Take Permission

The Right Tools & Mindset For Success

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Motivation usually doesn't come from within

It would be wonderful if I woke up every day and was motivated from within.  I would go to work or love my kids and wife because there’s something totally pure inside of me.  The truth is there is very little that is pure inside any of us and that means we get discouraged easily and often.   Most days I love what I do and then there are days like today when I’d rather just sleep through till tomorrow.  There’s no point to throw a pity party though.  People will show up to that party but they won’t be any fun and they won’t help you feel better.  So I thought I’d offer myself some advice and you can read it too.

1. Write down your last 10 conversations; Who were they with?  Do those people motivate you?  Are they happy people?  Do they create things that matter and treat people well?  We are products of our environment in our day to work and whether it’s your boss or your customers the conversations you have shape your day more than you know.  SOLUTION: Talk less to downers and more to people that are doing the things you want to do.  Run with the right pack.

2. Stop listening to your own voice; I do believe you can kill the resistance, the lizard, the voice in your head that tells you that you’re not that special and there’s always someone better than you and your voice doesn’t matter.  That voice does not die quickly though.  You’ve got to Chinese Water Torture it to death.  Bit by bit you have do things that chip away at the voice in your head that essentially has one purpose, beat you down.  I’m all for humility but God gave us all gifts and we’re all capable of sharing them with the world. When you don’t share them it’s either your laziness or listening to the liar in your head. SOLUTION: Put stuff in your head everyday that tells you the truth.  You are capable of great things.  The resistance just told you that’s not true.  It’s a liar.  Do something great.

Most lists have a minimum of three points.  Not mine.  Just do those two things.  That’s enough to keep us both busy for awhile.  I hope that helps.  Let me know what you’re going to do with this advice.  If you’re not going to do anything with it then that’s too bad.  The world needs your help.

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When your heart compels you…take action.

Please read this entire post.  I’ve never asked that before but this post is unlike any other I’ve ever written…

Things with a heart are always compelling.
Countries pull their hearts together during times of war.  Families pull their hearts together during times of loss(dead) or gain (birth).  Individuals pull their hearts together to get behind a cause that compels them.  We don’t really get to choose what cause compels our heart to feel something but we do get to choose which cause we act on.

Many people support politicians when they don’t run on a platform of policies as much as they run on a platform of feelings.  You only change things if you don’t like the way you feel.  People support businesses because of the feeling they get from a clerk, a doorman, or the founder (Dave Thomas the founder of Wendy’s comes to mind.  What a likable guy).  Today my heart was compelled and it reminded me that today, January 24, 2011, is the easiest day in the history of our human existence to share messages.   I have 937 friends on Facebook and 848 followers on Twitter.  That’s not just 1,785 connections. Every single one of those people has followers and friends, some of them have many more than me.

  • What do we do with this connectivety?
  • What do we do with this authority?
  • What do we do with this influence?
  • What do we do with this voice?

Today I am asking you to click on one link and consider funding a project that will comfort parents who have lost a child to a miscarriage.  It’s uncomfortable to even type those words because the topic is so taboo. It’s so hard to talk about.  It happens every day and you likely know someone who could have used a source of comfort during that time.  An accomplished pianist is creating an album to bring comfort to parents and I am ask you to use your influence to help the project happen.

  • You have connections.
  • You have authority.
  • You have influence.
  • You have a voice.

Will you join me in using those things for a cause?  Is your heart compelled to act like mine was?  I hope so.  Let’s stop feeling something and start DOING someting.

Click the image below to help…