Hello everyone!!!  I have been getting some messages from people asking me why this site hasn't been updated or changed in the last little while...  It's because I am working on a new improved Make Your Own Lunch site with tons of fun stuff to keep you busy.

The new site will be A LOT different than this one and most of the info from this site has already migrated to www.ryanspeaks.com


I am sorry it has taken so long but I promise it will be worht it.

Holler at your boy
Peace

Ryan
Check out www.ryanspeaks.com !!!!

I told you guys I Would be writing about this!  First off, thanks to all the people who came out to Aurora today to participate in the FAST TRACK event.  You guys really need to congratulate yourselves for being there...  You are definitely the brave ones.  I know that no one forced you (ok maybe some of you were bribed or threatened) but ultimately you DECIDED to be there! 

I am so glad that all of you were there.  Your energy and enthusiasm definitely helped me get my message across. 

How exciting is it that in a few months you will all be out of school ready to embark on a brand new journey?  For some of you it may be a bit scary because you still don't know what's going to happen but I promise you that if you DECIDE to make something of it and CUT OFF every other option, you will experience more success than you could have ever imagined.

Now, for my words of warning.  Remember I talked today about "going with the flow"?  Well if you have been, or are tempted to "go with the flow", STOOOOOOOOP!  Stay away from the 'flow'!!! 

Have you ever seen something "go with the flow"?

Imagine two guys in two separate kayaks, one guy has his paddle the other guy has nothing.  The guy with the paddle says "so where's your paddle" and the guy without the paddle answers, "I am not gonna use one today, I am just gonna go with the flow..."... 

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight. 

Next time you are near a river, I want you to notice the stuff going with the flow.  IT'S ALL TRASH!!!  Bubble gum wrappers, beer cans, articles of clothing and a bunch of other garbage!  AND it all ends up in the same section of the river with the rest of the trash!

Decide to do and be more than another victim of the 'flow'.

I hope you guys enjoyed today as much as I did!  (For anyone reading this who WASN'T at Fast Track, I will bring you blog goodness next time!

Peace
Ryan

PS  Contact me if you have any comments or questions from today!!! 

So I was re-reading the book "The Science of Being Great" by Wallace Wattles this morning and I got to a part that said this; "If we only undertake little things, it only gives us power for little things; but if we try to do great things in a great way it gives us all the power there is"

And I started thinking about all the people in history who have done great things in a great way.  If you subscribe to my newsletter and received the most recent volume, you already know that the Wright Brothers are in my top 5 for people who have done great things.  Another person who has absolutely changed history is my man Nicolaus Copernicus.  If you don't know who this guy was I will give you the quickest synopsis,  he introduced his heliocentric hypothesis to the world.  This basically means he told everyone that the Earth was not the center of the universe.  Up until the  early 1500's everyone just assumed that the Earth was the center but Nicolaus questioned it and set out to do great things in a great way.  He went on to prove that the Earth was just part of a bigger system and was constantly moving.

The reason I am writing this is because I am fascinated by people in history who do something that has never been done before.  I am amazed by people who are able to put themselves and others into perspective.  I am grateful for those people who give us great power by doing the things they do.

This brings me to the best part of this blog entry!

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has just recently sent high-definition images back from their space probe Kaguya.  Take a look at this video.  It may be boring to some of you but I think it's awesome!  It's a video of Earth rising on the moon's horizon.  Now I know you haven't seen THAT before!

Talk about doing great things in a great way.

Now after this post I PROMISE there will be no more "star trek" type posts.

Peace
Ryan

I have been back on the road this week bringing Make Your Own Lunch™ to the masses and I am loving every minute of it.

I think for me, one of the best parts of doing what I do is building a certain type of relationship with the high school students that I am blessed enough to speak in front of.  I am sure that the students have no idea what to expect when they see me standing in the front of the room about to speak but I have to thank them for giving me the respect, attention, feedback and love that I have been given constantly!

I was at a school yesterday and I didn’t get a chance to speak about one of the principles of Make Your Own Lunch™.  The section I skipped is all about obstacles. 

Does it seem to anyone else that as soon as you say you want to do something or accomplish something, all of these obstacles appear?  I’ve noticed the same thing.

I think the reason this happens is because we have told ourselves that there will be obstacles, so instead of focusing on what it is we want to do, we end up just searching for reasons NOT to do it!  I was reading a book a few months ago and I came across the most perfect definition of the word obstacle.  The book defined obstacle as: Something you see when you take your eye off of your goal. 

After spending some time thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that this is the most accurate definition of the word obstacle.  You only see an obstacle when you take your eye off of your goal.

I think the perfect example of this definition is Terry Fox.  AFTER an amputation surgery he decided he wanted to run across Canada.  I am sure there were hundreds of people who told him about his obvious obstacle but he decided to see an opportunity instead of an obstacle.  He set out and ran as much as he physically was able to do.  Thanks to him and his decision, over $400 Million have been raised in his name for cancer research.

So I guess my question is this, if there’s an obstacle and no one sees it, points it out or states that it will be an obstacle, does it even exist?  Do you see the opportunities or do you waste time trying to find the obstacles and reasons NOT to do it?

PS Check out the videos in the Free Stuff section if you are looking for a boost to your day!

First things first…  Shout out to Loyalist College!  It's a great school!

I had the awesome opportunity to speak at their first annual Graduating Class Spaghetti Dinner.  It was a great time!  The students, alumni and staff at Loyalist were incredible and absolutely welcomed me with open arms and ears.

The presentation went well and the students seemed to really be engaged in what I had to say.

I promised some of the people in the audience that I would post a summary of what I talked about and here’s what I want them to remember:

DECIDE!

Decision is the only way anyone has accomplished anything ever!  There are so many things waiting to be conquered, so much success waiting for us if we just decide to go and get it.  Remember that decide comes from the Latin word, decidre, which literally means: to cut off!  When you decide to do something, you whole-heartedly commit to doing it and cut off ever option until you have done it.  There is no such thing as “trying”,  you either, decide to do it and actually do it or you don’t do it at all. 

(I am not a Star Wars geek BUT) Yoda said it best, “Do or do not… There is no try”

Decide what you want, regardless of if others believe it’s realistic.

Anyone who is reading this who was at my presentation last night, please contact me if you have any questions.  Also, make sure to sign-up for the newsletter and download the 4 free books in the Members section!  They are all worth reading!

Loyalist College is DIESEL!  (Diesel is a good thing)
 

Thanks again for everyone who made last night happen.  A special thanks goes to the Connie Millar and the college president, Maureen Piercy, who took the time to come and check out Make Your Own Lunch™ and introduce me to the students!

The best of luck to the ’07 and ’08 graduates from Loyalist College.  Stay up!

Peace

Ryan

I have a day in the office today and am excited about the chance to get some work done here.

I have spent the last couple of weeks traveling around and delivering Make Your Own Lunch to some different schools in the Greater Toronto Area.  It has been a great time! 

I have had the opportunity to meet some great youth who are really interested in living their dreams.  I have had numerous experiences now with students who approach me after a presentation to tell me that they really needed something like Make Your Own Lunch and that they will use what I have spoken about to improve their lives.  This is the best thing I could hear after a presentation.

The educators have been receiving it just as well.  The educators of today went through the education system that was designed and adapted to the great age of industrialization and have not had as many opportunities to be exposed to the ideas and concepts like those of Make Your Own Lunch.  The new, fresh ideas have been welcomed with open hearts and minds, which only makes it better for the students they teach.  It also makes it a lot easier for me to enjoy the success of my career.

I have always said that as long as the students are the number one priority AT ALL TIMES, the education system will evolve in the necessary ways to accommodate the changing times.   It's when educators put ego before innovation that the students suffer.  Judging by my most recent experiences, I am excited to see what the future will have to offer the students of today.

Well, it's time for me to get back and finish doing some 'real work'.  Until next time (I'm really tempted to say 'keep fit and have fun', those of you who live in Ontario will probably get it)  stay well and Make Your Own Lunch!

Peace

Ryan

I thought today would be a good day to start writing in this blog.  I have been working on re-vamping the site and thought I would let everyone know what's up.

This site will probably be constantly changing.  I have lots of content I want to give you guys but don't want to overwhelm you with .pdf files, links ans ideas, so slowly I will begin to post them in the 'Members' and 'Free Stuff' sections.

This blog may be a little different than most.  I intend to use this blog to write about the things I am passionate about and interested in.  One day it may be about the Education System and what we need to do NOW to help create happier, more successful people in the future or I may decide to write about Climate Change or the wars in Africa.

I am passionate about so many things and feel that we as humans in developed nations must do everything we can to ensure that our people find security, safety, happiness and success today and in the future.

This blog is not one where I will gossip or try to force my political/religious views on anyone.  Those are two areas I will probably never touch on.  I will however, try to present information, ideas and experiences that may help all of us create more passion, and a better vision for the future.

I will be busy this '07-08 school year touring across Canada for the Make Your Own Lunch - Canadian Campus Tour.  If you are interested in what's going to be happening with that, click the Canadian Campus Tour logo on the main page of this site. 

I will leave it there for today and hope to post again next week with a little more content.

Peace
Ryan