Inspiration and Implementation by Jim Stovall

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

These columns have appeared for over two decades in newspapers, magazines, and online publications around the world. In more than a thousand columns, I have written on a myriad of topics and subjects, but every column—including the one you’re reading now—ends with the phrase, “Today’s the day.” It really doesn’t matter what you think about, dream about, or plan to do. The only thing that matters is what you do.   

Inspiration is important. It may be among the most valuable elements of our human experience, but without implementation, it is useless. I have a friend who I have known for almost 40 years. He has had hundreds of great ideas and lofty plans. Unfortunately, he has never carried any of them out. I’ve another friend who I have known even longer. He has had only one plan for his life that he has been committed to since we were teenagers. He has stayed committed to his single plan and has vigorously implemented it over these many years. It will not surprise you to know that he is far more successful than the friend with overflowing inspiration. 

If you have a thought, an idea, a calling, or a plan in your life, it means that you should do something today to make it a reality. Maybe you just read a book, research the topic, or reach out to make a new connection or contact, but you should not let the day get away from you without implementing your inspiration. Every day that goes by is critical to your goal. When you put your head on the pillow tonight, you will be either one day closer to or one day farther from your goal.  

Art critics worldwide, and anyone who has visited the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and has viewed Michelangelo’s masterpiece painted on the ceiling, would agree that Michelangelo was filled with inspiration. Centuries later, that inspiration impacts everyone who experiences one of the most outstanding artistic achievements in history. 

There is a story about Michelangelo that has endured for hundreds of years. During the period he was working on his magnificent sculpture of David, he worked in a studio with other artists. As Michelangelo arrived one morning, he noticed all of the other artists were just sitting around doing nothing. When he inquired about it, the other artists told him they were waiting on inspiration. Michelangelo’s response speaks to us all, “Inspiration will find me already at work.” 

As you go through your day today, embrace your inspiration and take action. 

Today’s the day! 

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor). His new book, Words That Shaped Our World: Legendary Voices of History: Quotes That Changed How We Think, What We Do, and Who We Are, coauthored with Kathy Johnson, is available for from Sound Wisdom on December 20, 2022.

Tiny Habits, in Key Areas, for Big Changes by Mary C. Kelly

Photo by Manik Roy on Unsplash

One donut hole takes me about 10 seconds to devour. 

Donuts are fried flour and sugar coated in more sugar. They are not good for me. I rationally know this. 

Donuts are my kryptonite. 

One donut hole may not be terrible, but a dozen is. 

Ten seconds times twelve is 120 seconds. Two minutes. In 2 minutes, I can destroy all the healthy eating I have done that entire week. 

Choosing to NOT eat the donut holes and choosing to have an apple instead is an example of a tiny habit. 

Why Little Tweaks Can Change Your Life and How to Choose Strong Tiny Habits 

Take a moment and think about what you could accomplish in a week, a month, or even a year. 

If you created tiny habits today and kept building them up over time, what could you accomplish? 

Trying to make massive changes all at once usually leads to burnout or failure, but taking baby steps with tiny habits toward a bigger goal is doable, sustainable, and puts us on the road to success. 

Habits of all kinds—both good and bad—have compounding effects, which means the more you do something, the greater the results. The more you lace up those running shoes and run, the better your cardiovascular health. 

What Is a Tiny Habit? 

Tiny habits are actions we take every day, often without thinking about them. Brushing your teeth twice a day is so ingrained that it is instinctive now. We were taught as kids, and that action was reinforced by parents and teachers. These tiny habits are also quick and easy, sometimes less than two minutes, so we do not even notice them taking up any time out of our day. 

In the running example, you need more time than two minutes to go for a short run, but adding an extra two minutes to your current running workout is negligible. Adding another two minutes the next week is still negligible. 

A friend of mine used this technique to get back to a running habit. Go for a 20-minute walk. After 10 minutes, run for 30 seconds. Go back to walking. Keep increasing the running time by 30 seconds every day until he can run for 10 minutes straight. 

How to Choose Your New Habits 

Every single area of your life can be improved with the help of tiny habits. Decide where you want to focus or what specifically needs improving. Having a goal in mind will lead you in the right direction and these tiny habits will build the processes necessary to reach those goals. 

Most habits revolve around three areas. 

1. Health – Most people say they would like better health. Create a tiny habit to drink more water or to eat a daily salad. Plan ahead so you have both available. Within a few weeks, your body will be craving more water and preparing salads will become second nature. Want more sleep? Set the alarm for the time to go to bed, not just an alarm for when to get up. Head for bed when the night alarm goes off. 

2. Relationships – One tiny habit is to spend 10 minutes reconnecting with your spouse or partner after a long day of work. We try to watch nightly sunsets. It sounds simple, but once you get into the habit of heading outside as the sun is going down it becomes a relaxing habit. This simple act is even more important if you have children running to various activities or if one of you travels a lot. Do you have a regularly scheduled date night? Get in the habit of hiring a babysitter and putting your adult relationship at the top of the priority list. 

3. Business – Create business hours—especially if you work from home—or start using the Pomodoro Technique to accomplish projects or meet deadlines. The Pomodoro Technique uses a timer to block off 25-minute increments, where you focus on a task until the timer rings. Take a 5-minute break, and then reset the timer. 

What habits do you have that make a significant difference? 

Mary C. Kelly, PHD specializes in leadership growth that helps organizations improve their profitability and productivity, especially in finance, insurance, real estate, and manufacturing. One of the first female graduates of the Naval Academy, Mary served 25 years on active duty, mostly in Asia, leading multi-cultural teams in nine countries. Her remarkable career of service included working as an intelligence officer, a chief of police, an HR director, and a chief of staff, as well as training more than 40,000 military personnel. Mary has been a leadership and economics professor at the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and Hawaii Pacific University. She has written 13 business and personal development books, including her latest, Better in 52 Weeks: Action Steps to a Better Business and Better Life, available now from Sound Wisdom. This article originally appeared here and has been edited for inclusion on The Sound Wisdom Blog.

What Makes You Feel Wealthy? An Exclusive Look at the Think and Grow Rich Guided Journal

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Napoleon Hill’s foundational personal development book, Think and Grow Rich, is prefaced with the question “WHAT DO YOU WANT MOST? Is It Money, Fame, Power, Contentment, Personality, Peace of Mind, Happiness?” 

In order to follow and obtain results from Hill’s success system, which provides a path for conditioning the mind to attain the riches one desires, you must first decide what wealth means to you. Indeed, Hill uses the word “riches” in its broadest sense—to mean that which adds great value to one’s life; that which confers abundance.  

As you begin your journey to think and grow rich, spend time determining what form(s) of wealth you are pursuing. As a guide, Hill categorizes the greatest forms of wealth into the “The Twelve Riches of Life”: 

1. A Positive Mental Attitude 

2. Sound Physical Health  

3. Harmony in Human Relationships  

4. Freedom from Fear 

5. The Hope of Achievement 

6. The Capacity for Faith 

7. Willingness to Share One’s Blessings 

8. A Labor of Love 

9. An Open Mind on All Subjects 

10. Self-Discipline 

11. The Capacity to Understand People 

12. Economic Security 

Take some time now to reflect on what you want most in life. Which of the Twelve Great Riches do you most desire? Why do you think that form of wealth will enrich your life the most? 

To get started, you might ask yourself… 

• What is my own personal definition of “wealth”? 

• Is wealth a feeling, a mental attitude, a behavior, an experience, or a combination of these? 

• Is wealth something to spend, enjoy, share, or a combination of these? 

• What makes me feel wealthy? Examples: having a fully stocked refrigerator, having control over when and how I work, having a zero balance on my credit cards 

• When I picture myself enjoying wealth, what does that look like? 

• What inspires me to pursue wealth? 

Your journey to wealth, however you define it, can be supported by the new Think and Grow Rich Guided Journal, an official publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation that offers 52 weeks of inspirational content, journaling prompts, and action activities to help you Think and Grow Rich. 

Get the new Think and Grow Rich Guided Journal from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine retailers, and discover a full year of inspirational content and journaling activities based on the success fundamentals that form Napoleon Hill’s philosophy of personal achievement, as presented in Think and Grow Rich. Each success principle is broken down into key behaviors, thoughts, and attitudes so that you can focus on building one new mental habit each week. This beautiful guided journal will keep you committed to eradicating negative thoughts and taking full control of your mind so that you can achieve your definite major purpose in life.

The Courage to Fail by Dee M. Robinson

Photo by Ian Kim on Unsplash

There was a time, years ago, when you got around on your hands and knees. And you were fine with that. It worked. Most of the time, you got where you wanted to go.  

But one day, the people around you started doing the strangest thing. They began holding you up in such a way that you had to stand on your own two feet. It seemed impossible at first for you to maintain your balance, even when you held on to someone’s hand.  

You failed. You fell. And fell. And fell again. But eventually you got the hang of it. Kind of. 

Then the people around you—never satisfied—started trying to get you to take a step forward while you were balanced, precariously, on those tiny feet of yours. You thought they were kidding at first. But they just wouldn’t stop bugging you about this. They’d stand you up in a place where you couldn’t hold on to anything for support, then move away from you, then beckon for you to move toward them! 

Were they crazy? You just got the standing thing down! 

But they kept this up for long enough that eventually you thought you might as well give it a try. So you tried taking a step.  

And you failed. You fell. And fell. And fell again. 

It hurt to fall down. And you had to do it dozens, maybe hundreds of times before you finally managed a queasy forward step or two. Truth be told, it was a little like falling. But you managed to stay on your feet. And pretty soon, you were walking, with total confidence, four or five or even six steps at a time. 

Every step you took was the result of failure. Every step you take now is a testament to your ability to learn from those failures. 

Moral: Even your “biggest” failure contains the seeds for your greatest success…as long as you are willing to notice the lessons and learn from the experience. 

Dee M. Robinson is an entrepreneurial leader who leverages strategic thinking to find innovative solutions that scale businesses. In 1995, she founded Robinson Hill, a concessions management firm specializing in retail and restaurants at airports and other nontraditional venues. In everything she does personally and professionally, she strives to help others and shorten the runway to success, empower people and organizations to overcome fear and limitations, and elevate their thinking about what is possible. Her new book, Courage By Design: Ten Commandments +1 for Moving Past Fear to Joy, Fulfillment, and Purpose, is available on November 15, 2022 from Sound Wisdom.

How to Put Your Next Guilt Trip in Its Proper Place by Karen Allen

Photo by Verne Ho on Unsplash

Tell me if any of these sound familiar… 

You spend an afternoon with a really toxic person in your life and realize you really need to set some boundaries and maybe even cut them out of your life.  

But when they call you a week later, you find yourself thinking, They really need me. I can’t just abandon them. 

You spend 20 minutes thinking about how much you really need a massage. Maybe you even go online to set up an appointment.  

But eventually you find yourself thinking, I shouldn’t spend that much money on myself right now, and you scrap the plan. 

You’ve been working overtime at work, trying to help the team, but it’s been wearing you down. You decide you need to step back and start clocking out earlier.  

But as the work piles up on your desk, you tell yourself, We should be onboarding the new hire in a few weeks. I don’t want to let the team down. I can hold out a little longer. 

Trust me, if you recognize any of these scenarios, you are not alone. 

But, WHY??? Why do we feel guilty for doing what’s best for us? 

To unpack this, first let’s start with the definition of guilt. Here’s what Merriam-Webster has to say: 

guilt (noun): a feeling of deserving blame for offenses 

Hold up. Go back and take a look at those scenarios again. 

WHAT OFFENSES do you see?? 🧐  

In every single one of those scenarios, you might feel guilty for just thinking about doing something. Then you let that guilt keep you from taking action because you're already anticipating whom you might hurt. 

It’s wild, but I’ve been there, I get it. We punish ourselves for even thinking about taking better care of ourselves. We talk ourselves out of necessary changes, we overanalyze every possible “what if,” we may even believe that wanting what’s right for ourselves is selfish.  

But you know what? That stops right here, right now. Because what you focus on gets bigger and it becomes your reality. The reality is you deserve what's best for you, and only YOU know what that is.  

“The reality is you deserve what's best for you, and only YOU know what that is.” —Karen Allen 

Release the guilt tied to disappointing others. When you focus on all the ways you might disappoint other people, you lose sight of all the positive ways that choice could impact your life. Where your attention goes, energy flows. So give your attention and energy to the things that reciprocate peace, joy, and health. 

When you STOP dwelling on how the decision might disappoint other people and SHIFT your attention to why this choice is good (maybe even downright necessary) for you, the good gets bigger. 

Either you’re going to make the false sense of guilt really big, or you’re going to make your peace and sanity really big. 

The choice is yours. 

Okay, so let’s go back to those oh-so-familiar scenarios. 

You’re thinking about pulling back from a toxic person in your life. Your first instinct is to worry about how they’ll react and sacrifice your sanity for their feelings. 

But if you STOP and SHIFT to thinking about how distancing yourself from this person would bring you peace of mind and free up the mental energy you spend on the relationship, that becomes the heart of your choice to do what’s best for you. 

You’re thinking about getting a massage. Your first instinct might be to think that there are lots of other ways you should spend that money. 

But if you STOP and SHIFT to thinking about how that money would support your mental health, that becomes the focal point of a good investment. 

You’re thinking about setting some firmer boundaries with your work schedule. Your first instinct is to think about how you’ll let down your boss or your coworkers. 

But if you STOP and SHIFT to thinking about how that time to decompress will help you have more energy and bring your best self to work, to your family, to your other commitments, that becomes the truth that grows. 

Now, listen, you might say, “But both of those things are true! Scaling back my work hours would disappoint my boss, AND it would help me get the rest that I need.” 

And of course you’d be right. The difference is where you put your focus. 

If you get distracted by guilt, remind yourself of the good things that can come out of this choice, too. Instead of feeling gripped by guilt, just keep gently pulling your focus back to the good. 

Guilt is like empty calories, friend. It serves no purpose. It’s not healthy for you. 

It fills you up for the moment, but in the end, it leaves you feeling hollow. 
So what's the answer?  

Be brave enough to do what’s best for you. 

Then and only then, will you be able to put guilt in its proper place.  

Karen Allen is a keynote and TEDx speaker, the founder of 100% HumanTM, and author of the book Stop & Shift: The Mindset Reset That Changes Everything, now available from Sound Wisdom. Karen began her career in human resources and talent acquisition, leading countless training sessions, new processes, and change initiatives. However, at a young age, she suddenly became a widow when her husband was tragically murdered. On the quest to rebuild her life, she discovered healthy habits and lifestyle changes that helped her find her way back to a whole heart and strong mind. Now, she shares practical advice and life-changing strategies that provide tangible results and skills—including her highly acclaimed Stop & Shift method, detailed in her new book—to help people push through the challenges we all face in life and work. This article originally appeared here on karenallen.co and has been edited for inclusion on The Sound Wisdom Blog.

Building an Exceptional Library by Jim Rohn

Photo by Alfons Morales on Unsplash

Below is an exclusive excerpt from the Sound Wisdom edition of The Art of Exceptional Living, available for purchase on August 16, 2022. Preorder it now from all major retailers. 

Having a good library will change your life. I would venture to say that every home worth more than $500,000 has a library. Why do you suppose that is? Wouldn’t that make you curious? Why would every expensive home have a library? Makes a person wonder, right? 

You may think, Well, I can’t afford a $500,000 home. It doesn’t matter what size home you have or what it’s worth. In your present home or apartment, clean out a closet and call it your library. Start the process, like I did. Start building a library that will increase your knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence. 

The books in your library will reveal that you’re a serious student of health and life, spirituality, culture, uniqueness, sophistication, economics, prosperity, productivity, sales, management, skills—values and characteristics of all kinds. 

My mentor Earl Shoaff helped me start my library. One of the first books he recommended was Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. 

He said to me, “Think and Grow Rich, doesn’t that title intrigue you? Don’t you have to read that book?” 

I said, “Yes, sir.” I found the book in a used bookstore; that’s where I had to start, in a used bookstore. I paid less than 50 cents for it and I still have it. It’s now one of the rare, hardback editions of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Wow! Shoaff was right.  

There are several key categories to have in your library that will nourish you in the most exceptional ways. These are the different courses—your mental food or food for thought—comprising your total healthy reading plan. It is so very important to nourish the mind—not just the body, but also the mind. Key phrase. The books in your library need to be well balanced. You can’t live on mental candy. Some may say, “Well, I just read books with positive content.” That’s too second grade. You have to promote yourself out of second grade. You can’t just be inspired, you have to be taught, you have to be educated. 

To read more, pick up a copy of Jim Rohn’s The Art of Exceptional Living, now available for preorder from Sound Wisdom. For more than 40 years, Rohn honed his craft like a skilled artist—helping people the world over sculpt life strategies that expanded their imagination of what is possible. Those who had the privilege of hearing him speak can attest to the elegance and common sense of his material. It is no coincidence, then, that he is still widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of our time, and thought of by many as a national treasure. He authored countless books and audio and video programs, and helped motivate and shape an entire generation of personal-development trainers and hundreds of executives from America's top corporations.

Are You Solving the Right Problem? by Courtney Clark

Photo by Daniele Franchi on Unsplash

I got stuck solving the wrong problem once. When I got engaged to my husband, I was embarrassed about my cooking skills. I had scorched only three pans beyond saving, but that was two more than I felt good about. (Oh, I also set a toaster oven on fire once. But that was in college, so I’d like to think that won’t happen again.) 

When I reached my thirties, I had definitely gotten better at cooking. But my food was just…okay. I was practicing all the time—I worked fewer hours than my husband, who was my fiancé at the time, so I’d pull out the Cooking Light magazine, find a recipe, and cook us dinner most nights. He’d cook about once a week, and his food was just better than mine. Significantly better. He was confident in the kitchen, and his food was so full of flavor. 

I decided I needed to improve faster. I joined cooking classes at Williams Sonoma, and I learned how to roast a chicken. I watched Food Network. I practiced my knife skills and worked on getting comfortable with when meat was fully cooked. I became more skilled at timing dishes so they’d all be done at the same time. I was getting a little better. And then my husband and I went on our honeymoon.  

We ended up in Italy, where I ate what felt like five meals a day, four of which were pasta. Our first Sunday back after we returned from Rome, we were grocery shopping. There, at the checkout, was a copy of Gourmet Magazine: “The Pasta Issue.” And the photo on the cover was of penne salsiccia, which I’d had a LOT of in Italy. I threw that magazine down on the conveyor belt and committed to reading it cover to cover. 

The following Sunday, we were back at the grocery store. This time, I was armed with a shopping list that included ALL of the ingredients for that delicious penne salsiccia from the cover of Gourmet Magazine. As I prowled through the store, I heard my newlywed husband behind me go, “Uh, Courtney? Heavy whipping cream? Butter? Sausage? Is this from Cooking Light?” 

“No, it’s from that gourmet magazine I bought, with recipes for dishes like we had in Italy! I’m going to make penne salsiccia tonight. I can’t wait!” I responded. 

6:00 p.m. I’m starting dinner. This recipe calls for VERY expensive, very fragile threads of saffron to be soaked in water. I’m trying not to panic. 

6:28. I’m trying not to scald the heavy whipping cream in the pan. 

6:47. I’m trying not to overcook the pasta. 

6:52. I carry the plates out to the table. I set them down with a deep breath. For a moment I consider letting my husband take the first bite and tell me what he thinks, but then I think FORGET THAT. THIS WAS MY IDEA. I MADE THIS MEAL. I put the bite in my mouth, and I turn to my husband in shock. 

I can’t believe what I’m tasting. 

“I don’t stink at cooking! Cooking Light must stink at cooking! Because I. am. AMAZING!” I would have said more, but I needed to use my mouth for the important work of eating my phenomenal pasta. 

If you’re not solving the right problem, you’re not solving the problem at all. 

Here’s what I realized: I had been using low-fat materials and expecting restaurant-quality results. No shade to Cooking Light, but there’s a reason full-fat food tastes better. My cooking issue was simply a materials problem. But I had been trying for over a year to solve it with more SKILLS training. No wonder it wasn’t working! You can’t solve a materials problem with more skills training. 

Has anything like that ever happened to you, either at home or at work? You know there’s a problem, so you leap to solve it. But if you aren’t solving the right problem, you’re not solving the problem at all.   

Diagnosed with cancer for the first time at age 26, Courtney Clark went to work for several cancer nonprofits. At age 29, she founded the nonprofit Austin Involved, creating programs to engage young professionals in philanthropy in simple, affordable ways. In the first year of operating Austin Involved, Courtney was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and underwent three brain surgeries. Today, Courtney is an in-demand keynote speaker who presents internationally to organizations on how to adapt faster and achieve more by developing resilience, adaptability and ReVisionary Thinking™. For more tips on how to revise your plan when things aren’t going your way, pick up a copy of ReVisionary Thinking, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine retailers.

Top 10 Business Tips for Creating an Uncopyable Competitive Advantage by Steve Miller

Photo by Artsy Crafty for StockSnap

Competition is fierce. That’s one thing all companies today can agree on. Unfortunately, in a race to outpace rivals, too many companies are stuck in a hamster wheel approach to become better than their competition. But here’s the reality: that’s a never-ending race that nobody wins. 

You don’t want to be better. Better can always be one-upped, and better just isn’t good enough if you truly want to gain a competitive advantage. So what’s the answer? You must become Uncopyable. 

Drawing from my book Uncopyable: How to Create an Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition, I’ve outlined 10 tips for business owners looking to shatter the mold and secure a unique position in the market. Let’s take a closer look. 

Top 10 Tips 

1. Develop an Uncopyable mindset. Basically, this means look at what your competitors are doing—and don’t do it. This can be easier said than done. It requires consciously developing a practice of observation and curiosity. And I’d advise companies not to fall into the easy trap of just asking their customers what they want. They don’t know what they want. Did anyone ask for the Internet before it existed? Did anyone ask for a smartphone?  

2. Rethink the marketing process. There’s a good chance you’re approaching marketing backwards. Marketing does not start with the medium (i.e., a bulk-mail campaign or social media). The first step in developing any marketing strategy is defining and understanding your market. This is followed by the message, media, and moment. As I discuss in my book, this model is what I call the Marketing Diamond. 

3. Find what makes you special. Your company’s branding position goes well beyond simply uniquely identifying your products and services. It makes a clearly stated promise as to how you are different from the competition. And smart companies play up what sets them apart. If your promise isn’t exactly unique, maybe your personality is. Maybe there’s something special about your office culture. Find what makes you special. 

4. Build your own box. Creating an effective branding proposition isn’t about thinking outside of the box but rather creating your own box. Then you fill that box with stuff that will resonate with your customers. How do you do this? In my book, I outline tools for building your unique box, including creating your own language and creating specific triggers and anchors. 

5. Steal genius. This is a term that I came up with. The idea is to go out and study “alien” organizations and experiences—ones that are outside of your industry. Once you start to study them, you’ll begin to see what can be extrapolated and applied to your business. The main point here is do not rely on benchmarking from within your industry, because you never get new ideas from your competition.  

6. Create an attachment. Your customers must become attached to your company, professionally and personally. I believe there are five critical pieces that go into creating attachment, one of which is a cool-kids club. Creating a club that all of your customers and prospects want to be a member of creates a personal, emotional attachment, and carries with it a perception of high value. 

7. Create rock stars. Make your best customers feel like rock stars through VIP treatment. Take, for instance, Bass Pro Shops. They created their own rock stars: expert fisherman and women who are featured on Bass Pro’s website and brought out to conduct demos at special events. Your rock stars can be part of your club, but you must elevate them among their peers and demonstrate your appreciation and recognition. 

8. Tell a story. People connect with stories, which makes storytelling an extremely powerful marketing and branding tool. Stories humanize a company; they show “proof” of your claim and resonate with your target market. Every company has a story to tell, and there are at least a half dozen different types of storytelling (as discussed in my book). Which type of story does your company have? 

9. Develop referral tools. Referrals can be nerve-wracking. It can make both you and your customers feel a bit awkward. In order for referral marketing to work, you must have several things going for you, including tools you can give to customers that they can then share with prospects. For example, provide your customers with helpful articles or newsletters, or turn your trade show booth into your own live event and invite people to get their picture with the CEO or some other celebrity (people love that, and it becomes a souvenir they can display). The bottom line: When people have had a great experience with a company, they’re happy to make a referral. You just need to make it easy for them. 

10. Do not “set it and forget it.” Nothing stays fresh and surprising forever. You must continually push the envelope and look for new ways to communicate how you are unique. Nothing, no matter how brilliant it is, is going to stay Uncopyable forever.  

To learn more about the strategies and tools to make your company Uncopyable, check out the updated and expanded edition of Uncopyable: How to Create an Unfair Advantage Over Your Competition, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Book Company, Google Play, Apple Books, and other fine retailers. Steve Miller is an author, professional/virtual speaker and business advisor. Since founding The Adventure LLC in 1984, Miller’s consulting clients have ranged from solo entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 megacorporations, including Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Procter & Gamble. For more information, visit TheAdventure.com. 

Power of a Decision by Jim Stovall

Photo by Kristin Hardwick from StockSnap

I have long believed that the world belongs to the man or woman who is willing to make a decision and stick with it. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” Your mind is among the greatest miracles ever created. It will bring you whatever you tell it to pursue.  

We all move toward our most dominant thought. You may not have thought about a bright red sports car in months or even years, but by virtue of the fact that you are reading this column, you are more likely to spot several of them on the road in the near future. The fact that I mentioned a specific type of automobile or the fact that you read it here doesn’t create more of those cars, but it puts that idea in your mind, and your mind focuses on whatever you direct it to bring to your consciousness. 

Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come, and we become what we think about all day. This is why we need to spend a specific amount of our time each day engaging in putting positive, pure, and powerful thoughts into our mind. If you overindulge in watching news reports, you will think the whole world is going down the drain. While I believe we should stay informed and keep abreast of current events, we cannot allow news reports, Internet gossip, or social media to dominate our mind. 

My company, NTN, is a part of the television industry. The industry promotes several inconsistencies in the marketplace. On one hand, programmers often show inordinate amounts of violence and destructive images, but they assure the viewing public that it’s only fiction and make-believe so it doesn’t impact children or adults who might be watching. On the other hand, this same industry tells the business community that if they will simply write a check for thousands or even millions of dollars for advertising, that brief 30- or 60-second image of their product on television screens will promote a significant rise in sales. Obviously, advertising works because marketers continue to write huge checks to get their products and services in your consciousness. You must take control of your mind and not relinquish control to media, advertisers, or anyone else. 

As you go through your day today, control what goes into your mind, and you will control your life. 

Today’s the day!  

Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books, including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. Listen to his Wisdom for Winners series on Audible. Follow him on Twitter (@stovallauthor) or Facebook (@jimstovallauthor). And be sure to sign up to receive free samples of Jim Stovall’s books and audiobooks from Sound Wisdom! 

6 Excuses That Limit Your Success by Adrean Turner

You’ve decided that 2018 is your year of acceleration in your life! You are determined that this time will be different. You won’t quit. You won’t get distracted. You’re going to stick with your plan for a new start. Maybe you even declared it a New Year’s resolution. Sadly, the odds aren’t in your favor. The fact is only a tiny fraction of people keep their resolutions. University of Scranton research suggests that just 8 percent of people achieve their New Year’s goals. What’s the common denominator? EXCUSES. 

For most individuals, it’s much easier to think of ways something can’t be done versus how it can be done. Many of us have a series of excuses that we can pull out of a hat at a moment’s notice. We make excuses mostly to protect ourselves and to justify our current circumstances. But these limiting beliefs limit our chances for success. Consider these excuses and commit to the solutions:

1. “I DON’T KNOW HOW.” This common excuse gives you permission to not even try.

• SOLUTION: Get support. At no time in the history of mankind has there been so much information and so many resources available. Want to start a charity? There are hundreds of books on the subject. Need to lose 100 pounds? There are thousands of CDs, videos, and blogs to support you. Want to change careers? Consult a coach or mentor. Or simply try and then adjust your approach based on your results.

2. “I’M AFRAID.” Who hasn’t been afraid to try something new, to step out of the box, to move beyond their comfort zone? Most of our fears are socially based and have no real consequences.

• SOLUTION: Ask yourself what’s the worst thing that can happen. Once you have determined the worst case scenarios you’ll realize that the fear is a disguise to kill your dreams and stifle your growth. Then list the best things that can happen. You’ll recognize that your success is more important than the fears that are holding you back.

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and FOCUS on what could go right!

3. “I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.” If your heart is in it then you will make the time for what’s truly important to you.

• SOLUTION: Create a list of the things you do on a daily basis from the moment you wake up until the end of the day. Record your activities in fifteen-minute blocks. Include everything from talking on the phone, to surfing the Internet, to watching television. After doing this for one week, most people are able to find at least three hours to dedicate to a new activity or adventure.

4. “I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.” There is usually a way to work around a lack of financial resources.

• SOLUTION: Find alternatives. For example, if you’re looking to increase your skills but can’t afford college tuition, there are other ways to enhance your credentials. For instance, volunteer at a non-profit organization, get certification in a particular skill, or intern for a small company on your days off. If you are business owner, consider bartering (trading your services or products). There is always a way. You just may have to work a little harder to find solutions to support your growth.

5. “IT’S TOO LATE FOR ME.” It’s never too late to become what you might have been. A person climbed Mount Everest in his eighties. People have gone back to medical school in their sixties. Getting a late start might be less convenient and more challenging, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

• SOLUTION: Figure out what interests you, influences you, and motivates you. Build a plan for the challenges that are really important to you and take one step at a time to complete your goals.

6. “IT’S TOO HARD.” Some endeavors are certainly more difficult than others. But claiming that something is “too hard” is really just another way of admitting that you’re afraid. People with limited resources and talent can still be extremely successful.

• SOLUTION: Set your mind on success! Those with motivation and stamina are really the ones who succeed. Get an accountability partner. Read encouraging stories. Practice affirmations. Do what’s necessary to keep your thoughts and energy centered on a successful outcome.

The way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

Your success is dependent on effort. No action, no results. Break your tasks into small assignments and keep going until you’ve achieved your goal. It’s time to make some changes. Transformation isn’t always easy, but it is necessary for your success. Remind yourself of the reasons why you started in the first place. And have the courage to put aside your excuses and go after what you truly want. You’ll be glad you did!

Get more information and inspiration in Adrean’s book, F.I.T. for Success: Fearless, Inspired, Transformed for Success, or visit www.coachadrean.com.

Should I Be Creating a Life for Myself or My Ideal Self? By Jennifer Janechek

I just finished reading Cait Flanders’s The Year of Less (Hay House, 2018), which is an incredibly moving memoir about the year the author put herself on a shopping ban, decluttered and gave away 70 percent of her belongings, left her corporate career to pursue her freelance writing work full time, and attempted to locate her authentic self—without the fillers of consumerism, alcohol, and toxic relationships. 

Like half of her blog readers (she runs caitflanders.com, formerly blondeonabudget.com), whom she says fill her comment sections with posts about admiring her dedication to minimalism while expressing doubt that they could ever do the same, I found myself reflecting while reading about how I engage in similar destructive consumer behaviors—wasting a considerable portion of my “free time” on online shopping sites and frequently making impulse purchases that leave me less than satisfied and that detract from my ability to save—but not sure whether that exact approach was right for me. After all, as a fashion lover, I am someone who derives great pleasure from certain clothing and shoe purchases. At the same time, her book made me realize that I definitely need to bring more mindfulness to my purchasing practices. But what should mindful purchasing look like for me? And how might it look different for different consumers? 

In a chapter aptly subtitled “letting go of the future,” Cait offers the following guiding question: “Who are you buying this for: the person you are, or the person you want to be?”  

This question really gave me pause. I felt—and still feel—conflicted about it. On the one hand, I recognize the importance of honoring the person you are and not trying to buy things to fill a void or to present an inauthentic version of yourself just to be accepted. On the other hand, I also see the importance of being the best version of yourself, which entails, to some degree, creating a life for the person you want to be—not necessarily the person you are at the moment.  

I understand Cait’s dilemma: she, like all of us I’m sure have done at some point or another, bought clothes, books, and project materials that she never used simply because she wanted the be the sort of person who wore, read, and did those types of things; so those purchases ultimately were a waste of money and became clutter (both emotional and physical). And there is a real trap, especially in the modern influencer-led world of social media, in marketing strategies that make you feel bad about your life so that you will make purchases in the hopes of achieving an ever-elusive ideal (read: more photogenic) life. 

Perhaps mindful purchasing has more to do, then, with not buying items to be more like another person, opting instead to direct funds only to those things that are really for you, whether the you you are now or the you you want to be (as long as that you isn’t someone else). Obviously, disentangling the best or ideal version of yourself from the “best” version of someone else as presented in ads, social media, or even friendships is incredibly difficult, because marketing messages and ideologies of consumerism operate at such complex psychological levels that it’s often hard to discern the true roots of “wants.” But if that mental and emotional work can be done even in part, it seems like that would go a long way in determining whether a particular purchase will add value to one’s life. After closing the book, I decided to institute a waiting period before making any discretionary purchases—to spend three days mulling over why I wanted the item, what it will be used for (and how much use it will get), and whether it would add enough value to my life to justify the cost. It’s not the 30 days that Cait recommends, but I think it’s enough of a safeguard to prevent impulse—or what she terms “blackout”—buys. 

Even if I can’t full decontextualize “ideal me” from the web of marketing ploys, it is possible for me to shift from being a “binge consumer” to being a more mindful consumer. To this end, I found Cait’s near-to-closing remarks encouraging: “Remember that all you’re committing to is slowing down and asking yourself what you really want, rather than acting on impulse. That’s it. That’s what being a ‘mindful’ consumer is all about.” 

How do you determine the “value” of purchases? What decluttering/minimalism strategies have worked for you? Where do you stand on the issue of making purchases for your current self vs. your ideal self? 

Change Your Mind and Your Life by Jim Stovall

Behavioral scientists have long debated whether we are most impacted by nature or nurture. The argument is made up of professionals who believe we are products of our genetic makeup and those who believe we are molded by our environment. As a student of behavioral science, I find it impossible to imagine that we are not impacted both by our DNA as well as the world around us.

The element that most scientists overlook is that we all have the ability to change our minds. We can be born with certain abilities or disabilities but decide to pursue a myriad of possibilities within our lives. As a blind person myself due to a genetic disorder, I am limited in how I do certain things far more than which things I choose to do. I have written more than 30 books, and eight of them have been made into movies or are in production now. This means I write books I can’t see that are made into movies I can’t watch. 

Recently, there have been extensive studies of twins who grew up in homes with alcoholic parents. These studies revealed that, given the same genetic makeup and environment, one sibling might become an incurable alcoholic while the other twin might choose to never touch a drop of alcohol throughout their life. We are impacted by our genetics and environment, but we get to choose how we are impacted. 

My late, great colleague and mentor Dr. Wayne Dyer bought a house on the beach in a new development in Hawaii. Every day as Dr. Dyer walked on the beach, he encountered new neighbors who were moving into the development. One morning he confronted a gentleman who had just moved to Hawaii from New Jersey. The gentleman asked Dr. Dyer, “What are people like here? Are they friendly?” Dr. Dyer considered it a moment and then asked, “What are people like where you come from?” The gentleman blurted out, “They are rude, thoughtless, and annoying.” Dr. Dyer responded, “You’ll find people to be about the same here.”

As Dr. Dyer continued his walk, he was confronted by an elderly lady who had just relocated from Nebraska. She asked, “Are the residents here nice?” Dr. Dyer inquired, “Are people nice where you come from?” She smiled and said enthusiastically, “Yes! People in Nebraska are friendly, giving, and loving.” Dr. Dyer smiled and stated, “You’ll find people here in Hawaii to be just the same.”

Environment and heredity determine where we start, but we determine where we finish. 

As you go through your day today, embrace the good, reject the bad, and create the life you want.

Today’s the day!

This and other motivational pieces by bestselling author Jim Stovall can be found in his latest collection of columns, Wisdom for Winners Volume Four, an official publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation.