ACT

One Tiny Moment

Believe In Yourself

"If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride - and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards."
~ Paul Bryant

Movie Wisdom: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

I love watching movies with my wife! But it makes it even more enjoyable when an interesting or inspiring quote pops up that applies to life. 

Tonight, my wife and I watched the 80's classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. And the quote that everyone probably remembers most from that movie is Ferris saying:

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

A great quote in and of itself, but the one that really popped out to me tonight came from Cameron Frye near the end of the movie. Cameron realizes that he has allowed himself to be a victim his entire life. He has allowed his father to belittle him and make him feel less than he is. And everything comes to a head when he realizes that he can't roll back the mileage on the Ferrari. Something finally snaps in him and he realizes that he can be and do more than he has been doing. He realizes that he can take the heat and tells Ferris:

"I am not going to sit on my (butt) as the events that affect me unfold and determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to defend it. Right or wrong, I'm going to defend it."

During this time of resolution making, it is our time to take a stand against something that is making us unhappy and feel like we are less than we really are. If you don't like your job, take a stand and either get a better job or work for a promotion to a better position! If you don't like your weight, take a stand and improve your exercise and eating habits! If your relationships don't leave you feeling loved and fulfilled, take a stand and work to improve them!

Whatever it is that you are unhappy with, take a stand! Take a stand, resolve to do better and don't look back! Do it today!

~ Andy Jensen

Overcoming Emotional Weakness

Today's post is a short video clip by Darren Hardy on how we are all emotional weak and how to overcome it. Take 5 minutes and watch this short clip now!



Compelling, isn't it? 

So, get pissed! Resolve to be better today and get going now!

~ Andy Jensen

A Vital Key to Keeping Your Resolutions

We've reached day 3 of 2016. How are those resolutions coming? If you are anything like me, you have probably already encountered some resistance in trying to keep going on your resolutions. Maybe you have even given up already. I hope not!

One major aspect that you need to take a hard look at, that is key to accomplishing any goal is your habits. You see right now, you may be highly motivated to accomplish your goal. But motivation only lasts so long. And if you have bad habits that are sabotaging your efforts, you are doomed to fail.

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habits are what keep you going."

~ Jim Rohn

Replacing bad habits with better ones that are designed to move you closer to your goals helps you put your achievement on autopilot. So take a close look at your daily actions. 

What habits do you have that are taking you further from your goal? Eliminate it!

What one habit can you start building today that will move you closer to your goal? Take action and start implementing it now!

I'll see you tomorrow.

~ Andy Jensen

Fully Living Life

"Make New Year's goals. Dig within, and discover what you would like to have happen in your life this year. This helps you do your part. It is an affirmation that you're interested in fully living life in the year to come."

~ Melody Beattie

If your life hasn't been all that you wished it would be in 2015, name one thing that you intend to do in 2016 to make it better. Set the goal, commit to it, list the first few steps that you can do to move towards the fulfillment of that goal and take action today. 

Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Do something different this year and let's make it better than last year.

You can do it! I believe in you.

~ Andy Jensen

The Game of Life

I love playing games with my children! So, this Christmas, my wife and I gave my boys several games that we could play together as a family. Among these games was The Game of Life by Milton Bradley. I used to love playing this game as a kid at my grandmother's house growing up. Of course, we bought the electronic banking version since my wife has an aversion to handling cash after years and years of working in the banking industry.

After playing a round with my children, I noticed my wife and I had a very different perspective on the game than my children. We weren't nearly as impressed with the careers that were so easily obtained and the very high salaries that accompanied them. I think our years of struggle and facing the realities of life dimmed our enjoyment of the Game of Life. I couldn't help but think how poorly the game would prepare my children to face the challenges that were sure to come their way. They weren't going to be able to start off with $400,000 in their pocket. They wouldn't have the choice of paying for all of their college up front with the cash they have on hand. Marriage won't come about just because of what point the have reached in life and children won't come into their lives just by the spin of the wheel.

I still enjoyed playing the game with my boys, and, yes, I did beat them soundly at it without any feelings of regret or remorse. But I couldn't help but think the next day about why the game kept bothering me. Ultimately, what bothered me most was that the Game of Life was so easy and that isn't how life really is...

Life is hard!

But the more that I thought about it, the more I was reminded that while, yes, life is a pain, we get to choose which kind of pain we get to deal with. As Jim Rohn always taught:

“There are two types of pain you will go through in life, the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”

 

Most of us follow the rut we have carved out in life and face daily the pain of everything we wish we had in life, but don't. We wish we had a nicer home. We wish we had a more enjoyable and fulfilling career. We wish we had a better body. We wish we had an exciting life. And all of these regrets weigh down on our shoulders as we watch American Idol, the Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars and athletic competitions thinking: "Wouldn't it be nice to have that in my life." I am as guilty of this as anyone.

 

But here we are at the start of a new year, marking a new beginning for each and every one of us. Here we have the opportunity to resolve to be a little better and to move away from that pain of regret by choosing the pain of discipline to improve some small part of our life in some way. Are you resolving to improve your health? Your relationships? Your finances? Develop a new talent? Pursue a dream? I hope so!

 

My first resolution of 2016 is to revive this blog and to share bits of wisdom and inspiration that I have collected and gathered and those things that I find help me in my life as I play the game of life and purse my own dreams and aspirations. So come back often and leave a comment when you find something that you really connect with or that inspires you on your own journey. And may this new year, and every year that follows, be the best you have ever had!