A Time to Play

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Gaining the distance from words, enabling fresh perspective. Florida’s beauty ignites joy, swims, laughs, and a time to play.

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/playful/”>Playful</a&gt;

 

SouthFul of Success

Success

A PROMISE OF SUCCESS
by Michael Sage

Ones potential is so huge, and so vast,
Yet, why is it, that so many fail, and usually come last?,
So few truly succeed, that when they do, others are jealous and totally aghast,
Let’s all believe in success, and I promise that failure will be part of the past.

The things you think, and the things you believe,
If they are true, then those are the things that you will achieve,
But if your thoughts are false, or they are used to deceive,
You’ll be stabbed in the back, and that is a promise that you had better believe.

Get rid of depression, worry and fear,
Because success is so often so very, very near,
Tell your subconscious ,  “success is mine”, and tell it to hear,
Remind it often, then success will be yours, that is a promise, my dear.

Just ask the “DIVINE”, for whatever you desire,
For happiness or abundance, or anything else to which you aspire,
It’s now time to succeed, so go ahead, set your goals, and light that fire,
Do it with passion, and I promise you this, you’ll soar higher and higher.

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/south/”>South</a&gt;

20 Reasons Why Some People Fail To Succeed

Reknowned comedian Kevin Hart in an interview about the movie Central Intelligence with Dwayne Johnson, shared that he got into the business of entertainment to be successful and to get to the highest level he can. Naturally, it is clear that he is achieving his goal but he is quick to say that he will not stop because stopping would make him complacent. His desire is to do more. His dream is to reach the status of becoming a mogul. And the only way to get there is by work.

Failure

renowned comedian Kevin Hart in an interview about the movie Central Intelligence with Dwayne Johnson, shared that he got into the business of entertainment to be successful and to get to the highest level he can. Naturally, it is clear that he is achieving his goal but he is quick to say that he will not stop because stopping would make him complacent. His desire is to do more. His dream is to reach the status of becoming a mogul. And the only way to get there is by work.  Interesting…

In a nutshell I think that just about sums up Why some people succeed while others don’t. It’s that simple. Many have researched the paths to success to unveil the answers to those of us whose appetites long to devour the true meaning. To those of us standing at a crossroad uncertain of which way to go. To those of us who through whispers approach our feelings with fear and apprehension. Shane is not alone in her writings that success leaves clues, trails and signs. Whatever the goal ..be it to achieve success in business, personal relationships, taking that dream vacation, or simply getting through difficult times; we should strive through thick and thin. Most well-known successful people including my favorite Stephen King, never gave up when the going got tough. They stuck to it through thick and thin. That said, we reflect on the definition of success that refers to the achievement of wealth, honors or the like.  Failure on the other hand refers to the lack of success, or more specifically the omission of expected or required action.

So here are a few insights into the behaviors and actions of people who are not successful. These have been pulled from a few individuals including the likes of Kayiba Mpoyi, Stephen Guise, Deborah Shane, and my own book on Success Strategies as gleaned from phenomenological study.  People who fail to succeed:

  1. Underestimate time management.

Successful people learn how to say No.  They know which commitments to take on to achieve great success in areas of their lives.

  1. Have misaligned Goals.                                                                                                                    They mistake busyness for productivity. They want to be a part of everything and in the process do nothing that aligns with their goals. This undermines success.
  1. Have self-imposed limitations

People who are not successful often say things like “I’m not good with numbers”; “I hate studying”; and “I can’t run a successful business”.

  1. Have little social IQ.

They don’t know how to treat others and say things like “well at least I’m being honest”, or “this is just the way I am, deal with it”. It’s said that you can judge a man’s character by watching how he acts when standing in a very long line and is met with bad service; or by how he reacts when you ruin his expensive items.

  1. Procrastinate.. Never take action

They ponder a lot. Dream big but lack the courage to go forth.  My mantra…Get up! Show up! Just Do Something!

6. Can’t face adversity

Overcoming challenges not only bring us closer to our goals but they turn us into someone we never imagined. Don’t be afraid to conquer your fears and embark on new terrains. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

  1. They don’t plan                                                                                                                                They do not have a complete vision of their intentions. They are not specific which goes a long way in the execution of our goals.
  1. They always Give up

They get discouraged and apathetic when they fail. Essentially, they have a failure mindset long before they even started.

10.They are scared.

They freeze just like the deer that stands fixed before the car hits.

  1. They are always in the wrong place.

Wrong job. Wrong state. Wrong country. Everything they do they complain is wrong. It is important for them to know when to to move on to something else. Mpoyi’s observation is for real….humans do not have the capacity to be successful at all things.

  1. They don’t care

Apathy can infect any area of our lives and when it strikes it produces failure. The scariest part is how contagious it is. It spreads to other areas of our lives. Like a whisper, apathetic friends can also infect us.

14. They are unwilling or too slow to change

15. They become irrelevant.

16.They have a bad attitude

17. They have skill gaps.

18. They have not developed a unique personal brand

19. They lack discipline, focus and balance.

20. They lack a deep sense of belief in themselves

In summary, people who fail to succeed are more numerous than we can imagine. More importantly, it’s sad to see people with amazing potential ..give up. Suicide is obvious and quite sad. But not so obvious are individuals who internalize things and therefore their natural occurrence may not always be evident. Sometimes it is the guy in the cubicle with the $90K salary, who accepts misery because it comes with a fat paycheck (Mpoyi).

 

Opportunity…Oh snap!!

train

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. How many times have you been waiting on the perfect opportunity to do something and when it arrives you miss it because it didn’t appear in the manner you thought it would?

Let’s think of simply waiting in the subway for the train to arrive and when it does, you realize you’re on the wrong side of the track. You cry oh snap! Well, what good is that gonna do?

It’s the same with our goals and aspirations. We must be prepared for the opportunity and be ready when it does arrive. Once it’s gone it’s not like we can simply snap our fingers for it to reappear. So much depends on the door we enter to begin a journey, no matter the distance you covered before.

Opportunity. Be prepared.

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/snap/”>Snap</a&gt;

 

Re-Energize! Where the Sea Meets the Sky

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What’s more relaxing than being on the beach watching the line where the sea meets the sky. Listening to the sound of the waves gushing against the sand. Watching kids play.

Takes you faraway from life’s cares…doesn’t it? Tis Beautiful.

Superstitions, worries, cares of the world aside, everyone needs this time away. It makes life perfect. Meaningful. The serenity of the seaside provides a pause to life’s challenges, workflow, heartaches, sorrow, and pain. It quiets our hearts and instills the comfort needed for life’s cares, joys, goals, dreams, and aspirations.

Staycation, vacation, or whatever you wish to call it, give yourself a boost. Reinvigorate. Re-energize. It will work wonders for your goals, faith, thoughts, and aspirations. Plan your getaway soon.

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/superstition/”>Superstition</a&gt;

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/faraway/”>Faraway</a&gt;

 

The Street Life

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Life is like walking the streets. No matter the street we are on, we should Walk by Faith. No matter the shoes we are wearing—new, old, running, stylish, high heels, low heels, wedges—we should walk by faith. Opportunities abound. Stepping forward, stepping out, taking the risk is well worth it. So find your street, and achieve your dream today.

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/street/”>Street</a&gt;

I Hear Footsteps…

I hear Footsteps. It’s getting louder. It’s calling. Now shouting for some well needed time to relax.

Footsteps
Waves Calling

I hear Footsteps. It’s getting louder. It’s calling. Now shouting for some well needed time to relax. Time to rejuvenate. Time to listen to the waves. Time for quiet, peace, and serenity. I hear Footsteps.

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/footsteps/”>Footsteps</a&gt;

 

 

 

 

One Love: The Challenge..The Meaning

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One Love is universal. My perspective ….curled up on an island with a good book. Can’t help but to think of the legendary Bob Marley’s song …One Love.

Weekly photo challenge  <a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/one-love/”>One Love</a>

Seasons of Our Lives

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Marriages. Births. Graduations. Careers. Deaths. To everything there is a season.  Today’s prompt encouraged us to examine our lives. What season are we in? We plant in the Springtime, and in the Summer we nurture, support, develop, improve. Then reap the flow of our work in the Fall. In the Winter with its stabbing cold, we prepare the way for yet another springtime.

It’s the same in our lives. Laura speaks of her temporary rain. At times we experience sorrow and grief. At times both pain and happiness. If we are single, we want to get married. Then we want to have kids. Then we want them to grow up and get out of the house. Then we experience sadness because the kids are out, and we are lonely. We may smile but tis true. Seems we are never satisfied, always asking ourselves what if

To everything there is a season. What season of life are you in now? With the sickness of a loved one, the publishing of a book, and more… mine is mixed as depicted in this photo. What’s yours?

Seasons

<a href="https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/flow/">Flow</a>

Private Note to You My Love

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It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you. I miss your touch. I miss your love. I miss you. I long for the way you look at me, with longing of love so sweet. I miss our talks. Our walks. Your stares. Your smile. Oh how I miss you.
And though you’re far away in that unknown land that I’ve never been, I want you to know that my love for you remains strong with the warmth of Expectation that one day soon we’ll be together again. 

The Journey. Keep Going, don’t stop.

 

jouney

I’ll never forget the sight. Standing in line more than a decade ago with hundreds of graduates awaiting the march into the ceremony, I saw my mom and dad walking in together a little late. She, with a basket of fruits too heavy for her to bear, but far too precious not to. Him, adorned in a bright red jacket as if to say “nobody is going to make me miss this special occasion when my daughter receives her Masters degree”! I thought to myself…should I acknowledge them or should I shy away from this somewhat humorous sight? I dismissed the very thought and rushed to their side hugging them both. My action was met with admiration, claps, and with sounds of “aww”, as the waiting graduates stirred. Needless to say that this achievement was for both my parents as neither had college degrees. After the ceremony, my mom hugged and congratulated me with the question “when are you going to get the Doctorate?” The nerve! How could she? But her question stayed with me for years, even after the receipt of yet another Masters degree.

Years later, I finally acceded to fulfilling her dream. She couldn’t do it so I decided to do it for her. A year into the program while enroute to a mandated summer conference in Orlando, I received a call that she (with whom I spoke an hour earlier), had suffered a massive stroke!

That was the start of a yearlong journey to be by her side through thick and thin. Ironically both our journeys were paths of learning. Hers being to learn to talk, to walk, to eat, to do life’s simple things, and to learn the basics of living all over again. Me, to face the reality of the situation that my mother was in, and to learn the skills to adequately provide her care. Along with my two sisters (one who was ailing with the ravages of cancer at the time), we brought her to live closer so we could adequately care for her return to ‘normalcy’.

As I reflect on my dissertation journey, on one occasion I remember receiving an important call from a professor while attending to her needs. I answered the call, got the coaching from the professor then returned to finish her care. This became a routine.

I remember being by her side at the hospital for hours, days, weeks. She was my morning motivation. I couldn’t start the day without her knowing that I cared. It was the same at nights. I couldn’t end the day without visiting her; without her knowing that I was there for her. At work, the leaders knew that if they wanted my best then I needed an hour to be with my mom which was the fuel for the rest of the day. I happily worked that back during lunch or after hours. This went on for a year but sadly she never recovered. We later discovered that her body was wreaked with cancer unknown to our family. It was too much for her to bear.

After she passed this was my driving force. I had to finish my studies for her. I had to accomplish her dream, something she couldn’t do herself. I had to finish to show my two girls that you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. I had to finish and leave something tangible behind.  This culminated in a research to track the paths of immigrant leaders and their journey to success to achieve the American Dream. I accomplished that feat two years after she passed away. The research is now published and available here. I now spend my time coaching individuals and entrepreneurs to never give up; to keep going, because with that passion they will accomplish their dreams.

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