It Takes Courage

It Takes Courage.

Courage is the one quality of mind that brings out all the other ones. It takes courage to change. It takes courage to force ourselves to do what we don’t want to do. Have the courage to face your fears and your fears will wither in the presence of courage. Courage is the key component of character and it is character that shapes our destiny. Practice courage whenever courage is needed and you will be better for it.

1.      Courage to challenge. It takes courage to challenge the status quo. It takes courage to chase excellence and to seek mastery.

2.      Courage to dream. It takes courage to be creative. It takes curiosity to dream big. It takes courage to have authentic dreams. It takes courage to commit to our dreams.

3.      Courage to begin. It takes courage to go where others don’t dare to go. It takes courage to get those first few steps. It takes courage to face danger.

4.      Courage to endure. It takes courage to delay gratification. It takes courage to be consistent. It takes courage to lead and it takes humility to follow.

5.      Courage to live with ambiguity and controversy. It takes courage to tell the truth. It takes courage to admit and confess. It takes courage to live by principles and values. It takes courage to live by priorities. It takes courage to seek clarity.

6.      Courage to create change. It takes courage to change ourselves and to face uncertainties. It takes courage to adjust course in order to reach the destination.

7.      Courage to finish. It takes courage to finish the race. Yes, it takes courage to live a meaningful life.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Think Properly

Thinking

We become what we think. We are the products of our own thinking. Proper thinking is difficult, that’s why so few people do it. The right thinking leads to the right actions. Today we explore the first nugget of self-discipline; proper thinking. The following six will be explored in the next 6 days. We are 7 ways to improve our thinking.

1.      Simplicity. Simplify your life to allow daily time for thinking. Start living by priorities, not obligations. We often have to take a step back before we can go forward. We often have to cut back on our busy lives to allow space to re-start again.

2.      Silence. It’s only in silence we can hear our inner selves. Shut down the excess noises in your life. Start by taking a couple of hours to be in complete silence. Take the time to ponder where you have been, where you are, so you can get a sense of direction where you are going.

3.      Solitude. Solitude is not a scary place where we fear to go. We can find that still voice in us; it is there, built inside all of us. The value of solitude lasts forever. Don’t be afraid of complete solitude. It is in solitude we often find ourselves, who we truly are. It is in solitude that we find our greatness.

4.      Prayer. We become what we pray. Prayers give us faith. Prayers are powerful to clear our minds and start thinking properly. Craft your own daily prayer. Pray often and pray for better thinking.

5.      Reflection. Reflect on your life, your experiences. Learn the lessons and move forward. If we don’t take the time to reflect we are not going to learn the daily lessons we need to tackle the challenges ahead. Great intuition comes from continuous reflection.

6.      Perspective. The right perspective is the key to make good decisions. Snap decisions are usually the wrong decisions. Borrow the thinking of great thinkers. Start by reading the book “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David Schwartz. Ask the question, are my assumptions correct?

7.      Writing. Writing crystalizes our thinking. Don’t just think it, ink it. Daily writing is a powerful demonstration of self-discipline. The words we write carry images and power with them. Write, re-write, and write again and again.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Self-Discipline

Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is a habit we can all learn.

As with any discipline, self-discipline involves sacrifice.

Self-disciple is the master key to wisdom and to a great life.

Self-discipline guarantees success because it strengthens our character to overcome obstacles. 

1.      Thinking. Take time daily to think, think clearly. Solitude is a powerful thinking tool. Take time to reflect on your experiences and perspectives from mentors. We are the products of our own thinking. Proper thinking is a learned skill.

2.      Courage. It takes courage to change. It takes courage to force ourselves to do what we don’t want to do. Have the courage to face your fears and your fears will wither in the presence of courage. Courage is the key component of character. Practice courage whenever courage is needed. Have the courage to begin, to endure, and to finish what you start.

3.      Goal setting. Discipline yourself to set daily goals or others will do it for you. It takes focus and concentration to set realistic and achievable goals. Write down goals that are specific and dated. We CAN live a life by design when we set long term goals.

4.      Money Management. Save and invest. Set a goal for your financial independence. Get out of debt and stay out of debt forever. Have compound interest working for you and not against you. If you can’t save money then success is not for you. Reframe your thinking and views about money. Stop associating money with pleasures and entertainment. Avoid making money mistakes like buying financing new cars.

5.      Time management. Spend more time planning. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Make a daily list of what needs to be done, preferably the day before, and prioritize it. Do what is important first. Tackle the big task first thing in the morning.

6.      Continuously learn. Work harder on yourself and you do at your work. Read the right books, listen to the right audios, and attend seminars to associate with the right people. Self-discipline is a lifetime assignment. Take it seriously and you will acquire valuable skills.

7.      Work hard and persist. Nothing takes place of hard work and persistence. Eliminate time wasters. When you are working, do work. Work is not fun time, fun is for later. Fun ought to be the reward for hard work. We can only do smart work after we have done the hard work. Persist in the face of adversity. Persistence is the measure of self-discipline.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Money Sense

Investment Sense

1.      The best investment you can make is in yourself. From neck down we are all worth minimum wage.

2.      Think long-term. Decisions compound over time, either in our favor or against us.

3.      Cut expenses to invest more. An expense helps someone else’s “bottom” line; an investment brings a return to your “top” line.

4.      Spend more to feed the brain than to feed the stomach. What percentage of your income are you currently investing to feed your brain?

5.      Delay gratification. Does your brain call for food? Can you imagine yourself investing as much to feed your brain as you spend to feed your stomach?

6.      Leverage the power of compounding. No other money can be put to as productive work as the one to get your mind and heart connected. Wisdom compounds faster than money. Is compound interest working for or against you?

7.      Be a WHY person. People that invest in their brains become WHY people and they have the HOW people working for them.  

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Choices

Faith and Love Are Choices

1.      Worry leads to fear, two unproductive states of mind. Why worry about things that are not real and will likely not come?

2.      Worry comes from lack of faith. How strong is your faith?

3.      Faith is the belief of greater things to come. Can you believe without seeing?

4.      Faith creates the expectancy of actions leading to productive outcomes. Why don’t you choose faith?

5.      No one has ever accomplished anything of lasting significance without faith. Can you name one?

6.      Action kills fear, choking our worries.  How can worries last in the presence of faith?

7.      Love flows out of unwavering faith.  Love is a powerful force. Love is a choice. Can you imagine water flowing out of a spring feeding a creek, than a river, and ultimately to the ocean?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Counting Up

Counting Results

1.      A leader gets results by caring about the people. Caring trumps intelligence and hard work when it comes to getting results.

2.      A leader encourages the people to chase their dreams. Focusing on needs and intentions is insufficient to produce measurable results.

3.      A leader keeps the eye on the scoreboard. Corrections based on results are often a must to improve anything.

4.      A leader focuses on the leading indicators producing the results. Measuring results is the best tool for a learning organization.

5.      A leader appreciates the compounding of victories. Most organizations are compounding their failures by refusing to admit and learn from them.

6.      Leaders are always accountable for results. Leaders inspire the managers to focus on the right numbers.

7.      A leader’s mission defines the scope of his or her responsibility. How clear is your mission in life?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Powerful Imagination

The Power of Imagination

All the good that happens in this world is created twice; first in the mental real, then in the physical realm.

1.      We create our own futures. We can only get what we picture in our own minds.

2.      We can use our turning points. Our turning points happen so we can reflect upon them and use them to imagine better futures for ourselves.

3.      We can use the power of personal prayers. Create mental images from the words in your personal prayers. Pray prayers of beliefs, thanksgiving, and blessings.

4.      Create images of solutions to problems. The possibilities will open up for those who believe, truly believe.

5.      Imagination is more important than knowledge. Use your imagination to propel you forward.

6.      Believe you can overcome. We only value what we diligently work to achieve. Work to deserve what you would live to have happen in your life.

7.      You can make your visons, dreams, and goals become reality. Think words that turn into pictures and the plans and strategies will follow.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

                      

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy