I know this is going to come as a shock to most of you…. but some people simply don’t want to be saved by you.  In the beginning, they may act like they want your help to change, find more freedom, get more time but the truth is that they have to figure it out and do it on their own. You simply can’t do it for them. As an entrepreneur – when I see a friend that wants more with their life, I instinctively want to do whatever I can to help them. I will encourage them and let them know they can achieve whatever they want to in life. I remember the days when I had no support and what it was like to battle great odds alone. It’s a hard road to go down without the positive support that you need. I wish I had found some massive support much earlier. Probably would have made things a lot easier and you would be attending a seminar I was speaking at right now.  (soon)

I will tell these people to go out and create their own life. That they can do anything they set their minds on. I am such a firm believer in the power of human potential that I know anyone despite where they are in life, can become a success if they simply have the passion and determination to do it. But I have also found that they have to do it for themselves. It doesn’t matter how hard you try, you can’t do it for them. No power on earth can help the person that has no belief in themselves or the true desire for change. They have to reach their own personal boiling point that says, “Ok, I’m not going to live like this anymore. Time to change things up.”

“You can give them the hammer, but they are going to have to swing at the nails.” It has to be their decision to change and no one elses. Otherwise they will stay the same regardless of how much help or support you give them. There is something deep inside that keeps them from advancing. Until they discover it and fight like hell to defeat it, they will not change. The only thing you can do for them is to encourage and be there for them and hope that they will find it in themselves. They have to truly want it inside. I have the tendency to want to jump up and try to be the hero for them. I have learned that no matter what you do or say you can’t save them. They have to save themselves.

“I have come to understand that success and prosperity had almost nothing to do with opportunities, chance, luck – or even training, education, or skill. It had everything to do with your personal consciousness, beliefs, and even subconscious programming that you aren’t aware of.” – Randy Gage.

“If you want to be more, you have to become more.” Jim Rohn

Ya see… it’s all about the line.  What line?  THE line. The line consists of the income we all need to stay afloat financially.  Everyone should really find ways to diversify their incomes, maximize tax deductions and ultimately make more money. Sounds nice right???   The problem is… the vast majority of people have forgotten how to do those very things.

You aren’t much good to anyone if you are sick, rundown or if you were to drop dead from a heart attack.

You cannot give what you do not have. If you want to be more, do more, give more, serve more, create more for others, and build more solid relationships — then you absolutely have to be stronger.

We all need to learn to live below the line and take care of food, clothing, transportation and shelter.  Once we have those things taken care of we can move the line and use it to our advantage.  You must become your first priority so in order to truly give more, be more and do more for everyone else around you.

“You take care of you for me, and I will take care of me for you.” Jim Rohn

Although I never met him, Jim has greatly impacted my life over the past few years with his teachings. He challenged me to be my best and inspired me to live my dreams. Jim, you are legendary to me and you will be missed. In honor, here are a few of my favorite quotes from Jim Rohn:

Resolve says, “I will.” The man says, “I will climb this mountain. They told me it is too high, too far, too steep, too rocky and too difficult. But it’s my mountain. I will climb it. You will soon see me waving from the top or dead on the side from trying.”

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.

If you learn to set a good sail, the wind that blows will always take you to the dreams you want, the income you want, and the treasures of mind, purse, and soul you want.

I used to say, “Things cost too much.” Then my teacher straightened me out on that by saying, “The problem isn’t that things cost too much. The problem is that you can’t afford it.” That’s when I finally understood that the problem wasn’t “it” – the problem was “me.”

If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree. You must get good at one of two things: sowing in the spring or begging in the fall. The soil says, “Don’t bring me your need, bring me your seed.”

Walk away from the 97% crowd. Don’t use their excuses. Take charge of your own life. You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.

Your paycheck is not your employer’s responsibility, it’s your responsibility. Your employer has no control over your value, but you do.

If you wish to find, you must search. Rarely does a good idea interrupt you.

I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change. If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? Not much.

Recently, I had a conversation with someone where when asked how they were doing, they responded with: “Just trying to get by.” I asked them what they meant by that and was told that they were just trying to pay the bills and survive. This person had once been full of life and ambition and now seemed entirely depressed about life.

A few years earlier this person had told me that they wanted to do big things. They had big plans, wanted to see exciting places, do exciting things and now they were “just trying to get by.” They had gone from huge aspirations to mediocrity. What happened to their dreams? Where did their path change to go down this road? When did they choose to “just get by?”

For some reason it reminded me of a little exercise you may have done in elementary school, the time capsule. What you did was write down where you wanted to be in 20 years from now, put it in a lock box and bury it. You would write what job you would have, where you would work and what kind of life you would lead. The idea was that 20 years from now you were supposed to go back and dig it up and see if you had made it to where you had once dreamed of being as a kid.

How many of us have made it to become what we once dreamed of? Did we fulfill those written words in our time capsules? How many simply exist in our world, “just trying to get by?” How many have decided to settle in our dreams and decided to live in mediocrity? We should NEVER EVER SETTLE in our dreams. Nor should we merely exist in this great world of ours. Why shouldn’t we live the dreams we once longed for? Why not go big? There is too much opportunity out there for us not to succeed and demand what we want out of life. Too many of us forget to HAVE LIFE AFTER BIRTH and go after our dreams. As Oliver Holmes puts it:

“Many people die with their music still in them.”

Attack your dreams and passions head on with such vigor and virility that nothing can shake your mission to succeed. Make it apart of your life. If you expect large things for yourself with a high estimate of your ability to succeed, demand what you want and go after it with all your might, you can achieve greatness. We can choose to go after our dreams or choose to live in mediocrity and settle.

What were your dreams? What can you do right now to achieve them?

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes of all time:

We all must suffer from one of two pains in life: the pain of discipline, or the pain of regret. The difference is that discipline weighs ounces while regret weights tons. –Jim Rohn