https://youtu.be/l-gQLqv9f4o

No better way to start a Monday than with a solid pep talk.

Enjoy.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/xo1VInw-SKc

Jim Rohn talks about how “disgust” is a powerful word when it comes to personal change.

At some point, you look around and get disgusted.

Disgusted with how you look.

Disgusted with how you feel.

Disgusted with your stuff.

Disgusted with your bank account.

We all have that moment when we have to decide to fight for ourselves. When we tell ourselves that enough is enough and it isn’t going to be this way anymore.

When this happens to you, take action. Immediately.

Don’t let yourself sleep on it.

Don’t start next week.

Take action while the emotion is strong.

Make it a great day.

Jake

In the sales world, one of the secrets to success is a concept I call "one more phone call".

The idea is that at the end of the day when you are ready to pack things up and head home, you make one more phone call.

I have heard many successful salespeople say that this little trick is what made the difference in their sales career.

I know all of us aren’t necessarily in sales, but we can use this same principle to be more successful.

Think about what is your "one more phone call".

What little thing can you do every day to push you over the edge?

Pick something and try it for a week and try it out.

Make it a great day.

Jake

What is happiness?

This one is easy. I just looked up the definition and found this:

State of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.

Actually, I think this question is best answered by thinking about a follow up question. Why is that the same things can happen to two different people and one is happy and the other is not?

Which one are you?

We all have the choice as we walk along life’s path every day. We can choose happiness or we can choose not to be happy.

If you aren’t happy, ask yourself why.

Do you not believe that happiness is out there for you?

Do you believe life to be one of struggle and pain?

Do you let future worries weigh you down today?

Do you let the past drag you down today?

I like how the definition of happiness starts at contentment.

We can start to add happiness to our lives simply by content with what we have. Then we pursue greater levels of happiness.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Come on now all you young men, all over the world. You are needed more than ever now to fill the gap of a generation shorn by the war. You have not an hour to lose. You must take your places in Life’s fighting line. Twenty to twenty-five! These are the years! Don’t be content with things as they are. ‘The earth is yours and the fullness thereof.’ Enter upon your inheritance, accept your responsibilities. Raise the glorious flags again, advance them upon the new enemies, who constantly gather upon the front of the human army, and have only to be assaulted to be overthrown. Don’t take No for an answer. Never submit to failure. Do not be fobbed off with mere personal success or acceptance. You will make all kinds of mistakes; but as long as you are generous and true, and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her. She was made to be wooed and won by youth. She has lived and thrived only by repeated subjugations.

Winston Churchill

This quote is aimed at the young men but is as relevant today for all ages.

Seize this day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” – Winston Churchill

Distractions. They are a fact of life.

How many times in a day do you catch yourself thinking "what was I doing?"

Like most things in life, learning how to focus your efforts is a discipline, learned over time.

Decide to work on that discipline today.

Pick a period of time and focus on the most important to do on your list.

It might be 5 minutes or it might be 5 hours, but pick a time and stick with it.

And then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. And I think you get the idea after that.

Make it a great day.

Jake ​

https://youtu.be/Mr2ptPJrLNw

Not exactly your “normal” toe tapper, but this gave me an idea.

Pick your favorite theme song/pump yourself up jam.

Then just let it play in the background while you do your thing.

Something to keep you pumped up and moving forward.

Also, I would like to hear from you about what your favorite one might be…there were some interesting other suggestions on YouTube (AirWolf, MacGyver, Indiana Jones, etc.)

Make it a great day.

Jake

We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. – Ronald Reagan

This quote is such a great reminder.

Sometimes it is overwhelming to look at the world and all those that are in need of help. We just can’t help everyone.

But we can help someone.

And I would suggest we start with those closest to us: friends, family, coworkers, etc.

The key is to just get started. To begin the process of training ourselves to become more service centric instead of self-centered.

If we go out into the world each day looking for opportunities to serve we will meet a world full of opportunity.

Find a way to serve someone today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I ran across this blog post the other day and the title got me – “Stop Being a Butthole Wife”.

http://herviewfromhome.com/stop-being-a-butthole-wife/

In the post, the author tells the story of how she let little things (dirty laundry on the floor) get in the way of her having a great marriage.

When her husband passed away, her perspective changed.

Her story is a great reminder for all of us.

We could change the word “wife” in the title to any of the roles we play: husband, father, son, daughter, mother, friend, coworker, etc.

Each day there are plenty of things to pick at or on in our relationships.

We can choose to focus on the little negatives, using them to create separation between us and our relationships; or we can focus on growing our relationships.

We can choose kindness in our relationships.

I encourage you to read the post and think about whether or not you are being the butthole in any of your relationships.

If you are, start working on changing.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – My wife is the best and is in no way a “Butthole Wife”.

“The first step to getting what you want is to have the courage to get rid of what you don’t.” —Zig Ziglar

Part of moving forward towards our goals involves moving away from something else.

We must choose.

We can’t sit on the fence.

It involves risk and takes real courage.

So many live life trying to hold on to all the possibilities, playing it safe.

Spend a few minutes today dreaming about what you want. What you really want.

What you want so badly and clearly that you are willing to give something else up for it.

And then get after it. Get started. Today.

Make it a great day.

Jake