How to Check Important Things off Your Bucket List!
The first book of Brian Tracy’s that I ever read was Maximum Achievement in 1994. I was working in the corporate world at the time, traveling extensively and having more staff, clients, and business come my way. I’m. a. nurse…business was not my knowledge base but what I loved about reading and listening to Brian was that he made it clear that if I applied myself, I could learn everything I needed to be successful. I believed him and applied myself to learning as much as I could about sales, marketing, entrepreneurship and achievement. I know this belief contributed to my becoming a CEO and a nurse pioneer in corporate boardrooms with many Fortune 500 companies.
I always strive to learn from the best, so each December, I attend James Malinchak’s Speakers Success Bootcamp. When I heard that James Malinchak was having Brian Tracy on his stage, I immediately registered to meet him and have a picture taken. I have come to learn that you only get so many opportunities in this life, so when one presents itself, the way to check important things off your bucket list is to take action! It was also great fun being able to introduce several NNBA Nurse Members to this event.
While I have purchased several other programs of Brian Tracy’s, my favorite continues to be Maximum Achievement. I would have loved to have him sign a copy of my book but, after reading it for 25 years, it is highly annotated and torn. So instead, when he asked my name before taking my hand to shake it, I said in a very heartfelt way how much I loved his book and how much it has meant to me. His beautiful brown eyes just looked right to me and said “Michelle, it is the best book I have ever written.” Remember, Brian Tracy’s has written over 70 books!
Time didn’t permit for me to share with Brian what ultimately became my favorite section of this book. You see, when I read Maximum Achievement for the first time, I had no idea I would have a child eight years later. He included a wonderful chapter on the art of parenting and I am very grateful I read and practiced many of the recommendations Brian made.
So how do you check the important things off your bucket list? You take action! Brian said it best with this paragraph right off the page of the first chapter titled, “Make Your Life a Masterpiece.”
No matter who you are or what your situation, you have within you, right now, the ability to accomplish more than you ever have before. You have the potential to exceed all your previous levels of accomplishment. You can be, have, and do more than perhaps you ever imagined. All you need to do is to learn how and then put what you learn into action. To learn more about Brian Tracy, go to www.BrianTracy.com.
Since 1985 the National Nurses in Business Association (NNBA) is dedicated to advancing and promoting Nurses in Business, Nurse Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs. The NNBA is the ‘Voice of Nurse Entrepreneurship’ as a result of the active participation and contributions of its richly resourced membership.
© 2016 Michelle Podlesni RN, CEO, USN Veteran, accomplished businesswoman, author of Unconventional Nurse® and president of the National Nurses in Business Association.
What a wonderful story Michelle. I love hearing you say that you saw an opportunity and took ACTION!! That’s the difference between people who dream and people who do. You are certainly a “DOER”!
Thank you for your continued support for other aspiring and experienced nurse entrepreneurs.
Michelle,
Thanks for sharing this. I love Brian Tracy. For years I have purchased his materials and subscribed to his daily quotes.
Not sure if you are referring to the same thing in your article, but one of the most valuable things that I do daily (even on weekends sometimes) is make a list for the day. I may not get all of the list checked off but I feel like it focuses me for the day and I do feel an accomplishment when I can check even one thing off.
Back in 2001, I got this very important tip from one of Brian’s audio tapes. In the audio, he said that the one important thing that he has taught many corporations is to have the employees to do a daily list of “to do’s” even if the list is not totally completed at day’s end, it provides a sense of productivity. He is right. I have use it since then.
I’m a bit late to the conversation, but I wholeheartedly agree. I sat next to Brian Tracy at my first NSA Conference, where he encouraged me and introduced me to several other speakers. He said he had great respect for nurses. 🙂
I was humbled that someone with his achievement took an interest in a (then) beginning speaker. He is so generous with his time and talent.