that occur, everything is leading me to a better place. 


So to the owner of Bachelor Books I say "Thank you" for not hiring me.


ACTION STEP: Reflect on everything that has happened to you up to this point in your life. Are you grateful for the prayers that weren't answered?


To your greater achievements,
Tim 

"That's a cute idea, Tim, but...."

I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm going to anyway. I have anticipated a possible response to my creation of my Goal Wizard persona.


"That's a very nice idea, and it's kind of cute, but what exactly are you going to DO to make your concept a successful one?"


A good question. Let me say this. I'm in for the long haul, and not just to make a quick buck. While I want to make a profit and impact as many lives as I possibly can, I understand that it may take anywhere from two to five years of hard, hard work and careful planning if I want to see this concept take off.


There is much training and education I need to obtain myself. I need to learn to write a business plan. I need to see if my concept is feasible. I admit, I know more fundamentals of success than most people I know, but I'm very VERY far from where I need to be.


And the time will pass anyway. For 8 years of my life I was in a dead-end situation. I lived in halfway houses having to share a room and quarters with people I didn't want to be around, eating what I didn't want to eat, having little or no possessions of my own and flat broke and unemployable. But I endured and now I have work that is meaningful, I live in my own apartment, and I have greater freedom to-day than I had 8 years ago.


If I can pull myself out of a seemingly hopeless situation, then anybody else can, too. I have learned, and am still learning, tools and techniques that ensure my continued freedom.


So it will be more than just a dreamer in a funny hat. It will take discipline and the willingness to invest my time, money and effort into an education that will benefit not only myself and those I will serve, but also all those not yet born.


ACTION STEP: Ask yourself "Am I willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)?"


To Your Greater Success,
Tim 

The Corridor Principle

The Corridor Principle is something I learned from Brian Tracy. It simply says that when you get out there and take action, when you go into "The Corridor" what do you see? Doors!


And some of those doors will open for you! And some you may have to open yourself. But you don't get to the doors unless you get into The Corridor. 


Here's a great quote I've seen attributed to either Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or W.H. Murray:


"Until one is committed there is the chance to draw back; always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation there is one elemental truth, the ignorance of which kills countless splendid plans; that the moment one definitively commits oneself then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do,or dream you can begin it! Boldness has genius, magic and power in it. Begin now!"


ACTION STEP: Make a list of what "doors" you would like opened for you then take a baby step if necessary, and get out there ever more slightly away from your "comfort zone."


To Your Excellence,
Tim 

Surround Yourself With People Smarter Than You

I am grateful for all those people who are smarter than I am. The people @ Google for example, I depend on their search engine for my work as a coach; this blog hosting service, Blogger, I couldn't design or do code if it would kill me (though I'm not ruling out learning this in future); my supervisors @ my current job for knowing how to co-ordinate the workplace.


It can go on and on; the people who perform the music I listen to; grow my food; perform medical services...these people are indispensable and I must strive-and so must you-to be excellent at what I do so that when I'm gone it will be hard to find someone to fill my place.


The jobs I've performed in the past, when I've left someone can easily take my place-loading & unloading trucks, mopping floors, operating a cash register, stocking shelves. But what I'm striving for NOW is to provide a unique service, to positively impact the lives of as many people as I possibly can.


And surrounding myself with people smarter than I am and being grateful for them is key.


ACTION STEP: Make a list of all the services you depend on. Then list the people who do them and then ask yourself "How can I grow to be the one others depend upon?"


To Your Excellence,
Tim  

Not Taking Things Personally

Yester-day I went out grocery shopping. I had to take the bus to get home, and at the bus stop there were 12 other people waiting as well. Well, the bus came and it was already half full, and all the other people got seats...except me. I had to stand the entire time it took me to get home.


During the trip, I inwardly seethed, wondering how did I attract THIS? Why was it whenever there are lots of people riding the bus, I always end up standing? Etc., etc. Questions which I later reflected upon, that were really disempowering. 


Well, I got home and put my groceries away and then sitting down and then asking myself was it really that bad? Yes, you did have to stand, and you got home safely. Also, reflect on the fact that lots of people have to take the bus, ride bicycles and walk around. People are doing the best they can with what they have.


In Goal Setting you might find yourself frustrated at times. If things do not seem to go well for you, remember the 80/20 Rule I spoke about in an earlier post. Relax, put things in perspective, and just keep on keepin' on. 


Tim

Free Stuff

As promised, here's a list of just some of the resources out there that I've found useful.


Brian Tracy International

Brian has a e-book edition of his book Goals! available for free, but you have to sign up for his email newsletters & promotions, which you get about one a day. His products are the finest available, especially his 8-CD program The Ultimate Goals Program. 

Learn Out Loud

This is the section of the site that has free mp3 programs on goals; and I encourage you to go through the site and explore for more good stuff. Also the products they sell are excellent and the service is great as well.

When I find more, I'll be sure to share them with you.

Live Bold,

Tim, The Goal Wizard

The 80/20 Rule: Living in the 20

First, to get an idea about the 80/20 Rule, read THIS:
80/20 Rule.


OK, so a confession on my part. I usually say that, in applying the 80/20 Rule that 80% of the time, things will go well for me, i.e. I won't have any major hassles at work, I'll get all green lights, the bus will run on time, etc. 


It's that 20%, though, that got me this week. I neglected my work, my spiritual practice, my intellectual rigor for about 3 days. I did those things that I find myself condemning; I watched junk "reality" T-V, stuffed myself with crappy food and slept for 12-15 hours at a stretch. So yeah, it's not always going to be easy.


But to-day I took action. First, I got my ass out of bed and went to work. Just showing up and doing what the day demands was enough to make a positive impact. Next, just before I'm writing this, I set my timer for 2 hours and just sat down and chanted Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and did evening Gongyo for that period of time. After I finish writing this, I'm going to take a candlelit hot bubblebath then watch my latest dvd from NetFlix Agora.


Then to-morrow it's doing laundry, grocery shopping and sharing some a great site where you can download FREE mp3 programs on...well, SETTING GOALS!


Anyway, my message for to-day is strive to be in the top 20%, don't get dragged down into negativity that it becomes your 80% of living.


Until to-morrow,
Tim

If You Can Think It, Ink It!

I advocate writing your Goals on paper and using an ink pen. Some people will go the high-tech route and use Goal Setting software, but I believe physically writing your Goal is better.


Why? Because something magical happens when you place pen to paper. Your brain, as it transmits through its neurochenical  processes, moving your hand to go onto paper reinforces your conscious and subconscious minds to bring to physical reality that which you commit to paper.


And do do this daily.


Next: Let your mind run free.   

How To Get Started

Hello, and welcome to the Next Step in my ReEvolution. I used to have the blog ReEvolutionary Recovery, and I realized that I have to "re-invent" myself so to speak, so now I'm adopting a new persona as "The Goal Wizard".


It is going to be about...well, GOALS! And why they are vital for your success. This is also my way to form a "master mind" group so I can proclaim my intentions to the World at-large and be accountable for what I do...or fail to do.


I acknowledge before I begin that I stand on the shoulders of the giants who proceeded me, and on whose pioneering work I base my own efforts, and these include Brian Tracy and Jim Rohn.


So to begin, let me stress the importance of CLARITY. If you don't really know what you want, or if you're vague and fuzzy about it, then you will get vague and fuzzy results.


EXAMPLE:


Vague & fuzzy: I want to make more money.


Goal with clarity: I intend to earn $25,000.00 in the next 14 months through my work as a success consultant by Saturday, December 31, 2011 at 11:59 p.m.


See the difference?


Next time I'll speak to why the physical act of writing your Goals on paper is vital.