Gold Star Motivation

What is a redirectional conversationalist? If there is such a thing I think I am becoming one. People who know me well sometimes think that I’m a pretty good listener. When people tell me stories I imagine the Technicolor details of their story in my mind and I gesture with nods and eye contact so that the person doing the talking knows that I am listening and what they are saying important.
Often when I am listening to someone talking negative I just want to put up a big red metal sign that says STOP!
This typically happens during a conversation where it starts to take on the form of negativity. Whether the negative talk is about self, others or events it all nonconstructive and can only effect the both of us and our
conversation in a negative way.

Want to talk to me and keep my attention?
Tell me what is possible.
Tell me about your dreams and plans
Be funny, use witty humor, while being careful not
to be offensive, hurtful or talk about others
I want to listen to you and I want to help you, but I need to stay in a bright, fun and happy frame of mind.
Since it has been established that we become what we think about all day long, we need to be aware of what we say and the words that we use. My words need to be in line with who I am and what I want to become in life.
We become what we think about and talk about all day long. Lets talk positive and become positive people for a constructive change.

Better than yesterday
Howard

Hello and welcome to GSM. Summers here and things are heating up around here at Gold Star Motivation. We are currently working on a few of the website updates for this year. The blog will stay up during construction and you will start to see some new tabs and information over the next few weeks on the website as we get things rolling. What we have planed is pretty exciting and we can’t wait for you to see what we have in the works!!!!!!!

Hello, and welcome to Gold Star Motivation, if this is your first time here or if you have been here before, thank you for your interest  in living a positive and encouraged lifestyle.

How do you live your life? Are you in a race to see how much stuff you can accumulate? I call this approach a  sprint ….fast fast fast go go go  get all the stuff you can and by this time your breathing pretty heavy and at the end you don’t really know what you won or even if you want what you got.  Its ok to live as a sprinter if that is what you set out to do.

I am a marathoner, not in the literal running sense because the most I have run is 14 miles, but in the way I approach life. Here are 10 points to ponder that will help you establish your long term goals that  parallel preparing for a marathon.

• Look at the big picture, are you willing to invest the time in long term goals?
• Will you get up early and stay up late to work on your goals even on the days you don’t feel like it?
• Do you have concrete goals? If you do, have you thought about how your going to feel once you achieve your goals?
• Do you have a plan to take incremental steps that will propel you toward achieving  your goals?
• Do you log your incremental  progress daily
• Have you set mile markers, to check on your self and know if you are on course?
• Are you enjoying the experience of achieving your goals? Your fulfillment will be more in how you got there and how you enjoyed the journey. You will look back more on the race than the finish line……a marathon is 24 miles the finish line is only inches. Enjoy the race.
• Don’t let other non believers in on your plans. Surround your self with people that believe in you and y0ur dreams.
• Listen to how your body feels, take good care of your health and don’t push yourself. Stay on pace.
• Celebrate your achievements, let the whole world know just how awesome you really are!!!!!!!

Dream it now so you can live it later.

Howard

Thank you for your feedback and thanks for taking time to visit the website we have recived hundeds of comments in just a few short months…..lots of new things happening here this summer….stay tuned.

Here are just a few of the comments we revive daily at Gold Star Motivation,

“Fairly entertaining post. Couldn’t be written much better”

“Great motivation”

“The more I read articles of such quality as this (which is rare), the more I think there might be a future for the Net”

“And this is why I read goldstarmotivation.com. Love the post.”

“I found goldstarmotivation.com to be greatly interesting.”

How is 2010 going for you? Are you on track to meet all of those goals that you set for yourself this year or do you sometimes find yourself being redirected by others or getting caught up in their drama and direction for your life? If so don’t get too excited because it only takes a few steps to get right back on course.  The great thing about your goals is the fact that they are yours and are subject to modification at any time.

Everyone we know has their own set of goals and that is why things around us are always changing, everyone is adjusting and changing their list of goals everyday and what happens is other peoples goals, dreams and desires are constantly bumping up against your goals. Your mission is to keep your focus on your dreams and keep moving foward day by day to achieving the goals that you have set for yourself.

Here is one of my favorite quotes that I have posted above my desk.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”

Keep your focus, hold on to the vision you set for yourself in 2010 and keep on moving in the direction of your dreams.

Welcome to the new you!

Howard

Personal World Record of 2010

This morning I set a world record, no it was not my best time ever, but I ran my first 10 k run of 2010 this morning in 1:00:30.I have not run 6 miles since I had the flu 4 months ago and it has taken some time to get back to being able to run a 10k. How did I make my comeback? One step at a time.

I got on the treadmill this morning and did my typical 5 minute warm-up, then I put on the my I pod and off I went, I got through the first 10 minutes and then my next goal was to get to the 15 minute mark and once I got there I was determined be make it to 20 minutes.

Ok, now the hard part, I put on my I pod and selected a 10 minute song that would help push me through to the half way point of my run.  Once made it half way it was all downhill from there, I would listen to three more 10 minute podcasts on my IPod and I would achieve success.

I had no distractions, no interruptions; it was just me racing against me today and the end result 60 minutes and 30 seconds later was……… I Won, I did it!! ….my personal world record of the year!!!  Races and awards are nice, but for today my glory was the satisfaction of the power of knowing that I could accomplish my goal.

There are 349 more days left to fill in my runners diary this year, but today’s entry for Saturday 1/16/10 is complete.  “10K in 60 minutes”.

“It’s not what you do with what you have, but it’s what you do with what you find deep within yourself that really counts”

Welcome to the new you,

Howard

Are you living your life to your maximum potential? Are you ready to make the changes you need to get you on track to the life of your dreams?

Hello, and welcome to Gold Star Motivation. This weeks topic is all about living a fulfilled life in 2010. This past year marked the launch of Gold Star Motivation and thanks to all of you, the blog has been an overwhelming success. Gold Star Motivation has attracted readers worldwide each and every week.

The key to doing anything is having a plan and taking action. I have a  plan for 2010 and after reading  this article I hope you too will reflect on where you are in your life and make a top 10 list of your own.  If you chose to make your own  list, post it where you can see it daily to make sure that what you are doing each day is taking you in the direction of your dreams. You will be amazed at the results your will see just keeping focused on your destination and taking it your journey one small step at a time.

• Eat healthy

Eating right takes forethought. Spend more time in the produce aisle, good foods are typically located around the perimeter of your grocery store, fruits, fresh veggies, dairy, cheeses, eggs, proteins like beef, and chicken and healthy seafoods.

• Get enough rest

Rest and recovery is the key to a peak performance on the job and in life. Think of the days where you got a great nights rest and how good you felt the next day. Don’t bring distractions into the room where you sleep. Consistency is the key to a good nights rest, go to sleep and wake up the same time each day.

• Live life full blast

Live your life with passion, either do it or don’t do it at all. I have heard it said to work hard and play harder. My theory is as long as you love what your doing you will do it with passion and dedication. My advice to you is if you have a dream….GO FOR IT!

• Have a vision

Your dreams will take you where you want to go, if your moving in the direction of your dreams you will meet with the reality of your dream very soon.

• Be flexible

You need to be able to change and adapt to new circumstances. Things change, be ready to change and adapt, don’t let the changes make you.

• Get Organized

Clutter and disorganization are time wasters.  The less stuff you have the better, to much extra stuff takes time. Stay organized and surround yourself with the things that make you feel good. You can’t keep everything, give things you don’t need to someone who is in need. Take unwanted items to your local thrift store and donate them and if in doubt throw it out.

• Have Goals

Having goals will keep you focused. Your daily activities are uniquely linked to your long term vision.

• Stay Positive

There will be days that you are not as motivated than others. That is ok, those days will happen and you will get through them with ease. Just know that they will come and know that they will go and you will be right back on track.

• Be proactive.

Get ahead of the curve, take little steps each day to side step the ever present procrastination monster. You can accomplish alot if your constantly accomplishing the little.

• Don’t get caught up in the delusions of resolution’s.

If you’re counting on your resolve to get you to your goals you may be disappointed, sometimes resolve will not be enough to get you where you want to go. An alternate route is  just simply PLAN, once you have your plan the next thing you need to do is keep constantly moving toward your dreams.

I have learned it is not what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you that countsGet on track to the best year ever. Write down your goals for 2010 and put them in a place where you can see them, look at them daily and keep moving in the direction of your destination. You can make things flow in your life with just something as simple as having a plan. Keep in mind detours may come up unexpectedly, but with a road map to where your going you will be able to get right back on track.

Welcome to the new you!

Howard

Feeling a little tired and not up to speed? Taking some time for yourself may be just what you need right now.  I am a type A+ personality.  I like to push, push, push, go, go, go.  I need to be doing something all the time, If I am not doing something I feel like I am not getting anything at all done. The problem is that I push so much that I tend to over do it and I don’t take time to relax and recover from my endeavors. I have found that rest is one of  the keys to peek performance.

Here are just a few benefits that you receive taking some time to recharge your batteries.

• You are more alert
• You become creative
• You are productive
• You are focused
• You have energy
• You gain better perspective
• It helps you to relieve stress

If you are feeling tired you are tired, get some rest.  Eat a healthy diet and drink lots of water. Try to keep a log each day of how you are feeling and pay particular attention to how much rest you had the night before. Listen to what your body is telling you.

Want to do your best? Get some rest, then you will come back stronger than ever!

Welcome to the new you!

Howard

Wait I am getting ready. Are you ready yet?  Is it ready yet?

We spend a great deal of time getting ready. Getting ready is the place where dreams happen. Your future experience’s are the plans that you’re making today. Football games are won on the practice field. Vacations are dreamed of long before you even arrive at your destination.  Races are won in your mind long before they are won on the track. Success in any endeavor is a by product of getting ready.

The process of achieving goals is simple and fun. Take some time during your goal planning process to savor the experience of getting ready. Time passes quickly, so enjoy your journey in your mind to your destination. Did you ever notice that you can’t touch a past moment or future moment? Each of these places exist only in our minds.  Don’t get to preoccupied in arriving at your destination that you miss all of the great scenery along the journey.  Take the time to enjoy all the moments along the road to your dreams.

Welcome to the new you

Howard

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year. Everyone is gearing up for the holidays, kids are making there lists, and the shoppers are packing the malls. I have always been a procrastinator when it comes to Christmas shopping. My typical Christmas shopping starts on the Saturday before Christmas then ends with a frantic rush on Christmas Eve to pick up all of my last minute gifts. This year is different, I have a systematic shopping plan. Its amazing what you can do when you have a plan.

Here are a few tips  for the 2009 shopping season

Shop online, the Internet is a great place to start your holiday shopping , no lines and no traffic

Start shopping with a detailed list and stick to your list.

Do your homework, look at the Sunday sales in the newspaper before you go out shopping.

Use the Internet to compare prices prior to going to the mall.

If you don’t enjoy wrapping, have your gifts wrapped at the mall.

Keep all your receipts, ask for the gift receipts.

If you find something nice for yourself….buy it!

The Christmas shopping season can be fun and enjoyable when you are  prepared.

Welcome to the new you!

Howard

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Today I am getting back on track. Holiday meals can really put a detore in the road to healthy living. The good news is we can get right back to eating healthy with just a few good choices. Eating unhealthy is really easy, go to the kitchen,pick up some chips and a soda, then sit down and indulge,  pretty easy huh?
Eating healthy is a bit more complicated, it takes time effort and planning to make the right choices.  Eating healthy really starts the moment I decide to go shopping, bad food does not just show up magically in my house, someone has to purchase it, bring it home, and most of the time that someone is me.
A healthy eating plan is a one step at step by step process, one choice, then one meal, then one day you find yourself fit and healthy. 
That’s how life works, make one good choice which leads to another good choice, that leads to a great life.

No need to wait till the New year to resolve to start eating healthy. You can get back on track today, one choice at a time.

Howard

Welcome to the new you!

Hey, this week is Thanksgiving, its that day once each year where we get out the turkey, the stuffing, cranberry sauce and then wash it all down with a bottle of artificially flavored high fructose corn syrup, while we are “spending”  time with family and friends enjoying the day.

My plan for the day is pretty simple, wake up, clean up, workout, run, and then invest the rest of the day investing  time in others. Did you notice I did not say spending time with others? People are an investment, the more time you spend focused on them and their needs the deeper and more meaningful your relationship will be long term. Think about who are the people that you like the most? I will bet it is the people that make the  largest investment in you, the people that are interested in you and the people that genuinely listen to you and your needs.  Thanksgiving is  a great day to make a deposit in your personal investment accounts.

I want to spend more time being thankful everyday.  I have allot to be thankful for and I have 24 hours a day to think of all the good things I have in my life. I need to keep my mind focused on all of the good in the world and the opportunities that I have to make things better for myself and others.

Howard

Welcome to the new y0u!

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When Is  the last time you felt really inspired to take action? I like that feeling I get when I am inspired, when I am inspired I get creative. I sort of  get in an inspirational  zone and  I start doing new things and  moving in new and exciting directions. Inspiration shows up just at the perfect times in my life when I need it the most.

What if we were inspired every day? We would be amazed by how those  inspirational moments would change us and our direction in life. Once we realize all of the  inspiration and goodness that surrond us we can then begin to accomplish dreams and  goals that are  beyond our imaginations.

Here a a few things that inspire me

• A sunny day
• Opportunity
• A great nights rest
• Early mornings
• A great workout
• An educational book or CD
• Enjoying a present moment
• Positive, upbeat people
• A 6 mile run on a Saturday or Sunday morning

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain

Have a great week!

Howard

Welcome to the new you!

Today is  November 7th as I write this weeks column and yes you are reading the title correctly its called ”Getting Ready for Spring”. Why in the world would anyone be thinking  about spring this time of  year? The reason is before we know it spring will be here whether we have prepared for it or not.

Yesterday was the perfect fall 65 dereee day to get my yard ready for winter. During my fall clean up project i started to think about what I really doing,  I was not preparing for winter but I was “Getting Ready for Spring.”

That’s the power of long term thinking , even though the tasks you are doing today may seem small in the short term, reality is that everything you are doing right now is setting you up not only for present success, but also for your long term success in the future.

Some people will wait untill January 1st to start thinking about their goals for the next year. I have realized that everything that we are doing today is setting us up for our success in the future. You can choose to implement your plan for next year today while you still enjoying each  present moment.

Minute by minute, day by day, month by month year by year, you are  building your your past, living your present and shaping your future one step at a time.

You can start to plan for spring today!

Howard

Welcome to the new you!

Did you turn your clock back? I woke up this morning and found out that I gained one extra hour courtesy of someone who thought that its a good idea twice a year for us to change our clocks. What did I do with my extra hour? I invested mine  in it doing a little organization. I am thinking that feng shui is the way to go, if I have something around the house that is not motivating me or making me feel good its time to clean it out and get some harmony back in my life.
My investment of my extra hour organizing felt great, I got two projects completed and I am feeling relaxed and more focused to complete the other projects that I want to accomplish today.

Here are a 10 tips to get the most out of your extra hour;

1. Get an extra hour of sleep
2. Go for a run or a walk
3. Get in a good hour workout
4. Spend an hour with you family
5. Write or respond to a blog post
6. Go to your local coffee shop and read the paper
7. Write out your goals for the week, month and year
8. Spend time on your hobby
9. Put on your favorite music and relax
10. Take some “me” time

What are you going to do with your extra hour? If you have some ideas that you would like to share with out other readers please e mail them and we will post your comments on the blog.

Thank you for stopping by Gold Star Motivation,

Howard

Welcome to the new you!