Who is the REAL you?  Do you really know yourself or the people closest to you? In the book 'The Fifth Agreement', an imaginary story about a man in a movie theater who watches a movie about himself and all his family in which he plays the lead role. He then goes into another theater and finds his mother watching a movie with the same characters in which she plays the leading role. He finds that his mother appears to be different than the person in his movie and, although he recognizes his physical self in her movie, he does not recognize his character. The same happens when he enters a third, fourth, fifth, etc. theater and watches the movies of his siblings, friends, etc.   He learns that everyone has their own perception of themselves and of other people and everyone creates their own story about themselves and others.

• I am too fat
• I am unattractive
• I am not good enough
• No one likes me
• I am dumb
• I will never amount to anything

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.

The New Year signals the start of a three-month period that I like to refer to as the Window-of-Opportunity Sprint.

Research shows that the people who are the most successful in the FIRST 100-DAYS of the year tend to take very specific steps on a very clear path.

If you are SERIOUS about accomplishing great things in 2012, you would be wise to come out of the starting gate fast, focused and fired up.

And keep going at FULL SPEED through at least the end of March.

Why? Because, if you do not make major strides toward achieving your goals from January through the end of March, you are going to be playing catch-up the remainder of the year… which is one giant pain in the rump.

With that in mind, my friend Gary Ryan Blair, otherwise known as The GoalsGuy has put together what I believe to be a comprehensive approach to goal setting and performance enhancement.

It is called the 100 Day Challenge and it is all about getting things done, getting massive results quickly, and STARTING the year with a bang.

Among all of the programs and respected authors that I know, this particular program  is one of a few that will ensure that you begin 2012 in the best way possible!

If you have not already participated in this extraordinary program, I implore you to check it out. It is that good.

I promise you will be glad — make that ecstatic — that you did.





P.S. I almost forgot, the best part is that you can take it for a seven-day test-drive and prove to yourself how powerful it really is!

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.

Where will you be 10 years from now if you keep on going the way you are going?

Many people do not realize that big success is the result of little successes achieved, often over a very long period of time.

Most successful people are long-term thinkers. They know that they must build upon each achievement and constantly learn new and better ways of doing things.

A regular review of your progress is an essential part of goal-setting. Our goals are little more than a wish unless they have a timetable for completion. Make sure your plan for your life includes three types of goals:  short-term, medium-term, and long-term.

Revise your goals as circumstances dictate.  Check them off when they are completed and set new and bigger goals for yourself as you grow.  Be sure to take time to reflect often to make sure you are on the right course…for you.

All the best in 2012,

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.

Think of your limitations as a ceiling that hovers at a certain height over your head. The ceiling height is different for each of us, but all of our ceilings have one thing in common: they determine our potential.

If our ceiling is built up high, we have great potential and can achieve much in our lives. If our ceiling is built down close to our heads, we will only achieve the bare minimum for comfortable survival (or even less).

You create your own ceiling.  You set the height of your ceiling based upon the things others said to you, and the conclusions you drew about your capabilities.  Just like your other beliefs, the height of your ceiling is very flexible and is constantly on the move. When you first set a goal, you might be fired up and motivated to make it happen. At that point, your ceiling is soaring far above your head. As you begin to stumble on obstacles and lose your initial motivation, your ceiling begins to drop steadily. When you give up because it seems too hard, your ceiling practically rests against the top of your head.

Motivation is not the only way to raise your ceiling.   Another great technique involves honestly assessing your true capabilities, and beginning to work on expanding them. If you are good at something, work on becoming great at it. If you think you are terrible at something, keep doing it until you get better.

This is an ongoing process of honest assessment, small but consistent effort, and evaluation of progress. It is not rocket science, but it does require an attitude of determination and patience.   The good news is that this expansion process begins to take on a life of its own the longer you work at it. Before long, you will be scoffing at limiting thoughts and attempting things you never would have dared consider before.

Here are some additional ideas for raising your ceiling of potential:

1. Question your past “failures.” Did you REALLY fail, or did you just give up too soon? Explore the lessons you have received from each “failure” and see if you can use the insights to form a better plan.
2. Be willing to pick up an old dream or hobby and start working on it again. Did someone convince you that your dream was stupid and not worth the effort? Did you really agree with them, or did you simply choose to believe without question? Re-examine your dreams and aspirations. If any of them still stir your soul, follow where they might lead.
3. Set new goals and begin to expand your concept of what you are capable of. Consistently strive to raise your ceiling by thinking and dreaming BIGGER. When you reach the place where you think you need to stop, take one more step. Just one; and that one step will often change everything, either internally or externally.
4. Challenge the limitations that others have tried to place on you. Write out your reasons for knowing they were wrong and enter into a dialogue with them about it (even if the other person is not there, you can do this process on your own).  Try phrases such as:
   • “You have no idea what I’m capable of because <the reason>.”
   • “I know you are wrong about this because <the reason>”

You will not be convincing others of anything, only yourself, which is the only person who counts in this scenario.

Do not lose heart if you do not see much progress immediately. This is a process.  Continue to question your limiting beliefs and keep expanding your perception of your potential.   Every bit of effort you can put toward this activity will pay off handsomely later.

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses;

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.

While trying to attain your goals, there will be obstacles that will get in your way. On both the psychological as well as physiological level! It is  the psychological ones that need to be tended with utmost care, or it is very easy to falter.

It is easy to work out what sort of answers you can get. The subconscious does not understand a joke.  It tends to take things literally. If you keep telling yourself something, your subconscious mind takes that as the order and takes actions accordingly.

• What is good about this situation?
• How can I make the most of this situation?
• What can I learn from it?
• What are the facts about this problem?
• How can we make it a successful outcome?

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.

All of us are creatures of cosmic habit force.  Are you using yours in a positive or a negative manner?

Arising early morning to exercise is a positive action that can benefit every area of our lives.  Conversely,  getting out of bed and reaching for a cigarette and pouring yourself a glass full of booze first thing is an example of cosmic habit force taken to the negative extreme–addiction.

The key point is to remember that good and bad habits both begin with a single repetition.  In most cases, neither habit is initially enjoyed.

How to Use Cosmic Habitforce

• It takes a new habit to substitute for an old habit.
• All of your successes and failures are the results of the  habits that you have formed.
• The orderliness of the world of natural laws provides proof that they are under control of a universal plan.
• For every result there is a cause, and your results are produced through the use of cosmic habitforce.

First you get a habit and then that habit gets you.

©2012 Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. All Rights Reserved.