4 Things That Can Improve Your Day

Is everything in your life the way you want it to be?  Are you in a good place or stuck in a pit of stagnation?  Whether one or the other you probably have some things in your life that are working themselves out the way that you planned and others that are stuck in the ditch.  That is why I decided to write this short little blog post. 
       In everything we do or do not do a choice has to be made.  Do we watch another episode of our favorite show on Netflix (because it loads automatically and is easy to do) or do we shut the TV off and take a jog around the blog with the dog. It is only one decision during one day, yet it can be life changing.  All of our choices have the ability to compound and turn themselves into habits; good and bad.  It is in these decisions that our lives can be controlled; make calculated, conscious decisions and your life will be easier with your habits of taking care of responsibilities and such never being questioned.  Although making irrational, unconscious decisions could compound in a way that gets you stagnating in the dreams and goals you have laid out for yourself.  Then you get depressed and give up on those goals and dreams. 
       I found a few things that can help turn around our bad habits and maybe even reinforce the good:

1. A positive outlook - without this you are on a sinking ship, stop living with the dark side and look at the right things.  A positive mindset can right the course.

2. Desire to change - if everything in your life is exactly what you want then why change.  You must realize that you desire a change for the better.  Map out some goals and then....

3. Action - Superman, The Flash even Dr. Evil whether superhero or super villain these guys accomplished something because they acted.  Create a goal or plan then act on it.

4. You have to have faith- in a none George Michael kind of way,(for those of you who remember what I am talking about)  but faith in your plan.  You have to believe that with consistent effort and hard work you will accomplish your goals despite any setbacks.

Your life can change for the better whether you need a little tweak (not twerk) to get your goals back on track or you are depressed and anxious about waking up everyday and going to a job you hate.  Think about who you are, what makes you happy, and act on it. 

Post written by Tim Zugger author of Success through Failure which will be available Dec17 2013 on Paperback and Kindle.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

Today You are Alive

       Our lives are much shorter then we think they are.  When we are young we feel as if we could never die.  Most likely it is the furthest thing from our minds.  The reality is we all will be gone someday, it is unfortunate but no one lives forever.  Which is why I implore everyone whose eyes read these lines below to take a step back from their busy lives surrounded by work and obligations and focus on setting a goal to inspire others to lead great lives.  Think of that reality.  We may only be here for a unknown number of years.  So the best chance you have at achieving greatness is to implement it into your daily lives.  I want to challenge you to do this.

       As cliché as it may seem there is only one day that matters, that is today.  We have to unhinge our focus on the distractions of yesterday and the thoughts of tomorrow.  We will accomplish this by channeling our focus on today through the implementation of a working plan or a living outline guide.  I believe that as a society we are constantly urged and pushed to get out of balance, through subconscious things we pick up everywhere( TV, radio, advertising, etc.) if we do not have a map or guide it is easy to become bogged down and left feeling like we have no direction.  This is why I urge people to limit their down time activities to include the making of goal and dream outlines that help guide your focus during the day to day grind.  It is easy to get distracted. 

       Today is the only today you will ever live.  It is different than yesterday and tomorrow will not bring the same things as today.  Use your today to inspire, encourage, and motivate.  You do not know it but someone is watching you, admiring you from afar, and the next nice little thing you do could give them the courage or inspiration they need to make a great change in their life.  You may never even know it.  Think of other people today, instead of yourself, you will find that you feel more self-served when you tend to focus on the smallest needs of others first.  It is a wonderful thing. 

       Make a schedule that implements a plan to work toward accomplishment of your dreams and desires.  Don't just think that it will magically happen one day.  Be real and live in the reality that today is the only day you have to work towards your goals, you are not guaranteed another day.  So work towards those desires earnestly, show the world that you can make a positive difference.

       I do not mean to bring up the topic of death as a reminder to us that we face an inevitability but only to encourage and motivate you to use the time that you have been given to do wonderful things, not evil things. The reason I write about this topic today is that a friend of mine lost her brother recently and you never know when you're time is up and I wanted to inspire others to realize that when it's you're time it is better to have used it well in helping and encouraging others, such as my friends brother did, rather then be wishing you had done more when your journey is complete.

       So I ask you now to be like my friends brother, make others laugh, it may be just what they need for their day.  Say hello to someone new, show someone you care through a nice gesture or courtesy, make a new friend.  It is what he would have wanted and I am sure we can all find it within ourselves to be a little less selfish and go out of our way to show some generosity towards others.  Today is you're day, make sure you live it to the fullest, there will never be another day like today.

10 Ways to Make Friends

 

These 10 ways to make friends work even without making use of the Internet. It can be a daunting task to make friends when you are an adult out on your own; for a while it may feel like you are dating for friends or interviewing people for a position. It's okay to feel that way; it's good to be selective about who you decide will get to have that "friend" status in your life. Try the following tips and you'll find friends in no time.

1.Take a Class
Perhaps one of the easiest ways to find friends is to take a class where there will be plenty of interaction with other people, doing something that interests you. Check out your community newspaper or Web sites for classes on everything from how to build model airplanes to how to paint with acrylics. The other people taking the class are most likely also there to make friends, so you'll be in fertile friend-making ground.

2.Join a Team
Like the class environment, a sports team is another way to look for potential friends while taking care of your body. Sports teams of various levels are available for just about any sport you could possibly find interesting. After practice, suggest the group of you go out for a smoothie or a beer so you can get to know each other.

3.Volunteer
If you are passionate about a cause, you may want to make friends through volunteer venues. Consider the following volunteer opportunities: the local zoo or humane society, a food shelf, a homeless shelter, hospice or at your child's school. While volunteering, you'll meet other like-minded individuals with similar interests.

4.Attend a Religious Service
Churches and synagogues usually have social groups organized specifically to help their members develop friendships. Check out your local religious organization of your faith and ask what social activities are provided.

5.Meet Your Children's Parents
If you have children, you have an instant connection with other parents. Initiate conversation with other moms and dads, and invite them in for a cup of coffee during a play date for your child. You'll have lots to talk about since you both have children.

6.Be Friendly
This may sound obvious, but you'll be surprised how many people don't understand what it means to truly be friendly. You want to come across as warm, approachable and empathetic. This means you may need to smile more than you are comfortable doing, and will need to be affirming in your speech and body language. If people are not responding positively to you, check yourself out in a mirror to make sure you are coming across as warm and kind, not cool and aloof.

7.Take Care of Your Appearance
Your appearance is the first thing people notice about you, so make sure you are dressed appropriately, are clean and stand up straight. Wear your favorite outfit when you go out friend-hunting; it will boost your confidence.

8.Take the Initiative
It would be nice if being friendly were enough, but often it is not. You will need to initiate conversation or crack a joke, share openly about yourself, and offer to exchange contact information. While that may feel intimidating, it will get easier the more you practice.

9.Show Interest in People Around You
One of the biggest turn-offs is someone who talks only about him or herself. Ask questions about the other person, then relate things he or she shares with things in your own life. Make a connection between the two of you.

10.Put Aside Negativity
No one wants to be friends with a complainer or a back-stabber, so put aside any negative views and show your sunny side. You'll have time for therapeutic vents about bad drivers or politics once the two of you are truly friends. For now, focus on the positive and getting to know your new friend.

By: Rachel Mork

Check out some new motivational and rather silly T-Shirts at www.attitudedriveslife.com

10 Ways to Improve your life Now!

        We all have our reasons for denying change in our lives, yet every one of us wakes up everyday and wishes something would be different.  A lot of people say if you desire change then do something different, that seems pretty obvious although not many of us practice it.  Maybe for a day or two.  Below is an article I enjoyed so much I had to share it with everyone.  I hope you find it as useful as I have, because if you cannot improve your own life at least try to improve someone else's.

1. Get rid of anything you haven’t worn in the past 2 months.
We both know that you should really donate everything you haven’t worn in the past two weeks, but I’ll cut you some slack. This isn’t about throwing away clothes you hate – it’s about getting rid of things that you don’t love. Having excess clothes that you’re never going to wear clogs up your closet, makes decision making more difficult, and serves as a constant reminder of unfinished business. Take two hours out of your weekend, tear everything out of your closet, put it in a big pile and start sorting. I’ll give you an allowance for three nostalgic t-shirts that you’ll never wear again (fraternity Beer Pong Championship shirt, etc).
When you’re done with that, think about the deep metaphor that you’ve just learned and apply it to other parts of your life. Shed yourself of activities, TV shows, people, work, and other obligations that you don’t love. You’ll feel lighter without a life that’s cluttered with fluff, and you’ll quickly fill those voids with meaningful things (you can think of me as a modern-day Mr. Miyagi, Daniel-san).

2. If something takes less than 2 minutes to do, do it immediately.
This is my favorite way to improve personal productivity. Whenever you encounter a task/obligation that requires less than 2 minutes of your time, like sharing this post on Facebook (hint, hint), just do it now. You’ll be amazed as how much this will reduce stress – both because you have less to remember and because you have a higher personal output.

3. Schedule a dinner with a group of 5 or more friends.
It’s actually scientifically proven that people who have dinner in groups of 5 or more at least once per week are happier than people who don’t. Planning an event yields more return than just the event itself – the anticipation of the event gives you something to look forward to. It takes less than 2 minutes to send an email, so you have to do this one right away.

4. Make a donation.
$5, $10, $50, $100. Whatever you can afford. If you don’t do this often, you’ll be surprised at how great it feels. I recommend checking out the charity first to see what percentage of your donation actually makes it to the end of the line – vs. being eaten up by big salaries, expensive fundraisers, and general wastefulness.
If you want some instant impact, give $20 to the next homeless person you see.

5. Practice saying “no.”
I had a friend in high school, Taylor, who had perfected the art of the “no.” When he didn’t want to do something, he’d look you in the face and respond, “I’d ’bout rather shoot myself in the face than do that.” I don’t recommend trying approach without a thick Southern accent, which has the magical power of making rude comments sound hilarious and acceptable.
Most people I know – myself included – get roped into doing things that they really don’t want to do. Saying “no” is liberating – stop giving automatic “yes” responses or, even worse, delaying the inevitable “no” by telling someone you’ll get back to them. If you aren’t instantly drawn to something, try a response like this: “I have plans that day, so I won’t be able to make it. If something changes, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

6. Stop sending open ended emails.
I used to send emails that said things like ”is that shirt available in black, red, or blue?” The other person responds with the answer and thus starts the email chain. Eliminate all this superfluous nonsense with a more comprehensive email that gives instructions for the reasonable contingencies: “I’m looking for a shirt in size medium. My favorite colors are black, red, and blue – in that order. If one of those is in-stock, please create an order, respond with the order number and your phone extension, and I will call you this evening with my credit card number and shipping information. If none are available, please let me know the estimated lead time and email me when it becomes available.” BAM. One and done.
Methods like this allow me to run two automated companies and only work a few hours per week.

7. Use self-scheduling software.
Most people waste an inordinate amount of time scheduling meetings, dinners, family get-togethers, dates, conference calls, and other events. Self-scheduling software, like TimeTrade, is all web-based and most offer free 30-day trials – they allow you to block off parts of your schedule for personal time, work, etc., and your friends/family/blind dates can choose available time slots. This eliminates all the back-and-forth of trying to find a time that works for both of you, and has the added bonus of making you look really important (you may want to consider exaggerating other exciting aspects of your life if a self-scheduling calendar is completely incongruent with your general image). In case you lead an underwhelming social life, be sure to block off a bunch of nights before sending a completely empty calendar to a potential date.
When you’re trying to get a group together, like for Tip #3, try a poll-based scheduling software like Doodle. This allows you to pick a few dates and ask a group of people which date works best.

8. Start one day per week off right.
Remember how much energy you had in high school? Yeah, well that’s because your parents cooked you decent food, you slept normal hours, and you didn’t drink your face off during the week (well, not as often as you do now, at least). Food and sleep are fuel for your body – put crude oil in your car and see how it runs.
Try doing this one day per week and you’ll be blown away at how great you feel – you’ll get more done on that day than the other days combined:
Get in bed at 9:30 and set your alarm for 6:30 – then leave your alarm clock or phone across the room so you actually wake up. In the morning, throw on some sweats and take a brisk 15 minute walk (if it’s cold out, watch Rocky IV the night before to prevent whining). Eat three eggs and have coffee or tea as normal – but leave out the toast, cereal, sugar, juice, and other garbage you usually consume in the morning. Have trouble sleeping? Try 3mg of melatonin an hour before bed. If you drink coffee out of a fire hose like I do, PharmaGABA can help you from grinding your teeth out of your skull.
For extra credit, add some sort of weightlifting routine – I’m partial to kettlebells, but then again, I own a kettlebell company.

9. Know your instrument.
A mentor said this to me and it stuck. The most incredible tool you’ll ever own is your body and, if you want to maximize your effectiveness, you should get to know it well. Most people have a “productivity zone” – a period of a few hours each day when your energy level is at its peak (mine is from 8:30-noon, give or take). I forget the exact statistics, so I’ll make something up: 9 of out 10 people in a Danish study showed a 200% increase in productivity when they worked on their most difficult tasks during their peak-energy hours.
But seriously, give it a try. It works. Spend your low-energy zones doing things you enjoy doing, like watching cat videos on YouTube or thinking about ways to kill your boss.

10. Do your work in order of descending difficulty.
If you start your day off with harvesting FarmVille crops or cruising Facebook to compare your social life to people you barely know, this one goes out to you. Start off with the most difficult task first. Most people start off by opening their email and responding to new messages. Responding to emails is easy, and it’s something that you have to do, so it should be left for low/no-energy periods. Tackle your most difficult item first and you’ll always be rewarded with an easier task to do next.
There’s an added bonus – if you only get one thing done per day, like I usually do, you actually have something to show for it.
—

Top ten list written by Zack Kantor and his blog can be reached here: www.zackkantor.com

Thanks for taking the time to read I hope this has made you a better person.

Top Ten Ways To a Postive Attitude

The following 10 tips suggest ways to facilitate a more positive attitude.

1. Work first on your relationships.
Relationships are both our best sources of happiness and our biggest sources of problems and frustrations. Developing good relationships and improving or ending the poor relationships in your life will increase your personal energy. An effective tactic to start improving your relationships is to develop better personal boundaries and standards and work on reducing toleration.

2. Develop a routine to start every day in a positive mental state.
It is very helpful to start the day with a routine that creates positive energy. Many people find activities like an early morning walk, exercise, meditation, quiet time, etc., effective in getting their day off to a positive start. It is easier to stay positive, if you can start with a positive attitude.

3. Learn how to monitor your current mental state and changes to it.
This is a complex area, but if you can link negative mood changes to a source or cause, then you are frequently in a position to quickly change back. The important point here is once you are in a negative state, get the message or value from the situation, then take some action to return to a positive state. This is discussed more in #6 below.

4. Create an energizing physical environment.
Invest some time and money to make your personal surroundings pleasing and energizing to you.
Some small items may make a big difference to how your personal space affects your moods. Poor lighting can lower your mental state, especially in the winter. I put 800 watts of halogen lighting in my workspace and noticed a big mood improvement. Some people report a big improvement in their mood just by cleaning up their bedroom and making the bed before leaving for work. Clutter is de-energizing to many people. A sink full of dirty dishes is de-energizing to some. A small water fountain can create a feeling of energy. Music can offset feelings of isolation. Feng Shui is an entire discipline that addresses the harmony of physical surroundings. Further reading in this topic may give you some good ideas.

5. Carefully monitor your self-talk.
Negative self talk is a common source of low moods. When you are hearing negative self talk, be alert to the unrealistic, overly negative messages. Focus on getting any truthful message, then shifting out of overly self-defeating criticism. It is true that we are usually our own worst critic.

6. Develop methods of shifting yourself to a more positive state.
Once you are aware of your negative moods, and have developed your own method of getting the value out of the bad mood, then craft methods of moving back to a positive mood. These methods can include positive self talk, taking action towards a desirable goal, interacting with another person. One creative method is to maintain a Truth Journal in which you write down your personal Truth about various topics. This Truth can include past successes, what you are really good at, things you enjoy, compliments you have received, progress towards goals, etc. Then, when you are feeling negative about a topic, read the Truth Journal.

7. Deal with problems effectively.
Problems are a part of life. Few people enjoy problems. But, in many cases we can learn from problems. It may help to ask yourself several questions, such as:
* What am I contributing to this problem?
* What Life Lesson have I been missing here?
* What is the worst that can happen and how can I improve on that?
* What am I doing right?
* What am I going to do differently?
Getting into a habit of using problems as learning experiences can help us avoid becoming de-energized when they occur.

8. Focus your energy on attracting more of what you want.
Time and energy spent dwelling on problems is frequently better spent pursuing desirable goals. It helps to examine your own contribution to any difficulties and understand how you may need to change. Then be sure to ask others directly for what you want from them; don’t fall into the trap of under communicating. In this way, you are always making course corrections and moving forward. I have found it helpful to print out a list of goals, and my theme for the week first thing Monday morning. This seems to help me get started on a positive note.

9. Be a positive energy source with others.
Negative energy seems to attract negative results. Keeping your own mood positive can encourage positive moods and suppress negative behavior in others.

10. Avoid using negative energy as an energy source.
Many people have a shortage of positive energy in their lives and use negative energy as their energy source. They create busyness, use deadlines, crises, and problems to keep them going. In many cases, their motivation patterns shift entirely from seeking pleasure to avoiding pain. In most cases, serious burnout is the eventual result of becoming dependent on negative energy sources.
About the Author:
This piece was originally submitted by Bruce St.John, Leadership Coach, who can be reached at bstjohn@aol.com, or visited on the web. Bruce St.John wants you to know: I help business leaders become the person their dog thinks they are!

As always check out www.attitudedriveslife.com for t shirts, audio and our books!

Unrealistic Goals

"Here's To The Crazy Ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round pegs in the
square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have
no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them.
About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the
human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world - are the ones who Do!"

 For those of you who remember, this was said by Steve Jobs when he was working to unveil a new ad campaign as new 'interim' CEO of Apple Computers in 1997; the beginning of the 'Think Different' campaign.  It was inspired by the original Macintosh group from the eighties and how 'crazy' they all were.  This quote perfectly illustrates the truth I wish to share with you today.  That truth is: The more unrealistic the goal the easier it is to achieve. 

Steve Jobs epitomized this truth, he was a rebel, a purist, and a control freak but the greatest attribute about him was most definitely his passion.  A passion for products, he would dream up these products and desire to make them aesthetically pleasing and tell the engineers to put in the components after wards, instead of letting the engineers create their boards and circuits then building the computer around them.  He changed the world because he never excepted 'good enough' or 'ok' .  He strived for perfection and didn't care about hurting feelings along the way.  With that we have ipods, ipads, iphones, technology that has changed the world and the way we communicate.

Another example of someone who strives for perfection and set lofty goals even though they were completely unrealistic was a man by the name of Henry Ford.  When he met with his engineers to discuss a new design for an engine they were astounded by what he had suggested, with them replying it was impossible. 

This was the incredible V8 that Ford was dreaming about, he demanded that his engineers find a way to develop an engine with 8 cylinders cast in a solid block.  Like I said they all said it was impossible, he just said to them, I don't care how long it takes I just want the plans for it so we can put it into production.  You will find a way.  For a whole year he continued to apply pressure on his engineers while they worked away and kept being met with failure he kept pushing them to continue to try no matter how much time they needed.  You will find a way.

After that year he met with his engineers and they miraculously found a way to make the V8 cast in a single block.  Amazing, determination and motivation led to; Success.  Funny how that happens, something that was impossible wasn't. 

These stories should help us realize the fact that just because it isn't accepted as possible doesn't mean it isn't.  It only means that no one has tried hard enough to complete the task to find the right applications necessary to bring the impossible into the possible.  Think about 30 years ago when no one had a cell phone, now you can buy things from your phone.

So be crazy and determined, you will change the world if your intentions are true enough.

Breaking into the Motivational Market

        

          
        

Those of you who know me personally know that I have always been different than other people.  I have always followed the trail less trod, marched to the beat of a different drummer.  I am very grateful for that. I believe my purpose is to use my expertise in the field of motivation through the different ways that I analyze things to reach out to those who never can accomplish anything of true value; to help inspire those who have negative attitudes.  This is the reason why I am writing my book; 'Success Through Failure' and the other books I am currently working on. 

          This blog post is sort of an explanation of the blog itself and my website.  It's an answer to the question; what is this guy trying to do? or who is this guy trying to help?  It is my ambition to better organize the site and the blog in the coming weeks to make it easier to identify with but in the mean time I figure I would just write a post about it. 

          My products are going to include books, workbooks, audio cds, video, and e-book downloads.  I want to help everyone I can, from the struggling business owner to the high school kid with a negative attitude.  I want to cater to the needs of them and everyone in between.  That is why I am putting an excerpt of my book on the post.  I am looking for a little feedback, the book is almost through the editing process; and I wanted to give anyone out there who is intrigued about my book a little glimpse of what they will be getting if they do decide to purchase.  Here is a little bit of chapter two from my book; ' Success through Failure' :

                      We become the decisions that we make, the paths that we choose.  We become the experiences that we encounter with those decisions that we make.  My experiences differ from yours because we are all different and have made different choices in our lives.  What we do share in our commonalities is how we learn from our different experiences; we may choose to foolishly disregard learning from a certain experience or we may take the lesson and apply it to our lives for the betterment of ourselves and those around us.

 

            For example, I have an interesting story involving my kayak and a waterfall.   About five miles from my house is a state forest with a large creek running through it.  The state land is about 2,400 acres and consists of a gorge ranging from 350 to 480 feet deep, to where the creek is at the bottom.  It is made up of some of the oldest forests in New York, multiple ponds and over a dozen waterfalls.  The story starts about fourteen miles upstream from the state land, where I had decided to enjoy a beautiful summers day by kayaking the creek.  I launched my boat and set off by myself, not letting the fact that no one could join me deter me from the fun I was going to have.  Considering that there are a lot of class two rapids and even a couple class threes, I left my phone and wallet in the car so they wouldn’t get destroyed.  I jumped in my boat and paddled through the rocks.  As I rounded the gentle flowing bends in the creek, taking in the scenery and a bald eagle perched on top of a giant pine tree, I noticed a patch of rapids followed by a drop of about 500 yards ahead of me in the creek.  So after I traversed the minor rapids I paddled over to the shore to scope out the drop.  I beached my boat to view a small waterfall of about ten feet.  At the base of the waterfall was a tangled mess of massive trees broken, and twisted together from the last flood.  I wouldn’t be able to go over the falls so I put my paddle in my boat and climbed down the rocks to launch at a safer point about 50 yards upstream.  I climbed over the rocks and dragged my kayak back to the creek, went to grab my paddle and realized it was gone.

 

            I am sure you could imagine the panic that came over me at that moment.  I paced up and down the beach where I had carried my boat all the while hoping that it had just fallen out and was lying there somewhere.  For about a half an hour I searched and concluded that it must have went over the falls and gotten stuck under the trees, a place I couldn’t safely go, especially by myself.  So there I was: no phone, all alone and way too far to walk with the kayak, with no roads in sight.  I was literally up the creek without a paddle.  Instead of letting my situation get the best of me, I immediately started to form a strategy.  I found an L shaped branch about four feet long that was about three inches in diameter on the one end to about a four inch diameter on the shorter end.  That was my new paddle.  I used it to navigate the remainder of the five miles downstream to where I was going to be picked up; needless to say it was not easy or safe.  Looking back on the situation, I am glad I made the right choice not to get discouraged and let that situation ruin an otherwise beautiful trip.  I was actually laughing about losing my paddle and being able to say that I have been ‘up the creek without a paddle’ and actually mean it literally.  I will always remember the wonderful time I had that day.  Also, I now have a hilarious story to share with other about my experiences.

 

Any feedback would be appreciated and if you would like a copy of it please go to www.attitudedriveslife.com and pre order yours today.  Thank you for taking the time to read it and comment. 

15 Inspirational Quotes You Must Read

           It is in our ability to change whatever we want. Too many people do not care about changing the things in their lives; they do not care about the consequences until they must face them, then they complain about fairness and get angry about their circumstances.  Why do we constantly do this and never truly try to change?  I will give you one powerful reason. 

Too many people care too much about what other people think about them, so much that it keeps them from reaching their potential.

      Here are 15 inspirational quotes from people who did not care what others thought.  I promise it will help your life.



 

 

“I don’t regret the things I’ve done, I regret the things I didn’t do when I had the chance.” – Unknown

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” - Joshua J. Marine

“Its hard to wait around for something you know might never happen; but its harder to give up when you know its everything you want.” – Unknown

“One of the most important keys to Success is having the discipline to do what you know you should do, even when you don't feel like doing it.” - Unknown

“Good things come to those who wait… greater things come to those who get off their ass and do anything to make it happen.” - Unknown

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace & gratitude.” - Denis Waitley

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” – Bill Cosby

“Go where you are celebrated – not tolerated. If they can’t see the real value of you, it’s time for a new start.” – Unknown

Don't be afraid to stand for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone.. - Unknown

“The best revenge is massive success.” – Frank Sinatra

“Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.” - Unknown

“I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. Its because of them I’m doing it myself.” – Albert Einstein

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs


As always thanks for reading and don't forget to support me and my new book coming out this week.  Pre-Order now at www.attitudedriveslife.com ... Thank you in advance for your support.

3 Things Necessary to Positively Change Your Life

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Aristotle

So then if we heed Aristotle's advice if we desire any kind of change in our life it must be altered in our habits and development of habits.  This is how we live anyway, think of yourself now. Your life is made up of a complete set of routines and acquired habits.  I believe these five things are the most important when it comes to changing things in your life.

1. Positivity

In other words the way we think, our mindset or our attitude.  These things will determine what you become in life.  There are people who amount to nothing in their lives and it has everything to do with the way they think about themselves.  Those in this world who we would consider successful think the polar opposite way then the latter do.  They use their unwavering positive thoughts to drive the completion of anything they accomplish.  They set a high standard for themselves and stick to it.  All things begin and end as an idea in your head, so don't take positive thinking lightly.

2. Health and Exercise

Obviously we get the connection, people who have a positive self image of themselves tend to be in better physical shape then those who are not.  I believe it is almost as important as your thought process, but if your mind isn't in it then you'll never make it to eating and living healthy.  Diet really does control your life alot more than most would think.  Eating the wrong kinds of foods or too much food and drink will effect your sleep pattern, which effects every thing.  Then your energy, motivation, and productivity go right out the door.  Exercise helps keep your energy up, which will keep you motivated.   It will also help you sleep better at night.  If you are struggling with keeping a workout schedule try to look at it as a lifestyle change rather than a diet.  Say to yourself, " That was who I used to be, this is who I am going to be."

3. Daily Habits

As I mentioned before, habits are everything in our lives.  The way we eat, talk, sleep, our activities, everything.  It is paramount that if you desire to change things for the better that you grab hold of this principle. 

"To change your life, you must change something you do daily."

 

 

Small steps are needed to change a habit or else it will probably not work.  Take little steps at a time, but consistently apply them everyday with persistence and attention to detail.  There will be times you fail, but you must not let those few instances alter your new way of living.  Just pick up where you left off and keep on track to your inevitable goal you are trying to achieve.  Experts say it takes about 21 days to develop a new habit, and about 3 months to see its affects on your life.  So you need to be persistent in your application and consistent in the amount of effort you put forth. 

 

If you truly want to change, then nothing can stop you.

 

 

      This article was written by T.W. Zugger.  IF you would like to read more check out his site at:

      WWW.ATTITUDEDRIVESLIFE.COM  where you can Pre-Order his new book which will be

      available everywhere on Tuesday, April 23 2013.

 

 



30 Motivational Quotes

Quotes that can alter your attitude can help  make a difference for the whole day.  Whatever attitude you choose to get out of bed with this morning will be reinforced as your day moves on.  Here are some quotes that should motivate, inspire, recharge and might make you laugh.  Don't worry you'll catch those droids some day.

 

1. “If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs.”

Dhirubhai Ambani

2. “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”
Mark Caine

3. “People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. Similarly, when someone is failing, the tendency is to get on a downward spiral that can even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
Tony Robbins

4. “When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
Audre Lorde

5. “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.”
Mark Twain

6. “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

7. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Thomas A. Edison

8. “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents. Value what you know & start charging for it.”
Kim Garst

9. ”A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
David Brinkley

10. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
Steve Jobs

11. “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

12. “Let him who would enjoy a good future waste none of his present.”
Roger Babson

13. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Mahatma Gandhi

14. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
H Jackson Brown Jr.

15. “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
Vince Lombardi

16. “Success is about creating benefit for all and enjoying the process. If you focus on this & adopt this definition, success is yours.”
Kelly Kim

17. “I used to want the words ‘She tried’ on my tombstone. Now I want ‘She did it.’”
Katherine Dunham

18. “Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?”
Jimmy J

19. “It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
J. K Rowling

20. “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
Albert Einstein

21. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
Harriet Tubman

22. “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”
Bruce Lee

23. “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”
Swami Vivekananda

24. “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”
Dale Carnegie

25. “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”
Jim Rohn

26. “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
Ayn Rand

27. “If you genuinely want something, don’t wait for it – teach yourself to be impatient.”
Gurbaksh Chahal

28. “Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.”
Robert Kiyosaki

29. “If you want to make a permanent change, stop focusing on the size of your problems and start focusing on the size of you!”
T. Harv Eker

30. “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
Steve Jobs

The quotes in this blog were provided by www.addicted2success.com and we thank you for the share.

Find more at our webpage: WWW.ATTITUDEDRIVESLIFE.COM

What Kind Of Person Are You?

      As I have been working on my book over the past year I come across wonderful information that I need to share with others.  My studying of attitude and its applications toward success has always been a passion of mine.  This time I feel though as if I am learning more than I am teaching.  I am more than excited to see a work that I have labored so diligently on almost be finished.  It will be exciting to finally hold the completed product in my hands.  With that being said I challenge you to look inside yourselves and determine what type of person you are.  There is a poem I came across by a woman named Ella Wheeler Wilcox.  It is titled, "Which are you?" :

      There are just two kinds of people on earth today,
      Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.

      Not the sinner and saint, for it's well understood,
      That the good are half-bad and the bad half-good.

      Not the rich and the poor, for to rate a man's wealth,
      You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

      Not the humble and proud, for in life's little span,
      Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.

      Not the happy and sad, for the swift flying years
      Bring each man his laughter and each man his tears.

      No; the two kinds of people on earth I mean,
      Are the people who lift, and the people who lean.
      Where ever you go, you will find the earth's masses,
      Are always divided in just these two classes.

      And oddly enough, you find find too, I ween,
      There's only one lifter for every twenty who lean.

      In which class are you? Are you easing the load,
      Of overtaxed lifters, who toil down the road?
      Or are you a leaner, who lets others share
      Your portion of labor, and worry and care?

This wonderful work was written in 1896.  It is heartfelt and you can tell the emotion in which the author felt towards the subject of which she was writing.  So with my hand I too create a work.  I am excited to say that my book will be finished very soon for the public to enjoy.  I only hope that it inspires as many people as I wish it would.  Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog today.  It is my hope that you enjoy it and use today wisely, you will never have today back again.

Two People

What I have been contemplating over the past week or so is just how depressed some  people actually get.  IT bothers me so much that I wanted to tell a story about two very different kind of people.

      When we first encounter Steve we see that nothing is special.  Everything about Steve is average.  He lives in a nice house in a nice neighborhood with a decent car, an average job and a nice girlfriend.    To some people they would consider Steve a success, he has nice things, has worked hard for them, but never gotten anything he has really inspired to have.  He lives to be comfortable.  He lives to be average, it is what he has always done.  His dreams of owning his own construction company have long been forgotten thanks to his seemingly secure job.

      Next we stumble upon the life of Stacey.  She seems to be either out of her mind or unstable.  She lives in a small apartment with her cat and never seems to have a good job or a prospect of a good job.  Yet she is not like Steve, she is always trying something new, always desiring to learn more and above all, she takes risks every week to try to improve her situation.  Her dream is to build a house in the mountains and have a horse farm.  In many peoples eyes she is a failure.  She has no real income, a small place, and not too many nice things.  The genius of Stacey's plan is the potential she carries with her on a daily basis.  It is easy for her to look at someone like Steve and feel like she will never amount to anything but instead she continues working on her ideas and her projects which she plans to one day be able to sell and start saving for her horse farm. 

      If you ask someone who they would rather be like if they had a choice, they would probably choose Steve.  He has nice things, nice house, a nice car. In most peoples eyes the stability that Steve has outweighs the potential that Stacey's life has.  In other words people stick with the 'sure thing' even if it may not necessarily be just that, a sure thing. 

      Lets flash 5 years into the future.  Stacey has become a virtual success by selling a book she wrote and has made enough money to leave her little apartment and start her horse farm in the mountains.  All her hard work and pursuit of her dream has finally paid off, she is now living proof.  Many people call her lucky when she actually just never gave up.  But check out Steve over there, he is no closer to achieving his dream of owning his own construction company because he still does the same average job he was in 5 years ago only now he makes 1.75 more an hour.  He tends to despise people like Stacey because he feels he has done everything 'right' and gone out and gotten a good job and stayed at that job even though it meant giving up on that dream. 

      So I suppose the moral of the story is that your dreams are more powerful than you think they are.  Alot of people may think you're crazy but that just means you're on the right track.  So stay motivated and work even harder.

One more thing:  Never let an unsuccessful person tell you that you won't be successful.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

A Daily Change

      Everyday we wake up with the opportunity to inspire others or ignore them.  In today's society it is easy to stare at your smart phone and ignore a person in need.  It could be anythin,g, you don't know what people are going through, a smile could help someone more than you know.  That is what I am all about, my purpose in this life is to help others succeed at their life. 

      If you are just starting out on this journey of encouragement and inspiration, then you need to learn this one phrase that I learned when I first started, it was written by one of my favorite authors, John Maxwell.  The insight that this quote gave me was that I controlled my entire destiny, a truth that I knew but never applied until I heard this quote.

 

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily."

 

      Think about that for a minute.  The key to the quote is the principle of discipline and consistency. You cannot change something in your life unless you master the discipline to develop the change you desire.  At the same time you cannot master the discipline until you learn to be consistent in the application of the discipline you are desiring to achieve.  I know it's a mouthful but read it over again, it makes sense, kind of a catch 22. 

 

      If you are stuck in the rut of life, miserable with a situation or circumstance, today is the day to change it, start doing something different to alter your existence for the better.  At our website we pride ourselves on the power of the right attitude, today is the first day of a new life you can begin to mold. With small incremental steps you can achieve great things with consistency and discipline over time.  It isn't easy to do and you will fail sometimes but the biggest thing to remember is that if you truly desire the change you have to develop a winner take all kind of attitude.  It doesn't matter if you fall but how long it takes you to get back up and keep going, the shorter the time frame the quicker you will reach the outcome you so desire. 

 

      I hope this has helped.  Just so you know I am  currently working on a MP3 download audio for daily developing daily discipline and consistency.  It will be perfect for listening to daily in the car on the way to work.  I should have it finished by Wednesday March 13.   I will also have a CD available for purchase if you would rather have that. 

 

     Looking forward to helping you achieve your dreams.   www.attitudedriveslife.com

 

     

The Road Less Traveled....

                                                                                             



"If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success."

-John D. Rockefeller

     To those of you who know me, you could say that my entire life I have always been a little different.  What kind of person finds money in a store and gives it to the cashier in case the person who lost it came back looking for it, crazy right.  Well, I did that before.  How about someone who walks out of Walmart with something that the clerk didn't scan only to take it back in and pay for it, when I realized she never charged me for it, I did that 3 days ago.  So you can call me stupid for not taking advantage of the situation or you can call me a hero for actually doing to right thing.  One thing is for sure,  I am a bushwacker,  I don't follow the paths of those who have gone before me.  I make my own path.

 

 

       In my family we have a saying,  " Dare To Do Right".  It sounds simple but it is a lot harder to accomplish than presumed.  Don't get me wrong I am not perfect, just every once in a while  I actually do something that makes me proud, I screw up a lot too.  I am a human being.  I fail a lot but I fail forward.  It is easy to get stuck in the ruts of life, and want to follow the mundane paths of millions of other people, but that's when I find myself the most miserable, the most depressed and agitated.  I know that I am the happiest and most amiable when I am striking out on my own.  Doing my thing.

 

 

      So I guess this post is to the dreamers out there,  don't fall into the routines that are causing you to be unhappy, just because you think that it's the right thing to do.  It isn't you were made to make your own path,  so strike out and do something that is going to fulfill your deepest desires.  Don't let others dictate what you can or cannot accomplish.  I will leave you with this last bit of advice.

 

 

What are you doing today to make your tomorrow better?


For more Go to      www.attitudedriveslife.com



Your Destiny

          

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."
                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                  - Wayne Dyer


Write your own life, stop wasting your time on useless gimmicks that are slowly taking over.  I am not saying don't have some fun but we need to guard our time the way most people guard their money.  If someone was burning their money because they were bored we would think they were crazy.  Everyday I would bet almost everyone wastes some of their precious time.  As people we believe we have plenty, but we do not.  No one knows how much time we have left.

We our the masters of our own fate, but the last thing I want to do is look back on my life and wish I would have done it differently.  At that point it 's too late.  I want to control my life now, make the decisions that will bring lasting change into my life.  I believe there are 3 things we must do to take control of our destiny. 

      1.  Wake Up!
We obviously need to realize that a change must be made, things will not change themselves.  It is proven in a law of physics, an object at rest will remain at rest.  We must realize that we want to change things in our lives.  Otherwise we will be in the same place as last year.

      2. Take Action. 
After you realize that you hate your life (just kidding), you will want to change certain things in it to alter the outcomes that you have been receiving.  So you realized that you want something different, you must now be that difference. Don't want to be poor, study on how you can make money a different way then you did before.  Don't want to be fat, get up an extra 20 minutes early and jump rope before you take a shower, and do it everyday( don't eat so bad either). The choices are yours to make.  There is just one multiplier in the formula.

      3. Consistency
We can make decisions and never act on them but that usually just depresses us more.  When you truly want to make a change you will actually get angry at yourself for not acting on your new direction in life, you will force yourself to alter your direction everyday, or live in disgust that you didn't.  This I have learned first hand, I hate the fact that I didn't stay consistent, in turn I would get even more depressed.  We have to remain consistent over time to let momentum kick in, once momentum starts it is super easy to continue to improve ourselves.  The key is to think long term and not to be discouraged when we don't see immediate results, results compound over time.

So stick with it, follow the blog and lets make this year the best ever, at least until next year.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

Is today the day you start, or is it tomorrow?

    

You say you want something different in your life, yet everything you do is the same.  You say you want a better job, but you never strive to achieve it.  You say you want to have a more enjoyable life, yet you listen to those around you who are miserable.

      Don't get me wrong we all are on that roller coaster called life.  One day your on top of the world the next you feel like you don't deserve anything.  Deep inside everyone of us is a desire to achieve more, whether that be more respect, more knowledge, more wisdom, more wealth, more happiness, the list is pretty much endless.  Sure, you don't hear many people talking about how they want 'more' in their lives, probably because people just don't want to come off as greedy or selfish.  But the truth is  people just want their needs met, that is what mostof the people want, including me, probably you.

     You can go through this life reacting to the situations you find yourself in or you can make decisions and take actions that control most of the situations that you face. Instead of looking to government or corporate leaders for direction, take your own stance and start your own beginning.

     Here is a little secret.  Do it today.  If you want next week, next month and next year to be drastically different you have to start changing your course today, even if it is a small thing, do it.  You stay with it, adding other things you want to positively change in your life to the list of the things you have already done and you will find yourself transforming over time.

     One of the most helpful hints I can give is to read 15 - 20 minutes of a self improvement blog or book everyday, also listen to 20 -30 minutes of audio from a motivational speaker or business leader instead of listening to music.  It will alter the way you think.  They are simple incremental changes that snowball into a tidal wave of positive alteration of your life. Trust me. I am proof.

      You life can be drastically transformed but only if you want it to be, then, with the right tools, it will be.  Then you can help others do the same.


www.attitudedriveslife.com

Is your life determined by luck?

      Do you think that you are unlucky? Ever wonder why certain things happen to you or your family?   I always thought luck was something that you could will on yourself.  That you are one hundred percent responsible for your destiny.  I never believed in the notion that bad luck just happens to people or things go wrong on purpose.  I do think that bad luck comes to those who don't do three basic things.
       One, the unlucky seem to never be prepared.  Those people who are always ten minutes late for work and always blame it on some situation rather than taking the personal responsibility.  There seems to always be an excuse for every time they are unprepared and forget something.  Have you ever heard someone like this say, " It's not my fault, my ....."   You can pretty much finish the sentence anyway you want.  If you want to over come this in your life, or help someone you know break this brutal habit, offer this advice.
                         1.  Take personal responsibility, and act on it.  Instead of an excuse say, " I am truly sorry for being unprepared, making myself late, and I take full responsibility for my actions.  I have no excuse, please forgive me for being late". - or whatever the thing was that was forgotten.  This almost forces you to be genuine and it plays on your conscience to actually act on it.  Then you must take steps to alter the behavior into more profitable outcomes.  If you can do this first step then you are on your way to making luck work for you.
      Second,  which kind of feeds off of the first one. When did your life's course become determined by your surroundings and not your actions.  This is my absolute largest pet peeve.  When I over hear someone blaming anything but themselves for there situation, I cringe.  I hear others say," it's the governments fault for the way I live", or "my college promised me a job when I got out of school", or "it's my bosses fault as to why I don't make enough" .  Crazy right, I have actually heard these things when I used to work collections.  There is no personal responsibility, but even worse there is no drive to alter the course.
                        2.  Alter your situation. This is the 'act on it' part of the first point.  If you realize you are pointing fingers at everyone but yourself and you do nothing about it you will be worse off than before.  Your conscience will eat you alive, ever wonder why selfish people are so miserable? They know they are selfish, so they get extremely bitter.  After you realize you are guilty of not taking responsibility, you must act on it.  So make a plan, and implement it until you can successfully destroy the finger pointing and the blame game.
      Finally,  When persuading luck to be on your side.  It always helps to have an excellent attitude.   I find it extremely hilarious when you get a dose of 'bad' luck you usually have a dose of 'crappy ' attitude.  Now I know that bad things happen sometimes and it isn't easy to think that things happen because of a certain choice or a specific thing that you did or did not do.  It is better we try to avoid that kind of thinking. 
                     3.  Fill your attitude with awesomeness.  This is generally your overall mindset.  It is alot harder to stay consistent with this aspect than others.  It is also the most rewarding.  Some people think that being negative and judgemental all the time is why they are meant to be in this world.  They wear it as a badge of honor, it is very sad.  They bring other people down and criticize everything they do but never try anything new themselves.  These folks do not have a problem with you, but with themselves.  This is what happens when you become so bitter and prideful you never want to change.  We must avoid this.  Which is why concentrating on having an excellent attitude all the time is so important.  It can turn good moments in great ones, it can turn bad moments into lessons to learn from, and it can turn utter catastrophes into moments of reflection. 

Basically,  if you can take the positive out of every situation, and are grateful for the situations you have then luck can actually turn out to be something you wield as a sword.  Almost at your command, so don't wait on taking the action to remedy your current life's condition.  Make the world a better place because you can.

I hope you enjoyed todays post.  I most certainly did.  Please check out our website and like us on facebook,  we need to get more likes.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Attitude-Drives-Life/356094851137989

To My Followers..... I am Sorry.

      I am sorry that as a human I have made mistakes.  I truly want to be a titan of industry, a self made blogger, but I have lost sight of the basics that I have been trying to portray. Those basics such as honesty, integrity, a desire to do what's right.  My goal in starting my blog and starting my website was indeed to start my own business and work from home.  My ultimate goal was to help other people achieve the things in life that they themselves didn't believe they could obtain.  I wanted to help, motivate, and inspire.

      The reason I am writing this now is primarily because I feel that I, myself have become lost in the jungle of what we call the internet, with its promise of quick money, and easy work.  I have to admit I am intrigued by all of that but know deep down that successes come from simple, small, detailed execution of hard worked plans, and the consistent application of those plans over time to build something of value. 

      I am sorry.  Sorry for being impatient.  Sorry for running a business website that was grossly disorganized.  Please accept my apology, and follow this truly amazing blog.  That I really only want to inspire others with.

      I have revamped the website and am excited by it, I hope you are too.

www.attitudedriveslife.com

Enjoy, share with others, and as always stay awesome.


Tim Zugger

Motivation Starts Your Journey, Habit Finishes It

This is a quote I want across from my bed every morning.  When I wake up it will greet me with a smile, to set my mindset on more important tasks.

 "Motivation starts your journey; habit finishes it."

 Such as following through on the greatest works in my life.  This is paramount in anything you do in your life.  The statement is echoed by thousands of people in society mostly leaders and professionals who know the 'secrets'.  Even though they are not very secret.

These people who have the things in their lives which others folks may desire to have are usually brought about by many of years of failure, hard work and sacrifice. Of course ordinary people are too 'cool' to really apply any of these principles to their lives for an extended period of time.  Usually these people are the ones who complain most about the things the successful have even though they can attain the same things if they were willing to shut off the TV and get to work.

I encourage you to start something in your life, even if it may seem insignificant, it may lead to huge changes and great things.  Take that leap, and stick with it.  Always know that their are leaders and mentors everywhere that can encourage and motivate you along you path.


One of these such examples is our site www.attitudedriveslife.com  I hope you take them time to subscribe to the blog and like our website. 

Motivation Starts Your Journey, Habit Finishes It