We often speak of releasing physical weight, and are we as diligent about releasing our wait? I was on a coaching call with a group of Champion’s out of New Hampshire, and said I was releasing weight. A beautiful friend of mine said that what she heard is that she gets to release her wait. I thought this was such a profound conversation. How many times do we sit in indecision, and use it as a great excuse to not get what it is we say we want. We turn our unknowingness into a great reason to not take action, and wait. What is it you are currently waiting on? Are you waiting to feel more confident? Maybe more educated? Maybe you are waiting for things to feel more stable before you are willing to take the next step. Are you waiting for the right time? Maybe you are waiting for permission? Whatever you are waiting on is keeping you from being closer to getting what it is you say you want. Are you more committed to your result or are you more committed to waiting? What I have come to learn is that the fastest way to acquire confidence is to begin taking action before you know what to do. Commit first and take action. Release your wait. Release the need to know what it is going to look like before you get started. Release overanalyzing all the potential outcomes before you begin. A good friend has continued to remind me of a quote from Dan Zadra, “Worry is a misuse of imagination.” Another root of procrastination that I experience a lot when coaching people is that they want things to be perfect. When perfection becomes the reason to procrastinate, there is a deeper belief system running that may or may not be serving you. I am not suggesting that you do not aim for excellence. However, after many years of being mentored by Kimberly Zink, I have learned from her that there is a big difference between aiming for excellence and aiming for perfection. When I am striving for perfection, I tend to be stunted in my progress and barely move. Or, I constantly feel like I am never enough because I cannot reach the illusion of perfection I have laid out for myself in my mind. However, when I aim for excellence, I am liberated to do my absolute best. I learned that when I set the bar of achievement really high and then give 100% of myself to a result or a process - this is more than enough. The majority of the time, when I implement this mindset I release my waiting and get started, and bounce much faster after mistakes than I ever do when my aim is perfection. Get as busy talking yourself into action, as you may have been talking yourself out of action. You will always move in the direction of your dominant thoughts, therefore choose wisely. If you find yourself in a set of sunglasses that are not moving your forward you have the capacity to shift the paradigm and try something new. Release the wait. Take action. Live in excellence. Watch your life flourish. We want others to judge us on our intentions, while we judge other people by their actions.

Recently, I sent some business correspondence to a colleague and was shocked when the matter was not handled in the way I expected it to be ,  as I was certain I had been totally clear in my instructions and expectations. When I went back to check what I had dictated, I realized that the misunderstanding was inevitable because I had not considered the many ways that my words could be received and understood. Today, more than ever in both our personal and professional lives, it is critical that we understand others and strive to have them understand us. There are enough differences of opinion and debates raging in our society without adding confusion and miscommunication to the mix. I often repeat the advice from my late, great friend and colleague ,  Dr. Stephen Covey ,  who said, “Seek first to understand and then to be understood.” There are several techniques we can use to avoid miscommunication. First and foremost among them is to simply confirm that your message has been received and is understood. However, always remember that the most ridiculous question you can ask is, “Do you understand?” Every misunderstanding begins with two or more people believing that they have accurately communicated and fully understood. The better question is, “What do you understand?” Giving an example of what you have in your mind or asking the other individuals involved to give an example from their perspective can avoid many miscommunications. Text messages and emails are great tools but can be a shortcut to miscommunications and misunderstandings. I love to read books that are made up of correspondence sent by historical figures I admire. If you ever have the chance to read letter s  written by Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, or Abraham Lincoln, you are in for a rare and valuable treat. Our ancestors had the advantage of considering their correspondence in light of the fact that it would be eagerly read and saved by those receiving it. Unfortunately, here in the 21st century, our texts and emails are just as influential, but we take little ,  if any ,  time considering them because they will be gone in a digital moment. If it’s worth taking the time to correspond with someone, it’s worth taking the time to read it before you send it. As you go through your day today, strive to make your communication clear. Today’s the day! Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com ; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor ; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor .

Every moment is a choice and every choice has prices and benefits. So, what about the choices we go victim to on a regular basis? For most people, there are multiple areas in life where they would say they believe they aren’t choosing. Average people - not YOU - but average people, believe that feelings are not a choice but an instantaneous reaction. This month we suggest that you take a deep dive into the feelings and emotions that you are choosing that you might not recognize YOU ACTUALLY CHOSE. If any of the following pushes your buttons… GOOD!. This is the perfect place for you to do your own self-discovery. Hunt for sunglasses. You get to look at your life and decide for yourself what you want to believe. I choose to believe that I am not victim to my feelings or my emotions. Why? When I am at choice, I am in the driver's seat. When I take responsibility it is a choice which means I can also choose differently. When I choose differently, I experience my life differently. At Klemmer it is the suggestion that: Tired  is a choice. Overwhelm  is a choice. Being offended  is a choice. Resistance  is a choice. In the same way that: Joy  is a choice. Commitment is a choice. Compassion  is a choice. Forgiveness  is a choice. Were there any of these “choices” that were listed above where your instant reaction was WHAT?! That isn’t  a choice. That was a reaction. I’ll ask, who is in charge of your reactions? Who is in charge of your feelings and emotions? I’m not suggesting that you will not have an automatic response. The question is how long will you choose to stick with that automatic response? Because our subconscious is so much more powerful than our conscious mind, if we choose to believe that we are victim to our feelings we will begin to justify and defend how we feel. In this, because of our need to be right, we actually create more of a reason to recreate and regenerate more of those feelings and emotions. This works both ways. If you are choosing stories that do not serve you, and your heart or subconscious gets in alignment with those beliefs, you will create more of those feelings and emotions. When you switch the belief system and actively interrupt the pattern you will actually begin to create more moments that support the new thought process. You have the ability to choose every second of every day. That is the gift God gave you that no one can take away. What you choose creates the reality in which you live. What are the benefits you are receiving from the choices you are currently making? What are the prices you are paying for the choices you are currently making? Where can you shift your choices to get more of the long term effects you say you want in life?

These columns have appeared for over two decades in newspapers, magazines, and online publications around the world. In more than a thousand columns, I have written on a myriad of topics and subjects, but every column—including the one you’re reading now—ends with the phrase, “Today’s the day.” It really doesn’t matter what you think about, dream about, or plan to do. The only thing that matters is what you do. Inspiration is important. It may be among the most valuable elements of our human experience, but without implementation ,  it is useless. I have a friend who I have known for almost 40 years. He has had hundreds of great ideas and lofty plans. Unfortunately, he has never carried any of them out. I’ve another friend who I have known even longer. He has had only one plan for his life that he has been committed to since we were teenagers. He has stayed committed to his single plan and has vigorously implemented it over these many years. It will not surprise you to know that he is far more successful than the friend with overflowing inspiration. If you have a thought, an idea, a calling, or a plan in your life, it means that you should do something today to make it a reality. Maybe you just read a book, research the topic, or reach out to make a new connection or contact, but you should not let the day get away from you without implementing your inspiration. Every day that goes by is critical to your goal. When you put your head on the pillow tonight, you will be either one day closer to or one day farther from your goal. Art critics worldwide, and anyone who has visited the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and has viewed Michelangelo’s masterpiece painted on the ceiling, would agree that Michelangelo was filled with inspiration. Centuries later, that inspiration impacts everyone who experiences one of the most outstanding artistic achievements in history. There is a story about Michelangelo that has endured for hundreds of years. During the period he was working on his magnificent sculpture of David, he worked in a studio with other artists. As Michelangelo arrived one morning, he noticed all of the other artists were just sitting around doing nothing. When he inquired about it, the other artists told him they were waiting on inspiration. Michelangelo’s response speaks to us all, “Inspiration will find me already at work.” As you go through your day today, embrace your inspiration and take action. Today’s the day! Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com ; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor ; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor .

What do you think of when you hear the word resilience? People often ask what it is we do at Klemmer Seminars. What is Personal Mastery? Why should I attend? If you are anything like me this is not always the easiest question to answer. Personal Mastery is so different for every person that attends that it is sometimes difficult to describe all the benefits that one individual can expect to experience. We know it is a three-day experiential training designed for people to create a large amount of change in a short period of time in their lives. It is a way for people to discover subconscious belief systems they have that they are probably not aware are running them and making choices for them. I also believe there is another massive benefit to our training.  Mental Resilience. When something happens in your life that you believe shouldn’t be that way, how long does it take you to recover? How much space does a painful or awkward conversation occupy in your mind and in your heart? Do you allow moments or seasons like that to define who you are or your self-worth?  This happens in my life often in the seemingly little events that occur. For instance, if I have an encounter with my neighbor about the noise level in the hallway, how do I respond? Before I did any work in personal development I might have lost my temper. Now I tend to be grounded and centered. However, even after being grounded during the event I can easily slip into allowing my mind to seep into the event. What I should have said. What they should have said. How I wish I had been more bold or a better leader. Then maybe I try to justify my position and make them wrong. Perhaps I even enroll other people in my life to encourage me that I am right and justified in this circumstance. Guess what? When I am mentally resilient, none of that is relevant. An event which prior to today would have created a mental hamster wheel where my peace took a beating, is now a blip on my radar. It is my mental resiliency that creates such a quick rebound rate, that I actually regain time and energy that would have otherwise been wasted on a situation that was not worth my investment.  Resiliency comes into play in the day-to-day moments in life and it also is a huge part of how you respond to the big things that occur in your life. When potentially traumatic things happen… have you trained yourself to be resilient? Does your mind have the muscle it needs to respond in such a way that your self worth and self esteem is untouched? When there is gossip, you get fired from a job, divorce, bankruptcy, or even a pandemic do you have the tools you need to coach yourself through the process? How quickly can you rebound? Sometimes when you are in trying times it is multiple times a day when you are mentally tested and get to actively choose to stand in the face of adversity. That is what Klemmer training does. It gives you the tools to be mentally resilient. To appreciate the moments. To ground and center. To choose to see that you are in the driver's seat of your own life and that the world is your oyster regardless of circumstance. Are you training yourself to be resilient? What was the last thing you did to grow your muscle in resiliency? Maybe it was a book or a webinar. Maybe it is being back in a live experiential training. Whatever it is, this world deserves leaders like you. This world deserves compassionate samurai. Bold, ethical leaders who are committed to creating a world that works for everyone with no one left out.

Here in the 21st century, we have the ability to easily communicate with almost anyone, but the number of miscommunications, misunderstandings, and mishaps are multiplying rapidly. Often we assume something is so obvious that it goes without saying. Not only do we need to say it, but we need to communicate clearly and repeatedly to avoid misunderstandings and the resulting disasters. Following are just a few real warnings that have been put on various products. These warnings are not random or fictitious. They are put in place because someone didn’t heed the advice and suffered the consequences. Label on a sleep aid: May cause drowsiness. Label on a chainsaw: Do not hold wrong end of chainsaw. Label on a jet ski: Never use lit match or open flame to check fuel level. Label on hairdryer: Do not use while sleeping. Label on blow torch gas bottle: Contents may catch fire. Label on cardboard sunshade for car dashboard: Do not drive with sun shield in place. Label on a letter opener: Safety goggles recommended. Label on a washing machine: Do not put any person in this washer. Label on Dremel power tool: This product is not intended for use as a dental tool. Label on a Superman costume: This product does not enable flight or super strength. Label on an iron: Do not iron clothes on body. Warning on website for iPod Shuffle: Do not eat. Label on a wheelbarrow: Not intended for highway use. Warning on a baby stroller: Remove child before folding. Label on a bottle of dog medication: May cause drowsiness. Use care when operating a car. Label on a dishwasher: Do not allow children to play in dishwasher. Label on a brass fishing hook: Harmful if swallowed. In addition to being sad, funny, and keeping lawyers happy, warning labels like those above remind us that we need to be clear, specific, and never take anything for granted. If there’s a right way to do something, most people will gravitate in that direction. However, if there’s a wrong way to do something, there are those among us who have to learn everything the hard way. In your communications, I’m warning you that you need to warn them. As you go through your day today, focus on what could happen, not what should happen. Today’s the day! Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com ; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor ; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor .

Compliance vs Commitment: these are two very different kinds of motivation. Compliance is a fear based motivation. Usually when someone is in compliance they will finish the task, but their attitude around the task can be negative. Compliance can create results, and it usually is to the minimum necessary to avoid the consequences in place. Commitment on the other hand, is when the individual has something at stake, but the motivation is not fear. People who are committed have a connection to the purpose of their action. Committed people do what they say they are going to do whether or not it "feels good" to them in the moment. At Advanced Leadership we go through language for action on how to enroll people into being committed versus being in compliance. Another place to locate additional material on switching yourself or others from compliance to commitment is in Brian Klemmer's book, Eating the Elephant One Bite at a Time . Bringing yourself from being in compliance into commitment can be as simple as a choice. You get the opportunity to choose commitment every day.

We succeed or fail in virtually every area of our lives based on the decisions we make. Decisions often make us nervous because we realize there could be unfavorable consequences if we make the wrong choice. The potential outcome causes many people to rush, delay, or avoid a decision. With every decision we face, there is an optimal window of time to both make and implement the decision. This optimal time comes when we have had an opportunity to gather as much information and input as possible while all of our options are still open. Many people rush to make a decision because they don’t want to deal with the anxiety surrounding the analysis of the available choices. These people often make poor decisions with dire consequences because they did not have the benefit of quality information and input that would have helped them make a good choice had they simply taken the time to evaluate all of the resources available to them. Suppose you are planning an outdoor activity ,  and you are worried about inclement weather .  There’s no reason to make a decision 30 days in advance if you have the opportunity to wait until the day before the event to get a clearer picture of weather conditions and the short - term forecast. Delaying a decision beyond the optimal window of time to make a choice can be as detrimental as rushing a decision. If a high school student is struggling to decide where to apply to college, there becomes a point when the application deadline begins to eliminate their available options. If you delay a decision, you will begin to lose options. If you postpone long enough, you will lose the opportunity to decide at all. Either rushing or delaying a decision will damage your ability to make good choices. The first decision you need to make is ;  when do you need to decide? You need to choose a date that will give you ample time to gather all pertinent information and evaluate it. And, you need to decide before deadlines ,  or other external forces ,  begin to erode your options. The worst way to handle a looming decision is to avoid it altogether. The people who avoid decisions are left with the least desirable options available or no options at all. If you avoid deciding what you want to enjoy in the banquet of life, you will find yourself eating leftovers or going hungry. As you go through your day today, commit to making the right decisions at the right time for the right reasons. Today’s the day! Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082; by email at Jim@JimStovall.com ; on Twitter at www.twitter.com/stovallauthor ; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimstovallauthor .

The choice between the viewpoints of victim and responsible is consistently going to be a decision with which we are faced. Have you ever thought, "I honestly am the victim in this situation!" Being a victim, in this context, is the viewpoint that something is being done to you. Being responsible is not about whether or not you were victimized, but your outlook on the situation. It is about creating the liberty for you to move forward in your life however you see fit. Two people that have been put in the exact same situation can choose either victim or responsible. It is not about the circumstances; it is always about your response to your circumstances. Coming from a victim mentality will create an experience for you that you are not in control, or that you were exploited. A responsible viewpoint will change your experience to power because you had a choice in life. Responsible empowers you and puts you back in the driver's seat of your own life. How do you transfer your experience from victim to responsible? Go through a list of all of the choices you made to put you in the circumstances you are currently in. Notice how you feel differently about the circumstances after looking at it from this vantage point. Not all of your feelings are necessarily going to be good. Neither the victim mentality, nor the responsible mentality is true AND both of these viewpoints have prices and benefits. This is simply an opportunity to choose the viewpoint that is going to release you to get to where you say you want to be, or get what you say you want.

How are you enrolling people? I get to work in enrollment in so many areas of my life. There is a lesson I learned from my mentor, Kimberly Zink, that will reside in my heart forever. The question I always get to ask myself is - What kind of energy am I bringing to any enrollment? Am I pushing people or am I pulling people? Neither is bad, and they are both useful at different times. For me, the key is being able to choose what I am leveraging in any given moment or conversation. Have you ever experienced yourself pushing something in terms of a conversation? A sign that I am pushing energy is that my conversation feels forced. I am trying to make something happen instead of allowing it to happen. I am working hard to create energy. Generally, the response to me pushing in the context of enrollment is that people tend to feel like I am on top of them. They feel pressure. I started this blog by stating that pushing is not a bad thing. There is a time to push. Inertia states that things in motion stay in motion. Things at rest stay at rest. If you have something at rest, you may get to push in order to get something back in motion, in order to create momentum. When I switch my come from and begin to pull while enrolling others versus pushing, I become more in alignment with every conversation. Instead of it being difficult, the conversation begins to flow. I allow people space to be heard, without losing my grounding on why what I have to offer matters. There is more connection when pulling someone into a space. It is the knowledge of how to do both and when to use both that creates the maximum power. You may have one that is easier for you than the other, so practice the one that is more of a stretch for you. Have you heard the old adage, it’s like pushing a rope uphill? That is a great image for this concept. You can push the rope or you can choose to come from another angle and pull the rope uphill. Choose the best strategy that gives you the most leverage at the moment. This is active non-resistance. “Enrolling someone is creating value for other people to do what it is you want them to do for their reasons,” Brian Klemmer. This is actively creating win-win scenarios for yourself and for others. The path may feel foreign yet when you begin to get muscle memory it makes making a difference on the planet so much more fun. This lesson is relevant in the area of enrollment and because enrollment is in everything, this lesson is relevant in all areas of life. If you aren’t pushing or pulling are you apathetic? Brian Klemmer used to always say that he would rather work with a person going 100 miles an hour in the wrong direction than someone who was standing still any day. Energy is energy and you can redirect someone going in the wrong direction far easier than getting someone who is stuck to move. There is a time and a place to push energy and there is a time and a place to pull. Looking for a practical application formula on how to pull people in enrollment instead of push? Check out the chapter on our Ultimate Sales Formula in Brian Klemmer’s book When Good Intentions Run Smack into Reality .

What does it mean to truly live a life of possibility? Most people live in probability most of their lives. The difference between the two is breaking through a scarcity mindset and stepping into abundance. Easier said than done, right? Are you defined by your limitations? Could you be liberated by your dreams? Dream boards are an incredible tool for manifesting results in your life. Take a few hours to cut out pictures from magazines of what you desire for your future. You can even print pictures from the internet. Make a collage of all the things you cut out. Hang your Dream Board somewhere in your house. Another solution is to create a Pinterest board as a virtual dream board that you can share with your friends. Since your mind works in pictures, this Dream Board can be a way to remind your subconscious of your dreams and goals. Check back in a year and see how many amazing things you have accomplished.

One of the most important elements for personal or professional success is congruence. In this context, congruence refers to consistency and a sincere, genuine understanding of ourselves both publicly and privately. I have the privilege of speaking to millions of people in corporate and arena events. I have written over 40 books with 10 million copies in print. Each book contains my contact information. Millions more people have seen one of the eight movies based on my novels, so you can imagine how many people around the world I hear from on a regular basis. Most of these people describe being committed to improvements in their lives. I believe the vast majority of these people are sincere in their intentions, but the critical question remains: Are they sincere in their actions? I realize while someone is listening to a speech, reading a book, or watching a movie, it is easy to become inspired and motivated; but the true test is how they are acting in 30 minutes, 30 days, or 30 years. True transformation comes when we couple our immediate intentions with our long-term actions. Many people have formal goals or objectives. They may have action plans involving getting from where they are to where they want to be, but unless or until that commitment becomes functional, it is all simply a matter of conversation. I often ask people to describe their most deeply-held, long-term goals and passions. Then I ask about whether or not their observable actions on a daily basis would reveal their goals or passions to a stranger. Setting a goal and failing to follow through can be counterproductive or even destructive. It is, in essence, telling a lie to yourself and accepting it. If you will lie to yourself, you will lie to everyone around you. Being congruent means we are who we say, and anyone can trust who we say we are. I remember a young man who lived in my dormitory during college. He told everyone who would listen that his goal was to go to a prestigious law school and then have a long judicial career culminating in him being appointed to the Supreme Court. This sounded very impressive to most people, but I lived down the hall from him and passed his room as I went to class each morning. More times than not, he chose to sleep through his classes and didn't even make it to the end of his first semester. If you have had challenges with congruency in your personal or professional life, you need to rebuild your own integrity by picking a relatively small short-term goal and making it happen. If you decide to get up 30 minutes earlier tomorrow and read, exercise, or meditate, you can build on that success and become congruent in your large objectives and in every area of your life. As you go through your day today, say what you're going to do, but do what you say. Today's the day!