For the Sake of Learning

Have you ever questioned which is better: Formal education or self education?

After 5 years of higher education, I can truly say I learned more from the books and subjects I choose to read on my own accord. I try to read 1 book per week, and also listen to an audiobook a week. On average, I hit my target. In addition, I read research data and also watch YouTube videos of other experts in my field. If only I had the same desire for formal education as I have had for self education.

Don't get me wrong, I am not diminishing the importance of formal education, it is important and provides structured elements that tend to provide a good challenge. However, for me in my 5 years of college, I rarely had the desire to sit still in a classroom for three hours. I`m very active and sitting still for that long was a major challenge. While I was in college, I didn't realize that I really needed to be fully engaged in what I was learning to have a lasting impact. We all know that we won't retain information unless we apply it in someway, so it's silly to think we`ll remember everything we learn in college classes. However, there is something great to be learned during the process besides just the specific knowledge needed for our career path.

I have had conversations with mentors of mine, and other professionals that I look up to that have placed a huge emphasis on my formal education. However, when we have discussed self and continuing education, it was apparent that I was more engaged at this time in the learning process. Not that one is better then the other, but self education cannot be devalued. Passion sparks the desire and the willingness to commit to studies; whether formal or informal.

Many successful entrepreneurs do not have degrees, but you will always find them indulging in learning processes. No, I do not just mean trial and error experience, though that is often the case too. John Maxwell said this:

 "Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is the best teacher.
Reflective thinking is needed to turn experience into insight..."  

I don't know about some of you, but I was never taught to go to school for the simple sake of learning. To me, it seemed that the emphasis was always to "do better" or get a good grade so that I could receive my diploma or degree, and then be finished with the process. I perceived the learning process as one in which the only motive was to "do better" and "be better"; in which the process itself was completely overlooked. 

If we can spark passion within our youth and even our adults, we will surely find a way to educated ourselves in our area of interest via internet, Google, YouTube, textbooks and formal education systems. Every piece of knowledge we wish to attain is right at our fingertips. As entrepreneurs we should be very excited about the opportunity with or without degrees! 

Me personally? I`m going back to school for another degree simply for the sake of learning, for the first time in my life. I am already committed to self studies, why not have another formally respected degree to add to my networth? I will forever be an advocate of self education. Afterall, how many people got their bachelor degree and never picked up another book again in their life? Too many. Perhaps that's the problem. 

The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.

-Albert Einstein 

Heart of the Matter: No Risk No Reward

The scariest, yet most rewarding things in life come from taking risks. From jobs, starting businesses, moving locations, and love, the only great returns come with paired with the biggest risks. 

It has been my experience that the happiest people in this world are the one's who have struggled the most in their pasts. Why? I have found every successful person I've met to have one major thing in common: They are risk takers. Anyone who has has much, has been willing to lose much in order to gain it. With love, we risk losing and breaking our heart to someone else, but that is a risk that must be taken in order to experience love. Many people have failed in love, and simply give up. They are not willing to take the risk anymore for fear of losing. The problem is, they always yearn for that love, but lack the willingness to take the risk to get it. No risk, no reward. 

In business, it is much the same. Those who are successful in their endeavors are the ones who have risked everything they have in order to make their dream become a reality. You know, those entrepreneurs like Donald Trump who filed bankruptcy after over $100,000 in debt, but then went on to be successful anyways? What if he had not continued? What if he lost all confidence in himself and faith in his purpose? He would have simply remained "a failure". 

But, failure is a part of the process. You must be willing to put it all on the table, and risk it all. If you give a half hearted effort, you will get half the reward in turn. Too many people speak about their dreams, but then play it safe. Now, I`m not saying to be irresponsible, but when you are called to something and the opportunity presents itself to you, sometimes you have to be willing to take the risk. Rise or fall. There is no inbetween.

With great risk comes great reward if you are willing to stay the course you set out on. You will never be succesful in your endeavors if you never finish what you start. Don't put your eggs into too many baskets, lest your focus become distracted. Do not try to do a hundred things well, try to do one well. With great passion, sense of purpose, faith in the darkness, kindness and hard work, your risks will surely be multiplied into great rewards!  You reap what you sow wherever you put your focus. Never, never, never give up!

To all of you fellow entrepreneurs out there - let's keep risking it all! I know I have. When everything is on the table, there is no where to go, no one to blame. You must do what you have to do. If we stand together, we can continue to pick each other up if the other falls. We WILL succeed, but we will face struggles along the way. They're not failures, they're just a part of the process. 

Keep going!!

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

- Vince Lombardi

Inspired By Purpose: Unrelentless in Every Circumstance

Circumstances. Emotions. Decisions. Opportunity. 

Many people change their direction based upon circumstance. This can be good. This can also be bad. Take for instance our economy. People who were once very successful now are homeless, addicts and among the lowest of the low. While others who had nothing changed their direction because they saw opportunity in the darkness. They had the will to not just survive, but also to prosper. So what's the difference? These people live in the same country, the same basic surroundings and all grew up believing in the "American Dream" (or at least being taught it). Can proper decisions be made due to circumstances, or does it all depend on the circumstance?

My answer is this - We cannot waiver in our faith due to our circumstances. Circumstantial evidence is only what we see, not necessarily what we feel or believe. If we only go by what we see, how can we truly be successful if it goes against what we feel or believe? If we only go by what we see and feel, that can also be deceiving because our emotions can often deceive us. We then, must always trust in what we beleive at our core regardless of the circumstances. You know the saying "Only believe half of what you see" ? I have found that to be a personal truth that I live by.

Desire. Passion. Excitement. Belief. 

All of these emotions and innate characteristics fuel us when there is no fuel left in the fire. When others see an empty coal pit, we still see that spark and believe it will combust at any moment! And even if it didn't we can surely find 2 sticks to rub together! Where others see no way, we see some way. We are the unrelentless ones. The ones that do "crazy" things. That is us. We are crazy. We are entrepreneurs.

In every circumstance we remain faithful because we know without a doubt what the end result will be even when everything visible shows us otherwise. We do not waver with the change of the seasons, but keep focused because of our reasons. When we lose our friends, our money, or material possessions, and even sometimes feel like we have lost ourself, we hang on and persevere.

Desire is the ambition and drive we have been gifted with. Our desires often cannot be explained, though we try. The human mind wants a reason for everything that we do. Except for a few, we know that we do not need a physical reason and the point at which the desire was created is irrelevant if not nurtured.

Faith is not easy. Passion is dangerous without a focused direction. And belief? It means nothing without purpose. Afterall, what is belief without purpose? It is nothing.

I am Inspired By Purpose by my God given purpose. 

Are you?

Dandelion Children Grow up to be Hustlers

Against all odds.

By any means necessary.

We've all heard these phrases. So simple yet so complex. Why? Because we've heard these things from people who's lives have been truly defined by these statements. They didn't just say words that sounded good, they actually felt what they said. You know, the people who grew up in poverty, abuse or homelessness that end up being independent business owners, and those of great financial success? The people who seem to have a passion beyond measure, and when they speak, sing or write about their struggles, you are enthralled  because you can almost feel that there is a deeper purpose behind them sharing their story? These are the DANDELION CHILDREN .

These are the people who have a mental, emotional and often physical connection to their passion. They are fueled by something that was wrongly done to or against them, and they take it on as their responsibility to impact others also victimized. This can be done by means of inspiration, motivation, or by physical means. These people feel it necessary to take back power from the wrong-doers and keep it for themselves and others as determined as they are. They do not give it freely, they fight to take it and inspire others to do the same. They use their lives to lead, and choose their words carefully.

Entrepreneurs.

Hustlers.

Go-Getters.

People you want on your team.

With my personal background, I often have people shocked at the level of success I have achieved despite past circumstances. Maybe I should be flattered, but mostly I continue to look at the present and future, and less at the past. It's as if the struggles of the past no longer matter because I am a new person. When you experience much struggle, you appreciate the littlest amount of success. Some psychologists call this the "dandelion" affect. A dandelion can grow and flourish even in conditions where other plants cannot. Dandelions can sustain and grow themselves without much need for nourishment. 

Are you a dandelion? Can you regrow into a new form even when you got blown around? Listed are the 7 Key Skills to Resiliency as noted in  the bookThe Resilient Self by Steven and Sybil Wolin (paraphrased).

7 Key Skills to Resiliency 

1) Insight: The ability to ask tough questions of yourself & be honest with your answers.

2) Independent: Counts only on themselves to bounce back into life.

3) Tied to Others: The more people you are responsible to, the

4) Initiative : Take charge of the problem. Do whatever is necessary to get out of it.

5) Creative: Being able to look at the situation and creatively determine the best way out.

6) Sense of Humor: They may cry until they start laughing. You have to be able to laugh at yourself.

7) Morality: Whatever you do to bounce back, you need to make sure it's moral. Your success needs to be at the service of others; not the expense.

"A resilient person won't give up" - Jim Rohn

Food or Plastic?

As I walked around the beautiful Sparks marina on an off day from the gym, I decided to sit a few minutes and watch all of the swimmers and sand volleyball players. I was in a long, striped, flowy, colorful dress that seemed to catch the attention of many. However, someone also caught my attention. As I approached the grass hill to sit down, I noticed a woman sitting alone. She was obese and wearing shorts and a tee shirt. She had the largest McDonald's soda you can buy sitting next to her. She was also eating something.

I saw her looking at me, and looked over to smile. She was feeding a couple of ducks that seemed to just be hanging out with her. Just then, her son and daughter probably no older then 7 and 9 came running over. They were also overweight. I sat back to observe the situation. The kids ran back into the water, and then I heard the lady talking. She wasn't talking to herself, she was talking to the ducks.

Suddenly, I heard "That's not food buddy! That's plastic!" 

What an interesting thing to say coming from someone eating and drinking McDonald's and the other "food-like substances" she had with her. Isn't that the way most Americans eat? Food that's no better for us then plastic? In fact, we store our food in plastics that researchers are finding to be potentially harmful because of ingredients like bisphenol A (BPA) So why then are people so concerned about what animals are eating, and calling them "stupid" , but yet with all the information available to us we continue to eat "food-like susbtances" with little to no nutritional value?

Let's start using the information available to us. If we KNOW that things are not good for us, why do we still do them? This is a hypothetical question, but I hope to really get people thinking about this. Look around you, listen, observe, and let's try to not only spread knowledge but INSPIRE PEOPLE TO IMPLEMENT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

Information is the world's #1 largest commodity.

What's Your Story?

We all have a story. We all experience times of struggle, triumph, love, laughter, sorrow, growth, and things we feel compelled to share with others. Some call this, "The Human Experience". Today it seems that every "successful" person, no matter what their professional also becomes an author or avid blogger. We see that there is not only personal satisfaction in sharing our journey with others in hopes to inspire them, but also unlimited business potential. 

Technology allows us to share stories via photos, status updates, blogs, and even e-books. Anyone willing and able has access to our work, and will likely share our story if they can relate. This is all done for free! You don't pay anything, and neither do they. Not only is there beauty in sharing our story for free, but there is also a built value and reputation. This is the business opportunity. If you listen to many of the great personal development coaches, they will often give knowledge away for free. Some of them publish entire books for free because they feel such a passion and see the need to share! Yet, still some do not take advantage of the materials. It's easy to read a "How To", but it's harder to live it. With information being the #1 largest commodity in the world, where is the value really found? 

The answer is within ourselves. The value we place on our growth and personal expansion will determine if we use, and then how we use the information available to us. Information can be offered up by anyone, but who's information do we trust when it comes to the important things in life? Most likely someone with a great education, or a successful entrepreneur worth millions right? Maybe, but what about the simpler things in life, like being a good wife and mother? Would you trust information provided by a stay at home wife and mother, or someone with an advanced degree in childhood and family development? That seems simple enough - the wife and mother! Why? There's a first hand, emotional experience given, and that just seems to be more credible. I heard Dr. Oz say in an interview with SUCCESS Magazine something to the effect of "...Once you connect with people's emotions you're able to really address the issues, and gain trust." This is power!

The beautiful thing about the art of writing is that no one can confine us to a box. Our thoughts may be labeled or judged, but a story consists of many parts. It puts our lives into context. No single story is truly singular. Connections to people, places and things in the story lead to many other stories. Isn't it amazing how no matter what decisions we've made in the past, we still have a future that we can link back to previous events in our personal history?

Whatever your story is, someone wants to hear it. What are you going to do with it?

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you."

Maya Angelou

Entrepreneurship: Do You Have What it Takes?

As I continue my research and fill my mind with inspiring advice from other successful people, I cannot help but to look at the world differently. It's as if my eyes are continuously being opened to more and more opportunity every single day. When I`m driving, at the grocery story, or even dreaming I think of new ideas for every loophole I see in society! Entrepreneurship has grown within me. I always had the drive, but self-education has fueled me to pursue great adventures.

While this may sound motivating, or exciting - it takes more then just that to become a successful entrepreneur. It's a process; it takes time. Here are the biggest concepts that I've found to growing my success in entrepreneurship and business:

Clearly Defined Goals:

Without goals that are measurable and mapped out, you will have no idea where you're heading. As a Personal Trainer I often work with people who tell me "I've tried everything. Nothing works!" My first two responses: 1) What are your goals for yourself? What is it that you want to accomplish? 2) Do you know what you're working toward? First and foremost (included in assessment of one's physical needs), I help my clients goal set. For most people, this process is more difficult then it is easy.

You need to know where you're headed in order to get there. Don't let your life become a dull ride that continues circling 'round and 'round until you're bored and saying "Same 'ol same 'ol". Set goals! It's okay to start small if you have to. Every goal accomplished leads to another goal to work toward.

"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal; not people or things"

Albert Einstein 

Good Attitude / Perspective:

Developed only through training oneself to rid their lives of negativity, a good attitude/perspective will define how you handle setbacks within every aspect of life. Too often, people get discouraged by setbacks and failures. What happens? They quit...never knowing how close they were to achievement. It's absolutely essential to train your mind to find the positive in every situation. It sounds fluffy and fun, but the reality is that we live in a harsh world with a lot of negativity. We have (as a collective society) become tainted, jaded, negative, too spoiled, and bombarded with the latest gossip. From Facebook to The National Enquirer, society tends to buy up / buy in to the latest gossip.

I have to recommend to stop this! The first time I realized how much I personally bought in to all the garbage was while reading Tyrese Gibson's book "How to Get Out of Your Own Way". His challenge was to forego willingly putting negativity into your mind. I highly suggest everyone does it to not only to gain awareness, but also because life is hard enough; we shouldn't contribute to filling our minds with garbage.

"I have failed over and over in my life, and that is why I succeed."  

Michael Jordan

Passion:

You have to whole-heartedly believe in and love what you are promoting. Your brand must represent who you are inside! A burning passion to share, educate and encourage those around you to believe in your message. We all know people who talk a good talk, but never truly walk the walk. Everything you say must match everything you do. Your passion will drive you to learn as much as you possibly can about your message. When you're exhausted (you will have many exhausting days), your passion will push you further then you thought possible.

"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."

Oprah Winfrey

Discipline:

Many great Personal Development Coaches call discipline "The Backbone" of progress / success. It is perhaps the most essential element of success.  How can you truly achieve and attain the things you wish to attain without it? This equates to NEEDS versus WANTS. WANTING versus WISHING. ENCOURAGEMENT versus DISCOURAGEMENT.

Discipline is what keeps you on track with achieving your goals because you have set intentions for how you`ll eat, workout, study, read, spend time with your family, and what you`ll do for your other hours in the day. It ensures that you stay consistent with doing the things you know it will take to get from point A to B to Z. Staying disciplined will help you stay consistent.

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." 

Jim Rohn

Relentless Commitment:

Going hand in hand with consistency, relentless commitment means just that - relentless! No matter how bad things may seem or how bad you feel, you keep going. There will be days where you feel like you cannot possibly do anymore, and days that you wake up exhausted after having only 10 hours of sleep for the entire week. You must keep going.

Relentless commitment means that you're all the way in everyday, hour and second. This is where you establish your confidence and sense of pride for never giving up. It is a lifestyle. Not for the faint of heart.

"Either you're IN or you're OUT!"

 Ava Cowan

Pursue Those More Successful Then You:

It is absolutely crucial to be surrounded by the people that you aspire to become like, and grow with. Every heard the saying "You're only worth as much as the 5 people you hang around the most"? It's very true. Unfortunately, success can be a lonely road, but it all pays off in the end. Don't count the cost, focus on the reward. Yes, this means you will have to give up everyone who does not mirror what/who you want to be. Don't let bad company be the factor that keeps you from living out your purpose.

"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing."

Socrates