I will live this day as if it is my last....

The Greatest Secret: Scroll V by Og Mandino.


I will live this day as if it is my last.

And what shall I do with this last precious day, which remains in my keeping? First, I will seal up its container of life so that not one drop spills itself upon the sand. I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday’s misfortunes, yesterday’s defeats, yesterday’s aches of the heart, for why should I throw good after bad?

Can sand flow upward in the hourglass? Will the sun rise where it sets and set where it rises? Can I relive the errors of yesterday and right them? Can I become younger than yesterday? No. Yesterday is buried forever and I will think of it no more.

I will live this day as if it is my last.

And what then shall I do? Forgetting yesterday neither will I think of tomorrow. Why should I throw now after maybe? Can tomorrow’s sand flow through the glass before today’s? Will the sun rise twice this morning? Can I perform tomorrow’s deeds while standing in today’s path? Can I place tomorrow’s gold in today’s purse? Should I concern myself over events, which I may never witness? Should I torment myself with problems that may never come to pass? No! Tomorrow lies buried with yesterday, and I will think of it no more.

I will live this day as if it is my last.

This day is all I have and these hours are now my eternity. I greet this sunrise with cries of joy as a prisoner who is reprieved from death. I lift mine arms with thanks for this priceless gift of a new day. So too, I will beat upon my heart with gratitude as I consider all who greeted yesterday’s sunrise who are no longer with the living today. I am indeed a fortunate man and today’s hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day when others, far better than I have departed? Is it that they have accomplished their purpose while mine is yet to be achieved? Is this another opportunity for me to become the man I know I can be? Is this my day to excel?

I will live this day as if it is my last.

I have but one life and life is naught but a measurement of time. When I waste one I destroy the other. If I waste today I destroy the last page of my life. Therefore, each hour of this day will I cherish for it can never return. It cannot be banked today to be withdrawn on the morrow, for who can trap the wind? Each minute of this day will I grasp with both hands and fondle with love for its value is beyond price. What dying man can purchase another breath though he willingly give all his gold? What price dare I place on the hours ahead? I will make them priceless!

I will live this day as if it my last.

I will avoid with fury the killers of time. Procrastination I will destroy with action; doubt I will bury under faith; fear I will dismember with confidence. Where there are idle mouths I will listen not; where there are idle hands I will linger not; where there are idle bodies I will visit not.

I will live this day as if it is my last.

And if it is my last, it will be my greatest monument. This day I will make the best day of my life. This day I will drink every minute to its full. I will savor its taste and give thanks. I will maketh every hour count and each minute I will trade only for something of value. I will labor harder than ever before and push my muscles until they cry for relief, and then I will continue. I will make more calls than ever before. I will sell more goods than ever before. I will earn more gold than ever before. Each minute of today will be more fruitful than hours of yesterday. My last must be my best.

I will live this day as if it is my last. And if it is not, I shall fall to my knees and give thanks.

Career Day at G.W. Carver Middle School in Miami

I recently had the opportunity to be a guest speaker for the 8th Grade Career Day at G.W. Carver Middle School in Miami. It was truly a privilege to address students at the #1 Middle School in the State of Florida which is also a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence!

G.W. Carver is a magnet school for international education and advanced academics. All students are studying French, German or Spanish and Italian at an in-depth level. Many of them are proficient in one or more of these languages. As you can imagine, it was an educational experience for me to meet the students and to be in their enviornment for a couple of hours. My Student Ambassador, Natasha, did a great job as my host for the morning. That's her in the photo with me.

While there I got to attend an outstanding presentation by Mr. Andy Henriquez, a motivational speaker.

His inspiring message included six points based on the G.W. Carver mascot, the Hornet. It was wonderful to listen to Andy reinforce enduring principles that are the keys to happiness and success in any endeavor. As a professional coach, working with people to live their best life now, I found his points perfectly aligned with my own. Success principles never change!

Here are Andy's nuggets of wisdom:
1. H is for Heart. Follow your heart and do work that you love. You'll never work a day in your life if you do.
2. O is for Open-minded. Be open-minded and welcome new opportunities.
3. R is for Remove negative people and add positive people.
4. N is for Never give up!
5. E is for Embrace your gifts, visions and dreams.
6. T is for Trust in yourself!

New Beginnings

Happy New Year!

If you could create anything you want this year, what would it be? Would you take a class? Lose weight once and for all? Make your health a priority? Deal with a difficult employer or co-worker? Make a career change? Start a business of your own? Run for office? Make those sales calls? Write a book? Play piano? Take up wind surfing, diving or tennis?

What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail? In coaching thousands of people these past nine years, I have seen over and over again that you can accomplish amazing things with the right support.

Here are a few of the successes I’ve enjoyed being a part of:
• An overweight, middle-aged man wants to get in shape. He takes up running as a form of exercise and now has a goal to go over 600 miles this year.
• A medical clinic CEO implements a management coaching program which results in a vibrant new culture, expanded client services, and increased profits.
• A law firm implements a leadership coaching program to maximize their investment in young associates suffering from burnout. It leads to a motivated, high performance team, and a happier workplace.
• A single mom leaves a dead-end corporate job to start a business so she can be at home with her toddler. She is creating a financial future that provides flexibility and unlimited income.
• A high-strung, stressed out workaholic agrees to take a vacation – his first in over six years.
• A super successful woman who has put her career first for many years decides to make herself priority, and in the process discovers the love of her life - and marries him!

It’s fun to be on the journey with such incredible people who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and try something different. What I know to be true is that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary results with support, guidance and accountability.

I would love to work with you this year to achieve your goals. As your coach, I will help you create the structure to make success easier, provide perspective and guidance to keep you on course, and hold you accountable for transforming your dreams into reality.

Are you ready to go for your goals? Are you ready to make changes to create your best year ever? Are you ready to play BIG?

Let’s get started! Here are your first steps:

1. Release the past. So you didn’t accomplish everything you wanted in 2009? So what. No one else did either. The past is over and done. Let it be. Where you are now is more important than where you have been.

2. Clarify your vision. What do you want? Write a description of what you want in as much detail as possible. Spend time visualizing your desires every day.

3. Commit to your success. Commitment means dedication. It means no turning back. Commit to making 2010 your year no matter what. Take action now.

4. Get support. Any goal is easier to reach with a success partner to keep you on course, to encourage you, and challenge you to be your best. Enlist a friend, find a mentor, or hire a coach.

Go for it! Make 2010 your year!

Get Organized for the New Year

Check out the Miami Herald Balancing Act for excellent tips on getting organized for the new year.

You’ll find my tip at the end of the column.
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/1411021.html

What is one thing you will do now to get organized for the new year?

Make 2010 your year to go for it!