The April 2010 issue is all about leadership and the interview I listened to was with Robin Sharma who recently published The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life. (Amazon Aff link).

We all go through different chapters in our lives, and as changes occur it is always good to take time aside to reflect on exactly what we ARE doing with our lives.

Robin went through one of these times, and after much thought and reflection he came up with what calls the “Big 5″ (questions that he asked himself about his life).

Here are those 5 questions:

Wow – I am certainly taking these questions and applying them to my life. How about you?

What is your choice?
So many people do not understand that those who live extraordinary lives are enjoying this blessing because they CHOSE to live this way.

Are you choosing to live an extraordinary life? Or are you content to simply live an ordinary life?

Then Robin went on to comment that he also has what he calls a Daily 5. These are 5 questions he asks himself EVERY DAY the question:

Ordinary or Extraordinary?
Yes, you (and I) can decide what kind of day we will have, every day. Do you chose to have an extraordinary day today – or are you content to simply live “another ordinary day”.

One of the comments I hear so so much is “another day, another dollar”. Is that the language of an extraordinary life? No, no, no!

The language of the champion would be something like this:

What is your choice? Are you planning on living an extraordinary life or just an ordinary life?

What are you doing today to put your plan into action?

Today’s question:
Are you where you are today because of something someone else said to you.

This question struck me today as I was listening to a teaching CD by John Di Lemme, and is an excellent question to stop and ask ourselves.

If you are honest with yourself your answer will most likely be – yes (at least in part).

Of course this does not mean that you are where you are today because you were forced to be here. No, you and I were born with a free will. Choice was always your right (and responsibility).

However, most of us grew up not really knowing or understanding this reality. Consequently we allowed ourselves to be influenced by the words of others.

You are free to choose:

• Who you want to listen to.
• What you want to watch.
• Who and what you will respond to and obey.
• Who and what you allow to influence your life.

So, if you are not where you REALLY want to be right now, what can you do?

Change:

• Who and what you are listening to.
• What you are watching.
• Who and what you are responding to and obeying.
• Who and what you are allowing to influence your life.

How?

• Deliberately listen to words that will take you to where you really want to be – EVERY day.
  Refuse to fill your life with negative words and people.
• Deliberately watch videos that will encourage and inspire you to reach your highest dreams and goals.
  Refuse to watch negative and violent trash.
• Respond to and obey only the words that will take you to achieving your WHY (your highest dreams and goals in life).
  Take action!
• Only allow yourself to be influenced by the words that will motivate and inspire you to reach your WHY.
  Surround yourself with people who are living the life YOU want to live.

Make these decisions and take action on them EVERY day and you will soon be where you REALLY want to be.

Are your daily habits predicting your SUCCESS in life?

You always have just two choices in life – discipline or regret. Jim Rohn.

This makes a LOT of sense.

• You choose to discipline yourself and pursue your why.
• You understand that this will mean a lot of hard work and daily training. But your discovery of your why (your dreams and your passion in life) is fresh when you first make this choice. So everything is still exciting.
• You have decided to push through to achieving your dreams, and you understand that there is a cost. But that is fine – your emotions are high.

These choices you made are DAILY choices.
How easy it would be if we could make such choices when we are feeling great, and then somehow “automatically” our minds and our bodies would cooperate every day, no matter what the circumstances.

But you and I know that this is not the case.
I understand why the apostle Paul declared “I die daily.” He was saying, I make a fresh choice EVERY DAY to pursue my goals, to pay the cost (of disciplining myself and when necessary of making sacrifices).

In other words:

I choose every day to follow my decisions – not my emotions.

Decisions are not made in our emotions. They are made with our wills. Then our emotions follow. They have to, as long as our decisions are firm.

The moment you succumb to your emotions and let them rule, you are in trouble. I am sure you have discovered that at some point in your life right?

Even if you choose to take a break from your daily training program just for a day or so – guess what happens? You know right? It is so much harder to return to your routine, and then it is so much easier to give up.

Why regret? Because without the discipline to focus, train and work towards your dreams, you will not achieve them and then you will live to regret it.

I had never thought about this before, not in this way – (to coin one of Jim Rohn’s expressions). Had you?

Life is full of choices – some of them are conscious and others are made by default. The key is to be aware of what we are choosing.

What do you choose today?
My choice is to serve the Lord and the dreams He put in my heart.