2011 - Every Year a New Challenge?

January First. No surprise that I would gather enough gumption to write a post, right? After all, today is the day so many of us insistently declare our new habits. How many of you are changing your eating habits, starting this very morning? Promising to exercise - even joining a health club? How about recommitting to following your passion and quitting your J.O.B.? Finding a new relationship, or improving the one you're in? Paying back debt?

The possibilities are endless.

Yesterday, as I started my soul-searching process by looking over 2010, and even a few years before, I discovered a few things that have changed - some that I liked, some that I didn't. I also saw that a lot hasn't changed at all.

- The last time I created a Top 100 Things to do in a Year List was 2008. I tried a short/medium/long term goal list in 2010, that wasn't very effective.
- 2010 saw me cross off many things from my Top 100 Things to do before I Die List - including speaking for a seminar company, going to Disneyworld, Paris, and rappelling down a cliff.
- I finally, as I've mentioned often, moved back to Colorado.
- While I successfully went off caffeine from 1/09 to 2/09 - I've been back on ever since. Two months did not a new habit create.
- The only goal I seriously set for 2011 that was accomplished in full was one I set with Kristi - finish her book - Thriving with Neurofibromatosis, and get it on the market.
- 2010 is the first year since 1999 I ended lighter than I started, though I haven't been at my lowest weight since August.
- 2010 was the first year since 2001 I did not compete in a Toastmasters contest - and I really miss it.

Beyond checklist type items, I still face the daily challenges and choices a husband, a father of six, and an entrepreneur face - balancing time, staying confident, staying committed (as anyone who reads this blog, or its companion blog, Speak & Deliver, cant attest to), staying focused, and, occasionally, staying sane.

In some ways, I've taken some amazing leaps forward in my life over the last two years. In others, I remain mired in the same mud I've been in for the last 20.

All results are still by choice, all results are ultimately my responsibility. Blaming the economy, the many naysayers in my life, the busy life of a big family, the way the healthcare system works (read my wife's blog, where she talks quite a bit about what challenges we have healthwise, and our efforts to Thrive through them), or any number of other easy excuses is unacceptable to me - it's an easy way out, and an easy way to accept less than what any of us are capable of accomplishing.

I'm not going to list a set of goals here to live up to today. I have a private list, and I'll record my process and progress this year as I go. That is, I guess the only goal I'll disclose - that I will write more, be more helpful and more open, and follow through on what I wanted this blog to be for all of you who have ever stopped by.

That, and I'm off caffeine again. So far, so good, on both counts.

Make 2011 your year to be a Champion of Choice!

Is Your Life Really OK?

What a week.

Doctors appts 4 straight days for my kids and my wife. If you've been following my wife's blog Thriving With Neurofibromatosis, you have an idea of what she's been going through, and the choices we may be facing for her in the next few days and weeks.

What she has dealt with over the last 20 years is a pain level that many of us just can't imagine. Constant headaches since her days as a teenager. Doctors would continually tell her they were migraines or stress related. As a result, she built up a tolerance, a coping mechanism that changed her pain threshold. She would constantly be at some level of discomfort, and forgot what being 'OK' felt like. After pushing doctors over the last few months, it turns out she's been walking around with Hydrocephalus and swollen ventricles to the brain for an undetermined amount of time. A ticking time bomb with a random timer.

The most likely course of action will be a shunt, which creates continual drainage of fluid from the brain, lowering pressure, and virtually eliminating her headaches. She will feel 'OK' for the first time in years. Her approach to stress will change, her ability to focus and act will improve.

Her turning point was in accepting her diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis as more than an annoyance. More than something to just bear as a genetic disorder. The more she found out about NF, the more the puzzle pieces of her pain fell into place. Then she had to push the doctors beyond their pill pushing propensities, and dig deeper into what was happening to her. She made the choice to stop settling for her life as it was, even though she'd gone for years accepting that it was just the way her life would be.

Have you been settling? Ignoring your pain? Beyond physical pain, there is emotional pain, relationship pain, even financial pain. Look beyond where you are, where you think it's 'OK' to be, and instead look to a life you wish you had. Then choose to dig deeper, to question or downright ignore those that get in your way.

Be the Champion of your own life.

Multiple Streams of Choices.

In 3 days, my kids return to school. At least, 4 of them do - the 5th has another two weeks. Kristi and I are re-evaluating the next four months. Are the choices we've been making good enough? How can we reorganize to further push her agenda to spread awareness for Neurofibromatosis even as we push my coaching and speaking further upward?

In addition, we're taking a serious look at internet marketing as a viable option to augment our incomes. That creates interesting choices as well. Multiple streams of income are great, but fracturing your niche can be harmful. Choices we see right now involve finding as many things WITHIN our niches to provide value to you, as well as creating some stealth ventures aimed at completely different audiences.

Tonight we're rearranging, putting both of us is the same office setting to enable us to work together more effectively. Years ago, even months ago, I wouldn't have thought that the two of us working together would be viable. Times change, people change, choices change.

The next four months, the next four weeks, heck - the next four hours - promise to be exciting and new. Don't worry, I won't resort to singing Love Boat lyrics.

Day One Momentum - Keep it Rolling!

How'd the first day go?

First of all, a hearty welcome to Chris Elliott and Derick Dickens for joining the The Champion of Choice Challenge Ning site! These are two quality speakers and coaches, and a great addition to the cause.

The site allows you to create your own Challenge through a personal blog, as well as offering upload capability for photos, music, teleseminars, videos. This is a tremendous opportunity to network and mastermind with like-minded individuals.

My first day went very well. After months of putting the video to dvd project off, I finished it up, and delivered it. Finally off my plate! Cleaned up the emails and made my dental appointments for Sept. Spent quality time with the family, since I had to go deliver the dvd's anyway, we all went out for the afternoon. In addition, I started (re-started) our 30 minute calm down time – talking, reading, praying – before heading off to rooms for the night.

Working on Thriving with NF with my wife, I created 4 new logos for her CafePress shop. You can see the other promised updates in my notes, if you want to keep up with my own Challenges.

I love first days – they are great for building momentum. KEEPING momentum is key to getting somewhere. Looking good for one day isn't enough. It may work to get one big sale, give one good speech, create one good date, or finish one great project – but its only a start. What we do on day 2 and beyond is what builds our success.

Enjoy your good days – but don't rest on those laurels. Make the next day even better, and keep making the choices you've promised yourself you'd make.