Arel Moodie International (AMI)

What is Success? Who is Arel Moodie? Why Should I Care? These questions are answerd in this blog :)

Thursday, June 26, 2008

The power practice of focus...this is tough

So I don't know if you are like me, (I'm thinking we are similar if you are reading this) but I always have about 30 billion thoughts going through my head at one time. I'm thinking about a movie I just saw or I have a song stuck in my head (currently it's Moving Mountain by Usher) or what next project I have to do or my to do list tasks, I mean the list just goes on and on.

So focusing has always been one of my biggest challenges. It's hard for me to focus on the task at hand.

So I tried something really new to me, I tried meditating. And let me tell you, it was a HUGE challenge

I went out to a national park near my house and went to a wooded area and picked one spot on a branch of a tree and focused on it. I've been told to focus on a flame or what have you but I liked the nature feel. The goal is to stare at one spot and make that your total focus and block out all thoughts that come into your mind. Just be there with out being there, make sense?

Well for the first 30 seconds I felt like I had it, then as if of no control of my own thoughts just starting jumping at me and I had to make a huge effort to cancel them out.

The funny thing that happened was that after about 30 minutes of this I felt a calm come over me, I was able to focus for a good portion and then when I came out of it I really felt peaceful and "still".

So I challenge you to spend 20 minutes sitting in a room and trying to block out any thoughts, just think nothing. See how you feel, it's really hard to put into words but I kind of digged it a lot. I am clearly not a mediation guru but after just doing it once I can appreciate what meditation has to offer.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Use "Blocking" to Take Back Control of Your Day


Let me ask you a few questions...

Do you feel like there is never enough time in the day?

Do you feel like you have a million things running on in your head and it's stressing you out?

Do you feel like you have so much to do, but at the end of the day you feel like you haven't accomplished anything?


Well, the good news is that you are not alone and the better news is that there is a simple and EXTREMELY effective technique you can use that will get you back in the control of your life. (You're gonna show life who's boss!) I've adapted this concept from Tony Robbins, he is da' man.

Here is the 3 Step Formula
1. Change your perception from what you have to "do" to what you want your outcome to be. This alone instantly changes how you will perceive the task at hand.
2. Block similar things together
3. Block out distractions

Step 1.
When you think of all of the million of things you have to do, it will freak you out! Honestly, who likes doing research? or other tedious jobs. If you think about it as just the tedious job at hand, you'll likely want to punch yourself in the left nostril. But if you focus on what doing that tedious job will get you (finished project, more money, etc) it becomes much more exciting.

Step 2.
So this is what you do, think about ALL of the things that you need to accomplish right now. Yeah, this is probably going to be frustrating to see ALL OF THE THINGS you have to do.

But you'll probably notice multiple things that all focus under a similar category. Such as a particular topic, phone calls, emails, etc. Put all of the things that are similar together. Why? Because the first thing doing this does is that it puts everything under one block so it seems less daunting. The second thing, it allow you to focus on the main task at hand and move forward. For Example, if you had to apply for an internship, work on your resume, & send follow up emails. All of that would fall under the block of "Getting the Experience I need to get my dream job" Doesn't that sound more exciting?

Step 3.
Block out distractions. What this means is YOU MUST LOG OUT OF FACEBOOK! you must turn off your email (unless it is your task at hand), you must not have YouTube open, you must turn the TV off, you most remove all distractions while you are doing your Blocking. Trust me, nothing beats pure focus.

Try it out and let me know how it works for you :)

Arel Moodie is the founder of Arel Moodie International (AMI) which created The College Success Program, The most complete program out there to help students succeed in college and in life. Programs focusing on students of color and men of color in higher education, it's about time this was created.

Friday, June 6, 2008

The Best Peice of Advice That You Can Get...



I was on the phone with a friend from college, Adam Gilbert, and we were talking about a current project that I'm developing for my speaking company. While we were talking he said something that I've heard many times before, but I think it sunk in with me a little deeper than usual, and I probably needed to hear it again.

Here's the advice, it comes in many forms and has been at times overused but spend some time to reflect on what I'm about to say.

It's safe to say that if you are reading this you are serious about taking control of your life and reaching certain levels of success. I'm sure you read a lot of self-help books, (you've probably bought a bunch of books that you haven't opened yet and are sitting on your book shelf collecting dust, we all have done this, there's a reason people say "Shelf-help", don't feel too bad as long as you commit right now to opening one up and finishing it!) and you've probably seen movies like "The Secret".

The best piece of advice is this, you really won't ever become successful if you try to be someone you are not. Being authenticate or being yourself is the best piece of advice out there. Now before you say the four most dangerous words in the English language "I already know that" (I'll touch upon why this is the WORST sentence in the English language on a later post) think about this.

Success is a recipe, yes. This is true, to be successful you just have to do what other successful people do and you will get there. (Most of us are following habits of really unsuccessful people unknowingly). However for you to really get to that "level" that I know you want to reach, you have to let your own voice and personality shine through. I know, I've read hundreds of books and sometimes I find myself wanting to be like the people I read about so much that I start losing myself. I so badly want to "make it" that I'm willing to sacrifice, study, learn, grow, but the key, the real key to sealing the deal is to use the information you learn to be more of who you are. Not to change, but to become more of who you are.

So as you are going through this journey (it never really ends) pick up things here and there that you like from others, learn skills and habits that will propel you forward, but make sure you are being yourself. I think the true balance is when you can stretch your comfort zones, feel uncomfortable, but know you are doing it your way. There is nothing, I repeat NOTHING more freeing than spending every second of your life being who you really are and not pretending for others (read my post, "The Rule of 3", if you need more clarification on why.)

So here's your action step. For the next two minutes (we all have two minutes), do not check your email, facebook notes or anything. Just be quiet with yourself and ask yourself: "Am I living my life the way I want to, saying how I feel and feeling free, really living genuinely to my core principles?" Sometimes the answer is not as important as the question itself.

"Be Yourself, Because Everyone Else Is Taken"
Visit Arel at www.arelmoodie.com
What is CSP?

Thursday, June 5, 2008

You only have two choices when you wake up everyday...


Every morning when we wake up, we have two choices to make, and no I'm not referring to "hit the snooze button or not hit the snooze button".

I'm referring to how you start you day and really how you live your life.

So what are the two choices? It's actually not as mysterious as you may think, but unfortunately it's quite overlooked and not paid attention to as much as it should be.

So here it is, when you wake up you can either choose to feel happy or feel sad...
Think about it, when the alarm clock rings and you have to get up and face the day you can either say to yourself "This is going to be a great day!" or you can say "DAMN! Why did this alarm clock have to mess up my sleep, I hate waking up, I just want to stay in bed".

So if it is that simple why don't we all just make the decision to be happy first thing in the morning. Well there is a couple reasons I can think of, not including lack of sleep, most anyone who only sleeps for 2 hours might be a bit grumpy.

You are not looking forward to the day you are about to go to. Now you may not be in complete control of what you are about to do, but you do have full control over how you look at what you have to do. Look at today as a challenge to live the best day yet, yes even if you have to go to a job you hate or whatever. Look at the fact that you are lucky enough to wake up... a lot of people dont have that opportunity. My dad always told me, everyday when you aren't outlined in white chalk is a good day.

So here is your action step for tomorrow morning. Wake up and clap your hands and say something like "Today is going to be an awesome day!". And then plan one nice thing you want to do for someone, call a friend, write a hand-written note to someone. Get a bowl of ice cream to treat yourself. Look forward to that one thing and be grateful you have another day...word. So we only have two choices, how do you choose to live your life?

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

The Rule of 3


So I was speaking with a friend of mine from high school the other day and I had an a-ha moment.

He was one of my first friends from high school, we actually met the first day of school. As we were catching up it hit me like a Kimbo Slice punch (MMA reference here, youtube him to see what I mean).

So do this right now, think of how many people you still talk to from your high school...go ahead I'll wait.

Okay, now that it is the summer time, how many people are you REALLY going to call/hang out with from your college (or if you have graduated, how many people do you still stay in close touch with it?)

So your answer is what I call the Rule of 3. No matter what arena you are in or leave, you really only leave with between 1-3 friends.

Think about it, out of all the people you would say hello to in passing and hang out with in school, you will probably leave anywhere with at most 3 close friends.

So what does that mean? The concept of having to be "cool" or "fit in" really is a myth. There really is no cool as long as you have at least one other person to play Xbox with or shoot some hoops with on a Sunday.

Many times we try so hard to fit in and be accepted that we sometimes catch ourselves doing things that we don't need to (think about the 21 shots you took on your birthday) because it is seen as "cool".

When you can break free from that need to fit in and have others like you, you really start mastering your life. I once heard Dr. Demartini. say that when the voice from within is stronger and more pronounced then the voices around you, you have mastered your life. Take a second to read the aforementioned line again.

I know I was there, I was never really the "cool" kid, but I tried really hard to satellite around them, until I let that go and really appreciated those who are close to me and I genuinely enjoy. I kept trying to be someone and something I was not. Once I really started truly being me, my life became so much more freeing.

So here is your action steps, think of the 1-3 people that you really consider to be your good friends. Pick up the phone right now, yes RIGHT NOW! and call them and just say something to the effect of "I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate all that you have done for me in my life and who you are to me, and I just wanted to say thanks for that, it means a lot to me" If you do this your friendship with that person will automatically triple in one phone call.

Action step two, if you are feeling down and out because you think you don't "Fit In". The good news is that you can finally let that go, because now you realize along as you have one friend, then you are cool.

Monday, June 2, 2008

First new post for my new blog

So this is the first blog posting for my college success program blog.

I never really got into blogging before but I realize how much fun writing can be when you are actually writing about stuff that really interests you.

This blog is intended for college students, administrators and professors to use as a resource for creating success in college.

Now am I aware that today is June 2nd which means most colleges have already finished their Spring semester, but you know what, that leads into my first blog entry

There is never a perfect time to start!

I thought it would be appropriate to start off like this because one challenge I know a lot of us deal with is "timing". I have to make sure the timing is right before I do something, anything. You know what I'm talking about, I'll start planning my career later, I'm just a (fill in the blank excuse you would use) I don't have to worry about that stuff now.


What I've seen happen is too many people think like that and then all of a sudden find themselves 50 years old looking around asking themselves "how the heck did I get here, I haven't accomplished anything with my life". What's funny is that this used to be a "Mid-life crisis" thing but now I'm sure you've heard of the "Quarter-Life Crisis"
which basically means those under the age 25 freeking out about what to do with their lives.

So here is the advice. If you do this next exercise, congrats you are part of the 2% that actually take action. Go ahead and grab a piece of paper, write the biggest thing that you've been procrastinating on doing. Break it down to as many small chunks as you can and get 'er done!