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Colorado Trip The Last Day

Colorado Trip The Last Day. All good things have to come to an end. Even this wonderful trip that Sofia and I began a mere six days before. It felt like we had been there for weeks because we had done so much in the last six days. Today was the last day of our Colorado trip.

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The Last day Of Our Colorado Trip

Since our flight wasn’t until 6:00 PM, we had plenty of time to enjoy another day in Colorado. What was one thing that we had not done visiting the Rocky Mountain state? Visit the Rocky Mount National Park, of course! So I hopped on the old inter-web and procured us a vehicle pass and a timed entry pass.

After loading the car and saying goodbye to Wilhelmina and Paul, we headed down the long winding driveway. As soon as we turned onto the road, we were greeted by three young bucks standing in the roadway. They politely walked to the side and posed for some pictures.

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He Seemed To Enjoy The Photo Session

Over The Continental Divide

The night before, I had decided to enter the park on the west side by Grand Lake. We would traverse the mountains, cross the Continental Divide, and exit at Estes Park. The airport was only an hour and a half drive from there, so we had plenty of time. It was another scenic drive to the park entrance.

Beware The Ganja

We stopped at the Rocky Mount National Park sign for some pictures and met two lovely young ladies. They had sweet, southern accents with which they amused us with a story about a marijuana dispensary encounter the day before. It seems they purchased an herbal laced brownie and plan to enjoy it in their room. After eating a corner of the brownie, they realized it was much more powerful than they thought. They had an interesting evening until the effects wore off.

After saying goodbye, we began our drive up and over the mountains. It wasn’t long until we came around a curve and saw people standing on the side of the road. I looked over into the meadow and two moose were grazing in the distance. I found a place to pull over and Sofia ran back to snap some photos.

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A Quick Breakfast

Breathtaking

The scenery and vistas from the top of the mountain, like Sofia, are breathtaking. Once again, I realized how small we are on this vast rock spinning around the sun. Several more photos and selfies were taken as we made our way down the mountain.

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Beautiful

At the bottom, we stopped at the visitor center which has a gift shop and restaurant next door. The day was warm, so we decided to ask for a table outside. While enjoying a bowl of elk stew, I got to look at a mountain and a beautiful stream running below us. I wanted to enjoy the view one last time before heading to Denver.

Home Sweet Home

Mountains always amaze me since the highest point in South Florida is a hill made out of garbage. Before they started the landfills, the highest point was a speedbump in Coral Gables. After another uneventful for our flight, we arrived in Fort Lauderdale around midnight. After collecting our luggage, we headed outside and were greeted by a blast of heat and humidity. It may be hot and humid, but it is “home sweet home.”

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Colorado Trip Part 4

Colorado Trip Part 4. Day 5 began with another beautiful sunrise. Our plans today were to make the two-hour trek to Estes Park. Estes Park, Colorado is the home of the Stanley Hotel. The idea to visit the Stanley Hotel was given to me by my sister. She is a big Stephen King fan.

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Our Trip To Colorado Part 4

The Stanley Hotel inspired King to write his book, The Shining. He stayed in room 217 while writing the book. I’m not much of a Stephen King fan, but I knew of the Stanley from watching shows about the paranormal. The Stanley is supposed to be one of the most haunted places in America.

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You Don’t See This From The Highways

Once again, we were provided with a route among the backroads to get to Estes Park. The drive was stunning as we were driving through a gorge with walls of rock on either side of the road. Arriving in the town of Blackhawk, I was surprised by the many casinos. It is a mini Las Vegas in Colorado.

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The Stanley Hotel

Looking For Ghosts

As we pulled into Estes Park, we saw the hotel on our left. It was huge. It is a beautiful, all-white building with a red roof. We pulled up to the gate, paid our parking fee, and parked at the bottom of the hill. Walking up the steps to the lobby, we kept our eyes open for ghostly apparitions. I can confidently say that we didn’t see any.

Because the Stanley Hotel is a working hotel and a tourist destination, only guests are allowed above the first floor. I overheard the employee behind the front desk say that all the room keys on the wall were fake except for room 217. That was the original key. We proceeded downstairs to a little café where we drank hot chocolate, and I had a piece of cherry pie.

A Great Historical Tour

I had booked a historical tour of the hotel, which is well worth the money. During the tour, we were told that the founder F. O. Stanley had grown up in a lower to middle-income family. During that time in history, people had to sit still for 45 minutes to an hour to get their picture taken. Stanley figured out a way to reduce the time down to 45 seconds to a minute. He noticed a pain point and figured out a solution. This made him very wealthy.

Within a few months, he was making over $100,000 a month. Today that would be equal to $3 million a month. Stanley’s home is just down the road from the hotel. He built the hotel to house his wealthy friends when they came to visit him. His friends were named Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, all the wealthiest people of the day.

Did Jim Carrey See A Ghost?

During the tour, we were told various stories of people having paranormal events while staying at the hotel. One of the stories was of Jim Carrey. Carrey was supposed to stay in room 217 while filming the movie, Dumb and Dumber. He only lasted three hours when he ran downstairs in his boxers, demanding to be moved. He refused to stay in any building on the grounds, instead opting for the Holiday Inn down the street.

After our tour, we ate at the hotel restaurant and whiskey bar. The food was tasty, and I chose a rare Japanese whiskey which was very smooth. The bar was used in the film, Dumb and Dumber and even has the New York Times article about the first moon landing hanging on the wall (not the original, it was stolen).

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No Way. That’s Great. We Landed On The Moon!!

The Blue Owl

After purchasing some items at the gift shop, we began our drive back to the B&B. This time we went through the city of Boulder and then stopped at the town of Nederland. We were told about the Blue Owl bookstore/ice cream/coffee shop. On our way to Estes Park, it had been closed. Luckily for us, it was open, and we enjoyed a nice cone. It was a great way to end the day.

Day 6

Day 6 was spent in the ski resort town of Breckenridge. Breckenridge is a beautiful town, but a little too touristy for my taste. We traveled there with Sofia’s friends and saw bison on the way. We ate at a busy restaurant, and I enjoyed a bison burger. It is very lean meat and tasty. Afterward, we boarded a gondola which took us to the top of the mountain. We looked up at the ski slopes, which would soon be covered in snow. Today though, they are covered in grass, and people traverse them on mountain bikes.

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Neighbors

Our last full day in Colorado ended with us pulling into our friend’s neighborhood and being greeted by 40-50 elk. They were all over her neighborhood grazing. What a sight! Colorado is a different place to live. To be continued.

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Colorado Trip Part 3

Colorado Trip Part 3. I woke on Day 3 feeling great. All the soreness from yesterday’s hike was gone. I proceeded downstairs, poured myself a cup of coffee, and went to the deck to watch the sunrise. I sat in silent meditation for several minutes. Suddenly, I heard something moving behind me again. Slowly turning around, I solved the mystery of the great beast. There it was standing on the steps staring at me, a little chipmunk.

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Part 3 Of Our Colorado Trip

The wedding was scheduled for 4 o’clock, so we needed to stay close to the B&B. Sofia takes a while to get ready. I have never figured out what takes so long because she is naturally beautiful. Yesterday, we saw a trailhead close to the B&B and decided to go for a hike. The forecast was for rain, but we were told that rain in Colorado was not like Florida rain. It just drizzles.

We drove to the Elk Meadow Trailhead and parked. The sun was out and it was a beautiful, cool day. Grabbing our water bottles, we started up the mountain. The views got better with every switchback. Unlike the St. Mary’s glacier trail, this trail was smooth. It was much easier on my knees.

Look Around

One thing that I always do is take my eyes off the trail directly in front of me. I take my time to look around and enjoy the journey. Flowers and wildlife are abundant in Colorado. We saw a large bluebird that looked like the Blue Jays back home. Only this bird was much larger and had a blackhead. We were told it was a Mountain Jay, a beautiful bird.

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Elk Meadows Trail

Decisions

We came to a point where the trail split. To the left continued up the mountain, and the right would take us down around the meadow. Since we were short on time, we chose the meadow. The hiking was easy in this past meadow, and we were making good time. Sofia turned to me and said she felt a raindrop. No big deal because Colorado rain isn’t like Florida rain. The raindrops became larger and colder. That’s when the thunder and lightning started. I began to feel that we were lied to about the Colorado rain.

We found ourselves in the middle of a meadow during a thunderstorm. This is not the place you want to be. We had no choice but to keep hiking. Soaked and cold, we eventually made our way back to the car after 2.5 hours.

A Colorado Wedding

After a much welcomed hot shower, I put on a suit for the first time in almost a year. Sofia looked ravishing in her dress. I have to say we made a sharp couple. Off we went to the wedding which, was held on Evergreen Lake at the Lake House.

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My Beautiful Wife

The ceremony was outdoors and delayed only a few minutes because of the rain. The clouds parted, the sun came out, and we watched a young couple begin their journey together as man and wife. I always enjoy the beginning of anything. It is inspiring, so full of promises. We danced, sang, laughed, and a few happy tears were shed. It was a wonderful night.

Day 4

On day 4, I woke to the most spectacular sunrise. The sun was a bright red ball in the sky. This was caused by the fires in California and the smoke drifting to Colorado. Sofia and I sat outside enjoying our coffee. We went to breakfast and met two new couples that had arrived the night before. They were very nice people, and we got along like old friends.

What A Life

Later, we had the opportunity to speak with Wilhelmina. We found out that she had lived a wonderful life. She was born in the Netherlands and raised in Australia. Wilhelmina became a dancer and choreographer and married a well-known British comedian, They had met all of the big entertainers. Even though she was 80, she looked closer to 60. She still plays golf, skis, hikes, and runs a weight loss program. She is a very inspiring woman, and I could have sat all day talking.

Mt. Evans

We told Wilhelmina that we were going to drive up to Mount Evans. Mount Evans sits between 12,000-14,000 feet above sea level. Wilhelmina told us that it could be cold up there and let us borrow heavy jackets. It was another beautiful drive through the back roads and up the mountain. We climbed above the tree line and arrived at Summit Lake.

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Summit Lake

As soon as we exited the car, we were thankful we had the jackets. The temperature was 41 degrees, and the wind was blowing. It might as well have been Antarctica to us. After stopping to talk to some Park volunteers about the mountain goats and bighorn sheep, we hiked up to the Chicago Lakes.

No Excuses

As we were hiking, we passed an elderly lady with a club foot. Seeing this lady not let anything stop her from doing something she enjoys made me realize that I make too many excuses. You should never let anything get in the way of doing something that you want to do. You can always find a way.

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Selfie By The Lake

We took some great pictures at Summit Lake, enjoyed the views then headed down the mountain. We had made plans to drive to Denver and watch some football. Denver is a nice city, and we saw a lot of neighborhoods full of young people. This is something we don’t have a lot of in Florida. It’s called God’s waiting room for a reason.

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Blake Street Tavern Denver, Colorado

My Best Friend

We made it to the Blake St., Tavern, a large Sports Bar. There was a good crowd enjoying the first day of college football season. People were happy they were able to gather together again. We watched my school play that evening, and even though the outcome wasn’t in my favor, I wouldn’t want to be there with anyone other than Sofia. She is my best friend. Every part of the trip had been wonderful. We were excited, looking forward to what we would see the next day. To be continued.

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Colorado Trip Part 2

On the second day of our trip, I woke and then went downstairs and poured myself a cup of coffee. With mug in hand, I walked outside enjoying the cool air. Sitting on the deck, I enjoyed a spectacular sunrise. After a light continental breakfast, I hiked to the bottom of the mountain, feeling very energetic. Our Colorado Trip Part 2.

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Colorado Trip Part 2

When I made it back to the B&B, I wanted to continue enjoying the cool Colorado temperatures of late summer. I sat at the table on the deck and marveled at how silent it was. The silence was only broken by a car passing by now and then. I looked around at all the aspen trees, which have small leaves that shimmer in the breeze.

Shortly thereafter, 5 or 6 hummingbirds arrived and began flittering about. I then heard something run behind me, and I didn’t know what it was. We were told there were all kinds of wildlife on the mountain, including bears and mountain lions. Therefore, I was a little concerned but not enough to go inside.

Idaho Springs, Colorado

After Sofia finished some work, we proceeded downstairs to begin our day. We told Wilhelmina that we were going to hike to St. Mary’s glacier. She told us how to take a scenic drive to the town of Idaho Springs instead of taking the highway. Without her advice, I would’ve just followed the GPS and probably taken the highway. That would’ve been a huge mistake because the drive was gorgeous.

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Drive To Idaho Springs

We started in a valley and then drove up into the mountains with the most incredible views. Arriving in Idaho Springs, we found a parking spot on the street. Idaho Springs is a small gold mining town with a lot of character. I fell in love with this town. Wilhelmina had suggested we eat it at Tommyknocker Brewery.

Great Beer

The main street in Idaho Springs is blocked off for pedestrians only. We were seated and our server brought out samples of their homebrew. Every sample I tried was tasty. I don’t drink beer anymore since I went through chemo. It tends to taste metallic. Nonetheless, I chose a Chocolate Porter that hit the spot. Sofia had a Blood Orange IPA I also found very tasty.

After a beer and burger lunch, we walked around the town and down to the creek. There was a beautiful waterfall and a large wooden waterwheel in front of it. Across the creek, I could see the entrance to old gold mining tunnels.

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Idaho Springs, Colorado

St. Mary’s Glacier

We then drove to St. Mary’s glacier, which was about 10 miles higher into the mountain. After parking and dropping off the parking fee, we headed up the trail. The hike is steep and full of large rocks. They didn’t smooth out the trail but left the rocks and boulders right where the glacier deposited them many years ago.

It was hard on my arthritic knees, but I trudged on. Wilhelmina had given us sea-level people a tip before we left. She said to stop and fill our lungs with air every so often. At sea level, we only use half of our lungs. I didn’t know that, and I’m still learning at my age.

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Rocky Trail

Finding Inspiration

I found a lot of inspiration hiking up this trail. There were all different types of people despite the ruggedness of the trail. I saw very fit people and some that were overweight. There were young and old. I was most impressed by seeing the children that were hiking up the steep, rocky trail. Every time I thought we were at the top, the trail turned and continued up.

We finally reached the top and were greeted by a beautiful lake and the remains of St. Mary’s glacier on the mountainside. After some photos and rest, we headed back down the trail. It is a lot harder going down thing going up. Eventually, I made it, sore knees and all.

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St Mary’s Glacier

An Evening With Old And New Friends

We drove back to the B&B to shower and change. That evening we were invited to the rehearsal dinner/welcome party at our friend’s house. I always enjoy watching Sofia conversing with her friends. She has known them since she was five years old. I can see the joy on her face when they get together.

Meeting new friends and getting to know them is something I always enjoy. The party shut down early because they had a long day getting ready for the wedding the next day. It was good for me because I was getting tired, and the hike had taken a toll on this old body. It felt good to crawl into bed. I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. To be continued.

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A Trip To Colorado

You can find inspiration anywhere. All you have to do is fire up your senses and be aware when inspiration presents itself. I’m going to tell you how I found inspiration on a trip to Colorado. We saw so much in this beautiful state that I will share it in several blogs.

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Our Trip To Colorado Day 1

On the first day, we were dropped off at the Fort Lauderdale airport at Zero Dark Thirty. The purpose of this trip was to attend the wedding of Sofia’s friend’s daughter. I just wanted to get away with my beautiful wife and relax. I wasn’t intending to look for inspiration on a trip to Colorado.

After an uneventful four-hour flight, we arrived in Denver at 10:30 AM. We found our way to the rental car shuttle bus. The friendly driver helped us load our luggage, and off we went to pick out our vehicle. As we left the rental lot, I noticed an extreme lack of mountains. I always pictured Denver as a mountainous city. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Where were the Mountains? Luckily I found them after just a short drive out of the city.

Red Rocks, Colorado

We drove to Red Rocks Amphitheater, about a 30 to 40-minute drive west of the city. It is an Amphitheater cut into the side of a hill. It is surrounded by large rock formations which are colored, you guessed it, bright red. As we entered the area where the food vendors are located, there was music playing. The acoustics are phenomenal.

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$6.60 to see one of the greatest bands of all time!

We toured the museum and saw pictures of a lot of the performers who had played there. Most of the great musicians have performed at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Even the Beatles played there on their first American tour in 1964. Attending a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater was instantly put on my bucket list.

Golden, Colorado

Our next stop was the town of Golden, Colorado. It is a lovely little town to walk around and enjoy. The streets are full of bars, restaurants, and shops. Golden is the home of the Coors Beer Brewery. After stopping to eat, we walked to this photogenic bridge and creek at the edge of town. It is the perfect place to stop, take a few selfies, and realize how lucky I am to be married to Sofia.

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Golden

Evergreen, Colorado and Walkabout Ridge

We left Golden and drove to the town of Evergreen, where we were staying. Evergreen is a quaint small town that ranges from 7200 to 9000 feet in elevation. We found our B&B located on a mountain a few miles outside of town. I steered the car along a winding, long, gravel driveway. I was thinking that all Scooby-Doo cartoons and horror movies begin like this. At the end of the driveway was a beautiful two-story home with a sign in front that read Walkabout Ridge.

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Walkabout Ridge Bed & Breakfast

So Relaxing

We met the owners, Wilhelmina and Paul. They are lovely people, gave us a tour of the house, and showed us our room. Coffee was ready at 6 AM, and a continental breakfast was from 7 until 10 AM. We sat outside on the deck that evening, enjoying the view of the mountains.

While we were sitting on the deck, I particularly enjoyed soaking in the cool mountain air. What a relief from the stifling heat and humidity of South Florida this time of year. We both slept great with the windows open, enjoying the cool breezes.

Our room faced east, and in the morning, I awoke to the most beautiful pre-sunrise sky. The colorful sky gave me the inspiration I needed to get up and start our day. To be continued.

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First Light

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Making A Decision Will Defeat Procrastination

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I am continuing to talk about the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Today I will discuss the seventh step, Decision, The Mastery of Procrastination. I am sure that you, like me, have faced that evil known as procrastination. To be successful and to build wealth, procrastination is an enemy you must conquer. Making a decision will defeat procrastination.

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A Decision Defeats Procrastination

If you’re looking for self-improvement, you will need to change some of the habits that you are currently doing. You will have to decide to change. Congratulations, you are halfway to success! You see, making the right decision is 50% of the solution. The other 50% is commitment. You have to commit to your decision to change.

Back in the 1930s when Hill was writing his book, a study was undertaken with 25,000 men and women who had experienced failure. They came up with a list of 30 major causes of failure. Lack of decision was near the head of the list. Indecision causes procrastination and making a decision will defeat procrastination. Conversely, each of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes had the habit of reaching a decision promptly. Also, successful people would take their time in changing their decision.

Don’t Be Influenced When Making Decisions

The majority of people who fail are easily influenced by the opinion of others. They permit the media and other people to do their thinking for them. Opinions are the most abundant thing on earth. Everyone has one and, they can be as different as night and day. You will not succeed if you take into account the opinion of others.

Your mind is yours and only yours; reach your own decisions. Keep them to yourself and discuss them with only like-minded individuals, such as your Master Mind group. When researching to gather information for your decision, do so without disclosing your purpose.

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How Do You Know?

How do you know when the decision you made is the right decision? That is a difficult question to answer because you won’t know the answer until you have succeeded or failed. You have to listen to those inner voices. If your decision makes you feel happy and it is the right decision. On the other hand, if you feel cautious or negative, you should reconsider your decision.

In most cases, making the right decision is not that difficult. Deciding to solve a challenge in your life is personal. These are decisions for your self-improvement. A personal decision affects you and the people close to you. Some decisions not only affect the person making the decision but also have an impact on many others.

Great Decisions In History

Throughout history, people have been tasked with making decisions that changed history. Abraham Lincoln decided to issue the Proclamation of Emancipation. General Dwight Eisenhower decided to launch the D-Day invasion. Last July, I wrote an article about 56 men who made one of the greatest decisions of all time. They signed the Declaration of Independence knowing that it could potentially cost them their lives.

Making the right decision always takes courage, some more than others. It may not cost you your life but, it could cost you your health or financial independence. Making the right decision to improve your income or health comes with a price. You never get anything without giving up something. As long as you’re willing to pay the price, your decision for self-improvement could be the greatest decision you make.

Decide Today

Speaking of great decisions, decide today what you are worth. Now that you know your value go out and get what you are worth. Never settle for anything less. Lock that number in your mind and think about it every day. Don’t stop until you reach your value. Too many people today settle for what they are given and not what they’re worth.

Be quick in your decisions and slow in changing them. Don’t be influenced by the opinion of others or the media. Have the courage to make your decision for self-improvement. Decide what you are worth and get it. Remember, making a decision will defeat procrastination.

Do you find yourself procrastinating? Are you influenced by the opinion of others? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. As always, I appreciate your likes, comments, and follows. Let me know if there is a  topic you would like me to cover in future articles.

Cites

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10 Quotes On Planning For Success

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I am continuing to talk about the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Today I will discuss the sixth step, organize planning. It is through organized planning that you turn your desire into action. By setting up solid plans for your future, you will be able to turn your dreams into reality. I have also included 10 quotes about planning for success to help you understand the importance of a good plan.

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Quotes On Planning For Success

Now that you have your desire or definite purpose, you want to tap into your imagination to help create your plan for the future. I discussed in last week’s post, imagination can be thought of as your workshop where your plans are created and organized. I have also talked about in previous posts, the six steps for turning your thoughts into reality. The formation of practical plans is one of the steps. Some good tips on planning for success are:

  • Find a group of like-minded individuals to help you create your plan;
  • Decide what form of compensation that you will trade for their help;
  • Meet with the group at least twice a week;
  • Maintain perfect harmony between yourself and every member of your group.

Master Mind Group

This group of like-minded individuals is what is known as a “Master Mind” group. It can consist of as many people as you may need. One person might suffice, or you might need many more to tap into their “specialized knowledge.” Let’s face it, it is difficult to accomplish anything alone. We don’t have all the knowledge necessary to create our plans for the future.

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
~ Pablo Picasso

“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”
~ Tom Landry

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Everything begins in the mind as a thought. It will take a solid, practical plan to transform that thought into an actual physical item, such as money. Once you have your plan, go to work. Do something every day and continue to take advice from your “Master Mind” group.

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt, the former first lady of the United States

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” ― John F. Kennedy, former U.S. President

“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” — Warren Buffett, investor

Planning and Failing

Your first plan might not be your best plan, and you find it doesn’t work. No worries, most first plans fail. Henry Ford built two automobile businesses that failed before he started the Ford Motor Company. Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he invented the light bulb. If you fail, go back and redo your plan and try again. Keep reworking your plan until you find one that works.

“Always plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” ― Richard Cushing, American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church

“Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet, and essayist

“Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent return on energy!” ― Brian Tracy, author, and motivational speaker

Why Plan?

Working on your plan will help prevent procrastination, self-doubt, and anxiety. As you continue to work on your plan you will build belief in yourself and your plan for the future. As your belief turns to faith, then nothing can stop you.

“Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” ― Dwight D. Eisenhower, former U.S. President

“The more time you spend contemplating what you should have done… you lose valuable time planning what you can and will do.” ― Lil Wayne, rapper

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed these 10 quotes about planning for success. Are you looking to improve yourself and make a better future? If so, I encourage you to check out my courses and subscribe to my email group. Everyone who subscribes gets sent my monthly newsletter with quotes and tips on self-improvement.

I appreciate all my followers and am grateful that you read my blog and listen to my podcast. Don’t forget to like and leave a comment. I enjoy reading your thoughts on my different topics. My next podcast will be coming out Wednesday.

Cites

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How Thoughts Become Ideas

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Have you ever wondered how someone invents something that changes the world? Today I am going to talk about that process and how thoughts become ideas. Last week I talked about specialized knowledge and how to organize and direct knowledge to make it powerful. Today I’m continuing with the 13 steps to gain riches as written in the book, Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. In his book, Hill gives us 13-steps to acquire wealth. The same steps and techniques can be used to acquire anything. This is the fifth step, imagination, and how imagination is more important than knowledge.

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Thoughts Becoming Ideas

One of my favorite sayings is, and I say it a lot, is everything begins in the mind. Disneyland, McDonald’s, Apple, great novels, music, and movies all started in someone’s mind. They began with a thought and through imagination, their thoughts became an idea.

Imagination

Imagination is the workshop where people formulate their plans. The imaginative part of your mind is what spurs you into action. Without imagination, the Wright brothers would have never gotten off the ground and shown us we could fly. You are only limited by the use of your imagination.

There are two forms of imagination in your mind, synthetic and creative. Synthetic imagination creates nothing. It works with the information it’s given, your observations, education, and experience. This is where you can organize old concepts into new combinations and plans.

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Creative

Creative imagination is when your finite mind connects to Infinite Intelligence. Hunches and inspirations are received by your creative imagination. It only works when your mind vibrates at an exceedingly fast rate, such as when you focus on a strong desire (your definite purpose) and mix it with emotion. It is through emotion that you increase your mind’s rate of vibration.

Great men and women of the world in all walks of life owe their success to the faculty of creative imagination. They knew how to utilize their minds to turn their definite purpose from an idea into reality. Your imagination, just like your body, becomes stronger with use. Your imagination, like your muscles, becomes weaker through inaction.

Development

To achieve your goals, you must first focus on developing your synthetic imagination. It is necessary for forming your plans. Once your plans are in your synthetic imagination you must commit them to paper. Writing your plan is the first step in converting your thoughts into your reality.

Product of Imagination

Ideas are the product of imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge because knowledge comes from your imagination. Most people, even the most successful, didn’t know how to take their ideas and make them work. They used imagination, both synthetic and creative to transform their ideas into reality.

How do thoughts become ideas? Use your synthetic imagination to formulate your plans on how to achieve your goals. Develop your creative imagination to provide the inspiration and ideas from Infinite Intelligence. Would you like to be in a better place in life this time next year? If so, find your definite purpose, write down a plan for how to make it happen, and begin developing your imagination. We live in an unlimited universe, therefore anything can happen.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@mbaumi

https://unsplash.com/@visualbywahyu

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The True Meaning Of Failure

What is the true meaning of failure? What happens to you when you fail? In this article, I want to talk about failure and most importantly quitting. There is a distinction between the two. As you commence the process of changing your life, you should know the difference.

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Meaning Of Failure

Failure is defined as a lack of success, the omission of expected or required action. Quitting is defined as giving up or admitting defeat. These definitions are subjective. I believe the true meaning of failure is when you quit.

Failure is acceptable and should be encouraged. It is a way for you to learn and move forward. Failure will show you your mistakes. Learn what you did wrong and how to correct it on the next attempt. Continue your attempts until you get it right. Quitting is not acceptable. No one ever learned anything from quitting.

Everyone Experiences Failure

To be successful in anything, you must develop a habit of winning. Hall of Fame basketball player Michael Jordan said, “If you quit once, it becomes a habit. Never quit!” The late, great football coach Vince Lombardi stated, “Winning is a habit, unfortunately so is losing.” Quitting is losing, and that is the true meaning of failure.

I’m sure Vince Lombardi failed at some point in his life. I know he did not win every game. Michael Jordan took the game-winning shot 26 times and missed. He missed more than 9000 shots and lost 300 games. He failed over and over, and that’s why he succeeded in life. They might have failed, but they never quit.

Quitting

Quitting comes from a weak mind. Developing a strong mindset is the best prevention for quitting. Understand that you will have failures in life. Learn to embrace your failures and not use them as an excuse to quit.

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When you decide to change something in your life, you will experience a phenomenon called resistance. Your brain is wired to keep you safe. It doesn’t like change or stepping outside your comfort zone. You can experience resistance in the form of procrastination, excuses, rationalization, and lack of knowledge. All people with creative minds, artists and writers, have experienced resistance.

Part Of The Process

A strong mind will conquer resistance. You will fail, but you will not quit. Understand that failure is part of the process. Failure is temporary. It will teach you how to succeed. Quitting is permanent. It becomes easier and easier to do, and it will stop all growth. As long as you don’t quit you will never truly fail. The true meaning of failure is quitting.

When people quit after a setback or series of setbacks, it is usually right before they break through. They were just about to learn something that would keep them going. When a seed is planted in the ground, it struggles to become a plant. Imagine if seeds would quit right before they break through the soil. We would have no food.

Techniques

You will need to develop a strong mind. You will strengthen your mind just like you develop your body; through exercises. Begin habits of positive self-talk, meditation, visualization, belief, and faith.

Focus on WHY you started. What was the reason you decided to improve your life? Your WHY has to be big and emotional; your health, family, or personal reasons. If it’s big enough, you will go through setback after setback but never quit.

Another great way to avoid quitting is to not go through the process of change alone. Find a team of like-minded people. Go through the process together, helping each other. If one person is experiencing setbacks, the others will lift them. It is easier to quit on yourself than it is to quit on the team.

Final Thoughts

Have you decided to change and are experiencing failures? Are you thinking about quitting? If so, I am here to help. Leave a comment or email me at tbcinspires@gmail.com. There are plenty of articles on my website, InspireChief.com, which can be of help. Also, follow me on Instagram,@InspireChief, to get my daily inspirational posts. Don’t forget to like and follow my blog. I will see you next week.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@theblowup

https://unsplash.com/@brett_jordan

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Kalpana Chawla Dared To Dream

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My wife and I were watching the SpaceX rocket launch last week and it reminded me of a post I wrote about Kalpana Chawla. Kalpana inspires me because she is an example of making dreams come true by her thoughts. She accomplished much in her short life. Today, millions of people are inspired because Kalpana Chawla dared to dream.

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I’ve always been interested in space travel. I watch every launch I can. I remember watching the first astronauts launch in the 60s and continue to watch the SpaceX launches. My first recollection of seeing Kalpana Chawla was when she was a member of mission STS-107 and was about to board the space shuttle Columbia on January 16, 2003. Kalpana stood out to me as the seven Columbia crew members were shown walking to their vehicles. She appeared too young and small to be an astronaut. How she carried herself with such confidence was what stood out to me.

Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla was born July 1, 1961, in Karnal, India. She always enjoyed flying and held many pilot licenses. She could fly about any airplane. Her family was middle class and she graduated from high school in 1976. After graduating from high school, she found herself as the only female in the aeronautics batch at Punjab University. Her parents resisted her career choice but nothing could stop Kalpana.

Kalpana Chawla dared to dream and always had big dreams. Her dreams were to travel beyond the blue yonder, fly into the heavens, and touch the stars someday. She became the first female Indian-born NASA astronaut. Kalpana wanted to show the world that dreams do come true with hard work and patience. She said, “You can achieve what you dream with strength, endurance, willpower, and confidence. She was 1 of 2000 applicants for a civilian scientist’s position on Columbia’s voyage.

Kalpana’s Thoughts Became Her Reality

When she was living in the dorms while studying for her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, she had pictures of space shuttles taped to her walls. She didn’t think at the time she was putting them up that one day she would fly on one. When I read about this it didn’t surprise me because what you look at every day becomes your thoughts in your subconscious. Your thoughts turn into your reality.

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Kalpana is a great example that we can become anything we want to if we put our mind to it. She dreamed of flying to the stars, surrounded herself with pictures of the space shuttle, which became her thoughts. Her thoughts directed her actions and interactions became reality. She set goals to keep her on track and enjoyed the journey. Her thoughts on goals were, “When you are going for a goal, the journey is the best part.”

Heading Into Space

Kalpana’s first opportunity to travel beyond the blue yonder and fly into the heavens came when she was selected to be part of the crew on mission STS-87 in November 1997. She flew on the space shuttle Columbia as they completed 252 orbits of the earth in just over two weeks. In 2000, she was selected for her second voyage on Columbia as a mission specialist on STS-107. Because of many delays they didn’t launch until January 16, 2003. It was an ill-fated launch due to a piece of foam that broke off and damaged the heat tiles on the spacecraft wing.

On February 1, 2003, I was running on a treadmill at my gym and turned on the TV to watch Columbia land. They showed maps of the flight path Columbia would take to land at Kennedy Space Center. I began reading at the bottom of the screen that they had lost communication. The next images were from cameras in Texas and showed fiery streaks in the sky. I realized at that moment that Columbia had broken up in the crew had perished. It was a sad day for the world and particularly the country of India.

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Women’s Struggles In India

Kalpana Chawla had accomplished much while growing up in a male-dominated society and country. In the 1970s and 1980s, women in India were fighting battles against:

            – Dowry

            – Rape

            – Caste Crimes

            – Unjust Laws

            – Better Working Conditions

            – and more.

My admiration for Kalpana Chawla comes from the fact that she would not let anything stop her from her dreams. She had a definite purpose and persevered to achieve her dreams. For millions of young Indians, she was inspirational. Kalpana Chawla dared to dream. She gave them hope that they could dream and work hard to achieve those dreams.

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