Motivation Monday - So You Think One Person Can't Make A Difference?

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I've shared a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week I have a bit of a twist, I'm sharing a bit of my own story.

My husband has been fighting a stomach cancer diagnosis since a tumor was found at his GE junction 03 March 2013.  The tumor at the bottom of his esophagus/top of his stomach was ulcerated and the blood loss put him in IMC for 4 days, he'd lost roughly half his blood.  Before he left the hospital a port had been placed, a second opinion esophageal ultrasound had been scheduled to stage the cancer, and the next Monday chemo was scheduled to start.  So began our cancer journey...and the great limiting of my time in creating these posts that you all love to read so very much! ;D

03 November 2014, Wisconsin turned blue as 31 October 2014 Governor Scott Walker signed the Proclamation declaring November as Curing Stomach Cancer Month.  A giant thank you to the governor and Bob Neeno, Proclamation Director, for getting this very important work done!

This October, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month was awash in pink, his bi-monthly CT scan (utilized by the oncologist to watch for metastasis) came back with cause for concern.  It looked like metastatic cancer in his liver.  As we waited for the liver biopsy to be scheduled we felt helpless.  Very, very helpless.  A small thought came along, we did a little research, and we began to look at what we could do to get others wearing periwinkle blue (the cancer awareness ribbon colour for esophageal and stomach cancers) to support NoStomachForCancer.org and their November as Stomach Cancer Awareness Month campaign.   While visiting another website that has offered support during this hellish dance with stomach cancer, Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer, I saw in their take action tab information about how I could go about doing something.  That something was applying for a proclamation in my home state to have my governor proclaim November as Curing Stomach Cancer Month.  That was 20 October 2014 and only 3 states had such a proclamation: North Carolina, Florida and Michigan.  You can see in the above map that other states have rallied to the cause, and my home state of Wisconsin will soon join them!  

You can view the pdf version of this Proclamation here!

It is a small thing, really.  I filled out the application and sent it.  The governor's office thought it was a good idea and signed it.  Both of those are in and of themselves small actions, but the difference they can make is huge.  20 October when I filed the application, it was a giant step from helplessness into the arena of doing something.  Doing something felt empowering.  We did some research and found t-shirts and wristbands from NoStomachForCancer.org  that could raise money for research.  We began to pull together a few support wear selections for our friends and family to join us.  Even just doing that was better than the anxiety of worry, of the wait, the fear of what comes next.  Today, when we received an e-mail that our proclamation had been signed I felt what a difference one can make when you channel even the energy of anxiety and worry into action.  

A heartfelt thank you to Bob Nenno, Proclamation Director, who made the dream of having this proclamation in place for the month of November a reality, even though it typically takes 4 weeks.  Another heartfelt thank you to Scott Walker, Governor of Wisconsin, for signing the proclamation to make November Curing Stomach Cancer Month.  Hopefully  these small actions we have taken will raise awareness, help raise funding for this horrible, deadly and horribly underfunded area of cancer research.  

Today's Motivation Monday message is that one person can indeed make a difference.

If you'd like to join us by showing support, please view our CaringBridge website to read about our "November is..." campaign.  07 Nov 2014 Update:  We've made it even easier to help us with our campaign, especially for you tech savvy folks!  You can now use PayPal thanks to YouCaring.com, so click here to come see our fundraiser!

Motivation Monday - Hacks for Weight Loss?

Hack - verb - 1) cut with heavy blows. 2) use a computer to gain unauthorized access to data in a system.

Seems there's a self described hack for everything these days.  Most of them seem to be clever alternative uses for things derived by those with too much idle time on their hands.  How about something you can really use to unlock your potential?  How about that being your weight loss potential? 

Weight Loss Motivation Hacks: 7 Psychological Tricks That Keep You Motivated To Lose Weight

Weight Loss Motivation Hacks: 7 Simple Psychological Tricks That Keep You Motivated To Lose Weight

Derek Doepker asks, do you feel like you're fighting a losing battle with yourself to get motivated to lose weight? 

Unfortunately, many people will never reach their weight loss goals simply because they can't figure out how to get themselves motivated enough to stick to their resolutions. 

But what if you could simply reprogram your brain with powerful psychological "mind-hacks" to create unstoppable motivation on-demand, and finally reach your weight loss goals with ease?

#1 best-selling weight loss author Derek Doepker reveals what years worth of psychological research has shown to be hands-down the most effective methods of transforming your habits. 

You're about to discover...

• The biggest myth of motivation. When you discover this trap almost everyone falls into, you'll realize why you could never get yourself motivated before.

• The 6 human needs that dictate all human behavior. When you map out your behavior blueprint, you'll be able to flip a switch to have die-hard passion for things you previously hated doing. 

• How 90%+ of people who lose weight dieting gain it all back, and what YOU can do to make sure this never happens to you.

• Why lack of willpower is almost never the reason people fail to stick to their weight loss goals. Discover a force stronger than willpower that can virtually guarantee you'll never fail again. 

• How to avoid the misery of boring diet and exercise programs and make the entire process of weight loss not only fun, but downright addicting.

• A trick research has shown can help stop food cravings dead in their tracks. NOTE: This technique is so powerful, it's being used to successfully help smokers quit for good.

• The absolute best way to create new habits with "forcing" the process. This is so simple, you'll barely even notice you're doing anything different. 

• And much more!

If you've ever struggled to stay motivated on your path to permanent weight loss, this guide will contain the answers your looking for.

This title is a steal on your Kindle, free to borrow if you're an Amazon Prime member, so what are you waiting for?  Go get Weight Loss Motivation Hacks.

Motivation Monday - the Mind Gym

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence. “You can keep reading books forever but you have to start at some point and just do it. ”

A great way to introduce athletes to the inner aspects of sports.  There's no easy way to do it.  Go get Mind Gym , get up and go do it!

Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.

From the Inside Flap

Golfing great Bobby Jones said, "Competition is won or lost on the six-inch playing field between the ears." How do the best athletes gain an advantage on that playing field? In Mind Gym, noted sports psychology consultant Gary Mack teaches athletes the lessons he's learned about how the mind influences athletic performance as much as physical skill does, if not more so.Through forty accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes from prominent athletes--many of whom he has worked with--Mack shares the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle."
Achieving this inner excellence requires time and effort. The more you work on the inside, the more it shows on the outside. These engaging stories--covering such themes as overcoming adversity, staying motivated, and following one's dreams--will enable you to perform at your best by choice rather than chance.
Mind Gym will give anyone who spires to be a better athlete the "head edge" over the competition.

"Mind Gym hits a home run. If you want to build mental muscle for the major leagues, read this book." -- Ken Griffey, Jr., Major League MVP

"A great read that helps you understand the importance that your mind plays in reaching the top." -- Michele Timms, WNBA All-Star and Olympic silver-medal winner --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Go get Mind Gym.

Motivation Monday - You Too Can Be An Action Figure, Some Assembly Required

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is not for the meek, but if you're ready for it, go get it, the Spartan Warrior Workout: Get Action Movie Ripped in 30 Days.

See what WebMD.com has to say about the 300 workout.

Anyone with a pulse who saw 300 wants to look like Gerard Butler and the Spartans.  But how did they train to look like that?  The secret's out, put in the work and you can be sporting abs just like King Leonidas. 

Get Action-Movie Ripped in 30 Day...some work required.

DO YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH--TO STOP AN ENTIRE ARMY?

In just one month, the high-intensity workouts in this book can give you the jaw-dropping physique of history's greatest soldiers. Spartan Warrior Workout takes you from merely being in shape to having the strength and endurance to withstand the ultimate test.

Whether you're a veteran in the weight room or a new recruit, Spartan Warrior Workout will challenge you like nothing you have ever tried before:

• Arms and shoulders are sculpted with kettlebell cleans and presses
• Abs are toned with windmills and planks
• Back and butt are strengthened with kettlebell swings and pull-ups
• Chest is chiseled with bench presses and push-ups
• Legs and glutes are shaped with jumping lunges and squats

More than just exercises, the book's guidelines on active rest, pre-hab and nutrition will help keep your body healthy and fueled as you push yourself to the limit and reach higher levels of fitness.

Go get the Spartan Warrior Workout and get Action Movie Ripped in 30 days.

About the Author

Hi I'm Dave Randolph and I  own IronBody Fitness in Louisville, Kentucky. I have been a full time Fitness Professional since 2007 and I am a 5th degree black belt in Shaolin Do Chinese Martial arts.

I've been  studying Shaolin Do since late 1989 and started training with kettlebells in 2002. I am one of the first 100 people to ever be certified as an RKC under Pavel Tsatsouline and I was in the 2nd ever (Beta Cadre) training under Scott Sonnon and his CST system.

I'm currently certified with Pavel as an RKC II, with Sonnon as a CST Instructor, in the IKFF as a CKT, and with Kettlebell Athletics and the American Kettlebell Club. I think I have more kb certs than anyone else! Oh and I'm also a level I CrossFit instructor.

Resources:
WebMD - what WebMD has to say about the 300 Workout

Motivation Monday - Get Off Your But & Stop Self-Sabotage

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is  Get Off Your "But": How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself by author Sean Stephenson.

Get Off Your "But" and stop self-sabotage!

"Sean is an amazing person with an important message."
—President Bill Clinton

"Sean Stephenson is the Yoda of personal development, with less pointy ears."
—Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live

"As we struggle with inertia to become the best that we can be, Sean Stephenson's book informs and inspires us to stand up and keep moving forward. Thank you, Sean, for your life, your work, and your abundant sharing."
—Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager

"Sean Stephenson is a hero to me. When you read his book, he will be a hero to you as well. His moving stories about himself and others who have found the gifts in their pain will teach you so much about courage and, just as important, you will learn how to build your own sense of confidence when it comes to health, career, relationships, and more. Do yourself a favor read this book! "
—Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., author, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway and Embracing Uncertainty

In Stephenson’s powerful and practical debut, Get Off Your "But",  the psychotherapist and professional speaker reveals how to banish self-doubt and insecurity in a world where they may seem omnipresent. Beginning with the source of his own struggle, a rare and painful disease that causes his bones to weaken and break under minimal pressure, Stephenson offers a structured approach to a wide array of topics, including dating, weight loss, lack of motivation, friendship, finances, and goals. While his advice is encouraging and insightful, Stephenson’s text is also notable for examples, mottos and resonant personal stories of enormous obstacles and accomplishments (his work with the Clinton administration, attaining his Ph.D., opening his own private practice). Though his unwavering optimism can be daunting (bringing one’s day-to-day gripes into sharp relief), Stephenson is empowering and uplifting throughout, and should prove helpful whether facing a lifelong challenge or a more immediate battle. (May) (PublishersWeekly.com, May 18, 2009)

Go Get Off Your "But" now!

Author Sean Stephenson

Biography

Expected to die at birth, Sean Stephenson has faced an army of reasons to give up and countless opportunities to embrace pity. He suffered more than 200 bone fractures by age eighteen, reached a height of only three feet, and is permanently confined to a wheelchair. Despite his challenges, he took a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world, including Tony Robbins, Richard Branson, President Clinton, and his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Sean has had more life adventures than most people who are twice his age. He
worked on Capitol Hill for a U.S. Congressman and in the White House alongside
President Clinton. He has also testified in front of the United States Senate on two separate occasions, traveled the world as a professional speaker in 11 countries and 47 states, is a board-certified psychotherapist, and has just released a new book called, "Get off Your 'BUT': How to end self-sabotage and stand up for yourself."

You might have seen Sean on his Biography Channel Special, "3 Foot Giant" or
featured on The Oprah Show, CNN News, CBS News, WGN News, C-SPAN, the
Discovery Health Channel, Jimmy Kimmel Live, or in the Washington Post or the The New York Times. With all that said, when you get to know Sean you realize all of his struggles and accomplishments are not what defines him as a man, it's his love for life and unending pursuit to rid the world of insecurity.

Motivation Monday - Confessions of a Quitter

It's Motivation Monday and today I wanted to do something a little different.  Rather than share a motivational book, DVD or Audio CD with you, I wanted to share the following story with you: my story.  I ran into a teambeachbody member looking for someone to give them encouragement to not quit.  Boy, if you haven't been there, you haven't been working on a better you for very long.  I think we've all been there. I know I sure have.  It prompted me to make the following blog post, I hope it speaks to you.  Perhaps it will inspire you, I hope it motivates you to keep trying. - the kashubian

I confess, I'm a quitter.  So much stigma attached to that word, I hate it, but it's true.  I can call a spade a spade, look at myself for what I am.  I'll own it.
I was an all-conference athelete back in high school for fast pitch softball.  I got invited to some coveted all-star traveling tournament teams on the mid-west fast pitch circuit.  Coaches from other teams asked my dad if we could move into their district, just for the season.  I got to play tournaments infront of college scouts.  I was a catcher that even the umpires said they'd miss during my senior season.  The local bar leagues tried to recruit me for their team.  By my senior season I had logged 18 seasons of play, WIAA school season and summer seasons combined, all of them from behind the plate.  I had the knees to prove it and by graduation I had already had knee surgery.  I played through tech school and broke my sternum diving for a pop up...still finished the game and worked the weekend before going to the doctor even though it sounded like a broom stick breaking.  I wasn't a quitter back then, but my season was done, the doctor wouldn't let me play, another bad hit could puncture my lung or liver...now I was a quitter.  I moved for my first job, got recruited to a bar league, had a work place injury that required knee surgery...I had to quit again.  I was becoming good at quitting.
Then life got in the way.  Work, family...everything...just, life.  Oh, and 3 more knee surgeries...then carpal tunnel surgery...and then, and then, and then...
Before I understood much about Team Beachbody and anything about coaches, I floundered through 10-minute trainer.  Then I quit because life got in the way, again.  Like I said, I was getting good at quitting.
I saw the INSANITY commercial and it spoke to my old inner athlete.  I said "hell yeah, I can do that.  Just try to make me quit."  I did 3/4 of it.  Then we had to travel for my work, I even still kept up with it...then we had to travel to get our son who was home from his first deployment.  The uncertain travel schedule made it easy to quit.  I did, I quit yet again.  Like I said, I was good at quitting.
Then work got painfully slow, I went back to school and my butt got bigger...and bigger.  Cabin fever set in.  I saw the INSANITY commercial.  This was months after my husband nearly bled to death from a diverticulum (I have other posts on that nightmare), my mom had survived colon cancer (so far) and my dad had been forced into retirement by 2 back surgeries.  I was now the officially unofficial caretaker of the family, but I was really sucking at taking care of myself.  Stupid quitter.  Not this time, I defined my why and beat myself up with it every time I wanted to quit.
This was when I had the epiphany, I met my coach.
Who knew having someone I had never met in person believe in me could make that big of a difference?  The power of motivation and accountability.  I owe so much to her, things I never thought I'd gain by losing some inches, things like my self-esteem, self-confidence.  I used to be such a poser, my co-workers thinking I was so strong and together, so self-assured...I was faking it all because I was nothing but a quitter where it mattered most.  Thanks to my coach I learned how speaking to others to bouy them when they were discouraged spoke just as loudly to myself as it did them.  Now I got what that whole coach thingy was about.  Wow, did I wish I'd met her sooner!  Her and her whole team!  She offered the coaching opportunity to me, I took a look at it.
Then I finished INSANITY.  Second time through I actually finished it.  I had good results.  That day I felt like I could do anything, I was made of awesome.
That day I wanted everyone to taste what it felt like, even just once.
That is why I coach.  I'm not to my goal yet, I struggle like everyone else.  I've been a quitter.  I've been knocked down, so I'm real good at getting back up.
That's why when I saw a new message on the message boards today about somebody who asked for help because they were discouraged, I just had to reach out.  It's not about the money, it's not about getting the people.  It's about having somebody press PLAY one more day, having them finally finish it so they can feel good about themselves.  That's what it's about.
Les Mills Combat: Power HIIT 1 today.  Yep, I pressed PLAY, I really hope you did too.

Motivation Monday - What if YOU were Coached by the Legends?

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  Today's share is a little different, as we gear up to Superbowl XLVII, everyone's an NFL fan (at least for Superbowl Sunday).  Why not give a nod to some of footballs greatest coaches?  This week's feature is the Victor 1 Get Coached DVD set.  Learn strategies from football's greatest coaches that you can implement in your own lives to achieve success.

Superbowl XLVII gets us all in the mood to excel, learn how from the greats of the game.  
   photo retrieved from ZeiBiz

If you're anything like me you get pumped when you watch all those great highlight reels from the past NFL season that run when we get this close to Superbowl Sunday.  Take that energy to a new level with this incredible series from Victor 1 that features strategies for realizing your goals in your own lives from these football coaching legends.  I wish I'd found these sooner!

Victor 1 GET COACHED: Super Bowl champions Mike Ditka, Rex Ryan, Sean Payton, Mike Singletary, and legendary college coach Bobby Bowden, translate the secrets of their success on the field into an arsenal of insight and strategies for success in the real world. Business professionals, athletes, students, parents, anyone looking for the ultimate competitive edge and a winning mindset to tackle everyday challenges, will find the 20-plus, on-demand bursts of wisdom and inspiration on each coach s DVD invaluable when facing everyday challenges. If life is a game you want to win, GET COACHED by proven winners and some of the greatest motivators of our time.



GET COACHED BY MIKE DITKA..."Success is no accident"

Victor 1 GET COACHED by MIKE DITKA features one of two men ever to win Super Bowls as player, assistant coach and head coach. A fierce competitor, TV sports commentator and businessman, "Iron Mike" demands TOTAL COMMITMENT from himself, from those around him, and from you on his new motivational DVD. Delivered in rapid-fire, tell it like it is Ditka style, 25 topics like Define Success , Own Your Actions, Adapting to Change, Yours for the Taking and Fight Another Day give you instant access to a lifetime of experience and solid strategies for success.

GET COACHED BY BOBBY BOWDEN..."To win consistently, you have to put yourself in a position to lose.  I know it sounds contradictory, but to get ahead you've got to take a chance.  When it's on the line, you've just got to go for it...no one's going to just hand it to you." 

Victor 1 GET COACHED BY BOBBY BOWDEN features one of the winningest coaches in college football history. Legendary Florida State football Bobby Bowden has lead his teams to championship victories over seven different decades. The man knows how to motivate players, teams and you. As a faith-based inspirational speaker, Coach Bowden has addressed hundreds of thousands of people seeking an even higher greatness, and now, with 23 topical chapters including Stewardship, Integrity Proving Ground Play to Win and Invite God In , he brings his best inspiration, advice to you. Old, young, all can learn to achieve great things through Bowden's experiences with GOD, FAMILY AND FOOTBALL on this Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD.


GET COACHED BY MIKE SINGLETARY...On being true to yourself and being authentic.   "A leader is someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to help another person solve whatever problem they may be having...be humble..."

In this Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD, two time defensive player of the year, Super Bowl champion, Hall of Fame inductee and current 49ers head coach Mike Singletary shows that drive, focus, loyalty and faith are unmatched assets in sports...and in life. This great player, coach, motivator, ordained minister, and true believer now shares his vision of faith in 21 intense, on-demand chapters including Lead Where You Are, Inner Greatness, Overcoming Adversity, Constructive Criticism, Innovation and Forgiveness. 

GET COACHED BY SEAN PAYTON..."now it's your time, let me share with you actionable strategies that will enable you to achieve your ultimate goals."..."no short cuts...sacrifice is a part of the process."

In this new Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD, Sean Payton shows the importance of Aiming High, and reveals what it takes to win at anything and everything you set out to do in life. As head coach of the 2010 Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, Payton knows how to face up to great adversity and great challenges, and win. Now, in 21 individual, concise chapters on his DVD, including No Shortcuts, Plan Your Success, Risk/Reward, Honesty , Delivering Results and Define Your Reputation, delivered in straight-forward Sean Payton style, he helps you set, define and achieve the goals in your own life.

GET COACHED BY REX RYAN...On pressure.  "When your back is against the wall...how will you handle it?  I see every challenge as an opportunity...." "never fold under the pressure, rise to the occasion..."

In this new Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD, Rex Ryan shares his hard won insights and actionable strategies for putting your life on the winning track. As head coach of the resurgent New York Jets and son of coaching legend Buddy Ryan, Coach Ryan knows what it takes to get the top job. You've got to want it, plan it and Give It All You Got. Teamwork, Earning Loyalty, Handling Disappointment, and No Excuses are among the 20 concise, direct, no-nonsense Rex Ryan approaches to getting what you want out of life.

Get the whole set or just your favorite coaching legend to inspire and motivate yourself to achieve your greatness!

Motivation Monday - Never Goin' Back

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle For Good by NBC Today's beloved Al Roker.

Al Roker’s aha! moment came a decade ago, read about his weight loss journey moving forward from that moment in Never Goin' Back.

Al Roker’s aha! moment came a decade ago. He was closing in on 350 pounds when he promised his dying father that he wasn’t going to keep living as he was. That led to his decision for a stomach bypass—and his life-changing drop to 190. But fifty of those pounds gradually crept back until he finally devised a plan, stuck to it, and got his life back. 

Never Going Back is Roker’s inspiring, candid, and often hilarious story of self-discovery, revealing a (now slimmer) side of his life that no one knows. With illuminating and sometimes painfully honest stories about his childhood (as the “husky” boy in class), his struggle against the odds to make something of himself, and his family life today, Roker reveals the effects that a lifelong battle with weight issues can have on a person—and how, regardless of the frustration and setbacks, you must never lose faith in yourself (just inches).

Al is telling his story to inspire others to lose the weight they’ve always wanted to lose, keep it off for good, and regain their health. He knows firsthand that it is a day-to-day process and that unrealistic diets rarely work (he has tried most of them!). And, most important, he knows that losing weight is as much—if not more—a state of mind as of body. That’s why he’s here: to recharge your willpower and see you through it like a friend—with warmth, humor, and a healthy new outlook on life.  

Al's Fit Club: Al Roker on his 115 pound weight-loss retrieved from Today Health.

About the Author
Al Roker is known to more than thirty million TV viewers, and he is the recipient of thirteen Emmy Awards, ten of which he won for his work on NBC’s Today. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Make Me Stop This Car!: Adventures in Fatherhood. An accomplished cook, Roker also has two bestselling cookbooks to his credit. Al Roker lives in Manhattan with his wife, ABC News and 20/20 correspondent Deborah Roberts, and has two daughters and a son.  

Go read an excerpt from Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle For Good by NBC Today's beloved Al Roker.


Go get Never Goin' Back: Winning the Weight-Loss Battle For Good by Al Roker

Motivation Monday - GOALS: Setting and Achieving Them on Schedule

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is Goals : Setting And Achieving Them On Schedule.  

From the legendary Zig Ziglar, GOALS: Setting and Achieving Them on Schedule.

Self improvement is an important part of any health and fitness regimen.  One might argue it is at the core.  Spending just 10 minutes per day on inspiring, motivational material can program your mindset to look for opportunities you may miss if you are in a funk.  If your resolution was to lose weight, the road ahead will be difficult and long, consistency is the only way through it and in sticking with it, attitude is everything.  Rather than listening to the latest problems on the radio, try replacing your commute one way with self-improvement oriented.  This audio CD by the legendary Zig Ziglar fits the bill perfectly.

SUCCESS CAN BE YOURS WITH ZIG ZIGLAR'S GOALS

IF YOU HAVE DREAMS, THEN YOU NEED GOALS!

In Goals, bestselling author Zig Ziglar presents his dynamic seven-step formula for clearly defining your immediate and long-term goals...and then realizing your dreams. This step by step program is filled with inspiring stories from sports, business and science that demonstrate how to:

• Begin with a set of specific written goals
• Understand the reasons behind your ambitions
• Identify the resources you need to achieve success
• Develop a scheduled plan of action

You'll learn how to work around obstacles and change your strategies without changing your vision; how to become a team player, how to master your time; and how to set goals for everything you want in life.

Goals create motivation; motivation creates energy; energy helps make your dreams a reality. Take the first step toward reaching your aspirations and set your goals today!

“His motivational style is so unique, so sincere that he really inspires me to do more. ”     

“He offers a seven-step formula for helping you clearly lay out a plan for success. ”
Go Get Goals: Setting and Achieving Them on Schedule.

More from Zig Ziglar:
Are You Born to Win
Finally Friday - Give More

Motivation Monday - My Last Step Backward

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is My Last Step Backward, and this one is a special one because it's not often I can post a motivational book written by not only a fellow Wisconsinite, but a friend of my brothers'.

My Last Step Backward - an inspirational personal story of resilience and triumph over tragedy.

After showcasing her talent as the lead in her high school's production of Grease, Tasha Schuh began to dream of a career in theater. No one knew that the stage itself would steal her dream-and almost her life-during a rehearsal for the next big show. Just days before her opening night performance in The Wizard of Oz, sixteen-year- old Tasha took one step backward and fell sixteen feet through a trap door. On that day, Nov. 11, 1997, she landed on the concrete floor of the historic Sheldon Theater, breaking her neck, crushing her spinal cord, and fracturing her skull. She would never walk again. For the next three days, Tasha prepared for a surgery that would at best leave her a C-5 quadriplegic. Post-op complications turned Tasha's struggle and ultimate triumph into an unbelievable journey. From loss and grief to self-discovery and achievement, Tasha's faith, resilience, and honesty have allowed her to leave the old Tasha behind while she confronts the new Tasha's life from a state of the art wheelchair. Discover Tasha's remarkable spirit in My Last Step Backward, a poignant memoir that seeks to inspire you to welcome adversity and face your own trap door of opportunity.
About the Author
Survivor, believer, fighter-TASHA SCHUH is an inspiration, and hope for all who face life's greatest challenges. Winner of the National Rehabilitation Champion Award and Crowned Ms. Wheelchair USA 2012, Tasha travels and shares her story of resilience and triumph over tragedy. Tasha works and resides in Western, Wisconsin.

Go get My Last Step Backward now!

Motivation Monday - Grace, Gold and Glory

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  This week's feature is Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith.  Gabby shares her message "With hard work and persistence, any dream is possible."

Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith is the story of Gabrielle Douglas, the little Olympian who stole America's heart at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

In the 2012 London Olympics, US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas stole hearts and flew high as the All-Around Gold Medal winner, as well as acting as a critical member of the US gold-medal-winning women gymnastics team. In this personal autobiography, Gabrielle tells her story of faith, perseverance, and determination, demonstrating you can reach your dreams if you let yourself soar.

Go Get Grace, Gold & Glory: My Leap of Faith Here.

About the Author

Gabrielle Douglas is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she made history, becoming the first US gymnast to take home a team and an individual gold medal in the same Olympics. Gabrielle began her training at age six, and became the Virginia State Champion only two years later. When she was fourteen, she left her family in Virginia Beach to train with coach Liang Chow in Des Moines, Iowa. Under Chow's guidance, and with tremendous faith in God's plan for her, Gabrielle competed in the Olympic Trials and walked away with the only guaranteed spot on the team. Since her Olympic triumph, Gabrielle has used her platform to inspire millions with a powerful message: With hard work and persistence, any dream is possible. Visit her online at www.gabrielledouglas.com

“I highly recommend this book for anyone to read but especially for young girls who have a dream. ”

“Her writing sings to the heart of a teen, phrased in a way that lets your mind imagine the exact words coming from a little personal text message from Gabby to you. ”

“I loved how she gave All her Glory to God (she Gets it)....She is Blessed with a Supportive Family. ”
Go Get Grace, Gold and Glory.