The Power of Now

"Everyone has the power to impact the outcome of his life. The way to do it is to focus on today...Today is the only time you have. It's too late for yesterday. And you can't depend on tomorrow."  ~John C. Maxwell

A life with big dreams but no actions is like having a sports car with 700 horsepower but having no gas in the tank. Lots of potential, but you aren't going to be going anywhere. Our dreaming  is something that is a part of us as people. Our wish for a better tomorrow, a brighter future, an improvement in our quality of life. If you ask anybody you meet how they see their circumstances 5 years from today they will inevitably tell you they will be better. When you ask them how they plan on making this dream come true however, you will often be greeted with a stammered half though out explanation with a weak plan of action.

Why else would people be so dismissive when they label people as "dreamers", or say that they have their "heads in the clouds". It is because there is no plan in in place to make the dream come true! Actions and plans are the gas that will fill up our proverbial cars and get us moving where we want to go. So how do you put a plan together to reach the lofty dreams that most of us possess. It is all about taking the first steps today. It is about building a foundation of small victories today that will lead to great success tomorrow.  "Every great journey starts the same way, with one step." ~E.R. Ames 


By beginning to work towards your dream today, you are forging a stronger will and commitment to the idea. You are starting to put in place a powerful realization in your mind. That you ARE capable of achieving your dreams, that obstacles that are in your way can be conquered, that regardless of the price you pay now the reward at the end of your journey will be all the greater for it.  "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other thing" ~Abraham Lincoln.

The power of now is the power to no longer procrastinate. It is the power to manifest your dreams in reality. It is a power that is available to everyone provided they break the mindset of "tomorrow and impossible" and instead embrace "today and achievable" . "Most people don't lead their own lives-- they accept their lives." ~John Kotter. Break the cycle TODAY, take action NOW, and turn your DREAMS into REALITY! You CAN do it and all it takes is for you to take that first step. Are you ready?

Living Life with Integrity

A lie is an insidious thing. They usually start out small. Something so small that it may even be considered inconsequential.However a lie is like a seed, once planted it starts to grow. And this particular seed plants roots that grow deep, and they choke off life with every day they are left unchecked. You can lie to more than just other people too, it is the worst lie, a lie to yourself.

"By a lie, a man... annihilates his dignity as a man." -Immanuel Kant

Do you remember the scenes from old movies and shows where two people would seal a deal with a handshake? Where people said a man was only as good as his word? What happened to those days? These days friends betray friends, promises are taken with a grain of salt, and a business deal would NEVER be done without legal paperwork. The selfish motivations of people in society  cause them to live lives of dishonesty and distrust. How many times have you had arrangements with a friend of yours only to have it broken? How many times have you been the one not keeping your word? 

Your quality of life suffers greatly when you are living a life without integrity. When people can not trust you, you lose their respect. When you lie to yourself, you are disrespecting yourself. If you believe in something and do not live it you are being dishonest. One of the great things about telling the truth is you never have to remember what you said! There is no tangled web of deceit that you need to navigate. Having the complete trust of others and in yourself is empowering. When people know your word is good they trust you more. This can strengthen friendships, relationships, your career life, faith, etc. 

A life of integrity is a life of fulfillment and rewards. It may not be pleasant to always live this way, but I promise you that the temporary uncomfortableness, is less than the pain of a life of lies. It also gets easier and more rewarding with every day you live honestly!

It is never too late to be what we might have been.
 ~George Eliot

Take charge today! It is never to late to make the changes in your life that you want. It is never to late to start anew. Start living with integrity today.

Chip and a Chair

I love playing poker. I play weekly with a group of buddies and we have been doing it for years. It is a relaxing way to spend an evening with good friends and have some fun and maybe, make some cash in the process. One thing that I like about poker is that although it is technically "gambling' it feels like more of a battle of minds than pure luck. You are trying to read your opponent and trying to send him the wrong signals about what you hold.

So one story that always resonated with me was that of Jack Straus and the 1982 World Series of Poker. Jack was playing his heart out but ended up losing all but ONE $25 chip. He famously fought his way back to the top and ended up winning the whole thing, resulting in $520,000 in winnings and an exclusive champions bracelet.

I always liked this story because it showed the value of never giving up. An old Japanese proverb says "Fall down seven times, stand up eight." The trouble is most people don't stand up that eighth time and instead stay knocked down never knowing that their success was right there waiting for them. I have been knocked down so many times in my life. Whether it is emotionally, physically, financially, I have been at the top and the bottom. There were times when I thought I would just stay down. That it was too HARD to get back up. But after every knock down I have always came up stronger, smarter, and more full of fire for life and success.

Do you think that Jack Straus was thinking he could win the entire 1982 World Series of Poker when he was down to literally 1 chip and a chair. That did not stop him from fighting back though. It wasn't too long before he was able to see the possibility of winning the entire tournament and succeed. Apply this lesson to your life. Wherever you are in life, you may not be able to see the big picture or what lies waiting for you around the next corner. You will never discover the greatness that is in you though if you stay knocked down. So if you are laying on your back right now wondering how you got there and if it is worth it to get back up. Think of Jack Straus and realize that it is time to stand up. It is time to go on that amazing journey called life and discover the great potential you hold inside. It is time for you to take your chip and a chair and go WIN.

The Power of Lending Your Hand and Heart

"Never look down on anybody unless you are helping him up." ~Jesse Jackson

When you see someone in need, what is your first reaction? Do you instinctively look down on them because they are less fortunate than you? When you see a homeless person begging do you roll your eyes and get angry that they are asking for help? When your friends come to you with their emotional baggage do you tell them to leave it outside? Or do you help them unpack it and put it away?

The truth is that everyone in this world has been broken at some point in their life. Some, just a little. Others, have been broken completely. The ability to put it all back together is based in large part, to those that are there to help you. People are always making statements about what separates us humans from animals. Whether it be self awareness, our higher thought processes, tool using ability, etc. One thing that MANY animals do instinctively is to demonstrate altruism to other animals. They care for the young, injured, and hungry without thought to themselves. How many human beings can you say this of? Isn't this a trait that should be instinctively human? Something we should not only aspire to, but in fact practice daily in our lives.

The greatest rewards that I have ever received have been from helping others. The saying that "The more you give, the more you receive." has found a new meaning in my life. If you have followed this blog then you are aware that my life has gone through something of a transformation this past year. I have shed my old life like a robe and stepped into a new one full of life, vigor, love, and satisfaction. One of the facets of my new life that I am fully embracing is being there for others. So many people do not have a place to turn anymore. They have no idea how they got where they are and no idea how to get out of it. From experiences with society and others they have come to expect nothing but cynicism and disregard from others. Can you imagine how amazing it would feel to have someone show a genuine interest in your well being?  The emotional reward of helping someone succeed is beyond description. It is pure joy.

Now, you may not be the one needing help. You may need help, but it may not be as desperate of a situation as others. No matter, you are important and a player in this equation. A question I often hear and one I have asked myself is "Why does God let people suffer?". I asked myself this question and never received an answer that I was happy with. This is one reason that for a while I became an atheist. Then the answer came to me when I found God again. He is not making them suffer, we are. We have so much to give and yet many of us are so selfish with our time and materials. If you do not believe that YOU are meant to help those that are less fortunate well then I am sorry to say, YOU ARE WRONG. Every one of us has an obligation AND ability to help those around us. Use your talents, sometimes it is as simple and listening to someone.

I have been blessed in numerous ways and I directly correlate that with living a life that is full of service for others. Imagine the power and difference that one person can make. Now imagine a world full of like minded individuals. Giving of yourself is one of the noblest and most rewarding things that you can do.


"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. " ~Mohandas Ghandi

Setting Yourself Up for Sucess

The great and glorious masterpiece of
man is to know how to live to purpose.
Michel de Montaigne

You want to be successful? Then never be satisfied with the level you are at. There is always room for growth in life, and if you are not growing you are dieing. Do you want to simply live, or would you rather thrive? I believe that there is something very powerful about putting your goals down on a sheet of paper. It is here that your goals go from simply being thoughts and dreams in your head and move into reality. Through the act of physically putting them down you are committing yourself to making them real. I would even challenge you to take it a step further as I have  and to share your goals with others, you will be sure to work that much harder to achieve them when you are proving to others that you got what it takes.

On my list I have already started working on a number of these items.
1) I have begun drafting my book.
2) I am meeting with a friend from U.W. who has been going to school for years learning these kinds of things to work on putting together a seminar.
3) I am working my butt off in the gym so I can make it to Men's Health magazine
4) I am training for my marathon and races.
5) I began bike training this past weekend for the Seattle to Portland Bike Classic. That one is a doozy, 202 miles!
6) Working with a few different artist from as far away as Africa on new music!
7) Registered today for the 6th annual Winter Pineapple Classic. This is a race for charity, we are raising money for cancer research.
8) Raising money for charity!

If you are reading this I would encourage you to get inspired and light your motivational fire. It only takes a small spark and fuel before you are a raging inferno of passion and drive! You can do it.

I would ask for your help in raising money for the 6th annual Winter Pineapple Classic, my teams goal is to raise $1,000.00 for research. If you can donate even as little as a dollar it is ALL going to the foundation and an AMAZING cause. Please visit the website below and help end this disease today with your gift :) God Bless you all. Make a Gift Today.

http://www.llswa.org/site/TR/Events/WinterPineappleClassic?px=1509890&pg=personal&fr_id=1200

Build a Strong Foundation in Life

If you have never heard the story of the wise builder and foolish builder it goes something like this. "There were two men who were each building a home. The wise man built his home on a stone foundation. The foolish man built his home on the sand. So when the rains, winds, and storms came crashing down on the homes the wise mans home stood strong throughout. The foolish mans home washed away."


So what kind of foundation are you building your life on? The storms in life are unavoidable and unpredictable. The best we can do is to make sure that we are prepared when they do arrive. A strong foundation in life is built on a three simple tenets. Having a strong body, mind, and soul.


#1. Having a strong body. In the current day and age of fast food, and no time for the gym, this is probably one of the hardest tenets to keep rock solid. The reason I start with this facet of your life foundation is that it will effect all others. You live every day in your body and how healthy you are impacts the quality of your everyday life. Lets take two different types of people, someone who takes care of their body and is healthy, and someone who is overweight and unhealthy.How do you think they would answer this question. "Are you happy?". Obviously the healthy person would likely answer "Yes" and the unhealthy "No"? The focus here is not on physical beauty but on your health and vitality. "Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.  When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open".  ~B.K.S. Iyengar

You will never regret the decision to start living healthily. However, everyday living unhealthy is a day of regret. One more day that you can not experience all of life's joys. One more day that you can't climb that mountain and see the breathtaking view at the apex. One more lost opportunity. No matter how long it has been since you ate something good for your body, or stepped in a gym, it is never too late. All journeys start the same, with one step.


#2. Have a strong mind. Life is not meant to be lived in front of a television screen. Life is a journey. "How often I found where I should be going only by setting out for somewhere else.
~Buckminster Fuller"  The pursuit and desire for knowledge is the thing that has driven humanity towards it great heights. Often when we are searching for something we end up finding what we were "really" looking for along the way. It is the great tragedy of this generation that minds have been so neglected. A life not used learning along the way is a life truly wasted. How else can you achieve your great unlimited potential if not for pushing yourself. For all you know, you could be the one who is destined to discover a cure for cancer, or write the next great symphony, maybe solve the great questions of the universe, or just have the right thing to say to save someone when they need it. The point is, if you do not push yourself towards greater heights of knowledge and understanding then you are not the only one who is suffering, it could be the world. It is only through mutual understanding and the pursuit of knowledge that one day hopefully this world will know true peace and happiness. Apply these lessons to your life.


#3. Have a strong soul. What does this mean? "There is no easy or quick plan to happiness, there is no single spot where you can start. Where you are right now is the best place to begin. Be careless in your dress if you must, but keep a tidy soul".~Mark Twain. Oh, I love this quote so much. Mark Twain describes so succinctly how one of the foundations of our lives is so integral to happiness. "OK", you may be saying to yourself, "but what is a soul, Ethan?". A favorite description of mine is one by C.S. Lewis, "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." You are your soul. It is who you are, your character, your conscience, your ideas, your values, your morals, and all that is you. Keep this strong. It is so important to have a strong belief and faith in yourself. You must live with integrity and keep a clear image of who you are and what you are meant to do. Christians, like myself, believe that our soul is eternal and that we will one day stand before God to be judged for our actions. I pray that my soul is strong enough to follow the path I have chosen and love so much. Others, may follow different theologies or philosophies but the message resonates through them all. Have a strong soul that you can be proud of, live well, do well to others. Do this and you will then have a firmer foundation in life.



So, are you building your home on a stone foundation or on the sand? If its on the sand, today is the time to move. Life has storms, do not be afraid of them washing you away. Be able to stand tall and proud and KNOW that it is all going to be ok.


Ethan R. Ames

Dream BIG

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by

dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing,

then we truly live life.

 - Greg Anderson

(This article is personal to me and shares a painful experiences I went through along with the life changing decisions made after.)

Wow I LOVE this quote! If you have followed me for long at all you know that I am a sucker for a good quote or catch phrase.I keep a little journal of them so that if I am ever in need of motivation I can just flip to it and BOOM, there it is.  In January of 2011 my ex wife and I separated to begin our divorce. I felt like every dream, hope, and love I had was being destroyed all around me. So for the next several months I went through a personal hell that I tried hard to hide, poorly, with alcohol and living a life very close to the edge. I had given up all my REAL dreams, REAL goals. And as for love, pffff! It did not exist. Then I had a life changing moment ,which is not the focus here, and began to immediately reevaluate my life, decisions, goals, aspirations, and relationships. What I saw was that I had given up on everything that mattered. 

It was in this moment of self-realization that I started to dream and make goals again. It was as if someone had lit a match in my heart that had started an inferno.  From this inferno came an intense desire to make a difference in the world. I could start to visualize all my dreams and desires and seeing how to obtain them. I started to see the good in people again. I realized that people do hurt eachother but they also are the source of so much love and support, that to become cynical and unresponsive to them is self destructive. Without dreams to live for and love to receive and give, life is hollow and holds little meaning. The beauty this is that it's NEVER to late for you to shed the cynical attitude and thick hide that we use as protection from hurt. And to begin to be receptive and  receive the blessings that this life holds for all who can dream to receive them.

Don't let life get shatter or get in the way of you dreaming big. If you have a passion, pursue it with all your heart. No one just magically attains their goals and dreams it takes hard work and sacrifice. But in the end would you rather ask "What if?" or say "Glad I did!"

Without goals, dreams and love to live for, what are you living for? Dream BIG, love BIG, and live BIG. God bless!

Ethan R. Ames

Your Life is a Story Waiting to be Written...

"Your Life is a Story Waiting to be Written..."

This is a powerful statement when you think about it. After all if you read between the lines it is saying a couple incredible things to us.

#1. It is YOUR life. Ever heard or said these words to someone "It's my life, I'll do what I want". Normally this is statement of rebellion against some authority figure in your life, like a parent for example. However, I think it is really empowering when you embrace the idea that you control the direction of your life. So all the successes and failures you experience are a result of the direction you are steering your life. Personally, I navigate life aided by my belief in God and his eternal love and wisdom for us. If you do not follow any theology, like an atheist, then this statement is STILL just as valid. You believe in man's power over his own life and his decisions to either embrace a life of goodness or evil directly correlate to his successes or failures.

#2. It's a story. If you have ever read any book you know that for it to be interesting it needs depth, twists, emotional involvement, plot, supporting characters, antagonist, protagonist, etc... Now think of how interesting this book would be: A man/woman goes to work, comes home, eats fast food, plays video games/shops, drinks/drugs, goes to bed, repeat for a year. I think after one page of that drivel we would all put that book away or use it as fire kindling. So, why is it that so many people live their lives this way? Is it exciting? No. Are there emotional connections being made? No. Are there meaningful interactions? No.

You get the point. Life is made to be experienced. We have five senses; sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. Use them for more than the basic mundane activities of simply getting by. This world is majestic and full of adventure and new experiences around every corner. Get out there and start writing the best story that anyone will ever read. LIVE your life, Don't simply exist.

#3. It is waiting to be written.  Imagine a blank page of paper that gets magically filled with a story as you act it out. There is no erasing what has been written on this paper once it is committed. But there is the endless opportunity for you to change the narrative and story to your liking. We all make mistakes in life. We all do things that we may look back on later and think were rash or foolish. We also experience so many magical moments that we want to remember. This is your life. You can not change what is in the past. We are blessed with great memories to recall the amazing with the bad. We are also given the ability to control the future through our actions. Nothing is set in stone. Some of histories greatest figures were individuals that pulled themselves up from their bootstraps and rose to great heights. You have this same gift.

"Your life is a story waiting to be written. So go out and write an epic one." God bless.


Ethan R. Ames

First Post

You have great potential, do not be scared to live up to it. Take risks, the bigger the challenge, the greater the reward. ~ERA. #truth

So, here's the deal. In a world with a 24hr news cycle and a constant barrage of celebrity news and gossip from sites like TMZ and others. We are constantly hearing about the unbelievable lives of people who are portrayed to be so much "better" than us. All you hear about is how to "look like SO and SO, get ABS like Joe, or Make Money like Donald". It is great to aspire to better yourself financially, mentally, and physically. In fact I believe that it is a key part of living a happy and fulfilling life.

But realize that YOU are special and that no one is BETTER than you. Life is full of battles and obstacles to overcome, but look at these as opportunities to become a stronger individual. After all, how strong can you know you really are until tested. A muscle grows stronger by tearing its fibers and then growing back better than it was before. This is how our lives and we as human beings operate. We are tested, sometimes torn, and then when you make it through you come out on the other side stronger and better than you were before.

The greatest tragedy that any man or woman can make is to avoid these struggles for fear of failure. All this does is make you weaker and less able to stand up tall and strong in the world. It breaks my heart to see people suffering. Sometimes your challenge is to lift up those around you and not be afraid to put yourself in there place. Sometimes you are the person needing lifting up. 

So be strong, have faith, and know that whoever you are, wherever you are, and no matter how alone or weak and afraid you feel. There is at least one person in this world that is praying for you to succeed. And we may have never met face to face but I have love for you and if I met you tomorrow I would be happy to see another AMAZING human being. You have beauty and worth inside and out. 

Don't be afraid to live up to your potential.

Ethan R. Ames