An Invitation to Personal Peace

All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten...

2008-08-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

My youngest child was off to his first day of Kindergarten today.

What a special day. It may be reflect on many things. One was Robert Fulghum's book "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN".

This book get me to think about my tendency to overcomplicate things at time. So my thought for you (and me) today is keep it simple, slow down, pay attention and be kind.

Here is some words directly from Robert Fulghum...

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

(Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum)

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@AnInvitationtoPersonalPeace.com

P.S. Are you paying attention?

The Best Night's Sleep Ever - No Pills Required

2008-08-19T05:38:00.000-07:00

If you're like most people with sleep problems, your
mind is simply overloaded with tension and strain by
the time your head hits the pillow.

You lie there trying to relax, yet you play the day's
events over and over in your mind. You dwell on money
problems. Kid problems. Marriage and relationship
problems. You can't shut off your brain and get to
sleep, no matter how hard you try ... and the frustration
mounts up.

But imagine if you could release the weight of the
world at bedtime. Automatically, too, so you don't even
give it a thought. And without taking a single pill,
either.

Well, that day is finally here...

And I don't want you to miss out.

Today, my friend Mike Brescia of Think Right Now
International has gathered together over 105 leading
authors and experts to show you breathtaking new ways
to ease your stress, calm your mind, enjoy greater
success - including the one, best way to get the
blissful night's sleep you deserve, night after night.

Go here now to find out what's going on:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

Mike and the research team at Think Right Now have
just released a remarkable new program called "Tranquil
Sleep Now." But this isn't just another self-help book
or tape. It's so important - life-changing, really --
that over 100 other health and self-improvement experts
are helping them spread the word.

You see, "Tranquil Sleep Now" does what no other sleep
aid in the world can do: It corrects the root causes of
your sleeplessness, instead of just knocking you out
with brain-altering substances like drugs and herbal
supplements do.

This program has only been out a few weeks, yet Mike
has already received testimonials from dozens of people
whose sleep problems disappeared the very first night.

That's right; lifetime insomnia gone -- just like that.

It's THAT powerful.

Go here to learn what the fuss is about -- and get
access to over 105 free bonus gifts:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

By the way, "Tranquil Sleep Now" is NOT hypnosis or
one of those "sounds of nature" tapes. Instead, it
combines two proven mental conditioning techniques in a
unique audio format that has a remarkable track record
for success.

It breaks the chains of troubled sleep naturally by
targeting and transforming the self-defeating thoughts,
feelings, and beliefs that loom in your mind when you
go to bed.

So if you're sick and tired of waking up feeling like
you've been through an ultimate fighting match,
"Tranquil Sleep Now" guarantees a full night's sleep
every night.

No drugs. No herbs. No time investment. No ongoing costs.

You'll love it.

This program is like an audio knockout pill that trains
your mind to shut down on command so that you can fall
asleep anytime you want anywhere you want without any
strain or effort.

Please take advantage of this now before this special
is over. Check it out here - and claim your 105 free
bonus gifts, too.

- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

To the best night's sleep of your life every night,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. Check it out at http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

Live authentically...

2008-08-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

You will never be enough when you are not being yourself.

That's right.

You will never be enough when you are not being yourself.

Don't settle for the half lived life.

Don't settle for a wimpy life.

Don't quell your passion.

There are consequences for going 1/2 throttle.

Don't give up on your intensity.

You see, many of us train ourselves to disconnect or disown important aspects of who we are.

We do this to fit in or not upset the apple cart or not upset others.

But...

Being strong makes others feel strong.

Being yourself gives other people permission to be their best self.

So...

Be yourself.

Recover your true self.

Take off the masks.

Don't hit the mute button on your life.

It's all about alignment.

Align with your nature.

Find relationships and environments where you can fully show up.

Step out of fear or limitations into your true self.

To quote Marianne Williamson...

'Your playing small does not serve the world'.

'The world needs you'.

You need you.

Have an authentic week.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

P.S. Have you considered hiring a coach?

5 Step to Success

2008-07-24T10:42:00.001-07:00

Follow these guidelines and you’ll find each day more productive! You’ll be amazed at how much you begin to accomplish!

1. Set out deliberately to make every day highly productive.

Decide on one main purpose for each day. Determine that you’re going to achieve that one object above everything else. If you accomplish even one worthwhile thing each day, you’ll be inspired to keep moving ahead! And a series of successful days makes a highly productive year!

Achievement begins with a definite, written plan for each day’s work. Be strict with yourself on this one. It’s vital to your best progress.

After planning your day, start working right away with passion and excitement. Do your honest-to-goodness best. If some part of your work seems boring, put more heart and purpose into it, and you’ll be surprised at the satisfaction and motivation that’ll pop up!

2. Make the most of your opportunities each day. Whatever you do, always expect success. Make the most of your best talents.

There are opportunities all around you! Look for them. Grab them and hold on tight! Keep your eyes fixed upon one purpose, and remember that perseverance may carry you far beyond your immediate goal. It could bring you even greater success than you anticipate.

Don’t wait for your best working mood, but create it. Concentration is one of the great secrets of achievement. Apply yourself wholeheartedly to a task for one hour. You’ll accomplish more than you will from several hours of aimless effort. Get used to doing one thing at a time and to do it thoroughly.

3. Appreciate the privilege of work.

You can’t afford to take things easy while climbing the ladder of success. Don’t back up because difficulty comes knocking at your door. Move ahead. Don’t be scared of a little work. Work is the medicine of the soul. It’s more than that - it’s your very life.

You don’t need extraordinary abilities for the highest success. In most instances successful folks rise to the top by making the most of ordinary talents and opportunities. A person of average ability inspired by hard work and determination will outstrip a genius who doesn’t know where he’s headed.

4. Be courageous!

You’ll be confronted by difficulties and discouragements, but decide to be strong and focused at all times. Make yourself do the difficult things. Get them out of the way first. Your courage and motivation will grow.

5. Develop extra energy reserves.

Store up energy for future use. Now, you may wonder how you can store up what you don’t have, but you’re better equipped than you think.

At the next sign of mental or physical laziness or inclination to give up because of a challenge, try the following exercise: Stand up straight, breathe deeply, rise on your toes, and stretch your arms toward the ceiling. Repeat this several times with gusto. Shake out the lazies, and then get back to your work with renewed energy.

Change of work is restful and revs up your brain power. People don’t often break down from overwork but from lack of organization and knowledge.

Work during all the working hours of the day. Try to make every moment count. Put your whole strength and best effort into the work of the moment.

Also, make time for leisure outside of your regular business hours. Free time is actually most enjoyable when there’s plenty of hard work before and after it. Really!

Take action on these 5 steps, and you’ll find your days filled with great joy and effectiveness.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@AnInvitationtoPersonalPeace.com

Creativity and Success

2008-07-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

As you ponder your goal and determine the best course to achieve it, you will need some creative ways of thinking and facing challenges that will arise. The most creative-thinkers out there will encourage you to think outside your box and to consider even the wildest of ideas.

One way to do this is to “Wild Mind Brainstorm.” Wild-Mind is done by having a piece of paper and writing down EVERY idea that occurs to you about the situation you’re facing. Do NOT evaluate your ideas—just write them down. Do NOT consider something “ too silly” or “too dumb” to write down—just write it down!

Evaluate your ideas in a few days, but not when you’re writing them down. Consider these ideas much like a newborn baby. You must cradle that baby and hold it lovingly and help it grow to a responsible adult. The same goes for your new ideas. You might find that one idea you would consider to be the “silliest” turns out to be your key for unlocking the door you’re facing.

Remember the guy who came up with the idea for Post-It Notes? The adhesive was discovered long before they found a use for it—and the person who said, “Let’s make some note pads that are small and can be easily removed,” was laughed at. But now—do you even see ONE office without Post-Its around? I have at least 6 pads of Post-Its in my desk drawer alone. There’s one in the kitchen, and one in the car.

Another way to increase your creativity is to be around others who are creative. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.” If you hobnob with those who are known for creativity, it will wear off on you. And you will find new ways of looking at things and thinking about situations, as well.

You can find audio-books and speeches that will stir up your creative juices as well. Professional speakers and those who have “been there, done that” often hit the speaking-circuit and can pump fresh ideas and life in your goal and the ways you attain those goals.

I prefer removing myself from the goal-achieving mode and moving to a truly creative outlet—the arts. You may not consider yourself artsy or think you have any ability in this realm, but it’s worth taking a lump of clay (or Play-Doh) and working with it.

You may find, as I do, that when I’m working on a hobby that I truly love, I free up a portion of my brain that was engaged in my problem-solving. When that happens, I typically find a potential solution to my dilemma. Artistic creativity often sparks other forms of creative-thinking, as it engages a different area of the brain than what we’re used to using. Pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, arrange some flowers, or begin a needlework project. You may find in color and artistry you have a new lease on what you’re doing!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Relationships and Success

2008-07-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

Once you know the formula to success, it’s time to consider different avenues in which that formula should be put in to action. The main one you’ll find in every area of your life is relationships.

Why relationships? Because we are human beings, designed to interact with other human beings. This, by default, entails relationships. And also by default, if you don’t have appropriate skills to manage your relationships, you will fail miserably at whatever success you’re aiming for. The first relationship you must consider is the one you have with yourself. If you don’t like yourself, chances are great you will project that dislike to others and your lack of self-appreciation will not propel you to success in any given field. The higher your integrity is, the more you will like yourself. The more you like yourself, the better your relationships will be with others—from the inside out. Your family relationship is the next thing to examine. The most successful Harvard Business graduates (class of 1949, by percentages) had several things in common:

o They had wives who supported their work and endeavors; women who were intelligent and able to share ideas and be a sounding board

o They built their personal, family, and business lives on a foundation of integrity Family relationships are extremely important as you consider your path to success. If you fail here, you will not succeed elsewhere—we’ve already covered that in depth. Business relationships follow closely behind family relationships. They play a major role in the security and productivity of every individual involved in them, as well as the success and growth of the company.

You must also learn to manage your frustration as you deal with relationships. Because we are all human, we all have problem-areas and “sticking points” that will irritate and inflame others. If you can manage your frustration and turn a bad situation with an individual in to something you can learn from and make profitable, you will be that much farther ahead on your road to success.

Consider also, that the next person you meet is important. He or she might look like someone who cannot help you in your field, but then again, looks are deceiving. You never know when the person you assist might be able to assist you or report back to your boss what a great job you’re doing!

Summing up this section, you should be able to see how healthy family relationships, a willingness to go above & beyond at work, and an ability to consider the next person as important can have a monumental effect on your path to success. We cannot do it alone, and that mere fact means we must deal appropriately with people and relationships!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Reflect Your Way to Success

2008-07-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

At some point on your road to your goals, you’ll need to take some time to reflect and assess where you are, where you’ve been, and how this is affecting where you want to go. One way you can determine how you’re doing and where you’ve been is to journal. I personally am not a journaler, nor do I think everyone needs to be. But journaling is a great way to track your progress. If you feel intimidated by a blank book that’s sold as a “journal,” blog it. Blogging is a good way to put your thoughts down and out there in cyberspace.

Or choose an audio-method: speak in to a tape recorder. If, like me, you’re not a journaler, keep track of your progress and setbacks in the form of check-marks or some other recording-method. I personally like to reassess after achieving some part of my goal. There is usually a natural denouement that comes with an accomplishment—a little bit of “time off,” as it were. I use that time to consider what I’ve finished and how it fits in to my goals and success.

Another time to reflect and consider is when you’ve hit a stumbling block. As you look at the obstacle in front of you, try to figure out where it came from and why you might not have seen it before you tripped over it. If you have strayed off-course and found this boulder that way, this is the time to determine that. If you’ve lost sight of your values, you may have found this problem as a result of that. Reassess now and get back on track. Don’t forget your key value of integrity and realize that integrity is the most important thing as you pursue success.

Finally, use reflection time to re-evaluate your goals. Have your goals changed a bit since you wrote them down? An example is a goal to pursue your doctoral degree and defend your dissertation within 4 years of starting your program. If you were single when you started your program and got married during your education, you might find that your timeline is less important now than it was 2 years ago. You might find that if you take an extra year to defend your thesis, you’ll have a richer, more productive document to defend, as your spouse may be able to help you consider things you hadn’t seen before.

Regardless of how you assess and consider your goals and your path to success, it’s important that you do. Everyone needs tweaking along the way, and that also applies to the goals we set for ourselves.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Get into the Success Zone

2008-07-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “in the zone,” particularly as it applies to athletes or others who are unflappable as they eye the goal. Sometimes you can be in the zone regarding your success and nothing gets in your way; other times you can do everything right and find that whatever can go wrong, will. Here are thoughts on building the habit of success and getting “in the zone.”

o Achieve Success by Expecting It: You must understand that the path from where you are to where you want to be is not always smooth or straight. When you hit those inevitable bumps in the road, your character, commitment, and attitude will help get you “in the zone” or at least, keep you there.

o Success Breeds Success: “Mo.” That shortened word of “mo” speaks of momentum—the ability to continually succeed and build on the past successes you’ve had. Most people understand that when they have one (big or small) success, it encourages them and makes them believe they can do anything. Salespeople know it, and they strive for it. When you’ve unlocked the key to your success (whatever that may be), you’ll find your “mo” and that nothing can get in your way.

o Choosing Success: We all understand that we can choose to be happy or miserable, and that our choices will affect our lives for the better or worse. When you opt to be happy, you choose to identify with the accomplishments in life that exude who you are and who you have striven to be. You can choose to look on the positive side, just as you can choose success. Remember, success is more than just wealth. Choose the positive side of things and you choose to remember and live your successes, not your failures.

o Experts Don’t Know Everything: If you have a plan that seems to go against all the conventional wisdom and yet you know in your soul that this WILL work, then follow your gut instincts. The “experts” are wrong all the time—from medical experts who predict incorrectly to future-trending experts who foretell the wrong trends and costs corporations millions.

More than 100 years ago, someone wanted to close down the US Patent office because he thought everything that could be invented had been and that no one would need to patent anything else, ever. So don’t listen to the nay sayers and “experts”—sometimes they are dead wrong!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Overcoming "failure" for success

2008-07-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you’ve been giving it your all. Well, maybe not your *all*, but a good portion of your all. And you’re not seeing any progress. So now what? Are you doomed to failure and never to succeed? No! Keep reading.

One thing that you need to understand is that failure is an event, not a person. It doesn’t define you as a “loser” for the rest of your life—unless you let it. Failure happens to you—it isn’t who you are. You’re not a victim, but it also doesn’t define you. So when it happens (notice I didn’t say “if”), pick yourself up and get ready for the next event in your life.

You must adjust your attitude as you recuperate from a failure. You will rise to your own expectations. Psychologists call this a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” and we are suckers to believe our own words. So adjust your attitude to the positive side of things.

Remember the guy who came up with the brilliant idea to change Coke? Back in the 80s (for those of you who were mere babes during that decade), someone had a stroke of genius—or so he thought. The Coca Cola company decided to compete more with Pepsi, and changed the formulation of their signature product—Coke.

They called it “The New Coke.” It bombed. No one enjoyed the new taste and the calls were immediate to bring back “the old Coke.” After a few months of hemming and hawing, Coca Cola executives brought back the original formula of Coke and ditched the new stuff—and its creator.

So what happened to the guy whose idea this was? He left Coca Cola and began to look for new work. The trouble was, his name was well known in the business community and everyone connected him to the failure that New Coke was. He finally landed an interview in which he got a fair shake: the interviewer asked what he had learned through the problems the New Coke had created.

Naturally, he indicated that he had many lessons learned from the fiasco. He didn’t let failure define him, and he ended up landing the job for which he was interviewing. Good for him, right? But good for the company that hired him, too. They were willing to take a chance on a creative risk-taker who had a very public failure on his record.

Many of those who are considered to be “successful” have had failures dot their lives.

Think of Abraham Lincoln. Do you remember learning about all of his so-called faulures on his path to becoming the President of the United States? Here is a short short list of those “failures”:

1831 – Failed in business
1832 – Defeated for legislature
1833 – Again failed in business
1834 – Elected to legislature
1835 – Sweetheart died
1836 – Had a nervous breakdown
1838 – Defeated for speaker
1840 – Defeated for elector
1843 – Defeated for Congress
1846 – Elected for Congress
1848 – Defeated for Congress
1855 – Defeated for Senate
1856 – Defeated for Vice-President
1858 – Defeated for Senate
1860 – ELECTED PRESIDENT

“Failures” were merely events from which he recovered from, learned from and moved on from. And you should take the same tact when confronted with something that didn’t turn out like you hoped it would.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Focus on Success

2008-07-13T05:39:00.001-07:00

I have heard the saying many times that “what you think about expands”.

Earl Nightingale said “you become what you think about most of the time”.

So…

Start thinking more about success. Start thinking about your successes - the big ones and the small ones.

I suggest that you start keeping a success journal. Simply get yourself a spiral notebook. Pick a time each day to write down at least one success that day. Pick that connection you made, that accomplishment, that thing you tackled that you have been putting off.

Focus more on your success and your successes, and you will create even more success.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Overcoming Anxiety for Success

2008-07-10T04:35:00.000-07:00

Anxiety is the result of either a) not believing you can achieve your goals successfully or b) having a fear of not achieving your goals. Either can stop you in your tracks when it comes to being successful.

Worrying is not anxiety, but it can accompany being anxious. Ultimately, what anxiety does as well is distracts you from your stated goal.

You must plot your course for success. If you have your goals well-defined and your “insurance policies” in place (such as friends who can encourage you, experts in your chosen field who can guide you, etc.), anxiety and worry don’t have much room to take root. If you are a negative person, however, you can give birth to these twins without much effort.

If you don’t believe in your goals or don’t believe you can achieve them, your attitude will determine your level of success. And that’s where worry and anxiety come in to roost.

Your first step in overcoming anxiety is to make sure you have your goals written down—or at least, entered in a PDA where you can easily retrieve them and view them regularly. If you can see your goals and the small steps you’ll take to achieve them (and have a check-mark system to chart your progress), pull it out and read over it when you begin to feel anxious.

The second step is to correct your attitude. If you dwell in the “I can’t” and “I’ll never,” you’re right—you can’t and you’ll never. Instead, you need to dismiss those thoughts and consider what you have already accomplished and what next goal your series of baby steps will achieve. We go back to the truth “attitude is everything.”

Henry Ford famously said, “Either you think you can or you think you can’t. Either way, you’re right.” On this point, I think he was correct. As an inventor, he had the opportunity to dwell on all the times his Quadricycle prototypes failed. Instead, he moved on, learning from the failures and mistakes. He didn’t let a bad prototype stand in his way of succeeding. He overcame any anxiety and worry with positive attitude and a gritty determination.

The final step to overcoming anxiety is to have those around you who can encourage you. We talked about this when discussing setting your goals and making sure that you have the appropriate support system around you. Anxiety and worry rarely come to a party of more than one—they like to torment individuals. Two or three people have the benefit of seeing different angles of a challenge and being positive about the outcome. So if you find yourself worrying or anxious, tap your support system. Don’t do it at 3:00 in the morning (your support system won’t be very supportive at that hour!), but do it as soon as it’s practical. You’ll thank yourself and continue on towards your goal.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Get it Going, NOW

2008-07-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Today – it’s simply the “bottom line”. Today is yours, with all its magic possibilities of being and doing. Yesterday, with its mistakes, lost opportunities, and failures, is gone forever. Fretting about those fiascoes won’t get you anywhere, except maybe the doctor’s office for ulcer medication!

And we’re not concerned about tomorrow right now. It’s still just a wink and a promise.

Today you have the here and now -your reality. Today is the clay in your hands. You mold it and make it what you choose.

One effective today plus another effective day – add 365 of those and you get one incredible year. That whiz-bang, take-you-to-the-top year is created simply by focusing on what’s in front of you right now. What can you take action on right now - even if it’s just for a few minutes- that will bring you closer to your goal?

Do you want a stronger family life? What can do you right this minute that will support that goal? Perhaps it’s to communicate, perhaps it’s to forgive. Maybe it involves setting work aside and playing with your children. Do it – right now. Take the next step immediately.

Do you want greater income from your business? Then what money making activity can you focus on right now to get you closer to that goal?

Decide to make every moment of your life enriched by the right use of each passing moment. When you do so, you naturally eliminate worry from your life – and that’s one disease out of the picture!

How do you reach success? Simple. Do your best every day, with whatever you have.

By all means, plan for the future, and revise your plans in relation to what you accomplished yesterday. But in order to move forward, you must take action today.

Just get started. Set a timer for five minutes and decide you’ll work on the most pressing job for that long. Then you have complete permission to stop. 99.9% of the time, getting going is the tough part, and once you’ve taken one baby step, you’re motivated to tackle more of the job. As one of my mentors Mike Litman frequently says, “You don’t have to get it right, just get it going.”

This simple rule, if followed on good days and blah days and terrible days, will create an incredibly beautiful life! And the legacy you leave for others will inspire them to greatness as well.

Remember, today is a precious possession and your happiness and success , or misery and failure depend on it!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Develop Your Will Power for Success

2008-07-07T07:35:00.001-07:00

Developing your will-power is directly related to success in life. No one can ever estimate the power of your will.

Most people don’t end up failing because of too little education, but from lack of determination and concentrated will-power.

Just as the athlete trains for his physical race around the track; the mind must be put into training if you want to win life’s race.

The process of obtaining this self-mastery – the complete command of your mind’s powers – is a gradual one. It involves determination and the daily task of making it a habit. Once you have self-mastery, the cost of obtaining it will seem like a drop in the bucket.

You don’t need to be a genius to succeed – just make yourself do the thing you have to do when it has to be done, whether you like it or not. It’s the best lesson you can learn!

When Henry Ward Beecher was asked how he could accomplish so much more than others, he replied, “I don’t do more, but less than other people. They do all their work three times. Once in anticipation, once in actuality, and once in rumination. I do mine in actuality alone, so I end up doing things just once.”

Beecher could concentrate his mind on what he was doing at a given moment. Then he’d go to something else and concentrate on it. One of the secrets of a successful life is to be able to focus all our energies on one thing.

The habit of worrying crowds your thoughts with worthless clutter. Focus on what you’re doing while you’re doing it, and stop worry in its tracks. The worry habit constantly saps your energy. It reduces your chances of success.

If you don’t learn to focus your efforts, you will never achieve the success you’re capable of. The earlier in life you learn this, the better! Here’s a recipe for a wasted life – just go about every day trying to do too many things at once. Splitting yourself up into a hundred parts leads to nowhere.

Concentrate your efforts on one task at a time, and you’ll reach the top. It’s not the amount of work that you can do in one stretch, but your persistence that pays off.

Keeping at it – that’s the key!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@AnInvitationtoPersonalPeace.com

Become a success magnet

2008-07-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how people gather around a person who exudes confidence. Someone who believes in himself and sees the potential in others around him. A man or woman who perseveres, continuing to put one foot in front of the other until success is attained. How does a person develop such a magnetic personality?

She chooses to be enthusiastic and develops the positive attitude of “knowing no defeat”.

Think about it. How many successful people do you know who have gloom and doom personalities? If a person like that even exists, it’s likely any success that came to him was out of pure chance.

The successes are folks who’ve developed the ability to smile in the face of challenge and who step right in and take charge when others just stand around doing nothing. And they keep going when others give up. The confident person hears obstacles say, “jump over me” not, “too bad, now you’ll never make it.”

To really develop a magnetic personality, start working on a cheerful attitude. You can’t start too early. Actually, if you learn the power of cheerfulness and self-confidence when you’re young, you’ll always carry it with you.

I’m not talking about being self-absorbed and cocky. It’s about self-mastery and realizing you’re on the map because you belong here.

And the importance of enthusiasm and a good sense of humor can’t be overstated at this point. Whenever you lose your ability to laugh, your physical and emotional health start to decline rapidly.

Don’t you enjoy being around someone with a genuine laugh and fun sense of humor? It really is one of the characteristics of great personalities.

So laugh heartily! A real laugh springs naturally out of confidence and a positive mental attitude. Never miss a chance to laugh aloud. A smile and a good chuckle will encourage--but out and out laughter is the real thing that will draw others to you. They’ll wonder who on earth is enjoying life that much!!

You can triumph over the challenges and obstacles of life when you believe and stay excited about

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Your Confidence Must Exceed Your Doubt and Fear for Success

2008-07-05T09:38:00.001-07:00

How many people do you know with impressive self-confidence and courage? The kind of confidence that tackles every obstacle before them without considering turning back?

Would you like to develop this kind of belief system for yourself?

Try this activity. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Anyone can do it, but few will realize its power. Give it a try and see what positive changes occur in your life.

Just before going to sleep, focus clearly on whatever you want to achieve. Speak passionately and resolutely to yourself. Impress upon your mind any new goals you’ve made, and say to yourself, “I will accomplish this task—I will concentrate my best efforts upon this goal—I have the power to achieve it and I will absolutely, positively do it.” As your eyes grow heavy, reaffirm your dedication.

Some folks advise telling the world when you’ve set a goal you want to achieve. This isn’t necessary. Don’t tell others what you’re doing or plan to do, but just go ahead and do it. If you tell them, they may try to bring you down or tell you every terrible scenario or challenge you could ever face.

Keep your cool. Keep thinking of your clearly defined goals, and don’t allow your mind to be influenced by others’ opinions or accidental circumstances. That’s not saying to ignore sound counsel. But when you’re sure that what you’re doing is the right thing, and you’ve thought seriously and deeply about it, just go ahead and proceed regardless of negative people around you.

The right kind of self-confidence acknowledges the talent within yourself and others. It radiates from your whole being. Your faith in yourself, in what you have to offer and in your abilities will unmistakably be revealed in your speech and body language. You can’t hide it! The confidence you feel in yourself causes others also to feel confidence in you, so that they will be ready to listen to you and be more persuaded by you.

Given a choice, it’s usually better to have too much confidence than too little! And it’s certainly within your power to take it!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Moving through fear for success

2008-07-04T07:51:00.001-07:00

There are times when simply thinking positively won’t move you past your fear and anxiety. There are times when simply plodding it out is the thing you must do.

The Evangelical speaker Joyce Meyer says, “If you’re afraid to do it, just DO IT AFRAID.” No one will blame you for being fearful—what you will be blamed for is letting that fear immobilize you. So no matter what it takes, keep moving.

Fear is much like a quagmire—it slurps at our feet and if we stand still long enough, it begins to suck us down. It’s hard to get out of, but it is possible.

If you’re stuck in fear as you shoot for success, there are several ways out:

First, consider the source. Where did the fear come from? Have you been dwelling on the difficulties instead of the opportunities? Have you been listening to those who are cynics and pessimists, instead of coaching yourself with positive words and people? If so, MOVE ON. GET AWAY from people and situations that drag you down.

Second, take your checklist and note what you HAVE accomplished. Look at your list of goals and the baby steps you’re taking to get there, and on a separate sheet of paper (or a separate document in your computer), begin to list everything you have accomplished. This will begin to empower you to move on and leave the fear behind.

Third, take stock of your talents and skills. Fear often tells us that we “don’t have what it takes…” Show fear as the liar it is: list your skills, all your positive attributes. Then look at the problem again, after you have a new appreciation for your God-given talents and abilities.

Fourth, don’t underestimate the power of prayer. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, there is an amazing power that comes from releasing your fear to a God Who loves you and is looking out for you. Don’t bottle the fear up—let it go. You don’t need it anyhow!

Finally, remember this acronym when facing fear:

o F= False

o E= Evidence

o A=Appearing

o R=Real

For that’s really what fear is—it is an unrealistic look (false look) at something and attempting to make you believe it (appearing to be real).

Once you know these things, you’ll be able to move past your fear and on to the next step you need to be successful!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

I have "the success attitude", now what?

2008-07-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Let’s say you’ve got your attitude correct, the right skill set honed, and the right philosophy. Great! You’re on your way – somewhere. If you don’t have the right direction planned out, you’ll simply wander aimlessly.

You don’t attempt even the smallest of construction jobs without a plan, and yet many people work in a field they just happened to “fall in to” because someone suggested it, or a friend was doing it, or even worse—they didn’t have anything else to do.

Wandering through your career can be just as deadly as wandering through a desert without a compass and canteen—in both places, you can die a slow death of thirst and exhaustion.

You must know where you want to go in order to set a direction for your life and career. You’ve probably heard the adage, “No one plans to fail, but they do fail to plan.” So determine where it is that you want to go (i.e., what you want to do) and set a course for it.

I recommend doing something you love. Not something that you can tolerate or achieve a reasonable pension from after 30 years of work (do pensions even exist anymore?), but something you are truly passionate about.

If it’s music, think about how you are gifted in that area. Do you sing? Would your singing chip paint off a house? Do you have an ear for pitch and tune? Do you play an instrument? Consider the field of professional golf for a moment. Do you love to golf? Would you be willing to commit days, weeks, months, and years to bettering your game to the point when you could hit the pro-circuit?

Do you have a means to support yourself (and your family) while you work on your dream job? Would you be happy and content doing whatever you chose—for the rest of your days, if need be? These are all questions you should ask yourself as you try to set the direction for your life, and ultimately, for your success.

Now that you know where you want to go, you must plan and prepare for your destination. As you plan and prepare, it’s fair to expect that you will achieve that goal—expectations play a large role in success, no matter what the field. If you plan well and are committed to the work involved, then and only then, can you expect to achieve the desired results in your life.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Defining Success

2008-07-02T07:55:00.001-07:00

Success is defined in different ways by different people, but let’s talk about what most people agree “success” looks like.

Success Is: knowing you did a good job during your day and had positive interactions with other people

Success Is: looking forward to going home to your family and sharing yourself with them

Success Is: knowing you have enough funds to pay this month’s bills and the bills that will arise in the future

Success Is: knowing that your spiritual life is in order and that you have somewhere to turn when you hit a bump in the road

Success Is: having hobbies that you enjoy and having the time to work at them

Success Isn’t: putting your work ahead of your career

Success Isn’t: running home and then hiding from your family because you’ve “had a hard day”

Success Isn’t: having all the money in the world and then trying to figure out how to amass even more

Success Isn’t: going to a worship service and creating your “to-do” list during it

Success Isn’t: burning the candle at both ends, never having time to play or relax

In short, success is not always monetarily-related; you aren’t deemed “un-successful” if you don’t earn a six-figure salary. Success is more than moving up a corporate ladder and it touches more than just your career. It affects your marriage and family, your home life (finances, etc.), your spiritual life, and more.

Being successful is a balancing act. One isn’t considered successful in life if s/he climbs the corporate ladder but has a home- or family-life that is in shambles. One isn’t considered “successful” if s/he earns plenty of money to retire on, anticipating spending that retirement with family, only to find that his/her children are gone and disinterested in any family relationships by the time retirement is possible.

So is there one formula to be successful? I think there is, and the components are: positive thinking, the right skill set, the right philosophy, having direction, and having character. All of these things make up a formula for success, and each of these things, if left out of the formula, will cause an individual to lack success in life.

Learn how to think “success”so that you are successful at whatever you choose to do.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

Your Success, Your Character

2008-07-01T05:58:00.000-07:00

Without character, the puzzle of achieving success falls apart. It is most important of all pieces to life’s puzzle. Without character, you can make money. But it will be worthless to you and to those around you. Look out in the world today: drug dealers and con artists have money—but they lack character.

If you go to all the work of achieving success, you don’t want to mar it with a lack of character that will make people pity you as you age and become less than you were intended to be.

Character equals integrity. Integrity is doing the right thing all the time, even when no one else is watching. You don’t have anything to fear when your integrity is in tact, because you have nothing to hide. You experience no guilt and no fear. And without those two traveling companions, it’s much easier to climb higher and farther, faster!

What does this mean in a practical sense? It means that you will put the right philosophy (the golden rule) in to practice in all that you do. You will not step on someone else to climb the corporate ladder; you will not stack bodies in order to reach the CEO position that you desire. You will treat people with respect, honesty, and trust. You will behave towards others how you want (and expect) them to behave towards you.

You will be the model of “doing the right thing” in your office, even if it isn’t appreciated or understood. Chances are very good that if you’re the only one doing the right thing, you won’t last where you are, but you will find something better where your integrity is appreciated and applauded.

Character realizes that the most important things in life are not office- or work-based. They are family and a sense of responsibility to that family. Character will not sacrifice your family on the altar of “I’ve got to finish this project,” nor will it tell you children, “Maybe next time, hon,” when asked to play catch.

Your character will shine through as you put your family before your work, as you purposefully schedule time with them (and then keep those appointments you put in your planner), as you “date” your spouse and remember why it is you got married in the first place, and as you set an example that your spouse and children can be proud of.

The most important thing to remember as you consider character is that your children will grow up to be just like you. John Maxwell once said, “We teach what we know; we reproduce who we are.” So as a person who is full of integrity and character, you will reproduce those same traits in your children as you climb towards success in your life. And isn’t that really what it’s all about, anyhow?

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

More wisdom for your success jouney...

2008-06-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

Saturate your consciousness with these ideas as you walk your Road to Success:

Know that Failure is Just an Event. We talked about this at length previously, but it bears repeating. If you fail, it doesn’t define you—it just puts you back at ‘square one’ with your idea and plan.

Consider Your Responsibilities Before Your Rights. Our American culture drums it in to us that we must “have it now,” and many of us comply. You are successful when you are mature enough to delay gratification and move your focus from your “rights” to your “responsibilities.”

Fill Up on Faith, Hope, & Love. Your outlook determines your output, and your output determines your outcome. Choose to be optimistic, to read uplifting books, to listen to inspirational speakers. When you put faith, hope, and love in your mind and heart, you’re able to overcome adversity and live free from anger, greed, guilt, and envy.

Make Friends with Your Past—and then Look Ahead. You can use your past as a stepping stone to your future or you can let it cripple you. Either way, it’s your choice. When you can make friends with your past, be focused on the present, and have a bright opinion of your future, you have succeeded, no matter what your goal is.

Know that Success Doesn’t Make You. Along with the idea above, understanding that a win doesn’t make you and a loss doesn’t break you. If you win, you’ll still have more wins to make before you “arrive,” and if you lose, you’ll have more opportunities to turn that around in the future.

Stand up for What is Right. If you take a stand for what is right, even if it’s unpopular or costs you your job, you are successful. There is no disputing this fact.

Be a “Servant Friend.” Success isn’t defined by how many people wait on your every whim or need; it’s defined by how many people you can help or serve while you achieve your goals. If you can help others as you climb, you’ll learn more and climb quicker. A servant’s heart is the true hallmark of a leader and shows the character of the person in the position of leadership.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@AnInvitationtoPersonalPeace.com

5 Success Skills...

2008-06-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

There are many “Success Skills”. Below I identify 5.

Incorporate these skills into your strategy for success and you’ll move forward quicker than you ever dreamed!

Hustle: generally, people who make it big have one thing in common—they are dissatisfied with the status quo. They will not take what is “common” or “expected” and let that define their lives—they move past it and excel. You must work hard and hustle.

Character: someone coined the phrase, “character is what you do in the dark.” In other words, when no one is looking, will you behave differently than if someone was looking? If not, then you have character. If you are attacked, be tough—not hard. Don’t be a pushover, but be compassionate, gentle, and flexible—especially on procedure (not principle).

Risk Taking: this isn’t gambling, it’s a willingness to be bold, hearty, and to push forward. People who refuse to take risks are definitely going to lose. If you refuse a new promotion because you’re not confident of your skills, you will likely be passed over when a different chance arrives. Don’t be afraid of rejection, just take it as part of life and you’ll find there’s nothing to be afraid of—especially in the word “no.” “No” is just another opportunity to find a way around an obstacle and to use creative problem-solving skills.

Time Management: we all know that one minute has 60 seconds and that one hour has 60minutes. One day has 24 hours, and one year has 365 days. But one year also has 525,600 minutes. We don’t think about a year in such small increments, but maybe we should. We waste minutes as if they’ll always be around, and the fact is that time wasted is time we can never get back. We might miss a deal or promotion of a lifetime by wasting just a few minutes.

Proper time management is essential as you climb to success. Continue to break goals down in to manageable chunks—do that with relation to your day and the time you’ve been given. You’ll accomplish far more this way and you won’t regret using your time wisely.

Master Non-Verbal Communication: it is said that our body language and facial expressions do much more communicating than our words will ever do. When the words that you speak don’t match the expressions on your face or the stance of your body, you confuse the listener and muddle your message.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Sustainable success...

2008-06-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Develop these 5 attributes of a successful person, and you will find yourself moving quickly toward your goals in life!

Thick Skin: You cannot be easily offended or hurt if you want to be successful. There will always be people who are jealous or envious or out to bring someone else down—you must develop a way to see past that and let it roll off your back, like “water off a duck’s back.”

Ducks have feathers that are tight and their density act like oil—it keeps the duck dry and warm. So when water (cold or otherwise) lands on the back of a duck, it simply rolls off. Let criticism roll off your back in a similar manner—because if you are going to be successful, you will have your share of criticism. Count on it.

Obedience: although this might seem strange to talk about to adults and not children, it is important to consider that in order to be a leader, you must first learn how to obey a leader. You must learn the principle of loyalty to a leader if you want to lead others.

Once you have learned how to obey and to follow directions, you can lead others and understand what commands and orders do for an organization and an individual. Consider this: 175 of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are former US Marines, and 27 US Presidents served in the military.

Courage: Bravery is not courage, but you cannot have courage without being brave. Courage is the moral fortitude to stand up for your character (touched on in the last article) and to do the right thing—even in the face of adversity.

When you have courage, you follow through on your vision. It’s on display every day and only the courageous have the ability to get the most out of life. When you have the strength of your conviction, find the courage to put it in to action. You won’t be sorry you did.

Intolerance: not exactly what you might expect to find in an article about success, but each of us must be intolerant of any number of things: Intolerant of abuse, of injustice, of the things that you know are immoral, unethical, or illegal. If there’s anything in this world you should be intolerant of, those are some of them. I hope you are an intolerant person—in the right way.

Sense of Humor: If you don’t have a sense of humor, you will fall flat on your face and never be someone who succeeds. A good portion of the road we walk to success is filled with blockades and potholes. If you come up against one and go down, you must have the ability to laugh at the situation and yourself. If you don’t, you will be angry and bitter about your misfortune and never move past it. Laugh at yourself and what you run up against and you’ll find your climb to the top is quicker and more enjoyable than you thought it would be.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Your Success Philosophy...

2008-06-26T04:26:00.000-07:00

Why does it always come back to the ageless truths? Mostly because that which is truth is ageless and truth doesn’t change with the wind. “The Right Philosophy” can be defined by any number of phrases, but it always comes back to the “golden rule.” It’s re-phrased, but the essence is the same:

You can have whatever you want in life if you will just help others get what it is that they want.

This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky-feel-good theory, this is practical and will be strongly linked to your success, no matter what field you’re in. It shows that all aspects of success—business, personal, etc.—are linked together and will all have an impact on your financial success.

Everyone largely wants the same things in life; to be happy, healthy, to have at least some amount of prosperity, to be secure and have friends, to have a happy family life, to have peace, and to have hope.

Abraham Maslow called it the Hierarchy of Needs: our physiological needs are met, then we move on to the need for safety, then to the need for love, then on to the need for esteem, and finally what he called “self-actualization.” Fancy words to say that we all need the same things (the basic needs met) before we can achieve success, however it is that we define success.

No matter what your religious beliefs are, the golden rule is inherent in each religion; each just uses different words. The philosophy that you need to care for others (the “do unto others”) as you want to be cared for yourself (“as you would have others do unto you”) is at the heart of my phrase above—you will find success when you consider the needs of others as not only achievable, but something with which you can help.

When you do this, you not only set yourself to be assisted as you face needs in the future, but you also show others (and yourself!) that your own ambition hasn’t blinded you.

Remember: success doesn’t happen in the vacuum of work only. It’s something that touches every aspect of your life and the right philosophy will help get you there!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Success: Develop a "Can Do Attitude"!

2008-06-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

You must develop the right mental attitude on your road to success. Without being overly simplistic, think of “The Little Train Who Could.” Instead of having an “I Can’t” attitude, replace it with an “I Can!” attitude.

A positive outlook is necessary to see change coming, to be able to work with the change, and to make the most of whatever change comes down the pike in your life. If you expect change (but not from a vending machine!), you’ll be in a better position to accept it and make the most of it.

A fabulous book regarding change and positive attitude is “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson, MD.

In order to gain right thinking (being positive), you must decide to look at the bright side of life. Instead of seeing the cloud, see the silver lining in the cloud. Instead of seeing downsizing as a horrible thing that will plummet you in to bankruptcy and homelessness, consider it an opportunity to look for a better job and a chance to try new skills and career paths that you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try before. Don’t be pollyannaish, but do consider all sides of a situation before you adopt a negative perspective.

In order to maintain a positive outlook, you must also be realistic. For example, if you’ve gained 30 pounds in the last 3 years, it would be highly unrealistic to expect to drop those 30 pounds in 3 weeks. If you take an honest and realistic assessment of your skills and goals, you’re much more likely to find success in whatever field or career best suits you.

Maintain a cautious optimism as you seek success, not be blindly optimistic about every situation. There are some situations in which positive thinking cannot overcome the situation you’re faced with.

Consider Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots; he’s a man who’s in excellent shape. But if he decided to trade in his helmet and pads for ballet toe shoes, he likely wouldn’t make it, despite his physique. Blind optimism also puts you at the mercy of con men and charlatans—your optimism must be tempered by context and relevance.

No matter what your abilities are (and they are fabulous!), using them realistically will get you much farther than not. Your right thinking, paired with your abilities, put you on a course for success—no matter what field you’re in!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Develop a Success Attitude!

2008-06-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

In his book The Winning Attitude, John C. Maxwell, noted author and speaker tells us that attitude is:

The “advance man” of our true selves

Has inward roots but outward fruits

Is our best friend or worst enemy

Is more honest and more consistent than our words

Is an outward look based on past experiences

Is a think which draws people to us or repels them

Is never content until it is expressed

Is the librarian of our past

Is the speaker of our present

Is the prophet of our future

Your attitude, or your willingness to think positively, affects many people—from your family to the stranger you smile at in the grocery store. An optimist will see opportunity in difficulties, while a pessimist will see difficulty in opportunities.
You must choose which you will focus on: if you choose poorly, you will doom yourself to never achieving your goals and being successful. Count on that.

So how do you begin to think positively if you’re a natural pessimist? I don’t really believe there ARE natural pessimists, just people who have been taught how to consider the darkest side of every cloud.
You cannot change the fact that a problem exists, but you can do a lot to determine what opportunity is within that problem. Begin to see that problems are a fact of life and that your job is to find a way over, around, under, or through them—as quickly as possible. When you’re upbeat and consider how quickly a problem will be behind you, it’s easy to be optimistic.

Cynicism is another killer when it comes to attitude. It’s a cousin of pessimism—it considers everything suspect and everyone as having an ulterior motive. It never looks at someone handing you a piece of candy just to be nice, it always considers that there is a reason you’re being handed the candy and the motivation of the person who’s giving it.
Cynicism comes from having unrealistic expectations. Many people expect great and wonderful things to happen to them with little-to-no work on their parts. They expect things to fall from the sky in to their laps. When it doesn’t happen as they expect, they become suspicious of others who have achieved success and ultimately, cynical.

You must harness the power of your thoughts and words when setting your course for success. Use positive affirmations daily: remind yourself that a stumbling block is temporary and that you will overcome it; admit to yourself that you are courageous and able to move on when others cannot; agree with your vision for your life and your goals.

As you discipline yourself to do this, you will find optimism and positive thinking chasing you down the street. And who couldn’t use these two friends when we’re aiming for success?

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com