Formula for S-U-C-C-E-S-S

As we head back for a new work week, here's a little jolt in the arm that can help you to make it a great success. Despite what you may have heard, no one becomes successful overnight. It's a slow methodical process. But as you keep focused on your goal, seemingly overnight everything starts happening for you.

The great thing about the principles of success is that they apply to every aspect of life. Wanna climb the corporate ladder? Apply the principles. Wanna build the family of your dreams? Apply the principles. They work – they really do.

Examine the lives of the great men and women who have impacted ours and past generations and you’ll see a common thread – the formula of success at work. During the weekend, we have more time with our families to build the loving relationships that will guide us. But during the week is when we go out and put our career plans in motion so that we can provide for our loved ones and ourselves. It all requires an understanding of the principles of success.

I have written my own version of what it takes to be successful. It’s a good tool to use as you pursue your personal and professional goals. Enjoy reading this formula in the following poem:

S-U-C-C-E-S-S

By Rodrick Walters

Start each day with renewed focus

Understand that you have a purpose to fulfill

Count the cost of achieving your purpose

Commit yourself to accomplishing at least one task daily in order to fulfill your purpose

Expect nothing less than the best possible outcome

Stay true to your convictions

Share your reward with others

Let’s go out and make it a great week!

The Upbeat Dad

How Are Those New Year's Resolutions Coming Along?

It's hard to believe that we're almost at the end of the month. Didn't we just welcome the new year? Where has the time gone? As we approach the ending of the first quarter of the year, I just want to ask a few quick questions: where are you in terms of meeting your goals? Are you on track? What about those new year's resolutions? Remember those?

At the end of last year, I wrote the post Year End Inventory. I wrote about my background in the accounting profession and how at the end of each year, companies do an inventory count to show the figure that they will report on their financial statements.

As I mentioned in that post, in our lives we ought to take inventory of where we are. More importantly, we ought to take steps to position ourselves where we desire to be. A new year is well underway and while that's a good thing, I'm concerned that many of us have become so comfortable in our daily routine that we've forgotten those things that set out to accomplish.

I believe strongly in setting career and professional goals. I've done it since college days and it's worked wonders for me. But how many of us set goals for our lives at home? What do we do differently in order to get the families that we desire?

You may have heard it said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. Year after year, many of us have the same lack of satisfaction with how things are at home. And each year end we plan to do something about it. And before you know it, when the thrill of the new year’s season is gone, life gets back to normal and we get settled in our routines. Work and school and the daily chores become the norm again and our euphoric moment in which we made our resolutions seems a distant memory.

My challenge to you today as we prepare for the end of the first quarter is that you gauge where you in your family life so far this year. How's the communication between you and your spouse? How about the kids? Are you spending enough time with them? Do you have periodic family meetings to assess how things are with everyone?

Here's my recommendation. If you haven't already done so, document a family plan of action. Get everyone's input so each of you take ownership of it. That also establishes some accountability.

The summer's coming up. Decide as a family what you'll do for summer vacation this year. If you're a single parent, you can plan something special with the kids. You know, they can easily feel like they're lacking something that their friends from 2 parent households have. It's really all about being proactive and getting from life what we desire. And our families should be our biggest priority.

Abraham Lincoln said, "If you fail to plan, then plan to fail." That phrase is quite applicable to us as we seek to get the most out of this year. It's easier said than done, I know. The economy has its issues. And our lives have unforeseen circumstances that alter our plans at times. But just like with a sailboat in the ocean, we can't control the wind and the direction of the wind. However we can control how we position ourselves. And in so doing, no matter how the winds of life blow, we will come out victorious.

If you've found yourself going off-course in this relatively new year, I hope that this post is just the jolt that you need to get you back on track. I said when the year started that someone's going to have a breakout year this year so why not you? Check the post. I think you can be that one who's poised for a breakout this year - both in your personal and professional life.

Let's make some great things happen this new year. Your greatness must be on display - the world needs you to shine like the star that you are. I look forward to hearing of just how this has been the year when things have come together for you. This can really be a reality in your life.

As Nike's slogan says, "Just do it!"

Enjoy your day.

The Upbeat Dad

Planting the Seed of Success

Today’s post is just a quick and simple one to encourage us to chase our dreams. Each of us has goals and dreams that we feel will make our lives complete. Some might seem impossible to us. Some seem possible. But whatever the case may be, we all have goals and dreams.

Many of us set career goals only. But I also like to set family goals with my wife as we try to build a successful life together. I believe strongly that 2011 will be a great success for us because of certain plans that we have. And seeing those plans beginning to come together is exciting no doubt.

I encourage you and your spouse or significant other, if you have one, to set goals and map out the plan for your success. I believe that the limit to our potential lies in our heads. Success is all ours for the taking if we would only plant the thought in our minds that it is possible.

Do you want to be so accomplished that you can take family trips at will without much strain on the family budget? Do you want your kids to get a full ride to college via scholarship? This is all possible if you could only envision it being a reality.

My poem Like Planting a Seed addresses this concept – that ultimately, our potential for success lies within ourselves and not with others. Enjoy reading it:

Like Planting a Seed

By Rodrick Walters

Impossible is nothing if you only believe;

for whatever you imagine you can achieve.

The greatest success must start with a dream.

The life you desire must first be foreseen.

The road to success is like planting a seed,

and watching that seed become a tree.

You nurture it, protect it, that seed that you have sown,

and when it’s grown, it stands tall on its own.

The seed of success must be sown in your mind,

and nurtured, protected with each step you climb.

No matter how strong the winds of life blow,

you will rise above and stand on your own.

So never, my friend, be afraid to dream—

that’s the seed that will help you to reign supreme.

So dream your dream, it’s all your own;

and with it, I promise, you’re never alone.

How successful will your family be? Pretty much it is as you envision it to be. You can accomplish great things together. I sure hope you enjoy bringing that which you envision to reality.

Enjoy your day.

The Upbeat Dad

We Measure Success By Lives Touched, Not Dollars Made!

Here we go into another week in the life of The Upbeat Dad blog! Thanks for tuning in and making it a success.

We officially launched on Monday, October 4, 2010. And as I write this, we've had approximately 3,000 hits worldwide. You might notice that I often make reference to our statistics. I do check them frequently. I see which posts are being read and certain other pertinent information.

You might then ask the question: "How do you measure success?" Well I'm glad you asked! Here's my answer: The true measure of our success will never be captured in dollars and cents. But instead our success will always be measured by the lives we touch along the way. Otherwise our efforts are futile.

So when I look at the statistics, I'm encouraged. More readers from more countries are joining what I call "The Upbeat Dad Revolution." And based on feedback we've received - by readers' comments here on the blog, on Facebook and Twitter - I know we're on the right track.

You see, when I write, sometimes I close my eyes. And when I do, I see the entire planet that we share - not a specific country or region. I see children from varying backgrounds. But they all have a common thread: they need the loving guidance of a mother and a father. Unfortunately, for different reasons, millions don't have the privilege of receiving this guidance.

As a father, it pains me to see dads neglect their children. It also pains me to see systematic forces that discourage loving fathers from being involved in their kids' lives when marriages and other relationships become broken. So with every fiber of my being, I'm determined to make a worldwide impact for the good of our kids. We're indeed off to a great start - greater than I might have expected at this point! But as I see it, we've barely scratched the surface these past 2 months.

Since 2003 when I first had the idea to start such an organization (see The Story Behind The Upbeat Dad for more on this) our vision has been global. That's why when I see that we have readers in places like England, Australia, the Philippines, Germany, the Caribbean, the Czech Republic and Russia, I'm excited.

I live in the USA but the many issues I write about regarding fatherhood are not an American problem. So I have a vision and plan to effect change on the entire planet. I encourage you to join our "revolution". Become engaged with us on the blog, on Facebook and Twitter. With dialogue, we can solve many of these problems together. And who benefits? Our children do. They need and deserve our best effort to ensure their success in life.

To quote the Carpenters' famous song, "We've Only Just Begun." Hang on for the ride! And much thanks to you for tuning in!

The Upbeat Dad

Facing Hard Times? Don't Worry, It's Just Part of the Plan!

Well, we’re kinda winding down from the weekend and a revving up the gears to head back to work – though for those of us in the United States it’ll be a short work week.

Today’s post will be brief – just a note of encouragement for those who might be facing challenges in their lives. Some of you may be going into the holiday season and you’re wondering where your life is headed. Perhaps you’re dealing with a newly broken relationship and this holiday season is one that you dread. Or perhaps the economic crisis has taken its toll on you and you’re trying to get back on your feet.

Whatever the case, I encourage you to see the obstacles that you might now face as part of the plan that will lead to your ultimate success. I wrote the poem Part of the Plan 5 years ago to encourage a friend who was going through a difficult time. It's in my book, Poems of Inspiration: A Daily Dose of Self Motivation I trust it would be an encouragement to you.

Part of the Plan

You hold down your head, you’re feeling so low;

it seems like you never get up off the floor—

for each time you try, you break down and cry;

you look to the heavens and keep asking, “Why?”

“Why do I stumble with each step that I take?

Why do dreams crumble with so much at stake?

Why does it happen again and again—

success is my foe and failure my friend?”

But listen, I tell you—just listen to me—

wherever you stumble, your treasure must be.

The truth of that lesson I’ve learned in my life:

success is not far from your pain and your strife.

I know it’s been hard, I know it’s been tough;

the blows that you’ve taken are more than enough.

And yet you’re still standing—you haven’t been beat;

I knew that you never could accept defeat.

Now here’s your reward: a story to tell

of the struggles you had and the times that you fell.

A story of courage and of victory;

a story to lead you to your destiny.

Make sure that you tell each listening ear

to march on ahead, for there’s nothing to fear.

For each time you falter and feel all alone,

that stumbling block is your stepping stone.

So now do you see why you suffered so long?

It’s all been designed to make sure you’re strong.

So fight on with joy; I’m your biggest fan.

Victory’s assured—that’s part of the plan.

Be sure to read tomorrow’s post. I will share with you my personal story that took me from the crisis of my divorce in 2001 to the happiness of my marriage now in 2010. It’s a story that I feel certain will be an encouragement to you.

Enjoy the rest of today. We’ll “speak” tomorrow!

The Upbeat Dad

S-U-C-C-E-S-S

Good day,

I hope you enjoyed the weekend.

As you start this new week, here are some thoughts to help ensure success in both your personal and professional lives. That way in becoming successful you'll set the example for your children so that, they too, can achieve success in life.  It is a poem taken  from my book Poems of Inspiration: A Daily Dose of Self-Motivation.

S-U-C-C-E-S-S

Start each day with renewed focus

 Understand that you have a purpose to fulfill

Count the cost of achieving your purpose

Commit yourself to accomplishing at least one task daily in order to fulfill your purpose

Expect nothing less than the best possible outcome

Stay true to your convictions

Share your reward with others

Enjoy the day and have a good week.

The Upbeat Dad