Straight Up Mindset

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Legacy Series - Week 3: Break The Cycle

Be The Change You Wish To See In The World

-Gandhi

Welcome and thank you for returning to the Straight Up Mindset Blog. This is the April edition of the blog. This month's series is the Legacy Series and this week's topic is Break The Cycle.

One of the key components of leaving a legacy is shedding the old and implementing something new and positive. We often get caught up in a bad wave or thoughts and ideas that have been passed down from generation to generation. We are misinformed or misguided when it comes to handling issues in life or how to pursue or maintain goals. If you are reading this right now then that means you have discovered and are aware of the issue and now want to make the change

Now breaking the cycle can come in many forms. It can be that you grew up in a family where a father figure is not present and you refuse to be an absent father in your child's life. Maybe your family lives in poverty and you want to provide a better life for them. Whatever that looks like for you, everyone's situation is different. In those situations you can either turn a blind eye and not do anything or you can be the reason that future generations will live a better life.

That is how legacies are created, that's how you pave the way for the future. When you see something and know it can be better you have to stand up and be that change. Think about all the historic heroes we have and the changes they made to make our lives a better one. If they didn't decide to take a stand and make a change, who knows how our lives would be.

Don't be afraid to be the change that is needed. Put forth the effort to not only improve your life but the lives of others. Whether that is in your immediate family or in the world. Just know that you can be the motivation and the spark that ignites people to shift the thoughts of people around the world and make it a better place for all.

Straight Up!!

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Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Legacy Series - Week 2: Choices

"Life Is The Sum Of All Your Choices"

-Albert Camus

Welcome and thank you for returning to the Straight Up Mindset Blog. This is the April edition of the blog. This month's series is the Legacy Series and this week's topic is Choices.

In our previous topic Create Your Legacy we talked about leaving a legacy for your family and others to follow and build off of. Well in order to create your legacy you have to make the proper choices that lead up to that. We are all presented with choices at every juncture in our lives. Big or small each choice we make guides us down a path that leads us to another choice.

You cant escape it and you cant just ignore it. If you are not at the place you want to be in life, you can easily back track to each decision you have made in your life to determine where you went astray. Now remember, some choices are harder than others. In order to create the legacy you want you must make some hard decisions. Sacrifices must be made, but are you willing to make those sacrifices? See, these are the type of choices that need to be made. Are you going to lay in bed and watch TV or are you going to go to the gym and get your workout in so you can live a healthy lifestyle? That choice can in turn influence someone else to start working out and eating right.

Will you go out and party with your friends? Or will you stay home, put in the extra effort to study so you can pass your exams to graduate and get your degree? That can also influence someone to go back to school and finish their degree because they have seen you do it. You sparked a fire in them to complete that goal. We said it in the previous blog, it's the ripple effect that we are after. What you do and the choices you make not only effect you but it can influence others to make a change in their life for the better.

Not every choice you are presented with is a crossroads moment, but each decision big or small can change the trajectory of your life. It can open one door and close another. It can lead you to a dead-end or take you to the promise land. So be cognizant of the choices you make and be sure that helps and not hinders you from achieving your goals and creating the legacy you want to leave behind

Straight Up!!

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Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Legacy Series - Week 1: Create Your Legacy

"You Get To Decide The Legacy That You Leave"

-Unknown

Welcome and thank you for returning to the Straight Up Mindset Blog. This is the March edition of the blog. This month's series is the Legacy Series and this week's topic is Create Your Legacy.

Legacy is something very important but yet very few put forth enough thought into it. Legacy is the lasting impact we make in the lives of others. Legacy is about life and living. It's about learning from the past, living in the present, and building for the future. What are you doing to build your legacy?

What are you contributing during your time on this earth that will help propel your family forward and upward? All the time I'm always trying to be aware of what I'm doing and how it can have a positive impact on those around me. My wife, my kids, family members and friends. It's one of the motivating factors as to why we started to do this blog. We wanted to contribute something to help make the world a better place. To help someone who might have lost hope and felt like it's not worth being here anymore. We do this in hopes that the person who is thinking and feeling that way will read the blog and have new found hope on life.

That is why we do it. We understand that God has blessed us with a gift to help those who are in need. We do this in hopes that it will spark a fire in someone else to go out and begin their journey in helping others. The ripple affect is what we are looking for. Us doing this one thing will begin to spread and touch more and more people in a positive way.

Leaving a legacy is an important part of your life’s work. A legacy develops from a life dedicated to self-reflection and purpose. So remember the work, time and effort you put in today will build your legacy for tomorrow. Continue to use your gift to help build others so they can use their gift and create their own legacy.

Straight Up!!

If you have any questions or need to go more in depth, please feel free to email us at straightupmindset@gmail.com or you can also reach us on social media.

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Growth Series: Week 4 - 30 Day Challenge!

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Growth Series: Week 3 - Start Small

Start Small And Dream Big

-Robert Kiyosaki

Welcome and thank you for returning to the Straight Up Mindset Blog. This is the March edition of the blog. Last week we talked about Expanding Your Horizons. This week's topic is Start Small.

We all have big dreams and aspirations to build something or to become something great. That's a great mindset to have. The other side to that is the part a lot of people are missing including myself from time to time. We forget to start with the little things. We tend to get caught up with the people and companies that are already big. Its easy to envision in your mind that is where you want to be right now but it doesn't work that way. You have to understand that even Apple and Microsoft had very small and humble beginnings.

You have to master the small stuff before you can conquer the big things. If you just jump straight into the big stuff you are sure to fail as you have not put in the time and work to build a strong foundation. We all know that if your foundation is weak everything that you have built up to that point will crumble beneath you. There are examples all around you that you haven't paid close attention to. Facebook once started out as a small social media app for just college students to connect with others who had similar interest and ideals. Now look at Facebook, they are a juggernaut in the social media market. Like I mentioned before, Microsoft started in Bill Gates garage as an idea and dream that not many people wanted to believe and invest in. Now those who didn't make that initial investment are regretting it.

It’s like the old saying "How do you eat an entire elephant? One bit at a time" That is the mentality you have to take when trying to execute any plan. Its easy to succumb to the feeling of urgency to do everything now. Sometimes that is needed depending on the situation, but that is the quickest way to sabotage your plans. Establish good habits and be consistent at the little things first. Many small victories lead to a big victory

Stay focused on longevity and building long term momentum. Continue to conquer the small things that will help you get towards your bigger goal.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Growth Series: Week 2 - Expanding Your Horizons

A Mind That Is Stretched By New Experiences Can Never Go Back To Its Old Dimensions

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Welcome and thank you for returning to the Straight Up Mindset Blog. This is the March edition of the blog. Last week we talked about having a Growth Mindset. This week's topic is Expanding Your Horizons.

Expanding your horizons is one of the greatest lessons you can ever experience. It means learning or experiencing something you never have, or opening yourself up to new ideas and opinions. This can be achieved by many methods and the most common is traveling. Try to experience a different place with different people and take in a culture. Plan a trip to Spain, France or even New York. There are lots of ways of achieving this and one doesn't have to be mutually exclusive to one another

For instance, I have never been much of a reader but I knew in order for me to grow and learn I needed to break out of my negative mindset about reading and start. Now I love it and I have learned so much. I have learned not only about new thought process, but also about myself. I have improved my life by simply changing my perception and actually putting myself out there to try something new. Another example is that I am naturally an introvert. In my readings I learned that in order to be successful you have to put your self out there and get people to buy into who you are. I couldn't fulfill this by sitting in the back of a room keeping to myself. How can you expect anyone to believe in you or buy into whatever it is you are trying to put out there if you are being timid and reserved? When I answered that question for myself, things started to change.

Expanding your horizons takes courage and requires you to break out of your comfort zone. Now a days it's just easier to follow the crowd and blend in. You will never truly learn who you are and what you are capable of if you just simple do what is easy and convenient. Now as always we tell you guys that its not easy and never will be easy especially because everyone usually conforms to the ways of society. In order for you to really comprehend the gift you have been blessed with you have to be able to stretch yourself.

So go ahead and take a trip somewhere exotic, go back to school to get your degree or start that business. Mix it up, don't be afraid to do a 180 and see what this life has to offer. I promise you will not regret the experience.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Growth Series: Week 1 - Growth Mindset

In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, Oh, I'm going to reveal my weakness, you say, WOW, here's a chance to grow.

-Carol S. Dweck

Welcome and thank you for returning to the Straight Up Mindset Blog. This is the March edition of the blog. This month's series is the Growth Series and this week's topic is Growth Mindset.

Having a growth mindset means you believe in your talent through hard work, good strategies, and input from others. You must embody a growth mindset, to encourage appropriate risk taking and understanding that not all plans or risk will always pan out. In order to stay in this state you truly have to re-evaluate yourself and not be intimidated when there is someone smarter than you. Don't feel inferior when someone is more savy than you in a certain area. You have to accept that there is always going to be someone better at what you do, but also see that moment as an opportunity to learn and get better.

There are certain factors that can take you out of the growth mindset and keep you out of it. Here are a few examples of situations that can take you out of the growth mindset and place you in what they call a fixed mindset. When we face challenges or adversity, when we receive criticism or we start to compare ourselves to others because we might feel like we don't have what it takes. Our insecurities are what make us fall back into comfort zones and bad habits. You have to remove that type of thinking and understand that the challenges, the adversity and the criticism are the answers you need in order to get to the next level.

Flip the negative around and use it to your benefit. If all people did was tell you that you are great an stroke your ego you would never grow and never learn. If you didn't have anyone to challenge you or push you to your limits, you would get complacent. It's like working out in the gym. Everyone thinks they are strong or in great shape until they run into that person that just blows them out the water and shows them a whole other level of physical fitness. Same thing in life, everyone thinks they are the smartest or the best at what they do until that one person comes along and makes you realize you got some room for growth.

Embrace those who challenge you, Embrace those who make you push past your comfort zone. Michael Jordan wouldn't be the legendary athlete he is today if it wasn't for all those who pushed him, who challenged him day in and day out. Kobe wouldn't be the legend he has made himself to be if it wasn't because of Jordan. So, always be in a growth mindset and always push to be better. If you find someone who is more knowledgeable, collaborate with them and see if you can learn from them instead of thinking they are out to destroy you. Also, be the one who contributes to others being in a growth mindset. Share your knowledge with others and help them grow. All it does is spread unto others and makes the world a better place.

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