11.30.2010

When Procrastination is a Good Thing

I’ve realized something over the past few years that I’ve never put into words before. I don’t believe I’m unique in this area, I believe there are others who have the same habit. Perhaps reading about it from your side of the computer screen will cause you to have one of those “Ah-ha!” moments and could possibly save you thousands of dollars and much wasted time. For me, putting this into words will help me to cement in my mind something I already know to be true.

My brother once said to me, “I have saved thousands of dollars by procrastinating.” He then explained, “When I see something I want, I don’t buy it right away. I wait, put it off, sleep on it, think about it for a few days, and in most cases, I decide I don’t really want it after all.

At the time, I thought he was crazy. I was more of a “seize the moment” type of person. I would buy whatever I wanted, whenever I felt like it. I would buy all sorts of things because I believed that having them would make me happy. Maybe you do the same thing.

What I eventually learned was that in many cases (70% or more), once I bought something, I no longer wanted it. This isn’t a big deal with little things, but lately I’ve been thinking about getting a new vehicle. I made a list of the types of vehicles I thought would make me happy, then I started looking for those vehicles in the newspaper, on Craigslist, on EBay Motors, etc, etc.

Now here is the strange part--
Since I didn’t buy right away, I eventually got bored with the search and realized that I don’t really want a new car any more. Isn’t that interesting? I saved thousands of dollars and I learned that I’m already happy with what I already have.


Something to think about, isn’t it? Now go take on the day!

Peace, out.
 
Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel

11.21.2010

If you're going through hell, keep going!

“If you're going through hell, keep going!”
--Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of England during WWII

We all have good days and bad days, sometimes even good years and bad years. Here’s the thing--If today is not one of the good days, don’t give up, and don’t get stuck in the negative. Continue doing what you know is right and what is necessary to get you through today, because on the other side is a better day.

Years ago, I was reading men’s action novels. In one of them, the hero had been taken prisoner and was beaten very badly. After this, he was locked in a cell, to be interrogated later. There was a mirror in the cell. He was looking at his black and blue and bloody face in the mirror and he smiled. Why? Because he was still alive and that meant he still had a chance. Of course, he escaped and completed his mission, but what stuck with me was that he was able to smile because he could see past the hell that he was in, which drove him to keep going.

Now go take on the day!
Peace, out.

Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel

11.13.2010

Count Your Blessings

I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.

Think about that for awhile, and then count your blessings.

Peace, out.

Check out
Duane’s YouTube Channel

11.08.2010

Bigger Goals

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right!
--Henry Ford

What if we lived our lives this way? Well, most of us do!

Many people don’t set big goals because they think they can’t do it. It’s a fact that if you never reach for something beyond your grasp, you will never know what you are truly capable of achieving. If you think you can’t, you won’t. You won’t even try. But if you think you can, read on…

Setting small goals is a good way to build confidence. As you reach each goal, congratulate yourself, smile, cross it off your list, and say, “I did it! What’s next?” This sets us up to try bigger and better things. Wouldn’t it be exciting if we set some big goals and then we got them? And then we set bigger goals, and got them, too!

What if every time we set a goal, we got it? What if every time we went after a new job, we got it? What if every time we asked someone out on a date, they said yes? What if we lived our lives this way?

OMG, there would be no stopping us!

Think about that for a while… Then set some goals and see what happens!

Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel

11.04.2010

THE SECRET

I bought a new cell phone a couple days ago. It’s a “smart phone” with all sorts of cool features like Internet access and GPS mapping capabilities. That may not seem like a big deal to some of you. I know lots of people who have had the latest, greatest, state of the art phones for a very long time. Why was I holding on to my old, low tech, low budget cell phone and denying myself the pleasure of owning a new phone with all the fun features that everybody else already had? Follow along and find out. You just may learn something.

I’ve recently realized something about me that stems from my childhood. Something that has quite possibly been holding me back from reaching the level of wealth and happiness that I’ve dreamed about, but never honestly expected to achieve…

I have been living in a state of scarcity all my life. Money has always been hard to come by, until the last 5-6 years. In the past, I never would have described myself as rich, but now that is exactly how I describe myself. However, I still have that voice in the back of my head that reminds me that “money is scarce”. It’s not now, but it was for so long, I haven’t let go of that idea.

I didn’t realize this until my friend, Theresa recommended I watch a DVD called “The Secret”. One of the things I learned from watching The Secret, is that you get what you think about (even the negative stuff!). If you are thinking about how hard money is to come by and that you should hang onto it whenever you get some, then guess what? That’s what happens in your life!


Ahaa!! That reminded me of something I read a very long time ago. I would like to give the author credit, but I don’t remember who wrote it or where I read it. Anyways, it goes something like this: “You cannot receive anything with closed fists; you have to be open to receive.” Oh yeah, now that is deep! :)

So I have assigned myself the task of living in a general state of wealth and abundance and I will not allow my old beliefs to take over and deny me from enjoying something I really want. Hence, the new phone.

Believe it or not, this is a brand new way of looking at life for me. So new in fact, that I will consider it an experiment at this point. I will post updates to keep you informed of my progress. For now, feel free to join me in focusing on wealth and abundance, even if you don’t know where it’s coming from. Believe it, and it will come.

By the way, I highly recommend you get a copy of The Secret. You can find it at Amazon.com for about $10.

Now go take on the day!
Peace, out.

Check out Duane’s YouTube Channel