Today Matters

1. Today Matters: Make Each Day Count

"Successful people make right decisions early and manage those decisions daily."

Seize the day. The secret to success lies in your daily agenda. By making a few key decisions and managing them well each day, you can significantly impact your future. Focus on today, as it's the only time you have within your grasp. Many people overexaggerate yesterday's successes or failures, overestimate tomorrow's potential, and underestimate the importance of today.

Create a masterpiece. Approach each day as an opportunity to create something valuable. This requires two key ingredients: decisions and discipline. Make conscious choices about how you want to live and then practice the discipline to follow through on those decisions daily. By doing so, you can transform ordinary days into extraordinary ones, building a life of purpose and achievement.

2. Attitude: Choose a Positive Mindset Daily

"All things being equal, attitude wins. All things not being equal, attitude sometimes still wins."

Attitude is a choice. Your attitude at the beginning of a task affects its outcome more than anything else. A positive attitude can open doors of possibility, improve relationships, and provide a winner's perspective. It's not about ignoring reality, but about approaching challenges with optimism and resilience.

Cultivate positivity. To maintain a good attitude:

• Take responsibility for your attitude
• Find something positive in everything
• Express gratitude to others daily
• Remove negative words from your vocabulary
• Surround yourself with positive people

Remember, your attitude is contagious. It not only affects you but also influences those around you.

3. Priorities: Focus on What's Most Important

"You can have anything you want, but you cannot have everything you want."

Define your priorities. Understand that time is your most precious commodity. You cannot change time, only how you use it. To make the most of each day, determine what's truly important to you. Ask yourself:

• What is required of me?
• What gives me the greatest return?
• What gives me the greatest reward?

Manage your priorities. Once you've identified your priorities:

• Evaluate them daily
• Plan your time carefully
• Follow your plan
• Delegate whenever possible
• Invest in the right people

Remember, what you do every day in the area of priorities really matters because it sets the stage for all your actions.

4. Health: Prioritize Your Physical Well-being

"If you wouldn't allow your animals to do such things, then why would you allow yourself to?"

Value your health. Your health impacts you emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. It often determines both the quality and quantity of your life. Recognize that it's easier to maintain good health than to regain it once lost.

Take action. To improve and maintain your health:

• Eat right: Focus on a balanced, nutritious diet
• Exercise regularly: Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily
• Manage stress effectively: Develop coping strategies for life's pressures
• Get regular check-ups: Prevention is better than cure

Remember, your body is the vehicle through which you experience life. Treat it with the care and respect it deserves.

5. Family: Invest in Your Most Important Relationships

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is love their mother."

Prioritize family. Your family provides stability and a crucial support system. They are often your most valuable relationships and can be a source of great fulfillment. Recognize that family doesn't just happen; it requires intentional effort and investment.

Nurture family bonds. To strengthen your family relationships:

• Put family on your calendar first
• Create and maintain family traditions
• Find ways to spend quality time together
• Keep your marriage healthy
• Express appreciation for each other often
• Resolve conflicts quickly and effectively

Remember, at the end of your life, your family relationships will likely be among your most treasured possessions.

6. Thinking: Cultivate Good Thought Patterns

"If you can change your thinking, you can change your life."

Value good thinking. Your thoughts shape your life. Good thinking precedes good results, increases your potential, and can free you from being a slave to your circumstances. Recognize that there are many types of thinking, including creative, strategic, and reflective thinking.

Improve your thinking. To enhance your thought processes:

• Find a place to think
• Set aside think time every day
• Capture your thoughts
• Put your thoughts into action quickly
• Try to improve your thinking every day

Remember, few things give as great a return as good ideas. When your thinking is good, many other aspects of your life will fall into place.

7. Commitment: Stay True to Your Decisions

"Commitment can change your life."

Embrace commitment. Commitment gives you tenacity and helps you overcome many of life's obstacles. It's not just about making a decision, but about following through despite challenges. Recognize that your commitment will be tested every day.

Practice commitment. To strengthen your commitment:

• Count the cost before making a commitment
• Determine to pay the price
• Always strive for excellence
• Focus on choices, not conditions
• Do what's right even when you don't feel like it

Remember, commitment is what carries you through when motivation fades. It's the foundation of achievement and personal growth.

8. Finances: Manage Your Money Wisely

"Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can."

Understand money's role. Money itself won't make you happy, but it can provide options and stability. Debt, on the other hand, can be a significant source of stress and limit your choices. Recognize that having a financial margin gives you more freedom and opportunities.

Practice financial discipline. To improve your financial situation:

• Reduce your debt
• Put a financial formula into place (e.g., 10% to charity, 10% to savings, 80% to living expenses)
• Become a good earner
• Be grateful for what you have
• Don't compare yourself to others
• Give as much as you can

Remember, your approach to finances today can significantly impact your options and quality of life in the future.

9. Faith: Deepen Your Spiritual Foundation

"Faith keeps the person who keeps the faith."

Embrace faith. Faith can provide a divine perspective, improve health, give strength, and increase resilience. It's not just about religious beliefs, but about having a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in life. Recognize that everyone has faith in something; the important choice is where you place it.

Cultivate your faith. To deepen your faith:

• Put God in the picture
• Associate with people of faith
• Explore and deepen your understanding
• Apply your faith principles to daily life

Remember, faith is often tested through difficulties. A strong faith can provide comfort and guidance during life's challenges.

10. Relationships: Build and Nurture Connections

"The greatest moments and memories are filled with the people who mean the most to me."

Value relationships. Life's greatest experiences often involve other people. Good relationships can provide fulfillment, support, and opportunities for growth. Recognize that building strong relationships requires intentional effort and investment.

Nurture connections. To improve your relationships:

• Place a high value on people
• Learn to understand others
• Give respect freely but expect to earn it from others
• Commit to adding value to others
• Put others first
• Express love and appreciation often

Remember, the quality of your relationships often determines the quality of your life. Invest in them wisely.

11. Generosity: Give to Others Freely

"You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

Embrace generosity. Giving turns your focus outward, adds value to others, and often benefits the giver as much as the recipient. Generosity is not just about money, but also about time, attention, and effort. Recognize that true generosity begins with the heart.

Practice giving. To cultivate a generous spirit:

• Give others your money
• Give others yourself (time and attention)
• Find a reason to give every day
• Find people to receive every day
• Don't wait for prosperity to become generous

Remember, generosity can bring significance to your life and leave a lasting impact on others.

12. Growth: Continuously Improve Yourself

"The secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up."

Prioritize personal growth. Growth prevents stagnation, increases your potential, and impacts not just you but also those around you. Recognize that growth is not automatic; it requires intentional effort and consistent practice.

Cultivate growth. To foster personal development:

• Create a list of good values
• Embrace those values
• Make a decision to live those values daily
• Articulate and reflect on your values regularly
• Compare your values to your practices daily
• Live out your values regardless of your feelings

Remember, your growth today determines your potential for tomorrow. By committing to continuous improvement, you open doors to new opportunities and achievements.

Last updated: January 23, 2025