Success Wallpapers

Hello again. Today I'm very pleased to present to you another motivational wallpaper. This one is called, "Kindness", and it is my 82nd success wallpaper (5th for this year).

Kindness is a subject that, at first glance, might cause one to scratch his head and ask, "What does this have to do with success?"

One may also feel that kindness and success simply can't really co-exist. One may think, "Isn't becoming a success mean that you have to go over people, push forward or through challenges, get tough, and be stronger than all obstacles? You can't do that and be kind at the same time." To some, kindness looks like a form of weakness.

But in truth, it's the exact opposite. Kindness takes strength of character. It's putting yourself aside and being thoughtful of others first.

Being kind isn't always easy. To some it's downright difficult, especially when something doesn't go our way. It's also hard when we let our emotions fly without restraint and we stay in that ugly frame of mind too long. Then before we even realize it, we forget about being even civil - let alone kind - to others due to our own issues.

But if we refocus our thoughts, and start to put others first, kindness can start to flow through us.

John Wooden once said, "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." And it was W.S. Merwin who said, "If those who owe us nothing gave us nothing, how poor we would be." Surely, there have been times in your life where you found yourself being given something by someone and they had no expectation of being repaid. They did it simply to be kind.

Kindness stems from being unselfish and thoughtful of others. It's about thinking of others first before yourself, and wanting to make others feel good despite our own feelings. With practice, it's something we can all get better at and allow ourselves to think of others first. And that, as Lao Tzu said, "creates love".

The neat thing about spreading kindness around is that it could come back to you eventually in some way. But even if it doesn't, you'll still feel an immediate reward inside that will make you an ultimate success as a person. And that's what it's all about.

Hi everyone! I've managed to pull together another new wallpaper for you tonight. This one is my 81st wallpaper I've created for my success gallery overall (4th for this year). I've named it, "Aspire".

Aspirations. They require us to look up at what is possible. And when we focus our thoughts on those higher possibilities, it is there that we are able to recognize our own opportunities - opportunities that we have failed to see until now.

Aspirations have the power to turn a simple wish into a worthy and attainable goal. Of course, it doesn't end there. To aspire is to simply begin. But one does have to start somewhere. We all need to take a first step of any journey if we are to ever get anywhere. Sadly, too many people in life fail to take this simple first step. As a result, they will never get anywhere because they've never aspired to be anything greater than what they are now.

I trust that this is not your reality though. I believe I can say that because you are here reading this right now looking for ways to inspire yourself.

Keep your aspirations close to your heart, and never let go of them. They can lead you to become as great as you can imagine!

Today I released another motivational wallpaper that I had been saving for a while. This one is entitled, "Friendship", making this my 80th success wallpaper for my gallery. It even kind of fits in with the upcoming Valentine's holiday if you consider that great romantic relationships usually start out as great friendships - or at least the more solid ones that last longer do. (Obviously, this isn't a requirement, but it certainly doesn't hurt either.)

But I love this quote by William Arthur Ward. When I first saw this image (see source info here), I knew this quote would fit perfectly with it.

Hopefully, we all have a few deep friendships in our lives that can be said to fit this description given by Ward. And if you have more than a handful of these very rare friendships, consider yourself a very rich person.

But if you don't have one of these yet, start today be being one yourself. Being a friendly person attracts others. (This is what can initially open those doors). Then be the type of friend described by Ward. You'll soon find many people that are looking for a friend like this - mostly all of us are. But you've got to give first before you get. What goes around definitely comes around.

Eventually, you'll find - and create - more friendships like this that will reciprocate what you're sending.

Hello again. It's been about two weeks since I last posted a wallpaper. And it's been a really good start so far for this new year. Already, I've seen over 10,000 wallpapers downloaded this month, which is the best start I've ever seen for 1 month. Thanks everyone!

Today, I'm posting a new motivational wallpaper called "Believe". I find that this new wallpaper is so fitting and timely for myself as I'm looking to start a few new projects this year. I'm not going to go into any specifics here yet, but I will let you know more of my plans when I'm ready to launch them.

There are still things that are standing in my way though of getting my plans going. That's why this quote from Schwartz really encouraged me to get going on the things that I can do something about, then worry about the rest later regardless if things aren't perfect or crystal clear right now.

But the main topic of believing that a solution exists is near and dear to me. I feel that this year is a new period of change and hope. Hope for positive things to come. But they won't come unless I believe that they can come true.

I hope that if you are struggling to get going on things that may seem cloudy or blocked by obstacles, that those solutions will come for you as well. But things won't change unless we believe and then take some form of action. I know that this is not an easy things to do. It goes against our nature to believe in the unseen. But you can't let fear stop you. You can't let opportunities that were meant for you to vanish. Those that believe will be rewarded and ultimately find the solutions. Don't give up, and don't stop believing! The answer could be just around the corner.

I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year for 2010! Wow, not only have we started a brand new year, but we've also headed into a new decade. I'm really looking forward to what this new year will bring. The feeling of new beginnings is in the air around my house.

One thing I can bring to you today is a brand new wallpaper. I've finished up success wallpaper #78, which is entitled "Decide".

This past week, I tweeted this quote on Twitter.com, which really seemed to get picked up and retweeted (shared) by others. After thinking about what this quote by Emerson had to say, I thought that it would make for a good motivational wallpaper. So, I decided to see what I could do with it. Looking around on the Internet, I came across this image (see source info here) of this boat headed out into sea. I felt it embodied the idea of a person making up his/her mind to travel out and become (or accomplish) what they had already decided on doing. Anyway, I really liked what I saw and put the two together. So that's the quick background on this wallpaper.

The other thing I love about releasing this one now is that we are at the beginning of a new period of time. This is a time for new decisions to be made for how we live our lives. I know I can look back at this wallpaper as a great reminder for me to keep the decisions I've made to accomplish. Using this as a tool for inspiration to keep those decisions going can help me achieve my goals. I hope and wish this for you as well.

In celebration of the coming Christmas holiday, I've reposted on the home page my 25th wallpaper called "Christmas". I thought that this might help get us all into the Christmas mood (if you weren't already there), as well as refocusing the attention on what this season is really about - when God sent His Son into the world to save us all from our sins.

I'll be back with a brand new wallpaper next month, so keep coming back!

In wrapping up the year, I'd like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a very successful and productive upcoming year next year! The best is yet to come!

Good evening everyone! Tonight I am releasing my last inspirational wallpaper for the year. So here it is, wallpaper #77, which I've named: "Conquer It".

The quote in this wallpaper is one I had created a while ago, as it uses every first letter of my first name - kind of a reverse acronym.

Some days while I'm running, I would hit a point where pain or exhaustion may start to overtake me. It may sound corny, but when I hit that "wall", I like to say this phrase to myself and it helps motivate me to go on.

"Living intentionally now" is a way to say that I need to forget about that pain (or exhaustion) and purposefully move forward and just get the job done - no matter what obstacle lies in front of me. By doing this, then "certain", or guaranteed, achievement is near - waiting for me to arrive.

Why don't I just use the word "achievement" then? Two reasons. 1.) Achievement is fine, but "overcoming" helps to highlight the challenges that one will typically face along the path to success. 2.) It would ruin the acronym otherwise.

So, that's the story behind the quote. The image here has helped me to visualize even more that picture of overcoming and reaching the top of the hill.

In the proverbial "hill" of my life, even though I may feel like I'm still a long ways from arriving at my ultimate goal, living intentionally with each step, I am getting closer to overcoming that hill.

Special Note:
This image was originally taken by my own Father last month (in November) of me running up this big hill. (Thanks for the help, Dad!)

And in case you were wondering if I had done any post processing (that's altering the picture digitally) to the original image - YES!!! I cannot tell a lie - I did. (If the skies had really been this gorgeous, I probably would've been still staring at the skies instead of getting the picture taken.)

Part of my joy in working on these wallpapers is taking something raw and reworking it - at least a little - to fit an idea I have for a success wallpaper. In fact, rarely will you find any wallpapers here without some sort of post work done on it. Now, there are a few rare shots - that I am either lucky enough to capture, or be allowed to use by other great photographers - that are just perfect the way they are. But for the most part, image editing and making them into wallpapers is what I take great pleasure in. That, and sharing them here with you.

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I give you my 76th success wallpaper which I call "Give Thanks". I had wanted to get a wallpaper which focused on this theme out sooner in my series, but I really had no content (images) which would suffice.

So, last year, a family and a few friends that I know very well, were kind enough to allow me to take their picture for this wallpaper. (This was shot just before a real Thanksgiving meal, so it's as authentic as you can get.) However, it was too late to make into a wallpaper and post it last year, so I saved it for this year.

But this image really portrays what the Thanksgiving holiday is all about for me. It's a chance to sit down - both physically and figuratively - with loved ones, and reflect upon the blessings that God has bestowed to all of us, and deservedly thank Him for all the great things, both now, and in the future, that He has and will provide for us.

Whether or not you believe in God, He believes in you. And every day, He is providing for your needs - whether you know it or not. My wish is that you can find some time this week to reflect on your blessings and consider thanking the One who has given them to you.

The best thing is that you don't have to wait for Thanksgiving Day to do this. You can "give thanks" any day of the year. In fact, I highly recommend doing it every day!

So with that, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

You might be wondering who is that on my home page today? It's my dog - well, it's actually my parent's dog - but I still call him my own too. Meet Lucky, our aging chocolate Lab. He's still alive and with us. Lucky turned 12 on September 12th this year (his golden birthday), but is still going strong - at least in his spirit.

Whenever I visit my parent's home, he always comes running to greet me - like everybody that stops in. But, he still makes me feel special nevertheless. Lucky has been my exercise buddy for over 10 years. Unfortunately, though, he's suffering from too much arthritis in his legs to continue with that activity. Regardless, I'd still have to say that he's still living a good life.

I took this picture a couple years ago during the Fall by my parents house. He's a bit more whiter in the face now, but still filled with much love in his little heart. (He's such a people-person kind of dog.)

So, with that little bit of background about this background, I give you success wallpaper #75, entitled, "Age".

One thing I loved about this photo the most is how he seems to be deep in thought, as though he were reminiscing about some fond memory of maybe running after a deer in the woods, or eating up someone's leftovers under the table. Yes, he's a great old friend who's young at heart!

Special Note:
One thing that might urk some quote historians here is the quote reference. I've credited Ben Franklin as the original source here. But I've also seen in multiple places on the web that this same quote was attributed to Sir Arthur Pinero (and even a few more people, but these were the top two). However, I couldn't find any references which specifically highlighted which person was the original source. If anyone can generate very credible evidence that Pinero was the true original source, I'll be happy to change this reference. But that of course would also have to prove that Franklin never said this either, which would be very difficult to do. Seeing that Franklin existed much earlier than Pinero, I'll have to attribute the quote to him for now.

I wanted to get a new wallpaper up earlier this week, but I was waiting for something to clear up first. And in all openness, I had wanted to put up something different today, something more related to the holiday that's upon us for this weekend. However, it just didn't work out. Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes.

The good news is that I had the opportunity to post this new motivational wallpaper instead. Well, it's new to you at least. I've actually been saving this one for a while now, but was waiting for the right time. (Well, I'm going to consider this as the right time now.)

So, here is my 74th success wallpaper for my gallery entitled, "Happiness".

Have a great day and try spreading some happiness around this weekend! It's one of the few things you can get more of by giving it away. :-)

My latest success wallpaper is finally finished. I've went back and forth as to which image I thought would best suit this topic. I finally decided it was to be the one you see here.

I call my newest wallpaper - on which the topic is focused on - "Tranquility". This brings my number of motivational wallpapers up to 73 now for my gallery.

This great shot (see source info here) reminded me of how important it is at times to step away from the busyness of life and calm yourself inside.

I recently had the chance to get away last weekend myself - my first vacation in over a year - to a place that has grown very meaningful to me over the years. While though the weather wasn't the greatest when I went there, I still felt that being there helped me to regain a sense of tranquility that I sorely needed. It really felt good to get away and "reset" myself.

Now, you don't necessarily need to take a vacation to find tranquility. You can do this anywhere at any time. (Some would even say taking a vacation adds more stress because of the planning, traveling, and extra costs.)

I feel that the key is to find a place and schedule that won't compete for your attention and allow you to find a place that can lift you up physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Why am I making a point about all this? Because if stress is really something we make ourselves (and I do believe that it is), then it can be unmade through a calmness of mind, and allow an overworked or even troubled mind to think clearly again.

I decided to release this new wallpaper today instead of waiting to do it next week, as I had originally planned. I figured that since I already had it done, and with the available time to do it today - why not? I call this one, "Renew", which makes this my 72nd motivational wallpaper.

I took this photo last spring, but I never really thought of using it in a wallpaper until I came across it this past week. In this photo, there are a couple of concepts that stand out when I study it.

First off, the color of green actually symbolizes the ideas of stability, peace, life, and renewal. With the water and trees, these things point to new beginnings. But besides the green lush grass, the growing trees, and the cooling water, the old bridge in the shot also stands out to me.

You can actually see the "1902" markings etched in the stone near the middle of the bridge, located right of the major crack in the middle. (You may need to download/view one of the larger sizes to order to really see it.) Whether or not the bridge was actually built in 1902, I don't really know - as I wasn't around when it was built. But the year it was built is not as important to me as much as the idea that this old structure is still in operation today, allowing trains to cross over this river to deliver it's cargo to it's destination. Despite its age and condition (old, weathered, and cracked) it still can perform and accomplish it's purpose.

I am now in my early 30's. Gone are the days when I could eat anything I wanted and not have to worry of gaining weight or be concerned about my health. Gone are the days I could run miles without having to put ice on my legs to keep the swelling down. Gone are the days when I felt I could do anything I could possibly dream of doing. (Well, that was how I felt for a while.)

Some people I work with will see me limping along in the office (due to a sports injury now and then), and tell me that I'm getting old. While I know that they mean no real harm in it - as they say it in a jovial manner - it does the job of highlighting the obvious. I am getting old - just like everyone in life does. And with that, some hopes and dreams that one has in their youth start to fade away. I don't think I'll ever play for the Green Bay Packers. I know I won't retire before 30 (since I'm past that mark), or get married and have kids by the age of 33. Some of those dreams aren't possible anymore. Some of them are silly now that I look back and reflect on them. But some worthy dreams are still renewable.

When I came across this image, it helped me see that even though my old dreams didn't come to pass, I could still dream new ones that would align with what I'm meant to accomplish in my life. Dreams that may be more fulfilling for my soul. To find that, I'll need to renew myself daily through prayer and meditation to find what I'm meant to be, to do, and accomplish.

This quote - which ironically was the first one that came up when I was searching for a suitable quote - helped to cement the preceding concept with the image. It actually stirred within me the hope that I can still succeed, despite where I am now, or in what condition. There's still more great days to come. I simply need to renew my mind and spirit, and get that faith I once had back.

The dreams that ignite your passion, and renew your soul are the ones worth holding on to. We must keep renewing the hopes inside of us. Find that place where your springs never dry up and keep renewing your dreams!

"Finally!" That's my word of the day. Why is that my word of the day? It's because I've been going back and forth - for what has seemed to be an eternity - on what theme this particular wallpaper should embody. I really wanted to post this wallpaper on Monday, but I wasn't convinced that this piece was done yet. So, I kept working on this until I felt the image, theme, and quote fit perfectly together.

I can't remember when a wallpaper's theme went through so many changes as this one did. Anyway, it's finally done now. I can post this and move on - finally.

So here it is! My 71st motivational wallpaper, which I call "Navigate".

The funny thing is, while working on this one, I had given a thought to just letting this one go and complete it for a later time. I would've used a different wallpaper that I was closer to finishing up, as during these last few weeks, I've made other alternative wallpapers. But - as I already mentioned - I opted to stick with this one and just finish it up.

What's nice now is that I've got close to 4 or 5 wallpapers that are mostly done and planned out now, so I'll be able to release these next couple of new ones on a regular schedule until the end of the year.

Oh, and one last thing: have a Happy Day of 9's - as today is 09-09-09. Have a great day!

It's been a little while since I last posted a new wallpaper. But don't fret, because this week I finally had some time to sit down and create a new motivational wallpaper. I call this one "Influence", as it becomes my 70th success wallpaper in my gallery.

I'm also working on another wallpaper that I'm crafting for the Labor Day holiday weekend. Because of that, however, this wallpaper may be the only one I release this month. I would have liked to have posted two wallpapers this month, but August kind of got too busy for me. But I promise that next month I'll have 2 new ones again. :-)

Today I made some minor changes to the "Wallpapers" page list. Before today, I had all my wallpapers listed on this page. When I first started this site, doing this was a good way to show all my work in an easy way.

However, over time (as I kept adding new wallpapers to my gallery) this page started growing too large in page weight, making the page load slower and longer.

I knew I had to do something to cut down on the size of this ever expanding page. So, I finally decided to only leave my latest work on the first page, and display the rest through a link structure at the bottom of the page - which are organized in groups of five wallpapers per page. This should easily lighten the page loads - especially for my visitors who still might have dial-up connections. I may create another way in the future that may just show thumbnail images of the complete list, but I satisfied with the way things are for now.

Today marks the 40th Anniversary of when man first set foot on the moon. So I consider this day a special day as it symbolizes when a major goal became a milestone that was accomplished by a large team of dedicated men and women working together for one purpose - to put a man on the moon.

That goal was put forth as a challenge by John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961. Eight years later (while on the Apollo 11 mission) on July 20th, 1969, as Neil Armstrong first stepped onto the lunar surface, he gave his now famous quote as included in the above wallpaper, as he accomplished this milestone.

In honor of this great feat, I created my new wallpaper to commemorate this event, which I've named "Giant Leap". I find it fitting that this wallpaper is my 69th motivational wallpaper overall - because this matches with the year that man answered this challenge. (And, no, I hadn't planned it that way. It just kind of fell into place.)

If you want to read more about this great event, you can check out the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal, or watch it on YouTube here.

Hi everyone! I've just posted my 68th motivational wallpaper up this afternoon entitled "Liberty". I wanted to get this new wallpaper up early this month so that everyone can get into the spirit to appreciate the upcoming holiday this weekend. This has always been one of my favorite times of the year.

I love history, especially history focusing on the American Revolution period. What America's founding Fathers fought, struggled, suffered, and died for can be so easily forgotten and taken for granted by our current generation. Many lives were sacrificed by great men who had the foresight and desire to do what they felt was right for their country. I feel it's important for me, as an American, and for us as a nation (if you are also an American) to reflect on how privileged we are to be able to enjoy the many freedoms we have, and thank God for those many liberties. Of course, I must note that the freedoms of which I describe here are those which would not cause harm or violate the rights of others. Liberties are a privilege, and with that comes responsibility to use those liberties with care and wisdom.

Also, I want to give a special "Thank You" to Ludovic Bertron for taking this great image of "Lady Liberty" and licensing it as a Creative Commons image, so that someone like me could make this as a wallpaper. (You can view this great photographer's original image using the link info at the bottom of this page here.)

In closing, I wish you all a very Happy Fourth of July this weekend!

Hello! Today, is this site's 2nd year anniversary. This site has really grown over the past 2 years, content-wise, design-wise, and traffic -wise. I just wanted to post a quick note here to say thanks to everyone who has supported me here by either helping me with creating content through idea exchange, image sharing, or feedback support. Also, simply just sending me a thank you message means a lot too.

Of course, many have downloaded my wallpapers, and even a few who are really supportive have written up a few blog posts about my site and its content. For all of that, I'm really appreciative for your support during these past two years here.

Tomorrow, I should have something new to share with you for the upcoming holiday weekend.

Have a great day!

Well, after weeks of tweaking this so many times - while going back and forth between many photos and styles - I'm very pleased to say I'm ready to release another new wallpaper. Tonight I posted my 67th success wallpaper called "Inspire".

What I like about this image, is that all the light sources are not the same. Some are real obvious and dominant, while others are more subtle. In any case, they do provide light.

In life, we will meet a lot of different people. Some may seem to have it easy, while others struggle for everything they have. In either case, how they handle life, can be an great inspiration to others. There will be many that look to us as examples too, as we ourselves will look to others for inspiration as well.

I don't know about you, but I love hearing about how others succeed in various areas of their lives. It gives me motivation, and inspires me to dream dreams, set goals, and aspire to attain those goals to make them a reality. In a way, that is what this site itself is about: to help inspire others to look beyond the status quo and reach higher for something greater.

We all have something unique to offer in this life. Don't believe for a second that you don't. May I simply leave you with a challenge: that you set out today to find your life's purpose and let your light shine bright. Eventually, someone will take notice and be inspired to do the same.

What your example may bring into your little space where you live, could have a great ripple effect across the globe! So let your light shine.

Just a quick little entry today about SuccessWallpapers.com. A nice little milestone that I've been keeping an eye on for a while has finally been achieved. Last night, this site had delivered its 100,000th wallpaper download since I opened it up on July 1st, 2007.

Now, that may not seem impressive to many, but when you consider that in my first year alone I had only 16,000 downloads, you can see that last year really picked up quite a bit. (FYI: I count my first year as being July '07 to end of June '08.) It's also very hard when you have a very small niche to start with.

But in the grand scheme of things, I'm just happy with making these wallpapers available to anyone who sees their value and decides to use them - not only as wallpaper, but as a catalyst to help them stay motivated and inspired.

So, I just wanted to say "Thank You!" to all who were a part of this milestone and helping spread the word about my site. I really appreciate it.

Next major milestone: 250,000 downloads!

Have a great day!

Hello again! June is here, and summer is really starting to take shape. Graduation parties, cookouts, vacations: these are all things that make summer feel like summer. Living in Wisconsin, winters are the longest seasons of the year - no matter what the calendar says. So when the summer season comes around, I want to take advantage!

Living in the moment and enjoying what we have now is important. But planning for the future is important too. Not just for our own futures, but also for the futures of those who depend upon us. And that brings me to my main topic - which is also the theme for my 66th motivational wallpaper - "Planning".

I am a single guy, so I don't have the familial responsibilities that many people - those who are blessed with children or other dependants - have. But I do think about my future - a lot. I also put hope in the thought that one day I'll meet someone, get married, and settle down to start a family of my own. However, I don't want to wait till circumstances force me to have to make plans when that time comes.

I intend to use this wallpaper to motivate myself to keep planning out my own future. Not only for my own benefit, but more importantly, for the good of my future family I one day will have. Of course this idea doesn't have to just focus on family. Many areas of life that require proper organized planning fall into this category.

I like that this image can also double for the idea that we need to plan - not only for our dependants - but for ourselves too. If you want to retire one day, you'll need your own "nest egg" of course. Or, if you feel that you're not the type who plans on retiring, at least you'd have the option. Most who are wise would want the option.

Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, "Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant." Part of planting seeds is organized planning. Plans that will one day reap a harvest and enable you to accomplish a worthy goal.

What do you think of when you read the following terms: incentives; commissions; bonuses; awards? These are all terms used to convey something that causes or encourages a given response by someone. Another word for this is motivation. It's used all the time. And one of the most powerful tools that people use to motivate others are rewards. And this is the topic I am focusing on for my 65th motivational wallpaper.

I call this one "Reward", making this wallpaper my 10th for the year.

The preceding list is a sample of the types of rewards we use. Many times, rewards are given to others in the form of money, possessions, or even simply recognition.

These are all fine and some are worthy of putting our efforts toward. But would you even consider the added benefit of self improvement as the higher reward, as compared to attaining the actual prize?

It would probably surprise you that most would only consider the latter as the real reward. Even fewer would go through the effort of trying something if they knew ahead of time that they would fail (of getting the prize), for the "becoming" would not be motivation enough - only the prize.

I'm not saying that the prize should be looked down on or deemed as unworthy of attaining. I'd just like to encourage those who fail to try something worth pursuing - because they feel that they wouldn't win anyway if they did try - to go out and give it a shot.

The true reward is that you will become a better person for going through the process because character development, attainment of knowledge and wisdom, and gaining a sense of having done something you haven't done before, will ultimately come.

In the end, you will be a better person for it. Consider that as the highest reward!

Today I'm going to add another new category under my "Resources" section to my site. It has nothing to do with wallpapers either by the way. It does have a lot to do with this site and about inspiration however. And both have something related to an earlier post of mine I did in March. What is this about? One word - Twitter.

Ok, I'm pretty sure that by now, you've heard of the new sensation that's sweeping the web. Twitter fever is here, and it's not likely to go away anytime soon.

It's hard to miss. It's in the news. It's being promoted by all the major media outlets. Celebrities seem to dominate the most active users lists - or at least the most followed lists.

Hopefully though, you're not sick to death of hearing about it yet. If you are, no problem. Just look to the right and download a wallpaper and relax. :-)

For those of you who want more, read on.

I'll admit I was very skeptical about the whole idea when I first heard of it over 2 years ago, but I just couldn't keep putting it aside until I tried it out for myself. So, in February of this year, I started using it. After a few weeks, I started to see the benefits of being on Twitter. I've met a lot of cool people on it in the short time I've been using it. It also sends me a little bit of traffic here every month now. (That's a nice bonus!)

Because of the value I've seen from using Twitter, I wanted to create a list that highlights some of my favorite motivational people on Twitter.

So, this list is my own hand-picked list of Tweeps (that's other word for Twitter peeps) that I feel offer value in the form of motivation and uplifting messages. They tweet good links, offer great conversation, tweet positive messages, retweet others, as well as follow back when you follow them - allowing one to be able to contact them directly.

I'm going to start out and try to add at least 2 new "tweeps" a week. It's my way of putting down my "FollowFriday" recommendations into a more prominent way on my site. Of course I will also look to recommend those people on #FollowFriday (for those who even know what I'm talking about).

One more thing about "FollowFriday"s on Twitter: for those of you who do participate in the fun, please don't recommend yourself - that's just tacky. And no one wants to be tacky. It's hacky. It's also wacky - but not in a good way. Please follow proper ettiquette and stick with recommending others.

Enjoy the list everyone.

Well, as you can see, I've finished uploading my sixty-fourth motivational success wallpaper to my gallery. It's entitled "Never Give Up". It features a quote from my favorite basketball player of all time, as I felt that this short quote summed it up well about how to face life's challenges.

Right now, I'd like to take a moment to share with you an example of what goes into getting the right picture to use in a motivational image.

Earlier this year, about 2 months ago in mid March, I woke up early on a Saturday morning to see a fresh blanket of snow that had fallen overnight. We were experiencing warmer weather during the week, and most of all the snow had melted in our area. Also, a few crocus plants had started to sprout up the last few days and were starting to boldly make their way out of the ground. I've seen pictures like this elsewhere, and liked how they symbolized the concept of overcoming adversity.

When I saw the fresh blanket of snow on the ground, I knew that this was what I wanted to capture. I had waited to capture a shot like this for over 2 years.

Now in all honesty, I just couldn't get the right shot I wanted to with my own flowers. Aspects like where they were located, the lighting, and the background were not what I was looking for. So, I went off to the local flower shop that morning and laid out $5 bucks for about 4 purple crocus plants that were ready to open up when it got warmer. I used one of them for this shot. After taking close to 50 different pictures of trying different things, I finally decided to head back in and get going with my day. I felt that I had a couple great options to choose from.

I did end up doing a little bit of Photoshopping (aka - digital alterations) on this image to make the yellow pistil less saturated - as the real thing was so vivid in it's natural color, that it actually looked fake to me when I saw it. I did do a few other things too, but was so glad when I was done.

Well, anyway, I was saving this one for May, and thought it might make a good one for Mother's Day. I'd like to wish all you mother's out there a very Happy Mother's Day weekend! If I still had this flower, I'd have given it to my Mom, who I love so very much. (Don't worry Mom, you're still getting a gift.) :-)

Have a great day!

I've just finished posting another new wallpaper in honor of this week to celebrate both "Earth Day" and "Arbor Day". (This way, you all can enjoy it throughout the week.) I'll admit though that this was more to celebrate Arbor Day, but I didn't want to wait until Friday to release this.

"Replenish" is my sixty-third wallpaper in my gallery of motivational wallpapers, and is my eighth new one for the year.

The original image (which you can see by using the credit link found here) did not have the 2 human figures in the shot, as I added them to help display the act of conservation was taking place. Without them, I felt that the overall theme would suffer.

I'll leave you now with a challenge that you take part this week to help replenish our resources by planting at least 1 tree if you can.

(To learn more about Arbor Day, you can visit ArborDay.org.)

Well, today is April Fool's Day - a day in which jokes and pranks are pulled on some who may forget what the day stands for. Hopefully, the pranks committed are done with "love" or "class" so that the party in which the prank is done to can be able to laugh along too.

And with that thought, I wanted to make something related to humor and laughter. As I kept thinking about it though, I decided to go a little farther (and meaningful) in which I ended up on the topic of joy, which is today's new motivational wallpaper.

"Joy" is my sixty-second wallpaper in my success gallery, and my seventh new one for this year.

I'd also like to extend a special thank you to Chris Morgan, who provided and allowed me the use of this photo for this wallpaper. (You can see more details below.)

I hope everyone's day is filled with joy and laughter. In fact I wish that for you all every day! Keep joy in your heart, and make sure you laugh at least once today. :-)

Happy first day of Spring everyone! Just knowing that warmer weather is around the corner brings a smile to my face.

I just finished uploading my sixty-first wallpaper to the gallery entitled "Focus".

I took this photo last year in the spring and wanted to use it as a wallpaper to remind me of the fact that whatever we focus on in life tends to become our reality. We can choose to look at the good or the bad. We can even see bad in good, or good in the bad. However, only one of these viewpoints - seeing good in every circumstance - can enable us to move forward. This simple truth has only become more real for me in my life.

On another note, I'd thought that I'd let you know that I'm already planning out my next two wallpapers to coincide with two upcoming days which are recognized every year - at least here in the United States. I won't call them holidays, because they aren't really celebrated as such. But if you look at the upcoming days on a calendar, you may be able to figure out what the next two topics may be about. (That's all I'll say for now.) ;-)

Here's hoping your focus is set to "positive".

Have a great day!

If you are one of the still remaining few who have not heard of Twitter yet, let me just say - you're missing out on something special. But you've got to try it for yourself to really understand what is so special about it.

Twitter is - in short - a real-time short messaging service that is fast becoming one of the next major brands on the Internet. Why? Because it's another easy way of staying in touch with people in a very simple way.

Nine days ago (Feb. 28th), I started to set up a dedicated Twitter account for Success Wallpapers. I finished setting it up today. I created it so that fans of Success Wallpapers could stay aware with all I'm doing with the site.

The thing I love about Twitter, is that I can post various ideas I have or even updates on the smallest developments that I wouldn't necessarily care to post on the site. So for those of you who may want to know more about the background and details of upcoming developments on this site, you can follow Success Wallpapers on Twitter. (I'll be posting the Twitter buttons - like the one you see above - on my home page as well as in the left side panel here.)

If you're not on Twitter yet, you can sign up for a free account and then visit my profile @successwalls, then click the "Follow" link (shown below the profile image) to add me to the list of accounts you want to follow. If you'd also like to follow me personally, I also have a personal account set up at Twitter here.

So check Twitter out today. It's kind of strange at first, but so was the Internet the first time you heard about it - right? As you continue to use it, you'll soon see what all the fuss was about. And by the way, I'll do my best to follow back everyone who follows me @successwalls.

Hello again! I typically don't associate my theme directly with the author of the quote I use, but today I think it fits in perfectly. So, in keeping with my format, this new motivational wallpaper makes number 60 for my gallery, which I call "Drive".

Every successful person in life needs drive. But what is it? It could be said that drive is the desire to succeed. It is energy and initiative. But it's more than that.

I think Mario Andretti summed it up best in the quote above on what it takes to succeed. His formula to attain success starts off with desire, but then requires an ongoing blend of determination and commitment to excellence. (I think this is a great definition for drive - at least the kind of drive that propels one to succeed.)

Mario certainly knows what he's talking about as he's one of the most successful race car drivers in history, being one of only two drivers to win races in the four major motor racing categories. He's even been called the most successful driver in racing history.

If you'd like to learn more about Mario Andretti, you can check out his site here, or at wikipedia.

Have a great day!

Hello everyone. This week was a very busy week (as they all seem to be), but also a very productive week for me as well. In addition to preparing a new motivational wallpaper for tonight, this week found me working ahead and creating about 5 to 7 new wallpapers (or at least some solid ideas). However, I won't release those until I've polished them up a bit and find the best fitting quotes to go along with all of them.

Over time, I've found myself critiquing each wallpaper more and more that it takes me a rather long time to finally settle on a final version. With so many variables to consider, I want to make sure that I don't overlook any areas. First, I look at each facet individually (i.e. title topic, image choice and quality, quote, color border, color of title, etc.), then ultimately look at how they all fit together before they become a "Success Wallpaper".

If the quote or title doesn't fit the best, I try 3 or 4 more variations. (The quote is perhaps the most difficult feature of my wallpapers to settle on - as there's usually so many worthy quotes to use for any given topic.) Usually though, I have a pretty good idea of what I'd like to see.

Anyway, I thought I'd share with you a little insight at what goes into making these wallpapers.

Now, on to the real reason why you probably visited here today. This new motivational wallpaper is number 59, which is entitled "Faith".

I've been wanting to do one on this topic for a while, but I never really settled on the right image to use until recently. So keep the faith, and you'll eventually find what you're seeking.

Have a great day!

I don't normally post entries that have nothing to do with my motivational wallpapers, but I thought I'd deviate a bit tonight and share something that motivated me (again) tonight.

As I've been working on various things tonight, (wallpapers, business plans, etc.), I came across an article I read about a year ago on a site called LifeHacker.com. (Maybe you've already seen this too. If so, just humor me here.) One of the blog posts discusses what Jerry Seinfeld, the stand-up comedian and actor, once told this blogger when this man asked Seinfeld for some advice on how to stay motivated. Seinfeld responded by telling the man that he uses a large wall calendar to help him visualize (and put pressure on himself) to write.

If you're interested in hearing more details on this, I'd suggest you take a look for yourself. (Don't worry, it's a quick and easy read.) I've used this technique before myself, and I must say, it definitely works.

Finally, just a quick note that I'll be posting a new success wallpaper in a few days. So stay tuned.

Hi everyone. I'm back from my trip to Arizona, and ready with a new wallpaper. In fact, this wallpaper features an image I shot while traveling back home on the road. Arizona was really great, as it gave me a nice break from the cold weather of the Midwest.

This new motivational wallpaper is number 58, which I've named "Mood".

The reason I chose this image for the topic and quote, is due to the truth of what Emerson said about our moods. They can definitely color our point of view if we're not careful.

This image contains both warm and cool colors to symbolize both ends of our emotional spectrum. I liked that the foreground consisted of the warm side and is a bit blurry compared to the cooler and clearer focus of the background and sky. It symbolizes how we need to be aware of how our moods can color our focus, especially in the short-term.

Sorry if I got too deep for some who just wanted another wallpaper to download, but rarely do I come across facets of an image that seem to parallel the truths of life.

(Usually I keep these things to myself, but I just couldn't help it this time.) ;-)

Well, it's been a busy day (and week) for me as tomorrow I'm leaving on a trip to Arizona. I'm very excited to go, seeing that I do very little traveling. Outside of Hawaii, the farthest west I've ever been to was Minnesota - remember, I live in Wisconsin. :-)

I'm going to be gone for 10 days, but I wanted to get this new wallpaper up in the gallery before I left. So, I'm finally revealing to you a wallpaper I've been holding on to for a while now. I had finished this one a while back in the spring of 2008. However, I have my own little system of how I release new wallpapers on my site, and given the schedule I had this month, I thought that this would finally be the time to release it.

So, without further ado, I give you my 57th motivational wallpaper, "Adrenalize".

In case you all were wondering just what the image is in the wallpaper, it is my own mind's eye view (call it an artistic expression) of what happens in the mind when you experience a rush of adrenaline. (Just use your imagination.)

What better way to start off the New Year than with a bright, shiny, new motivational wallpaper? Ok, so it's not "shiny"- but it's bright. I call this new wallpaper "Celebrate" as this makes number 56 for the gallery overall.

May this image help provide some positive perspective for you as well as a breath of fresh air for your soul.

Every year I tend to make a few New Year's Resolutions, which - I'll admit - I don't keep up with all of them. I was able to keep a few though last year.

This year I made one to really focus purposefully on the positive, and accept the things I can't control as just a challenge for me to adjust myself to and make the best of it. I'd like to change my view and celebrate the present time as either a great day, or a learning experience. (It's even better when they can be both.)

That may sound a little vague, but I wished I had done more of that last year. And that's why I look forward to this new year with great anticipation. I hope you do too.

Happy New Year!