A little over two years ago, after well over seven years of suffering at different levels, my father finally let go. I was actually in Chicago on a business trip when I got the word that things had taken a turn for the worse. I cancelled the rest of the business trip, caught some connecting flights and ended back up in Louisiana to see my dad in what would be the last time I saw him alive.
My father had a pretty tough life although if you talked to him, you wouldn’t even get a hint of it. I remember often right before a cookout or nice dinner he would say, “I wonder what the poor folks are eating tonight.” Truth is, if he knew of ANYONE in need, he would give the shirt off his back to help them. I don’t just believe this, I witnessed it over and over again.
Dad was in the third or fourth grade or so when he was forced to drop out of school because his father had taken ill and couldn’t work. He literally became the “man” of the house and took care of his younger brother and sister. This continued on for quite some time but he did go back and get his GED and joined the Army. I learned only upon is death that he was actually a captain and was in charge of a company of soldiers. Interesting that he never shared that with me but that was dad. He would never say anything that would give him attention or could be considered putting him in the spotlight.
There are some parents that teach their kids through talking, demanding, and “do as I say, not as I do” methods. Others simply teach through their actions. I can honestly say that I have never heard my dad say a curse word. As I was typing this out, I thought, certainly there must have been a few times but there simply wasn’t. I was the youngest of six kids so maybe he ran out of them by the time I came along, but I doubt it.
I believe that because he had such a tough start, he could always relate to anyone in need. It didn’t matter if it was a hitchhiker, a homeless person on the side of the road or anyone who asked for help, family or friend, he would always offer it. I believe he remembered how tough he had it from his own experiences that there were instant connections. If someone was in need, he could and would instantly strike up a conversation and give whatever money he had on him. I’m not just talking about a dollar or two, it typically was whatever he had on him at the time. Some might look at that as naïve but I understand it to be compassion and empathy.
I can remember a number of the times the person he was talking to (that clearly needed assistance) didn’t even ask for help or money, but he would simply ask them first. He must have known what it was like to be in there shoes so he was able to save just a little of their dignity by offering assistance first. What a man!
When I say they don’t make men like that anymore, I really mean it. Since his passing, I have struggled much more than I expected. The hurt doesn’t go away, doesn’t get any easier, it just simply dulls just a little. Through the past two years, I have at times struggeled by all the things I could have or should have done while he is still around. But you know what? He wouldn’t have wanted that. I can see him looking in my eyes telling me something like, “we’ll have none of that” then ask about the weather or anything to change the subject. It bothered him deeply to see anyone hurting or struggling and his natural, automatic response was to offer help. What a man!
Father’s greatest gifts to their children are not all the stuff they accumulate, the gifts they give them, the money they provide, nor the power and influence they possess. No, not at all. A father’s greatest gift is simple. It is living by what you preach (or don’t preach at all in my dad’s case) which is then measured by their actions both in times of glory as well as in times of struggles. The gifts my father taught me were kindness, compassion, empathy, forgiveness, love, gratitude. These gifts have been well engrained within my soul. My goal in life is to share these same traits with my own son and if I can accomplish a tenth of what my dad taught me, my life will be considered a success.
I miss you daddy! Happy birthday.
“little Billy”
Tony Robbins Short Motivational Quotes
Below are a few of my favorite Tony Robbins Quotes. Using these quotes and others that he has delivered help me to stay on the track to achieving my goals. Thank you Tony!
“All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs.”
“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears.”
“Determination is the wake-up call to the human will.”
“Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential.”
“Commit to CANI! – Constant And Never-ending Improvement.”
We will act consistently with our view of who we truly are, whether that view is accurate or not.
“The more rules you have about how people have to be, how life has to be for you to be happy, the less happy you’re going to be.”
“People are bigger than anything that can happen to them.”
“The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results.”
“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”
“What we can or cannot do, what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are.”
“If you are truly flexible and go until . . . there is really very little you can’t accomplish in your lifetime.”
“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.”
To learn more about Tony Robbins, checkout his website at tonyrobbins.com.
With gratitude and peace,
Bill
How to Set Goals So They Work
You’ve done it. I’ve done it. Just about everyone’s done it. So, if everyone’s set goals at some point in their life, why isn’t everyone experiencing success, happiness, abundance and joy? That’s the real question.
I have studied for years and years and years the true masters like Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay and T. Harv Eker to name a few on the power of setting goals keeping positive. I have also practiced and failed so many times I can’t even recall here. But one thing is for certain, they work. And once you experience success from setting them, you are well on your way.
However, my problem was that I would experience success but then not really understand why the goal was achieved and thus didn’t completely replicate it. This was done many, many times over the past 15-20 years. But then I got it and it was so simple I couldn’t believe the simplicity.
It was something I learned from T Harv (but I believe he learned from Tony Robbins). It was, “What we focus on EXPANDS.” So, at one point I started practicing setting goals while ALSO focusing on them regularly, and I achieved my goals at lightning speed. I even used it in the business world too! I was regularly completing complex contract negotiations consisting of over millions and millions of dollars in only a few weeks while others with the same suppliers spent months to do. AND, I was getting better results. I was simply amazed.
The problem is that it is easy to forget. Something negative would happen and guess what? You got it, I would unconsciously focus on the negative issues and experience more of exactly what I didn’t want. But, the beauty is to simply become aware of it and when I did, I could reverse it in a few minutes, for real!
This week’s Daily Positive Points is dedicated to Tony Robbins and his Ultimate Edge program I took a several years back. Today’s action step is to start setting goals so let’s do a quick exercise.
Today, join with me in setting a minimum of 3 goals in the following categories: Personal, Emotional and Social. Feel free to email me at bill@positract.com or post in the comment section here if you would like to share them.
Remember, what you FOCUS on EXPANDS so keep your thoughts on the POSITIVE aspects of the goals you set. Together, let’s make a difference in the world!
With gratitude and peace,
Bill
Positive Thinking Nets Positive Results
I have lots of stories of the Law of Attraction because I live it every day. Little things that most people believe are “coincidences” occur every single day to me. My story for this article involves manifesting a repair to my roof caused by wind damage. I live in the DFW area and we had a major wind storm with winds topping out at 85MPH in our town. My roof was badly damaged and there were thousands of roofs damaged in the Metroplex. I called my roofing company and it took nearly 2 hours to get someone live on the phone. They told me that there were about 350 people ahead of me because of the damages from the storm. I left my information and they told me it would be a minimum of 2 weeks before they could even take a look at it to give me an estimate. That was Thursday around noon.
For the first couple of hours after the call I was frustrated and worried because the forecast was for more severe thunderstorms over the next week. Also, from my attic you could actually see daylight in several places which meant major water damage if it rained. The next morning on my way to the office, I decided I would try positive affirmations and visualization. I didn’t set any expectations or deadlines, I just visualized my roof being taken care of whether it was because the rain that was forecasted would miss our house for the next several weeks or my roof would be repaired. Within ten minutes, yes ten minutes, after starting the positive affirmations and visualizations something strange happened.
My phone rang and it was the roofing company. They said that there was someone in our area and might be able to stop by today. I was floored. I continued to do positive affirmations and visualizations on and off all day long. When I got home, the roofing company was working on the repair and actually completed the major repair. As they started coming down from the ladder, it started to rain. And I mean rain. It poured for the next two days.
I was so grateful because if they had not come that day, I would have had serious water damage because of the holes in the roof from the wind damage. By changing my negative outlook to a positive one, then practicing visualizing a positive outcome without putting restrictions on HOW it was going to turn out, actually led the Law of Attraction to get my roof repaired. If they had come a day or even a couple of hours later, major damage would have resulted.
I suggest that even if you do not believe in the Law of Attraction, try it anyway. What do you have to lose but sending positive energy where it was negative before.
Peace and gratitude,
Bill
Clearing Your Mind – An Ordinarily Extraordinary “To Do” Exercise
Did you realize that all those little open things you need to do are really weighing you down and keeping you from being in a state of happiness and contentment? While they may seem minor, when taken as a whole, most people have so many things to do it is hard to stay organized enough to complete them all. This prevents you from reaching your maximum performance in both your work/school environment and your home life. The sense of being overwhelmed then starts a belief system inside you that confirms there is never enough of you or time in the day. Today is a good day to start a new belief system and get you on track knowing that this is a world of abundance no matter what form it takes.
This exercise will provide you with a system of staying focused and leave you more time to do the things you enjoy. I started this exercise in January of 2006 as a way of being more productive at work. It seemed that every day when I got to work, I immediately got overwhelmed with so many things to do that I felt I didn’t accomplish anything at all. However, I did not understand it because I was busy all day long. I would also wake up in the middle of the night and remember that I either forgot to do something or needed to do something the next day. From the very beginning when I started to use this system, I never wake up at night any more nor have that little panic attack followed by anxiety for forgetting to do something important. Can’t you see how this is actually keeping you from experiencing peace?
Let me warn you before I go any further, it does require discipline. Once I made up my mind to use it, I could not live without using it any longer. The ideas are not new, they are not earth shattering, nor will they give you instant gratification, but I promise if you use this method (or any other time management method) you will be amazed by the results. Now, I know what you are saying, “This is just a standard ‘to do list’ just like all the other ones that don’t work for me.” It might look like one, but I am introducing a new way of using the age old tool by tying it directly back to ideas in this workbook. Trust me on this one, the successes I have achieved by using this method have been unbelievable. The funny thing is that I did not realize what I was developing for several months.
Ready to start?
First, start with a clean piece of paper each day and keep it with you all day long. This paper can be the template I built and included in this section, but make sure it is a hard copy. Draw a line right down the middle of the page and put 2 headings: On the left write “I Will Do Today” and “I Will Do Later” on the right. By writing those headings, you are affirming you WILL do these things and the universe will conspire with you to help you complete each item on the list.
Try this to get you started:
Before doing anything in the morning, create your To Do List. This is the VERY first item of the day. This can be done before you leave the house, at your job before you get started, or even at school before classes start.
Once you have made your list for the first day, you will feel slightly better just for putting it on paper. A good exercise to do is a data dump where you basically jot down every single thing you can think of that you need to do first. The first time I did this I had well over 60 items. After you have all your items listed, pull out a new sheet and write them down on the daily “I WILL Do Today” list. You will need to determine what side of the paper they belong on. One thing that I noticed was that once I listed them all, I felt a sense of relief and, as I started my daily work, the list got smaller and smaller.
Ready to make your own list? Email me at bill@positract.com and mention this blog post. I will send you more information and templates to get you started.
With gratitude,
Bill
Daily Positive Points
Today’s Message
The choice is yours. Will you choose peace, happiness, abundance and joy or worry, guilt, shame and anger? Choose wisely, grasshopper!
Today’s AFFIRMATION
I AM what I AM and what I AM is beautiful and MY thoughts are GOOOOOOOOD!
Today’s Quote
Riches, mediocrity and poverty begin in the mind.” ~Unknown
Daily Positive Points
Today’s Message
Repeat the following, “If I could become a better person today, what would I change or do? Click here to checkout Friday’s awesome video!
Today’s ACTION
Be a better YOU today by practicing several acts of kindness. Remember to use the rule, unconditional and un-expecting!
Today’s Quote
“Try a little harder to be a little better.” ~Gordon B. Hinckley
A Father’s Greatest Gift
My father had a pretty tough life although if you talked to him, you wouldn’t even get a hint of it. I remember often right before a cookout or nice dinner he would say, “I wonder what the poor folks are eating tonight.” Truth is, if he knew of ANYONE in need, he would give the shirt off his back to help them. I don’t just believe this, I witnessed it over and over again.
Dad was in the third or fourth grade or so when he was forced to drop out of school because his father had taken ill and couldn’t work. He literally became the “man” of the house and took care of his younger brother and sister. This continued on for quite some time but he did go back and get his GED and joined the Army. I learned only upon is death that he was actually a captain and was in charge of a company of soldiers. Interesting that he never shared that with me but that was dad. He would never say anything that would give him attention or could be considered putting him in the spotlight.
There are some parents that teach their kids through talking, demanding, and “do as I say, not as I do” methods. Others simply teach through their actions. I can honestly say that I have never heard my dad say a curse word. As I was typing this out, I thought, certainly there must have been a few times but there simply wasn’t. I was the youngest of six kids so maybe he ran out of them by the time I came along, but I doubt it.
I believe that because he had such a tough start, he could always relate to anyone in need. It didn’t matter if it was a hitchhiker, a homeless person on the side of the road or anyone who asked for help, family or friend, he would always offer it. I believe he remembered how tough he had it from his own experiences that there were instant connections. If someone was in need, he could and would instantly strike up a conversation and give whatever money he had on him. I’m not just talking about a dollar or two, it typically was whatever he had on him at the time. Some might look at that as naïve but I understand it to be compassion and empathy.
I can remember a number of the times the person he was talking to (that clearly needed assistance) didn’t even ask for help or money, but he would simply ask them first. He must have known what it was like to be in there shoes so he was able to save just a little of their dignity by offering assistance first. What a man!
When I say they don’t make men like that anymore, I really mean it. Since his passing, I have struggled much more than I expected. The hurt doesn’t go away, doesn’t get any easier, it just simply dulls just a little. Through the past two years, I have at times struggeled by all the things I could have or should have done while he is still around. But you know what? He wouldn’t have wanted that. I can see him looking in my eyes telling me something like, “we’ll have none of that” then ask about the weather or anything to change the subject. It bothered him deeply to see anyone hurting or struggling and his natural, automatic response was to offer help. What a man!
Father’s greatest gifts to their children are not all the stuff they accumulate, the gifts they give them, the money they provide, nor the power and influence they possess. No, not at all. A father’s greatest gift is simple. It is living by what you preach (or don’t preach at all in my dad’s case) which is then measured by their actions both in times of glory as well as in times of struggles. The gifts my father taught me were kindness, compassion, empathy, forgiveness, love, gratitude. These gifts have been well engrained within my soul. My goal in life is to share these same traits with my own son and if I can accomplish a tenth of what my dad taught me, my life will be considered a success.
I miss you daddy! Happy birthday.
“little Billy”
Daily Positive Points
Making mistakes is inevitable. Quitting, though, is optional.
Today’s CHALLENGE
Research any famous person today. Notice the struggles they faced at some point in their lives
Today’s Quote
“It is necessary for us to learn from other’s mistakes. You will not live long enough to make them all yourself.” ~Hyman George Rickover
7 Days To Inner Peace Book
My 7 Days to Inner Peace is now available on Kindle! Go to http://tinyurl.com/6qcl5ed to check it out. Now how STINKIN’ SaWEET is that?!!!
With cargo ships filled with gratitude,
Bill
Daily Positive Points
When we are inspired, we accomplish great things. We also create amazing results when we are desperate. However, it is much more fun being inspired than being desperate! Click here to checkout Friday’s awesome video!
Today’s AFFIRMATION
“Today, I seek inspiration. I take the time necessary to slow my mind and be open to it.”
Today’s Quote
“In life you need either inspiration or desperation.” Tony Robbins