Inspiration

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Radical Action

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Radical Action

Once we know the truth, our decision has been made and our target is in focus -  it’s time for our next move. Radical Action.

Radical Action is doing anything and everything to jumpstart the change process.

We must become a fanatic. We must be willing to create significant and extreme change. Now.

Radical Action means sacrificing more than we ever want to. And working harder than we ever thought possible. It’s about stretching our strength. Our resolve. 

It’s a memo to the universe that we’re serious. And that we’ll do what it takes.

It seals our self-promise in blood. Sweat. Maybe even tears.

If we’re not serious about changing, this step will be painful. Maybe even excruciating. It will eventually cripple us. And stop us in our tracks.

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Set Your Target

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Set Your Target

The process of creating change is a temporary condition. 

It begins with the decision to change the status quo. It continues as you undergo the procedures, efforts, consequences and actions of creating The Change. And, it terminates at the point where The Change has been made. 

Our Target is the point where present tense becomes past tense. We are no longer changing. We’ve changed. 

The debt isn’t being paid off. It has been paid off.
We’re no longer losing weight. The weight has been lost.
We’re not quitting. We’ve quit.
We’re not starting. We’re doing it.

The target isn’t The End.

This is only a target to reach. It’s a fixed point with a clear definition. 

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Tell The Truth

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Tell The Truth

If you want to make a big change. Pay off debt. Build wealth. Lose weight. Start a habit. Or break one.

You must understand the difference between lying and telling the truth. I’m not just talking about lying to other people. Or about lying to ourselves. 

I’m talking about pretending. Faking it. Wishing it was true. Trying to sound optimistic. Looking at the bright side. Acting ‘as if.’ Exaggerating. Minimizing. Fudging. Rounding up. Or down. Bullshitting. Fabricating. Distorting. Spinning. Misrepresenting. Omitting details. Cheating. Being polite. Playing nice. Putting on a smile. Fantasizing. Embellishing. Romanticizing. And all the other ways that we manipulate strings of words in our minds and contort our lives to try to make ourselves (and other people) feel better.

To really change. We’ve got to understand where the truth ends and a lie begins. And we’ve got to learn that this isn’t a fine line. Or a flimsy one. Or a flexible one.

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How To Make A Decision

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How To Make A Decision

We are constantly making decisions.

Some of them are easy. Simple. Routine.

What to wear?

What to eat?

Which one to buy?

But every once in a while, we're faced with a pretty big decision.

A decision that might take us off the road we've been traveling. A road that we've grown to tolerate. Or even love.

A decision that has leads us straight into the unknown. 

When to leave?

When to quit?

When to start?

Which way should I go?

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Raise The Roof

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Raise The Roof

Getting out of debt isn’t easy.

And, it’s not supposed to be.

We get into debt slowly.

Unconsciously.

Mindlessly.

And then, we get used to being in debt.

We tolerate it.

Until it seems normal.

Comfortable even.

 

If we want to raise the roof on our net worth.

If we want to really get out of debt.

We’ve got to be willing to do the difficult.

Even the impossible.

We can’t expect to stay unconscious.

We can’t expect to mindlessly, comfortably, gently walk our way to being debt free.

Nope.

 

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What A Lemon Tree Taught Me About Mon

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I have an over-achieving lemon tree in my back yard.

It's a small tree. It doesn't take up a lot of space.

But it is serious about lemon production.

It's not like a regular citrus tree with its arms reaching up to the sun. It more like a weeping willow with heavy lemon-laden branches. 

There are at least five hundred lemons on it right now. (I didn't count... just go with my story here.)

When I first moved in, it was spring.

I thought lemons were in season.

And I picked tons of them.

And tried to use them all.

And then they rotted on my counter tops.

And the lemon tree kept on making lemons.

Summer came.

Still lemon season.

I ignored the tree.

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Lost Luggage

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Lost Luggage

I was in some form of debt for nearly 20 years. 

The last three years of my life have been dedicated to radical debt eradication.

I didn't realize it at the time - but debt was kind of like my baby.

I thought about it constantly.

I would strategize about how to pay it down.

I would run numbers in my head.

I had a running calculation everytime I spent money.

Or made money.

I was obsessed.

This wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

It kept me passionate.

It kept me focused.

It provided momentum and motivation.

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One Wild And Precious Life

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One Wild And Precious Life

I used to wish that life was easier.

More fair.

I secretly wanted to be rescued. Or saved. Or at least have someone help me carry the weight of my journey here on this planet.

Maybe a man. A career. A friend. Fame. Money.

Could do the hard stuff for me.

So I tried subletting my life.

I tried to give away the property rights to my own self.

I tried handing over the responsibility.

The decisions.

And I found that I couldn't do it.

I can't be saved.

I can't be rescued.

And I don't want my life to be easier.

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My Body Knows

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My Body Knows

My heart knows...

what it wants. It knows that love is really the only option. It knows why I am here and what my life is about.

My legs know...

how to walk. How to dance. How to run and jump. My legs know how to take me anywhere I want to go.

My feet know...

that I love the warm. The sun. The sand. They know when I've stood too long in the same place and when it's time to move. They know how many miles they have walked. 

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What I Learned From A Bad Ass Three-Year-Old

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What I Learned From A Bad Ass Three-Year-Old

He's wearing a striped polo shirt with camouflage shorts and a ball cap. As if he's ready to go to war for a country club. 

 

His mom is pitching. Major league style.


Overhand. Fast.

 

The bat is taller and heavier than he is.

 

He swings.

Hits it.

And keeps twisting.

And falls down backwards.

 

She chases the ball.

 

He gets up. Runs the imaginary bases with his arms up.

 

Home run.

Celebration.

 

How can I not fall in love with this kid?