Will 2008 Be a Repeat of 2007?

This is a question we should all be wrestling with because 2008 is fast approaching all of us. The question you need to ask yourself is what will be different in 2008 that will give you a different result than you have had not only in 2007, but in the previous 3 or 4 years. In most cases we are really in a circle, that just strangles repeats itself over and over again. The mistakes, the lack of income, the lack of a plan, this was a problem for most in 2000 and is a problem for them in 2007 as well, 2008 can and will be decidedly different if we want it too. I am here to assist you in making 2008 the breakthrough year you have all been waiting. I recently conducted a seminar and we had a dynamic guest speaker named Ken Brown (www.Kenbrowninternational.com) and he would repeatedly say that you need to write this down or this is some good stuff here. Well the stuff here may not have the same power that Mr. Ken Brown said it with, but this is some stuff you need to write down, and take notes on. One of the best antidotes he gave was that (Success Leaves Clues) well if it leaves clues what clues have you been following or finding recently? If we are honest with ourselves our clues have not amounted to much and they probably have come far and few between.

Why you might ask, well you need to see who’s in your immediate circle, the people you consider your closest friends and or your confidant. What is the medium income of this group, if the group is not making money, or even motivated to go forward then the clues you will see and hear will reflect this? We need to respect our time and our associations, what means more to you, your friends and how they will perceive you when you are on your quest for success or are you like most too worried that you may rattle a few feathers with you changing for the better. Success can be achieve by all but most never take a real stab at it, they are too worried about failure, they are too worried about making mistakes, too worried about what could go wrong, or the dreaded what if’s of the world. Well every day, every hour someone is living and achieving life milestones that they previously thought were unobtainable, why not you.

Achieving your goals will make you uncomfortable, it will make you question your sanity at times, but what of true value has not come with some sacrifice. I use myself as an example, most only see the exterior or the end results, but as they say in show business if you only knew what really goes on behind the scenes, well 2007 was a great character building year for me. It gave me the confidence that no matter what happens I can overcome it, the greatness and the success I crave for is right around the corner. I just need to stay focused on my goals and truly prioritize what will give me the greatest return on my time and energy every day.

This will be a 3 part series that I will give you success clues and tips that will propel you in 2008 to a status where you will question why did it take me so long, what was I waiting for, if this was all I had to do then why didn’t someone tell me sooner. Stop worrying about the past, it is dead and gone, never to rise its ugly head again. Live in the moment and you will be thoroughly surprised at what is possible. Tips for this lesson will be

1. Take a close look at your circle, the 5 that you associate with, the 5 you would think as your advisors so to speak and ask them, what are there plans for 2008, better yet do they have any. If the answers are not on the level you feel that can help or assist you in achieving your goals in 2008 you need to create some new associations ASAP. Time is of the essence here, 2008 will be here in less than 48 hour. My mother and a good friend of mine told me that whatever way you start the year that is going to be a great indicator of the year to come.

2. Second and most important, you have time, write down what you want to accomplish for 2008, don’t worry if you have never achieved it before, that what goals are for, they are for you to have a visible reminder of what you feel that you can accomplish. In 2008 there will be more Millionaires created than ever, on the flip side, 2008 will probably see more financial disasters than ever before, foreclosures will continue to rise, Bankruptcies will go through the roof, it’s kind of funny when you think about it, in the same 365-366 days that someone will become a Millionaire, someone will loose it all at the same time, we all have the same amount of time, which side do you want to be on. Be specific in your goals, create a yearly income and personal goal and then break it down month by month. If you are not used to writing goals, my advice to you would be to just figure out what you would like to do in January that will possibly give you a different result than you got in December. Try to see if you can find one new person that can assist you in your quest for success. Read one book, it seems hard, but the average reader reads at 200 words per minute, so even if you read below average you can take 30 minutes and read 5-10 pages a day. Even with as little as 5-10 pages a day x 30 days you are at 150-300 pages in January, most books are between 150-200 pages.

In closing I would like to say that taking 7 hours a week to improve your is well worth it, you may think that you do not have the time, but you do, act as if you life depends on it, I know mine does so I wake up every morning with a purpose, and a goal I try to achieve that day. Do you, if not start today and see what a difference a made up mind can do.

Part 2 February , 2008

Darrick H Scruggs

CEO

The Power TO BE Free

www. ThePowertobefree.com

PERSISTANCE LEADS TO SUCCESS

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

PERSISTANCE LEADS TO SUCCESS

It was my junior year in high school and also my first year ever touching a football. The courage it took to step on the field with guy’s twice my size ultimately brought me to where I am today. I stood at 5’10 145 pounds just finishing my 6 year career in the marching band. As I think back, I really did not know what I was thinking when I told myself that football was my new hobby or what I called my new “extra curricular activity”. I guess the peer pressure and the ridicule from my peers had a lasting effect on me, but everything inside of me wanted to prove to them that I could play football.

Once I finally got on the field (the practice field), what kept me fearless was the realization that the guys lining up across from me were my friends from the neighborhood. Unfortunately, that did not stop them from laying punishment on me in addition to helping me endure some of the worst pain that my body has ever experienced. As the year ended, I grew tired of lending my fresh equipment out during each game, which by the way left me almost bare without any equipment on by the fourth quarter. Furthermore, getting playing time only when we were down by 35 or more, was just as embarrassing as being known as the “human equipment room”.

By my senior year, after intense training and a disciplined eating habit, I returned with a vengeance and quickly became a key starter on defense. My teammates and I finished the season 0-8, but our record did not match the amount of talent we had on our roster. Being from a city that had a “bad reputation of breeding athletes with negative characteristics and low work ethic”, the chances of any college scout or coach coming to recruit me was very low. It was ONLY by chance that I came across a coach from Ferris State University (Division II) who gave me an opportunity to play college ball. One year later after my freshman year at Ferris, I transferred to Michigan State University football and landed a spot on the team roster. As a result of persistence, hard work and natural athleticism, I eventually locked a spot on the second team defense (considering I walked on and was behind an All Big Ten canidate). As of today, I am continuing my football career at the professional level playing Arena Football while still aspiring to play in the NFL. The many playing opportunities that were given to me are of high value. I would have never thought that I would be playing side by side with the same All Americans I envied while I was in high school nor did I think I would playing against great players in the Arena Football League.

As I look at top ranked University of South Florida’s roster and see how a majority of their players did not receive a single Division I scholarship, I speculate all the possible stories they may own. In addition, the USF football team has also helped produce three future 2008 first round picks who will finally receive all the benefits of their hard work and drive to better themselves as an athlete. There are many over rated athletes, but there are even more over looked athletes who desire for an open door of opportunity. We at DAASH ( a online recruiting business and academic assistance for athletes) know what an athlete needs because we are the athlete and athletes are us. Now standing at 6’2 260 pounds I am not just the President of DAASH Athletic Enterprises, Inc., I have been where many athletes want to go and have overcome many difficulties while getting there, now I am creating a way for more athletes to receive the exposure they deserve.

Eze Ejelonu

President/ CEO

DAASH Atheltic Enterprises
http://www.daashathletics.com/

Picture Perfect

Can anything really be picture perfect, in reality it can only look that way? The Mona Lisa a world renowned painting that has sold numerous times for Millions of Dollars has notable flaws. The reason I write this is that people need to understand that nothings going to be perfect, Microsoft has the greatest collection of minds possibly ever assembled and they understand and even expect to have a certain number of problems with every launch, remember nothing ever going to be picture perfect. I conduct seminar and promote entrepreneurship and this is the one of the biggest reasons why most never take the first step, due to most wanting everything to be picture perfect. Well what if there is something wrong, is that good or bad, for me it’s something good, do to that fact that to even have something wrong I have attempted something. Expect things to be imperfect, its OK, nothings going to be picture perfect, but proceed anyway and I know without a shadow of a doubt things can be improved if first and foremost you at least do something, if there is nothing ventured, there can’t be anything gained.
Now we come to the conclusion that we need to first do something what’s next, well what about putting a realistic timeline toward your goal or project, this is geared toward starting a business, but can easily be used in other areas of your life, if you wanted to go back to school, do a project around the home, build a better relationship with your loved ones or any other items that you have put off do to the fact you were afraid that you either did not have the time or things would not turn out exactly the way you planned it. Well, let me burst your bubble now, its never going to be as good or as bad as you think it will be, I am working on building a business in a different state, never been before, and really do not know a lot of people in the state, but I am going forward anyway, will there be problems, yes, but it’s OK and I welcome the problems.
The problems I incur will be R & D for me, but if I never start and wait until I get comfortable and everything aligns right, I will never start the business. Trust me you can find a million reasons on why you will not be successful and if you let your fears and doubt run your life business or personal life you will always loose. Take your life into your hands today and do something that you have always wanted to do, I am not only talking about your business, but in your life period. See how it feels to just spontaneously do something; your life does not have to be so rigid and structured. I live life day by day, with a plan in mind, a goal I want to hit, but I am very flexible, very forgiving to myself for the mistakes or problems, I know I will incur.
Most beat themselves up for not being picture perfect from the start. Remember perfection is something that we shoot for but really never obtain. If you shoot for the stars and you hit the eagle did you win or loose, in my eyes you win do to the fact that you did something. I recently had a meeting with a gentleman I respect, and he talked about people are plotting and planning since Christmas is coming, well we all now that Christmas and the holidays come every year, its not a surprise, why wait or put of doing something that can literally change the way you live your life until after Christmas, its coming every year whether you are ready or not, so go out and take your life by the horns and live the life we all deserve. Santa will not come and give you what you want, it will not be under the tree, no matter how many presents you unwrap. The only you will be able to get and achieve what you want is to start pointing the finger back at you. If you ever looked closely when you point a finger at someone, one is pointing at someone else, one is pointing up and 3 are pointing right back at you. In closing shoot for the stars what if you miss what’s the worse thing that can happen.

If you are looking to achieve something within the next 12 months that you realistically feel is possible and willing to look at the glass at being half full. You need to give me a call; I am looking to create freedom for as many individuals that are willing to do something different. I am not saying I have the cure for cancer, but I do have the cure for the doldrums we call life, I feel life should be lived at full speed. If you are looking to be a bad boy or girl for the next 12 months and break the monotony of the system you are in, willing to live on the edge for a little while you need to give me a call. Remember Freedom is available for all, but all are not willing to do what it takes to obtain it.

Darrick H Scruggs

www.michiganytb.blogspot.com
313-790-3680 Cell
313-999-1183 Cell
P. S Your future starts today, not tomorrow, leave the curse of the Procrastinator in the box

When you arise (Is it a blessing or a curse)

When you arise in the morning what's on your mind, are you excited about the day at hand or are you more concerned about the fact that you were woke up by the sounds of your annoying alarm clock. Is this really what life is all about, you wake up only to dread the next 8-10 hours of your day. The only thing you really are excited about throughout the day are breaks, lunch and quitting time.

Really is that what your life has evolved to, from elementary, high school, college, and now your profession everyday is chore, it's a job you are not looking forward to at all. Well when I rise in the morning I can't wait for the day to come, I am upset when night comes, due to the fact that I am limited to what can be done, but excited about rising in the morning, excited about the new tremendous possibilities that are in store for me in the coming hours.

Why just exist, why let life dictate to you your terms of existence, fight back and you become the dictator, and you say that my life will be exciting and full of vigor, why because you say so. You can look at life as if the glass is half full like I do or you can join the 90% of the population and look at the glass as half empty, its your choice either way and guess what were all looking at the same glass.

Darrick H Scruggs
313-790-3680
Future YTB Director
www.ytb.com/dscruggs36