Usually when a person displays this kind of attitude is when they underestimate their opponent. I consider it a positive aspect when an individual believes in his or her ability, but it can prove to be a huge mistake to undermine the strength and the resolve of your opponent. Heart (the will to win) far exceeds skill and talent.

A sport demands the same intense effort during the course of a game that life demands during the course of a day, if a person is going to be successful. We should begin our day with a sense of urgency so that we can have a better chance of maintaining focus throughout the day.

We are living in tough economic and stressful times, which seem to wear down the best of us. These times require more than a melancholy effort. They require mental toughness to remain focused, and a perseverance that will outlast today’s challenges. Life’s every day trials are making greater demands on people’s time, money and energy. And, like sports, it is extremely wearisome to try to catch up when a lead was exponentially increased while you were indulging in your self-confidence. Perhaps you did not notice that people are in a real battle for their marriages, businesses, sanity, self-esteem, finances, nation, etc.

People must live life with a sense of purpose because the challenges in life will not stop. Just when you think that everything is going fine, you are blindsided by some unfortunate incident. How do you maintain your focus when your expectations are frustrated and your efforts are insufficient for the challenge ahead? Do not lose your cool!

Composure means everything in the midst of chaos. A cooler head will prevail; but a confused mind will further exasperate the problem. I recently had surgery to repair a hernia. While I was recuperating, a water line broke during the night and flooded two thirds of the first floor of my home. My wife was the first to wake up only to put her feet into a puddle of water.

When I heard my wife call my name with a sense of urgency, my adrenaline was flowing so heavily that I jumped up without the thought of the metal staples in my body and the pain I was experiencing through the night. I quickly discovered the cause of the flood, shut off the water valve, which stopped any further damage from occurring.

My mind immediately went into survival mode, protecting me from the pain until I could rectify the problem. Once everything was settled, my mind turned off survival mode and I immediately felt the pain.

I called for personal and professional help, called my insurance company, took a couple of pain pills and rested. I was disappointed, to say the least, because of the damage, but I was not disjointed. Life for me remains joyous despite the challenges because I stay in a mindset of readiness. Things are not always as bad as they seem if you can see them as fixable or trash. Repair what you can, and can what you cannot repair.

Technorati Tags: intense effort, life's challenges, Mental Toughness

Divorce statistics show that there are a number of reasons why marriages fail. On the other side of these reasons are a good number of reasons why marriages succeed. However, why do we love to narrow our sights in on the negative aspects, as though couples should spend the majority of their energy trying to prevent these reasons from affecting their marriage? When this happens, the debris of our struggles slowly eats away at all the good reasons for enjoying a successful marriage.

According to divorced couples, the number one reason that marriage fails is due to either a lack of communication or poor communication. There is a positive side to this negative scenario. Couples who are happily married report that they enjoy communicating with one another.

I do not claim to have all the answers for enjoying marital bliss; but I just happen to be the author of a book about marriage entitled, “msHow to Fix Your Marriage without using a Hammer.” I am also a clinical counselor certified by the State of California. This may mean absolutely nothing to you, but for what it’s worth, having over twenty years of experience helping people from rocky marriages to rocketing careers should account for something. In my previously mentioned book, I wrote about the solutions more than the problems. I figure this way, if you are busy doing what is required to have a good marriage, you will not have time to be concerned with what can destroy it. The dos will far outweigh the don’ts. People must be honest with themselves and with their spouses. Working on yourself is far easier than trying to fix your spouse. However, without exaggeration, most people are external when it comes to problems and finding solutions to those problems.

Scenario: Have you ever lost something and instinctively blamed someone else for it because the item was not where you thought you left it? If couples will look introspectively at themselves, they will not point the finger of blame at their spouses. Marriage can work, if you learn how to work it.

Join my FREE 1 Day Marriage Tune-Up on May 2 @ 1:00pm at the beautiful auditorium of Christian Joy Center in El Paso, Texas. If you are in town on this date come by and enjoy one of the most insightful afternoons of your life. It will be worth it!

Technorati Tags: divorce, Divorce statistics, ending marriage, successful marriage

The answers to these questions are simple. People generally want to do well and would like to live their dreams of owning a business or finishing college; unfortunately, most of us are reluctant to face reality. It is not an exaggeration to say that your life would be much easier if you didn’t try to hide from the truth. You prefer to wait until other aspects of your life improve, so you are better equipped emotionally to handle a crisis.

This thinking helps make you king or queen of the procrastinators. You don’t want to start any project or do anything that might lead to a problem or an inconvenience. Living with the fear of challenge must be horrendous; knowing that you are more than capable, but are held back by an invisible image.

Imagine what could be accomplished; how much more you could provide for your children; and how different your life would be if you connect to the dire consequences of not taking action immediately. When faced with a challenge, ask yourself, “What is the potential for disaster if I don’t address this problem now? If I continue spending more than I make, how long before I am so far in debt that I’ll have to declare bankruptcy?” How much more successful will you be? How much relief will you feel to be completely debt free?

The longer you sit around hoping that your financial situation will change, is as long as you will be sitting doing nothing. Complaining about not having enough money is not an indication that your money situation is going to change. Your thinking is immature, and you have convinced yourself that if you just ignore something long enough it will be okay. God gave you more sense than that. Tackle your fears, start something in order to destroy procrastination, and face your challenges. Your rewards will be great and the results will strengthen your character.

Technorati Tags: financial, negative thoughts, owning a business, Success

• Out of one hundred people starting their career, by the time they reach 65 years of age, 29 out of this group are dead.
• Sixty-eight percent have an annual median income of $6,900.
• Three out of every 100 people starting their career are what would be consider financially successful; having an annual income of over $41,500.

Can you imagine how many people think on the same level without realizing it? Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.

The three percent that is considered financially successful is just like the group of 100 people when it comes to debt. Ninety-eight percent of this group is financially strapped and living from month to month. They have mastered the concept of “running out of money before the end of the month.” I have taught people how to run out of month before they run out of money.

You are the catalyst for improving your planning and budgeting process, not someone else. Leaving it up to fate or someone else is a sure way to preserve the status quo. I happen to be a life and business coach to so many people; which actually thrills my heart. I love watching the lights come on when my protégés start to understand how to increase their business and life production – especially when they are more interested in becoming a blessing to others. However, I noticed that I cannot help people who are not interested in bettering themselves, or those who feel that their situation is hopeless.

Now is the time to invest in you by wisely attending an event that can reap great rewards. My upcoming Dream Makers 99 Conclave, entitled “The Millionaire Wealth Building Strategies” is just the necessary motivation you need to believe that you can own and operate your own business. This event will help you to increase your productivity in your existing business and give others the necessary tools and ideas to get your business off and running.

My aim is not to sound like I am giving a sales pitch; but I feel the need to impress upon you the need to avoid becoming a financial statistic. It is not too late to think and plan your future; but it is too late to go back to your past. Let me teach you heavenly solutions to down-to-earth financial problems.

Technorati Tags: business coach, business start up, dream makers 99, money, proteges, wealth building

Voicing ones opinion does not qualify a person to lead. Being the loudest advocate for a legitimate cause is not a criterion in becoming a certifiable leader. To what degree can someone be a leader when no one wants to follow him or her? Self appointed or delegated leaders usually lack the necessary skills in order to properly lead. Being placed in charge does not mean that one knows how to take charge.

Good leaders do not go around flashing a leadership badge to demonstrate that they are the leader. Leaders are defined by how they lead others by influence, not with manipulation. Well-endowed leaders possess the vision and the skill to accomplish something with a (TEAM) that other so-called leaders cannot perform with an army. Informed leaders are more interested in making others better so that success can be realized from both a corporate and personal level.

My personal method for achieving such a task is my team philosophy (Training Each Ally Mentally). What and how you say something is equally as important as what you demonstrate. A good leader can become a great leader by adopting this principle.

• T= Teach, inform, instruct and coach.
• E= Individualize and train each person according to their temperament and gift.
• A= View each person as an ally, not an indentured slave.
• M= Mentally challenge them and flood them with affirmation.

This method will cause your Team to Work at its peak performance every time and you will never have to be present for the people to work as a team.

Technorati Tags: developing leadership skills, dilemma, followers, good leaders, leadership trust, peak performance, team philosophy, teamwork

• What do you do when your existing plan continues to fall short of producing any desired increase?
• What if you were presented with a new plan that would guarantee reduced stress while maximizing the talents you already possess?

What every person needs to learn is how to change their strategy – which is the fastest, easiest, and most powerful way to change your results. The ingredients of greatness are having faith, and then merging faith with a plan.

Every person needs a plan in order to succeed.
The amount of detail that you put into your plan determines the extent of what you can produce. Having a plan means nothing without first having faith.

This is the test of faith—the kind that sees the fulfillment before it happens. Therefore, to believe in the power of your prayers allows you to tap into God’s power to accomplish the humanly impossible.

Jesus exhorted His disciples to believe that they have already received whatever they request in prayer. Faith accepts it as good as done even though the actual answer is still future.

What happens if there is a conflict between my conscious and subconscious mind?
What happens if my conscious mind refuses to accept the idea of wealth? The best solution is repetition. Repetition is the teacher and mother of all learning. Continue to say, “I know I can! I know I can!” Moreover, according to God’s word, you will.

One day, I woke up to the reality that God did not dictate how much wealth I would have. He left that for the individual to decide. God gave every man the ability to create wealth; what you learn about wealth and how you respect it can proportionately increase it. Learn more about wealth, money, and how they work and your money will work to make you wealthy.

Technorati Tags: conscious and subconscious mind, conscious mind, money, want more learn more

As a result, maturity, character and confidence are developed when perseverance is put into action, so that balance can be achieved. In order to experience success in life or business, a person must engage two enemies called resistance and stoppages; which are designed to gauge your weaknesses and strengths.

Settling into your comfort zone may be tempting, but it will not put you on the track to success. Growing personally and professionally requires you to reinforce your ability to fight through your feelings of fear and disappointment.

Because the world is changing at a rapid and accelerating pace, those who are unwilling or unable to take risks and overcome challenges will become ineffective, if not obsolete. People who consistently perform at higher levels have certain things in common: They are:

• committed to their success
• they have a passion for their profession
• they have clear-cut goals

They are comfortable taking well-reasoned risks. Their ability to take thoughtful risks is an important ingredient in their success. It is also a significant determinant in their level of achievement.

Top performers are talented and persistent risk-takers. They are not intimidated about being confrontational. Develop a fighting spirit for the things that you firmly believe. Only then will you understand why I would rather fight than switch.

Technorati Tags: feelings of fear, fighting spirit, perseverance, success in life or business, tenacity, top performers, worthy contenders

The ability to keep your eyes on the goal is a rare distinction. I would love to say that everyone has developed this rare gift, but, unfortunately, most people have not.

I recently watched a fighting match where one fighter came into the ring with the meanest face you ever saw. He was grinding his teeth as though he was ready to eat his opponent. He screamed, yelled, and jumped around the ring, pressing the fight to start. He looked ferocious, to say the least. His opponent looked tough, but calm. When the bell rang, the ferocious looking fighter ran toward his opponent and jumped in the air to kick him; but landed on the mat from a kick from the smooth, calm fighter. The match was over in just a few seconds beyond a minute.

Tenacity cannot be faked.

It is a powerful component of the will that allows a person to endure the most difficult pressure, and yet, come out on the other end victorious. Acting the part does not mean that you are living the part.

• Learn to press on regardless of the obstacles and struggles that usually accompany a person’s pursuit to accomplish a goal.
• Stay with your program and see it through.
• Do not become satisfied with doing a fairly good job when you know that it is not good enough.
• See your creation until the end, when it looks just like you envisioned it.

Here are some life lessons and quotes about tenacity that I found in the blogosphere:

Related Posts:
How can you live your Dreams?

Technorati Tags: determination, doggedness, obtaining goals, or purpose, perseverance, persistence, strength, tenaciousness, tenacity

How much is too much to pay?

How far is too far to travel?

How long is too long to wait?

Most people want their life to account for something, but they are unwilling to pay the price. It costs too much. It means change and getting out of your comfort zone; which is more than most people are willing to pay.

How can you live your dreams when you are unwilling to pay the price for removing them from the abstract to the concrete?

You must know by now that you live in a system of exchange. You can never get something for nothing. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.

If you want nothing out of life, continue to do what is producing it.

Do not complain! Your life is working out according to how you planned it. If you are not willing to die for what you believe, you will not live your dreams. If your dreams are not worth your death, then it is neither worth living for or worth your effort to pursue it. Three particular Bible characters demonstrated the quality of their faith:

1. Esther said, “If I perish, let me perish. I’m going to see the king.”
2. Daniel was willing to lose his head by rejecting the king’s food.
3. The three Hebrew boys would rather be burned alive than to worship idols.

You cannot have change without tenacity; reaping without sowing; or strength without resistance. You will exhibit exactly what you have done.

Your income will reflect the level of what you achieve.

The production of where you are in life is the result of what you have laid on the assembly line. No product is produced without the material used to make it. The words you repeat will derive from the books and conversations you have heard. You will be, practice, and live what you see, hear, and believe.

It is easy to dream but the pursuit of that dream is a totally new ball game. See what others in the blogosphere are saying about living the dream life:

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, comfort zone, concrete, conversations, dream life, dreams, Faith, living the dream, living your dream, resistance, sake, tenacity

If your job is an occupation, it is simply there to occupy your time. If your job is a vocation, then it is fulfilling a calling.

What is the difference between a prostitute’s job and your job? Not one single thing! She is doing what she feels she has to do in order to survive; and you are doing what you feel you have to do in order to survive.

Neither of you like what you are doing, but you do not believe that you can do anything else and make money.

The most difficult bad habit to break is the one concerning you. People generally do not like themselves, nor do they believe in themselves. We are so accustomed to following our history of failure instead of focusing on our vision or dream ahead of us.

It does not matter what you do in order to make money, you are exercising your God-given talent to make money.

Though I do not agree with what the prostitute does, she is at least ensuring that she does not starve. The odd thing about your ability to create wealth is that you are not deliberate in your aim toward what you really would like to do.

You do not have to immediately quit your job to live your dreams. Achieving your objective to make more money to pay off bills or so that you can give more to your church is noble.

Moreover, unless your dream business is producing more income than your job, I advise you to hold on to your bread and butter. You will know when it is time to toss your regular 9 to 5 job.

Trust in God and believe in the God who resides in you, and you can accomplish the desire of your heart.

Technorati Tags: aim, bad habit, bread and butter, desire, dream business, dreams, failure, heart, job, jobs, money, objective, occupation, prostitute, single thing, trust in god