Click here to view the embedded video.

Children are brilliantly in the present.  In many ways, they are fearless.  Fortunately, they have yet to be “trained” into being rational or thinking that they can’t do something.  What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Can you connect with that fun, courageous, unlimited, powerful and FREE child within you and let go of self-limiting beliefs?

What is really fun about this video is that I didn’t say a word to my son before we started filming other than, “Brennan, we are going to make a video.”  His presence and comments are priceless!  Help make Brennan famous – share this post with your networks, retweet and please leave your comments below.

A good friend of mine recently shared this video with me.  I know it’s a few years old and it received some TV time, but it’s making another round on Facebook, as things tend to do.  It’s a simple, powerful video that highlights how our children learn and imitate our actions far more than our words.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This can be a sobering video or an empowering one depending on your perspective.  Sure it’s true kids imitate us, we see it every day.  We all know the statistics related to things like abuse, alcoholism and violence.  Much gathers more.  This is how nature works.

This video is a great reminder for me to get even more present to my vision for myself, my family and the world.  If I am not clear about it, then it isn’t clear and the likelihood of getting there is nearly non-existent.  I watched the video and wasn’t sad that the things that were happening.  Those sorts of things happen every day.  People litter.  They smoke.  They abuse animals, their spouses and their children.  It sucks, I get that.

But the action is the end result, not the cause.

What my mind raced to is how lost those people must be.  Sure, some of them might have some parts of their life together.  Hell, for some, they may seem to even have it all together.  But they’re lost.  They have no real vision.  If they did, how would their actions ever fit into their plans?  That’s a lesson I want to showcase to my son – vision drives performance.  Vision infuses our lives with meaning and power.  With vision, our choices become much easier.

Yes it’s true that our children follow our actions.  But they are the second ones to learn from our actions.  We are the first.

We may talk about something we truly want, but we learn by doing.  We learn and relearn our lessons through our experiences.  Are you teaching yourself the things you really want to be learning?

Do you talk a big game but then only take action on small parts of it?

Have you bought ‘hope’ but haven’t been disciplined enough to manifest your desires?

Our words are powerful, there is no denying that.  But our actions brand our lessons deep into our souls.  After all, our daily actions over time turn into our habits.  Our habits over time cultivate our lives.

It’s been said that character is who we are when no one is watching.

Perhaps if some were watching, if everyone had a coach observing their every thought, action and response…we would do so much better as a species.  I know for me when accountability is called into play, I step my game up.

Can we evolve to the point where being accountable to ourselves and our vision is enough to drive us forward?

Can we become powerful and committed enough to create a generation that is more motivated by a desire for joy than a desire to avoid pain?

If we can teach our children THAT…now that would be something.  That is a game worth playing.  Who is with me?

I often write about my son, Brennan, because honestly, just paying attention gives me such great copy. He changes so quickly that he is continuously providing me fresh, new content! Being with young children…really being with them…is an amazing experience in what it means to live authentically.

There are too many times to count that Brennan’s natural way of being reminds me of some grand lessons of life and the brilliance of being 100% in the moment of who you are. For your enjoyment, I’ve picked my top 9.7.

9.7 – Get excited about life.
Dive into experiences with energy and enthusiasm, as it is often this intention that creates our level of enjoyment and our results.

9 – Explore & Learn.
Take time to stare intensely at how a door opens and closes and what makes it work. Become intimately fascinated with new ideas, concepts, experiences and completely immerse yourself in the learning.

8 – Image isn’t everything.
Who cares if you have oatmeal or ketchup or sweet potato all over your face? Did it taste good? Absolutely!

7 – Make sure you get enough rest.
Sometimes there is nothing better than a power nap. Making time to recharge your batteries can pay huge dividends.

6 – Show your appreciation for the things you love.
Clap, smile, high five, laugh, be in JOY, giggle, squawk, scream…express yourself fully in appreciation for the people and experiences that support your growth and happiness.

5 – Get over it.
Hurt your foot? Who cares! It seemingly stops hurting if someone hands you your favorite toy. Be in your experiences, connect with them, learn from them and move on. Getting stuck in the drama of things in the past robs our ability
to connect with the present moment.

4 – Never take the relationship with your parents for granted.
My son is intimately connected to where I am, what I am doing and what mood I am in. I encourage you to look at how a toddler views his relationship with his parents, how important he feels they are to him and how much he values them…then answer those same three questions for yourself. Any difference?

3 – Believe in your ability to do things you have never done.
Take chances, risk, be bold, be courageous and strive forward with energy and optimism without giving a rat’s ass about what anyone else may think.

2 – If you aren’t getting what you want, stand up for yourself.
When a 4 year old isn’t happy, he’ll let you know. Now I am certainly not condoning how they go about conveying their message every time, but I applaud their commitment to their goals.

1 – Be FearLESS.
Walk around the edge of pools when you don’t know how to swim, play with light sockets, go down stairs at full speed, eat bugs, drink cold smoothies quickly and don’t worry about the brain freeze, walk up to stray dogs and jump off beds that are higher than you are tall. Seriously though, how many times do we let the fear of something stop us in our tracks, petrified by the outcome we make up in our own mind? Acknowledge your fears and go for it anyway!

Thank you, Brennan, may I repay you with the gift of teaching you as many things as you have taught me over your lifetime.