Arel Moodie International (AMI)

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

Monday, May 31, 2010

You Are a King or Queen Right Now

Let me paint a picture for you. Let’s say you have been living your life the way you have already been living it. Then one day, you get a letter in the mail and you find out you are the heir to the throne of a faraway land. You now have abundant riches, power, potential, and honor. Let me ask you a question. If at the same time you found this out, someone was making fun of the shoes you were wearing, would you really care? Of course not: it wouldn’t mean anything to you because you are royalty!

That is exactly what you have just found out. You are royalty. You are a child of G-d, the predecessor you are the heir to is the King of the world. Not bad huh? So when someone tries to make you feel like you are less than you know you are, just remember who you are and whose you are. As royalty, no peasant should ever make you feel down about the amazing person you are.

This is my belief. What is yours going to be? You have the ability to believe whatever you wish. It’s been said the only thing we have 100% control over in this world is what we think. I agree.

You can either think you are tied to greatness or not.
What will you choose?

Remember: as long as you are breathing, this means you have the potential to do something great. Once you find you truly understand this, hold onto that feeling. I encourage you to go on a journey to find what you can connect your self-worth to and what will work for you. It doesn’t have to be what other people tell you it’s supposed to be, but it has to be something greater than you. Once you know it and feel it, nothing will prevent you from moving forward with 100% unstoppable self-confidence.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Running & Reading

Actor Will Smith put it best in a powerful acceptance speech he once gave after winning a Kids’ Choice Award in 2005. He said the key to defeating self-negativity is running and reading. Running? Where does running fit into overcoming negativity?

When you are running, a negative voice tells you that you can’t do it, that you are not good enough, that you should stop before you really reach your goal, that you should not stretch yourself, and that you shouldn’t keep running because your lungs are about to pop. Once you learn to overcome that negative voice you’ll learn not to quit when life gets hard. Running will help you train your mind to ignore that voice. You not only practice a great discipline of self- growth, but you also get yourself into the best shape of your life, which will boost your self-confidence. I don’t know about you, but when I look good, I feel good too.

Why reading? There is no problem you can face that someone else hasn’t already faced, overcame, and wrote a book about. Your Starting Point for Student Success is just such a book.

The key is to constantly keep putting good stuff in your mind and programming yourself for success. Success is not a one-time event; it is a continual process that takes time and dedication. Many times if we just knew how to overcome our challenges, we would. Books are the keys to all the answers you seek. There is an unfortunate joke that says if you want to hide something valuable from young people, put it in a book. You constantly need to keep striving to read, learn, and apply what you’ve learned to your life. Lack of confidence usually stems from not knowing what will happen next. The more you read, the more you will know how to handle situations, which will make your confidence soar.

If you would like to see the full video of “Running and Reading”, just go to www.yourstartingpointonline.com.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Defeating Negative Thoughts

Even when you develop the strongest belief in yourself, you will still experience negative thoughts. It’s normal... and probably the most important personal obstacle to overcome in developing your self-confidence. Negative self-talk is the #1 killer of dreams, ambitions, and goals. It should be on the FBI’s Most Wanted list!

Negative self-talk is that voice that says things like “Who are you kidding? You are not good enough,” “You’re so stupid,” “What were you thinking?,” and “Everyone hates you.” Sound familiar? If it does, you shouldn’t feel bad; every single person in the world goes through it.

Successful people learn not to listen to those thoughts. Did you ever stop and think about that? You don’t have to believe your own thoughts. You can just tune them out.

This idea was first introduced to me through a book called The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle, which is a phenomenal read. If you want to get the true depth of this concept, definitely pick this book up. In a nutshell, what it states is that we don’t have to believe our own thoughts. We have multiple levels within ourselves, which you may have heard described as the id, ego, and superego. Basically, we have a negative voice in all of our heads we must fight to control. The negative voice will tell you that you can’t, when you know you can.

Most people don’t realize this voice is not who we truly are. I know it sounds funky, but it’s true. Trying something scary means stepping out of your comfort zone. Back in the day when we were living in the wilderness with wild beasts, this voice probably served some good, warning us, “Don’t pet that saber tooth tiger, it’s not your friend!”

But today, that voice doesn’t serve us anymore. When that voice speaks up, just acknowledge it and recognize it’s not coming from your true self. T. Harv Eker says it best in Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: just tell that voice, “Thank you for sharing,” cancel it, and push it out of your head like a cloud floating away. Those negative thoughts are not really part of who you are. Soon you’ll realize you can overcome them. The negative thoughts never really go away: successful students and leaders just know how to control them and minimize their impact. Your confidence will grow as you learn to pay less attention to that overly negative voice and focus on the voice inside of you that says you can achieve your goals.

It’s a long process, but a process worth investing in.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Everything Happens For a Reason

I believe everything happens for a reason. Whether good or bad, understood or mysterious, there is a reason. Many times things will happen and you will immediately understand why. Other times, things will happen without a clear reason, but you best believe there is a reason. And that reason will help you become a greater person.

“Every adversity, every failure, 
every heartache carries with it the seed 
of an equal or greater benefit.”
- Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich!

Once you truly believe there is something greater for you, that there is a higher force that wants the best for you, you’ll see the world through a different lens. You’ll know there is nothing that can happen to you and nothing that anyone can say that will stop you from believing in yourself, because you are working on a greater mission in your life. You’ll know that what connects you to greatness can only be severed if you allow it to be. You’ll know there is nothing that anybody can do that can stop you from knowing what you know and who you are.

As long as you have this connection and focus on bettering yourself every day, you will become an unstoppable force.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Monday, May 17, 2010

How Does This Belief Give Me Unstoppable Confidence?

So where does the connection between this belief and confidence come from? There are a few steps to really understanding why. Every major belief system will teach some basic similar concepts.

There is a Higher Force at work that created the universe as well as you and me. This Higher Force would not have created you unless you were meant for something great. Our creator wants us to do amazing things.

Think of how a father wants his child to excel, or how proud a parent is at his child’s little league game. Our Creator made everything beautiful and would not make junk. Just take a look at nature: nothing exists without a reason. Therefore, just because you are alive, living, and breathing, there is something great that you can and are supposed to do. If you have ever felt as if you were meant for greatness, that is your subconscious mind tapping into the Creative Source letting you know something special is out there for you.

Once you believe this, no matter what happens in your life, you will be good. No one can ever take that connection, that feeling away from you; you’ll never lose your confidence. You now know you are connected to the greatest force in the world, and you have a piece of that power within you. It’s like just finding out you are the child of a king and you are royalty. Can you feel inferior about yourself knowing you are royalty?

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Many Faces of Spirituality

This is a good place to make the following statement, as I know it’s probably on your mind now. I completely understand the topic of

spirituality is a very sensitive subject for many. I am not trying to say one particular way of believing is the proper way. I do believe having a connection to the Creative Source is fundamental in building a strong foundation of self-confidence. I have no idea where you currently stand with your spirituality, but we all believe in something...

I once had a friend say it a good way: if you are in a foxhole during war and bombs are exploding overhead, everyone is praying to something! In fact, there’s a famous quote that says “there are no atheists in foxholes.”

For me personally, I connect my self-worth to G-d (you may notice I spell it without the O, which is just a practice I have out of respect based on my personal religious beliefs). To have a connection to the Creative Source, you don’t have to be part of any particular religion, and by all means, I am not saying any particular one is better than another. You just have to find what fits for you.

And I find something very interesting. Whether you believe in science or theology, they both pretty much state the same thing. I first heard this explained by James Arthur Ray in The Secret, and I’d like to share it with you.
If you go to a quantum physicist and ask what created the world, he or she will say “energy.” Okay, well describe Energy, It can never be created nor destroyed, always was, always is, and always has been everything that has ever existed has always existed, It’s moving in form, out of form, and through form.
Go to a theologian and ask what created the world, and they will say “G-d.” Okay, well describe G-d. G-d always was, always has been, can never be created nor destroyed, it’s moving in form, out of form, and through form. So if you think you are just some meat suit running around, think again. You are [an] energy field operating in a larger energy field.

So no matter what you believe, the concept that we are part of something greater is universal. The same energy that created the world is within us. If you believe in G-d, then you have the spark of divinity within you and you were created in the likeness of the Creator. If you believe in science, since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, the same energy that created the world is part of you. You have the power of unlimited potential inside of you; it is up to you to unlock that power.

If you believe it to be true, you will now realize that inside of you is something great, inside of you is something unparalleled and amazing, inside of you is potential waiting to be awakened. You are someone extremely important with gifts to be shared with the world. You just have to tap into it, and the first step you must take is believing it is in you.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Monday, May 10, 2010

So What Should I Attach My Self-Worth to?

I had a conversation with a rabbi who worked with Madonna when she was interested in studying Kabbalah. He mentioned something very intriguing. He said Madonna was the perfect example of someone who needed to attach her self-worth to something more than external things. She had everything a person could want: money, fame, good looks, and adoring fans, but she still wasn’t happy. What is it she needed? What else should she have attached her self-worth to? She needed to find a deeper level that wouldn’t change. For Madonna, her answer was spirituality.

So what should you attach your self-worth to? It’s not my place to tell you exactly what that answer is for you. I wish I could say exactly what will work for you, but everyone is different. However, I can tell you what has worked for me and many other successful people in hopes of sparking something within you so you can find what it is for you. For some people, like Madonna, the answer is spirituality. For others, it’s religion, science, the Almighty, or one’s higher self.

“It” goes by many different names, but It all leads to the same source.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Comparison is Stupid

Comparing yourself to others is a surefire way to sink your confidence through the floor. Studies have shown one of the worst things parents can do to their children is compare them to their siblings. Some of the worst things a parent can say to his child are statements like “Why can’t you be more like your brother?” or “Why can’t you clean your room like your sister does?”

According to the Public Broadcasting System, this sets up sibling rivalry and deflates a child’s self-image. It creates a win/lose relationship and causes resentment.

In your life right now, this rule still applies. Comparing yourself to others will magnify what you are not good at and cause you to resent both yourself and the person you are comparing yourself to.

Bottom line, don’t do it. Yes, it’s easier said than done, but you have to work toward it.

It is fine to use other people’s talents and accomplishments to motivate you to achieve more, but it is completely unproductive to use what others can do to beat yourself up. As long as you compare yourself to others, you will always find someone better in some area than you are. It’s impossible to be the best at everything. So instead of comparing to see what you don’t have, recognize the unique qualities you do have to serve the world with and work on perfecting those.

In other words, instead of focusing on your weaknesses, focus on your strengths. Change your paradigm completely and look at your weaknesses as opportunities for improvement (as much as you looked at “failures” as opportunities for learning.)

This applies to anyone, even celebrities. They probably have it the worst out of all us because the Internet, magazines, and TV scrutinize them based on fleeting characteristics. It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the lives they chose. It is a hard life. We hear so many stories of pop stars and actors who cracked under the pressure and suffer from drug use or depression and who sometimes even commit suicide.

I can’t even begin to think of all of the headlines Britney Spears has made about the stupidest, smallest things. Britney gains a pound, and the tabloids label her a fat cow. Come on, give me a break. It’s ridiculous.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.

Monday, May 3, 2010

The Only Thing Constant Is Change

Let me ask you something: have you felt like things are spinning out of control in your life recently? Like there are just about a thousand and one things you need to do in a day, and you don’t have enough time to do them all? The next thing you know, the day goes by and you’re thinking to yourself, “Damn, I didn’t get anything done today!”

You’re not alone.

Life is speeding up on you, and change is the only thing that is constant. A lot of people out there are just waiting for things to go back to normal. Let me tell you, they will be waiting for a very long time. Though that feeling of change and having so much to do will never really go away, you can learn to manage it so you are not idling but moving forward.

Often people start to look to others who seem like they have everything in control (key word is “seem”) and start comparing themselves to them. If only I could be like Johnny, my life would be better; if only I were as pretty as Tammy, I would be confident. If only I were as talented as Brian, I would have my life in order. Or worse, it becomes I’ll never be as good as him or I’m so stupid, I’ll never be good at anything.

This self-defeating behavior happens because you’re attaching your worth to the outer world, which is inherently transient.

Arel Moodie is widely known as America's Top Young Speaker. He has spoken to over 65,000 students in 39 states and 2 countries on the topics of student success, student leadership and student entrepreneurship. He is a leading authority on helping students of this generation succeed in school and in life. He is also the best selling author of the book Your Starting Point For Student Success. To find out more about Arel's book, go to www.startingpointbook.com. To find out more about Arel's speaking please go to www.arelmoodie.com.