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I do a lot of speaking, and people often assume I’m a “motivational” speaker.

Not me. In fact, I’m not all that keen on trying to motivate people. First of all, I think motivation comes from within. And second, I have no interest in exhorting anyone to get moving and try harder … to do more … to perform better.

Winners never quit and quitters never win … and all that jazz. That’s not my style.

I’m in the possibility business.

I’m an inspirational speaker.

Exactly what is it that spurs us to take action?

I mean, think about how many things you’ve wanted to do in your life … or told yourself you should do. Think about all the dreams you’ve dreamed.

Now, tell me, how many of these impulses have you actually acted upon? If you’re like most of us, it’s a fairly small percentage … for lots of reasons.

You can learn a lot about life from watching water flowing in a stream.

Most days when I’m out walking in the park, I just enjoy the fact that the creek is there. It’s pretty and the burbling sounds nice. But one day, I just stood there and watched as the water passed by … gravity in action.

Water flows downhill. It FLOWS downstream … by definition. If you want to give it human characteristics, it has an intention … to get to the sea, and it does what it has to do to get there.

When I speak to groups, I often quote Oprah Winfrey:

“You become what you believe – not what you wish for, not what you want, but what you truly believe. Wherever you are in life, look at your beliefs. They put you there.”

Her phenomenal success was so improbable.

Things change so fast and so relentlessly. Who doesn’t find themselves wanting to stop the merry-go-round and just cling to the comfortable and familiar every now and then? And who among us never resists change?

Of course, resisting change done to us is one thing. It can be a necessary and healthy thing to do. After all, not all change is good. But here’s the crazy thing. We often see ourselves and our clients resisting change of our own making!

We give advice in these newsletters. Some people follow it and benefit, but many just take it in and do nothing. They don’t translate that advice into action or a changed way of being. Is it because they’re resistant to the message?

Not at all. Quite the contrary.

It’s a delicate balance.

Every day presents you with so many choices. When to say “yes.” When to say “no.” When to say “maybe” and put off deciding.

The right choices are often not all that clear, and yet, as it was for the traveler in Robert Frost’s poem … The Road Not Taken … the path you choose can make all the difference.

There aren’t many eight-year-olds who have their own businesses, but this little guy does. His name is Thomas Compton. He’s from South Carolina and he raises chickens, goats, and calves. He also tends his own garden.

He’s been selling his produce and 3-4 dozen eggs a day to the local market, as well as marketing his produce directly to the public on Saturday mornings at the community tailgate market since he was three years old. And he’s been saving his money.

Last year when he was seven, his parents asked him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.

“A shaved Ice Stand.”

Did you know that only three percent of New Year’s resolutions are ever realized? In fact, studies have shown that 60-80 percent of our resolutions are broken and forgotten within the first two weeks!

Even though resolutions don’t seem to work all that well, the beginning of the year is a time when people are thinking about making a fresh start, setting and achieving new goals, and making changes to improve their lives.

In this issue, we’ll take a look at why typical New Year’s resolutions don