What True Failure Really Means…John Page Burton

When I look back upon my life, I credit the many “failures”  I have experienced with shaping who I am today. I am grateful that I placed myself in a position to fail (time and again) and that I also gave myself permission to try again. Living a “safe life” would be quite dull. Here are some of the lessons I have learned from failure.

F=Fortitude. Learning to accept failure has given me the strength to face  adversity with courage,wisdom and conviction. It has also taught me to savor my “wins”.

A=Action.  Action simply means that I prefer to be in “the game” as opposed to watching it from the sidelines. I am willing to take some hits, they are a part of the game.

I=Integrity. Failure has encouraged me to remain faithful to my vision. I am honest with myself regarding my strengths and my limitations.

L=Lessons. With each failure I have learned valuable lessons and gained insights that  helped prepare me for the arrival of success.

U= Unique. Accepting failure is unique. Most people allow the fear of failure to hold them back from pursuing their goals and dreams.

R= Responsibility. By accepting that failure will happen, I am taking full responsibility for my life circumstances, decisions and outcomes.

E= Ego. Experiencing failure serves to quiet my ego and it allows me to embrace what it truly means to be humble.

It is during times of adversity that our  true character is formed. Failure provides us with an opportunity to experience who WE really are. I encourage you to FAIL your way to massive success.  I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on failure.

The Money Test…John Page Burton

Recently, I took on a new coaching client who has been experiencing a “love-hate” relationship with money. In his mind, a persons self worth is directly linked to their bank account. We discovered that he had subconsciously identified an amount of money that he was “comfortable” earning and once there he would begin a process of “self sabotage” that would prevent him from moving into a higher tax bracket. This subconscious mind game shows up daily in the lives of millions of people. I asked my client several key questions and then listened to his responses. This conversation lead to “the money test”. I encourage you to take this “money test” and identify where you find yourself in relationship to money.

THE MONEY TEST

First, money is either a small sheet of paper or a tiny piece of metal, we attach our own unique meaning to money.

*Do you believe that money (or the lack of) is a measure of your true self worth?

*Do you ever find yourself feeling jealous or envious of a person that you believe has more money than you do?

*Do you routinely spend money that you don’t have (credit, overdraw your checking, delay paying household bills) to purchase material items that create the illusion that you live a grander lifestyle than you actually can afford?

*Do you complain that you never have enough money?

*Do you feel guilty thinking about or exploring opportunities that would allow you to earn more money?

The answer to these questions will go a long way in determining your emotional perception of money.

Here are a few thoughts designed to help you re-frame your relationship with money. Again, money is either paper or metal, we attach the meaning.

*Money does not define who YOU are. Your character and actions will always speak louder than your bank account.

*Being envious or jealous of another persons financial well being will block your ability to attract financial abundance. Don’t waste your energy on perceptions, run YOUR race!

*Going into debt in order to “look better off” is financial suicide. DEBT is DEBT!!! Your goal should be to create NEW streams of income rather than new lines of credit.

*Speaking words of scarcity and lack will not help you create financial abundance. Your words become thoughts, thoughts become actions and actions become habits. What you speak about long enough will eventually come to pass. Pay close attention to your thoughts and choose your words wisely.

*Feeling guilty about making money will not improve your finances. You must  replace financially restrictive thoughts with empowering thoughts that focus on abundance. A person should never feel guilty about bettering their life.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on money.

 

Building Muscles For Success…John Page Burton

There are no shortcuts to success! Achieving success in any endeavor is a process. There has never been an overnight success and there never will be. Those who seemingly hit the top “overnight” actually paid a high price to get there. It’s true that some people travel at a much faster pace than others, however, the principles and the process for attaining success remains the same for everyone. It’s your race, run it at the pace you are comfortable with. Just make sure to FINISH!!!

People who workout at the gym know that significant results take months of sustained activity. Through the process of repetition a persons muscles begin to develop and become defined. Anyone who has experienced significant weight loss (and kept it off) also understands the importance of repetition and consistency. In order to experience measurable results in any area of your life it is imperative that you follow this proven system for success.

*Make a decision. Most people “think” about success but few are willing to make the absolute decision to go after it. Thoughts without action are just thoughts.

*Attitude. You MUST believe that you deserve to have what it is you are going after and that nothing is going to stop you. Your attitude will make or break you.

*Establish clear, written goals and post them everywhere that you are. The more exposure you have to your written goals the more they become real. Share your goals with everyone around you. We all have “looking good” programs running and this will increase your odds of “looking good.”

*Establish a written strategy that outlines how you intend to accomplish your goals. Create a specific timeline for their completion. Your goals must be REALISTIC. Example: I’m going to lose 30 lbs in the next 10 days is not realistic. Losing 7 lbs in 2 weeks is a more realistic goal that will provide you with a reasonable challenge. When you complete this goal you will feel empowered and motivated to go after the next 7 lbs.

*Be consistent. Work towards your goals everyday. Don’t break the cycle or you will have to start over. Remember that we build strong muscles by taking consistent action over a sustained period of time.

*Recruit a work out partner or hire a professional coach. A coach/work out partner will keep you on track and will hold you accountable for your results. This can also be a fun, motivational way to push yourself to the next level.

*CELEBRATE!!! Rewarding yourself for a job well done is mandatory. Establish in advance how you intend to reward yourself upon reaching your goals. Make sure that it is something significant as this will also keep you motivated during the times you feel like quitting.

By engaging in consistent repetition over a sustained period of time you will begin to see your goals and dreams become your reality.

As always I would love to hear your thoughts on these success principles.

The P.O.W.E.R. Of Gratitude…John Page Burton

For most of my adult life I practiced “convenient gratitude”. In other words, when things were working out in my favor I was thankful and felt on top of the world. When the opposite occurred, I often became angry and frustrated. Fortunately, as we get older most of us become a lot wiser.

Over the last few years, I have engaged in a practice of showing gratitude for each and every experience in my life. Whether I determine my experience to be “good” or “bad” I express gratitude. It can admittedly be a bit challenging to express gratitude when we experience a major setback or outright defeat however, it can be liberating to know that we each have a choice as to how we perceive our setbacks. I created and review my P.O.W.E.R. of gratitude as a constant reminder to stay grounded in the present moment.

P=Patience. By learning to express gratitude for every experience in my life I have become more patient. I realize that a setback is a lesson that I need to learn. It is my choice as to what I do with this knowledge.

O=Opportunity. Expressing gratitude for all of my experiences lets the universe know that I am a responsible steward. I am opening the doorway to greater opportunity and I am welcoming abundance into all areas of my life.

W=Well Being….Gratitude brings with it a sense of calm which is great for our physical and emotional health. Taking personal responsibility in our lives is far less stressful than always searching for someone or something to blame.

E=Ego…..When I express gratitude I am sending a strong message to my ego that there is a power far greater than myself that is co-creating my life.

R=Reciprocity…The expression of gratitude for all of our experiences establishes a reciprocal relationship with the universe. You are saying “thank you” and the universe is saying “your welcome”.

We are all going to have high and low moments in our lives. When we look back it is easy to recognize that most of what we thought were “bad” experiences actually lead us to something better. This is precisely why I have made the decision to express gratitude for all my life experiences. Life is good!!!

I welcome your thoughts and feedback.

The Truth About Ghosts… John Page Burton

When I was a little boy our family would go camping in the woods. Each day ended with a bedtime “ghost story” that often featured a poor soul named Stumpy, an unfortunate woodsman who had lost his legs in a logging accident. His tortured soul roamed the woods at night, searching for his legs. Eventually I realized that it was highly unlikely that “Stumpy” would ever find his legs and if by chance he did decide to raid my tent, I could simply “out run” him.

In reality, many of us never truly let go of our “ghost stories” from the past. Our adult “ghost stories” are far scarier and more damaging than the “fireside” ghosts of years gone by. We entertain visits from the ghosts of our parents, teachers and other family members who continually remind us that we are being impractical and self centered in our approach to finding happiness. The ghosts from our failed relationships remind us to never try again as nobody would want to spend time with “damaged goods.” The business failure ghosts illuminate the audacity that we of all people could have ever taken such a STUPID risk and do something for ourselves. The ghosts swirl around and taunt our every move. Much like the kids in the tent, many of us lie frozen with fear waiting for “stumpy” to drag us off into the woods and end our pitiful lives.

Here is the absolute truth. GHOSTS ARE NOT REAL!!! They don’t exist, they are only made up stories that we continue to tell ourselves. Casper, although a very friendly ghost is a cartoon character who is unable to save the day. Ebeneezer Scrooges ghosts were the guilt and disappointment he carried toward those he perceived to have let him down when he was a child. If we are to live a rich and rewarding life, we must stop listening to our ghost stories. Ghosts cannot thrive in the present because they DIED in the past. You and I are alive. Everyone that we communicate with is alive. It is crucial that we connect with the living and experience all that LIFE has to offer. We must stop telling ourselves ghost stories. I will leave you with a joke…

Knock Knock

Who’s there?

Boo

Boo Who?

Quit crying..ghosts don’t exist!

Cheers!

The Tale Of Two Wolves….JP Burton Group

Each of us has a battle that rages inside. I wanted to take a moment to share a short message with you that illustrates this battle. At the end of this message you will get to decide which option serves you best.

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson a story about a battle that goes on inside of most people. My son, the battle is between the two wolves who live inside all of us. One is evil. It is anger, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about this for a moment and then asked his grandfather “which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee looked into his grandsons eyes and replied….The one you feed.

Dream Like Your Life Depended On It…John Page Burton

Can you remember being a child when everything seemed possible? I dreamed of becoming an airplane pilot, firefighter, football player, doctor and even a super hero named “squid man”. I would visualize myself in these roles and then recruit my friends to help me act them out in the backyard. All of us started out as dreamers and then something tragic happened. Our parents, along with a host of other “well meaning” people, began admonishing us to “grow up” and become more practical in our aspirations. With few exceptions, our dreams and our desire to dream slowly but surely died. I began my college career as a theater major. At the conclusion of my first semester, my father informed me that he was no longer willing to fund this “foolish pursuit” and  he strongly suggested that I study law. I was able to strike a compromise and ended up earning my undergraduate degree in mass communications. *It should be noted that my father ended up having a “conflict of interest” that coincided with my graduation day. With that being said, I am still very appreciative that he funded the majority of my college education. Thirty years later and much wiser, I can credibly speak about the importance of dreaming. I believe that we can never afford to stop dreaming. Here are some of my thoughts on dreams…

REGRET…I don’t want to lie on my deathbed knowing that I never left my “comfort zone” to go after my dreams. This would be an awful feeling.

THE WORLD NEEDS MORE DREAMERS…All of the luxuries we enjoy today are the bi-product of someones dream. Most of us will never be an Edison, Gates or Jobs but we can use the same process to establish and go after our dreams. Everything worthwhile starts with a vision and is followed by massive action.

DREAMS ARE UPLIFTING…Dreams create excitement. The pursuit of our dreams can be quite invigorating and uplifting. When we solicit family participation in our dream, we are creating the space to build an amazing bond. The accomplishment is shared by everyone and it becomes that much more meaningful. We must encourage our children to dream!

LEAVING OUR LEGACY…How will you be remembered? Will you leave a legacy as someone who went after their dreams and lived life for all it was worth?  Our children need to know that it is acceptable to be a dreamer and WE can be an example of the POWER OF THE DREAM.

Here’s The Plan….

Set aside some quiet time and just let your mind wander.(It’s called day dreaming and many of us got in trouble for it) Think about some of the dreams you have placed on hold because someone told you that it was impractical or foolish. Were they really? Identify two dreams that you absolutely desire to accomplish. Make the decision to fully commit to these dreams. Share your dreams with friends and family. Develop a plan of action. A dream without a plan will have a short life. Establish a firm date of completion. Track and measure your results so that you will know how you are doing and where you may need to modify or change your approach. Have fun, dreams are meant to be enjoyed! Here is an example…

Diana and I held a vision of purchasing a vacation home in the White Mountains in northeastern Arizona. We decided that the timing was right to begin looking in earnest. We had a picture (an actual photograph that I had taken seven years before) of the type of place that we were looking for. We routinely talked about our vacation home and we even began collecting items that we thought would fit well with the decor. On one of our visits to the White Mountains we set up an appointment with a friend, who is a realtor in the area. She showed us several homes but none of them resonated with us. She informed us that she had one more home that she would like to show us. As we pulled into the driveway, a smile crossed my face. This was the exact home that I had taken the picture of  seven years earlier. In addition, it was being sold fully furnished. The next morning we made an offer and it was accepted. THAT IS THE POWER OF THE DREAM!!!

I encourage you to dream like your life depended on it. It just might.

We All Deserve To Live An Abundant Life…John Page Burton

You and I deserve to live an abundant life! We live in arguably the greatest country on earth, in which we have the freedom to choose where we live, what we wear, what we drive, what we eat and who we spend our time with. With that being said, the only question remaining is how do we maximize our true potential and live the most abundant life possible.

Here are 5 strategies that I believe will help each of us reach our full potential and design the abundant life that we deserve.

*We must take responsibility for our own results. Excuses kill dreams! We must stay out of our past, it does not serve our higher good! If we are living paycheck to paycheck it would be wise to consider developing an additional stream of income. Giving all of our creative energy to our employer will never allow any of us to create and build our own abundant life. It is imperative that each of us take charge of our own economy, WE are worth the extra effort!`

*Designing our life plan. What does an abundant life look like to us? It’s time to turn off the voices of “practicality” and have some fun with this. We now have our  very own personal  Genie…Our wish is their command! Let’s start by creating a vision board. What does our car, home, clothes, and favorite vacation spots look like? Dream big! The laws of attraction can be quite powerful….

*Get healthy! It takes energy to create an abundant life. The healthier We are the more we will be able to enjoy what we have created. Our food plan and our commitment to exercise will provide us with the energy that we need to build our dream lifestyle.

*Embracing our setbacks and failure. Those of us who strive to live an abundant life must be willing to pay a price. We will undoubtedly encounter challenges, that in turn will make our “wins”  far more meaningful. Our mantra must be…”I will do what others won’t, so that I can live like others don’t.”

*Express GRATITUDE! Learning to be thankful for our success and our failure keeps us humble. We can often learn more from a setback than from a success. By being grateful for ALL of our experiences we are learning to stabilize our emotions.

An abundant life is available to anyone who is willing to get into the game and go after their dreams. We should all be grateful that we live in a country that allows us this freedom!

As always I welcome your thoughts and feedback!