Leap of Faith ?

As an older man,  ( well older than I thought  I was ) I sometimes forget my physical limitations.  Case in point -  saw these kids using  Long-Board skateboards and flying down Central Park West having a blast… Now, I’m a nut for speed and danger, and a friendly and gregarious guy to boot – long story short … one of the dudes let me try out his board.   

I’m not good on Skateboards.  I have never been good on Skateboard.  

Apparently that translates to the loan board as well…

BUT  - I was good at Long Boarding ! - for like 25 blocks– until I had to stop - and stop I did into a parked car.  By the way, If any of you are wondering - the Porsche Cayenne is a well made truck. very solid. Very, very solid.  Only mark on the Porsche was some blood, some parts of a very nice suit,  and a lot of my pride. The long board escaped unharmed...

While I was laid up … did something I’ve always wanted to do- I read War and Peace ( not just the Cliff notes like I did in school – (do  Cliff notes still exist ?) )

Wonderful book.  It got me thinking - how does someone have the courage and guts to launch into something like that ? There are 580 characters in that book, it was re-written several times between 1863 until Leo got draft he finally like in 1869- hell, even his wife copied the manuscript several times - BY HAND.  

Yea.  

It starts with a pen, a pad, and a plan and the belief you have ability to execute this amazing story.

How did Steve Jobs create the Apple that we know today after being bankrupt, and fired from a company he helped create ?

In 2008, Elon Musk (aka the real Tony Stark ) founder of TESLA MOTORS and SPACEX,  was broke and deep in debt with an electric car company with build problems, and a rocket company who’s rockets couldn’t reach orbit,  Oh yea, he was getting divorced that same year as well. And the market tanked. Think his dog ran away to ( just kidding but it would make sense right ? ) How do you get up from that ? 

electric powered Tesla battle suit coming in 2025...

Why are some people constantly pushing past the tangible limits we see as so tangible?  

Remember this guy ?

Wow. Who would even think to do that ? 

At some point , reason, logic, research, and preparation have to be ignored  and you must make a leap of faith. Whether you believe in a higher power , or just believe in yourself, its is the Mavericks that keep going way past the point where most will stop and turn back.   

Anyone who’s ever accomplished anything of notoriety will tell you at some point you have to let go of logic and just keep going when common sense and mathematics might tell you to stop.

The folks with faith, determination, and a good plan make it through situations that for most of  us find are unbearable and un-winnable.   

The one who believes only what he sees will always be limited to achieve only what they see is possible.  The sad fact is that most of the greatest blessing  life lay just outside what we can see, taste, and feel.  They require faith to reach them – they require us to push pass normal physical constructs and believe.  The universe bends to  those with faith and has a way of see us thru to our goal.  Make a leap of faith. Many will make the journey.  Some will get to the edge.  Most who make it that far and are that close to their goal won't jump at all.  Will you ?

MY inspiration ? Paul Reiser ... Paul Reiser sucks.

When I first came to New York I wanted to be a comedian.  I was always the funny guy, used humor in my work and still do.  I would spend my evenings waiting to do a five-10 min set--sometimes travelling to NJ or CT just to get a bit of practice.  Hindsight, totally should have stuck with it but I didn’t...

#livingwithregrets

Anyway, one night a friend took me to see Paul Reiser.  He had a big show at the time or just had a show – not sure - I don’t watch TV…just know he was kind of a big deal…

Anyway he sucked that night … I didn't smirk, smile, or even chuckle … nothing…

ugh...

Everyone has a bad day right …?  no biggy...

Saw him again… he sucked..

Saw his stand up on TV--sucked again …

Saw him in ALIENS--he was good !!! 

Then saw another stand up special--guess what--you got it...

My "do Better Face" .. love this kid.

So--finally I figured it out … Paul Reiser is a suck comedian… He is not funny, not funny, and not funny. 

 My immediate second thought was that Paul Reiser is my damn hero.   Seriously.  

Let me explain… If this guy--who to my knowledge, has a bit of charisma, no talent, and is not remotely funny, and can act a bit--can succeed to the level to what he did--surely I who was funny, was talented could succeed.

But I was wrong.  ABOUT ME.  Not Paul Reiser.  Still a hero to me.  This dude,  must have a work ethic, determination, drive, connections, and desire more than everyone else he was and competing with. And me.  Puts me to shame.  Because I’m funny.  He is not.  He’s 40-50 million up.  I am not.

Paul Reiser is my inspiration.

For everyone who complains that they don’t have the resources, don’t have the time, don’t have the connections, and don’t have the talent there is someone who has the same circumstances you do and is doing it.   Let that person be a beacon to you that you too can accomplish your goals regardless of what your position is right now.

Or, that person will serve as a reminder of how you gave up and let someone who is “less talented” than you, live the life you wanted and kept going when you turned away.   Every time I feel like stopping giving up and turning back, I just think about MAD ABOUT YOU and how I won’t allow another Paul Reiser in my life.  

2 episodes.  That how long the show lasted. two more episodes than any show i had tho..

Freakin' Paul Reiser…

He was good in Aliens tho…

New Year - Get out the Blocks and in the Race ...

The gun goes off,all the sprinter fly  up out the blocks,  and its off the to races; down the straightaway without hesitation.  The sprinter cannot think about form, footing, stance, or how their uniform looks at this point -  its just time to react and go.  Now they have trained hours and hours trying to perfect the start but once its race time, it becomes time to execute.  Think too much you hesitate and you loose…

I know this to be true because I was the guy who thought too much and lost a lot of the races.  

Plus, I was slow …

This guy is not a sprinter. Still, he is way faster than me...

The New Year is a great time to get out of the block fast and make a new, quick, and powerful start.   You may have not practiced, studied,or prepared as much as you wanted to but it doesn't matter once it's go-time.  

IT’s GO TIME.  

Time to get your game face on...

The new year is a great mental  time to reset ourselves and make an effort to go after our dreams and goals.  Don’t let indecision cloud your ability to take that first step and go forward.   The first step can be the hardest and the thought of it can stop people dead in their tracks.  Dont think.  Just go..  If you're sincere about your goal and efforts as well as dedicated, you will find the means to learn more, do more, and succeed.  

The Starting Gun has gone off - are you going to be in the race this year ?  

Make it a great 2015…

Newton

The Law of Inertia - things in motion tend to stay in motion – First Law of Motion…

If you know what that is just by looking at it your probably much smarter than me.

It’s the equation for the first law of Motion as established by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687. (Although I think it was originally formed by Descartes … In college I first Major in Engineering and I took a lot of physics and thermodynamics in college.

Correction, I failed a lot of physics and thermodynamics in college … yea…

Anyway its basic premises is that thing in motion tend to stay in motion and things at rest tend to stay at rest unless acted on by an outside force …

Anyway that law not only applies to physical mass it also applies to state of mind and how you work and process.

Ever heard that is if you want something done give it to someone busy? Why? Because they are used to getting thing done a processed.

Ever go on vacation and feel like it takes you a few days just to relax? How to do you feel when you get back from vacation and back on the grind of work and life?

Yea.

When we have a daunting task is best to get cracking at it. The faster you get started, the faster your get done.

Have to make a load of cold calls? Try getting started as early as possible (eat the frog) …

Need to hit the gym – try going in the morning, at lunch, or right after work.

Have to have an unpleased conversation with a colleague – get it out of the way ASAP.

What you find is that getting going on tasks (especially the unpleasant ones) will help you to get more done during your day –reducing stress and increasing productivity.

Or you could try to wait. Get a late start, push off that conversation, hitting the gym, getting that business idea off the ground and watch it get pushed to 2 hours later, 4 hours later, 8 hours, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, when I’m a bit more economically ready, never.

It happens. It’s happened to me. I was supposed to start this blog in 2010 … yea…

Get moving … get it started you will find that you can keep going once you get in motion. The longer you take to start the hard it will be to get started as you get accustom to doing nothing or something less important or easier… like watching TV. For 4 hours.

The world needs what you have to give.

Feel like you are stuck? Would you like to some help getting unstuck ? Feel free to message me at mike@thelewisconsultinggroup.com

24 Starring Jack Bauer ...and YOU...

Today is the last today your going to have. You can never get these 24 hours back- once they are gone they are gone.

You will have to deal with what you did , did not do, said,  or should have said, for the rest of your life. Why not make this 24 hours count ?

This next day could be filled with projects, work, good times, and activities that help you, your family , friends, or maybe the world.  

Today, spend some quality time with your  family and friends and don’t for get to tell the ones you love how much you love them. Your not guaranteed another 24 hours – or even the rest of the day your currently going through so tell them now. 

And, if everything were to end right now , would you be happy how you spent your last day ?

this dude is always standing on every cab I catch...

I always found it curios how some people can’t get there car wash ( let alone there ass sometime ) in a day while others can run 2 business , save a puppy, clean the house, save the neighbor's cat from a tree,  Inspire and connect with friends and family , and coach a little league team to victory.

Is this an attribute of fantastic organization skills, over booking, or lust for life ?

I would guess the latter …

But maximizing your day doesn't always mean going all Tony Stark on the world. 

I have a very good friend who ran a very successful company who walked away from it all to spend more time raising her young children. Every time I see her she seem happier than I've every seen her at her company but sometimes she feels guilty that she is not doing more.  Is there any great thing you can do with your time then help develop your kids in to productive good people ? She is doing what is most important to her and when she is ready to dive back into the business world she will be awesome again. 

Jack Bauer saved the world 8 times in 24 hours. ( and is currently working on it again for a ninth time - tbc...) – what will you do with your next 24 hours ? Can you do the things that are most important to you and try to be the person you want to be today ?  

If you can pull that off, isn't that enough ?  ( if your not Jack Bauer...) 

On Being an Amateur...

It’s always a bit scary starting out something new.  There a fear of failure, rejection, and on the other side of the coin the fear of success, and responsibility that comes with that..

If you are good at a job, skill, or task it take a lot of courage to start something else as a total novice or amateur. You are always thinking :

What if I fail ?

what if I succeed ?

what if I'm not as good or smart as I think I am ?

Is this stupid to even try ?

I don't have enough formal training !

What will my friends and family think ?

The big thing to remember when you launch into something is that there is it OK to fall and fail.  In fact you are supposed to.  It is almost impossible to get to the top without some failure.  Anyone who great at something was a novice and a newbie at some point, made mistakes, let folks down, had embarring moments.  All of those are stepping stones - helping  you get to a leave of proficiently ;

Tom Brady was on the bench and has thrown over 120 interceptions.

Sad, Sad Tommy...

Oprah was on a cheesy network show in Baltimore.

I wonder where Jerry Turner is now...

Derek Jeter has struck out over 1700 times..

nothing funny to say about the captain...

Will smith did that crappy movie AFTER EARTH.  Yea …  

Seriously Will - this movie stunk like good cheese...#urbetterthanthis

You are supposed to fail and you're supposed to have some struggle because the best things in life rarely come easy.   In fact, the more stuff you try the more likely you will have failure.  Along with that, those who have greatest successes also have great failures as well.  It’s a part of a process to  help you learn it and make sure you earn it.

Think about the first time you tried to ride a 2-wheel bike…did you fall over?  I bet you did. Ya got back up though ( maybe your mom or dad made you but you did ) … didn't you? You bet you did…

Don’t be afraid to fall off your bike… Embrace the fact that success is usually on the far side of failure.   No one who ever put their bike down went anywhere…

Need some help or motivation getting started ? – feel free to reach out to me at mike@TheLewisConsultingGroup.com.

The Absolute Best Shortcut to Take to Get to Greatness

We live in an age of speed. Everything comes at us so fast and information seems to be available at a moments notice. The phone that I use is twice as fast as the old MAC G4 I’m writing on. (Don’t hate – I got a faster computer but I love my silver G4). We celebrate the young and successful and we want everything NOW.

With that in mind, I thought that I would share with you by far the best, most successful, most used shortcut to success -regardless of what personal or business goals you have.

Go ahead and get a pen and some paper … you're gonna want to write this stuff down to remember..

READY ?

DON’T SHORTCUT !!!! DO THE WORK !!!!

Yea.. put your pen back.

Can you quickly rise to a leadership position in your business ? Sure …

Can you come up with a better mousetrap everyone will want ? Why not..

Do some successful people take short cut ? All the time …

Will any of those scenarios play out for you? … Probably not. Don't try to take a shortcut when keeping on the path and hard work is really what is required.

"Just short cut over the tracks and you will be there !!! "

Oh, I’m not saying you're not special, or gifted, or blessed with a certain skill. I think everyone has something to offer the world that is unique. But, I will take the dude or lady who is willing to work harder and faster than the guy who is the MOST talented.

There is nothing in the world more common than a man with potential.

Things will still move fast…  Just know that they will move by you fast if you're not keeping up …

You want to get to your goals faster ? work twice as hard … Period.

I have a dear friend that went through a rough spot in his life and had about 50 bucks cash, two gift card to Target, and 40K in debt. In 30 days he was debt free and UP 45K. How'd he do that ? He worked like a man possessed. Well, a smart man possessed. Was it easy? Nope.

Are you looking for an easy way ? That’s OK; there is nothing wrong with wanting easy. Just don’t aspire to be great.

Michael Jordan once said that while he was with the Bulls many of the practices were harder than the actual games- he ran practice scrimmages at 110% - what happens after that ?

You get a shoe designed for you that sell out every year for 25+ years…

I don't even care for Jordan but that a lot of shoes...

Look : 
Find a way to be more efficient;

Design a better app;

Find a better way to market and sell;

Learn a create a new skill ;

When you get all that accomplished get back on the grind and work your arse off…

In fact find out what the next guy is doing and go twice as hard as him. …

Success and greatness require payment upfront...