There is ALWAYS a CHOICE

There is Always a Choice

In my career I have met thousands of people. I can’t help but notice some characteristics of a small percentage of those thousands of people.  The few, the very few, are those who have been kicked and left to rot. These few have failed over and over and have chosen not to give up.  These people come in all sizes and colors but there is a certain consistency in all of them.

The few who stand whenever they are knocked down have a few ingredients that I will share with you. The first ingredient, that they have, is a plan. A plan? A plan for their lives is in writing.  This serves as a reminder to them every single time they get knocked down or run into a road block.  Their written plan was not thrown together but rather it was designed with a great deal of thought.

The second ingredient that they have, in their lives, is a core of people who are smarter than the majority of people. These people could be in the form of books and/or mentors that invest into the few people that are going places in life.  These few have decided that life is not going to give them what they want to achieve. They understand that if they are going to reach any, significant, status in life they have to work very hard to get it.

The third ingredient is integrity. I have seen, in more than a few circumstances, where a lack of integrity will come back and hurt you in a big way. Integrity is one of the foundations of a life that is built on solid ground. There can be no excuse for dishonesty…ever. Dishonesty pushes people and opportunities away from you. Integrity says, “whatever happens…whatever situation I find myself in I will not be dishonest…I will not lie…ever.”

The fourth ingredient goes, hand in hand with the second ingredient. It is essential that you develop the habit of reading, every day, about people who have been successful. Of all the ingredients this will shorten your path to the top faster than anyone else in your life. Most people could never afford to be mentored by rich people but rich people read and write books. These books and articles provide a roadmap for you to leverage in your own life. If you allow this ingredient to be ignored your life will become far less than the life you should have lived.

The fifth ingredient is “guard your mind.” Your mind is the key to how you behave. When I was young I believed that I would never achieve much, in life, because of certain struggles. This belief system became part of my behavior until I was in my early twenties when I realized what I was telling myself became my destiny…my future. What you allow to leave your lips enters your ears and impacts your mind and behavior. This ingredient, if mastered, will push you toward the top at record speed. You must, always, remember to never ever let anything negative leave your mouth.

The sixth ingredient is to become a giver. The most successful people know that they are a funnel to be a blessing to other people. They know that they were the recipient of knowledge and kindness from others and decided to “pay it forward.”   This habit…this ingredient is essential because it keeps you from becoming selfish and developing a scarcity mentality. When you become a giver you find out that there is more than enough to share with the world.

You have a choice!

I Believe in you!

johnwcarver.com