Today is the day.

I was thinking today that it might be a good day to get some stuff done. Just then it occurred to me, every day is a good day to get stuff done, isn't it? Why is it so hard for some people (most?) to just get up & get going - you know, the "honey-do" or the "bucket" or whatever-you-want-to-call-it list? When I read my favorite bloggers & their blogs, they consistently post comments on this very subject, and I'm talking consistently! Is our whole society just stuck, waiting for the windfall to come, or for the time to be perfect, or for the stars to align? I looked at a post from a friend on FB yesterday & it said "Been through the Welcome-to-my-world-phase and I'm glad I moved on from it"; my sentiments exactly! What is the hold-up?

You are who you are & are where you are from the things that you have learned & the people with whom you associate. If you get advice (like I used to) from people who are in the same boat as you, how can you possibly expect better results than they have? One of my mentors told me - if you want to change some things, you've got to change some things. He then said that he'd rather do nothing, than be busy doing nothing. I thought that was very ironic, as I was very busy doing nothing; but the truth of the matter became abundantly clear once I decided and committed to myself that I would take ownership for my current results, and for my future. Being busy or having the pretense of being busy is not enough. We all have 24 hrs in the day - why do some people get so much done & always have time, while others never have either?

To me, critical thinking and clear evaluation of actions and results are the key thing that changed my ability to get things done and it seems to me that more of us would benefit from similar thinking.

I urge each & every one of you (yes, all two of you that are reading this) to evaluate what it is that you really want your life to look like and write it down. Where are you really? Is your life everything you expected it to be? If not, what can you DO today to move you forward? Is your "to do" list in line with moving you toward what you really want & where you really want to be, or is it simply a list of stuff to do because you really haven't actually sat down and considered what is really important for you and your family?

I really believe that everyone has the ability to be great and do great things. Good is simply just not good enough when great is attainable. WE live in the best place on the planet for those who desire excellence. What drives you, what inspires you? How can all of us improve? These questions may not be so important when you are young and everything is peaches & cream, but know this - the day will come when you must ask yourself, Who am I & where am I going?

It is time that we must be like generations of the past where this question is asked at a much younger age, and we hold ourselves personally responsible for the results that we get in life. My choice was clear once I understood where I was headed. I knew that my "to do" list and the people I was taking advice from were not leading me to the lifestyle and level of influence that I wanted for me and for my family.

I believe the future of our country is being held in our hands right now. It is truly up to us to decide in which direction we shall go. Get around people that have a common vision for themselves and learn from those who have what you want. The US Army slogan used to say, Be all that you can be - I think these are wise words indeed. Get up - get moving - start today to improve your life, stop whining and making excuses for why you can't have what you want. You can do it, it all starts with a defined path and the gathering of the knowledge of others that have passed that way before you and succeeded in their seach for greatness.

Live well - Be Well

Stephen