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Seven Religions to Grow Your Spiritual Side

By Motivation One Comment

Religions can be complicated! Wars can be born from people having different beliefs, miscommunication or a lack of understanding about one’s religion.

Many religions and spiritualities teach similar things and share similar stories about what it means to be a good human being. Of course, there are differences we should discuss.

To help move the religious conversation forward, I thought a good place to start would be to learn what people believe and to direct you to places where you can learn more about the subject! The more we learn about each other, the better of an opportunity we have to get along with one another!

So many wars, deaths, and the world’s major problems are caused from misunderstandings caused by religious beliefs. I thought we could learn where other people are coming from and to understand that people are not difficult – they are different!

So according to my friends BBC, Google and Wikipedia, the simple definitions are:

Christianity: An Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and oral teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament.

Islam: Began in Arabia and was revealed to humanity by the Prophet Muhammad. Those who follow Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that there is only one God. The Arabic word for God is ‘Allah’.

Judaism: One of the oldest monotheistic religions and founded over 3500 years ago in the Middle East. Jews believe God appointed the Jews to be his Chosen People in order to set an example of holiness and ethical behaviour to the world.

Catholicism: Along with its adjectival form Catholic is used as a broad term for describing specific traditions in the Christian churches in theology, doctrine, liturgy, ethics, and spirituality.

Buddhism: A religion with about 300 million adherents around the world. The word comes from ‘budhi‘, which means to awaken. It originated about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (enlightened) at the age of 35.

Hinduism: The main religion of India and Nepal. It also exists among significant populations outside of the sub-continent and has over 900 million adherents worldwide. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed upon set of teachings.

Atheism: Speaking broadly, it is the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Most inclusively, atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist.

If we can learn to understand that despite our differences we are all seeking to find happiness, wanting to be good to our neighbors, and are interested in helping contribute to the world, we can really improve the future of our species and the generations which follow.

It all starts with a better understanding of where the other person is coming from and creating a safe spot to communicate with each other!

As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

 QUESTION: Why do you think so many people fight over religion? 

The Three-Question Humor Test

By Motivation 3 Comments

How do you know if your humor is appropriate for your audience? Here is “a test” through which I run all of my laugh lines and stories. If the answer to all three questions is “Yes”, then I have a stronger chance that people will laugh and not be offended!

Will two generations understand it?

Will two cultures get it?

Would I say this in front of my grandma?

Now, some of you might have some pretty cool Grannies (I know I do) who won’t fault you for saying something interesting but inappropriate. If you do, you need to pick someone you hold to the highest standards!

For example, here is a two-minute video of how I used the three-question humor test to make sure I was going to make the audience laugh. I knew two generations would get it, two cultures would understand it, and I would say it in front of my grandma.

If you don’t know if two generations or cultures would get it, you need to ask people in that demographic. Share it with them. See if they understand it or if they might be offended by it. Always test it out!

Enjoy creating your laugh lines! Remember that humor is important because it helps people remember what you are saying, builds likability, and gets you rehired! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

 

How To Quickly Build Trust With People You Don’t Know

By Motivation 4 Comments

A friend recently asked, “Ryan, how do you quickly build trust with people you don’t know?” No solid relationship can survive without trust. The faster you build trust, the faster you can build your relationship.

Trust is good for business, marriage, and friendships. Here are five ways you can quickly build trust with people you don’t know:

Brene Brown It: It’s time to be more vulnerable. Don’t feel like you have to know all the answers, look good, feel good and be good all the time. We are human. Show and share your vulnerabilities with the other person. As Brene reminds us, we see being vulnerable as a weakness when we do it, but as courageous when someone else does it. Be more vulnerable.

Oprah Winfrey It: Stop talking and start asking more questions. Get the other person to open up and get to the point. Ask open-ended questions to elicit answers other than “yes”, “no”, and “maybe”. The more you can get someone else to open up and talk, the more comfortable you will make them feel. This will ultimately lead them to trust you sooner. Ask more questions!

JK Rowling It: Who has a better fail story then the Wizarding author herself? I love her story, and so do millions of people around the world! We love to see people succeed who struggled at one point in their life. The bigger the struggle, the more we care about them and applaud their success. Share your failures and struggles before your successes and see the window of trust widen!

Brendon Burchard It: Every time I watch something of Brendon’s I learn something. Every time! I remember the first thing I watched from him. He taught me something in the first five minutes. I thought, “Wow, this guy is amazing!” I bought his books, I follow him, and I can’t wait to attend one of his seminars. Teach them something right off the bat that will help improve their lives and they will trust you even more.

The more quickly you build trust with someone, the bigger opportunity you have to make a difference in this world! Work hard to build and maintain your trust with everyone around you! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

The BIGGEST Problem Young Americans Face

By Motivation 2 Comments

What is the biggest problem young Americans face today? It’s not war, diabetes, or too much time in front of the TV.

It is the abundance of opportunity.

We don’t lack opportunity in America; we lack the ability to know how to decide what’s the best opportunity for us and to feel secure that we picked the right one. There is too much to choose!

The feeling of wanting to do everything and not accomplishing anything is plaguing our generation. The curse of the Kardashians who have their own TV show, clothing line, music albums, millions in the bank, and access to the best parties in the world gives hope to many Millennials that they, too, can do the same.

I am not saying you can’t have everything one day. However, we are trying to have everything at the beginning. The Greats all focused and did one thing. They focused and accomplished one thing and became the best at it. From Steve Jobs to Lebron James, from Oprah to Ellen, they all focused and became the best in their industry. It led them to have anything and everything they wanted.

How do you pick one thing when you are offered and have the ability to do so many? This is a major problem because it causes lack of focus, depression, and does not produce the most innovative, creative or helpful products.

Americans don’t lack opportunity; they lack the focus and ability to decide what door of opportunity to walk through. Agree or disagree? What do you think is the biggest problem young American face? As always…

Dream BIG,

Ryan

ways to be more grateful

Five Ways To Be More Grateful

By World Records 11 Comments

I sometimes go through my day thinking, “If I only had XYZ, it would make my life so much easier!” But when I stop and think about the access I have to things, people, and technology I realize my thinking is off. Instead of thinking, “If I only had XYZ” I need to do a better job thinking, “What can I do with XYZ?”

First, I can do a better job being grateful for the things I do have. To do that I need to be aware of the things in my life which make me happy and present me with opportunities.

Here are five ways to be more grateful in your everyday life:

Redefine your statement: When you find yourself saying, “If I only had XYZ, it would be so much easier!” try rewording the statement to be more positive and show gratitude for the things you already do have. Instead, say “What can I do with what I have, now?”

Give thanks for your senses at night: I used to do this before I went to bed every night. I would go through all of my senses one by one and think about everything that I smelled that day, everything I tasted, felt, saw, and heard. It made me appreciate the simple things more and to be aware of what I was experiencing in the now.

Make a list: This was the best thing I did recently. Write down everything that makes you happy and everything you have for which you are grateful. There will be negative things, but if you are reading this right now, then you might be surprised how many positive things will show up on your list.

Volunteer once a month: My friends and I are doing this every month this year. We started with the food bank and planting trees in our community. This month we are volunteering with American Veterans. Volunteering will give you a greater outlook on life. Remind yourself that you do have a lot of things in life for which you can be thankful.

Remind yourself of the greats: Most of the greats out there – the ones we talk about, remember and admire – all struggled at the beginning. In fact, the bigger the struggle, the more we tend to like them and feel good about their success. Be thankful you get to work hard, are going though tough times, or don’t have everything you want right now; one day it will make for a better story that will relate to more people and ultimately inspire others to do the same!

Those of us who can improve our awareness of the things we have, let’s start today! Let’s make a list, reframe our mindset, volunteer, or think about the greats that came before us! Enjoy this awesome day, and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

A Plane Story: An HIV+ Veteran

By Motivation 6 Comments

Because of my job, I fly a lot. I get the chance to sit next to some interesting people, and some not so interesting people.

Every time I fly, I am reminded what lessons I learn and stories I hear, so I thought I would start sharing them here.

Volume 1, Person 1 – The HIV+ Veteran

His dark-rimmed glasses, skinny arms, and haberdasher hat catch my attention as I get situated into my seat and prepare for a long ride to the opposite coast.

I am being a typical millennial with headphones in my ear, and I am not in the mood to talk to anyone so nothing is playing in them. This is a decoy I use when I am in public and am looking to be an introvert!

I smile, and say “Hi” to the man, and he does the same back. We take off, and I take out my headphones because my introverted side can only last so long. We start talking, and after about five minutes of sharing things about our lives, it feels as though we have been old friends for 20 years even though I could be his grandson.

I learn about his time in Vietnam, his worldly travels and how he has lived the past 30 years infected with HIV.

We open up and talk about things like death, sex, drugs, life-partners, and most everything you wouldn’t talk to a stranger about (or your in-laws), but for some reason it feels right. To tell you the truth, it was refreshing to talk with someone who has been through so much and has such a positive outlook on life.

Here is a man who lives with one of the most stigmatized infections in the world, who has fought to protect our country, who has lived in more countries that I can count, and who has spent more time working than I have been alive. It makes me think, “How many other fascinating people like him are out there whom I will never meet?”

All of these people I judge before I meet them; yet – once I get to know them – I realize how much I could learn from them and how much we have in common. These people have so much advice, history, and story inside of them. So much opportunity to learn from and remind yourself that we are all human.

It was one of the most refreshing flights I have had in the past five years! We land and say our goodbyes! We exchange contact info, disembark, and he hops into a wheel chair.

“I will see you around, kid!” he says. Although our lives, ages, and professions are vastly different I believe we will meet again!

What stories, lessons, and history are you missing out on by not getting to know the stranger next to you? Anytime you fly it is up to a flip of a coin who will be seated next to you. It could be a kook, a cook, or even a crook; but, the rare times you find a gem like Jeremy makes it worth it.

Reach out to your fellow neighbor and get their story. Who knows what you will learn, what will wake up inside you, and what stories you will hear! As always…

P.S. Do you like the idea of a recurring article series called “A Plane Story” in which I share my stories of those people I sit next to on a plane? If so, let me know in the comments below!

Five Reasons Your Business Should Be Telling More Stories

By Motivation No Comments

Since the beginning of time people have shared stories to teach, preach and get their points across. Since the beginning of our lives parents, teachers and preachers have shared stories with us illustrating life’s greatest lessons.

So if we learn through stories, why shouldn’t businesses use them to promote and sell products, services, and ideas? They should, and here is why:

People buy stories: Customers are constantly consuming stories. From books to TV shows, from trips to cars, we buy things because of the story that is attached to it.

People share stories: Whether it is the company gossip in the breakroom, or the stories of what happened during the weekend while you are in the classroom, people share stories.

People remember stories: From little Red Riding Hood to Robin Hood, from Pretty Women to that embarrassing moment that happened to you in middle school – people remember the lessons they learned from the stories they heard and/or experienced.

People like stories: Good stories can make you feel good, can make you experience several emotions, and can bring a smile to your face. People are constantly looking for stories to entertain, educate, or inspire them.

People learn from stories: The major lessons in life you live by were all taught through stories. Whether it was from the Bible or the Koran, from Disney or Grimm’s Fairy Tales, we know the difference between right or wrong because of the heroes and villains with whom we are familiar.

So why are you not using stories in your business?

Why are you not wrapping a story around your product, service, and idea? If you want people to buy, share, remember, and like your product start sharing stories around what it is you sell and offer. Those leaders who 

Happy storytelling, and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Giveaway for Post V-Day

By Motivation 9 Comments

Ahh, V-Day! The day some couples love, and a day most single people dread!

A holiday institutionalized by Hallmark and chocolate companies everywhere. Instead of debating whether you like, love, or hate this day, why not participate in a fun giveaway?

GIVEAWAY: In the comments below, share about one thing you love (person, place or thing) and why you feel love towards it!

One lucky winner will receive a very, very special Post-Valentine’s Day giveaway that will include 75% off Valentine’s Day chocolate and a Starbucks gift card! I will post the winner in the comments below in 48 hours!

Hope you had a great V-Day! I am looking forward to reading your answers. As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

what makes a great story

What Makes A Great Story?

By Motivation No Comments

What makes a great story? If you are not familiar with the Hero’s Journey I would recommend you familiarizing yourself with it. Once you learn how to tell a great story, you can inspire, influence, and motivate people to take action.

As we know, people buy stories, share stories, like stories, and remember stories. So as a leader, why wouldn’t you want to be a good storyteller? Here are three things that make a great story:

A challenge: The harder you have to work to obtain your goal, the better the story you will have.

A fight: The stronger the contrast you can create between the person, idea or thing your “hero” is up against, the better story you will have.

A feeling: The more opportunities you give your audience to feel happy, sad, fearful, disgusted, surprised and angry, the more connected your audience will be to your story.

Think about all the great stories you have ever heard, watched, or read. All incorporate these three things. Start looking for them. Consider the world’s great stories and how those stories made you feel, what fight the heroes were up against, and what they tried to accomplish!

So the next time you are faced with an everyday challenge, fight or experience major feelings, know you are creating a solid life story for yourself! As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

Six Lessons Leaders Can Learn From Tiny Little Babies

By Motivation One Comment

I had the chance to hang out with a few of my entrepreneur friends this weekend who happen to have the cutest babies I know! After spending the day with them, I realized we, as leaders, can learn a lot from these miniature humans!

1) Cry and get over it: Babies fall, they fail, and they make mistakes. They cry for a minute, and then they move on to the next thing. They don’t look back.

2) Be happy with the simple things: Babies have fancy toys, nice clothes, and fancy food! What do they play with that makes them the happiest? The boxes the toys came in. They have no care for fancy clothes other than what feels good to wear. They are happy, too, with a simple diet of milk and mushy food high in nutrients! Now, I am one who likes to wear nice clothes, and I prefer tasteful food; but, I can do a better job being happier with the simple things in life!

3) Tell people how you really feel: Babies don’t keep their emotions inside. When they are angry, they let you know. When you are happy, they let you know. When they like someone or don’t like them, they let the person know. They don’t care what people think of them. They care about letting others know what they think!

4) Be curious and try new things: Babies are constantly crawling to explore new territory and scanning for new things to touch! They are alive and happy to be alive, because there is so much out there to explore, see, taste, and touch!

5) Always be learning: Babies are digesting new things everyday! They are thirsty for knowledge.

6) Laugh often: No matter how much they cry, babies always laugh. They smile, they enjoy, and they experience happiness. They want to be happy and do what it takes. They say what they need to say in order to find that happiness.

Sure, babies scream on planes, make a mess, and deprive their parents of sleep; but, we as leaders can do many things to be more like tiny little babies! Move on! Be happy with the simple things, tell people how you feel, try new things, learn something new, and laugh often! Enjoy the day, and as always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

P.s. Thank you Jessica and Devin for letting me use your little one for this post! Y’all are awesome!

winner mindset

Do You Have a Loser or a Winner Mindset?

By Motivation, Uncategorized One Comment

After my last article, I thought I would share some insight on what losers say versus what winners say on various subjects and to see where we land on the loser versus winner mindset scale!

Dreams and Goals

Losers Say: “I have goals. I have them in my head. I don’t share them with anyone because it’s not their business. I think about them every so often, and I am pretty sure I will make them happen this year!”

Winners Say: “I have goals. I have written them down and have shared them with my family and friends to hold me accountable. I look at them everyday! They are clear, obtainable, and I believe I can and will accomplish them.”

Money

Losers Say: “If I had X amount of dollars, my life would be so different!”

Winners Say: “I am going find a way to earn X amount of dollars so I can change my life, give more, and do more for myself, my family and my friends!”

Love

Losers Say: “I wish someone would love me!”

Winners Say: “I can’t find love until I love myself.”

Happiness

Losers Say: “I just want to be happy!”

Winners Say: “What are the things that already make me happy, and what can I do starting today to be happier on a regular basis?”

Family and Friends

Losers Say: “My friends and family take up so much time. They always annoy me. They seem to cause more pain than good.”

Winners Say: “I love my family. I take care of my family. We communicate on a regular basis to avoid misunderstandings.”

Profession

Losers Say: “Ugh, I hate my job!”

Winners Say: “I will do what it takes to get the job of my dreams! I deserve to love what I do!”

Health

Losers Say: “We all die, sometime!”

Winners Say: “The healthier I am, the more I can do!”

So, do you have a loser mindset or a winner mindset? What are the things you need to start telling yourself to gain that championship mindset? As always…

Dream BIG,
Ryan

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