Dead Thing #4 - It Will Never Happen for Me

Hogwash! If you keep repeating to yourself that nothing good will happen to you, then, of course, nothing will. Just like when taking a picture with your camera, what you focus on, develops in your life. There is nothing different between you and successful person. You can learn to be successful. Success is more of an attitude than a state of being. Get up every morning and say, *Something good is going to happen to me today.* Look for those opportunities that sneak by and jump on them. Be determined. If it happens for someone else, it can happen for you.

Dead Thing #5 - I Have Nothing to Offer

You don't have to be a world-famous, multi-degreed person to be of help to someone else. Each one of us has experiences in our lives that we have come through. There is always someone who is still in middle of that same experience. Share what you have learned. Let others know what did and did not work for you in that circumstance. You'll be surprised at just how many people want to hear how you've overcome. Your down-to-earth practical counsel based on experience is worth more educated supposition.

If any of these dead things have been hanging around on your branches, it's time to blow them off! You can change way you thing, how you look at life, and your attitude. It may take some time, but it's well worth effort.

See, don't you feel lighter already?

4) Go around mule. This is easier said than done, because it's mule's nature to completely block path to your goal. Keeping your eye on your goal, you simply concede that mule is truly a mule and will not be moved. Therefore, you find another path to goal.

A Case in Point

Last year, my daughter came up with a business plan to set up an art gallery, a dream she had thought about for years. The cost to lease and renovate a space in a prominent location was well beyond her means, but after several months of diligent effort, she found a backer who was willing to invest money to get her started.

She was so excited! After finding perfect space, she began working out her goals down to smallest details. She was finally on road to achieving her dream. Then, just before she was to sign lease agreement, a mule stepped out into road. Her backer backed out of deal. Without finances, there would be no art gallery, and after an exhaustive search for another backer she was ready to give up in face of an immovable mule.

Before mule had exhausted all her energy and vision, she began refocusing on her goal, which was to start an art show business. A friend of hers owns a popular night club and offered to let her host an art show at club on a week night. After a tremendous job of creative planning, she held her first show and completely packed out club. It was a total success.

She recently finished her third highly-profitable, standing-room-only show, and is well on her way to building a successful art show business without expense of a permanent gallery. In going around mule, she found that she could eliminate need for a major expense and at same time take advantage of established clienteles of successful night clubs. Today she's more fired up about her goal than ever, and realizes that mule turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Learn to Recognize Real Mules and Go Around Them It's often difficult to spot a mule when it blocks road to your goal. Unexpected obstacles often get in way, and generally with creativity and determination you can successfully move or eliminate them. But when a real mule comes along, learn to recognize it by its stubborn, immovable nature.

When you initially define a goal, you should attempt to anticipate obstacles and roadblocks you'll meet along way, and plan accordingly. But once you get started, when you run into an unexpected mule, step back and focus on essence of your goal. Get creative. Look for high ground and assess landscape. There may be an even better path to your goal that you've overlooked, and if you can find it you'll have mule to thank!