So, on his first day’s lunch break, Bill opens his cooler, unwraps the sandwich, and complains, “Sardine sandwich? I hate sardine sandwiches.”

He throws out the undesirable meal and goes back to work, angry and still hungry.

The next day, he discovers not one, but two sardine sandwiches in his lunch box. He groans and tosses them in the trash.

On the third day, when he again discovers sardine sandwiches in his lunch box, his foreman suggests that he asks his wife to pack something else. He looks at the man and replies, “Nah, I pack my own lunch.”

Every day, we pack our own “lunches”, meaning we make our own choices. We decide how to dress, what actions to take, and how focused we will be on achieving our goals. Yet, so many people complain about their lives and their work. Albert Einstein once said the definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over and expecting a different result. So, if you are conducting each day with the same mindset, the same energy (or lack thereof), and the same actions, you should not complain that your life is not meeting your expectations. In truth, you are not meeting your own expectations. You are failing yourself.

Is it time to pack a new lunch so you can savor a more flavorful life?

What do you see? I spelled it out to a few friends and each one answered, "nowhere". I offered each of them an alternative: "now here". Just one small space turns this series of letters from negative to positive.

Are you surrounded by "nowhere" people? Do you remember the Beatles song Nowhere Man?

He’s a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.

Doesn’t have a point of view,
Knows not where he’s going to,
Isn’t he a bit like you and me?

Plot your escape from Nowhere Land and set some goals for yourself. Banish the "can’t do" people from your new kingdom. The negative people will only create problems and prevent you from your quest for success. When someone starts the nay-saying process, start humming "Nowhere Man" as a reminder of the toxicity of "No.”

Then come back to Now Here, the Kingdom of Yes.

Myers

So what happens if that painting isn’t quite the artwork you hoped it would be? Do you stop looking at it? I hope not, because that means you’ve given up on the possibility of finding more joy, success, and opportunity.

Go back to this mural and add more brush strokes. Change the way you put the colors on the canvas. That brush could add the stroke of brilliance you need to be inspired to achieve greatness in your life.

Think about it this way. It’s likely that your parents and family programmed you, your peers influenced you, your teachers taught you. Look at that chain as the colors in your palette. What do you want to change? Whom do you want to listen to? Who should you ignore?

Changing your life tableau is a matter of altering your mindset and perspective. To do that, you need to first understand what causes you to make decisions, to feel emotions (fear, love, excitement, surprise, anger), and to react. Shed the negative thinkers like a used-up brush that’s lost its bristles. Refresh the colors in your palette that have dried up or lost their lustre.

Then display this new objet d’art to the world and reap the praise and positive energy that comes back to you.

Myers

Stay Tuned for More New Home Sales Training and Real Estate Insights from Industry Expert Myers Barnes.