What's Your Mantra?

-by Matt Leedham

Don't stop. Just keep moving.

That’s my mantra. It came from a time of great physical struggle for me. It helped me through to such an extent that I’ve adopted for the rest of my life.

Mantras are sounds, syllables, words, or groups of words that are considered capable of creating transformation (Wikipedia).

But what’s funny is that sometimes we can forget about our mantras. We can forget that we have a built in mechanism for carrying on. In times that we need it most, we often neglect to turn to our mantra.

Today was one of those days for me. I needed to hear myself say it. Don't stop....just keep moving.

What’s your mantra?

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #9

-By Jaime Willis

Happy Wednesday, Achievers!  I hope you are having a great week. Here's your weekly Wednesday inspiration!

Quote of the Week

Picture of the Week

An ant and a bubble of water.

I just really like the idea of this ant pushing something so much bigger than himself, 
but also something so difficult and fragile to maneuver.  Seems like a great metaphor 
for the challenges we overcome as we pursue our goals. 

Video of the Week

I'm going to warn you right now, this video is a tearjerker.  Sir Nicholas Winton organized the rescue of over 600 Jewish Czechoslovakian children before World War II in Operation Kindertransport. All of the  children were destined for Nazi death camps.

The Opposite Direction

-by Matt Leedham

What is the opposite of the color blue?

I was eating ramen noodles last night with my wife at a new joint around the corner from where we live. We began talking about people we know and in particular about one person who seems to pass judgment very quickly on others. We began to theorize about why, and then we caught ourselves.

You guessed it. We were judging that person for being judgmental! Argh!

So we began to reflect on what the opposite of judging someone or something might be. We blurted out words like proactive acceptance, unconditional love, selfless giving, etc.

What we discovered is that the opposite of judging someone isn’t merely to not judge them, it is to project outwardly with opposing forces. It’s not to act in a congruent way with judgment (e.g. not judging them back), but rather to stand judging on its head and become the antithesis of its meaning.

So, what is the opposite of blue? No, it’s not green. It’s not white. And it’s not black. The opposite of blue is not the presence of an opposite color, but rather the absence of color altogether. To arrive at this answer, your thinking must be moving in the opposite direction.

It’s not good enough to simply “not judge.” You must instead be moving in the opposite direction.

How does this all relate to goals and achieving more?

Imagine for a moment that you stopped judging yourself so harshly, and instead replaced your judging with opposing forces. These forces are at the core of happy, creative people doing what they love and they can be at the core of you.

Action: be acutely aware of every time you judge other people, places, situations, challenges, etc. And be especially aware of how often you judge yourself. Becoming conscious of your judging will help you release it.

Forgiving the Past

-By Jaime Willis

The other day, I had an opportunity to read an article about some of the amazing accomplishments of one of my high school classmates, Kristy Marshall. Kristy, her twin sister Kara, and I all graduated from high school the same year. Kristy was born with Poland Syndrome, which means that she is missing most of her right hand.

In the article I linked to above, I learned that not only has Kristy gone on to play college sports, but also run multiple marathons and complete several triathlons and even a half Ironman! Not content with even those amazing accomplishments, Kristy began working with a CrossFit training program that, for the first time in her life, allowed her to fully use her right arm during workouts with the help of a prosthetic device. Amazing! I am so awed by her accomplishments!

In another article, Kristy mentions that she was teased about her hand as a child and that spurred her to compete in sports. Obviously, things worked out very well for Kristy, but I was struck by that one sentence. I knew Kristy growing up and, although we weren't close, I had no idea that anyone in our school had ever made fun of her. The Kristy I remember was loud and funny and known for her athleticism. Kristy was so good natured about her hand, whom she named Stubby, it was hard to remember that she was different from us at all.

How many of us have some harrowing experience in our own childhoods that we are carrying around in one form or another to this day?

What is so interesting to me is that you very rarely get the chance to go back into the past and see how different your perception of events were with reality.

I moved into my hometown when I was in 5th grade - my parents wanted my brother and I to attend a more rigorous school system. We'd come from a small farming town where half the student body were migrant farm workers' kids who spoke Spanish at home and half were blue-collar white families whose parents worked hard and went to church every Sunday.

East Grand Rapids was a huge culture shock to me. In fifth grade, everyone had already been attending school with the same kids for years and had made close-knit groups of friends - I was an outsider. Many of my peers parents were professionals - doctors, lawyers, and accountants, and as a result, materialism was rampant. I didn't have Guess jeans, Varnet France T-shirts, or an Espirit bag. I didn't fit in. I spent my entire 'career' at East erecting a huge emotional wall between me and my classmates. I wouldn't like them first, so it wouldn't matter if they didn't like me or I didn't fit in. I soothed myself with food and the weight gain did nothing to mitigate my attitude towards my classmates.

My Grandparents and I at my high school graduation.

I spent a lot of time blaming East. Those people were stuck up. Those people were mean. But you know what? I was distant and snarky and never gave anyone a chance. Looking back, there were some really nice girls that I should have become friends with, who were never mean to me and who tried to include me. I wonder how different my life would have been had I allowed them to get to know me? If I had been more geniune in school -- the funny, loud, smart-alecky leader I was in other parts of my life, instead of the brooding, distant bookworm I was at school.



I wonder how different all of our lives would be if we had taken the time to think the best of each other while we were in school, instead of assuming the worst?

I thought I'd take a moment to share a few positive impressions I had of my classmates - it certainly won't help their teenage selves, but maybe it'll serve as a reminder and validation that we are all amazing and unique and worthy.

Jessica Edwards (Maddox)

Jessica, Homecoming Court Yearbook photo

While I was one of the least popular kids in school, Jessica was one of the most. She made homecoming court, she was breathtakingly pretty, and she never played the part of a Mean Girl. The strongest memory I have of Jessica is during speech class. We each had to get up in front our entire speech class and give a presentations all semester long. For many, the fear of public speaking was only exacerbated by the thought of 25 of your peers having minutes worth of quotes with which to mock you for the rest of the day, week, or semester, depending on the egregiousness of your infraction.

It was in this high-stakes environment that Jessica chose to give a speech on why teens should not lose their virginity before marriage. I vividly remember her using duct tape to show how sex was less and less important the more people you shared it with - she applied a strip of duct tape to the first poor kids arm in class and ripped it off, but by the fifth or sixth kid, the duct tape wouldn't even stick to their arms. I was so impressed Jessica was brave enough to speak her mind and morals in front of her peers, that I have literally never forgotten the speech.

John (Jack) Becker

John, with signature hat, at HS Pep Rally

In our senior year, the smarty pants English kids got the privilege of taking AP English with Mrs. Ann Mitchell. Mrs. Mitchell was as known for her fun lessons as she was for her difficult assignments. She taught me my favorite vocabulary word, perspicacious. She also gave me my first and only marking-period D in my high school career for lying about being sick in order to get an extra day to turn in a paper -- a story that lives in infamy in my family. For one assignment in her class towards the end of the year, we were to give some sort of presentation.

When it was John's turn to present, he went out into the hallway and came back with a full upright piano! John was an athletic guy - the captain of the school hockey team - and he was rarely without his Navy ball cap. To me, there was never any doubt in John's mind what came after high school - the Navy was it. So no one was more surprised than me to see John sit down to the piano and begin playing Pachelbel's Canon* for our class. What a phenomenal talent and a pleasant surprise! I'm not shocked at all to learn that he is now a professional musician with a sizable following.

*My memory of the actual piece he played is dim - I remember it was classical and impressive.
-----

As you think back on your own past - wonder how different your interpretation of those events would be if you were there now. No matter your past, it's done. We are only guaranteed the present, so let's make the best of each and every moment we are alive.

TGIF: Scott Paltos

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week of achievement. If this is your first time reading our blog, Welcome! You can read more about Velocity in the tabs above this post. If you'd like a daily dose of inspiration, like us on facebook or add us on twitter. To the right, you can also subscribe to our newsletter and our blog!

The Achiever

My name is Scott Paltos and I am the owner/operator of PUMP CrossFit Performance in East Hanover, NJ. Before I go any further I would like to thank Matt, Jaime, and Velocity Goals for this opportunity to discuss my goals and successes.

For a brief introduction, I am a Strength and Performance Coach. I work with an array of clients ranging from working house mothers all the way to high level professional athletes. I have been in the industry for over a decade now and it is not only my passion, but a part of my life. For the majority of my life I have been involved in athletics or training. For over 15 years of my life I played football at every level possible, and have not stopped competing.  Now I play in a high level amateur baseball league, compete in CrossFit, and have also experienced powerlifting and strongman competitions. Like I mentioned before, training, nutrition, and performance is part of my life as much as it is my members and clients.

The Goal

Wow, this is easy. I ALWAYS wanted to have my own facility. That facility would be one that elicited not only great results with whom trained there, but created an awesome environment in which NO ONE ever wants to leave.

Why This Goal?

The choice was easy - I live the life. I have seen a lot out of the industry in the short decade that I have made it my career. The whole time I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best coaches in the nation. I have been able to gain so much through their knowledge and teaching and I still learn everyday. The opportunity to create this performance facility was the ultimate goal. Besides a place I could call my own, it is a place members can call their own as well.

The First Step

Jumping in full throttle. You see, I have worked for a big name training facility on the east coast, been a high school PE teacher and coach, helped create an education program for health club trainers, as well as work as one too. I have always had a roof to train under, but one that was not mine or in the mold I would want it to be in. There was always someone else calling the shots and dealing with the balance of intricacies and details. The step to just go for it was scary and still is, but worth it. I know I can work with people and train, but the business side and organization is what really scared me.

Challenges

I can honestly say I do not feel there have been many obstacles and challenges. Not to say there haven't been some slow downs or second guessing, but I refuse to look at it like that.  I am human, so sometimes I do get frustrated.  But, I like to think if there is something in the way, it is just another puzzle to be solved. The puzzle just has a piece missing in the box somewhere - I just have to find it and plug it in. We all know it is not that simple, but I attempt to look at them that way.

Staying Motivated

There is no need to re-motivate...I believe I am always motivated to do well and make PUMP a lifelong goal. I will add that a number of my members motivate me. These people have awesome outlooks on life and how they take on the world. They come in and just light the place up. They add a whole other dimension to why I opened PUMP. I guess it goes hand in hand...I get asked one to two times a day, "When are you not in a good mood?"

My response is "I am not always in a good mood - what I am is focused on doing what I have to do - making you, this group or team better, getting you to where you want." I am very self motivated, but certainly have some help from the environment in which I work in at PUMP.

Who Helped?

Rudy Gutierrez.  He has been nothing but supportive, helpful, and in my corner. Rudy helps with a ton of stuff around PUMP - including all of our pics, videos and any other website updates. He is a driving force behind the early success PUMP has had so far.

Then Dr. Jason Sonners - he is my Chiropracter and Bodywork Therapist. This guy and his whole practice Core Therapies in East Hanover, NJ are top notch. Jason was the little birdie in my ear for the past 5 years telling me, not just saying, but telling me to open my own place. He was right.

My Mom and Dad (Kathy and Robert) - have been there for me my whole life. In all the games I ever played - my mom missed 1 and dad 0 - 1 in 15 years of athletics! I highly doubt there are many people who can say they have had such supportive parents. They helped build my sense of independence and work ethic.

Finally - my wife Lindsay. She has been with me and stuck by me through all career changes, ups and downs. There has been no one more supportive of my lifelong goal of opening my own facility than her. Lindsay keeps me grounded and certainly on my toes ;). Without her support and love, PUMP would never have been born.

The newest source of drive - my twins. Although they are so young right now - just seeing their faces makes me want to do that much better. They make me work that much harder. They are the epitome of happiness for me.

TGIF! Celebrate!

I am not completely there yet - so i do not feel a complete sense of accomplishment. PUMP is open, PUMP is growing, PUMP is making an awesome name for itself locally, regionally and nationally, BUT it is never done growing. I know what I want it to become, but it is a long time away.

Advice

Work hard, surround yourself with good supportive people, never stop learning, always maintain a sense of dignity and desire, continue to lead the life of passion for what you are doing, and most of all remember who is important and do not forget how to treat them. Real simple, real short.

What's Next?

What's next - my regular Friday schedule. All in all it is not that bad...starts at 6:15 and is done by 6:30 in the facility, and then another 2-4 hours worth of catch up work, website updates, workout logs, and nutrition distance work. Tuesdays and Thursdays are much longer.

As I mentioned earlier the real mission is not complete. PUMP is on its way and I am proud to say there have been some great things going on for us there. It will have to continue in order to flourish. Personally I am in the midst of competing in the CrossFit Open Secionals. This is the first round of competition that can lead to the CrossFit Games in LA come late July. Qualifying would really help the business and make a personal name in the community of CrossFit. I do not fit the normal mold of competitors, which makes the success that much more rewarding. The whole time I can not lose site of PUMP and what it offers to all its members, clients and gym family.

Again, thanks to all for this chance to express and explain some of my story and success. Hopefully this allows someone else to continue forward with his/her personal goal(s). If anyone is around in the northern New Jersey area...swing by PUMP CrossFit & Performance in East Hanover, NJ....check our website out at www.pumpcrossfit.com....even search us on facebook PUMP CrossFit & Performance. See what we do and join us one day.

Victim vs. Victory

-by Matt Leedham

The world isn’t always a fair place. Life’s tough. Sometimes bad things happen. We all have our crosses to bear and baggage to carry with us on our journey.

It’s easy to slip into a victim state of mind…as if everything in life is just happening to you. As if you are at the effect of life, rather than at the cause of it.

We’re here to tell you that you have a choice. You can choose to be a victim or you can choose confront your fears and your “circumstances.” You can choose to fight.

I know what you’re thinking. This doesn’t apply to you. Your burden is too great to bear. You were dealt a really tough hand in life and it’s hard. You’re not smart enough, or rich enough, or thin enough, or aggressive enough, or confident enough to achieve that one big dream you have in the back of your mind. Maybe you didn't have the best role models growing up, or someone was constantly putting you down until you believed them. Maybe you're dealing with an illness or physical impairment. There are a million things that can hold us back from reaching our potential. But these million things will only block you from success if you give them permission.

Let’s look at a true story of a young girl that chose not to be a victim. But instead chose to be victorious. Her name is Bethany Hamilton. Born in 1990 on the Island of Kauai in Hawaii, she has been a surfer her entire life. Even at the young age of 8, she was competing in the sport she loved.

On Halloween morning of 2003, at just 13 years of age, Bethany was brutally attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark off the North Coast of Kauai while surfing with friends. Her left arm was severed instantly and she lost over 60% of her blood. Her friends quickly got her ashore and found medical help. Miraculously, she survived the trip to the hospital and was able to avoid infection.

Six days later, Bethany walked out of the hospital. And just one month later, she was back in the water surfing. Her passion for surfing and competing was just too strong. Her dream to surf professionally and do what she loved every day would not fade.

What she received in return for her persistence, drive, passion, and positivity was far more than anything she could dream about.

Did she become a professional surfer?

Let’s put it this way – 3 months after the attack, Bethany entered her first competition and placed 5^th. One year later, she snagged 1^st place in the Explorer Women’s division of the 2005 NSSA National Championships – winning her first National Title. Two years later, Bethany turned pro with sponsors and ASP World Tour events.

But that’s not all…

In 2004, Bethany wrote her first of 9 books, an autobiography, entitled Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board">Soul Surfer. In case you’ve missed the commercials, it’s being made into a major motion picture and will be released on April 8, 2011.

When approaching her father for help in training to become a one-armed professional surfer, he responds, “It’s not going to be easy.” Her response?

“I don’t need easy. I just need possible.”

That is not the language of a victim. Those are the words of a young woman that is aware of her situation, but is determined to win anyway. Bethany knows that she’s at a disadvantage. She knows it’s going to be hard. In fact, she even knows that if she gave up surfing and competing and caring, people would understand. They wouldn’t even push her. But what fun is that?

Victim or Victory? It's your choice. It's always your choice.

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #8

-By Jaime Willis

Happy Wednesday, Achievers!  If you want an early start on your triathlon training, we are starting on Sunday, March 27th, so sign up now!

On to our inspiration for the day!

Quote of the Week: 

"It is better to follow the voice inside and be at war with the whole world than to follow the ways of the world and be at war with your deepest self." 

- Michael Pastore

Picture of the Week: 

HDR Image of the Moon courtesy of NASA

Video of the Week: 

This kid does an amazing job of performing the Coach's speech in the movie Miracle, about the US and USSR Olympic hockey match.  

Have a great Wednesday y'all!  

Believe it! Achieve it!

Don't Let the APE Get You!

-by Matt Leedham

Have you ever told yourself a story? Literally, have you ever talked to yourself and told yourself a wild tale?

Letting your imagination fly and telling yourself fantastical stories isn’t just for children. Adults do it all the time. The difference is, kids usually know when they’re making stuff up!

Whether you know it or not, there are APES chasing you every day. Your assumptions, perceptions, and expectations of what is happening, is not happening, or “should” be happening form your APE.

Assumption is defined as “a thing that is assumed to be true.”
Perception is defined as “a way of understanding or interpreting something.”
Expectation is defined as “belief that something will happen or be the case.”

Let’s take a look at how an APE can attack at work:

You spend two weeks working on a sales proposal for a potential client. You’ve had a couple of pleasant interactions up to this point and your contact has been very responsive over email. When you submit the proposal, you are expecting (and wanting) immediate feedback, which would be completely reasonable based on previous response times. Instead, you hear nothing and it’s been four days.

This scenario can happen all the time to those in sales. How you respond to it can make all the difference between being successful (and happy) in your sales role, or being mediocre (and anxious) in your sales role.

It’s quite natural to expect a reasonable response time, which to you may mean in under 48 hours. It’s perfectly normal to assume that because you haven’t heard back from the potential client, that they must not be interested. Perhaps you even interpreted this response to me that your proposal was awful…that they must have hated it!

But rather than letting your mind run wild on you and creating all sorts of unwanted emotions and feelings about something you know very little about, let’s take a different approach.

If you’re going to make guesses at interpreting the situation, why not interpret positively, instead of negatively? Perhaps the potential client was SO impressed with the proposal that they immediately walked into the CEO’s office to show her your offer. Perhaps the CEO was so impressed that she pulled in the CFO to tweak the budget to find more money to buy what you’re selling. Tweaking the budget takes time – that’s the cause of the delay!

Not only is this a more fun way to approach your APE, but it also keeps you positive and engaged. With your new interpretation of the situation, how difficult will it be to call up the potential client and see what’s going on? I’d be eager to call!

Here are some questions to ponder when you find yourself being bombarded by an APE.

• Why is this situation important to me?
• What stories am I telling myself?
• What actual data do I have to support that story?
• What other explanations might there be? (Try to come up with more than one alternative)
• What is the result I want?
• What are my options to move forward?

Asking yourself these questions will completely reframe your thought pattern about what may or may not be going on. Don’t just stop at work. How else might this reframing help you? Relationships, personal goals, daily interactions with other people?

It is very empowering when you face the APE. It will change the way you view the world!

Believe it.

Kicking down the Obstacles

-By Jaime Willis

"Obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eye off the target."

- Curt Carlson

Girls can't do math.

Moms can't be powerful executives and good parents at the same time.

Short people can't play basketball.

Men should be the family providers.

Real guys don't cry.


We've heard all of these things before, haven't we?  Even though none of them are TRUE, how many of us have allowed ourselves to be deterred from reaching a goal because it didn't fit in with conventional thinking?

Did you want to be excited about school, but were afraid of being called nerdy?

Did you want to be athletic,  but just "knew" that chubby kids can't play sports?


Think about one goal that has eluded you for the longest time. Ask yourself if you are buying into false conventions about that goal.

Do Diets ALWAYS fail?

Do night owls NEVER get up early?

Do the rich ALWAYS get richer and the poor ALWAYS get poorer?

Nope.  There are people who manage to do whatever they set their mind to regardless of conventional thinking.  You can be one of those people!  Just give up the belief that convention is always right and attack your goal as if succeeding were a foregone conclusion.

Just take Mike Flynt.  In 1965, Mike was on the first state championship football team of the high school featured in "Friday Night Lights."  After high school, he went to Ranger school, then on to Sul Ross State University.  After playing two years of exceptional football, including the team's only win against Texas A & I, Mike was kicked off the team in 1971, his senior year, due to fighting.

Although Mike moved on to become a successful strength and conditional coach, inventing the Powerbase training system, he always regretted not being able to complete his final year of football in school.  At 59 years old, Mike, at the prodding of his old football buddies, suited up and joined Sul Ross State University for his final year of eligibility.  Mike didn't listen to those who told him he was too old to finish his dream - he just went ahead and did it.

Believe it!  Achieve it!

TGIF: Brian and YuRa Kimm

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week of achievement. If this is your first time reading our blog, Welcome! You can read more about Velocity in the tabs above this post. If you'd like a daily dose of inspiration, like us on facebook or add us on twitter. To the right, you can also subscribe to our newsletter and our blog!

Today we’re going to hear from two people that are very important to us – Matt’s brother- and sister-in-law, Brian and YuRa Kimm. They will be completing the formalities of a great achievement this week and we’re very proud of them. Brian and Yu Ra are two fun-loving, generous people and we couldn’t be happier for them. We also wanted to have a TGIF interview related to a financial goal, since we know that’s so important to many of our readers. Check out their story!

The Achievers

My wife and I are young professionals working in the DC metropolitan area. We have been married for almost a year and a half and are the proud sister- and brother-in-law of a certain Matthew Leedham!

The Goal

Our original goal was to save enough money to put towards the down payment of a home by Spring of 2010. This required us to sell our current condo and to time it so that we wouldn’t be stuck with paying two mortgages.

Why This Goal

Being newlyweds, we were looking to expand our living quarters from a one bedroom condo to a more sizable place. Also, for those familiar with the DC area, the Potomac River seems to be the Great Divide that is seldom crossed when it comes to living situations. You see, I displaced a Virginian. We Marylanders are a little more cool and collected if the need to cross the border ever arises (she’ll argue it’s because everyone wants to move to VA). The lesson is, never force a Virginian to move to Maryland.

The First Step

We calculated exactly how much money we needed to put aside each month to reach our target down payment amount and began depositing this amount into our “House Fund”. This required us to really clamp down on our spending habits while still remembering to enjoy our young marriage. Next we put our condo on the market hoping to put the earned equity towards our new home.

Challenges

YuRa and I attempted unsuccessfully to sell our condo. With the housing market in a continuous downturn and the number of foreclosures and short sales nearly in the double digits just within our own neighborhood, it wasn’t looking pretty. The highs from finding potential homes to the lows of not being able to put in an offer because we needed the sale for the down payment became tiresome after a few months and after looking at some 60-70 houses. After being unable to sell even with several price drops we took a hiatus from the home search for about 6 months. But trust me, the yearning to move never left during the time off. We had to accept the fact that it simply wasn’t our time. We had to wait.

So we had to change our mindset (more me than her) to rent out the condo. As a guy, I like keeping things simple…meaning, sell the condo and only worry about one mortgage. The horror stories I had heard about renting scared me and I didn’t want to deal with the potential headache.

Renting our condo meant no longer applying the equity of the condo towards the new home, which set us back one year to Spring of 2011. We had to budget even more to reach our target down payment amount. This meant on a monthly basis, figuring out our income and itemizing our expenses and setting aside the rest for our savings. This required a focused, constant, and frequent check, update, and revision of our budget. YuRa will tell you that I never let her shop (I love her so much for cutting back as much as she did, but she still shopped.)

Staying Motivated

I set up a spreadsheet to track our current savings and projections for growth. To see where we currently stood as well as where we would be in the upcoming timeframe made it feel our goal was more tangible. Seeing that we were meeting our monthly savings goal and seeing where we could be at various points in the future kept us on track.

Who Helped?

God provided when we placed our trust in Him. We tried to do everything our way and within our timeline but God made us wait and taught us to stay patient. In the end, we saved enough money for the down payment, found the perfect home and found a tenant to rent our condo all in His perfect timing.

Our family was definitely our support system and encouraged us to stay focused and to remain patient.

TGIF – Celebrate!

Once we were close to reaching our financial goal we tried our second attempt at house hunting and immediately found the perfect house for us. We put in an offer on the house and we’re closing on the property next week. We also placed our condo on the rental market and within 2 weeks, found a tenant! We are ecstatic. This is our first big purchase together and YuRa can’t wait to return back to VA.

Advice

Stay patient and stay focused. Don’t feel discouraged when things don’t go exactly according to plans. Sometimes these obstacles are in the way because there is something even better waiting for you in the end.

What’s Next?

YuRa’s goals are to shop, shop, and shop some more for the house. My goal is to keep that shopping under control.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

-By Jaime Willis

"Many an opportunity is lost because a man is out looking for four-leaf clovers."

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Actually, around here, we like to call March 17th the "Matt Leedham National Holiday" as it is one of his favorite days of the year! (Matt is grateful that that is the largest size photo I could find of him in his holiday get-up!) In Matt's honor, we've turned our webpage green for the day.

On a holiday filled with talk of luck, I want to dispel the myth of luck. You aren't missing out on life because you are unlucky. The other person didn't get the job because they were luckier than you. Luck just doesn't exist.

What does exist is PREPARATION and OPPORTUNITY. When you are prepared to take advantage of an opportunity, you may get "lucky." How can you prepare to be lucky?

• Start each day with a positive attitude and outlook. "You can complain that roses have thorns or you can rejoice that thorns have roses." It is all in your outlook. Since an optimistic attitude has been proven to make a positive difference in recovering from illness and achieving goals, you can activate your 'luck' first with a great attitude.

• Do your research. You may have always wished you could be on the Today how. But have you ever once done the research to see what it takes to get on an episode? What stories are they looking for? How do they book guests? How 'timely' do stories need to be? If you have the answers to all these questions, you can craft a piece or a pitch that best meets the show's needs. You may get 'lucky' enough to get on the air.

• Ask for help. We've said this before and we'll say it again, networking is amazing. The world is getting smaller and smaller -- it is surprising how often someone you never would have guessed has a contact, lead, or information on something you are trying to accomplish. For example, think how many parents your kid's teacher knows who are all in different fields? How about the barista that serves the same regulars every day? I was once connected to a private car auctioneer through the parent of one of the kids I tutored, just because I asked how the student was able to get such a good deal on his vehicle.

• Have your resources at the ready. I graduated from law school in 2003 and passed the New York Bar that same year. However, for the next six years, if you had desperately needed a lawyer and were willing to pay me a MILLION dollars to fix a legal problem for you, I could not have done it. Why? Even though I'd spent seven years in school and another several months studying for the toughest exam I've ever had to take, I stopped just short of the finish line. Because I never went back up to Albany, New York to get sworn in. For SIX YEARS after I passed the bar, I couldn't say I was a licensed attorney. You cannot get 'lucky' if you don't have the right resources available to take advantage of the opportunity. In 2009, I finally went up and got sworn in. Now, if a legal opportunity came up, I could take advantage of it.

• Keep your eyes open for opportunity. Opportunity rarely comes in the exact packaging you'd expect. A lot of opportunities come with a whole heap of hard work attached to them. The perfect job for you might be in a city across the country. Your dream home may be lovingly updated in the latest '70's style. Don't edge away from opportunity just because it requires a leap of faith or hard work - go for it!

I hope are preparing for your next opportunity today! I know I am.

Top 5 Inspirational Movies - Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #7

-by Matt Leedham

Welcome back! This is the fourth and final installation of the Top 5 Most Inspirational Movies. There are many more than 5 inspirational movies, so we’ve divided them into three four categories:

1. Sports
2. Military
3. Life
4. BONUS!

We covered Inspirational Sports, Military and “Life” movies already over the last three weeks. Below, you’ll find the BONUS LIST of the Top 5 Most Inspirational Movies that didn’t make the other three lists. Did your favorite movie make it this time?

Top 5 Most Inspirational Movies – BONUS EDITION:

#1: Apollo 13 – This all too real plot details the story of three astronauts whose safe return home is looking less and less likely. After successfully landing on the moon, America seems to have little interest in “routine” space flights. But an explosion on board which necessitates a nearly impossible fix becomes their reality. America quickly pays attention after hearing those famous words from the space, “Houston, we have a problem.”

#2: Erin Brockovich – Based on true events, we follow the life of the down-and-out Erin Brockovich who is desperate to find a job. After a failed lawsuit related to a car accident, she convinces her lawyer to hire her on as legal assistant. No one takes her seriously until she finds herself doing routine research and discovers something big. Her tough questions and compassion for the victims eventually leads to the biggest class action lawsuit in American history.

#3: Jerry Maguire – After much success as a greedy sports agent, Jerry Maguire faces inner conflict with the lifestyle he chose and doing the right thing. After expressing his epiphany, he is fired and left with just one client who he begs to stay with him. Fighting and scratching for even a little success, Jerry almost loses his girl and his only client.

#4: Field of Dreams – “If you build it, he will come.” I don’t know about you, but if I heard that voice in my head, I wouldn’t have built a baseball field on my farm. But that’s what Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner) does. And who appears? Shoeless Joe Jackson and the 7 other Black Sox of 1919. These 8 players were banned from baseball after throwing the World Series.

#5: To Kill a Mockingbird – Gregory Peck stars in this 1962 film based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning book from two years earlier. Peck plays Atticus Finch, a lawyer in a racially divided town in Alabama in the 1930’s, who has chosen to represent a young black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Tensions flare, but the principled lawyer takes a stand against intolerance in this inspiring film.

Check out this great clip from Apollo 13. Failure is NOT an option!

Thanks for reading about our top 26 Inspirational Movies. We hope you have an opportunity to be inspired by them in the near future!

Pay It Forward

-by Matt Leedham

“Think of an idea to change the world – and put it into ACTION!”
- Kevin Spacey in Pay It Forward

“This is your assignment. Extra credit. It goes on all…year…long.”

I know it’s only Tuesday, friends, but I feel the need for inspiration. Sometimes it can seem a little unrealistic to try to change the world. Let’s face it. It’s hard, it’s time consuming, and it’s daunting. But how about...possible?

All of us have the ability to affect the immediate world around us. All of us have the power to change someone’s day by merely interacting with them in a positive way. All of us can change OUR world, and if we do, together we will create a ripple affect around the planet.

I recently came across this video of a simple man from Madurai, India who decided to change his world. He was a chef at a 5-star hotel. But something changed his life and he left all of his success behind to make an impact in his community.

I will leave you with this quote and hope that some of you are inspired to take action.

How to be a Survivor

-By Jaime Willis

Three days ago, Northern Japan was the epicenter of one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in modern history. The earthquake has sparked continuing shock waves, multiple tsunamis, a volcanic eruption, and the disruption of several Japanese nuclear power plants (the linked article does a great job of explaining why no nuclear holocaust is imminent).

The Japanese are working to rescue survivors, restore major utility service and begin rebuilding. You can help by contributing to the Red Cross Distaster Relief Fund or texting REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to relief efforts.

No one can fully predict or prepare for this magnitude of natural or unnatural disaster. However, if you are blessed to survive the initial disaster, there *are* things you can do to ensure your continued survival. Interestingly, these same aspects are critical to ensuring your success in completing almost any goal as well.

ATTITUDE

More important than any other single thing, including food, shelter, and water, is your attitude. I shared with you before that having an optimistic attitude is a critical component of healing from major illness. You need to foster the unwavering belief that you WILL survive.

In the bestselling book, Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand writes a biographical account of Louis Zamperini's life as an Olympic track athlete and World War II Survivor. At one point during the war, Zamperini's airplane is downed over the Pacific Ocean; he and two others, Francis "Mac" McNamera, and Russell Allen "Phil" Phillips, survived the crash and boarded life boats, awaiting rescue. The men ended up floating 47 days on the ocean without food, water, or shelter from the sun before landing on an atoll in the Marshall Islands two thousand miles away from their plane crash. Only Louie and Phil survived the trip. As Hillenbrand writes,

"Though all three men faced the same hardship, their differing perceptions of it appeared to be shaping their fates. Louie and Phil's hope displaced their fear and inspired them to work toward their survival, and each success renewed their physical and emotional vigor. Mac's resignation seemed to paralyze him, and the less he participated in their efforts to survive, the more he slipped. Though he did the least, as the days passed, it was he who faded the most. Louie and Phil's optimism, and Mac's hopelessness, were becoming self-fulfilling."

It is clear to me that having a positive outlook is critical to survival. Beyond survival, I believe that optimism is also the first key to achieving ANY goal.

PREPARATION

My dad was a Boy Scout and Eagle Scout and the Boy Scout motto of "Be(ing) Prepared" is practically tattooed into my skull. One of the reasons that the Japanese are faring as well as they are is that they are prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis. While the death toll in Japan is not final, it will be logarithmically less than the smaller earthquake in Haiti last year. This is in large part to the strict building codes in Japan intended to reduce the impact of tremors as well as a national public education campaign on how to quickly move to safety in the case of tsunami.

Louie and Phil had taken a survival course while they were stationed in Honolulu, and therefore knew, for example, that only the liver of the small sharks they caught were edible. The men would have had a much more difficult time surviving in the raft if they were also battling food poisoning or dysentery.

As you begin any project, spend a big chunk of your time on research. If you are starting a company, learn why some companies fail when others succeed. If you are buying a house, learn about all the pitfalls of financing first. Knowing what could come may help you make better decisions when disaster strikes.

RESOURCEFULNESS

Also known as MacGyver's First Law, resourcefulness means that you can think your way past the challenges that face you, despite limited supplies, support, or aid. MacGyver was famous for fashioning solutions out of meager supplies -- duct tape, a paper clip, and his trusty Swiss Army knife.

Louie and Phil were incredibly resourceful as they drifted across the Pacific ocean. Determined to catch some rainwater after three days without water, Louie used a piece of the canvas case in the life raft to form a bowl to catch the water. They used that same cases as hats when the hot sun beat down on them all day long. They ate fish and birds they learned to catch and continued to catch rainwater to reduce their thirst.

When you encounter a challenge where your resources are limited, think of all the ways you can work with the few supplies you do have.

PERSEVERANCE

Perseverance means getting to your breaking point and continuing on anyway. You would think that Louie Zamperini was a survivor after managing to live through 47 days at sea. But this was only the beginning of two years of intense physical and mental hardship as Louie was interred in a prisoner of war camp. The fact that Louie entered POW Camp at a skeletal 80 pounds, it is nothing less than a miracle that he managed to hang on for the next two years of small food rations and incredible disease.

When the going gets toughest, you can't think about tomorrow, or even the next hour. Stay focused on getting through each moment and you will make through all the moments you need to in order to survive and succeed.

You can be a survivor and a succeeder. Start with the right attitude, do your research, get resourceful, and don't be afraid of working hard and you'll see success!

TGIF: Laura Poore

Update: Thank you to all of Laura's fans who have made this the number #1 viewed post on our entire blog & beat the page view record by over 100 views in less than 24 hours!

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If you like to see Velocity come to Illinois, email me at jaime@velocitygoals.com -- we'd love to bring more goal-getting goodness to your hometown!

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Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week of achievement this week. If this is your first time reading our blog, Welcome! You can read more about Velocity in the tabs above this post. If you'd like a daily dose of inspiration, like us on facebook or add us on twitter.

This week's achievers is an amazingly talented wife and mother who decided that none of that should stop her from achieving her dream of becoming a singer/actor.

See what happens when she puts her dream to the test!

The Achiever

My name is Laura Poore, and I am a 30 year old wife and mother of 4 beautiful kids. I have always loved the stage, whether it be to act or to sing. I have written songs since I was a little girl, and I always wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, what I loved to do could actually be what I got to do with my life??

The Goal

You know, when your 10 year high school reunion comes around, it really makes you aware of just how much time has passed since you had all those dreams in high school about what your life would be like. Here I was, 10 years out, and I had never really given my dreams a shot. I had always hoped maybe somehow it would just happen, and it never did. When I heard about auditions for AMTC (Actors, Models, and Talent for Christ) in Chicago, I just knew this was my chance. I didn’t know if I’d “make it,” but I knew I had to give it at least one good try.

Why This Goal

I was so tired of wondering what if…. Honestly, I had reached the point where I had finally figured out that I needed to chase after my dream. I was tired of waiting, hoping, dreaming… And you know, I had reached a point in my life where I didn’t even worry too much about the outcome. If I failed, it was ok! I just knew that I had to try, and I would be at peace whatever happened, because I’d finally feel like I was living the life I was supposed to live. If that meant being a wife and mommy to four great kids, that was ok! But if it meant I could sing and act and help support my family? That was better…

Laura and her 9-year-old Halyn at the audition.

The First Step

The first step I took was actually driving an hour to auditions! I had only found out about them 2 days before, so there wasn’t a whole lot of time to let doubt sink in or to weigh down my excitement! I’ll admit that Friday night I had some concerns…no babysitter for my three older kids (9, 6, and 5), then I wondered if we could even afford the gas to get up to Chicago. Was it even worth it? Was I crazy for trying? My mind raced Friday night…but again, I just knew I had to do it. I had to. I had to. If I tried and failed, I could always come home and do the same thing I’d been doing, no big loss. But if I didn’t try, what would have happened? I couldn’t let that haunt me anymore!

Challenges

My biggest obstacle was convincing myself to bring my kids with me! Haha! I didn’t know if they would even be allowed in, but I knew that life had made me a mommy, and if I was going to take this journey, I’d do it as a mommy. So I loaded them up with a few travel toys and lots of snacks, and off we went Saturday morning to Chicago!.

Staying Motivated

I basically stayed motivated by simply putting one foot in front of the other. There were a few less than ideal things that happened…like locking my keys in the car at the parking garage…and leaving my car lights on!! Do I need to just forget the audition and call roadside assistance? What if the battery dies? I have these kids with me up in Chicago, in an unfamiliar place…what should I do? A quick call to my sweet husband answered that- he said, take care of what you went there to do. The car will still be there when you get out. You’ve come this far, don’t stop now!

Who Helped?

My husband and my kids are the one pushing me forward when I might have stopped pushing myself. Instead of just wanting to do something special for myself, it has suddenly become my mission to do something special for them and to set the example of reaching for your dreams to my children.

TGIF – Celebrate!

Laura recording at
Day Spring Studios

When I left auditions, it was bittersweet! I hadn’t done as well as I had wished, yet there was this unexplained joy of victory over me…I had finally done it. I had gotten out there and made the first step toward answering 10 years of what if’s…I had challenged myself and dared to ask the question, is this something I could do with my life? And I had put myself in front of a judge to help me answer that question. And the next morning? Life was back to “normal,” as our family prepared for church, same as we had done every Sunday before that. I didn’t know if I’d get a call-back or not, but it was ok. I felt good. I had given it a shot!

Advice

My advice is get out there and try. The truth is scary but it is also empowering. I think I avoided chasing my dreams for so long partially because as long as you only sit and dream about something, there isn’t much to disturb those dreams! You can dream as big and as often as you want, and it turns out beautifully, just the way you thought it would. I simply got tired of dreaming with my eyes closed…I wanted to see if I could somehow live this dream instead of sleeping through it. I think everyone reaches a point where they just know, enough if enough, time to make something happen or die trying! I was ok with never recording a cd or doing any acting…only as long as I had given it a shot. I was no longer ok with wondering if I ever could have done those things. You are never too old…I had to keep telling myself…If this is what I was born to do, I am not too old to try…but I wasn’t going to wait any longer!

What’s Next?

What’s next for me? I am now an official contestant for AMTC. I got called back for both acting and for singing/songwriting! I am going back to Chicago this weekend for my first training weekend with my coaches. “MY COACHES!” I am still a mommy and wife 7 days a week, but suddenly I have something of my own to work on at night after they go to bed. I have something special to work toward! July 12-17, I will attend the SHINE event in Orlando where an estimated 70-90 entertainment industry agents will be there from all over the world, including Sparrow Records (Amy Grant, Christ Tomlin), 20th Century Fox (Fox Faith Films), Universal Music Group, Sherwood Pictures (Facing the Giants, Fireproof), Epic Records/Sony Music, etc. This is an incredible opportunity for me to have an audience with so many names, all in one place at one time!

My next big goal? Either a record deal and/or a chance to work with Sherwood Pictures on one of their next movies…maybe to write their next theme song or possibly to act in their movie… or maybe both?! There is no stopping me now. I have had a taste of victory, and I love it! My family and I are on this journey together, and we are all thrilled to see where it might lead.

Want more information or updates on Laura's progress? Follow her website, www.lauramaepoore.com and read her local news interview.