I have looked at the Tools to Life website many times and considered using their FREE services, so whenever they asked me to do a sponsored post about their self help and motivation site, I gladly agreed. It is definitely a site worth checking out, and if you are going to consistently use the suite of awesome self help tools that they offer, you can really get a lot out of it in terms of self improvement and goal attainment.

Tools to Life is one of many online support groups that are out there, but I think their site offers a lot more than the average self help site. Rather than just being a huge cache of self improvement information, the Tools to Life system is actually a step-by-step and timed system where you are required to take action each day towards your goals.

It would be difficult to list each and every cool and useful aspect of the Tools to Life website in just one blog post, so instead I will highlight three of the separate areas of the site that you should definitely check out. Next, I will do a quick run through of the "toolbox," which is the basic interface that gives you the daily information and tasks that you are required to read, watch, or take part in so you can stay on track.

1. For anyone who has ever considered life coaching as a possible part of their success system, you'll definitely want to take a look at the life coaching support groups at Tools to Life. There are huge groups that are made up of thousands of members, and there are also smaller, more intimate groups that are created by the members themselves. When I was there, I counted over 150 separate groups, so there is something for everyone, not to mention the ability to create your own group as a Tools to Life member.

2. The self help programs that are offered at Tools to Life are the first step for all new members. There are three distinct modules, and you can choose one or more that fit into your own desire for growth. The three programs that they presently offer are: Tools to Life with Coach Steele, Tools To Optimal Health with Dr. Carlos Santo, and Quit Smoking Tools with Coach Steele. For whatever program(s) you choose, you will be given a separate daily toolbox to use in the attainment of the goals related to your program choice(s).
3. For those of you who seek inspirational motivation from the written word, you'll get plenty of that in the articles section at Tools to Life. In addition to just reading articles, however, members of the site can also comment on the articles, and interact with each other in the comment section, much like on a blog post.

The Personal Toolbox - your home base at Tools to Life

Your toolbox is where you go through all of the daily processes that are related to whichever self help program(s) you choose when you first sign up. After choosing your program(s), you then electronically "sign" a personal commitment page where you set the intention to attain whatever your specific goals are. After signing your personal commitment page, you can then use the site's interface to email yourself a copy of the commitment, and you can even email the commitment to others, inviting them to help keep you accountable and/or to join the site themselves.

Your personal toolbox is made up of individual "rooms" where you take part in various activities, usually on a daily basis. The toolbox is set up so that you start in the upper left-hand corner, and then you work your way around, going to each room and doing the activity contained in that room. You will have a separate toolbox for each of the programs that you are involved in.

There are multiple sections in your toolbox, including daily videos with lessons based on whatever program you are working on, daily audio and reading, and a daily checklist to make sure that you do not miss anything along the way.

If nothing changes, then nothing changes, so you need to let go of the notion that improving your life will not include changing it in the process.

Albert Einstein is quoted as saying "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them" and that statement could not be more accurate. If your dream life is different than the life you are presently living, then you are going to have to make some changes, and those changes could be downright radical, and even uncomfortable. However, if I may tip the hat to another great quote (author unknown), "Do today what others won't so you can do tomorrow what others can't".

Photo Credit: Silvia CosiminiAs you look towards the life that you want to lead, you may very well have to also look at some radical or uncomfortable changes that need to occur in order for you to start living that life. The winds of change - as they continually blow across the sands of time - will sometimes rock your boat or get sand in your eye, and sometimes they will even knock you flat. Nonetheless, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is there waiting for all of those who do what it takes to power through and take hold of their dreams.

As is often the case here on the Today is that Day blog, my inspiration for blog posts comes from my very own life, and that is the case here as well. My own life is about to radically change (for the better!), yet at the same time, the tasks involved in creating that change are large and could easily be overwhelming if I didn't know how to control those kinds of emotions.

So, rather than freak out and turn into a useless mass of blabbering inefficiency, I have instead come up with a great plan of action that - as indicated above - will require some radical changes on my part in order to make it all happen. In order to come up with that plan, I utilized a simple, 4-step challenge solving process:

1. Identify the Primary Goal - There are numerous factors that go into facing up to any challenge, but there is always one primary goal that will then fuel or enable the rest of the tasks. Find that one primary goal, and focus on that one thing, to the exclusion of everything else.
2. Assess what Resources you have Available - Often times money helps to grease the wheels of goal attainment, but you may still have to access other resources as well - possibly in order to get that money. Those resources could include your own skills, your experiences, your circle of influence, or even material possessions that might be part of the solution.
3. Find a way to use those Resources to attain the Primary Goal - Now is the time to think outside of the box. Remember, if nothing changes, then nothing changes. If you're alive (and you are!), then you have something to offer that will help you to get what you want.
4. Refuse to accept Defeat as an Option - As long as you continue to hold onto some sort of safety net in case things don't work out, those things WON'T work out, because you will always know in the back of your mind that if you fall (or fail), the net will catch you. DECIDE that you are going to get what you want, and COMMIT to getting it at all costs. Failure is NOT an option!

A Real Life Example:

In my case, the changes in question include moving to the east coast of Florida in order to start a very cool, very unique coastal fitness program. After almost 2 years of working almost exclusively from home, the winds of change now find me:

• Moving all the way to within walking distance of the beach from my present central Florida location
• Starting a company that will ultimately be incorporated, spreading my unique business idea all over the world
• Being available 3 or 4 times per day outside of my home to train clients
• Hiring, training, and managing employees, which is something that I have always managed to avoid in the past

Identify the Primary Goal - This entire business idea is predicated on living by the beach. As much as I love the beach, it's not about sun-bathing and dolphin-watching, but rather utilizing the coastal community as the catalyst and the life-blood of the business. Moving to the beach is the Primary Goal. Without that, nothing else matters.

Assess my Available Resources - My personal development products, my social networking site, my skills and abilities, my fitness coaching site, and my circle of influence.

Use Resources to attain Primary Goal -

• Personal Development Products - My products have great value and quality, and I know that for a fact, so I don't need to "convince" anyone to buy them. They all come with a money-back guarantee and email support from me, and they are all very reasonably priced. Using my products as part of solving this challenge is as simple as reminding people that they are worth checking out.
• Social Networking Site - Personal Development Partners is growing every day, and I have even started advertising it on Craigslist. I will continue to offer the lifetime membership option only until the end of June, so now is the time to take advantage of that. I also have just 3 Thought Leader positions left open, and those are the most coveted spots, so grab one now - they go fast. Again, using my site as part of solving this challenge is simply reminding people of the value that is available.
• Skills and Abilities - I have been encouraged by many people to help others with their blogs and/or to write for other people's blogs. I very much enjoy creating content that people get value from, so I have decided to start offering my blogging and writing services for hire. This is far beyond anything that I have offered in the past, and that radical change is part of my challenge-solving process.
• Fitness Coaching Site - I have been writing at Fitness Destinations for more than 4 years (first as a website, and more recently as a blog), and it is chock full of a ton of really great information. Since I have gotten back into Fitness Coaching, I have been updating that site with product-specific posts at least a few times each week. That site is part of solving this challenge by me encouraging people to check it out, and to pay special attention to whether or not you see value in the P90X Reviews that I have been doing.
• Circle of Influence - In addition to this blog post encouraging people to check out all of the products and services that I offer, I am also going to simply ask for help! Regular readers at Today is that Day say that they love the site and the content, so here is your chance to prove it. If you would like to be a part of helping me rise to this huge challenge, you are welcome and encouraged to do any of the following:
• Make a Donation - No donation is too small (or too large!). Since bloggers get paid for their writing, I am well within my rights to ask people to make a donation if they truly see value in my work.
• Purchase a Product - As indicated above, my products rock, and they are worth every penny.
• Join PDP - Personal Development Partners is a great site, and the members are helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable, not to mention the huge list of benefits that all paying members get immediate access to.
• Hire Me - Check out the details on what I offer, and if I can be of service to you, then great. If not, then please let your own circle of influence know what I have to offer.
• Purchase a Beachbody Product - Not only will you get me as your Team Beachbody Coach, but you'll get a high quality product that is much more than worth it's price.

Defeat is NOT an Option - This entire decision for me was based on my own desires vs. the resources and geography that are available where I live now. It is simply not possible for me to do what I want as long as I live here, and I have explored every conceivable option to determine that fact. If I am going to get what I want (and I am!!), then I do not even have the option of living where I live. It's the coast or nothing!

Conclusion

If you'll read carefully through the challenge-solving process, and then see how I applied that process to my own situation, you'll see one very important fact:

The only thing that actually changed was how I presented or utilized the resources that were there all along!

I didn't have to get more stuff, attain more skills, get a lucky break, or do anything that has not been in my control the entire time. All I did was identify the goal, take an assessment, apply my inventory of resources towards the issue, and then stubbornly refuse to accept anything less than success.

The end results? Well, at the time of this writing, that remains to be seen. However, if you want to see me lead by example by attaining this goal, then subscribe to my RSS feed to stay up to date. I'll be moving to my new coastal residence within 60 days - guaranteed! 

If you wanted to go from the east side of town to the west side of town, there would be a defined route to get there, right? In fact, most people would take that route because it is probably the easiest, fastest, most convenient way to get to that side of town. What do you do when that route is blocked, however?

No matter how easy, fast, or convenient any given method is for getting what we want out of life, there are a myriad of things that could jump directly in our way on the road to goal attainment. If we don't have a back-up plan, then we are stuck staring directly at a road block, with nothing left to do but turn around and go home in defeat.

There is another option here, however, and it requires you to look at your goal from a more global perspective, rather than believing there is only one road that will get you to wherever it is that you want to go. Your path to success is NOT a permanent road. There is only one goal, but there are multiple ways to get there.

If you pin your entire hopes, dreams, and desires on one method, one set of circumstances, or one path, then your very happiness in life will be dependent on that one method, circumstance, or path.

It is important not to view that which stands in your way as your 'enemy.' It can often be your best friend, sending you on a detour that takes you around what could have been your biggest stumbling block.

- Neale Donald Walsch 

It is certainly understandable that we tend to see things in black and white. A certain cause will result in a certain effect, and we were all taught as children that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Life does not deal in straight lines, however!

Picture the following scene to illustrate this concept in a real-world, 3-dimensional scenario:

You are standing on one side of a deep chasm, and you need to get to the other side. The chasm is very deep, and there is an old, rickety rope-bridge tied to trees on either side, and the whole thing looks pretty unstable.

You HAVE to get to the other side, though. What do you do?

Most 3-dimensional thinkers would say that they have no choice - it's the rope-bridge or nothing. Why do they think that way? The rope-bridge is a straight line.

In truth, there are multiple ways to get across a chasm, but when I painted the scene earlier, you immediately assumed that you had limited resources. That is exactly what we do in life, which is why we tend to base all of our hopes for success on the results of any one plan of action.

There are unlimited ways for us to get what we want out of life (to get across our chasms), yet people tend to only see one path, or maybe a small handful of paths, and they ignore anything that they personally don't see or don't understand.

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you think that your way is the only way that could possibly work, not only are you being radically short-sighted, but you're being a bit ego-centric, too.

Who are you to say that whatever methods you personally come up with are the best methods for getting what you want?

• Logic and reason don't always work
• Throwing caution to the wind doesn't always work
• Asking others for advice doesn't always work
• Getting educated/informed doesn't always work
• Following the examples of others doesn't always work

In fact, there is NOTHING that always works for every person. Each situation is different, and the outcome of each situation is different.

The phrase "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten" is a truth of our existence that most people believe in wholeheartedly, as well they should. Here's the rub, though:

Someone else could come along and do what you have always done, but get completely different results.

You, on the other hand, need to change tactics.

• If you have been using logic and reason, then perhaps you need to get more esoteric: Meditation, visualization, affirmations, etc.
• If you have always flown by the seat of your pants, and that hasn't worked, then get more "grounded" and try more traditional methods.
• If you have always followed the advice of others, but you still aren't successful, then maybe you need new mentors, or maybe you should just look inside your own mind for your answers.
• If you have spent years getting educated/informed/experienced so that you could be successful, but you still aren't, maybe it's time to put the books down and start applying what you have learned.
• If you have followed the lead of successful people before you, but their methods aren't working for you, why don't you try coming up with your own methods?

The bottom line is that no matter what methods you have been using, if they haven't worked yet, then they probably never will. Open up your mind to the possibility that your path to success may be so confusing, so convoluted, and so backwards and illogical that you could not possibly imagine it in advance.

Once you are in that open-minded state, you may very well be amazed at how clear things suddenly become. 

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There are many who believe that in order to achieve success, we must follow the successful examples of the people who have come before us. Although that idea has merit, and on some levels can be a part of your achievements, the problem with that mentality is that not everyone is the same.

Just because one guy went from rags to riches after a life full of angst and sorrow does not mean that his system for becoming successful will work for someone else. Just because some lady was able to buck the system and achieve radical success against all odds does not mean that whatever she did will apply to the lives of other people.

The basic idea behind those types of success stories is that there were baseline personality traits that those people consistently exhibited; confidence, tenacity, ambition, focus, consistency, just to name a few.

In addition, although there are certainly success mindsets, the bottom line is that if any given success system is not working for you personally, or if you simply don't want to use it, then you need to find a new way to succeed. You need to break through the walls of normalcy, shatter the accepted norms of society, and do something truly remarkable.

When you do THAT, you'll grow whether you want to or not. Here are 5 great ways to change your stars that require you to do something other than listening to the same self improvement dogma that you have already heard so many times before.

Quit

No, I don't mean quit trying, I mean quit whatever circumstances have consistently been holding you back; and yes, that could certainly mean your job, your relationships, or even your friendships.

People are so afraid that they won't be able to succeed in the various areas of their lives that they cling to lame or generic circumstances like a life raft, but then wonder why their lives aren't getting any better.

If you want something better, then go GET something better. Do it like you mean it, too, and don't be a pansy about it. If you've got what it takes on the inside (and you do), then you will excel no matter where you go, or what you do.

Stop clinging to the parts of your life that you don't like. Cut the cord, free yourself, and go create the life you want to live by quitting the circumstances that are not to your liking.

Unattainable Goals

Go after goals that are so radically outside of what you think you are capable of that most people will think you are insane for even making the attempt:

• If you're single, find the hottest girl or guy that you know. Pick a person that makes you trip over your own two feet when you are in their presence. Got one all picked out? OK, good - now go ask that person out.
• If you want to work for the company that is the "cream of the crop" in your industry, march right in there with your resume' and tell them that you want a job. When they shoot you down, call them incessantly until they give you an interview. No stalking allowed, but anything other than that is fair game.
• If you want to lose weight, set an "Oh my God, my life would be GREAT" type of weight loss goal, and make it your entire life's purpose to attain that goal - but only for a week or two.

What is the purpose behind doing these over the top activities? In every single instance, even if you fall flat on your face and meet with little or no success, you will have gained something far more valuable than a phone number, a job offer, or a few pounds off of the scale.

You will have proven to yourself that you are confident enough to spit in the face of adversity, to throw caution to the wind, and to go after what you want, regardless of how unattainable it may seem.

From that point forward, no challenge will ever have the power to shake your rock-solid foundations.

Invent Something

Why haven't you attained your goals yet? Simple: you haven't found the product/service/opportunity/motivation/partner/resource, etc., that you need. Yes, there are plenty of individual reasons why people don't attain their goals, but they all boil down to the same thing: a lack of whatever it is they need to make it happen.

Maybe it's counseling, or a new weight loss product, or a coach, or a book, or a community, or {insert your reason here}. If there is a reason why you have not attained your goals, do you honestly think that you are the only person in that boat??

It is very likely that there are hundreds of thousands or even millions of people who have also not attained their goals for the same reason(s) that you haven't attained yours. Figure out what that reason is, and then invent the solution:

• It might be a book you write called The Commoner's Guide to Relationship Wizardy.
• It might be a website you create called….I don't know…Personal Development Partners.
• It might be an exercise program called Weight Loss for Fat Wives and Good-for-Nothing Husbands.
• It might be a counseling service called Your life Sucks and Mine used to, So you Should Listen to Me.

Some of those are obviously over the top examples, but you should get the point. If you need a certain something to kick yourself in the pants so that you'll achieve success, other people need it, too. By inventing it, not only do you create the solution for yourself, but you get to make money while you're at it. Bonus!

Escape

No, not in a "run away with your tail between your legs kind of way," but rather in a "you people are crazy, so I'm outta here" kind of way.

If the people in your circle of influence are not conducive to the achievement of your goals, then simply stay away from them. You know who they are, and they know who they are, too, so there will be no surprises when you exit stage left.

If you can't physically get away from the people that you are presently allowing to hold you back, then simply change your mindset towards them. Instead of seeing them as an anchor that is dragging you down to the depths, see them as an excellent example of how not to act. The more they act in a manner that is inconsistent with what pleases you, the more opportunities you will have to act in the opposite manner.

Everyone can at least be used as a bad example!

Trailblaze

The phrase "if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten" is as true on an individual level as it is on a global level.

If human beings had never exercised their right and their ability to expand and create, then we would all still be living in caves, wearing furs, and enjoying a life expectancy of about 35 years.

The more you do not like the circumstances of your life, the more opportunities you have to blaze a new trail that has never been created before. Simply take a look around at how everyone else is trying to do whatever it is that you want to do, and find something that is as far opposite of their methods as possible.

• When The Beatles made rock n' roll mainstream, no one thought it would last.
• When the concept of a "personal" computer was first introduced, it was laughed at, and people couldn't imagine why anyone would want one.
• When cellular telephones first came out, they were literally big enough to be used as lethal weapons.

What could you do differently that would not only allow you to grow as a person, but that would potentially impact the world at large?

Is that vision too big for you? If so, maybe that's why you are still sitting where you're sitting.

These out of the box methods of personal growth and development should have opened your eyes to the fact that success comes not from doing what other people do, but rather from using effective habits, and then creating your own system - one that is custom built for you, but that might also change the world.

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If your life isn't getting any better no matter what you do, then you have reached a plateau that you must break through if you want to start seeing positive, long-term changes.

It is very often the case that we try and we try, and as far as our level of effort, we should be a smashing success. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, something isn't clicking into place, and we aren't seeing the desired results.

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results, then here is a quote to keep in mind:

Self Improvement 101:
"If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten!"

Here is a list of 6 ways that you can kick-start your self improvement efforts, and you only have to do them for 15 minutes each day.

Here is the key, though: You have to do them for 15 minutes each day, and you have to do this for 7 days in a row. 

There are 2 points to this exercise:

1. By doing something consistently for 7 days in a row, you will come to believe the very important truth that when you consistently apply yourself to something over and over again, you will come to understand and appreciate the sheer power of your will, and then you will be unstoppable.
2. By taking 15 minutes of your time every single day for 7 days straight, you will also come to understand that by consistently taking the time to work towards your goals, there will be measurable results, even with just the quick, 15-minute time expenditure.

Depending on your goals, your measurements might be obvious, such as weight loss, or a positive financial or career advancement. For other goals, it may be something more along the lines of a measurable increase in your level of confidence, an idea for an effective action to take, or maybe just a sense of peace or focus that allows you to excel in your future endeavors.

In any case, I challenge you to do this exercise for 1 week straight, and to really put your heart into it. By taking any one of these suggestions and giving it an honest, 100% effort for 15 minutes each day, 7 days in a row, I guarantee that you'll bust through your self improvement plateau!

Research

Most people don't know what they don't know because they don't know what they don't know!

Did you get that?

In other words, ignorance is bliss. Spend your 15 minutes every day learning from quality sources about your area of interest. Don't just randomly search at Google, or even read your favorite blogs. Pick one area of your life that you want to improve, and find one or more quality, reliable sources of information about it, and delve deeply into it for 15 minutes every day. Be sure to take notes about any actions that you are taught or inspired to take.

Quality Time

Many people have heard of "quality time" with regard to their relationships, and if relationship success is one of your goals, then you could certainly use your 15 minutes each day for that activity. Spend that entire block of time dedicated 100% to your significant other, with zero distractions. If you don't have a significant other, then spend those 15 minutes every day writing out the qualities that you want in a potential mate, or even writing out your future relationship "success story".

You can use the quality time tool for things other than relationships as well. Sit down in front of a piece of paper and spend 15 minutes every day writing down every single thing that comes to your mind about whatever self improvement goal you have. Write down all of the positives and the negatives that come to mind about your goal. Before long, you will start to see a pattern develop that will help you to figure out which actions you need to take to succeed. 

Exercise

If your goal is health or weight loss success, then obviously exercise is something that should be part of your daily routine. Lose the completely inaccurate belief that exercise needs to be done for hours in order to be effective, however. If you do quality exercises at the proper intensity for 15 minutes each day, 7 days in a row, you WILL net measurable results. Check out Fitness Destinations or Workout Pass for more info.

Also, exercise is NOT just for people who want to lose weight. The mental and personal productivity benefits that regular exercisers have access to are well documented. You can crank up your level of success in life by engaging in regular exercise, even if you don't want or need to lose weight.

Visualization

Visualization is not some "woo-woo" practice that only Law of Attraction junkies take part in. It does not matter what your personal belief systems are; the act of visualizing is something that you do in order to feel wonderful about your goal, and to put yourself in a state of mind that helps you to focus on what steps you need to take in order to attain that goal.

Visualization should be done 100% without distraction. Sit comfortably and in a quiet environment, or alternatively, listen to music that really helps you to "feel" what it will be like to have what you are visualizing for. If you are inspired to take any specific long-term or short-term action while you are visualizing, then do so!

Scripting

Scripting is basically the art of writing out what you want your life to be like. You write about your "perfect life" from the point of view of having already achieved it, and you don't need to be an accomplished author in order to do this effectively.

Simply sit down and write out - in great detail - what your life will be like once you have attained your goal. Use lavish words that describe a world where you are mindlessly happy, and paradise would pale by comparison. Really get into the exercise and have a good time while you're doing it. If you run out of things to write about, then spend your 15-minute segments reading and thinking about what you previously wrote. Be sure to really allow yourself to feel yourself in the world that you have scripted. 

Meditate

The benefits of meditation have been so well documented that I will not use any time here to rehash those concepts. Meditation can be used as a tool to take yourself to another level of success, and it can be a powerful process if you are stuck and can't seem to move forward in your self improvement efforts.

In a nutshell, meditation is time when you don't actively think about anything in particular. Ordinarily, we have a difficult time NOT thinking about our lives, including our successes and our perceived failures. When you meditate, you give yourself time - 15 minutes in this case - to just let go and not worry about anything at all. By doing so, and releasing your attachment to your day-to-day concerns, you will often experience epiphanies which are "light bulb moments" when you are able to see things with an extreme level of clarity and a sense of purpose.

For more about visualization, scripting, and meditation, be sure to check out the Manifest a Miracle audio program.

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