The Invaluable Commodity

What makes a person great and his personality standout? Is it because he or she is funny or because they are smart? I would love to say these are important qualities of a self-assured person, but this is not the case. Many smart and funny people are undisciplined and irresponsible when it comes to performing on the grand stage of life. Life produces challenges that reveal our inability to handle timidity. What is actually missing in the majority of people with great potential is the absence of personal leadership or mentorship. Avoiding a person who can possibly help channel your strengths and diminish their weaknesses, is an invaluable commodity.

Simple Efforts

Millions never reach their full potential because they choose not to maintain their posture of discipline. While few people are realizing their dreams, many people have settled on their good efforts. In other words, they liquidate or reduce their God-given ability to simple efforts that only deal with frail attempts. Potential is that intrinsic ability one might have, but for some reason they have not come to realize their ability. I am convinced that most of us are content with just trying to live better instead of living better lives.

Forced Habits

To reach your full potential or to get close to fulfilling it, you must unlearn many of your forced habits. Your chief deterrent, inhibitor or a restraint is “effort.” Effort is simply a measured attempt to perform what one does not believe can be achieved. Potential is the full capacity of one’s ability to attain it.

Hit Me with Your Best Shot

Most people have been tutored and motivated to give their best effort in school, sports and other activities. However, many of us lack the encouragement that we are more than capable of consummating our goal or task. Therefore, our ability is not limited, but our knowledge is. Effort points to trying your best to do something, but never being able to reach your capacity. Humanly, we rest on the premise of efforts, only to secure the feeling that we gave it our best shot. Unfortunately, your best shot usually proves to be inadequate for the task. People who do not realize their potential will be satisfied with their efforts and promote their efforts over their potential. The people who usually acclaim they are never able to get over the hump, are the ones who are simply afraid to push themselves to experience what they can really do. In other words, the time, energy, and resources needed to push hard to realize or to reach their goals, is too much of a price to pay.

Predetermined Limitations

Your car is capable of going more than 120 miles per hour, but your learned restrictions of 55 miles per hour has caused you not to exceed speeds faster than 55. Consequently, fear attempts to set in when you exceed the speed limit to speeds of 90 and over. The reason for the dominance of fear is due to the restrictions taught. Efforts are learned limits, while potential is unlimited.

Never Settle

I fully believe potential can only be realized if God is placed in the equation. When you accept God’s divine image in your life, you will never settle for reaching a goal line you can simply crossover.

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Awaken Your Attributes

People rarely want to hear the truth, especially when it comes to acknowledging that their sad state of affairs is their own fault and that they have no one to blame. These people do not want to aim too high because this can help them avoid disappointment and failure. How will you ever identify the genius within you if you only choose to attempt feats that are too small and very easy to accomplish that a five year-old can easily perform. When you take on a challenge that is bigger than you are, it will inspire you to awaken your dormant attributes to discover ways to accomplish your goals which otherwise may have still been invisible to you.

Success Cannot Be Denied

No one can build a secure fence around opportunities and wealth. No one person can monopolize success and keep you from experiencing it. However, you can lock yourself out from all the possibilities of succeeding and become completely oblivious to the doors that are waiting to be open by you. Many people sabotage their own efforts to become millionaires or financially secured by choosing to believe things that are completely antagonistic against establishing wealth and experiencing success. Their present system of belief has caused them to place the blame on God for their lack of success because they believe that God is saying that they are not ready for it. Let us not put words in God’s mouth that He did not say. Commit your actions to the level of your mental energy (enthusiasm) and watch how you will become a magnet and attract the things you believe.

Self Imposed Obstacles

People inadvertently create their own obstacles and wonder why there is a roadblock ahead while travelling on a path to fulfillment and success. What you come to believe about money determines how much or how little you will acquire during your lifetime. Your money is the sum total of your efforts, life, energy, breath, strength and knowledge. All of these applications are what you use every day to make money. You are actually giving your energy, time, knowledge and experience in exchange for money. Essentially, you are exchanging portions of your life for wages. If you do not manage what money you receive, you are not managing your life because your money helps you to manage your lifestyle.

Start Where You Are

You are not so far behind that it is too late to improve your life, marriage, income, etc. Just about any place is a good place to start again. You will always be a distance away from where you want to be, so start where you are. Realign yourself with your passion; reacquaint yourself with your purpose; and manage the characteristics of your life with faith. If you do not fully trust yourself, trust God. Trust the gift He has placed in you because it is one of a kind. Generate your own energy and do not depend on others to motivate you. Speak words to manufacture a dynamo of drive and passion to stay in a constant state of mobility.

Harmonize Your Words

One of the key components to be successful, not becoming successful, is maintaining a defensive posture to combat falsehood and develop an offensive strategy to defeat the small foxes that destroy the vine as well as the giants that try to intimidate. Guard your mouth and become selective with your choice of words. Make sure your words harmonize with your true aspirations. Join these elements with your faith and you will have an unbeatable combination. Faith is the quintessential to all accomplishment. Remember that faith does not make things easy; it makes all things possible.

Is Time Travel Possible?

I can recall once speaking to a small audience of entrepreneurs, small business owners, and dreamers concerning my time travel. When they heard me mention “time travel,” they looked at me as though I was out of my mind. As I made sure that I looked everyone of them in their eyes to watch their expression, some would give me a skeptical slight smile, knowing something was coming next. Of course, none of them expected me to mention anything remotely close a “Time Machine,” but they could figure out something was up.

Know Your Past; Create Your Future

Knowing that I had their undivided attention, I said, “I already know what is in my past because I created it and lived it, but I was interested in seeing how my future and how it would pan out a couple of years from now, and what I saw was something phenomenal.” Then I lowered the boom and said, “I saw a point where my dream world and my real world shared a moment and then, my future was created.”

Expectations Without Preparation

Oftentimes; people have unsubstantiated expectations because they have no plan in place to bring those expectations into realization. Whenever imagination kisses preparation, what you then have is realization. The fundamental principle behind “time travel” is a strategic goal planning process that allows a person to view presently what their future can possibly become. It is like an architect building a prototype of a building that is stored in his memory bank. Visualizing his future building project inspires him to create a blueprint to construct his thoughts, thus, he establishes his future. Although, his body never moved an inch into tomorrow, his faith and vision traveled to the building site and built the building without ever leaving where he stood.

Creativity Proceeds Actions

I believe that the God of the universe created nothing first, stepped onto it like vast canvass and begin to form and sketch out His vision of the sun, stars, planets and all the celestial bodies and spoke their purpose and plan of operation into their framework so that light and day and dark and night can be formed. He personally screwed the stars into their sockets and commanded them to sparkle and be exposed only during the darkness. As God was creating the planets, He paid particular attention to Earth; because this would be the place where His prized possession would live-His children. God formed the clouds from the dust of His feet. The clouds appeared as a dense mist and He caused them to cry to pour water on the Earth. He dug deep and shallow crevasses in the soil of the Earth and allowed the waters to be stored in them. Then He commanded the waters to remain in their pockets so that it would not overtake the land. He filled the Earth with about two thirds of water and with the combination of dust and water; He formed the body of the Man. Moreover, just to think of this, God placed all of this creative ability in you.

Plan For Today by Exploring Your Tomorrow

Your future does not have to be an unexpected surprise; but if you do nothing today, your tomorrow will unquestionably be a surprise. Go ahead, take a few moments and travel two to five years into your future and sketch out how you want your life to be two to five years from now. Your future is like an immense bright white canvass waiting for you to determine what it will be like when you arrive there. You have a chance to draw the plans for your future now. Do not wait for fate to determine unpleasant surprises, use your creative ability and do today what creates your tomorrow. Your past is tainted and full of failure, frustrations and disappointments, but your future is bright and spotless. You can make your tomorrow exactly how you want it to be. You are the Michelangelo of your future. Draw it out, plan it and then live it. Nothing will be in your future that you have not already done today.

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Choose to be first

There are times when people have the option to be first but they choose to be last in hope that it would prove to be the best choice. I can recall a football game that went into overtime. When the referee tossed the coin, the team that won the toss chose to kick off to the opposing team. Now allow me to expound on how this overtime ordeal works in football. In simple English, the first to score, wins. Why would you reduce your chances of winning the football game by kicking off to the opposing team when you could be the receiving team and increase your chances of winning? What was going on in the mind of the coach that won the toss? Is last a great position? The result was that the team that won the coin toss lost the game because the opposing team scored first.

Forget Next; Think Now

There is another posture that should be taken into consideration, and that is the NOW mind-set. The word “now” means at the present moment, currently, at once or in that instants. The person that is in the game usually is better off than the ones who are waiting to be next or last. I do not believe that Bill Gates saw his company as the next IBM or Michael Dell saw his computers as the next Apple Computer. These men demonstrated a resilience to be proactive in their pursuit of providing a quality product. Who would want his or her company to be a carbon copy of someone else’s dream. If this is your desire to mimic something already in existence without improving on it, then your ideal is just a cheap copy of a great original. Are you the next big thing? See yourself as the BIG thing. Think Big! Think NOW!

Preparing Your Future

Inspiration is in the details. If you are meticulous about your future and you do not trust your future in the hands of others, then you have to take control of the helm and not let go. Your vision will succeed because of your strong and active attribute to seize the moment. Refuse to entertain thoughts of being next or last when you are there now. Define your unique vision of success and do not just be in the game of life and business, dominate it. Never stop learning, growing, building, and strengthening your forces. Experience the magic of bonding with dynamic, determined, well-seasoned people who will help expand your spirit and your resources. Prepare your future NOW by getting every tool you will need to accomplish every goal you have in order to custom-design your tomorrow, today!

See Yourself There

See yourself in the moment. You are not getting there, you are there. You are in the fast lane without the thought of getting out of it until your objective is accomplished. You represent your definition of excellence, not someone else’s. The game is not over as long as you are in the game.

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The Commonality of “Blue Funk”

Depression is a common experience today. We have all felt ‘depressed’ about a misunderstanding in our marriage, altercations with teenage children, a cold shoulder from a friend and sometimes we feel ‘down’ for no reason at all. Depression does not always start as an illness; it usually begins as a depressive thought or mood. However, depression can become an illness when your mood state is severe; it interferes with your ability to function at home or work or that, your state of mind lasts for more than two to three weeks.

The Weight of My Fortieth Year

My personal clash with my depressive state started with a multi-million dollar building program. If I did not know the devil was real, I sure discovered how real he was during this ordeal. It was 1998 and I was just turning forty. Turning forty was not the problem; I could easily cope with this. It was when the first building contractor embezzled approximately $300,000 at the outset of our building project. Because of this action, the bank refused to continue funding the building project while waiting on the outcome of our litigation proceedings. At times, I would cry uncontrollably and for the life of me could figure out why. I ended up in the hospital being examined because of chest pains only to discover that I was experience chronic stress and depression. After my escape from the hospital, I had no other choice but to get back into the thick of things. Winston Churchill made frequent references to his depression, which he called his “black dog”. Churchill knew that during World War II, not only was his nation depending on his decision-making ability, but other nations as well.

Crying After Winning

In order for the bank to continue funding our new construction, we had to win our lawsuit. While in court, after the judge adjured, I found myself crying as everyone were leaving the courtroom. Surely, I was much stronger this, I thought to myself. After finally winning the court case, the bank continued to fund our project and we resumed with the building construction. Two weeks later, our constructed 130 X 55 feet high wall was twice blown down by a strong wind. It was at this point I realized I had simply resolved in my heart and mind that the things I cannot control, God can and what I can control, I will.

Stress Can Lead to Depression

My temporary depressive state was brought on by a high degree of stress, which I had to learn how to use to my advantage, not my demise. Stress is an unfortunate unpleasant fact. However, possessing a healthy sense of control-a confidence in your ability to influence the course and destiny of your life can help you influence stress by shortening its duration or avoiding it altogether. If stress is not controlled, it graduates into depression. The signs of being in a depressed mood is a lowered self-esteem, insomnia or broken sleep, less ability to control emotions from pessimism to anxiety, changes in weight, an absence or reduced sex drive, etc.

Real People Overcoming Real Problems

Having one or other of these features, by themselves, is unlikely to indicate depression. However, there could be other causes that may warrant medical assessment. I do not claim to be a licensed clinical psychiatrist; I am just a real person whose experienced real problems, and have discovered how to combat them and win. Reduce Stress and you will lengthen your life.

Two Types of Stress

There are some things you can do to help reduce stress in your life regardless of the situation. First, I believe that you should understand stress to some degree. There are two sides to stress, one is when confronted by a threat to its physical well-being, the body undergoes what is known as the stress response. It temporarily abandons its long term “building projects”-growth, tissue repair, immune function, ets. Instead, it floods the bloodstream with glucose, protein and fat from reserves in the liver and fat cells. Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate skyrocket. These physiological changes can save your life by giving you extra speed, strength or a more focused mind. The other side is that the stress response occurs not only when we are confronted by physical danger, but also in situations that simply make us feel anxious-from getting stuck in traffic to an argument with your spouse or coworker.

Small Things That Lead to Victory

I discovered little things that helped me to turn stress into strengths and here are a few considerations. Reports say that people who have a connection with God and involvement in church have a health advantage. Determine that you are a person who acts, and does not always react. Calmly do these things:

• Be proactive
• Develop a positive interaction with your family
• Take advantage of certain outlets
• Talk positive
• Avoid perfectionism
• Stretch your facial muscles with laughter. (Humor extends life)
• Diversify your life
• Receive periodic massages
• Stop assuming the worst
• Leave your work at the job
• Read Dr. Mikel Brown’s books (Smile)
• Relax and focus your thoughts

Research discovered that ‘attitude’ toward oneself and their environment is the key to managing stress. Therefore, enjoy the “now”, remain in the moment, and release your mind from built up concerns and tensions. DON’T WORRY! BE HAPPY!

This is a chapter from Dr. Brown’s new book, “Treasures in Unexpected Places“

Bankrupt

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because the editor felt “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Several times, he went through bankruptcy before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was initially rejected by the city of Anaheim because they felt that it would only attract people of low social status.

They told Sidney Poitier to wash dishes

The first African American Academy Award Winner for Best Actor, Sidney Poitier was told after his first audition by the casting director, “Why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?” It was at that moment, recalls Poitier, that he decided to devote his life to acting.

A world of difference

There is all the difference in the world between the expectations of the person who has committed him or herself to their life’s purpose without reservation and no matter the sacrifice and has vowed to see his or her aspiration to the end, and the person that goes about his or her objective halfheartedly. Apathy is the enemy of achievement and the antagonist of pursuit.

The challenge of failure

Failure usually affects people in one of two ways: It serves as a challenge to greater effort, or it subdues and discourages a person from trying again. How a person reacts to circumstances reveals both the brilliance and intensity of their drive or the lack thereof. Obstacles and challenges are not what relegates a person to poverty; their mindset is what places them in the prison of hopelessness. Many people accept their lot as inescapable and go through life wearing dispossession as a shackle.

Rising above the hardships

I realize that in times past, African Americans, American Indians and Hispanics have been systematically excluded and/or allowed limited participation in the American Dream. Yet there are many who have risen to a wealth and educational status despite the efforts of some Americans to prevent these accomplishments from happening. Obstacles and opposition are a part of life; and millions of Americans had better get used to it. I am convinced that the chains of mental slavery and the segregation from the success of living ones dreams is arguably the most horrendous transgression any person can confer on oneself. Fortunately, since this mental incarceration is self-induced, the solution to these barriers lies within our power to free ourselves.

Conclusion

God gave you the power to create the framework of your life by the way you think and believe; but He also gave you the power to change it.

Success at any cost?

Is success worth cheating on a test or lying to your supervisor about your tardiness or not exposing that you broke the equipment on your job, leaving it for someone else to be accused for breaking it. To gain the accolades of others for a job you received credit for, although you were not the one to do it, is simply robbing yourself of the kind of character that should be forged in integrity and self-respect. Instead of admitting the truth and giving credit to whom it is due, you rob the person who actually performed the work without giving it any consideration. Is this success or pretense?

The “Working Girl” Success Example

I am reminded of a movie called, “Working Girl.” This movie is about a secretary who had a knack for acquisitions, but she worked for a female boss who undermined her suggestions because she was a secretary. One day her boss went to Aspen, Colorado to ski and during one of her adventures, she broke her leg. She was advised by her doctor to remain in Aspen for several weeks until she was capable of air travel. Her secretary viewed this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to research a large company that could possibly purchase a number of failing radio stations. It ended with the owner of the large company loving the idea and so he wanted to go over the particulars. Meanwhile, her boss came back and discovered that her secretary was about to secure a deal that she herself was not only ill prepared to sell, but she had no concept of how her secretary came up with the figures. Yet, her boss somehow was able to convince the owner that she created the concept and that her secretary stole it from her. However, when she was unable to answer the questions asked by the owner, he figured out that she was lying. The truth prevailed and the wealthy owner hired the secretary as one of his assistants and gave her an office with a window and a secretary.

Success Achieved!

This secretary was successful even as a secretary-she simply wanted the opportunity to grow and use her ideas to do what was in her to do. The secretary was encumbered by a witchy, insecure boss that could not see that she was successful without stepping on people to achieve it. Be a success where you are and you will be successful at where you are going. Give credit to whom credit is due!

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Failure is a part of Success

You must not be afraid to fail. Do not waste your energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It is okay to fail, but it is not okay to stay down on your back. If you are not experiencing some failure in life, you are not growing. The challenge of change is always hard. It is important that we begin to unpack those challenges confronting us and realize that we each have a role that requires us to change and become more responsible for shaping our own future. Although it is okay to fail, you should remember that failure is not natural, but it is necessary. Failure is simply an indication that you have not gone far enough, searched deep enough, stayed long enough or sacrificed all for the sake of discovering that unimaginable treasure within you.

DANGER: Comfort Zone Ahead

What often happens to people is that they easily settle into a zone of comfort because they believe that they have proven enough things to people. Many people successfully close their eyes to their personal defeats by concentrating on corporate battles. Therefore, their daunting task is unfinished because they fail to prove things to themselves. A comfort zone is an agreed upon limit which confronts you to stretch beyond it. Your mind will resist the challenge because your mind and body have gone into retirement. You will always know your limits because your comfort zone dictates it to you. You should never attempt to build a monument of your accomplishments when movement is still required of you.

Weakness Can Lead To Strength

One of the greatest strengths that a person can display is his or her vulnerability. Your susceptibility is not your prison but rather your freedom. You cannot climax while you have already climaxed. To display a weakness is necessary to capture your strength. In fact, it is impossible to be strong all the time or your enemy will easily out strategize you. Your weakness will cause your enemy to relax his defenses, which gives you a chance attack and win.

Be Careful & Pay Attention

Be careful of who you pay attention to when you are in the midst of a personal battle. The people who pretend that they have all the answers about what you should do, have no history of accomplishments. Their advice to you is simply to overcompensate for their own weakness and to mask their lack of character. You can rise up without their so-called-advice. Just because you are experiencing some problems in life, it is not an indication that you are doing something wrong. On the contrary, you are most likely doing something right. Rise up to the challenge and allow the champion in you to come forth.

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Preparing for threats

I spent six years in the Army and three of those years were hardcore field exercises preparing us for any threat made against our country. I first heard of the word “Terrorist,” which is commonly used today while serving in Germany. I was on SD (Special Duty) for six months where I was the sergeant in charge of the Reactionary Force. I answered directly to a Lieutenant Colonel and I had only six men assigned to me to train and prepare for any terrorist attack in Germany, especially against the military installation I was assigned to during that six-month period.

Discipline & Structure

Military experience was a blessing for me because it taught me discipline and gave me structure for my life. These two specific attributes are very much needed when you are given live ammunition and sent out to defend your country. Although we never had to actually encounter these terrorists, we were issued live ammo and shipped out to defend the border against threats. It is at this time that you do not have time to ask questions or bail out and quit. You only have time to fall back on your prior training and preparedness and pray for the best outcome. You are not politely asked, as if you have a choice to whether or not you would like to leave your family. When you get a call from your superior officer early in the morning, you only have time to get dressed, kiss your spouse and children and pat your dog on the way out. If you can adjust to situations like this, knowing your life is about to be put up for auction, you can adjust almost to anything.

Mental Preparedness

Oftentimes, institutions such as large and medium size corporations, government agencies and even our modern military, overlook the necessity of being militarily prepared also includes being mentally prepared. General Douglas MacArthur said,

“Training distinguishes an army from an armed mob.”

To be mentally prepared is developing a mindset that constantly adjusts to backdrops and situations. A person’s skill level basically stays the same, but the milieu changes. This frame of mind increases the soldier’s percentage for survival, while on the battlefield, the streets of Chicago, or Wall Street. Being able to mentally adjust and adapt to your surrounding will make you successful in any field you dare to engage. I believe we can win against life’s challenges, but we must all learn from the Marines and “improvise, adapt, and overcome.”

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No Shortcuts

There is more than one way to invest your money. However, there are no short cuts to living your dream. The New Year always starts with such promise and potential, but for most people the year ends with broken promises, more weight, and less money. The dream is placed on hold until the next year because diligence was not applied throughout the year. Each year there is a small subtraction of fervor for the things ahead, instead of a momentum building to fight even harder in the coming year to achieve their goal. Every year you should view yourself working toward your goal.

Fulfilling Your Goals

The big picture is important, but not as important as the little pieces of the puzzle that must fit into the framework of the big picture. Everything you go through in the process of fulfilling your goal is collective items that are to be used as you live your dream. Just think of it, through every failure you build perseverance; through every disappointment you establish tenacity; and from every critic steps are created to the next level. Rome was not built in a day and neither are dreams.

Staying on Top

All the elements that your journey provides for you are necessary for staying on top once you get there. Do not whimper under the pressure of life’s struggles, but understand that it is all a part of your pursuit of perfection and progression. You will always find yourself moving when you are not happy or satisfied with where you are. Movement can suggest a desire to progress, but it can also indicate shirking one’s responsibility. You learn as you grow and you earn as you learn.

My Advice

If there were one thing asked of me to give advice on, it would be,

“There is so much to learn from your daily experiences. Mountains of information, millions of mental snapshots, and tens of thousands of new ways you can discover how to do something. Value every connection, be creative with every situation, and challenge yourself to stretch beyond your self-imposed limits.”

Remember you can be anything in the world you want to be, but above all be yourself.

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