I DARE You To Complain...

The next time you feel like whining, watch this inspiring video. We all need to focus more on our current blessings, and less about what we're lacking.

His words of wisdom, talking about achievement: "All impossible becomes possible ... only belief!"

It's Going To Cost You

What are you willing to sacrifice to get It? Sleep, food, friends who don't believe, "realistic" family members? Until you make this committed decision, success will remain illusive, glued to the tip of your fingers, unable to fall into your palms.

Will you sacrifice your Plan B, replacing it with an unwavering belief that your Plan A is your destiny? In a video I posted couple days ago, Will Smith talked about the slightly delusional quality all highly successful people share...

"I believe things don't have to remain the same, even if they've been a certain way for 50 million years," he said. "You have to know that, if you're committed enough, you can change any path..."

At first glance, this sounds crazy, but without exception, the most successful 1%r's share this mindset. Belief before outcome! Helping my students believe in themselves prior to the successful result is my top priority. It's this mindset that will propel them past their current comfort zones.

I speak from a place of improvement, not mastery. I believe mastery may be impossible, yet I continue striving for it. We never get it, only get closer TO it. I walk a daily path of fear, doubt, success, and unwavering belief... all in the same pair of shoes. I've lived a life of self critisim and lack of belief in my abilities, but years ago, made a committed decision to end that mindset. My days are now spent changing what I see in the mirror, and what I feel in my core, all while helping others change their own.

How badly do you want It? What will you sacrifice?

Introducing My New Assistant!

Whenever I start taking myself too seriously, I watch this... 

You'll Only Become Successful If...

Are you THIS determined to reach your goal? 

The 1% are! 

The Only Thing Holding You Back Is...

In my last video post, Will Smith hit it on the head:

"Just decide," he said. "The moment I decide, it's done... I've already made it real. Now all that's left is waiting to see what's it's going to look like."

It's not about whether you want it or not, it only comes down to whether or not you make a committed decision to get it! After that decision, you'll find a way of attaining that goal, no matter the obstacles.

Another piece of the video that hit home was Will's explanation of Talent vs. Skill:

"Talent comes from the inside- it's already there. Skill comes from hours and hours of hard work. It's this skill that will separate you from the rest. I'm not the most talented, but I will outwork anyone."

This is a huge factor that must be understood, thoroughly, in order to achieve your next level. God given talent is wonderful, but without putting in massive time to hone your craft, you'll find yourself sitting in the same chair, year after year.

"If we get on the treadmill at the same time, only two things will happen: Either you quit first, or I'll die on this treadmill!"

His mindset will NEVER, EVER allow him to quit. He'll die trying, before he stops working. Again, the success he's tasted isn't about his talent ... it comes from his relentlessness; his ability to only see future triumph.

The only thing holding you back is ... you! Believe, decide, become the 1%.

THIS Is Next Level Mindset

Will Smith is tremendously successful, not because he has a lot of money, but because he's mastered the 1% mindset. I was floored watching this video! He's such a next level thinker!

Paint Your Own Picture

I'm sitting on the couch, Ipad on my lap, icing my sprained ankle after a morning trip down the outside steps. My two year old daughter decided to listen to her daddy for once, and wait for me on the top step, in order to walk down together. As I turned around from the locking the front door, there she was, standing directly in front of me. Naturally trying to avoid knocking her down, I swerved out of the way, falling to the 2nd step, only to hear my ankle "pop" and twist, knocking us both to the bottom of the steps... golf clubs and her school bag strapped to my shoulders. Clubs went flying, Logan fell on her stomach, car keys flew into street, and both of us left wincing in pain. Not my finest moment.

My entire day (maybe the week) is now left in a scramble. Clients to call, times to move around, and ways of salvaging my scheduled sessions needing to be figured out. There was two minutes of panic, as I focused on how screwed my day just became. As those brief two minutes ended, my two favorite words took over: "Now what?!"

Instead of worrying about how long I'd be out of aciton, or how many clients I was going to need to call, answers became the priority. It'll be these answers that shape my day, week, and the rest of my life. It doesn't matter what happens, only the questions I ask myself after it happens.

By no means is this post about comparing my little ankle sprain to others' more challenging experiences. Rather, the focus is on finding answers, no matter the situation. It's these answers that will dictate who we become.

Reading different articles on all the social media outlets and personal blogs, it seems as if talking about the negative that's happening in life has become habitual. There's so much complaining and whining about one's experiences, yet at the same time, wondering why change isn't taking place. Or even worse, blaming others for their own unfortunate circumstances.

Let me share a secret that's not really a secret: The more we talk about the pain in our life, without focus on changing it's future, the more pain we'll experience!

Sympathy is a strong emotion, and can become addicting. Sure, it feels wonderful to have others patting our backs, and telling us everything will be o.k. (and may even be healthy, short term), but long term, it's paralyzing to our goal setting passion.

No matter what's happened, or happening to us, stay focused on the future goals we've set. Depending on our challenges, the time it takes to achieve those goals will differ, but the passion, discipline, and action needed will always remain the same.

Choose the picture. Paint it with every last ounce of fight you have.

Now What?!

I often get asked where to begin when trying to create the 1% Mindset. In theory, it's easy, but the real life application is where the elite separate from the mediocre.

The first thing that must be accomplished is making a committed decision, promising yourself that nothing will stop you from reaching your goals. The difference between a regular decision and the committed decision is one simple word: Sacrifice! You need to be willing to sacrifice everything that may stand in your way, potentially blocking your achievement. I've made countless number of decisions, but only a handful of committed decisions. Without exception, every committed decision I've made has turned into a successful attainment of my goals.

The next thing that must immediately take place is eliminating "try" from your vocabulary, substituting "I will, no matter what it takes..." in it's place. There's no room for try. It only leads to doubt and hesitation, ultimately bringing failure.

1% isn't outcome based. You don't have to become number one in the world ... but you must become number one in YOUR world. It's a way of thinking, leading to a specific way of acting. This specific type of action will eventually lead you to anything you want to achieve.

Success is relative, and means many different things, all individual to your motivations. It mustn't be compared to anyone except your own reflection. Look deep within, ask yourself if 1% is really worth the dedication and sacrifice. If the answer is yes, look back at that reflection, stare into it's soul, make that committed decision, and write on a piece of paper: "Now What?!"

The answer will reveal itself, day-by-committed-day.

Is This Self Sabotage?

I regularly teach and write about creating a 1% Mindset -- separating from the pack of average thinkers and doers. In order to attain this goal, we must push past our comfort zones, risk failure, and take massive action.

A student recently reminded me that we could be achieving all of this, yet still be unaware of our progress. What if, after hours of disciplined, passionate effort, we reach this next level, but fail to draw from it's success? I've rarely focused on this part of the equation, because I've assumed the achievement would be so obvious, failure to feel it's power would be impossible.

Chris, my student, has reached this plateau, yet is still choosing to feel unworthy... as if his accomplishments didn't exist. He's choosing to close his eyes to all the past success he's achieved these last two years, but why?

It's a self protection and fear of failure issue. In his warped sense of reality, if he acknowledges his improvement, he'll then be held to a higher standard, and expectations of him will be launched to another level. These pressures can be suffocating, if not viewed through positive, opportunistic lenses. He's currently choosing to see the possible failure of the new expectations, knowing many would be left disappointed. The last thing he wants to do is disappoint anyone, including himself, so by standing still in his current mindset, this will remain a non issue.

Instead, he must view these new expectations as an opportunity to propel himself to an exciting future, where boundaries don't exist. Use the pressure he feels to fuel his 1% Mindset.

Everyone feels fear ... but the elite have learned that it's this fear that drives them. They turn the fear of failure into an opportunity to achieve. They choose to see successful outcomes, and understand that failure may be a part of the process, but it's not what defines them. They know they're defined by the actions they take immediately following setbacks.

Be fearless as you move forward. Make sure you're moving forward.

Take Notes From The Best

1% is all about stepping away from the norm in order to stand out. Steve Jobs and Henry Ford are incredible examples of separating from the pack. Be fearless. Take risks. Act now.

Henry Ford & Steve Jobs from Tier10 Marketing on Vimeo.

You Sure You Want It?

It doesn't forgive or feel sympathy. The difficulty it subjects you to is a test of your passion and discipline. Many talk about achieving it, but very few ever do. It knows this, loves this, thrives on this. You sure you want it? The last guy thought so, too ... until he found out how tough it really was to attain, and the pain it takes to grab ahold.

It doesn't care about your past or future. It only knows now, and what must be done this second. It knows you better than you know yourself, and uses this against you at every turn. Your weaknesses become gaping holes that it uses to mentally torture the very fabric that keeps you sane. It hears you talk-the-talk, and even silently watches you walk-the-walk for a few steps ... but knows it's only a matter of time before you fall to your knees.

You sure you want it? The last guy thought so, too ... until 5:30 am, when it was time to wake up and run his sprints before breakfast. It loves the snooze button, because it knows this is where most come up short at ever achieving it. It listens to all the wannabes talking about how passionate they are about reaching it, secretly laughing out loud at the arrogance ... or is that ignorance?! It doesn't care. It only knows failure will be the result.

It hides in your mind, knowing it will eventually be shown the way to your muscles. If it's allowed to grab your flesh unchecked, defeat is guaranteed. Conversely, if it's trained properly, it will allow you to go places 99% never go.

You sure you want it? 1% is waiting for you to step-up, look it in the eye, and challenge it to a lifelong battle. It's daring you to make the commitment needed. Stop talking. Start doing. Go.