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• This is the first in a two-part series.

In the summer of 2001 on a flight back to Chicago, I met Kevin Eikenberry. We quickly discovered we were passionate about the same things: family, business, sports, ice cream, quotes and life-long learning.

Over the years, I've appreciated Eikenberry's philosophies, perspectives and strategies. His insights are simple, on-target and easy to implement. And they're all designed to help you reach new levels of success.

Eikenberry even refers to himself as a "chief potential officer." After gobbling-up his new book, Vantagepoints on Learning and Life, Eikenberry and I had the opportunity to talk.

Here are excerpts from our conversation:

Jeff Blackman: What are the intangible tools one can use, to fine-tune their life?

Kevin Eikenberry: There are a few things that are critical to fine-tune our lives.

• Recognize our vast, largely untapped, potential.

• Become a more active learner.

• Recognize we are responsible.

• Make conscious choices.

JB: Some claim, they're stuck in a rut or bored. How do they bust out?

KE: Decide and take action.

If you were in a real rut you would decide to jump out or step out. You do the same with any sort of mental or habitual rut. We must decide we no longer want to be there and take actions that lead us outside of our comfort zone.

If you're bored, look around you. There are opportunities to be stimulated, excited and to learn everywhere. Decide to no longer be bored, take action, and the boredom will melt away.

JB: People are always in pursuit of happiness. How do you define it? And how can folks attain or create more of it?

KE: Happiness is a choice and we can choose to find things that make us happy or bring happiness to our lives wherever we are and wherever we're headed.

As for attaining or creating happiness, since the pursuit of happiness is a journey, it's more accurate to say create not attain. It's our responsibility and obligation to craft our situation to create happiness.

JB: What are the life lessons you've learned that everybody can learn from?

KE: The following lessons are ones I continue to learn and re-learn. Each is profound.

Choose wisely. It's one of our greatest gifts.

Learn daily. We're built to learn. Every day we aren't learning is a day we're wasting.

Be grateful. There's abundance all around us, and more of it will materialize when we're grateful for the things we have.

Our world and our results mirror our beliefs. We will literally see what we're looking for. Which means it's our responsibility to look for what we really want.

Take action. Nothing happens until we do something.

Love. It's the greatest lesson of all.

For more of Eikenberry insights, take a peek at www.vantagepoints.net.

In part two, Eikenberry will share strategies to help you convert desire into potential and turn reluctance into results.

Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer. His clients call him a "business-growth specialist." Send an e-mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com, or visit http://www.jeffblackman.com and subscribe to his free e-letter.