Life Goes On

Boy, do I feel old. Or at least older.

No, I didn't just have a birthday (well, it was last month). I am thirty-seven years old. No, my oldest child just had a birthday ? he turned 13 last Friday (I have four kids ? 13, 11, 9, and 8).

Sure, I am not old, and neither is he. But this birthday ? the 13th ? is significant and is cause for reflection. "They don't get any younger," they say. And that is exactly my point.

It seems like just yesterday I was playing baseball in little league. Or getting my high school diploma. Or walking down the aisle to get married. Or seeing my firstborn for the first time in that hospital in Morristown N.J.

All of those things were great experiences and ones that I will only experience once. They were fulfillments of goals I had set or dreams that I had. They came, and they went. Now they are but memories. Can you remember yours?

Soon enough this young man of mine will graduate himself and be gone from our home. And his three little sisters soon after that. When the youngest graduates from high school, I'll be 47. Ten more years of goals fulfilled , but ten years less to live.

Life goes on and there is nothing you can do to stop the wheels of time? All you can do is make sure that you live every moment of every hour, of every day, week and year to it's fullest. That is all we can do.

So these are my question to you this week: Are you aware that your life goes on? Do you realize that many of things you are experiencing will never be experienced again? Do you know that once a day is gone, it is gone forever?

Its true. All the more reason we must be extremely proactive. I am not suggesting that we work all the time. I believe that we should live balanced lives and that our down times are just as important in the grand scheme of things as those in which we are working away. The key is to know what we want to do, to be proactive in making sure we do it, and then following through so when that day comes on which we take our last breath, or someone close to us does, we know deep down in our hearts that we did everything we could to make the most of our lives.

Have you taken responsibility and ownership for your life?

Do you have clearly stated goals?

Are you working on your relationships to make them as healthy as humanly possible? Are you keeping your life in balance?

Will you leave a legacy for others to enjoy and follow?

These are important questions to answer. More important than that is to do what it takes to live the life of your dreams and leave a lasting legacy.

I am spending my life committed to helping others do all they can to make the most of their lives and enjoy them to the fullest. If you are doing that and living the life of your dreams, that is great!

If you don't take the time and invest today, when will you? You don't have to pursue your dreams ? they can wait right? But remember, life goes on. The kids get older, and so do you. Tomorrow there will only be one less day to make your significant mark on the world. You know the world needs your contribution, don't you? Now more than ever!

Here is my challenge: Live your dreams TODAY! Take your life under your control and make it happen.

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Palestinians pray over the bodies of  people killed near a United Nations school Tuesday, during their funeral in the Jebaliya refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. Israel's military paused its Gaza offensive for three hours Wednesday to allow food and fuel to reach besieged Palestinians, and the country's leaders debated whether to accept an international cease-fire plan or expand the assault against Hamas. With criticism rising of the operation's spiraling civilian death toll and Gazans increasingly suffering the effects of nonstop airstrikes and shelling, Israel's military said it opened 'humanitarian corridors' to allow aid supplies to reach Palestinians.(AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)AP - Israel resumed its Gaza offensive Wednesday, bombing heavily around suspected smuggling tunnels near the border with Egypt after a three-hour lull to allow in humanitarian aid. Hamas responded with a rocket barrage.



People looks for jobs in front of computer screens at the California Employment Development Department in Sunnyvale, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The country lost nearly 2 million jobs through November and more bad news is expected this week when the government releases data on weekly jobless claims and December unemployment. No matter how bad those numbers are, and economists expect at least another 500,000 jobs were lost last month, the pain is stretching into 2009. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)AP - Pink slips are piling higher as companies scramble to cut costs even deeper to survive the country's economic and financial storms.



President-elect Barack Obama gestures during a news conference at his transition office in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, where he introduced Nancy Killefer, right, to the newly created position of chief performance officer. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)AP - Pointing with concern to "red ink as far as the eye can see," President-elect Barack Obama pledged Wednesday to tackle out-of-control Social Security and Medicare spending and named a special watchdog to clamp down on other federal programs — even as he campaigned anew to spend the largest pile of taxpayer money in history to revive the sinking economy.



Illinois U.S. Senate Appointee Roland Burris, left, meets with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)AP - Senate Democrats beat a hasty retreat Wednesday from their rejection of Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's successor, yielding to pressure from Obama himself and from senators irked that the standoff was draining attention and putting them in a bad light. Burris said with a smile he expected to join them "very shortly."



Protesters yell during a demonstration against the shooting death of Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale BART station in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009. Grant was shot and killed by a police officer after an altercation on a BART train station platform in Oakland on New Year's Day.  (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)AP - Protests over the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer turned violent Wednesday night with windows broken, fires set and train stations closed.



President-elect Barack Obama is welcomed by President George W. Bush for a meeting at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, with former presidents, from left, George H.W. Bush, Bill  Clinton, and Jimmy Carter.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)AP - Confronting a grim economy and a Middle East on fire, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to perhaps the only people on the planet who understand what he's in for: the four living members of the U.S. presidents' club.



In this photo provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation, water rushes past a washed out road near Blewett Pass on U.S. highway 97 in Washington State on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 in Washington State. (AP Photo/Washington State Department of Transportation)AP - Rain and high winds lashed Washington state Wednesday, causing widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures as the heavy snowfall that has buried parts of the state began to rapidly melt.



Workers put bulletproof glass on President-elect Barack Obama's Inaugural Reviewing Stand on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)AP - The upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama is an attractive target for international and domestic terrorists, but U.S. intelligence officials have no information about specific threats to the Jan. 20 event.



Christian Bale accepts the favorite action movie award for 'The Dark Knight' at the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards on Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)AP - Holy People's Choice Awards, Batman!



Harvard's Jeremy Lin (4) drives for the basket in front of Boston College's Rakim Sanders in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)AP - Jeremy Lin scored 27 points to lead Harvard to an 82-70 upset over No. 17 Boston College on Wednesday night, three days after the Eagles upset previously top-ranked North Carolina.



An Israeli soldier stands next to blindfolded Palestinian prisoners after they were arrested during an Israeli military operation in the northern Gaza Strip January 7, 2009, in this picture released by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday she had pressed Israel to seriously consider an Egyptian ceasefire plan as the U.N. Security Council weighed action to end Israel's attack on Gaza. (IDF/Handout/Reuters)Reuters - Israeli warplanes bombed targets across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and tanks advanced on Palestinian guerrillas as U.S. backing for a truce proposal raised expectations of an end to the offensive.



President-elect Barack Obama listens to a question from the media following a meeting with members of his future cabinet and economic advisors at his transition office in Washington, January 6, 2009. (Jason Reed/Reuters)Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama will call for quick action on a fiscal stimulus package in a speech on Thursday aimed at reassuring Americans that he is determined to stem the economic crisis.



Reuters - Three rockets fired from Lebanon exploded in northern Israel on Thursday, the first since the Jewish state launched an offensive in Gaza two weeks ago, Israeli police said.

A share trader reacts while checking share prices in front of the German share price index DAX board at the German stock exchange in Frankfurt, December 18, 2008. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)Reuters - A fresh wave of profit warnings and job cuts soured investor sentiment on Thursday after an employment report suggested U.S. job losses in December could be the worst in almost 60 years.



Senate-designate Roland Burris talks with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Reid's office on Capitol Hill, January 7, 2009. (Larry Downing/Reuters)Reuters - In an abrupt switch, Democratic leaders began talks on Wednesday to swear in Roland Burris, appointed by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.



A customer looks at listings on display outside a Brown Harris Stevens offices in New York, June 4, 2008. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)Reuters - It took war, the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and the collapse of some of New York's famed investment banks, but Manhattan apartment prices are finally falling.



Reuters - U.S. cities are vulnerable to an attack like the gun-and-grenade assault that terrorized Mumbai for three days and killed 179 people, the White House homeland security adviser said on Wednesday.

Ali al-Marri, who has been held for 5-1/2 years at a U.S. military prison in South Carolina, is seen in this undated photograph released to Reuters on January 6, 2008. An early test for President-elect Barack Obama will be the case of suspected al Qaeda 'sleeper' agent Marri, which will force Obama to take a position on his predecessor's claim that anyone the president deems a national security threat can be imprisoned indefinitely without charges in the United States. (Handout/Reuters)Reuters - The case of Ali al-Marri, accused of being an al Qaeda "sleeper" agent and held for 5-1/2 years at a U.S. military prison in South Carolina, will be an early test for President-elect Barack Obama.



Israeli soldiers patrol the Israeli-Lebanese border. Four rockets hit northern Israel from Lebanon early Thursday, military sources told AFP.(AFP/Mahmoud Zayat)AFP - Four rockets hit northern Israel from Lebanon early Thursday, military sources told AFP.



A Palestinian protestor flashes the V for 'victory' sign in front of an Israeli soldier near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's old city. Israeli warplanes bombed suspected arms-smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza early Thursday, as diplomats worked to secure a ceasefire in an offensive that has killed 700 Palestinians.(AFP/Ahmad Gharabli)AFP - Israeli warplanes bombed suspected arms-smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza early Thursday, as diplomats worked to secure a ceasefire in an offensive that has killed 700 Palestinians.




Surefire Ways to Develop a Thankful Attitude

Spend some time thinking about how good you have it. We know... Read More

Journaling for Two

Journaling is a powerful tool that can enhance our lives and support... Read More

Material Girl

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 16, 2002I recently... Read More

Your Inner Wisdom -- Crouching Ego, Hidden Guru

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a spiritual counselor that traveled... Read More

The Seasons Of Life, Part 5 of 5

This week is Part Five of our five part series on The... Read More

How I Get Joy as a Value

*In the last couple of months, I have been fortunate to be... Read More

Care And Maintenance Of The Human Hard Drive

The human brain is very much like a hard drive. If you... Read More

Circles On The Water ? The Impact You Make On People?s Lives

When you were a child, or maybe even when you were older,... Read More

Charge Your Imagination (3)

As we progress into the year, it is necessary for professionals to... Read More

The Bouncer (Turning Defeat into Victory)

I'm a pretty competitive guy, though I try to keep it in... Read More

Just Think of Kyle!

This morning at 5:22am to 6am, I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed is an... Read More

Borne Upon the Wings of Words

How often do you have opportunities every day to exercise your power... Read More

Dare To Dream

The rewards of life come to those who do, not to those... Read More

Keeping Faith

Direct Answers - Column for the week of June 30, 2003Please bear... Read More

My Passion, My Life

Every morning I excitedly get out of bed. Just a few minutes... Read More

The Meaning of Life - Not Just Another Dust in the Wind Theory

I grew up in the south in the 1960's. Married when I... Read More

Discover How To Make The Success Generating Imagination Work For You

The secret power of positive thinkers is their faith. And this faith... Read More

Trusting Yourself and Others

How come, as women, we always second-guess ourselves? Are we not confident... Read More

4 Abundant Ways To Add FIRE To Your Passion!

How many times have you found yourself dreaming you were more passionate?What... Read More

Follow Your Dreams: Believe In You

What you believe in the inside, to a large extent determines how... Read More

Anamchara - Living From A Deep Place

I live in a beautiful place.This is the village of Dowra and... Read More

Make Mistakes! Its Okay - Really!

When you fall, do you get right back up? Do you learn... Read More

Breaking Bonds

I am just out of high school, and I have come to... Read More

Caste Out

Direct Answers - Column for the week of September 29, 2003I am... Read More

Self Acceptance ? Lessons From My Hair Affair

For our diet and, indeed, in every aspect of our lives, we... Read More

Inspiration, the Living Force

These moments of awareness are powerful motivators. They boost our spirit and... Read More

The Final Frontier

When all that you have done has not brought you what you... Read More

Anamchara - Making Sense of Life

Many successful persons advise you start your day with a list of... Read More

Get On with Your LIfe

You've lost your job, that's all you know, and you don't have... Read More

Life Lessons I Learned from My Cat

Even if you are not a cat person, bear with me, as... Read More

Its Not My Job to Free Tibet

I hate saying that. It feels so very wrong. It's not that... Read More

Coming To Your Senses, Again and Again!

When we talk about the Enchanted Self we are referring to positive... Read More

For Old Times Sake

Direct Answers - Column for the week of August 19, 2002I am... Read More

FEAR Don?t Let it Control You!

Fear. What is it? Can you touch it? Can you hold it?... Read More

Michael Vick is Average

Michael Vick can do wonders on a football field, but don't think... Read More

Everyone Has Been Hurt... Part 4

Continued...After that I stayed with him still and when he would hit... Read More

Whats Your Reason For Waiting?

The fever had been high late into the night, but at 2:30... Read More

To Thine Own Self

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 6, 2004Someone gave... Read More

The Eyes of the Clown

There are few enough miracles in life, God knows. I think perhaps... Read More

Your James Bond Fantasies Become Real

The problem with this is that fantasies usually don't come by chance.... Read More

No More Frustration: The Thorns of Opportunity - Part II

The quest for the ultimate victory.In part one I shared with you... Read More

H-U-G-S -------The More You Give----The More You Get!

How many of us couldn't use a hug on a daily basis----------well,... Read More

Is the Life Youre Living the Life You Want?

In pre-revolutionary Russia, a rabbi was walking to the synagogue. A Russian... Read More

The Art of Selfishness

Mature selfishness is the cornerstone of effectively living with passion and purpose.... Read More

Without Love

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 30, 2002Kendra and... Read More

Once in a Lifetime

A subscriber recently wrote to me and asked me to consider this... Read More

When Self-Growth becomes Self-Sabotage

Many of us invest quality time and energy into our personal development.... Read More