“Action cures fear.  Indecision, postponement, on the other hand, fuels fear.

                                                                                                       - David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.

We certainly live in uncertain and challenging times.

In times of challenge, it is understandable for us to be in fear.  It is a natural reaction. 

While unpleasant, one could argue that sometimes fear can be a good thing.  Being aware of potential danger and having concern for our personal safety can keep us out harm’s way.  It can also provide us with a surge of power to overcome an immediate threat that confronts us.

As an instructor in adrenal self-defense...

“Once I made a decision, I never thought about it again.”

                                                                                             - Michael Jordan

Decisions, decisions, decisions…….. Scientists estimate that we make approximately 35,000 different decisions each day.  These range from what we will eat for breakfast and what clothes we will wear to life-altering choices in our businesses, relationships and our health and well-being.  

I know I can oftentimes find myself in “analysis paralysis” as I weigh in my mind what is the best decision to make in a situation. 

However, I have also found that once I make that decision based on the best information and...

“If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.

                                                                                       - Frank A. Clark

OBSTACLES are an inevitable part of the human experience.  They come in many forms; manifesting as health issues, financial struggles, relationship difficulties and overall roadblocks on our path to achieving our goals and desires.

Interestingly, much of our progress in today’s world is derived from our quest to deal with obstacles and overcome them in the easiest and most efficient ways possible. 

Look only as far as our modern-day technologies from the automobile and airplanes in travel to laptop computers and today’s smartphones...

“Master the basics.  Then practice them everyday without fail.  Small disciplines repeated with consistency everyday lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”

                                                                                                         - John C. Maxwell

Last week I shared the concept of how in martial arts, a Black Belt is nothing more than a “Master of the Basics”. 

When we bring the principle of “practicing the basics” into our everyday lives, we can find that it serves us greatly in creating mastery and success in everything we do.

I discussed in detail how the practice of my first three of six basic...

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious.  Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”

                                                                                          - Jim Rohn

I believe consistently and diligently practicing the basics is the key to success and mastery in any endeavor. 

In the Martial Arts, instructors consistently share with their students the following......

Black Belt is nothing more than being a 

master of the basics.

From early in my martial arts career, I have a vivid memory of my first martial arts instructor talking about the importance of practicing the basics.  He equated the basics as the...

“Sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

                                                                                                   - Dr. Seuss

I am writing this blog in the Las Vegas airport, awaiting my connecting flight back to Denver as I am coming home from my 40^th High School Class Reunion in Wisconsin (just to be clear, I was only 2 years old when I graduated).

It was an amazing time, reconnecting with so many friends, many of whom I have known since 1^st grade, reminiscing about memories of old and laughing about the times we shared together. 

While physical appearances had changed, many miles were between us and years had separated us for sometimes...

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”  

                                                                                           - Joel A. Barker

I believe we are all born with a vision for what we want in our lives inside of us. 

Just think back to when you were child and the numerous visions you had for what you wanted to be in when you “grew up”.  Your imagination was boundless.  I personally wanted to be a cartoonist, a doctor, an astronaut and a super-hero (Actually, when I was 5-years old, I WAS Batman).  

I believe these visions are set inside of us so that we have a path...

“It’s only when you make the process your goal that big dreams can follow.”

                                                                                      - Oprah Winfrey

While dreaming about victory can bring feelings of exhilaration and pleasure, champions understand that one cannot achieve success just by focusing on the end result. 

Rather, it is focus on properly enacting and completing the key steps along the way that leads to victory.  True champions understand that to experience success, the process is primary.  

In his book, With Winning in Mind, Olympic olympic gold medalist and author Lanny Bassham shares the amazing story of how he coached professional golfer, Ben Crane to his third...

“Erase the victim mentality.  Remember you are capable of achieving greatness; if you’d only believe in your abilities to overcome.  You are victorious.  Celebrate the victory.”

                                                                                          -  Amaka Imani Nkosazana

Throughout the years, I have had several meaningful conversations with my good friend, Theresa Byrne. 

But none brought the clarity and impact of a recent conversation when she shared her distinction of how our choices in responding to challenges can be broken down into three distinct ways of being that I will call the “3 V’s”….

Victim, Victor or Visionary

The concept is quite...

“(A) process orientation (versus outcome orientation) . . . asks ‘How do I do it?’ instead of ‘Can I do it?’ and this directs attention toward defining the steps that are necessary on the way. This orientation can be characterized in terms of the guiding principle that there are no failures, only ineffective solutions.”

                                                                                       - Ellen Langer, Mindfulness

Think of the last time you faced a major challenge in your life.  You may be at that place right now as you read this. 

How many times are we caught up in the mind game of whether we can successfully tackle a challenging situation?  Our minds can go in all types of...