 Sometimes in life things happen that we have no control over. We have to take a break to meet the issue head on. Many times this means making the hard choices so that we can have a victory and come out stronger. If we just put our heads in the sand and ignore the facts than you may risk losing everything you have worked for.  In this weeks podcast I address some hard issues that many don't want to talk about. Join me as I discuss Facing the Facts and Still Keep Surging Forward. Enjoy and have a great week If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Surging Forward Podcast - A Podcast Devoted to the Working Class

Episode 90 Taking a Break

 Seize the Opportunity The opportunities are there you just need to seize them.  You can be successful in the trades based on the right choices you make.  You have to make choices of what you want to do to become successful.  Becoming successful is not always about money.  It is about being able to provide a great living for your family.  Success is about making a difference.  It is about being a leader.  Leadership is not about power.  Often people in leadership think they deserve respect, but respect is earned.  Respect does not come automatically with a title.  As a leader you are there to make others look good.  You are there to bring others up.  Leadership is about servant-hood. Seize the Opportunity ideas for those of you that want to go to the next level: The Surging Forward website offers training to keep your license current and prep classes so that you can take your Master’s test. The free Surging Forward App on Google Play offers over 60 hours of training and can readily be shared with friends. Most companies offer training and some even offer mentor-ship programs. Check with your company and see what they offer. A new program that is being launched by Paul Abernathy with the Electrical Code Academy. Paul has created a program for a Certified Master Electrical Code Professional (CMECP).  This certification will provide a formal process to be able to evaluate and identify individuals that have met a recognized standard.  Kent Crook from KC Rhino that was interviewed on Episode 87 You Can Start Your Own Business. Raj Guendoo just released his new book “Finding Home: A Journey of Overcoming Fear and Adversity to Finding Purpose. John Maxwell – Motivational Leadership Speaker. Many feel that leadership is unobtainable.  They feel that they cannot become a leader because they are not known.  Leaders are not born leaders.  They have to work hard.  Don’t just sit around waiting for an opportunity to come along.  Keep preparing yourself so that when an opportunity comes you are ready to seize it.  Think about what it is that you want to do.  Figure out what it is going to take to get to that next level and then Seize the Opportunity so that You can Keep Surging Forward. Here are some of the links to the sites I talk about in this Episode: Electrical Code Academy Certified Master Electrical Code Professional KC Rhino Raj Guendoo John Maxwell Enjoy and have a great week If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Episode 89 Seize The Opportunity

 Priorities To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;  Ecclesiastes  3 In order for us to be successful we need to set-up priorities in our life.  During my time as an Instructor I have seen many students that go on to be very successful in the trades and others that seem to self-destruct.  Why is this? It seems that we live in a time when people have their priorities mixed up.  They do not realize the consequences of their decisions.   There is a song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s.  The song was sung by the Byrds and is titled Turn Turn Turn.  This song was taken from the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. Here are a few of the lines from the song: To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose, under heaven A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together What both the song and the Bible verse are saying is there are times for all these things.  Quality time and having fun is fine, but we do not live in a fantasy video game world. If your priorities in life are only about doing the fun things then you will not have a successful life.  It is important for us to understand our priorities.  If you spend your time only doing fun things like playing video games, watching TV or hanging around drinking beer then you will not be successful.  In the same way if you work all the time, you will have all the money you need and nice things, but you are never home with your family. You have no real life, so again you will not be successful.  If you want to be successful then you need to find a balance.  You cannot just work all the time and you cannot just have fun all the time.  Life flies by so quickly so you have to have your priorities established.  Necessities Are a Priority There are the necessities of life that need to be taken care of like putting food on your table, and making sure you and your family have shelter. These are necessities and these are a priority. Good Friends and Family are a Priority Good friends and family are worth the effort even though you may not always agree on everything.  It is a priority to keep you and your family safe. Even if you do not have a family, you need to take care of yourself as well as those around you. Some people seem to want to live in a world of “what is in it for me” thus losing sight of how they can be of service to others. They want others to do everything for them.  This concept is so flawed because you become dependent on having other people do things for you.  You should be the one doing for others.  By only taking care of your own self and the pleasures of life you miss out on the real meaning of having good friends and family. A Good Reputation is a Priority When you are doing for others and working hard companies take notice.  Companies know who their good workers are.  Even if they don’t acknowledge your hard work, other workers around you notice and will want to work with you because of your reputation. Making Good Choices is a Priority Your priorities in life should be doing and making choices that are right for your life.  Other people are going to make choices that affect your life.  You can’t react to their choices. Sometimes you need to take a minute and think about how you should proceed.  If you proceed the wrong way you could end up in jail.  You may end up making a decision you regret if you made your decision based solely on emotion.  Before making your decision think about your priorities and what is best for your life. People want to avoid all struggles, but life happens and it is the struggles that make us stronger.  Each struggle helps us to get stronger to face the next struggle.  You can’t stick your head in the sand and hope that things go away, but you do not have to go through the struggles alone.  If you hang around the right group of people you will not have to go it alone and if your friends are not there then maybe it is time to get a new set of friends.  Look at your friends see if they are bringing you up or bringing down.  Do they have the same priorities in life as you do or are their priorities counteractive to what you are trying to do? There is always someone for you to reach out to that will help you before you react and make a wrong decision like quitting your job. What are your priorities?  If you do not like the place where you work, or the circumstance that you are in and you feel like you are going nowhere; get some input from 4-5 people you respect. Think about where you want to go.  What are your priorities?  Figure out what skills you will need to take you to the next level.  There are courses out there on line check out Surging Forward.com or I can advise you of other web sites that are out there. Figure out what is best for your success.  My success is not your success.  Your success is your success.  Your Surging Forward is your Surging Forward and it is different from another person’s. Enjoy and have a great week If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Episode 88 Priorties

 If you are thinking of or in business for your self than this is a must listen podcast as I share a great interview with Kent Crook from KC Rhino. Kent is an expert marketer and can show you how you can take your business to the next level. Even if you don't have a desire to start your own business now once you listen to this you will want to have the freedom to be able to make it on your own. I look forward to your comments Find out more about Kent at his Website www.KCrhino.com Stay Safe and Keep Surging Forward Enjoy and have a great week If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Episode 87 You Can Do It

 Welcome to this weeks episode of the Surging Forward podcast. This weeks episode is a rebroadcast of episode number 36 where I talk to Mike Gesick from my Three sons HVAC. his website is http://www.mts757.com/ he talks about how to start you own business I think you will enjoy this weeks episode as a prelude to next weeks that you don't want to miss as I will be talking with a very successful businessman that can help you to go to that next level. Make sure you subscribe today so you don't miss. Enjoy and have a great week If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Episode 86 You Can Succeed in Business

 What is Your Why? (What does this even mean?) Being successful in the trades require skills.  It requires that you learn the physics involved in how things work and what is going on. But before even attempting to learn these skills you need to understand “your why”.   Most people never really stop to think about their “why”.   This is the reason that many people are not Surging Forward in their life.  They just go about living day to day going where the wind blows.  These people have no goals.  They never sat down and took the time to ask: Why am I here? What do I like to do? Why do I want to do other things? What is important to me? What am I good at doing? Knowing “your why” will help keep you on the right track throughout your life.  Understanding “your why” will help you define your goals and help you understand your purpose in life. You determine what your why is by thinking about the questions above. Here are examples of some “Your Whys”, but these are just to get you thinking: Wanting to fix and repair AC units, to help people’s lives be more comfortable. Wanting to be an electrician to provide power for others. Aiming to be able to provide safe running water for others. Desiring to serve others. Being the best at something you enjoy doing, such as building things. Creating graphics and cool pictures that can help a company succeed. Being a good father or mother and setting an example for your children to be able to succeed in life. “Your why” is “Your” why “Your why” is “Your” why.  It is not the dream of someone else or their passion. You have to narrow down “your why” in order to be able to set the goals to help you achieve the success that you want. Success is different for all of us.  We often get caught in the Hollywood idea that it is about making big money.  But that is not what it is about.  Success is based on “your why”.  Define “Your” why and that will help you to achieve your success.  Success does not happen by accident, with the exception of the rare cases of an inheritance that you did not know about.  But even then, if you don’t have a why and you receive a lot of money you will more than likely just waste it. Life is not like the video games or the movies where we can just live life haphazardly and hope for the best, then die and get another chance.  In games we can keep playing over and over until we get it right.  In real life there is no do over or rewind.  If you make a bad choice it can stick with you forever.  A bad choice when you are young may hinder you, but it does not mean you can’t become successful.  It just may place limitations and cause you to rethink “your why”.  That is why we need to be very conscious of the people that we hang around with.  If you hang around negative people all the time, then you are going to become one of them and that becomes your why. The choice of “your why” is decided by:  what you are good at, what you enjoy, or just by what you want to do.  It is a choice only you can make.  That is why “your why” is “Your” why Take advantage of the resources around you that can help you with “your why”. Hopefully by listening to this podcast it can help you to simply take a moment to stop and think about “your why”. We have all been created with special skills.  But we often allow other people to define who we are and what they think is best for us to do.  By honing in on our special skills it will enable us to stand out from the crowd instead of just being a number.  By knowing “your why” it will help you to focus on what needs to be done to achieve success. When you start, “your why” can be small but then it builds over time.  Be flexible, over time “your whys” can change so that you can Keep Surging Forward. Start today.  What is “Your” Why? Once you have determined this; then you can start taking steps to achieving your goal. If you would like to set up a coaching session contact me at dave@surgingforward.com   If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

What is Your Why Episode 85

 Pursuing Your Dream or Just Following the Crowd Many people are pursuing someone else’s dream.  They have not even thought about their own dream and don’t have anyone to talk to or guide them.  These people just jump into going to college because that is what everyone is doing and may even be expected of them.  They go to college without even having any idea of what they want to study and are told just to start taking courses and they can decide along the way.  But many are finding this even more confusing and overwhelming with all the career choices.  Many times these people then get out of college and cannot find a good paying job in their field of study.  But they have racked up all this debt because of their student loans that are now coming due. Not All Trades Schools Are the Same There are also some people that attend trade schools that charge very steep tuition, but only give students the book work and not the hands on skills needed for the trades.  Working in the trades takes skill that need to be developed.  You have to be able to work out in the field and produce.  Apprenticeship programs are great because you get both the book knowledge and also the on-the-job training to develop hands on skills. Ron’s Email I received an email from someone I will call "Ron".  He wrote to me in hopes that he could save someone some time and money because this is exactly the route that he followed. Here is a summary of what Ron wrote: Ron wrote that he felt he got tricked into the whole “go to college” scam.  He went to college without really having any idea of what direction he wanted to go. He graduated with a degree in Personal Training.  Ron started working as a personal trainer and after about 8 months, he received a letter in the mail wanting him to begin paying off the $95,000 school loan.  Ron at this time was 23 years old, married and his wife also had school loans.  Instead of thinking about buying a house and starting a family, they had to work on paying off these student loans.  Both of them were working hard, but did not seem like they were getting anywhere. Ron’s father-in-law had a small HVAC shop and Ron started working for him.  Ron really did even know what HVAC was, but he was willing to learn and had good work ethics.  At first Ron felt like a failure because he was not working at a job of his degree he thought that manual labor was more for unskilled workers. Ron fell into depression.  Until one day he decided that he was going to make HVAC his career.  He saw that he was able to do things that others could not.  He decided to make HVAC his passion.  Ron stated watching YouTube Videos and listening to podcasts.  He started to gain technical skill and knowledge.  Ron is now only months away from taking the Master’s Test for HVAC.  Pursue the Training That is Best For You People often look down on workers in the trades, but college is not for everyone.  The average age of a tradesman is now 56 years old so there is a great need for skilled tradesman.  Many workers are retiring and their knowledge and skills will be lost.  There are many opportunities out there and college is only one option.  Don’t get caught up in the hype of what others are doing.  Verify, confirm and pursue the training that is best for you so that you can keep Surging Forward.   If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Don't Wait to be Trained Episode 84

 What does it mean to fail?  Many people deem failing at a task or not achieving a dream in twenty-four hours as a sign of being a failure.  They think that they are washed up and can never recover.  Often they are looking around at others and comparing their lives to them.  They think that those people must have the golden touch because everything they do is perfect.  Often people do not share their struggles and put on a facade that everything is great, but deep down they are struggling.  We can’t look to others for our success. The real question is: What do you consider as success?  Success is not always about money.  Do you want to be famous and have your name in lights?  Do you want to raise a family? Families are valuable.  Do you want to run your own business?  You will find tools on the Surging Forward website to assist you with this.  Success is different for all of us and you need to understand what success means to you. You also need to understand that just because you are good in one thing does not mean that you will be good at everything you try. There are three points to think about in Learning How to Fail So You Can Succeed: Realize You Are Going to Fail Let’s get this out of the way; you are going to fail at something.  It is part of life. Understanding and accepting this will help you evaluate why it happened and what you need to do better.  Trying to be perfect will cause you to carry unneeded stress.  We do not set-out to fail.  We try to do the best we can, but there are going to be times that failure happens.  At those times, we need to evaluate what went wrong and see what changes need to be made so that we can succeed.  Then we can count this as a lesson learned.  Sometimes Failure Has Nothing to Do With You Sometimes the reason you may fail has nothing to do with you.  It was completely out of your control.  The weather ruined your schedule so you failed to reach a deadline.  The parts did not arrive on time or were damaged and again you failed to meet a deadline. Flights were cancelled so you failed to make a speaking engagement.  There are things that are beyond our control.  No matter how well you plan, things happen.  You have to pick up where you left off and do your best to keep Surging Forward. Sometimes Failure Comes From Betrayal One of the worst reasons we fail is because of betrayal. This can be one of the hardest reasons to get over. When you are betrayed, at first you feel anger and want revenge.  But you have to find a way to get over the negativity so that you can keep moving forward. There is really only one way that you are going to get through a betrayal and that is through forgiveness. You have to forgive that person that betrayed you.  Forgiving is not condoning or letting them off the hook.  Forgiveness is for you.  Forgiveness allows you to get rid of that negative energy.  Harboring the negativity will cause you to never really be able to succeed.  You are allowing that person who betrayed you to win and keep you in bondage.  Only through forgiveness will you be able to break that hold that the betrayal has on you.  Someone choose to hurt you; to let you down; to betray you.  Betrayal happens in marriages and various areas of life.  There is a grieving process which is different for each one of us.  But the longer we grieve, the longer we are kept in bondage to that betrayal.  Forgiving does not mean you are condoning what the other person did.  They were wrong, but once you have run down all the avenues of the legal justice system you need to move on.  Once you forgive, you release yourself so that you are able to move on to bigger and better things. Forgiveness is for you.  Choice It is all about choice.  You can choose to keep “Surging Forward” or you can choose to stop and be a slave to that negativity that is holding you back from your success.  If you want to be the best that you can be; there is so much training that is available.  Check out our website on Surging Forward and all the training that is available over the internet.  Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t succeed.  Failure happens in our lives to make us stronger.  Look at a big tall oak tree.   Think of all the storms it has weathered.  Those storms have caused it to have a strong inner core and a mighty root system.  In our lives, if we don’t fail and don’t go through those hard times then we are more than likely not going to be able to succeed.  Learn how to accept failure, learn from that failure and then not to make that same mistake again.  In this way we can go forth and Keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.  

Learning to Fail so You Can Succeed Episode 83

 Welcome to the Surging Forward Podcast The 3 steps for success Episode 82 I have been in construction many years and have attend many a safety talk. Today I want to address there very important points about how understanding how to stay safe and alert on the job can also help you find that opportunity that can bring success to your career. Point #1 Being alert: being alert on a jobsite is critical as there are many moving parts to a large and even a small construction site. One must always be alert on the site as things can change sometimes without warning and you will have to react quickly in order to be able to avoid possibly serious injury. This same point also applies in life as one must always be alert and be aware of the surroundings in ones own life. Being in tune to the things that others may say in regards to opportunities that may be waiting for you to take or even maybe seeing the writing on the wall and realizing that it may be time for you to move on were again if not heeded may have serious consequences on your career to a point where it may be hard to recover if you are not careful or worst yet that once in a life time opportunity or dream job may be lost forever just because you were not alert.  Point #2 Understanding the risks. Each day before you step out on the site or in a work area you need to take a minute and thing about the risk that may be and more than likely are present for your work that day. Understanding the risks that are involved with your work will help you be able to avoid many of the accidents that catch others by total surprise. I find it amazing after all my time in construction that there is rarely and accident no matter how much we like to see as a no fault after the investigation they always seem to find the actual cause was by someone not taking a certain step. Understanding the risks in our daily lives will help you in making a lot of those hard and tough decisions when you come to that fork in the road as to which way to go. You can take both roads but one may mean tough times ahead and the other may have tough times but also lead to success. Which one do you take. Start by listing the risks and seeing whether they are real or not for your life. Money is not always the issue nor is security always a good thing as that can keep you in bondage. Make a list and take with someone you know that has more wisdom than you. Don’t ever feel like you can do it alone as you may be too emotionally connected. Understand the risk.  Point #3 Have an escape plan. Through out the day as I travel on the roads to work or as I am walking around the job site. I always try and have an escape plan. Maybe it comes from when I riding motorcycles as it seems everyone simply try’s to hit you sometimes, but the point being I always try and make a way for be to be able to move out of the way. I try not to let myself get box in just incase something lets loose and I have to react quickly to save my self from injury. Again things can change in the blink of an eye so you may not have time to think about where to move you just have to move without think otherwise again serious injury could happen. In life an escape plan is needed as you never know what my happen some of you have had the devastated time when you where called in thinking you were getting a raise only to find out you where getting laid off. Some have even been let go for no reason and had nowhere to go. Think about have a back up plan you have skills as a person in the trades. You may be able to start you own business as the skills you have are very valuable. What are you good at make your hobby of what you enjoy doing something that you can increase your skill in and you never know your backup plan may become you new plan. We are here to help you to keep Surging Forward Until next week keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Three Steps to Success Episode 82

 This week's episode is an encouraging word for those that want to succeed in the trades or their careers.  Last week was labeled as "Honoring Women in Construction Week ".  I did an interview with Ashley Rayburn, a young woman in her 4th year of the Electrical Apprenticeship program.  It was an honor for me  that she was able to take a few minutes to share her ideas of how to succeed in the trades.  I hope that this interview will show how you can work to achieve your goals.  Education is something that we should never stop doing.  Just because you go to college and get a diploma does not mean that you have arrived; and just because you have not gone to college does not mean you cannot be successful.  Receiving a good education is not about just going to college, as you will hear during this interview with Ashley.  Most of all you will be surprised at the actual cost of her education. So enjoy this week's episode: Number 81 "Learning to Succeed". If you want to get a Tradesman license in your state, renew your Tradesman license ,or even take a course on how to pass the Tradesman license or Contractors license in your state than go to www.surgingforward.com to find out more info.  If you do not see what you need, drop us an email on the contacts page of on Facebook. We are here to help you to keep Surging Forward Until next week keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast, please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You Tube page where you can watch the actual podcast; visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like us on facebook click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman Courses to help you Get and Retain your Tradesman License; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Learning to Succeed Episode 81

 Join us this week as we discuss being proud of the skills you have because they allow you to do things that others can’t. The Trades are Very Important Throughout history a person would seek out a master in a trade like blacksmithing, stone masonry etc.  and ask to be an apprentice.  As an apprentice the person would learn the skill so that they could provide for their family.  Today we have schools for learning our trades, but the concept is the same. It is the tradesman that keep our cities intact. Tradesman are very important to enjoying the lifestyle that we have.  If it weren’t for tradesman we would be without the electricity to power our computers.  When you flush a toilet where does all of that water go?  Can you imagine life without plumbers?  How about the AC or heat in our homes?  Or the very building of our homes themselves.  It is important to remember that there is someone behind the scenes making all the stuff that we take for granted work.  These are the skilled tradesman.  A skilled tradesman can take something that was nothing and create something that will benefit so many.  Being a Tradesman is a Hard Job Tradesman work is not easy.  There are people who try to work in the trades, but are not able.  Tradesman need to work in all types of extreme weather and conditions.  They need to have an understanding of math and physics. There is also a great deal of skilled involved and mechanical ability.  Every state has their own requirements for becoming a tradesman either Journeyman or Master.  These requirements vary but include hours in the field, hours of training, years of apprenticeship, and tests to receive your license.  We have courses here on the Surging Forward website to help you with these requirements. Being Proud of Your Skills So many people think that working in the trades is a degrading job.  But it is not.  It takes great skill to build things with your hands.  The trades are something where age is no barrier.  A person can enter the trades right out of high school or as a change in career later down the road.  You can make a good living working in the trades.  Companies are looking for hard workers that show up on time and do some over-time when asked.  In the trades you can move up the ranks or without going to college many tradesman branch out and start their own businesses.  Don’t listen to the negativity of some saying that you are a failure because you are working out in the field.  Realize that you are a success because you are making a difference.  Take the skills you have and never stop learning more; in this way you and your family will KEEP SURGING FORWARD. Let’s start something new – Let’s thank a Tradesman today. Until next week keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You tube page where you can watch the actual podcast visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like on face book click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman courses to Help you Get and retain your Tradesman license; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Episode 80 Proud to be in the Trades

 Join us this week as we talk about focusing on your goals and not on the struggles that may be holding you back. One of my goals when I started Surging Forward was to make a difference and to help others especially young tradesman coming up in the trades.  One of the struggles of tradesman is that they are not getting the training at the workman level.  Most of all the training comes at the management level.  I also wanted to be a positive influence in this negative world.  But no matter how positive you try to stay; life is not always positive.  A saying that I say often is that “God is in control”.  Some of you may not believe as I do, but for me I believe in God and this saying is a reminder that I am not in control. Let me tell you a little bit about what I have been going through the past couple of weeks.  I am very dependent upon my computer for the running of Surging Forward.  I have a very good computer and everything was working just fine until Windows tried to do an update.  The update failed and Windows went into a non-stop loop which affected all of my other programs.  After much research I finally had to get a hold of someone in Microsoft support.  After weeks of Microsoft remoting into my computer trying different things and waiting for new installs, they finally got my computer working.  Also during these weeks other stuff around my house started to break down.  Even though it felt as if my world was falling apart I needed to keep my focus and my focus is to help others to “Keep Surging Forward”.  Because I have gone through struggles in the past I was still able to get a podcast out, prepare for the classroom courses that I teach, and still work my current job. The struggles that we go through make us stronger.  There is a reason for those struggles.  You have to look at the positive.  Do not let the negativity of this world just swallow you up and get you to the point that you want to quit.  Things do get better.  All of us are going to go through struggles, but maintain your focus.  Think about where you want to be.  There is a lot more to life than just beer 30 and negative friends.  Sometimes that negative voice is a lot louder than the positive voice.  But maintain your focus and reignite those dreams within you.  My focus and goals are not the same as yours. What is your focus? What are your goals? Why are you working in the trades putting up with the harsh working conditions? What is it that keeps you Surging Forward? Until next week keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You tube page where you can watch the actual podcast visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like on face book click here Connect with me on Linkedin Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman courses to Help you Get and retain your Tradesman license; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Keeping Your Focus Episode 79

 A friend emailed me this week with some of the struggles that he has been going through.  As I was helping him; I found that I was also helping myself.  Join us today as we talk about overcoming life’s hurdles. The answer may not be as hard as you think. A Friend's Struggles One of the members of Surging Forward, I will call him “Freddy”, emailed me saying that  every time he tries to get ahead something always happens. He is having issues with his truck and then his job sends him to a job site further from his home. He said that it is a constant struggle and that he is almost at the point of burnout. My Struggles The email came at a time when I also was going through a lot of issues myself.  I was working too many hours, and having computer issues with endless hours of troubleshooting as to why a Windows update had caused my computer to be in an endless loop.  Though I did not really know how I could help Freddy as I was feeling the same but for very different reasons; I set up a phone call.  Freddy shared that things were going well and then all of a sudden everything hit at one time. He asked, how do I get over this hurdle? As I spoke with Freddy,  I realized that we all have hurdles of one type or another.  They seem to sabotage the success that we were experiencing.  It seems like we run into a brick wall and you just want to quit.  And it seems, that there is no way for you to win or achieve your goal that earlier seemed within reach. I reminded Freddy that life happens.  There are many things that happen that we have no control over. For example: those of us that work in the trades, have no control of the job location or of how far from home that the work may take us. Sometimes we even need to travel to another state. We also have no control over the weather so we often work in extreme cold or heat. Many times we are working so many hours that we don’t have time to do the maintenance on our vehicles so they break down leaving us stranded. And they always seem to breakdown in the middle of nowhere or like the computer issues that I am experiencing at a very busy time. Why do these things happen? What curse is on me, that want to stop me from succeeding? We All Go Through Struggles After listening to Freddy and thinking of all the things going on with me at the same time, I realized that we all go through tough times and many times it just small things adding up together that make the brick wall.  There is nothing hindering us or trying to stop us; it is just simply “life”. We just have to step back from the issue for a moment and then look at it again and find a solution. Just because you cannot get over that hurdle/wall at this moment does not mean that you cannot find a solution and push over it later. It is so easy to get into the poor little old me attitude, but think about those that depend on you or believe in you. At the times when we want to give up we really need to say I will “Keep Surging Forward” and I will find a solution to the issue at hand. This is what makes you stronger and able to handle the issues of tomorrow.   Freddy got back with me a couple of days later and said that he solved the issue with his truck by carpooling with a friend.  And the funny thing is that during their car rides, they are discussing electrical code and this is helping Freddy learn the code so he can pass his test for his electrical license. Funny how this all work out! What are your hurdles in life?  We all have them. Take a step back and then find a solution. Life is going to happen.  We cannot solve everything, but we can pursue and solve the ones we can and this will help us to Keep Surging Forward.   Until next week keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You tube page where you can watch the actual podcast visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like on face book click here Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman courses to Help you Get and retain your Tradesman license; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.

Episode 78 Life's Hurdles

We are continuing to look at the word “SURGING”. S – Surging – Surging or moving forward.  You do not want to be sitting still. U – Understanding – Understanding the game R – Respect, Reliability and Responsibility – Can you have one without the other? G – Guarantee – Guarantee to do a great job  I – Integrity – Your reputation N – Never Quit or Give Up – If you give up; the game is over.  Keep pressing forward. G – Genuine – Do you lie to everyone around you, of who you really are? Respect, Reliability and Responsibility- three very different words and yet they all go together.  You can’t have one of these without the others, yet they all stand alone. Let’s take a look at these three words as we discuss the Three Rs to Success. Respect – You may know some people that demand respect and you may ask if this is the proper way to get respect.  In truth, we have no right to demand respect from others.  If someone is in a powerful position then maybe the position itself demands respect, but not necessarily the person.  Respect is something earned over time by interactions with others.  When you give respect, others in turn will respect you.  If you want respect; you have to give respect.  Don’t take the word of a group about a certain person.  Give that person the benefit of doubt and keep an open mind.  Others will see that you don’t just take the word of others, but that you wait and form your own opinion.  It is important to treat others as you want to be treated.  There are people in this world that treat others disrespectfully.  These people often have low self-esteem.  They will try to put you down and will not tell or teach you anything because they live in fear of losing their jobs.  These people do not respect themselves let alone give respect to others.   They lie, cheat, and steal to try to get one over on the company.  When you see someone like this, use this as training for yourself of what not to do.  Sometimes you can learn more from a negative than a positive example. Reliability - Gaining respect means that you are reliable; that others can rely on you.  Your word is true.  When you say “yes” it is a yes and your “no” means no.  There is a parable in the Bible where a farmer asks his son to go and work in the field.  The son replies “yes” that he will go.  The farmer also asks his other son to go and work in the field, but this son says “no” that he is unable.  Later the second son changes his mind and goes and works while the first son never showed up.  Which one of these sons is the most reliable?  We have so many ways to communicate now with all of our technology and social media, but still some people don’t call to say that they can’t be there or that they are running late.  Or we have the some people that are always late for classes and meetings.  It is as if they are saying that their time is more important than yours because now the class or meeting runs late because they had to get caught up on all that they had missed.  Time is a precious commodity.  If you promise someone that you will be somewhere, be there when you say; that is being reliable.  If you get held up because life happens, then just call and let them know that you are running late.  Being reliable means living as you say and standing for what you believe.  That does not mean that we agree on everything.  We can have different world views, but we can respect one another and sometimes you just agree to disagree. Responsibility – If you are reliable, your word becomes truth and you take responsibility for your actions.  Each of us messes up and makes mistakes.  We do not intentionally plan it, but when they happen own up to them.  When you take responsibility for your actions, you are deemed reliable and others respect you.  If there comes a time when something happens and it looks like you might have done it.  You know that you did not and you stand up and say this; because you have earned respect and people know that in the past you have admitted when you made a mistake; they will stand with you against this false accusation.  But if you have not earned the respect of others and have not been reliable then even if this is a false accusation you may get written up or even fired because others do not trust your word. By taking Responsibility and being Reliable you earn the Respect of others and this will keep us Surging Forward.   

The 3 Rs to success Episode 4

 Join us today as we discuss 5 leadership myths that just might be holding you back from Surging Forward. Myth Number One – Leaders Are Born, Not Made.   You make think that in order to be a leader you have to have a lot of money, or have attended all the right schools, but all of this is a myth.  Look at Abraham Lincoln.  His father worked odd jobs and then leased some farm land.  Most of Abraham Lincoln’s education was largely self-taught, but yet he became the Sixteenth President of the United States. How about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?  He grew up in a sad time of segregation, but he did not let that stop him.  He went on to become the most visible spokesman and leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The truth is very few leaders are born leaders.  Most people learn leadership by trying and failing, but then not giving up.  They re-evaluate why they failed and make up their minds to do things differently next time. Myth Number Two – Leadership is a Rare Skill. Nothing can be farther from the truth.  If you watch a group of children playing you will quickly see one of them start stepping forward and telling the others what to do.  When the children get bored with this game, another child will start guiding the group.  Even if there are only two children playing you will see throwing out ideas like let’s do this, this way or I want to do this.  Again leadership is learned through trial and error. Myth Number Three – Leaders are Gifted and Outgoing. This is also untrue because many leaders are introverts, Introverts have a knack for abstract thinking as introverts only like to deal in what they know and tend to focus on the long term. They do not really on what others think of them and they tend to be more quiet and reserved this is why many tend to think of them as being withdrawn but this also means they are able to figure out how things workbut still have been very influential.  Look at Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg. Myth Number Four – Leaders Lead by Brute Force. This is the definition of a bad leader.  This is a bully.  A good leader encourages and counsels.  They earn respect of those they lead.  A good leader is will to share their knowledge.  They are will to lead by example.  When a job needs to be done a good leader is willing to get their hands dirty, not just ordering others to do it.  Good leaders challenge people to transform their lives. Myth Number Five – Leaders are Only Found at the Top of a Company. Again this is far from the truth because we are all leaders.  We are leaders in our homes, families, at work and around the neighborhood.  If you are a parent you are a leader.  Sometime you do not even realize that people are watching you and following your example. Sometimes in learning to lead we make mistakes.  We just need to admit our mistake and try again.  Little by little it gets easier.  And we need to realize that at times we need to turn to others for advice and counsel.  Leadership is not about power, but about servant hood.    Not to preach, but look at the leadership example of Jesus Christ.  A very humble leader and yet whether you believe or don’t look at the affect he has had throughout history.   Leadership is about encouraging others to Surge higher than they ever thought possible. Until next week keep Surging Forward. If you enjoy this podcast please feel free to leave a comment below, share with a friend and also visit or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SurgingForward/ We also have a You tube page where you can watch the actual podcast visit us at https://www.youtube.com/user/surgingforward Looking to network and get personal training visit us and like on face book click here Follow us on twitter click here Follow us on Instagram. Contractor and Tradesman courses to Help you Get and retain your Tradesman license; visit our website at www.surgingforward.com   ________________.    

Myths of Leadership Episode 77

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