Preparation beats embarrassment. Sometimes preparing is boring or painful

. It is never as painful as being embarrassed because your weren’t ready. When you prepare, you open yourself up to more opportunity. New possibilities find you because you are prepared.

Light comes from within and from without. Embrace both kinds of light

. Love what you have and surround yourself with goodness..

Everyone has a struggle. Your struggle may be loud. Your struggle may be quiet. Either way, your struggle is yours because your embrace and accept it. If you do not accept the struggle as real, it does not exist

. We all choose what we fight for, and what we fight against. Struggle is real, because we make it so.

Even when we can see the path ahead of us, sometimes it looks too fast or to dangerous for us to follow. Confidence comes from action. The more we sit, the more we rest, the less confidence we will have

. Even if the road ahead looks hard, the only way to get what you want is to take one step at a time.

Freedom has a price. The price is the consequence of being accountability for our actions

. Every choice we make determines the life we live. Every choice we make determines the way in which we help or hurt others. The price we way is counted by the choices we make.

Being in a beautiful place doesn’t help if you don’t notice the beauty. Take time to notice where you are. Take time to appreciate what you have. Recognize the good in others. Recognize the good in all things

. The quicker we show gratitude, the easier it becomes to overcome any obstacle we face. Gratitude allows us the ability to recognize what is real and what is important.

Dedication coupled with planning cannot be beat. When you commit to an outcome and plan to achieve it, and then work the plan, you will succeed

. Not because the plan is good, but because when you are dedicated you will find alternative ways to reach your goals no matter what obstacles you face.

We are all searching

. When you find what you are searching for, follow the signals you receive. Listen to you heart. Listen to your mind. Listen to what you “see” and what you “feel”. Some signs will come from people you know, or things your read. Follow your heart and your mind will support you.

Non-writers are just writers who haven’t started yet. Writing helps you help others. Writing helps you see your own growth. Writing helps you declutter your mind. Writing helps you understand your actions and reactions.

When you are a better version of yourself, you can help others.

Your life changes when your write. Your life changes even more when you share your writing.

For 6 months now I have published something every day. Every. Single. Day.

It all started on December 31st, I committed to become a better writer

. In order to do that I followed Glenn Leibowitz’s advice and decided to write and post more, I decided to do it everyday (I posted to my personal blog).

Thanks to the encouragement of my wife and professional network, and through positive reinforcement and criticism alike, I am better able to express ideas.

Here is some of what I learned in June:

Consistently Improving June 1

Staying consistent is important. Wanting something is good. Deciding something is better. Consistency is best. Not consistency in staying the same, but consistency in constantly improving. Keep growing, everyday. If you consistently improve just a little bit every day, your wants will be become decisions and your decisions will become actions and your actions will become reality.

We Are What We Attract June 2

We are on the outside, what we are on the inside. Our character attracts like character. If we are hardworking and giving, we will be surrounded by the same. Our life is a window into our soul. Smile more. Help more. Change your thoughts and your life will have to as well.

Different Worlds June 3

Traveling allows you to experience real life. The life you have made for yourself is your own reality. When you travel, for a time, until you make it yours, you get to experience the reality of others. To see the world that you have not seen, to maybe be someone you have not been.

Think About Thoughts June 4

As we grow, life gets more complicated. As we learn, we see the details better. As we focus, we get a bigger picture. Increasing our ability to consume and comprehend makes the ability to step back even more important. Take time to think about your thoughts. Feel your thoughts, ponder, ask, question, and embrace. Your life is busy, if you can slow your mind just a bit, you can be much more effective.

Better Tomorrow June 5

We all want a better day. We might have gratitude for today, yet we hope for a better tomorrow. The best way to get a better tomorrow, is to help someone else today. Learn to love service. Think about others when you are starting to feel sad or depressed. Taking your focus from the inside and putting on the outside allows miracles of growth and transformation to happen.

Replace It June 6

When something won’t work, replace it. If something can work, fix it. If you don’t work, start.

Action / Time = Results June 7

Take the time to know what you want. Once you know, take the time set a plan. Once you have a plan, take the time to act. Action over time produces results.

You Enjoy and Others Enjoy June 8

I like German food. Especially the pastries. Some people like other things. We all enjoy something. Enjoy what you like. Help others enjoy what they like. Then everyone will be happy and fulfilled.

Stability June 9

Everything changes. Find stability in the truth that doesn’t. If your home is not permanent, find something to bring with you that is. If your relationships are not permanent, find some that are. Stability is not found in the thing, it is found in the meaning we give to the thing. If you want stability, you can define it and then create it.

Mentors Give Maps June 10

The most magnificent dreams often seem the hardest to get to. They don’t have to be. If you know the secret way in, every fortress can be entered. Every dream can be found with the right map and action. Find a mentor to help you develop the map, then make committed decisions that help you take action to follow the plan.

Increase Sight June 11

When your sight is better than others, you can do more, you get more respect, and your work is more meaningful. To gain the needed sight your skills must be refined, your experience must be relevant, and your courage must be your driving characteristic. The better your sight, the more you can provide insight.

Wanting vs Committing June 12

Commitment changes desires. What you want determines where you heart is. If you really are committed to something, you stop wanting the things that go against what you are committed to. If you want to sell, you want to take action. You stop wanting to hide. When you want to be healthy, you still want sugar. When you are committed to being healthy, you don’t want sugar. When you want success, you still might be lazy. When you are committed to success, you can’t stop hustling.

The Ask June 13

The best way to get what you want is to ask for it. You will either get a yes, a no, or a maybe. Any answer will do, since you never focus on what you cannot control, you focus on what you can. Just ask and let the cards play. Get an answer and move on. Create a plan and keep going.

Spread the Fire June 14

The best people to work with are enthusiastic. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, if you are excited, your likability increases 500%. When people want to be around you, you can get more done. Enthusiasm is like fire; it spreads fast with just a little spark. The more you can influence others, the more you can help.

Sharpen June 15

Work works. If you do the work, you get the results. Doing the wrong work is not doing the work though. Wrong work is just wasted effort. Work harder at the right stuff. Sharpen your tools so you can work better. Sharpen your tools so you can do more. Sharpen your tools so you can do the work that matters.

Your Role Changes You June 16

Everyone says to “find yourself”. The problem is, who you are changes based on your role. You determine which role you play the most. Are you a child? Are you a boss? Are you a employee? Are you a leader? Are you a parent? Are you a friend? Are you a mentor?  In each role, you are someone different. While your values, character, and personality don’t change – who you are in relation to others does. Pay attention to the role you play. The best way to find yourself is to create the biggest impact on those around you. Your role is important in creating the value that has the greatest results. Help others more.

Leverage Focus June 17

The biggest effort of time or money does not equal the biggest results. Focused meaningful effort creates the biggest value. Value is achieved when desired change is realized. Leverage the key inflection points. Not every lever has the same power. Pull the strings that will add the most value, the soonest.

Active Mentoring June 18

Mentors are people we look up to, learn from, and help us. To find a mentor be a mentor. The more you help others, the more people will want to help you. Often mentors don’t know how they are helping us, this passive mentoring is useful. Active mentoring is better. Focus on helping others and they can focus on you.

Nothing Will Stop You June 19

Greatness can be reached. You can reach your dreams. Sometimes your dreams are not right for you though. Aligning your dreams with your true self can take time. When they are aligned and you are willing to put in the work: nothing will stop you.

The First Time is The Best Time June 20

Doing a good job during the first interaction with someone, allows you to have the second interaction. It also builds a foundation of trust. Do good from the very beginning, and your relationships will improve.

Where Are You? June 21

Before you can move forward you need to have two things in place. You need to know where you are, and where you want to go. If you move forward before these facts are in place, your movement is wasted.

You Deserve Confidence June 22

You deserve to be confident. You deserve it. It doesn’t matter what others think about you. You are valuable and you need to treat yourself that way. When you take action in spite of fear, you are allowing your confidence to be manifest. Forgiveness is confidence. Acceptance is confidence. When you are confident you try more, you try harder, you reach for the clouds.

Talk Less June 23

You can never know too much. But you can talk too much. Find a place to practice being quiet. You will learn about yourself and you will learn to not talk so much

Prepared June 24

Preparation makes success easier. Preparation makes everything easier. The less you have to do and think about on the spot allows your mind to be creative and come up with solutions. Get as much done as possible before the “performance” and then during the performance you can truly focus. All success comes from dedicated focus. Preparation allows you to focus

Remember Them June 25

No one wants to be forgotten. Not being remembered is one of the worst feelings in the world. Help others feel remembered. Help others know you thought of them. Thank them. Call them. Write them. Remember them.

Scaling Down June 26

When you learn to do something on a big scale, you can transfer than skill to a small scale. Scaling up is hard, scaling down is easier… and sometimes needed and more effective.

Hunger June 27

Hunger is the number one motivator. Once you are not hungry for food then you will be driven by a different type of hunger. Are you hungry for acceptance? Are you hungry for success? Are you hungry for adventure? Your hunger will determine all of your actions.

Their Language June 28

Seeing things from another’s point of view build bridges and overcomes barriers. When you speak their language they will respect you. They will buy from you. Instead of comparing the differences, study the why. Study the reasons. Then you will learn. They you can speak their language. Then you can help.

Self-Feedback June 29

When you give yourself feedback, you are allowing room for success to become realized. Every action you take and word you speak is a chance for you to think about your behavior and thought process. When you think about something you can then find ways to improve. Improvement leads to success.

What They Want June 30

Opposites are still beautiful. Give people what they want, not what you want to give them. Some people like green, some people like blue. Let them have what they want, and they will help you get what you want.

Bringing it all together…

After writing for 181 days I learned that there is so much more to write. Everyone should write. Everyone should share their writing. The more your write, the more you find yourself. The best way to help others is to be the best version of yourself.

Opposites are still beautiful. Give people what they want, not what you want to give them

. Some people like green, some people like blue. Let them have what they want, and they will help you get what you want.