All posts tagged: success

13 Blockages That Keep People From Becoming Their Best

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The last several years of life have revealed so much to my wife and I.  In the early days, we struggled to get our business up and running.  However, we figured it out, overcame fears, and persevered through struggles to accomplish some significant goals.  Of course, then life hits in a way that is never expected.  Suddenly, the lessons that we didn’t learn on the way up, were made very clear to us on the way back down, as we wrestled to find our footing from poor decisions, complacency, and lack of vision.   

God knew there were some lessons that needed to be learned before really trusting us with the level of success and prosperity that he had in store for us. Thankfully, we were able to learn those lessons, and now we look back at the last several years, thankful for the losses, thankful for the struggles, and thankful for the perspective we have gained through experiencing the pain. 

We have not arrived, but as I look back over those years, having since helped hundreds of people realize their potential, I reflect on some of those things that may have slowed us down at times, and the things I see slow others down.  

With that, I want to give a list of 13 reasons why I see people struggle.  These are in no particular order, and the list is certainly not exhaustive.  They are simply a few things to be aware of, as they could be pitfalls in your journey toward a fulfilled life. 

Kelley and Jennette Bremer13 Blockages That Keep People From Becoming Their Best
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Why What We Say Matters

Would you believe that you can change your life with your words? Growing up, we learn that our words can hurt others, but no one ever told us that the opposite is true too. Our words have creative power and can be life-giving to both ourselves and to others.

Since we were young, we have been programmed to think a certain way about ourselves based on what we say or on what others have said about us – “I’m shy,” “I can’t do this,” “She is so quiet,” “He is not good at reading.” The subconscious mind cannot take a joke and will believe what we repeatedly tell it.

Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, M.D. and therapist Mark Robert Waldman, explain that “a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.”  Positive words kick the brain into action, whereas negative words shut it down, increasing activity in the fear center of the brain.

“The longer you concentrate on positive words…functions in the parietal lobe start to change, which changes your perception of yourself and the people you interact with. A positive view of yourself will bias you toward seeing the good in others, whereas a negative self-image will include you toward suspicion and doubt. Over time, the structure of your thalamus will also change in response to your conscious words, thoughts, and feelings, and we believe that the thalamic changes affect the way in which you perceive reality.” -Dr. Newberg and Mr. Waldman

Terri Savelle Foy, author and motivational speaker, often speaks on this topic. She teaches, “Your life moves in the direction of your words!“, and “What you speak about, you bring about!”

Pastor and author, Dr. Frederick K.C. Price says it this way: “Your faith will never rise above the words of your lips.” We may not believe something could be possible, or that we are capable of it, but the more we confess it aloud, we start to believe it! And then we even believe it enough that we start to take action toward it!

Dr. Price explains that the word for “confess” in the original Greek is “Homologeo”. It comes from Homou, which means “same”, and Logos, which means “logic”. In the Bible, specifically in the New Testament, Logos is used for “Word” (note the capital “W”), as in John 1, “In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God and the WORD was God…” Therefore, the Biblical word for “confess” means “saying the same thing God says.” How powerful is that?!

Kelley and Jennette BremerWhy What We Say Matters
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Preparing for Success

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“Success happens when opportunity and preparedness meet.” “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” We all hear quotes like these, and they sound great in theory, but have you ever found yourself asking, “Where do I start? How do I prepare?”

Author and motivational speaker, Terri Savelle Foy, teaches that success in anything truly begins in our daily habits. In fact, John C. Maxwell, world-renowned leadership author, has famously said that he would be able to tell whether or not someone would be successful simply by following them around for one full day. It is the little daily decisions, often when no one else is watching, that lead to personal growth and goals achieved. These daily disciplines and good decisions prepare us for larger things.

“The will to win is not nearly so important as the will to prepare to win.” – Vince Lombardi

That said, here are the three areas we focused on in order to prepare for future success…

DEVELOP A DAILY ROUTINE
It is often said that the most successful, influential people follow a daily routine. Identify what daily activities will make the greatest impact on your success, and integrate them into your daily routine.  Here are some suggestions…

  • Wake up earlier. Whether it be 15 minutes or an hour, you will start your day feeling more accomplished and confident because you stuck to this decision and have more time to prepare.
  • Find a quiet time to read, pray, journal, think, or all of the above.
  • Review and speak your goals. Maybe you have a vision board or notecards with your goals on them.
  • Get active and watch your energy level increase so you can do more!
  • Review and draw out your calendar. We have learned that if you do not know what you need to accomplish or do the next day, you have already lost the day before it has even begun!

Creating a routine will help you stay focused throughout your day, and bring a level of stability to your emotions and attitude no matter what happens. Plan, prioritize, and watch your productivity soar!

DEVELOP A PLAN FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
We have to take a look at ourselves. If we are hoping to lead others, we have to be able to first lead ourselves. We have to be better. Like Terri Savelle Foy says, “Your future success largely depends on the person you become today.”

  • Listen daily to a success audio, leadership talk, or maybe it is a podcast.
  • Read at least a chapter in a success or personal development book every single day.
  • Communicate with your mentor, business partner, or manager regularly. Staying in communication with someone who has an interest in your success and a bird’s eye view of the playing field will make you a better leader and communicator.

TURN OFF THE NOISE
This is the cherry on top, so to speak. People often stop undoing the progress they made on themselves by allowing the noise of the world to enter in. Whether it be the news channel, binge watching the latest tv show craze, scrolling mindlessly through social media, or listening to the opinion of someone who does not have what you want in life.

Negative noise dilutes a positive spirit and fogs your mental clarity, and it is this spirit and this clarity that are needed to set and achieve goals. It is not easy to break this habit, but it is worth it!

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” – Benjamin Franklin

It is important to note that this is a journey and it may take some time to develop good habits in these areas. However, if you are anything like us, focusing on these three areas throughout your day will make all the difference for you and your family!

Kelley and Jennette BremerPreparing for Success
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