Here are 3 action steps that will get your day started in a successful direction:

Gratitude
Gratitude is a very powerful motivational emotion.

When you take a few moments to be thankful for at least three things every morning, you will certainly get started on the right path for the day.

Gratitude will always create a positive shift in your mindset.

We have a LOT to be thankful for right?
I am always thankful for:

• Health, strength and the resources that enable me to take another step forward towards achieving my life dreams and goals.
• A relationship with a friend who “sticks closer than a brother”, who always believes in me and will never leave me. Proverbs 18:24
• All my basic needs are taken care of.

What three things in your life are on the top of your “gratitude list”?

Your Why, and Daily Goals.
I am learning to follow the example of John Di Lemme’s and read my “WHY card” every morning. This is great to set the focus for the day.

I highly recommend that you develop this habit. It certainly gives you a MAJOR reason to get out of bed enthusiastically every morning, and sets the pace for a great day.

This exercise will completely annihilate the early morning mindsets that so many people have. You know the “I have not had my coffee yet, so I am not awake” or the “oh my, another day at the office” mindsets.

When you are focused on your why, these old mindsets are gone!

Do you have your WHY written down? Do you have it on a card where it is always within your reach to look at?

It will make a difference in your life if you do!

Affirmation and Self Development
Based on your why and your goals, make a declaration or affirmation that will set you on the path for a successful day.

For example:
If your WHY includes public speaking, you might affirm something like this:

Today my mind is clear and focused and my communication skills are better and better every day.

I am laser focused and will be an inspirational influence on everyone I contact today.

(If you are preparing to be a public speaker you certainly want to be a motivational and inspirational influence on people.)

Now pick up the motivational or inspirational book you are reading and read another chapter. (You ARE reading a non fiction book right?) A chapter or even a few verses from the Bible would also give you direction and inspiration for the day!

Put on an mp3 (CD) or mp4 (DVD) of an inspirational speaker such as John Di Lemme (you can download some great free motivational mp3s here), Tony Robbins, John Rohn, Jesse Du Plantis.

Self development is an essential part of your daily schedule as you move towards fulfilling your dreams and goals.

Here is a free Ebook with 177 Motivational Quotes to help focus your mind on your success.

And here’s a bonus tip!
This is very important. Drink a glass or 2 of natural water before your first cup of coffee. You will be amazed at the difference this makes once you had done this for a week or so.

And never forget:

Photos courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock, www.freerangestock.com

I have often said that most of us, if not all of us could write two different books about our lives. One would be a tragic book and the other a triumphant one. Both would contain facts. Both would be true stories about our own lives.

However it depends totally on yours and my DECISION as to which book we would actually publish. Now perhaps this book is not written down on paper (and so will never be published in print or even digitally), but it IS published in your mind.

Your Life Story IS Published!

It depends totally on your choice as to which of these two books predominate in your mind. The book you have chosen has shaped your mindset which inspires your actions. So in fact your life story IS published to the world through your attitudes and your actions.

So this means:

• You can always choose what to think and what your state of mind will be.
• Your state of mind creates your attitudes.
• Your attitudes inspire your actions.
• Your attitudes and your actions influence those around you for better or for worse.
• YOU decide whether your environment be a positive one, or a negative one. (Yes you CAN change your environment).

You Are Where You Want To Be

It may seem a hard thing to say but the state of your mind and of my mind is exactly the way we WANT it to be. Consequently you and I are exactly where we WANT to be. We are where the mindset that we have created has led us because our mindsets are the very foundation of our lives.

Sure, in our life’s journey we have encountered many outside influences that we had no control over. However, in the face of every challenge and experience in life we do ALWAYS have the opportunity to allow the situation to make us bitter or better. In other words, we may not be able to always control what happens to us, but we CAN control our reactions and responses to these occurrences.

We can choose to become better because of anything that happens to us. How?

Thanksgiving

In the USA, we are just now celebrating a time of thankfulness. Families come together to feast, enjoy each other and to give thanks. But being thankful is not just for one day of the year. It is for EVERY day.

Now you may be saying, but:

• How can I be thankful that I lost my car, or my house?
• How can I be thankful for the constant bickering and gossip that I have to listen to every day at work?
• How can I be thankful my children are always sick during the winter?
• How can I be thankful my husband/wife does not understand me?

Before I answer those questions, let’s take a look at the tone of them. Sure, they are valid difficulties in life, and these questions may be understandable. Some of these situations are very difficult at that. But the very way these questions are formed portrays the attitude of “Poor me, look what I have to put up with. Can’t you just understand me and pamper me?”

No! That attitude will lead to focusing on the tragic life! You want to focus on the triumphant life right?

The Triumphant Life

The triumphant life looks at these situations with the attitude:

• I am thankful that these things will make me a better person.
• I am thankful that these situations are pushing me into developing strengths I did not know I had.
• I am thankful that I can triumph no matter what happens.
• I am thankful I still have my health and/or my friends and family.

Thankfulness or gratitude is a very powerful mindset and will always change our lives for the better, leading us to triumph!

• Which life’s story are you telling the world?
• Which life’s story do you really WANT to tell?
• Do you need to make some adjustments?

Begin by looking for everything around you and in you that you can give thanks for!