West Coast - Coconut Records

For a second there I thought you disappeared
It rains a lot this time of year
And we both go together if one falls down
I talk out loud like you're still around
No, no

And I miss you
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast
I wish you would've put yourself in my suitcase
I love you
Standin' all alone in a black coat
I miss you
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast

And if you shake her hard enough she will appear
Tonight I think I'll be stayin' here
And you never did like this town
I talk out loud like you're still around
No, no

And I miss you
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast
I wish you would've put yourself in my suitcase
I love you
Standin' all alone in a black coat
I miss you
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast

Come on, everybody

La la la la, la la la la-la
La la la la, la la la la-la

So pack up the bags to beat back the clock
Do I let her sleep or should I wake her up?
You said
We both go together if one falls down
Yeah, right, heh
I talk out loud like you're still around
Oh, no, no

And I miss you
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast
I wish you would've put yourself in my suitcase
I love you
Standin' all alone in a black coat
I miss you
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast

Goin' back home to the West Coast
Goin' back home to the West Coast

For all the marbles

What moves you? What keeps you up at night thinking? What gives you the faith to know that you will actually succeed? What are you playing for?

You may not think like me…but I hope you ask yourself these types of questions too. Questions like this inspire me. Even as I write this I feel the adrenaline pumping through my body. I believe we have unlimited potential and that we can achieve anything we set out to do. Don’t get me wrong…it’s extremely difficult to achieve any level of success in any area of our life. But I believe it is possible and that it enough for me to play the game. Often I think about all the overnight success stories out there and laugh. There are very few “overnight successes” but the world would have us think that this may be the case. When people set out to try and achieve their goals, very often they find how difficult it is and they quit. Most times we fail to realize the amount of work that went into building the success of the individuals we think are overnight successes.

I believe we knew how difficult it was going to be to live on this earth before we decided to come here….but we chose to come anyway. I admit there are days that this is difficult to comprehend for me….but there are days that this knowledge inspires me to do more and to be more. You don’t have to agree with my beliefs to be my friend…but know that this is what I believe.

So let me ask you again… What moves you? What keeps you up at night thinking? What gives you the faith to know that you will actually succeed? What are you playing for?

As for me?…. I know what moves me...and I am playing for all the marbles.

Chalk it up to experience

I was reflecting on lessons learned the other day and realized something. There is much more value in the phrase "chalk it up to experience", than we realize. I have always heard people say that almost as if it was an everyday saying. But as I thought about it, I realized how incredible this phrase really is. As we stumble through life, hopefully we are learning and growing from each experience. I know this last year for me has been the greatest learning experience of my life. Learning how to deal with life's unexpected changes. Learning how to deal with life's ups and downs. Learning how to take care of a family of four children. Learning how to not dwell on the past. These are all things that shape us. All these things strengthen us for what is next in life.

I once heard someone say "everything you have done up until this point has prepared you for this moment right now". I believe that. I also believe the more times we fail forward...the more successful we can become. This pertains to all areas of our life (spiritual, mental, physical, economic, family). The more experiences we have and the more lessons we learn, the closer we are to finding the right "groove" for our lives.

So remember...with each difficult learning moment comes wisdom and growth. Be proud to say "chalk it up to experience", because that means you are closer to achieving greatness.

Don't judge a book by its cover. Not everybody fits the part

It has been far too long since I have posted on here so I thought I would take a moment and post something. Two times today I have thought to myself that I don't have the time to do something and realized we always can make time for anything.

I just received an email from my brother with a link to a youtube video and a confession that he is an X Factor fan. My first thought was "how does he have time to watch X Factor?" ( I am assuming DVR) And my second thought was "I don't have time to watch this 9 minute clip, I need to get a lot of work done." But for some reason I decided to watch the clip...and I am glad I did. The clip is of a guy named Chris Rene and his audition on X Factor. I don't know who this guy is and I don't know what will come of him. However, his story and this clip really touched me. As you may know, I love success stories and inspiring topics. This story also taught me once again not to judge a book by its cover.

Here is the clip if you'd like to view it:

As I experience more in life and continue to add to my family, I realize more each day the value that each individual brings into this world. My father as my greatest fan and teacher once (or thrice) told me that "God has invested a lot in you and knows your potential. It is up to you to realize your own potential." Not only are those incredibly inspiring words but there is a lot of wisdom in them as well. We all have a lot to offer and I hope I can remember that not everybody "fits the part". But that doesn't mean that they aren't right for the part.

If somebody tells you that you can't accomplish something or that something needs to be done one way. Reply to them "Who says?" My father's words of wisdom make it possible for us to create our own reality and I believe that this is the purpose of life....to reach our potential even if we don't "fit the part".

New Baby New Life

Tomorrow morning at 7am we will enter the hospital and my wife will give birth to our fourth child...a baby boy. As I sit here I feel completely calm and blessed. If you are a parent then you know how incredible it is to bring a new child into your world. Although it has been perhaps the most stressful time of my life, I also realize it is the best time of my life. I believe God blesses us with more as we take on more responsibility.

I have had many new opportunities come my way in recent months and some are completely overwhelming. I chose to not let anything get in my way of accomplishing my big dreams and goals. Instead of running away from things bigger than me....I am running straight at them. Each person has their own goals in life...but greatness comes when we pursue them with complete faith that we can accomplish them.

Can't wait to meet my little guy tomorrow morning. I'm sure he will come out yelling "bring on the world!"

If we don't hit the moon....we are sure to land on the stars. That is the purpose of our journey on earth...and don't try to convince me otherwise.

Past obstacles lead to future opportunity

How many opportunities are lost by not sticking to something? Too often we give up on things if they don’t workout right away. And too often we fail to recognize the importance of past events in creating our future opportunities. The phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day” comes to mind. If something is truly worthwhile, shouldn’t it take a while to build a proper foundation?

I am currently working on a new business that I had not anticipated working on. At first, I viewed this opportunity as a distraction to my other business, so I initially turned it down. I believe we can be guided in life by our feelings and emotions. When I said “no” to this new business, I suddenly felt very confused as if I had turned down an opportunity that God had given to me. Because of that feeling, I decided to take it on as a challenge and perhaps an answer to past and current prayers.

During this process I have thought about what had led me to this point. I realized that many experiences I had in the past actually prepared me for this moment in time. Businesses or experiences that I have had over the last 9 years that I had viewed as “failures”... were actually building blocks for a proper and stronger foundation. If we stop and take the time, we will recognize the many puzzle pieces of life that came together to fill an incomplete life puzzle picture.

There is always a way to get around obstacles. Let’s work harder on learning from difficult circumstances and realize that if things were always easy, then there would be no growth. God needs us to grow if he is to place more responsibility on our shoulders. Everything you have been through has prepared you for bigger and better things.

“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him”. - David Brinkley

Daydreams or not...they become reality

I have been thinking recently about how unique we all are and how much we all have to offer the world. It doesn’t matter our background or past accomplishments, we all have huge potential. I think the thing the world fails to teach us is that there is always a way to accomplish dreams and goals. It doesn't happen overnight and it may come in the form of a non traditional vehicle...BUT there is always a way.

I remember many days even as a young child where I would dream of doing incredible things instead of being confined to a classroom. One day in particular sticks out in my mind. I was in 6^th grade and I was staring outside through the windows while the lesson was going on. I felt the playground calling me and I felt like I was there as I stared intently out the window. Some people call it daydreaming but I felt alive while in those dreams. I do admit I became a professional daydreamer throughout Junior High and High School and reached my peak in College. This was until that kid inside of me, the one that was staring through the window at the playground, decided that enough was enough. I will never forget the day I decided that I was going to make something happen in my life, one way or another. I was 22 years old and pulled out of the driveway and headed west.

This leap of faith led me to Los Angeles where I met my amazing wife. Her belief in me made me realize I could do anything I set out to accomplish. So many times in my life I have felt scared that I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything or provide for a family. I realize now that we need to draw on hope, courage and belief from any place we can. For me it is from my faith, my wife and kids and yes…even from my dreams. Whatever it is for you, find it and use it.

I don’t write this to make myself sound like a success, because I believe success is a never ending process. Success to me is simply the consistent pursuit of a worthy goal. I write this because I have met many people recently that have experienced some things that I couldn’t imagine experiencing and I see them gain strength from many places… and that makes them a success.

There is a story I love about when Disneyworld was completed and they had the opening celebration to celebrate the great accomplishment. Walt Disney had already past away at this point but Disneyworld was a dream of his so it was a significant occasion. Someone turned to Walt Disney’s wife and said “It’s too bad Walt wasn’t here to see this.” Walt’s wife responded with “Oh Walt saw this long before any of us ever did.”

Dreams become reality. If you want something enough….go and get it! Even if it means taking the road less traveled.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could
to where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim
because it was grassy and wanted wear;
though as for that, the passing there
had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
in leaves no feet had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference

La dolce vita in Italia

I recently returned home from another trip to Italy. But this time I had my amazing wife with me. We spent a few days in the Puglia region and a few days in Rome. Even though I am blessed enough to travel to Italy every 6-8 weeks, it never seems to get old. Something about Italy stays with me even when I am far away. I talk about the Dolce Vita but now I can share some photos with you that show you some of the amazing places we visited and some of the people that took us there. Hopefully you can live the Dolce Vita with me for a few moments...

Polignano

Matera

Me with Gelato of course

Alberobello (last time I was here I was 5 years old)

Polignano coast
Colosseum

I was in Italy because of some precious relationships I have been able to build. I believe relationships are the most important thing we have in this life. I believe relationships are what make us rich. The more people of integrity we can surround ourselves with, the more full our lives become. I have been blessed to know many Italians in my life that have made me a better person and continue to teach me each day. The people we spent time with on this trip have blessed my life more than I can tell. I am so happy that my wife was able to experience this for herself this time. When I go to Italy it is not just a trip to Italy...it is a unique opportunity to live and grow in ways that only the person who experiences it can know. My mission is to surround myself with the best people I can....and that means you too ;)

Auguri Guglielmo!!!

John Williams, Guglielmo Borgia, Antonio Mola

Success is a choice

Success is ours…if we want it. I just finished typing an email to my team in preparation for a life-changing event we will attend this week in Utah. I have made my way up here to Salt Lake City, Utah a few days early for various meetings before the event. As I was typing the email a quote popped into my head that I hear often and that has a moving effect on me each time I hear it. This is a quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who lived in the last half of the 1700s and into the 1800s. You may recognize his name from the film, The Secret. He was obviously aware of the Law of Attraction and it’s effects on our lives and teaches it well in this one quote alone.

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back-- Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

My heart skips a beat when I hear that and resumes beating at a much faster rate…ah adrenaline! If you have read a previous post of mine then you know I believe emotion is what moves us. I am filled with some emotion when I hear this that confirms to me that we can in fact accomplish anything we set out to accomplish. The Law of Attraction translated simply promises that we can have or be anything we hold in our mind and pursue…not because we have everything available to us, but rather that as Goethe states, “Providence moves too.”

So is the ability to succeed determined by your current skill level, beauty, economic situation, race or any other factor? No, it is in fact not an ability at all…IT IS A CHOICE! The moment one definitely commits to oneself is the moment when lives change.

Read the quote again and if you want to change your life then take Goethe’s advice and “Begin it now”.

Invest in people

"Invest in people and human potential."

This is a phrase that I love. I realize more and more each day the power that comes with each relationship we create. I love my business for many reasons but the main reason is because I get to surround myself with so many wonderful people. Regardless of whether somebody gets involved with me or not, I love meeting people and learning from them. Everyone has so much to offer. Today I met with many different people and every one of them inspired me in some way.

I started off my day meeting with a woman that had two children and decided to join the army just to pay the bills and get herself out of a bad situation. A "girly girl in the army" as she put it. I listened to her story and realized she'd been through experiences that I couldn't dream of.

I was there with another woman that has a passion for health and educating people on the importance of health and nutrition. She has a history that I never knew about. As she told her story I realized how incredible it was for her to be there with me. She has so much to offer the world...in fact her reason for building her Nu Skin business is so that she can self fund a children's foundation.

I met with a wonderful man that has been a human resources director for the last 15 years. He talked to me about his desire to own his own life and not let an employer own him. This man has a huge heart and a great sense of humor.

I met several first generation immigrants from several countries such as Philippines, Guatemala and Colombia. The sacrifices they have made to build a better life in America, I can't even imagine. These people inspired me to do more and be more.

I met a man today that didn't look like the typical person I usually talk to. I was wrong to judge a book by its cover. He turned out to be an a great family man with a great business mind. That conversation reminded me that everyone has something to give and teach.

These are just a few of the people I was able to meet today....but ALL have the one thing in common, which is they all have so much to offer the world. We invest in people and human potential because that is the kind of investment that pays us the most and the kind that keeps giving back to the world.

Go out and meet someone new and listen to their story. They have something to give.

Sacrifice for futures and success

On this Memorial Day, I sit here and think about those that have sacrificed much for people like me and you. Not only the incredible men and women in war that have sacrificed their lives in order for us to enjoy our freedoms, but also the easier to forget and often overlooked ancestors that sacrificed more than we can imagine to give us what we now have.

What is your background and where do you really come from? My ancestors come from Scotland and Ireland. As peasants and farmers they made their way to the United States many many years ago in hopes of a better future, not only for them but for future generations. They came here and made their way out west and always kept their faith in their beliefs. I can't imagine what they must have gone through in order to leave their homes and come to a new world just to face opposition and trials. I often think about how they must have had rock solid belief in what they had chosen to do, in order to see it through.

How often do we second guess ourselves and our decisions? It is easy to hear and let the "noise" in which we allow to distract us. I know my ancestors had a lot of opposition and distractions come their way...but they kept moving in the direction where they knew they would find happiness.

Now hundreds of years later the sacrifices of my peasant ancestors have led to generations of doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, committed mothers, fathers and children that recognize that sacrifice and work hard on a daily basis to give back and influence others for good.

How does this story relate to me and my life? I wake up each day with the knowledge of my responsibility to do good and influence people's lives for good. My opinion is that success can only be achieved through sacrifice. The more one sacrifices in the pursuit of a worthy goal, the higher the reward. There will be obstacles and some may feel too big to overcome, but the law of sacrifice does not change. Work towards your goal and you will achieve it in the end.

Sometime you may feel like the people headed out west in pursuit of the happiness they dreamt of, but just know that no matter how hard the road is, your sacrifice will provide generations of future successes and freedoms.

So on this Memorial Day I say thank you to those ancestors, men and women that have died and sacrificed for me and you.

This is just one blessing and success story that is because of sacrifices made by pathfinders (leaders) long ago. This is my family!

NEVER STOP BELIEVING

I have been having an incredible time recently in my business meeting wonderful, talented people. In between meetings I feel an incredible energy that confirms to me each day that I am on the right path. Sometimes I don't believe that it is real. Over four years ago Network marketing used to be something I laughed at and literally said "NO WAY" to. Now it gives me the opportunity to live out dreams I have always had and forces me to surround myself by incredible people and examples of true success.

Below I am posting a video that I watch often. This video is entitled 'Never Stop Believing'. I first stumbled onto this video while on a business trip in Bogota, Colombia. I was asked to speak at a large event that a great leader and his team put on. It was a life changing trip for me. Many things happened that trip that allowed me to learn some valuable lessons, which in the end only made me stronger. At the end of my presentation to a crowd of the most inspiring group of people I have yet presented to, I featured this video and asked the audience what they were willing to do or go through, in order to achieve their dreams and goals. So I ask you the same question....WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO OR GO THROUGH TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS?

There was something I had realized there in that tough week....and it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so clear to me that emotions,when strong enough, change us. So I finished my presentation time there by saying: "EMOTIONS CHANGE US...AND THROUGH EMOTION WE CAN AND WILL CHANGE THE WORLD."

Watch this video and pay attention to your emotions. Think of something you want and go get it no matter how hard the road!

Allow me to introduce myself...

It is great to finally have a blog of my own. I feel like Julie from Julie & Julia, wondering if anyone will end up reading my words. I am excited for this opportunity to express myself and to share my knowledge and experiences about my life and my profession.

I am an international entrepreneur, but what does that mean? My goal over the next days, weeks, months and years will be to share my thoughts on what that means and how it became a reality for me. My goal will also be to help you make that a reality in your life...only if you really want it of course.

Stay tuned for more and thanks for reading.

Oh yeah and... I love meeting people so please feel free to contact me.