"Each man is the architect of his own fortune."

This quote from Appius Caecus (Roman politician; "the blind"; ca. 340 BC-273 BC - more information) makes me think unlike a lot of people that all of what we do is not determined by an already set up fate or programmed destiny but by our own acts and decisions.

I look at it as a way to always think positive telling myself that eventually everything will work out great but I have to take the lead and do what I'm supposed to be doing (and not waiting for the right moment).

I think we always have to initiate instead of waiting for something to help us. We have to take control of what we do!

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

This quote from Confucious is my favorite one!

It tells me how much one single thing at a point in time can have so much importance in the future. A decision we can make today can have so much impact one, two or three years from now.

In the past couple years, I realized that my success in the US was only based by my decision to let what I built in my own country and try something new that I always dreamed about. So if I had not taken this "small" step by making the decision to leave my country, I would not had done what I did or met all the great people I had to chance to encounter so far.

Just "a single step..."

Results... PERIOD!

It's all about results at the end of the day for me. So no matter what happened to me (financially, personally, emotionally or physically) I still need to show improvements.

It's a bit harsh to say and cut-throat but we live in a society that demands a lot of efforts and productions. So I just need to stop making excuses for not producing! PERIOD!

The more you stay simple, the more you get stuff done

It's just amazing how the more I keep myself doing simple things, the more I get done.

I need to force myself do simple things and not try to do way much more than I "THINK" I can do. I'm finding out there's a big and giant difference between what I "think" I can do and what I "actually" do and get done.

The simple the better... ALWAYS!!!

The way you think is the way you see things

Recently, I had a not great period and I realized that how I felt had a great impact on what I was perceiving. When I changed my way of thinking, my way of feeling got different and my overall observation changed a lot too!

Like I read in "The Richest Man in Babylon", there is a chapter when it is written that a man sees life through a mirror an when he expects a good outcome, everything he sees from that mirror will be going his way.

I guess, the whole point here to make sure that we put our mind right to see good things happening to each one of us, without thinking of bad outcomes and looking forward to positive results.

As for me, I need to always keep a positive attitude in order to have good things happen to me and everybody else reading my blog.

It's been way too long but I'm still hanging there!

Yes, since my last post in June, I've had a lot of things going on in my life, personally, emotionally, physically and professionally.
Well yes, a pretty busy and unexpected summer.
It's not an excuse whatsoever as I don't like to make any. I'm just realizing that compared to what I used to do so far, it's been way different for sure!!

Now what's new for me?? Well, on the good side, I've been working on reading more, searching for new opportunities. Maybe not as hard as I would wanted it but still on the way. Now I need to find a goal that will put me on the right track and keep me focus.

I am also working on making myself better by getting better habits. I think even if I had some good years (because I had a strong goal in mind... that helped a lot!) I didn't have good habits. Now I need to have better habits to help myself doing a better job with less effort in order to be more efficient and more productive.

Not an easy task to do but I'm on my way, and won't stop until I get there.

What gets measured, gets done

I read this in Brian Tracy's "Million Dollar Habits". Since I have been using this, it's amazing how clearly you look at things.
As simple as it is, as efficient it is. I think it puts everything at its right place and things tend to move forward the right way.

It might also another way of saying "failure to plan is plan to failure".

LET'S GOOOOO!

"All about rhythm"

I just wrote a note on my personal development journal about "rhythm".
As I keep things simple from now on, here's the deal:
1- when I need to work, I will listen to what I call my "success songs" to put me in the right mood.
2- the rest will take care of itself

Get started by listening to my "success songs"

LET'S GOOOOO!

Inconsistency

I don't know why it is so difficult for me to get going on a consistent basis. I guess thinking about it, it is maybe cause my goals are too vague, not well designed or my "whys" are not strong enough.

Especially on posting on my blog, I'd like to be more serious about that and post around one note every two days. Actually, I read not too long ago that "what gets measured, gets done". And it works, so I will just do the same for that!!!

I think I'm losing my skills in some ways. Like a friend told me one day, when I was not going as fast as i wanted:
"just believe it's gonna be better in 5 minutes and get going. If not, just wait another 5 minutes and so on until you get started. You'll see, everything will be alright if you keep believe you will go where you want to be."

I have to say he was really right on that... So I just need to do it all again!!!! LET'S GOOOOOOO!!!

Watch my time

Getting used now working from a written plan, I also need to watch the time I schedule for each task.

My time management is not yet to its best and when I schedule one hour to do a task, I need to control myself not being carried away doing the task. Having a high time management IQ is essential for me getting a lot more done overall.

Natural evolution

I guess the best way to get better would be to take a look at what Mother Nature has done.

To put it in a simple way, every thing she has done so far has been through a simple process and some patience. One thing at a time.

It's much harder to do a simple thing every day for 30 days and gets 30 items than to have 10 items in two consecutive days and only get 20 items after 30 days.

Like Jim Rohn used to say:"Success is just simple disciplines repeated every day".

I know I can do a much better job at that and develop simple disciplines.

Evolution and emotions

This is a graphic of my evolution as far as posting on my blog. It's obvious watching this that I did struggle last month.

I had some tough times to deal with emotionally. It is part of anyone's life and at the same time I need to do a way much better job to overcome those emotional obstacles, no matter what the situation is. I need to make sure my job gets done at the end of the day.
I can't no longer let my emotions take over and control my actions. I still can be touched by life but not stopped!

Always give my all

Very quick post here to mention that I realized today (thinking out loud) that the more often I give just a little bit less than my all, the more my activities, results or motivation go down as well.

Like Jim Rohn used to say:"Every thing affects every thing".

New method

After watching again a classic Jim Rohn event (the one in Dallas in 2001), I found out interesting that a lot of the main thing he said was at the end. Not that he didn't say much in the first parts of the program (on the contrary!) but he summed up a lot and that helps to get started in the "Personal Development quest". At least, he does for me and maybe for other people.

I'll make a post about it after summing up what he said to give it away in bullet-points

I will also put it on my wall to have it in front of me all the time and apply it on me.

Ups and downs

I'm trying to write at least as many post on my blog than I did the last month.

In April, it was the first time since my first couple months writing that I wrote less (way less!) than the previous month, which was a good month writing for me!

I guess, it goes up and down depending on our family and personal life. I didn't have a great month in April personally. At the same time, it's part of life and every body goes through it and deals with the same fortune or miss-fortune around them.
My main mistake I guess was not to have followed my written plan as closely as I should and could have done.

Any big company can't find or accept random excuses on why they fail to meet their goals. I just have to make sure it doesn't happen again and find no excuse to do the same anymore!

Writing right now is a proof of my intent of doing a better job and at the same time, I need to improve on my time management skills and moreover, on getting results!

"Results is the name of the game" by Jim Rohn.

"Don't look for the exotic until you discover the basics"

This is a Jim Rohn quote that I like a lot. Playing basketball when I was a little boy, my Dad used to tell me something very similar to this. He was telling me not to try complicated moves but to try first the simple ones, and then try the more difficult shots.

Maybe it's just a part of the human nature to go after something that is more than what we can do, comprehend or accomplish at first! Even though, (and I'm working on that) we have to find a way to understand the basics first so we can move on the next level of difficulty.
It's hard for me to discipline myself but I just have to do it! It's like trying to run under 10 seconds a 100-meter race before learning how to walk! I know it's an extreme analogy but I guess my point is clear now!

While you teach, you learn!

I've been trying to learn how to become more productive, manage my time better and develop myself. Lately, I've been helping out my Mom on some housing reorganization after a fire that took place a year ago.
Doing this, we talked a lot and I told her about how to be more productive and do more with the same amount of time she has.

I've been teaching her setting goals, set priorities and follow a written plan. It's a bit confusing for her at the moment but she told me she likes it as it feels clearer for her. She feels like she knows better where she's going with this.

In the meantime, I'm also learning a lot. Maybe just by listening what I'm telling her. I guess it strengthens my knowledge. It also appears more abvious for me that those productive tips and knowledge are so helpful.

Teaching is a great way to learn for the "student" as well as the "teacher".

"Don't accept an average life"

Darren Hardy said during his tribute to Jim Rohn to not accept an average life and to always do at least the best of what we are capable of.

This hit me a lot and I realized why most people don't succeed in life and prefer watching TV all the time wishing there were in the TV set or wishing they would win the lottery. As Darren Hardy said:" successful people just do what non successful people are not willing to do!"

There is no magic into that! It's just a matter of doing what 99% of the people doesn't want to do, or is afraid to do, or even worst too lazy to do!

I AM NOT like these people... I CAN DO what people are not willing to do and I will achieve it!!! NO MORE AVERAGE LIFE! ONLY THE BEST OF THE BEST!

The more they talk, the less they listen

Some people just want to talk. Even if you have more experience or more knowledge about a topic, they just want to talk.

I guess those people unless they realize what they are doing, won't progress as fast and as much as other people. It's very good to listen. Don't give me wrong, we also have to talk too! But there's a time a place for everything and sometimes, we rather shut up and listen rather than talk!

"Just a few simple disciple repeated each day"

That's what late Jim Rohn used to say.

Sometimes, when we learn too much information at the same time, it gets pretty hard to act upon them. So acting bite by bite and small steps at the time is the answer (without losing focus of our goals).