Dare to Say "Yes!"

By Patrick Mahan

If you want to be right 90% of the time, then say "No" to every new idea.

But don't expect to grow or move forward or reach new heights.

Think back to all the times in your life when you felt most fulfilled. Think about your greatest achievements and happiest moments...

Chances are, those moments were only realized because you said "Yes!" to something.

Is there a decision you've been putting off?

Are you stuck in a rut, saying: "Someday I'll do this... Or someday I'll do that"?

Every day you choose NOT to take action, you are essentially saying "no."  You have a calling or an urge or a desire, but what are you doing to advance it and set it in motion?

Nothing. Or at least not today. Maybe tomorrow? Maybe someday I'll take that first step.

But at some point, don't we have to say to ourselves: "Someday is either NOW ... or never."

Do you have something weighing on your mind? Something pulling you in the direction of your dreams? What if today you stopped saying "no" and instead dared to say "Yes!"?

Is it the Mousetrap or the Cheese?

By Patrick Mahan

Every business wants to build a better mousetrap, but what they really need may simply be a different kind of cheese.

It is in Giving that we Receive

By Patrick Mahan

This is when businesses start brainstorming how they can EXTRACT more value from their customers in the new year.

But the businesses brainstorming how to create and GIVE more value to their customers are the ones that really get it.

6 Steps to Turn a Wish into Reality

By Patrick Mahan
In order to turn your wishes into reality, it's important to understand the evolution of a wish.
Step 1 = WISH 
Everything begins with a wish. A thought enters your head such as, “I wish I had a new house.” A wish is an important first step, but a wish is weak.
Step 2 = DESIRE
A wish must evolve into a desire. The stronger the desire, the more likely you are to achieve it. Look at the word desire, de- (meaning from), sire (meaning father). So, in a spiritual sense, a desire comes "from the Father". When a wish pops into your head, believe that it wouldn't have popped into your head unless you had the power to achieve it. To give your wish strength, you must emotionalize it. Emotions provide the fuel to mobilize your wish. Charge it with emotions until it becomes a burning desire, something you crave.
Step 3 = INTENTION
The next stage is Intention. Once you have a burning desire, you must set a clear intention. “I intend to purchase a new house.” An intention is an anticipated outcome. It is a strong declaration. At this stage, you have fully internalized and visualized the accomplishment coming to pass.
Step 4 = CONVICTION 
In the courtroom, you need EVIDENCE to get a conviction. It's the same in life. In order to achieve your dreams, you must turn your "weak wishes" into "strong convictions". At this stage, you are firm in your belief. So firm that you carry forward despite what others may say to dissuade you. You'll need strong supporting evidence (past successes, examples from your own life and the lives of others, that this goal is possible to achieve). In 1954, Roger Bannister become the first person EVER to run a mile in under 4 minutes. But then, within a year, 20 more people broke the 4-minute mile barrier. The barrier wasn't physical. Like most things, it was mental. Once Bannister presented "evidence" that it could be done, others were then filled with a conviction that they could do it too. And they did.
Step 5 = INSPIRATION
The final stage in the evolution of a wish—leading to fulfillment—is inspiration. When you reach this stage, your wish has fully matured. Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “Motivation is when you grab hold of an idea and carry it through to the end. But inspiration is when an idea grabs hold of you and carries YOU through to the end.”  You must be fully inspired to make your dreams a reality.
Step 6 = FULFILLMENT
This is where you take ownership of your “gift” and most importantly… show gratitude. You'll find the more gratitude you show, the more wishes will be fulfilled.

Don't Let Your Phone Dictate Your Day

By Patrick Mahan

In the old days, when people rolled out of bed, the first thing they did was shuffle to the bathroom, wash their face, brush their teeth, and get ready for the day.

But times have changed. These days, it seems the first thing people do each morning is grab their PHONE and check emails, texts, voice messages and of course, Facebook.

Do you do this? Be honest. I've certainly done it more than once.

But my question is this... wouldn't it make more sense to set YOUR course for the day FIRST before reading, reacting and responding to what others are saying, thinking, doing and wanting?

If the first thing you do each morning is check your "inbox", then you are allowing it (the contents waiting inside) to dictate your day, your actions - and often - your mood. You become reactive rather than proactive.

Consider setting your sails (agenda) first thing each morning. Or even better... the night before. Then, set a time to check your inbox(es) later in the morning AFTER you've set your course for the day and AFTER you've accomplished something on your list.

Otherwise, you'll find yourself constantly playing catch-up. And at the END of the day, what will you find? You'll find that you've helped everyone else check items off THEIR To-Do List, but you haven't made a dent in your OWN To-Do List!

So before reaching for that cell phone, decide what you want/need to accomplish today. Sketch out a game plan. And evaluate your progress at the end of each day. This is the only way to know if you're moving forward, backward or standing still.

Other people will knock you off course - if you let them. They have their own agendas, their own wants, needs, stories, comments and concerns. Don't get wrapped up in other people's stuff first thing in the morning. (This includes reading the newspaper, which can really ruin your day!)

Is this selfish? Not at all. It's like the advice they give you on airplanes... "Put on your own oxygen mask first before assisting others." If you put "first things first", set a plan for your day - and cross something off your list first thing each morning - then, you'll find that you have more time and more energy to help not only yourself, but others as well.

The Importance of Keeping It Simple, Stupid!

By Patrick Mahan
Because it’s Valentine’s Day, the KISS principle seemed like a good topic to wrap our arms around.
You’ve heard of the KISS principle, right?  “Keep it simple, stupid.”
But do you know where the phrase originated?
And -- most importantly -- do you know how can it help YOU become more efficient and achieve better results in less time than ever before?
The acronym was created by Kelly Johnson, an engineer at Lockheed Martin and lead designer of some of the most famous military aircrafts.

Johnson understood the importance of keeping his designs as simple as possible, but he was not suggesting that people are stupid. As the story goes, Johnson handed his engineers a box of tools and challenged them to design an aircraft that could be easily repaired by an average mechanic under intense combat conditions using only these tools.

In the same way, it’s important to keep your goals and solutions as simple as possible because, as we all know, things are easier said than done. It’s one thing to write out your goals and strategic plans on paper... but it’s an entirely different challenge to actually follow through and execute those plans.

Therefore, as the KISS principle suggests, simplicity should be the #1 consideration when designing your systems, goals, plans and solutions because ultimately, the simplicity of your plan has the greatest influence on your success or failure.

In 1142, William of Ockham, a famous British philosopher said, "The simplest and most direct solution, requiring the fewest number of steps, is usually the correct solution to any problem."

"The more complicated the solution, the less likely it is ever to be implemented and the longer it takes to achieve results." - Brian Tracy

"It seems that perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." - Antoine de Saint-Exuper

Have you set your goals and plans for 2012?
If so, take another look.  Is there anything you can simplify? Can you break down your plans into smaller steps? Can you eliminate some of the steps all together?
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle

Inspiring Yourself to Greater Health

Americans spend over $6 billion each year on health and fitness products. Yet, over 60% of the population is considered overweight!

So what's the deal?

You've tried every diet, read all the magazine articles, purchased all the work-out videos, but you're still overweight and out of shape! What's going on?

Well, maybe you're missing the key ingredient... Maybe you're missing the one thing that will get you off the couch, out of the house and into the gym. And what is that one thing?

It's inspiration.

If you don't have the drive, the motive or the inspiration to produce results, then you'll always be stuck in neutral—thinking, planning and wishing—but never taking action. Inspiration is that inner-calling that compels you to move out of your comfort zone and into an area where you can begin to create optimal results.

Bottom line... Inspiration is the electricity that powers your mind and body into action!

Without inspiration coursing through your blood, you're about as powerful as an unplugged lamp!

So how do you get inspired?

Read on...

1. AWARENESS:

The decision to get healthy requires a commitment to changing your lifestyle and your behaviors. And AWARENESS is always the first step.

90% of overcoming a problem is admitting you have one.

Get honest with yourself and examine your current lifestyle. If you don't like how you look or feel then do something about it! The good news is, there are countless tools, strategies and resources available to help. But you have to be aware of these two things:

1. You must WANT to change,
2. There are resources to help you do it.

If you want to get results, you've got to get started. They say,"Knowledge is Power" ... but knowledge by itself isn't enough. You know you should eat better and exercise more often, but simply knowing will not create the kind of lasting change you want and deserve.

In other words, knowledge without action is useless.

You can spend thousands of dollars and countless hours on exercise programs and diet plans—filling your head with all the latest knowledge—but unless you take immediate action, you're just wasting time and money.

Stop spinning your wheels. Set a goal for yourself and take some sort of action today. Remember, the first step is the most important one. Just get out of the house and start moving. You can begin by simply walking around the block! It doesn't have to be something drastic right now, the key is simply to begin. Realize there is great power in momentum. Once you get the ball rolling, good things can and will happen.

2. EXAMINE YOUR LIFESTYLE

Stop for a moment and examine your life as it is right now.

What direction is your present lifestyle taking you? Is that where you want to go? If you follow along this same path, what will you be like 10 years from now? Will you be happy, healthy, and energetic?

If not, then stop now and adjust your course today.

Just imagine carrying this excess weight around for the next 10-20 years. Can you imagine the painful effect that will have on your body, organs, and emotions?

Consider this ... if you are 40 pounds overweight, that is equivalent to carrying two 20-pound dumbells around with you ALL DAY, EVERYWHERE you go. Can you imagine that? Well, essentially that's what you're doing! No wonder your back, knees and joints hurt!

Now imagine doing that for the next 20 years! I know it's a pretty frightening picture of the future, but hopefully the image will inspire you to start taking better care of your body. If you don't, it will eventually break down. And unlike your car, you can't trade your body in for a new one.

3. MAKE A CHANGE

In the story of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three ghosts. These spirits take Scrooge on a tour of his life: past, present, and future. At the end of this journey through time, Scrooge realizes that unless he changes his ways, the future will be very grim. The spirits must have had some background in psychology because their method proved very effective! In one night they completely re-conditioned a man's behavior and lifestyle.

Of course this story is a work of fiction, but you can actually learn a valuable lesson from it to make quick and lasting changes in your own behavior.

If you continue to live an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle, what will your life be like 15 years from now? Are you on the path to heart disease, diabetes, or even worse?

My intention is not to scare you, but unless you get leverage on yourself, you won't have the necessary drive to make a change. In other words, if your present behaviors are not supporting you, then figure out a way to generate new behaviors and thus new results.

How?

4. PROGRAMMING YOUR MIND FOR SUCCESS

Begin by linking up massive amounts of pain to your current behavior, just like the spirits did with Scrooge. For example, if you want to stop overeating, train your mind to associate pain and discomfort to that negative behavior. Your mind has a natural tendency to move away from pain and toward pleasure. This is a basic principle in human behavior. So if you truly believe that overeating will cause pain, then you'll stop overeating. But the belief must be strong and real.

How do you convince yourself? Start by making pictures in your mind. Your imagination is your most powerful tool.

Are you happy with the way you look when you get out of the shower? Does the image cause a little bit of pain or maybe some discomfort? If so, make that pain more intense. Tell yourself, "I've had enough and I'm not going to take it anymore!" This will inspire your brain to start moving in a new direction.

Now, picture your ideal self. Imagine how you will look and feel after dedicating yourself to a fitness and nutrition program. Go ahead, imagine right now looking in the mirror at your new strong, lean, and powerful body. How does it make you feel?

That picture probably feels a lot better than the first one, doesn't it?

Now, hold that image in your mind. Make the picture big and bright and full of detail and emotion. Once you replace the old picture of yourself with the new, empowering picture, then your mind will begin supporting you. It will begin moving toward your new ideal self, helping make it a reality!

The brain has amazing powers, but you have to take control of it. Start running your brain instead of letting your brain run you. It will do whatever you tell it to do. Just make sure your mental pictures and self-talk are supporting you in achieving your goals. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said...

"We become whatever we think about."

Why are you overweight and out of shape?

Simply put, weight gain is caused by ingesting more calories than you burn. When the imports outweigh the exports you're obviously "overstocking" your body. As a result, you gain weight. That's a simple answer regarding the physical aspects, but the purpose of this post is to examine the mental aspects. You see, right now your brain believes that eating foods that are fried, high in fat, and high in sugar will bring you pleasure.

Do you agree? Isn't it fun and pleasurable to eat a big piece of chocolate cake or maybe some fried chicken? Of course it is. And your brain wants to move towards foods and behaviors that make you feel good.

After all, the ultimate desire in life is the desire to feel good. But what you need to do is re-program your brain to see these foods as they really are... unhealthy. They're pushing you further and further away from your goal of achieving optimal health. They may bring you short-term pleasure, but our goal is to develop habits that will support long-term health. And as long as you place more emphasis on short-term pleasure than long-term health, you will continue to be overweight.

Now, I'm not saying that you can never eat a piece of cake, but learn to do it in moderation. Learn to read nutrition labels. Be aware of what you're putting into your body. And train your brain to believe that unhealthy foods will ultimately cause pain and discomfort down the road.

Remember... obesity, heart disease, diabetes... these are just some of the painful effects of unhealthy eating habits.

Bottom line... associate pleasure to good health and pain to sugary, high-fat foods. Constantly tell your brain that the emotion of eating food will NEVER overpower the emotion of looking and feeling great. If you adopt that mentality and truly believe it, then you'll be well on your way to achieving the results you want and the life you deserve!

What about you? Is there a bad habit you have overcome? How did you do it?

The Glass Ceiling of Success

By Patrick Mahan

A person will never exceed his own expectations.

Like a "Glass Ceiling," your expectations set the limits for your life. In other words, you typically get what you expect—positive or negative.

When you expand your vision, you stretch your faith. And faith is the catalyst for success.

The person who expects much, receives much. He who expects little receives little. Likewise, if you expect to prevail, then you will prevail. Your belief becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.

This simple principle applies to all areas of life. If you expect a customer to buy, they usually will buy. But if you expect them to say no, then they will probably say no. Another example: If you ask someone out on a date and expect them to say no, that's usually what happens.

People can sense your vibes. You project externally an energy that matches your internal emotions and attitude.

A common characteristic of successful people seems to be that they carry a confident expectancy. They “assume the sale.” They see what they want coming to pass. In their mind, they have already taken ownership.

Again, since we usually get what we expect, if you don’t expect much, then you won’t get much.

Successful people in all areas of life exude this confident expectancy. They get a clear picture of what they want fixed firmly in their mind and then their subconscious mind pursues that goal like a heat-seeking missile. They visualize reaching the goal in their mind and visualize themselves having already achieved that goal successfully.

Olympic athletes have used this principle for years. Not only do they visualize success, but they also give the image an emotional charge. In other words, they imagine how it will feel to accomplish their goal. This makes the vision real. It gives it legs. It creates an almost magical power that pulls them towards their target.

And this same power is available to you.

So raise your expectations and learn to visualize having already achieved your goal. Act as if you’ve already accomplished the task. Focus on your target, assume that you will hit the target and eliminate all other alternatives. Maintain a laser-focused, “tunnel-vision” as you race toward your goal. Exercise your faith. Have a “vision of victory.” Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, whatever you confidently expect usually comes to pass. So get in the habit of expecting great things from life!

"Your expectations opens or closes the doors of your supply. If you expect grand things, and work honestly for them, they will come to you, your supply will correspond with your expectation." - Orison Swett Marden (1850-1924)

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Bible (Mark 11:24)

Something to Look Forward to...

By Patrick Mahan

Humans are goal-striving organisms. We were designed to set, pursue and achieve goals. And when we act in accordance to our design, good things happen!

In contrast, when a person becomes uninspired to set, pursue and achieve goals, something entirely different happens. Since they are not acting in accordance to their design, they begin to experience "problems", discomfort, unhappiness and even depression.

These issues are caused by a lack of goals. When you feel that you have nothing to look forward to, naturally, that's when depression sets in.

To overcome this, you must create a compelling future for yourself.

How?

By finding stuff to look forward to.

Like what?

Vacations, movies, the weekend, time with friends and families, holidays, special events ... It can be anything big or small. But ultimately, it's up to you to create moments to look forward to. That's the key to feeling young, happy and fulfilled.

"Life isn't measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."

Have you ever noticed how often it seems that a person's health declines after retiring?

Why?

Because they have lost 4 important things:

1. a sense of purpose
2. something to look forward to
3. a routine
4. a regular sense of accomplishment

They no longer believe that they're growing. And when an organism is no longer growing, it's dying! The good news is, unlike other organisms, we have the ability to grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally long after our physical bodies have stopped growing. That means we can choose to keep growing our entire lives! But you have to make that chioce. It won't happen automatically.

Now, while goal setting is a key ingredient to success, be careful not to become overly obsessed with it. If we spend all of our time trying to get somewhere else, then we can never fully enjoy and appreciate where we are.

If you’re always driving forward at 100 mph, then it’s hard to appreciate the view!

Sometimes you just need to pull over, put the car in park and enjoy the scenery.