Are You the One Designing the Life You Are Living?
Lisa Marie Platske • May 8, 2018
Have you ever wished you had the courage to live a life true to yourself? That’s what I want to talk to you about this today because today is the perfect day to make sure the life you are living is truly designed by you.
In 2009, Bronnie Ware wrote an article entitled, Regrets of the Dying.
The article detailed the open and honest conversations that she had with people who were dying, specifically what her patients wished they had done differently.
Three years later, she wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing, which further expounded on the article and went on to touch the lives of millions of people all over the world.
In the book, she writes about how you can positively address these 5 issues while there is still time.
I first heard about her work over a dinner conversation with my husband.
An avid reader, Jim reads (not skims) on average two (2) books every week or over 100 books a year. (And, most of these are books like Atlas Shrugged, not tiny paperback novels – although he likes those, too.)
During our conversation, he shared that the #1 regret of people at the end of their life was
“I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
Wow.
Has this thought ever crossed your mind?
Life You Are Living - Upside Thinking
It did for me — and I set out to do something about it years ago.
I began the journey with one single step…which is what I advise my clients to do today.
Since stepping into my mission and calling in the arena of leadership development, I’ve heard this statement many times from potential clients and colleagues.
It’s one of the reasons I’ve put on an event called Design Your Destiny Live for the past 10 years.
Yet, I recognize how difficult it is for people to design their own destiny.
Somehow, it’s as if they forget who they are at their core.
Their true self.
It’s like their most authentic self has been covered up for so long with “should’s”, obligations, and fears.
Sometimes shame, anger, and resentment creep in, too because of …
- Chances not taken.
- Words not spoken.
- Dreams not pursued.
Over 3 days, attendees walk through a 7-step leadership formula with exercises on forgiveness and mind mapping.
I’ve watched as people in the audience awake to new opportunities and possibilities – and I am humbled and honored witness their transformation.
The emcee said she could visibly see the difference and was in awe at the change that occurred right before her eyes.
Making decisions that are aligned with who you are and believing that the world needs your brilliance takes commitment.
When I work with leadership coaching clients in my “Realize Your Destiny” or “Seize Your Spotlight” programs, I take a stand for their gifts, abilities, talents, and experiences – and their destiny.
My vision is for them to share their genius so they live a life with no regrets, fully stepping into their mission, purpose, and calling.
In 2016, a chalkboard in the middle of New York City asked people walking by to write their biggest regrets.
And, it showed up.
The disappointment of….
- Chances not taken.
- Words not spoken.
- Dreams not pursued.
So, how do you live with no regrets?
Here’s my short list.
- Say “I love you” every day.
- Practice forgiveness.
- Let go of anything that doesn’t serve you.
- Step into your mission, purpose, or calling.
- Take risks.
- Be kind to yourself when things don’t work out the way you planned them.
- Design your destiny.
Action:
The Upside Challenge of the week is to check in to make sure you’re living a life that is one of our own design, not one that others have chosen for you.
And, if you’d like to share where you are and what you want to step into, I’d love to hear from you.
I promise to listen to what you share with tender loving care – and to personally reply to you wherever you are on your journey.
The world needs you and your brilliance.
Comfort doesn’t change the world.
Vulnerability changes everything.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 18, 2025
Hope isn't a strategy. You can’t hope your way into a better job, career, or business. You can’t hope your way into a better relationship. And you can’t hope your way into a better life. I've watched people who "hope" others will trust them enough to do business with them. Or hire them for their dream job. Or "hope" that the most talented people out there will want to work with them in their company. Or "hope" that the man or woman of their dreams will show up on their doorstep and ask them out. Hope is defined as a "feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen." When invest time to get clear about who you are, what you want, and why it matters, it's more than just feeling your desire for something. You spent time, energy, and money creating clarity for your soul. This Upside leadership principle ensures you're not strong in only one area of your life - while being completely out of balance everywhere else. It keeps you from burning out after a year, or even a few. Because operating with clarity, confidence, and strategy ensures you get results that last. And that requires more than just hope. What kind of difference could that type of clarity make for you? If you want to be successful and profitable all areas of your life, this is the work I do so perhaps you're being called to dive in deeper to this community. Because the world needs you at your best. And hope isn’t the way to get there. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one area where you’ve been hoping instead of leading. Where have you been waiting for a breakthrough instead of creating one? Take one decisive action today to move forward. Make the call. Send the email. Have the conversation. Do the work. Because God moves with you when you do.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 9, 2025
A few years ago, I felt as if I was on a hamster wheel in my business. It seemed as if I was in the same place every morning - and running fast. Maybe you can relate. I knew I needed someone else to take a look and see what I couldn't because I was too close to it. I sought out someone who would let me learn from their mistakes and not have to make them all on my own. That’s one of the greatest benefits of leadership coaching. Can you be a leader without it? Sure. Yet, the odds of you wildly succeeding are stacked against you for so many reasons. And the biggest one is, you will be light-years behind your competitors if you have to make all of the mistakes on your own. You can always benefit from wisdom gained through others' direct experience, thereby saving yourself a great deal of time and energy. And, you never outgrow the need for coaching. For example, although my leadership coaching and consulting give my clients insights into other industries and companies and have them consider questions they may never have thought about, I, too, have undergone gap analyses in my own business. With the help of others, over 15 months, I examined every single activity that every team member did as well as scrutinizing where my time gets INVESTED. I brought in someone to look at processes for operations, and had a firm conduct a financial audit. We re-wrote SOP's (standard operating procedures), streamlined systems, and eliminated duplication. Some of the questions that I asked were: ~ Is this the simplest way to do this? ~ Is this (action, system, app, etc.) truly needed to run the business? ~ Is everyone on the team committed to the mission, values, and vision of Upside Thinking? ~ What can be automated or done differently? ~ What am I missing? While I talk to business owners almost every day with these questions in mind, it was an interesting journey to do this for me and my business and understand how important it is to ensure the people around me are involved in the process despite this being my area of expertise. Sometimes you can’t see what’s in front of you on your own. You have to be willing to see a new perspective. And then you have to be willing to do something about it. Sometimes, you need to step out of your current environment completely to gain the perspective you’re missing. That’s why I create spaces where leaders can reflect, and recalibrate. If this resonates with you, consider signing up for a Private, Leadership Retreat Day at Summit Hills Farm in Richmond, Kentucky. Our Spring and Fall Upside Retreats are already sold out. And I have a limited number of private retreat days available for 2025. Make a plan to reset, gain clarity, and step fully into what’s next for you. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to be committed to personal development, understanding you can't see what's getting in the way on your own. So, where in your business or life do you need outside perspective? Be open to taking action to get the answers needed to move forward with greater ease. Remember, you’re here for a reason… …and the world needs you and your brilliance.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 1, 2025
That’s the question, isn’t it? If we’re connected, you’re probably not someone who settles. You stretch yourself regularly, and you know there’s always more to do and be. Yet even the most conscious leaders can fall into the comfort of what’s familiar. It’s easy to mistake movement for progress, busyness for impact, and routine for purpose. Settling doesn’t always look like giving up, it often looks like: ~ Saying “yes” to things that keep you busy and yet you don’t move you forward ... ~ Downplaying your vision because it feels too big or uncertain ... ~ Waiting for clarity instead of creating it through action ... ~ Feeling restless yet unsure how to break through ... It’s not a lack of ambition. Rather, it’s a lack of space to recalibrate, strategize, and listen to what’s next. Stretching requires intention. It means: ~ Surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to expand ~ Creating space for deep, strategic thinking ~ Taking bold action even when the path isn’t fully mapped out ~ Bringing God into the process so you’re aligned, not just accomplished I used to wonder where leaders -- those who wanted to change the world -- went to do this kind of work, to breathe life into their vision and build their next level. When I couldn’t find it, I built it. A space for those who refuse to settle for “someday.” Because when you decide to stretch into your highest calling, clarity follows. And when you surround yourself with others who are doing the same, transformation happens. Where are you stretching next? ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one area where you’ve been holding back, whether it’s speaking up, taking a bold step, or committing fully to your vision, Then take one action today to stretch beyond it. Growth happens when you move past comfort. And the miracle happens after you take the leap of faith.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 26, 2025
Everyone wants success, yet few are willing to take the steps required to make it happen. The difference between those who wish for more and those who create it comes down to one thing — moving from belief to bold, faith-filled action. Napoleon Hill famously wrote in PMA: Science of Success Course that "The majority of people never discover the difference between wishing and believing; nor do they recognize that there are six steps which people usually follow in using their mind-power for the attainment of their desires. These steps are: First: Wishing or having wishes. The vast majority of people go through life by merely wishing for things. The percentage of people who stop at wishing is estimated to be 70%. Second: Developing wishes into desires. A much smaller percentage of the people develop their wishes into desires. These are estimated at 10%. Third: Developing wishes and desires into hopes. A still smaller percentage, estimated to be 8%, develop their wishes and desires into hopes. Fourth: Use mind-power to form hopes into beliefs. A still smaller percentage, estimated at only 6%, apply their mind-power up to do this step. Fifth: Crystallize wishes, desires, hopes, and beliefs into burning desire and faith. A very much smaller percentage of people, 4%, get this far in transforming their initial wishes. Sixth: Put faith into action by (1) planning and (2) carrying out those plans. The percentage of people who take the last two steps, putting their faith into action, is estimated to be only 2%. The outstanding leaders in every walk of life are the ones who carry on through each step and reach the sixth. They are a small group who recognize the power of their own minds, take possession of that power, and direct it to whatever ends they choose. To these people, the word impossible has no truth to it—no relevance to their lives. To them, everything they want or need is possible, and they manage to get it or make it happen." To quote Napoleon Hill, "The only trait which differentiates them from most of the others who accept failure as their lot, is that they recognize and use their mind's power for the attainment of the circumstances and things they want while the others do not. " I believe that this process, this use of my mind, and the power of my intention are how I ended up with a farm, barn, caretaker's cottage, and an event center. When you surround yourself with the right environment and take intentional steps forward, the shift from wishing to action becomes easier. That’s why I created the Upside Retreat , a space designed to help purpose-led leaders move beyond possibility and into reality. You were created with the power to bring your vision to life. Every desire placed on your heart is there for a reason, and it's your responsibility to move it forward. Action, guided by faith, is what creates transformation. So trust the process. Lean into what’s possible. And take the next step. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to recognize where you started with a wish and went through all six steps to bring it into action or being. If you cannot find an example, start today. Commit to persevering, to ignoring the concept of impossible. Whether you are celebrating a past success or starting anew, strengthen your mind-muscle around developing wishes through beliefs to faith to fruition. Go shine your light. Because the world needs you and your brilliance.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 18, 2025
Hope isn't a strategy. You can’t hope your way into a better job, career, or business. You can’t hope your way into a better relationship. And you can’t hope your way into a better life. I've watched people who "hope" others will trust them enough to do business with them. Or hire them for their dream job. Or "hope" that the most talented people out there will want to work with them in their company. Or "hope" that the man or woman of their dreams will show up on their doorstep and ask them out. Hope is defined as a "feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen." When invest time to get clear about who you are, what you want, and why it matters, it's more than just feeling your desire for something. You spent time, energy, and money creating clarity for your soul. This Upside leadership principle ensures you're not strong in only one area of your life - while being completely out of balance everywhere else. It keeps you from burning out after a year, or even a few. Because operating with clarity, confidence, and strategy ensures you get results that last. And that requires more than just hope. What kind of difference could that type of clarity make for you? If you want to be successful and profitable all areas of your life, this is the work I do so perhaps you're being called to dive in deeper to this community. Because the world needs you at your best. And hope isn’t the way to get there. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one area where you’ve been hoping instead of leading. Where have you been waiting for a breakthrough instead of creating one? Take one decisive action today to move forward. Make the call. Send the email. Have the conversation. Do the work. Because God moves with you when you do.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 9, 2025
A few years ago, I felt as if I was on a hamster wheel in my business. It seemed as if I was in the same place every morning - and running fast. Maybe you can relate. I knew I needed someone else to take a look and see what I couldn't because I was too close to it. I sought out someone who would let me learn from their mistakes and not have to make them all on my own. That’s one of the greatest benefits of leadership coaching. Can you be a leader without it? Sure. Yet, the odds of you wildly succeeding are stacked against you for so many reasons. And the biggest one is, you will be light-years behind your competitors if you have to make all of the mistakes on your own. You can always benefit from wisdom gained through others' direct experience, thereby saving yourself a great deal of time and energy. And, you never outgrow the need for coaching. For example, although my leadership coaching and consulting give my clients insights into other industries and companies and have them consider questions they may never have thought about, I, too, have undergone gap analyses in my own business. With the help of others, over 15 months, I examined every single activity that every team member did as well as scrutinizing where my time gets INVESTED. I brought in someone to look at processes for operations, and had a firm conduct a financial audit. We re-wrote SOP's (standard operating procedures), streamlined systems, and eliminated duplication. Some of the questions that I asked were: ~ Is this the simplest way to do this? ~ Is this (action, system, app, etc.) truly needed to run the business? ~ Is everyone on the team committed to the mission, values, and vision of Upside Thinking? ~ What can be automated or done differently? ~ What am I missing? While I talk to business owners almost every day with these questions in mind, it was an interesting journey to do this for me and my business and understand how important it is to ensure the people around me are involved in the process despite this being my area of expertise. Sometimes you can’t see what’s in front of you on your own. You have to be willing to see a new perspective. And then you have to be willing to do something about it. Sometimes, you need to step out of your current environment completely to gain the perspective you’re missing. That’s why I create spaces where leaders can reflect, and recalibrate. If this resonates with you, consider signing up for a Private, Leadership Retreat Day at Summit Hills Farm in Richmond, Kentucky. Our Spring and Fall Upside Retreats are already sold out. And I have a limited number of private retreat days available for 2025. Make a plan to reset, gain clarity, and step fully into what’s next for you. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to be committed to personal development, understanding you can't see what's getting in the way on your own. So, where in your business or life do you need outside perspective? Be open to taking action to get the answers needed to move forward with greater ease. Remember, you’re here for a reason… …and the world needs you and your brilliance.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 1, 2025
That’s the question, isn’t it? If we’re connected, you’re probably not someone who settles. You stretch yourself regularly, and you know there’s always more to do and be. Yet even the most conscious leaders can fall into the comfort of what’s familiar. It’s easy to mistake movement for progress, busyness for impact, and routine for purpose. Settling doesn’t always look like giving up, it often looks like: ~ Saying “yes” to things that keep you busy and yet you don’t move you forward ... ~ Downplaying your vision because it feels too big or uncertain ... ~ Waiting for clarity instead of creating it through action ... ~ Feeling restless yet unsure how to break through ... It’s not a lack of ambition. Rather, it’s a lack of space to recalibrate, strategize, and listen to what’s next. Stretching requires intention. It means: ~ Surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to expand ~ Creating space for deep, strategic thinking ~ Taking bold action even when the path isn’t fully mapped out ~ Bringing God into the process so you’re aligned, not just accomplished I used to wonder where leaders -- those who wanted to change the world -- went to do this kind of work, to breathe life into their vision and build their next level. When I couldn’t find it, I built it. A space for those who refuse to settle for “someday.” Because when you decide to stretch into your highest calling, clarity follows. And when you surround yourself with others who are doing the same, transformation happens. Where are you stretching next? ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to identify one area where you’ve been holding back, whether it’s speaking up, taking a bold step, or committing fully to your vision, Then take one action today to stretch beyond it. Growth happens when you move past comfort. And the miracle happens after you take the leap of faith.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 26, 2025
Everyone wants success, yet few are willing to take the steps required to make it happen. The difference between those who wish for more and those who create it comes down to one thing — moving from belief to bold, faith-filled action. Napoleon Hill famously wrote in PMA: Science of Success Course that "The majority of people never discover the difference between wishing and believing; nor do they recognize that there are six steps which people usually follow in using their mind-power for the attainment of their desires. These steps are: First: Wishing or having wishes. The vast majority of people go through life by merely wishing for things. The percentage of people who stop at wishing is estimated to be 70%. Second: Developing wishes into desires. A much smaller percentage of the people develop their wishes into desires. These are estimated at 10%. Third: Developing wishes and desires into hopes. A still smaller percentage, estimated to be 8%, develop their wishes and desires into hopes. Fourth: Use mind-power to form hopes into beliefs. A still smaller percentage, estimated at only 6%, apply their mind-power up to do this step. Fifth: Crystallize wishes, desires, hopes, and beliefs into burning desire and faith. A very much smaller percentage of people, 4%, get this far in transforming their initial wishes. Sixth: Put faith into action by (1) planning and (2) carrying out those plans. The percentage of people who take the last two steps, putting their faith into action, is estimated to be only 2%. The outstanding leaders in every walk of life are the ones who carry on through each step and reach the sixth. They are a small group who recognize the power of their own minds, take possession of that power, and direct it to whatever ends they choose. To these people, the word impossible has no truth to it—no relevance to their lives. To them, everything they want or need is possible, and they manage to get it or make it happen." To quote Napoleon Hill, "The only trait which differentiates them from most of the others who accept failure as their lot, is that they recognize and use their mind's power for the attainment of the circumstances and things they want while the others do not. " I believe that this process, this use of my mind, and the power of my intention are how I ended up with a farm, barn, caretaker's cottage, and an event center. When you surround yourself with the right environment and take intentional steps forward, the shift from wishing to action becomes easier. That’s why I created the Upside Retreat , a space designed to help purpose-led leaders move beyond possibility and into reality. You were created with the power to bring your vision to life. Every desire placed on your heart is there for a reason, and it's your responsibility to move it forward. Action, guided by faith, is what creates transformation. So trust the process. Lean into what’s possible. And take the next step. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to recognize where you started with a wish and went through all six steps to bring it into action or being. If you cannot find an example, start today. Commit to persevering, to ignoring the concept of impossible. Whether you are celebrating a past success or starting anew, strengthen your mind-muscle around developing wishes through beliefs to faith to fruition. Go shine your light. Because the world needs you and your brilliance.
