I think that when it comes to planing out our future goals, knowing what to do or where to go is just the start. But have you ever stopped to think about what you need to get rid of in order to enjoy that success?

Well, for me, it was releasing my insatiable thirst for negative news. This included toxic TV news, newspapers, Internet and radio, participating in forums and/or discussions, and avoiding all “friendly” conversations about how life is just a never ending place of tragedies and despair.

I know that you might be thinking, “How could knowing what’s wrong with the world possibly affect me? After all, aren’t they showing us the truth?” Well, I’m sorry to say that for the last 15 years or so, most news media (especially in Latin America) have become a medium for over exposed sensationalism specifically designed to get you and me emotionally hooked into wanting to know more about this “truth.” Which often ends up making us all worked up for nothing.

News forums like these love to create a false state of panic within their target audience from which their sponsors will always gain a huge profit. And the more their customers make the more advertisement they sell. Then, you or someone close to you, ends up spending a day, a week, or a freaking lifetime feeling anxious and scared about something that in most cases isn’t even be true! So you tell me if it’s worth wasting your time and your piece of mind on garbage like this.

Come on, do our kids really need to see close-ups of drug raids and shot-up bodies during their cartoon breaks? And what about those month-long “special report” on how the economy is slowly turning into mush? Would you be inspired to start your dream business after that? Fuck no!

And what about all those useless, bipolar scientific studies that they always share with us? Today, they might say that coffee is the best stuff on earth, and tomorrow, you can’t even look at it because it’ll make you go blind. I mean, if you are going to share something stupid and irrelevant, at least stick with one version and let me drink my morning coffee in peace.

So, until those sadistic bastards decide to take their finger off the panic button, it is our responsibility to choose which information we will allow to grow inside our mind. After all, it is scientifically proven that whatever we constantly think, we become.

Now let me do you a huge favor and give you 4 awesomely good reasons to stop watching so much negative news.

1. You can become healthier.

Ask any well informed doctor who cares, and they’ll tell you that constant stress is probably the #1 cause for disease, chronic pains, and psychological issues. So you do the math: Less stress = fewer problems. I should know; I now sleep better, and haven’t got the flu since I began this experiment over 4 years ago! You can even lose excess weight by not letting those pesky stress hormones accumulate and turn into ugly fat.

But if for some reason you do need to watch the news, mentally disassociate from all the hype and take away whatever information is useful. Then you can do your favorite exercises, play with your pet, or take a Yoga or Meditation class. Or do anything that makes you happy! And if you add nutritious food to this mix you will develop a healthy body from the inside out.

2. You can make more dinero!!!

While we can’t deny that thousands of people have lost their jobs and their homes, most news reports tend to overlook the fact that there are thousands more who are not only surviving, but thriving to higher levels in this economy. And some do it without having a college degree or a lot of money to start with. So what’s their secret? They simply learned to turn their bad situation into very profitable one.

I personally know how scary it is to reinvent your life while we live in such an instable economy. But if someone else I already doing it, then all you have to do is find a way to mirror their attitudes and actions in what you want to do.

3. You will notice greater growth opportunities.

Believe it or not, great opportunities don’t just happen once; they are happen all the time. And in order to see and attract those opportunities you’ve got to be in the game looking for them. The clearer you are about what you want, the easier it will be for you to spot the chance that you were waiting for.

Know that your mind needs clear instructions in order to help you succeed in anything that you want. So focusing on bankruptcies and foreclosures will only make you a very efficient problem finder instead of problem solver. I promise that as soon as you start focusing on whatever it is that you want, you will also begin to see, hear and feel your way towards success.

4. You can better serve others.

Lets face it, people who think like us love to help others in any way we can. It’s just that in order to do that, we must put all our attention on creating real solutions instead of sitting passively on our butts while avoidable situations continue to happen. I once heard of a boy in the U.S. who grew so concerned about the water crisis in Africa, that he started a fund raising program enabling him to build wells for hundreds of families in need. Remember this the next time you think you’re incapable of helping others.

The great thing is that if enough people stop supporting this sensationalist news crap, they’ll either have to change the way they inform us, or get off the air for good. And this, my friend, is the start of a better, more productive life for everyone.

Let’s face it, it’s basically impossible to forget the people who’ve left a positive impact in our lives, especially those responsible for helping us achieve the success that we enjoy today.

It’s really amazing to see how these great leaders exude a powerful mix between power and humility that makes us wanna be more like them. But do you want to know a secret? If you are one of those people who have a real desire to educate, uplift, guide, and serve others, you too can become “memorable leader” that keeps impacting lives long after you’re gone.

Here are 4 tips that can help you take your group or your business to the next level by becoming a great leader that no one will ever want to forget.

Build Rapport.

The first requirement of becoming a “memorable leader” is simply developing great relationship skills with your people. In other words, it’s all about building an honest connection between you and those you want to influence.

So why does building rapport matter? Would you really follow a person that you didn’t know or like? I wouldn’t. Fact is, you’d probably do “only” what is required for you to do. But once you are done, you are gone. When leaders don’t try to connect with us, we often are left there believing that they don’t care. So why should we care about them?

I am not implying that you have to be everybody’s best friend. But if you want to be remembered as a great leader, you’ve got to find out what motivates every one within your crew. Find out about their personal goals and really listen to their suggestions. Make them part of the team, so they can contribute with their energy and insight. This not only helps you get things done, but it also helps to create an overall great vibe with the group.

Once you find out where your people’s heart is, then you can influence them effectively to the point that they will do almost anything for you. So be honest, give value, keep your focus on the end result, be firm without disrespecting others, build strong relationships, and constantly inspire people to give more than expected.

Ditch your Title

Having a leadership position is a great accomplishment because it means that someone else believed in your ability to influence. But if you rely on your title or rank to boss people around, you may be remembered more as the company jerk.

Personally, I’ve seen a lot of highly educated and experienced people crash and burn because they simply couldn’t shut up about themselves. This “I am better than you” attitude creates such a huge gap that makes leading basically impossible. Why not instead throw out the monolog and make it a conversation that starts with us in mind? After all, it is you, the leader, who needs us to follow, right?

So get involved with people and talk about the benefits that you have to offer. Let them know how you’re planning to make their lives better. Talk about how you’ve overcome your own obstacles and how it helped you get to where you are now. Mentioning your struggles reminds others that you are human too. Once they understand why you are there and what they can get out of it, then they’ll want to know more about your titles and accomplishments.

Create more Leaders

This is something that not every leader can do: making more of them. It’s not impossible, but some just can’t seem to get their ego out of the way. And this is why so many great employees prefer to leave companies with leaders that are not interested in helping them grow.

I believe there’s no better feeling as a leader that being able to help and inspire others to also become leaders in their field. Remember that we live in a predominantly world where most focus on their limitations instead of on their potential to succeed. That’s why it is your job as a person of influence to see possibilities and greatness in people – especially when they can’t see it for themselves.

Get ready to break some rules.

I guess it’s no coincidence that my favorite leaders were all rebels in their time.  It’s inspiring people like Einstein, Bruce Lee, Walter Disney, Bob Marley, Jesus, Buddha, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., they all were highly criticized for their actions and beliefs, and some where even exiled, incarcerated or killed for their powerful influence on others. But ironically, those same misfits eventually ended up being praised by the same people that judged them. “They were simply ahead of their time,” they say.

Just think about it. How many children do you think President Obama has now influenced to become something greater regardless of the color of their skin? Whether you like the guy or not, he willingly ignored the rules until he became the person that he set out to be. But could he have done this alone? Off course not. Obama also lead a huge team of people that willingly worked grueling hours in order to make his vision happen for their benefit as well.

So if you want to become an unforgettable leader, then remain faithful to your vision and your values, no matter who gets pissed off in the process. You don’t have to start a revolution to change the world, but you can always question what clearly doesn’t work. Remember that whatever good you seed today, will eventually grow and benefit those who come tomorrow.

You, me, and probably everybody else in the world have felt stuck at one time or another. The problem is that most of us get so used to where we are in our careers that we end up creating stupid lies about why we can’t have anything better.

And that’s what all self limiting beliefs are: a bunch of smelly, rotten, stinking lies that can hold you back from enjoying larger success. The great news is that you can drastically improve your results – especially in your career or business – by replacing those silly lies with empowering truths about yourself.

On that note, here are the 4 most common lies that may be keeping you, or someone you know from creating the success that you want and deserve.

Lie #1 “Studying after college is a waste of time.”

Sadly, I once believed that college gave us the necessary tools to become masters of our universe when it came to what we were preparing for. What I didn’t know at that time was that your level of success within what you do will depend on what you learn after graduation.

So here is the deal: if you do want reach higher levels of success, you will have to grow yourself first. This means investing your time, money, and energy on constantly improving your knowledge and skills so you can eventually become a person of great value in your field.

Here are the tools that you can use to become one of the best in your industry:

– Read more books. You don’t have to read a thousand books on a subject (although it would make you one hell-of-an-expert), but at least study the ones that have successfully helped others improve their results.

– Attend seminars, conferences and workshops. By attending these events you can learn the latest information on your craft. Listen, take notes, and then apply their steps, laws and principals until you develop your own formula for success.

– Find a great mentor. Mentors are important because they’ve already made it in their own lives, making them excellent teachers that can really help you reach you goal. Their wisdom and experience is a valuable asset that can help you cut your progress time in half.
(Note: If you have trouble finding a good mentor near you, you can always study and model the people you admire within you passion. Always keep in mind that if they did it, so can you.)

Lie #2 “Other people know what’s best for me.”

As I said before, mentors can help you succeed because they’ve “walked the talk,” but following advice from an inexperienced friend or loved one will only lead you nowhere.

Find the successful people who share your vision and values and use them as road markers for your own great journey, instead of wasting your time on someone else’s goals.

Be nice to the people who support you, even when their loving advice doesn’t help you at all, and make them part of your growth process. As long as you don’t let anyone steer you away from who you are, you will eventually make your goal happen.

Lie #3 “I guess this is all I can do.”

Here is another one of those crappy, medieval beliefs that are still trying to convince people into staying where they are. Understand that your past and your present do not have to determine your future; but if you always settle for mediocrity, that’s all you’ll ever get. Have a bigger vision for yourself my friend!

Know that whatever you can see and believe in your mind you can eventually create in your life. See yourself in a bigger position, or being hugely successful doing something that you love. Make it as real as possible and fill in the details as if you were creating your future movie.

See yourself talking with your satisfied customers, imagine your new home or car, see yourself helping others by donating services or money, and see the people you admire congratulating you on your success.

Believe me; your imagination is far more powerful than you think. Once your mind is clear on where you want to go, you will soon realize that you are capable of more than you think.

Lie #4 “I have to wait till I’m perfect.”

As an awkward teen I used to dream a lot about playing my guitar in front of my friends (especially the hot girls), but I was so afraid of making a mistake that I chickened out from trying. Then one day, I finally got the guts to perform at my high school talent show even though I knew I still wasn’t perfect. The great thing was that the audience loved it even with my mistakes. That day I learned three important things about waiting for perfection:

–First, people are more forgiving when they sense that you are passionate about what you do.

–Second, some of your imperfections are what make you unique.

–Third, real success is about taking action on your dream, even when you don’t feel like you’re ready.

The moral of my true story is that if I hadn’t taken a leap of faith on my goal, my life would’ve stayed the same, and I wouldn’t have developed the confidence to keep on going for even bigger goals while I was getting better. Everybody makes mistakes, but only those who never stop trying get to enjoy the rewards.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born… and the day you find out why”
Mark Twain

Understanding your true life’s purpose can become an event so powerful and profound that it can literally change your life’s direction overnight. In my case, it definitely woke me up in a hurry. What is important is that by following your own path in life, you are entering an exciting, and sometimes scary place where you can finally allow miracles to happen.

Here is a simple four step process that can help you discover your true purpose so you don’t have to struggle, or make the horrible mistakes I made in order to get there. You’re welcome 😉

Step 1 – Make a short list of the things that you’re really, really, really passionate about.

If it’s something that you can easily forget, then don’t even bother writing it down. Better yet, for now, don’t even think about it. What I’m talking about is an ever present obsession (in a positive way) to express, or do something that’s really important to you. In a nutshell, its all about what doing the thing you love, not necessarily whats expected,  or convenient.

For example, to J.K. Rowling, writing stories has always been her dominant passion – her true life’s purpose. In fact, her desire was so strong, that it even got her fired from a couple of jobs because she always found herself writing instead of working. By her constantly showing up (doing what she loved), she became led by her inspiration towards creating what would become the hugely successful Harry Potter books.

So whether you love cooking, health, managing, making people laugh, teaching, or expressing your art, it should be something that’s really meaningful to you – something that you can’t wait to start doing from the moment you wake up.

Find and do the thing, or things that make you feel the most joyful, creative and useful, and you’ll find what you were born to be. And don’t worry about the details; you too will be led towards the right people, information and circumstances that will help you make it.

Step 2 – “SUPER SIZE” what makes you unique.

“Don’t waste time trying to be the next “so and so” when you already have special  abilities that set you apart from everyone else.”

You often see this a lot in the music industry. The rock band RUSH became even bigger when they ignored their record company and started recording music their own way, and the pop singer Katy Perry achieved her massive success by ignoring the experts and sticking to her unique style, instead trying to be the next Britney or Cristina.

When you emphasize your efforts on what makes YOU special, you remove yourself from the need to complete with others. And don’t worry about what others are doing; you are not going where they’re going.

Always be honest with yourself and separate your weaknesses from your unique strengths. Then, use that newly found desire and inner motivation to become the best by polishing your own skills and abilities that make YOU so rock’n awesome!

Step 3 – How can you help or others?

There is a universal law of cause and effect that clearly explains how we always get back what we send out. This means that when you do things for the wrong reasons (e.g. try to cheat or hurt others) you will eventually lose more than what we took from them. But, if you genuinely do want to serve and help others in a positive way, you will certainly get what you want and more……

Did you know that there is a great demand for people who are passionate about what they do? As a matter of fact, there is someone out there who is waiting for you to fill their needs and wants with your gift.

Your job is to identify these people and serve them by offering nothing but great quality products or services, always with integrity, and a genuine love for what you do. Do this, and you’ve got yourself the start of a very fulfilling and successful career.

Step 4 – You’ve got to believe!

Developing some serious faith muscles is a must if you want to achieve your purpose, especially if you consider it to be something huge. Oh, and don’t expect others around you to believe in you or your dreams right from the start. Just believe that you will make it, and only share it with those who are also moving up.

Remember that many of your friends, your teachers, or your relatives didn’t receive this calling, you did. They are not the in-charge of your life, you are. It’s normal for the people that love you to want to keep you safe by helping you avoid any disappointments. What they don’t know is that to really be free, you have to be willing to do some things that they could never understand. Whoever does get it, will be cheering you on.

The truth is that the secret of success behind every Nelson Mandela, Oprah Winfrey, Pablo Picasso, Nicola Tesla, and all those other so called “weird and crazy rebels”, was that they all dared to say “Yes” to their destiny no matter what they had to go through. Non of them could predict exactly how they would reach their goal, but they all somehow knew in their hearts that they would one day make it. And you know what? They all did. And now you can too….

Find what inspires you and share it at your best with the world.

I remember how my mom and I used to love watching Jackie Chan punch and kick his way out of trouble in his action films.

While crazy-quick fighting scenes always mesmerized my young mind, the real treat for me was when they showed the “bloopers” at the end of every movie.

As a kid I laughed it off as some joke, but as an adult, I appreciated that even after suffering these funny, and sometimes very painful mistakes, they always ended up making some kick-ass movies.

Yea I know, life is a little more complicated than an over-exaggerated Kung-fu movie; but, I sincerely believe, that to be great at doing what you love, it depends more on how you deal with your failures and setbacks then how perfect you are.

It’s interesting how some people take action on their dreams just as long as things are going well. But then, the second things get crazy, they hit the panic button and retreat to their comfy zone. And this my friend, won’t get you any closer to the life you really want.

I other words, if you don’t fully commit to getting what you want, you will probably self-sabotage yourself every time you meet an obstacle, a problem, or an unexpected situation. This is why you need to learn to deal with the fear of failure by becoming focused on your goals – the end result -, not the possible obstacles.

People like Tiger Woods and Jim Carey may seem like poster children for perfection and godlike talents, but what you’re actually seeing are the results you get from all those years of following your passion and overcoming failures. The great thing is that if they did it, so can you.

Don’t believe the B.S. about famous and successful people having more abilities and talents than you. Almost all great people started out as afraid and insecure as you are right now. What made the different from the rest was that they decided that chasing their dream was more important than the problems they had to face to get there.

“Failures may look bad while they’re happening, but their purpose is not to stop you, it’s to polish you!”

Overcoming failures also teaches you powerful life lessons like humility, dedication, discipline, persistence and patience. It also centers you if you get too cocky. The more fearless you are about your obstacles, the faster you will see a way to dissolve them.

Let’s face it, success without failure is as lame as Lady Gaga without meat covered dress (love you Gaga :-)). So, develop some courage and dare yourself to fail until you make it. The only thing that you will regret is not doing it at all.

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Oh, I almost forgot. I once read that in one of Jackie Chan’s movies they had to redo a single fight scene over 2,900 times before it was considered perfect!

Remember that the next time you think your life is painful.

Inspiration to me is a moment of creativity that motivates a person to act towards his or her goal by influencing their emotions. Inspiration also means “in-spirit”, and it refers to that inner feeling of being guided by a higher and spiritual mind. Artists also call it “the muse”, and athletes know it as being “in the zone”.

When you feel inspired to do something you will find yourself doing more work – but in a positive state of mind. You will practicing more, studying more, replace bad habits, take more risks, and overcome negative thoughts and situations. Not only that, your mood will also change because you will be more focused and optimistic. An inspired person always tends to be willing to do what’s necessary get what he wants.

Inspired people throughout time have always seemed to do the impossible. They have eliminated once though incurable diseases, they have taken us into space, built pocket size computers, created timeless works of art, and some have even changed the world with their achievements while suffering from so-called “physical or mental disabilities”.

Eunice Kennedy was a perfect example of one of those people. She was always known for wanting to give a better way of life for people with special needs because she never could see them as handicapped or disabled. Then one day she got inspired to create an event where they could develop their sports skills. Then the medical community basically attacked her by saying that it couldn’t and shouldn’t be done. Did she listen? Absolutely not. Eunice followed her heart and proved them wrong by following her dreams and succeeding. To date there have been over 3.7 million people from 150 countries that have participated in these sports events. What do you think about that?

Another inspiring person is Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The guy with the strange last name was born in a very small town in Austria where he was expected to become either a policeman or a farmer. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having one of those jobs, but clearly he was interested in something much bigger.  Arnold wanted to become a Hollywood movie star, but had no clue on how he would achieve this. One day he entered a gym and was inspired by what he saw; he immediately knew that weightlifting was his ticket out of his small town. After excelling at the sport in Europe, he made the big jump and started competing in America.

When it came time to start his career in the movies, he was quickly rejected by many “experts” who criticized his thick Austrian accent and his muscular body. They all swore that he would never make it in Hollywood as a leading actor. Ironically it was those “limitations” that made him a movie superstar.

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Find what really inspires you and go with it. At first it may seem difficult or intimidating, but in time you will see things clearer. Focus on your goals, dreams and aspirations, and not on what other people think you should or shouldn’t do. Read about the people who have achieved their dreams and you will soon feel energized and inspired. Remember that when you finally arrive at your destiny, your story will serve as inspiration to others who need it. God bless.