Preparation

By Mike Monahan, CEO and executive director of Life Success Seminars

Most people spend an enormous amount of time preparing for the future. I think that preparation can be a very good thing to do.

But the older I get, the less time I spend preparing. Awhile back, I figured out that what I think is going to happen never quite turns out the way I thought.

So if I can't predict the future, it doesn't make sense for me to prepare for what I don't know!

Today, I'm prepared to be surprised by life and to trust that I have the ability to make good decisions in the moment. My life is so much simpler this way!

Excuses or Choices?

By Mike Monahan, CEO and executive director of Life Success Seminars Inc.

I'm jealous of people who are going through Life Success's Basic seminar for the first time. Most of us carry so much drama. We believe it's true. We all have a story that we use so we don't have to risk in life.

And why is the first time in Basic so exciting? You have an opportunity to put down the drama and move on.

When I went to Basic, I had what I thought were really good reasons. But this is what they really were: excuses. After I finished Basic, I tried to convince myself that my excuses were what kept me from moving forward.

I eventually realized that my excuses didn't make me do or not do anything. Everything in life is a choice. You can do it or not do it, regardless of your excuses.

Honk!

"Close your eyes and go to your workshop" is a phrase familiar to grads of Life Success Seminars. It's a tool you can use from the workshop centering we do during our Basic seminar.

But "Close your eyes and go to your workshop" doesn't work very well when you're driving and someone cuts you off. Returning the favor by cutting them off while sending finger signals doesn't work that well, either. Honk!

Driving can be one of the most stressful parts of our day, so you can expect that things are going to happen. What options do you have besides reacting?

Try new ways to use your driving time to benefit you. You can drive slower. You can leave 10 minutes earlier and get on a different schedule than "that jerk." But here's a warning: There'll probably be a jerk in the new time slot, too!

Do what you can to stay calm while you drive, like listening to a book on CD or your favorite relaxing music. And leave the honking to the jerks!

Center vs. Middle

By Mike Monahan, CEO and executive director

In Life Success's Basic seminar, people often talk about how they're stressed out and don't have time to slow down. They say that they don't have time to center. They don't have time to relax their minds.

The word "center" is often used in the same context as "middle." But in Life Success programs, we're talking about the opposite of "middle" when we use the word "center."

Once you realize that all of life doesn't depend on you, things change. As you remove yourself from the middle and become responsible only for what is yours, you'll see the value of taking the time to be centered.

Being in the middle is stressful. So get out of the middle and into the centered!

Easing Stress

By Mike Monahan, CEO and executive director of Life Success Seminars Inc.

When I'm asked to speak, work/life balance is the most requested topic. Life is so hectic that people are looking for a tool to ease the stress.

The challenge is that most people want to continue doing what they do but change the end result. You've probably heard this, but doing the same things and expecting different results is the definition of insanity!

I believe that the best thing to do is to change your actions. But if you can't, then change your attitude. Decide that you want a busy life and stay in the moment. That alone will alleviate a ton of stress!

What Does "Centered" Mean to You?

"Centering isn't just something to do. Centered is something to be," is a familiar line from Life Success's Basic seminar."

Have you ever taken the time to answer the question, "What does 'centered' mean in my life?" Is it how you treat yourself and the people in your life? Does being centered or not centered affect your attitude?

"Centered" means different things to different people. Defining what centered means to you is important. Once you decide, it's a matter of putting action behind it to make it happen.

I guarantee that your world will appreciate a centered you!

Pictures

By Mike Monahan, CEO and executive director of Life Success Seminars Inc.

I believe that the mind sees information in pictures. If you do, too, doesn't it make sense to envision your goals as more than words?

I have a 4 ft. x 8 ft. whiteboard in my basement. I write my goals on the whiteboard, and I also draw pictures of what I want. For example, last year I had the goal to write my book "From the Jungle to the Boardroom." And I did! My book was published in April 2011.

This year, I had a goal for the book to be a #1 best-seller. So I drew a picture of my book with a BIG "#1" written on it. And I achieved my goal! My book debuted at #1 on Inc. magazine's best-seller list. (BTW, my book is available at Amazon.com and 800ceoread.com.)

Is it time to sit down and play with the ideas that live inside you? Get a notebook or a whiteboard and start to draw. Put your imagination on paper and create a visual map to your future!