Why Everyone needs Vision, Value and Mission statements

By Shazad

Most Companies, countries and even some families have them. We see them written on walls and websites as well as slide decks. I’m talking about Vision, Values and Mission statements. These are 3 different but related things. We should have all 3 of these for our personal lives to transform how we think, act and speak.

A Vision is something to strive for that pulls us toward SOMETHING GREATER. A vision is something that is always out of our grasp but the seeking of which drives a person, nation or company towards every constant improvement.

Values define HOW we behave as we move forward towards our Vision. We need Values to articulate what our core beliefs are and the code of conduct we live by. Writing down 2 to 5 Values and reviewing them on regular basis can be enough to make sure our thoughts, words and actions are aligned with our authentic self.

A Mission is a time-stamped challenging goal we hope to achieve. It can take many months or years to achieve and is aligned with our Vision. Missions can be determined by external factors as well as originating from our internal Values. Mission Statements help a person or a company organize its resources to concentrate efforts towards something significant that you can be proud of when it is achieved. Having Missions ensures there is movement in life towards the achievement of something worth doing. Missions can be very motivating and inspire growth in individuals and nations such as the race to land a person on the Moon and safely return them to Earth.

If you want to truly be inspired and live according to your true principles, you also need to define your Vision, Value and Mission statements.

Action Steps:

1. Define what your personal VISION is for your life and write it down. Review it often and refine it as needed each year.

2. Define what your VALUES are and why they are important to you. Have 3-5 core values and write them out. Review these every week if not daily, to remind you to align your actions with those values.

3. Create at least one MISSION statement for the next 6-12 Months and write out some details on the major steps to achieving this Mission. Review your Mission Statement every day and refine it as needed to get you closer to achieving it.

HOPE and How To Win At Life When It Gets Thorny!

By Ahsan

“He who has hope has everything”.⎯unknown

Life is not all a bed of roses. Even if it was, you could expect that there will be the occasional thorn to deal with.

The beauty of life is that it delivers an experience. How we experience our lives is something we can work on. Let us accept the truth in the concept of handling life with skills that are practiced. Please pause and let that sink in. Knowledge is one thing; practicing what you know makes all the difference. Would you agree?

You can know how to get healthy, but actually doing the work is how you get fit. That means daily effort: eating well, prioritizing restful sleep, drinking lots of water, doing some exercise for 30 minutes, lowering stress and getting social with real humans, live….face to face!

The challenge is that we do not truly prioritize this mindset. You can win at life if you start thinking about doing so as an actual goal. If it is a real goal, you will begin to think of how you can win and naturally start going about doing it. Do your homework!

In your research, you may come across the concept of having hope vs. giving up hope.

The magnitude of the effect of having hope is not to be underestimated. It can really help to deal with life and the occasional thorns.

Having hope, in my opinion, boils down to having a mindset and personal confidence and belief that you can put your life back together again. A lot of anxiety and sleepless nights could be avoided if people just focused on their incredible ability to put their lives back together again⎯because they have the skills to do so. Putting your life back together should it go to naught is a significant concept to etch into your mind.

Our minds can work against us. Many aspects of our minds do not work the way that we want. So…what can we do? WE need to understand our mind's biases and use counter thoughts that enable us to feel more hopeful. Talk back to negative thinking, for example. The more hopeful you are, the more you will enjoy life.

Remember that HOPE stands for HOLD ON POSSIBILITIES EXIST!

If you liked this article and know someone who is goal-oriented and should read this, please share it on your social media and suggest they visit www.awesomelifebook.com to subscribe to our email list.

What Did I Ever Do To Deserve This?

By Shazad

I was born and lived past the age of 5. Many babies often die before this age, in the developing world. My parents loved me and raised me for my entire childhood. They are both alive and healthy today and live very close to me. Many have lost one or both parents or live at a great distance from their parents.

What did I do to get this blessing?

I grew up with few material things and no luxuries. We had enough to be happy as a middle-class family. Everyone worked in my house when I started school but we all made it through. There was enough food, shelter, clothing, and Love. Many others lose one or more of these things and feel broken inside.

What did I do to receive this good foundation?

I was able to attend the best University in Canada according to International rankings. I lived in the same city so I didn’t have to move to another town and pay those fees. I worked part-time jobs and got Student Loans to finish my degree in Computer Science which I use in my job today. Many others don’t have a nearby University or simply can’t afford to attend it, much less complete a degree.

What did I do to have the privilege of this kind of education?

I found a job in IT with great companies and great colleagues who supported, trained and helped me grow. Many people graduate without finding some meaningful work that uses their education and talents to any significant degree.

What did I do to have so many good people and companies around me?

I am married to a wonderful lady who is smart, confident and capable of doing hard things with grace. We work together to make things better for everyone.

I am living a life I did not imagine. I could not imagine all of these blessings, good people and circumstances. I don’t deserve the things above but I have them. This is why I try to be the best person I can be and give thanks every day for my Awesome Life!

I thank the Creator for all the wonderful things I have been blessed with.

Why Do We Study History and Ancient Philosophy?

By Shazad

“The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are.” Maya Angelou

In this very modern world with Internet access everywhere and scientific discoveries happening all the time, why bother with History and Philosophy? What’s the point of knowing what happened in the past or what leaders from 1000+ years ago thought about living, working and leisure?

“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.” Socrates

I believe it’s more important now than ever before. There are so many distractions and stimuli for everyone in the modern world. Many people feel overwhelmed and struggle to make sense of life while having constant stress at work and less time for rest. The truth I have realized is that every generation and every people have gone through their own struggles of some kind. By studying the people of the past and the context they lived in, we can derive lessons for our own life. Whether it’s the stoicism of Seneca and Marcus Aurelius or the wisdom of spiritual leaders like Buddha, Jesus, Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] or others, there’s something for all of us to reflect on. Hardship in one’s personal life, societal changes, dramatical political changes, and business cycles have happened before. These are part of a common human story. The many people who came before us have developed some tools and templates for thinking that we can consider. Perhaps our modern-day work stress and leadership issues have answers in Meditations by the ancient Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. It’s possible that we can heal relationship issues by reflecting on scriptural verses.

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.” Lao Tzu

There is so much information out there today and we owe it to our selves to explore the many great works of past leaders, sages and teachers. Only then can we truly understand what our current human potential can be by using all the available tools from the past and present leaders. But remember, it’s not enough to just read and study the past. We must use that knowledge by putting good ideas and relevant wisdom into action. When we do, I believe we will be more fulfilled, capable and wiser people. How Awesome is that?!

“…those who walk on the earth in a dignified manner, and when the ignorant address them, they say, ‘Peace!’” Holy Quran 25:64

Do You Have Enough CASH?

By Ahsan

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” Babe Ruth

Have you ever looked at doing something new and audacious but talked yourself out of it?

Perhaps you felt it was too complicated, or you said something to yourself like: "I don't have the experience or credentials to do that…no one will take me seriously ...it won't work!"

Meanwhile, you find out that someone did exactly what you wanted to do⎯with half the smarts, experience and good looks that you have!

What’s going on here?

In terms of how they did it, one word encapsulates the thing they employed that you likely forgot: CONFIDENCE. Another word for confidence is courage.

To achieve anything in life, you need to take that first step. Taking the step in the first place makes all the difference! Confidence is the mother of all achievement. It gives birth to all other qualities, including courage, belief, desire, motivation, learning, mastery, resilience and persistence, to name a few.

A boxer without confidence gets knocked out. In fact, if you meet a professional boxer you might think they are pompous and conceited while the truth is they are actually supremely confident. Without confidence, the journey stays very local. You don't go far. You may also get knocked out!

How you look at life makes for how life treats you. If you see the best in others, your social interactions will be happier. If you are optimistic, you will try to see the best in a bad situation. If you think about the possibilities of the future, your life will take on momentum. Do all this with a mindset of confidence.

If you think like a confident winner, you will dominate the field!

Now that you agree that having confidence is paramount to achieving anything in life let's think about taking ACTION.

I have found that having an action plan matters because it provides a map to the treasure. When you have a goal, start making a plan of what you need to do. Let the plan be about taking cues from others that are achieving what you want. Follow the path of others that have gone before you. Study them, take them to lunch and make good notes.

And be ready to change course. When we begin acting on the plan, we can find roadblocks and disappointments, but we should not be dismayed. We need to confidently moor in the direction of our goal by changing the action plan.

Action plans that have high levels of success need to be executed within the framework of a SYSTEM.

Let's take the goal of getting healthy: the action plan could be as obtuse as I will start eating healthy and go to the gym or….it could be systematized with more concrete actions that deliver more robust and predictable results.

Instead of pie in the sky, random actions use a system that is made up of actions, for example:

After eating dinner go exercise for at least 30 minutes. When eating at a restaurant, eat the least processed food by studying the menu online before you go. Drink water first thing in the morning and after each meal to hydrate. To lower stress, do something you enjoy daily like reading, writing or prayer. To wake up rested, go to sleep at the same time each night.

You may like to set aside one day a week where you have a 45 minute meeting with yourself to review last week’s efforts and plan out the coming week. This is how a system works compared to leaving your intentions of getting healthy to your mood or busy schedule. Doing things this way will establish a life-long pattern.

In other words, you will need to make a HABIT of doing what you need to do. We all rise to the level of our habits. Going back to the idea of getting healthy, we need to have confidence that we can do it regardless of our age or busy life. We need an action plan that takes on the shape of a system that we are in the habit of doing.

You might be thinking that everything so far sounds logical, but the challenge is in forming a repeatable habit that sticks. I could not agree with you more.

The best idea I came across to form a habit is twofold: start it as though your life depends on it and create the right environment for executing the habit. Back to getting healthy, remind yourself that being healthy is critical to having a productive life and remove all the potato chips, chocolate and muffins from your house, so you don't get tempted to eat the junk!

So, do you have enough CASH?

Confidence

Actions

Systems

Habits

Why not incorporate this framework for success and let us know how you do.

If you liked this article and know someone who is goal-oriented and should read this, please share it on your social media and suggest they visit www.awesomelifebook.com to subscribe to our email list.

How To Motivate Yourself To Be Successful

By Ahsan

“All the world loves a winner who is at once a hero and a role model”- Shazad Ahmad

In this day and age, successful people are written about, documentaries are made showing their genius, penetrating interviews are conducted, and many consider them to be living legends. Who comes to mind for you? Is it Michael Jordan? Steve Jobs? Warren Buffet? Sir Paul McCartney? Dr. Abdus Salam?

The aim of every book, documentary, and interview always attempts to uncover the "secret" behind their success. You may think that their morning routine is the key, you may be led to believe that their level of motivation is the thing or even the environment in which they grew up… wealthy, poor, privileged, single parented, supportive, abusive, Ivy League Schools, self-taught or any other apparent environmental factor.

What if I told you that the key ingredient was not what seems obvious and is rarely uncovered in "the book" or "movie" and….it's available to you if you but knew!

What might that secret component of success be?

Well, stick around for another moment, and I will reveal it to you.

A very famous basketball coach was asked how he motivated his team to success and win so many championships. I recall it was John Wooden and to paraphrase, he said something to the effect that he did not get his players to work hard; instead, he got them to want to work hard.

This, my friend, is the secret ingredient.

Prove it to yourself for a moment. Anything that you have achieved with the extraordinary effect is because you wanted it and you did not mind working hard to get it. You wanted to work hard for it.

There is a world of difference with a student who is being lectured by his father to work hard to get better grades and the student who wants to work hard to get the best grades possible out of personal desire.

Motivation often assumes possessing an iron will. Willpower is not limited, we just need to top it up now and then with a powerful desire to want to work towards a meaningful goal.

I contend that Michael, Steve, Warren, Paul and Abdus, all wanted to work hard towards their goals in life, and that was all the difference.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, especially if you want to work hard for its attainment.

Here then is your mission if you choose to accept it:

Write down 3 major goals you have that you know will improve your personal or professional life.

Think of your reasons WHY you want to achieve them.

Start formulating an action plan for Goal 1

Start formulating an action plan for Goal 2

Start formulating an action plan for Goal 3

Give yourself a deadline for the attainment of each goal.

Work hard to achieve your goals a bit each and every day, not because it is something you should do, instead, because you want to work hard!

Working hard does not guarantee success, nor does it improve your chances of success as most think. Willpower does not count as much either. It is the inner-created wanting to work hard that will matter most at the end of the day.

If you liked this article and know someone who is goal-oriented and should read this, please share it on your social media and suggest they visit www.awesomelifebook.com to subscribe to our email list.

The R.A.W. Formula for Success

By Shazad

READING and WRITING on a regular basis makes you smarter - that should be no surprise to anyone.  The missing part in most people’s lives is the part in the middle and starts with an “A” which refers to APPLYING.  You must APPLY the things you learn by reading to test out those ideas. This is the only way to see how they can benefit us in our lives.  

Once we find something valuable to start doing, we need to DOCUMENT our experiences through the written word. That’s where WRITING comes into place and it’s what we must all become better at. Long-form, short-form, informal style, and proper English sentences - they all matter. So now you know the simple R.A.W. formula to be a more successful human: Read - Apply - Write. Keep doing this on a consistent basis to become Awesome.

What One Hobby Do You Need To Make Life Happier?

By Ahsan

I have enjoyed many hobbies in my life: reading, writing, playing golf, collecting colognes, learning about personal development and blogging www.awesomelifebook.com to name a few.

I think having a hobby is all about thoroughly enjoying your time on this earth.

We all need a break from the routine of life, work, and responsibilities. A hobby is a temporary diversion, a way to relax, and even being a part of a community.

There is one more thing I like, and that is wristwatches. Owning a watch has always been a part of my life but not a hobby per se. Allow me to share my watch story with you.

First of all, think about the watch you own. There is most certainly a story connected to it. Perhaps it was a gift from your father, or maybe it was something to commemorate a milestone in life or a hard-won achievement. Perhaps it is a source of inspiration that reminds you of your potential or mindset in life.

Watches are more than something you wear to tell time. They are special and often reminders of something or someone.

When I was in grade 7, I remember getting my first watch, a gift from my mother. It was a digital watch with a metal strap that has long since been either lost or forgotten. Later in grade 9, my Uncle gave me a Seiko dress watch with a rectangular case. It is very swish, and I really take care of it. I wear it still and have changed many straps and batteries in the last 30 or so years. When I started my career, I bought two other watches: a Wittnauer and a Sector.

My prized possession, however, is my late fathers' Omega Seamaster from the 1960s. My mother gave it to me seven years ago. It was kept in a briefcase dormant for 33 years and started again after being wound. That watch is pure class.

I guess you can say I am a watch owner with an appreciation for beautiful watches. However, something happened recently that changed all that.

I was at the local jewelry shop to buy a watch for my son-in-law. We decided on a Tissot, it has a blue dial, Arabic numerals, a silver case, and a gorgeous brown leather band. The watch, in my mind, had to suit his personality: smart, sophisticated, suave, level headed, social, loyal, understanding, kind, intelligent, passionate and driven. So….that meant I had to do some research. That day, we looked at two other brands too: Hamilton and Frederique Constant. Both contenders.

I started by contacting two friends that I know love and collect watches. Then, I turned to Youtube. There, I found two reviewers that I highly recommend: Just One More Watch and The Urban Gentry. These two fellows: Jody and Tristano, are commanding in their knowledge and can really educate you on the hobby of Horology.

The funny thing is that in the process of researching the idea of the Tissot, I became smitten with the idea of buying a watch for myself! I did not think I needed a watch when I walked into the jewelry store, after all, I already had great watches that will last a lifetime. And…well…I ended up buying four watches for myself. I will not describe each one; however, I will let you in on a great find that I must share.

In full disclosure, I am not being compensated in any way whatsoever. I will leave a link for your convenience, and I caution you in advance: if you visit this website, you will want to buy one or more of the watches offered.

More details follow but first, imagine for a moment, you found a world-renowned watch collector who personally designed a watch for you.

Now imagine wearing that watch, feeling the pride of ownership, enjoying the beauty of its dial as the sunlight dances upon it. As you look at your watch, you notice the thought put into every detail: from the Italian leather used for the strap, the period-specific homage of the stainless steel case, the crisp outline of the applied numerals, the use of a double-domed crystal with anti-reflection coating, the workhorse movement, the signed crown and buckle, right to the engraved case-backing that nods to the vintage and story of the watch on your wrist.

In my opinion, such a watch cannot be easily replicated unless it is designed by a true collector as evidenced by the depth and breadth of his collection, his generous sharing of watch knowledge and the almost perfect and innumerable 5 Star testimonials from a world-wide clientele. I own the 1947, proudly.

By the way, I asked Dan to give me a little background on the 1947 model and how it came to be. This is what he said: the 1947 was a dream watch for me, I always wanted a 40mm Calatrava style case with wide lugs and that dial style, but since this watch did not exist I created it, it’s a mix of influences…”

Do yourself a favour, please visit www.danhenrywatches.com you will definitely find a watch that will call your name. The fantastic thing is you won't need to get a loan to buy one.

Do yourself another favour if you want to learn all about his personal collection of 1500 plus watches at www.timeline.watch this is basically an online vintage watch encyclopedia that Dan has shared with the world.

So? What hobby do you have?

Remember, hobbies make life grand and happier, even long-lost hobbies!

If you enjoyed this article, please share it on your personal social media so others can be more awesome!

Make Time for Yourself

Don't Try to Be Someone Else

By Shazad

In today’s world, there are a lot of celebrities in sports, business and showbiz. Many people are trying to be the next version of Michael Jordan, Steve Jobs or Tom Cruise and many other famous people. The problem is that we can never become someone else no matter how hard we try. The world does not really want us to become someone else, despite what we see on the media. We need more individuals who are great in their own way.

We all admire family members like our siblings, cousins and even our parents but we should not try to be another version of them, despite how much respect we have for them. They don’t truly want or need us to become who they are. We have our own life experiences and thoughts and we are presented with the ability to take our life to a new level of success that perhaps they could not so it is not correct to imitate them in every way.

It’s likely we will take some inspiration from some of the great people of our time or the past and incorporate something from their practices or habits but we should never try to become that other person. Our main goal should be to become the very best individual we can be and realize we are one of a kind. We should strive to be the Next Great Human Being in our area of expertise or skill. That is far more important than an imitation of someone else. Don’t lose the precious thing that only you have which is a unique life experience like no other.

Becoming the most Awesome YOU is what the world needs more of so create your own legendary life that inspires others to want to become their best. This is how we make the whole world step up to truly live as the best person each person can possibly be.

How To Have More In Every Area Of Your Life

By Ahsan

No matter where you are in life, you could do better. I say this because our very existence is evidence of this. The evolution of our universe, planet, species and knowledge is all an example.

That said, you have the right to stay where you are and do nothing more.

For the curious and ambitious reader of our blog, two ideas may and should help you to have more in every area of your life.

The first idea is related to your skills and the second idea is connected to your outlook.

As for skills, we are good at certain things and not so good at other things. The common problem we experience with our capabilities is that we focus too much on making our weak skills strong when we should do the opposite.

Don’t spend your time and your life trying to get good at things you are not good at. You will only get frustrated and probably improve insignificantly. On the other hand, if you focus on the strong skills that you are good at, you could experience greater mastery and unparalleled levels of confidence.

For example, if you are good at selling and weak in administration, you could do far better in your career of sales if you master the skill of sales and persuasion and delegate your paperwork to an assistant. To improve on your natural ability of selling, you might attend courses on sales methods or read books on marketing or take online courses in persuasive writing.

The trick from there like always is to act.

Get out there in the field, see the people and sell your product or service. Get rejected, handle objections and make some rain.

The second idea to have more in every area of your life is to have a vision of your future. Obviously, your vision should be of a positive future. See yourself doing well, being happy and achieving your goals.

Whenever you see things positively, your brain will frame your experiences and add meaning to those situations in a way that will confirm your outlook. For example, when you meet someone, it will feel like that person was sent to you at the right time to help you reach your vision. Likewise, when you face a setback, you will see the situation positively as a necessary lesson to be learned, rather than a stroke of bad luck.

Conclusion: If you want to make a real mess of your life, focus on your weaknesses, see only obstacles in the way of your dreams and ruminate. You might even know some people that do this. My guess is that they have less in every area of their life.

And there you have it. To have more is the natural way of things and to do it, you need to do just two things:

1) Focus on the fundamental skills that you excel at. Leave your weaknesses to the wayside. Get good at one or two things. Reap the benefits.

2) Have a grand vision of your future: full of lollipops, gumdrops and Unicorns. Don’t get bogged down by dimly lit images about tomorrow. Gosh, that isn’t helpful!

3) Here is the BONUS item I almost forgot to mention: ACT. You must act!

When Less is More

By Shazad

We all crave more of things. More money. More Time. More food. We have been conditioned to want more because that is what society keeps telling us to think. What if we changed the thinking and focused on the Minimum Effective Dose of something to make us healthy, happy and educated?

This does not mean being illiterate, indifferent or starving yourself. Look at what you consume in terms of information, products and food and think how much is enough? Do the “Enough” amount and stop. Don’t go overboard on food or shopping or even on consuming media. Just stop at enough and realize how much life can be when you stop wanting more for the sake of more.

What if All of Us were "Good with Words"?

By Shazad

I’m not an English major or a famous writer…yet. I have been told by a few people that I’m “good with words” because they appreciate the way I communicate in meetings, training workshops or via instant messaging and email. I thought about this a little and found it very strange that more people do not speak or write well enough to be complimented in this way. What makes us human is the ability to clearly express ourselves in verbal and written communication. So much of human history is shared and enjoyed because we can speak about amazing things and write about historical events or possibilities of the future.

I challenge everyone who thinks that only some people can speak or write well. Communication is something we all learn at a very young age. It’s not a talent but an acquired skill. Everyone can become better at communicating ideas more clearly and in multiple forms whether that is audio, video or in writing. We all have some talent in a certain kind of communication and it’s easy to just focus on that but that is limiting yourself. I'm an introvert and was not very good in English class nor was I able to stand in front of people to say anything meaningful until my mid-20's. I realized that I need to get over my fear of speaking and develop myself. I still challenge myself to become more skilled in every kind of communication and variations of communications such as short and long-form writing along with speaking. This helps me to learn new skills and effectively share ideas with peers and friends. Being an effective communicator also makes personal relationships better and richer which is what everyone wants!

Let’s make communications excellence the norm for the benefit of our professional and personal lives. Being a capable communicator should eventually become as routine as having good posture, personal grooming or kindness. Everything we do as human beings and our interaction with technology revolves around effective communication at it's core so let’s make an intentional effort to constantly refine our abilities on a daily basis. Let's make sure all of us become "good with words"!

Here are 3 steps to being better at communication:

1. Communicate often and pay attention to your words. Record yourself on video and keep your old writings.

2. Read your own writing and listen to recordings of yourself to see how you sound. Compare to your past writings or audio to see how far you have come.

3. Ask for regular feedback from trusted friends and peers regarding how clearly and effectively you express your ideas.

4. Practice explaining complex things in the simplest terms and ask for feedback. If your audience understands you, you will be successful.

Bonus: Watch videos of great communicators from the past and modern times to see what they do to Inform, Inspire or Instruct.

Don't Blame Technology for Human Nature

By Shazad

We live in a very advanced and fast-moving world. Some people are very concerned about how much technology is around us and how people are using it. The concerns are worth paying attention to but not because of technology alone. As long as humans have existed, there has been bad behaviour and abuse of leadership, tools, and communication. That is just part of the human experience.

Today’s Internet with Social Media and Wireless Internet (WiFi) technology isn’t causing people to behave good or bad…it is exposing those that know how to use the technology for either good or evil. Everything that used to happen in the past is happening faster these days. None of the gossiping, lies or personal attacks on people is new to anyone living in any human society. Likewise, many people are using technology to provide learning opportunities, mentoring and encouragement to people all across the world. People who could never get the right information to make a business decision or even basic education are benefiting every day from the global reach of the Internet.

Long before Social Media, people were able to spread lies in newspapers as well as by telephone. Long before these technologies, humans wrote vicious lies and total nonsense in books, on flyers and on building signs. Many fictional stories and biased historical records were recorded to make some other group or nation look bad. Similarly, when most of the communication was verbal, people said many foul things about each other and pretended they were ignorant of facts. This doesn’t mean that speaking, writing or reading is bad. We don’t suddenly decide to burn all the books and ban newspapers because some of them contain false or insulting writing. Likewise, we shouldn’t try to ban the Internet or social media because or any other technology because that is NOT the source of the problem! People who are going to be cruel, hostile and tell lies in real life will use Social Media to do the same. The kind, intelligent and honest people of the world wont suddenly be a different person online.

Technology is a neutral tool like a hammer, pen or microphone. It’s how we choose to use or abuse the modern tools that determine what the end result will be. Computers and the Internet don’t have any morality -they don’t know right or wrong. The people who use these tools are the ones responsible for what happens. Always demonstrate the best behaviour in person or online with whatever tool you happen to use so that you will have nothing but Awesome results!

Aim for Awesome and Not Perfection

By Shazad

 "When you aim for perfection, you discover it's a moving target." > George Fisher

Having people in our lives that are real experts with almost perfect knowledge can literally be life-saving. We all want our Doctor to be an A+ student with a perfect reputation before prescribing some medicine to us. We also wish civil engineers to be the best in their field and be 100% certain the bridge or building they are constructing won’t suddenly fall down.  These are examples of life and death situations where the very best information, education and expertise is required. Sometimes, we want nothing less than perfect.

Fortunately, we don't need this level of perfection for most of the other aspects of life such as work, relationships, business or sports.  We need to be reasonably sure about what we can deliver. We'll never have complete or perfect information, so it's not worth demanding this from others either.

Rather than trying to be perfect, we have to make that leap of faith once we believe we have done all we can. This could mean we have 70% certainty about our work or that of others we rely on. This level of confidence may be enough to move forward. Yes, it is a gamble but so is most of life. We can’t be paralyzed or delayed by lack of perfect info.

Our daily decisions are full of risk, but we manage to make things work out. When something does go wrong, we can adapt and correct many of the problems. In the process, we learn valuable lessons. In short, we move the human race forward.

To make your life move in the right direction, you should demand excellence by pursuing Awesome results, but within reason. Trying to be 100% perfect delays progress and can become a stumbling block to finish. The world needs more finishers, not just starters. Being too demanding of perfection is ignoring the process of adjusting course and reworking plans.

To have something achieved, be it a personal accomplishment or of someone you rely on is what we all want. Instead, why not try the idea of "enough." No amount of effort or decision making can ever be enough if our standard is perfection. Perhaps, we can be happier and to move closer to perfection, if we work hard enough and avoid needing to be perfect.

We can make progress in our personal and professional lives using the best available facts and ideas combined with effort. Progress in the right direction, not perfection for perfection’s sake, can perfect one’s perfection…and give you Awesome results along the way!

Awesome Life Lessons From A Bicycle Mechanic

By Ahsan

You know how you put off doing things around the house for days and months, and then you say to yourself, "man, I got to put those pictures up on the wall, and grease the garage doors, clean up that closet and get those bikes fixed up." Well just last week, I started on my list and started with the bikes.

I had bought a couple bikes from a fellow who worked out of his home a few years ago and decided to call on him again. To my good fortune, he called me back and said that he had moved and was still fixing bikes. I called my buddy to join me, and the two of us loaded our bikes that needed a tune-up. And so, off we went on a 30-minute trek.

So far, you may be thinking that my story is moving slowly and that there is nothing unusual to share. You would be wrong because what you don't know is that Angelo the Bicycle Mechanic is 82 years young and he started his vocation at age 60 after spending over 20 years in the Pizza Restaurant business!

We were at his house at 10 am on a Saturday morning, and he was waiting for us. He has everything set up in his garage. On one end is a row of new and used bikes for sale and on the other side is his work area. He got to work right away and lifted the bikes on to the repair stand that is three feet off the ground. I stood in amazement when I saw how he took apart the bikes and put them back together again. His hands had the precision of a surgeon and the strength for twisting a wrench of a much younger man.

We were there for 2 hours, and he fixed 3 bikes in that time. Both my friend and I were in awe of Angelo, here he is fixing bikes at an age when most people are frail, slowing down or can barely move without a cane or a walker. Not Angelo!

I had a bunch of questions I wanted to ask him, and he obliged. Thanks, Angelo!

The only thing more surprising than Angelo is his 92-year-old wife. You read that right, she came over near the end of our visit to call him in for lunch. She too was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and engaged us in a lovely conversation before we left. The other cool thing is that they were born in Italy but met in Switzerland when they both worked in the restaurant industry and have been married 60 years!

So….here is what Angelo shared with me:

 You don't have to retire! Starting a new thing at age 60 is a great idea, and you can make some money at the same time.

 The secret to a long life is to eat healthily and keep moving. Angelo says he is either fixing bikes or out in the garden tending to his vegetables and flowers.

 Go after your dreams, no matter what your circumstances. Angelo only has a grade 5 education. Despite this so-called disadvantage, he told me he has more money than he can ever spend. He emigrated to Canada in 1966, and within two years of arriving, he opened his own Pizza Restaurant.

 Everyone has problems and stress in life. Use your friends and family to get through these times. Be close to your family. Consult them. He always spoke to his wife and kids about issues and then made his own judgement on what to do, to fix things.

 Be positive always, even if you have the most problems in the world. Stay calm and try to fix or resolve your issues. No point in worrying. Never say, "why me." That's when depression sets in and the drinking begins. One of Angelo’s children had an ailment at age 3 and has had a tough go from this throughout life.

 On marriage, he said both he and his wife care for each other. Spend your time with your family and be honest with each other. Just like in business, if one partner is not trustworthy, the outcome is a breakup. Create peace in your house. You fight with the world during the day and when you come home, provide comfort for each other. Don’t focus on money or material things either.

 Be a leader for your family. Know your responsibilities and make decisions.

 As for regrets, he said he wished he had more education. He feels that he would be 10 times better off if he had the chance.

 In the same breath, he said he is very proud of his accomplishments and very happy. He always tried to learn from his mistakes.

 His closing remark to us was, “I am happy in every way and am still here to help a lot of people.”

Angelo, you are an inspiration to the many people who will read this article and me.

Thanks for sharing your story Signore!

I Wish Someone Told me...

By Shazad

Ever since I reached my 40’s I realized so many things I thought were true or ‘normal’ back in my 20’s were wrong. Here’s a list of things I wish someone had told me back then that I believe many people will agree with or at least start to consider.

I wish someone told me that this life is a marathon and not a sprint. We need to pace ourselves and build strength as well as endurance in youth to be able to keep going the distance later in life. Health is the most important thing all through life but it’s especially true as we age.

I wish someone told me that all the ‘flexing’ and showing off too much in youth is a waste of time and resources. Spending money we don’t have to impress people we don’t know or even like, is destructive and pointless. The people who really care about us don’t need to be impressed by fancy things. No one in their 20’s should be buying new cars or expensive toys/clothes of any kind. All the time in youth should be spent in building experience, skills and having minimal or no debt of any kind.

I wish someone told me that too much comfort and ease is destructive. Youth should be spent on being uncomfortable on regular basis to make sure we don’t get too comfortable. Weight gain, depression and lack of motivation in life is an outcome of being too comfortable. We all need to be hungry in youth and be driven which means not having everything we wanted to have. Struggle in youth to have a better life in later years.

I wish someone told me that being a healthy 40-something is like being like in your 20’s but with more life experience and some wisdom. Being patient enough to buy certain ‘luxury’ items once you are established in your 40’s is a lot more fulfilling than rushing to buy them in youth when you can’t really afford them. When you work hard and take care of your responsibilities first, the fancy things in life feel like you have earned them.

I wish someone told me that my parents don’t owe me any inheritance or property while they are alive or after they have passed away. I should have no expectations of any material gain from my parents and neither should anyone else. Parents have a responsibility to provide some food, shelter, clothes and love to their kids. They also have a duty to provide education and motivation for personal development. We each have to figure out how to get higher education and build assets we need based on our own intelligence and hard work. Parents are not responsible for paying for everything.

I wish someone told me that that my opinion of myself is what really matters. The opinions of others can be positive but is usually negative and based on their own personal weaknesses or biases. What I think of myself is the most important. I need to like myself and take care of my own mental well being because no one else knows me better than I know myself. The voice in my head is the one that matters the most to me.

I wish someone told me that the more freedom I have in life, the more responsibility I have. Self Discipline is true freedom in life. We will never have freedom from responsibilities and that’s ok. The idea is to be a more responsible person as we mature and have self control.

I wish someone told me that true satisfaction in life comes from serving others. Simply focusing on my own happiness and desires is not fulfilling in the long run. Everyone important in your life is part of your personal fulfillment in life. By helping other people you care about, you become a better human being and that leads to true satisfaction in life. We exist to work together and help each other which is How We All WIN in Life.

What do you wish someone told you when you were younger?

Make a Statement with your LIFE

By Shazad

Whether you know it or not, you are making a statement every single day. The things you do, say, wear and express online are speaking volumes about you. Why not be proactive and intentional about the statement your life is making? The word LIFE can represent some core statements about what you want to communicate. For example, L=Love. I=Integrity, F=Fitness. E=Empathy. Make your own LIFE statement clear and consistent.

Tell the world what you like and better yet, what you love! Express yourself in genuine ways every day whether through verbal or written methods. Move with humility and purpose when you go about your day. Show everyone what matters to you and what you believe in. Take time out of your busy life to give a part of yourself to the people and causes you claim are important to you. Let’s stop paying lip service to things like family, neighbours and the environment. Let’s actually do the hard work of making an intentional statement every day that speaks for itself. This is how we live a genuine and fulfilling life.

What statement will you make with your LIFE?

Two Tips To Unlock Success In Your Career

By Ahsan

Let’s make this quick. You and I both need real and applicable ideas so we can be our best. At work or otherwise, please consider these two gems:

1.Time Warp: In doing a project, we often have a deadline. However, we often procrastinate. Yet, when the deadline approaches, we put on the turbo engine and do incredible amounts of work. The feeling is exhilarating, but the result is less than what it could be. The solution? Start by putting the deadline feeling at the start of the project. Work like crazy up front and then have several days to do the real polishing. This way, your result is more amazing because it is not a rush job.

2. Focus Work: Try to sit with your task and shut out the world. If you work on something for 30 minutes without interruption from phone calls, emails, or chatty colleagues, you will produce more results in less time. We all actually do only a few hours of work in an entire 8-hour workday. Get honest with yourself.

Summary:

Flip the deadline around to the start of your projects!

When you work, do the work with laser focus, for at least 30 minutes!

Action Steps:

a) Put this note somewhere where you can see it.

b) Implement the 2 Tips every day.

c) Set up a three-week challenge to stick to the new methods described.

d) If it works for you, keep doing it.

The Real Life

By Shazad

When you spend time alone and in prayer on regular basis, you understand what the REAL life is. You forget about all the running around and materialistic things of this world. All the small disputes, jealousies, complaints and total nonsense. Other people’s drama, doubts and power games don’t bother you. You are not attached to the outcomes of this world. That is freedom. This is what we really want!

You understand the real life is yet to come and everything we are doing now prevents us from getting the best experience or, it helps us because we Live this life in the Best way.

Stop and reflect on what’s important...do this often and Be free to live a real life. Help others with your awareness of what is Real. Live Awesome!

Work and Play with the End in Mind

By Shazad

Are you a GIVER or a TAKER? What do you want people to say when your time on Earth runs out? Death and our funeral is coming for us all so how should we live with that common End In Mind?

One way is to GIVE MORE than you TAKE, every single day. Second, surround yourself with people, work and ideas that matter the MOST to you. Cut out or at least limit those people and things that don’t matter as much. Third and most important, become the person you are supposed to be TODAY and for the rest of your existence because we all know how this ends…No one gets out alive but we all get a chance to Work and Play the way we decide. Follow these 3 steps from now on and you will change your life for the better.

Leave the world with an Abundance once you are gone rather than a lifetime of debt, regret and frets.

Live Awesome!