Tag Archives: success

22

Don’t Be Afraid of Success

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success 1Many are looking for success and financial freedom, and it seems like a difficult journey, but there are some simple things that you can do which might help you get where you want to go. They are simple, but they are not accessible. Like all things, we are at the center of our choices, and our decisions will determine not only what we achieve but also the style and manner in which we achieve it. Success is a choice you make every day with how you treat yourself, the people you know, and the opportunities you are presented with. Take some time and consider some of these ideas and how they might apply to your journey toward your personal achievement.

Don’t Be Afraid of Success.

Don’t let fear run your life; you will experience more freedom. Safety successand security are not what life is about. It is adventure and experience. All things in life bring with them a degree of risk. Being born brings a chance. Getting married brings a risk. Having children has a risk attached. Caring about someone brings a risk. All of them are risky because they can lead to you being hurt, and the alternative to all of this is to hide and do nothing because you are scared of the pain.

You will not be hurt, but what kind of life is this? Take the risk of love, family, living life, and caring about all the people you can because the reward is a life to remember. Don’t let fear make your decisions for you. That is a coward’s way out. I know I have been burned by people who were not what they appeared to be, and it hurt. But at least I had the guts to put my chips on the table and see what happens. You can do it too, and for a rewarding life, there is no other way to win.

Be More Optimistic about Success

The pessimist looks for what is wrong, never seeing the good or successknowing the problem. The Optimist sees the possibility that a challenge can bring to your awareness. All things depend on how we look at them, and what we think about them is a significant factor in determining what we experience in this life. Is the glass half empty or half full? What you perceive and hold in your thoughts for your attitude will go a long way in determining your reality.

Think hard, and whatever you think about all day long builds your life’s financial, economic, and social fabric. You decide the life you live because of your attitude about the challenges you face. Look for opportunities. Success can’t help but follow. What you think about all day, you become. Simple as that. Again there is nobody else responsible for what you think other than you. You are in charge of your mind and the actions or nonaction you take. In this way, your life is a complete and direct representation of how you think.

Read Positive Things Success Will Follow.

You can tell a lot about a person and where their mind is by looking at successthe books they read. Reading provides significant input into your thoughts and can help either expand them toward success or shrink them toward mediocrity and failure. You can’t create something fantastic like cooking a meal using cheap and unhealthy ingredients.

A virtually unlimited number of books can contribute to your success. Read books about success and growth; you will succeed and grow as a person. It is impossible to do anything else. Read trash, and you will end up with ideas only worth throwing away. Read well and reap gold, and experience success.

Observe Your thoughts

Much like reading, what you consciously think about will determine your 61152e3261043b2ff61ae5efbe86654breality and your ability to succeed. Spend your time thinking about the bad things in life, the worries, the difficulties, and your problems, and you will find that moving forward to success is virtually impossible.

Choose to entertain the thoughts of success, gratitude, understanding, and love; your life will reflect on this. We control all ideas that we pay attention to. If you think small and petty, you will be small and insignificant. If you feel significant and unlimited, your life will be full of potential, growth, and achievement. Is this easy? No, it isn’t easy, but persistence in thinking positively will allow you to achieve your goals and experience success.

Complaining and Feeling Sorry for Yourself won’t bring success.

Finally, successful people don’t complain about things in their lives. This is a fact. Suppose you spend time complaining about what you don’t have or what has gone wrong. That is an attitude that is sure to get you don't complainstuck in failure.

Instead, look forward when challenges occur as they will in life, accept them, and look for ways to overcome them. Each challenge brings with it the opportunity for personal growth and building your skills. The most healthy mindset for success is to welcome challenges and see what change you can gain from them. You become what you think about.

Nobody in their right mind wants difficulty, but life is a constant stream of choices and decisions. The ones you make will determine if you are hiding in the corner, afraid of challenges, or facing them bravely, growing into the best person you can be. Success is sure to find the brave soul seeking their best self.

 

22

Cycles of Growth and Change

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Life is like a game that brings you a varied experience. From the time we are born,  we move through cycles of change, which allow us to grow and become more mature and eventually become a powerful, positive-thinking human beings in the world. Some play this game on a loop. They get to a certain point and then try to stay in that comfortable place where everything is known, and the challenges are few.  The problem with this is that there will be little growth or purpose in life.

To avoid the pendulum of experience that swings from success to failure to gain and lose is impossible.  Our fear of loss and failure stops us from moving forward and risking all we have for the potential reward of becoming better people. We are too comfortable right where we are, even if we are unhappy or unsatisfied.  All life cycles have value and provide an opportunity to become the best version of ourselves. It would help if you had the courage to keep moving forward, regardless of the losses you might seem to leave behind.

Opportunity for Growth Everywhere

To become our best selves, we have to embrace growth opportunities. This can mean a new job, relationship, or trying something new for the first time. Growth is generally a positive experience that makes us more confident and provides joy in life. It will lead to change, and change brings an initial feeling of discomfort with it. Many people return to uncomfortable and harmful situations to avoid this awkward feeling of growth.  Even good change requires you to say goodbye to things, people, and places you enjoy and are comfortable with.  To grow, you need to dissolve a part of the past. Like a snake shedding its skin to become more mature, you must leave to get something.

Nothing can grow forever, but growth symbolizes life, and when you are reaching the end of the grand cycle of life and growth is no longer possible, it is time to move on.  Learning is the key to growth. All people can learn something new and become better at something in their lives. You always know what you want to learn because it is drawn to you like a magnet. Follow your interests in whatever paths they lead you. Don’t let age or the limiting expectations of others stop you. Modern society wonders that all information is located right at your fingertips. Search, learn, and grow. Develop and maintain a growth mindset throughout life.

Don’t Fear The Down Cycles

There are a time and a purpose for all things that happen. Sometimes it isn’t easy to see the positives in a situation, but we only have our perspective to look at things. We can’t see the landscape around us when we sit in the forest ourselves.  In general terms, down cycles are necessary for spiritual realizations to occur. The power of loss and pain draws a person to look for the meaning behind it all. If we move from success to success and never have time requiring character, we will never want change. Life is too comfortable.

Life never stays comfortable for most people. For some, it takes a significant life shake-up to force change and an investigation of things that are new and wonderful for you.  The hard times are not fun but are needed. People have experienced many deep losses, which have pushed them in new directions of development.  A new career, a new hobby, an activity that brings you peace, or even an appreciation of who you are and what a joy it can be to be a living human living on this great Earth.  All because you experienced a time of challenge in your life.  Be grateful for the challenge because it made you a better person.  Perhaps the version of yourself you were meant to be all along.

Final Analysis

So before you jump out and label one thing bad and another good, remember that the event is only the catalyst. The streams of reaction results also need to be analyzed. Often you never see your shortcomings until life points them out to you.  How can you improve something when you have no idea it exists?  It is that way when you look at failure and success. Often we get so wrapped up in perceptions we don’t understand what opportunity life has given us.  “Failure lies concealed in every success and success in every failure.”

Look for the lesson, not the perceived result, and seek ways to improve yourself.

“The perfect orchestration of the symphony of life is one of the Creator’s greatest and most beautiful miracles.” ― Suzy Kassem

“ Dharma or Ethics and Morals are the Fundamental Set of Rules created for those who want to play the Game, by those who are Inside the Game.” ― Vineet Raj Kapoor

22

The Best Version of You

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Once you choose START WALKING

All people find themselves at a point of decision in life. The way you decide to walk will determine much about your journey.  We are all on a trip from birth to death, and, in between, we make the choices defining us. What do you do? How do you choose the direction?

The answer I hope to find in this writing. Our minds are valuable tools; they provide information, ideas, and thoughts. Unfortunately, these things are often not very accurate because of the faulty programming of our pasts.  But we can overcome all of this, use our minds to accomplish great things, and become the best versions of ourselves. It just takes a little work, and the path will become apparent to you.

Programming Problems

Human beings are exceptional. From the moment we are born, we take in information and attempt to understand how to fit into the world, survive and thrive.  We look at how people treat us, other people, and situations to glean valuable bits of information about how to play this game.  We choose the things which work for us and stick to them, adopting them as the beliefs behind our lives. If you tried something new, failed, and were ridiculed for it, you were conditioned not to try anything out of your comfort zone again.

Random comments, nicknames, attitudes, and thoughts of others can make a lifelong impression, and if the tone is negative, these are a part of our self-image.  The source can be a parent, role model, peer, or even something seen in the media. These are lasting impressions and, once accepted, are a part of our paradigm of life, the rules we apply to the world.  These beliefs can be about our talents, worth, money, relationships, and all aspects of what makes us, us.  If left unchecked or unchallenged, a negative belief will be a part of our subconscious programming until the day we die.  We are in control of this, though.

Changing our Negative Beliefs

It is not a complicated process to change a belief. But it isn’t easy. Change is hard in any circumstance; it is frightening when you look inside yourself and honestly see an area needing a replacement.  Our ego is a part of our mind designed to keep us safe. The voice in your head tells you to be afraid of new things and attacks new ideas.  Doubt arises because of the fear of being harmed by trying something new. Even though a new career is the best option, the ego will fill your head full of doubt. A head full of uncertainty will have a difficult time making a choice.

Clearing the voice of doubt can be done by consistently presenting contrary facts.  It seems people will resist the truths in front of them until it becomes overwhelming. Life forces a change through circumstances. Usually, change comes when there is no other real choice. But if you plan a little, you can control the difference and even dictate how it moves in your life.  Realistic goal setting is one way.  What will make you happy? What career interests you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Ten years? These might be an excellent place to start. Honestly, answering them for yourself about what resonates with your soul will show you which direction you should start to walk.

Goals Are Guides

Setting goals are one of the mainstays of achievement. However, there is little formal education on goal setting and completing these goals.  There is a direct relationship between setting goals and the progress which results. A plan will provide a target to shoot for and dictate the actions you take daily to reach your ideal result.  You may be the best archer globally, but without a clear target to shoot at, all of your arrows will go astray. Give yourself the goal and put your focus on that.  Allow your actions to follow the intention.

Setting a goal is not difficult, but having the courage and consistency to accomplish them is.  It can be tricky because of the programming mentioned above and what we believe about ourselves, our talents, the world, and the nature of life.  If it were easy, there would be no accomplishment. The great thing is that all people can do it. Learning to focus your thoughts on what you truly want in life, walk that path, and stick to it will result.  Life is not a passive play. If you approach it like that, nothing will happen.  Life is an activity, and you will never finish until it is over.

Taking the First Steps

If you are standing at a crossroads in your life, wondering which direction to walk, look inward and make the big decision of what you want. Then create your goal.  There will be many doubts, but you have to learn to put them aside or continue standing still, doing nothing.  If you set a goal, achieve it, and realize you want something else, then good for you! You will have another journey ahead, and you will always have another adventure to walk, which is a good thing in life.

Sit down, choose your direction, be proactive, and write your goal down in bright letters.  Spend time imagining what the accomplished goal will look like and feel like to accomplish.  Keep your focus until your dream enters reality, letting your daily actions be steps toward this desired end.  Consistent massive action will provide you with the information you need. The energy of life responds to your actions.  Taking action makes things happen; standing still makes nothing happen.  You are in control of this. You alone decide the energy and movement of your life. You are the only one responsible, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about your accomplishments except for yourself.

Choose your path and start to walk it. Once you set an intention through goal setting and set out to accomplish it with a positive outlook, you will see things fall into place for you. Help will come; things will work out for the best. What path are you choosing to walk?

Goal Setting Quotes:

“All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.” —Orison Swett Marden

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.” —Andrew Carnegie.

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” —Pablo Picasso.

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.” —Earl Nightingale.

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands—your own.” —Mark Victor Hansen.

You have the chance to be great, take it!!

Chances lost are hope’s torn out pages.
Maybe this time…………….

22

Lose Your Attitude

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Attitude-a way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically is in a person’s behavior.

attitudeAttitude is everything because it is a result of the way we think and feel about everything in our existence, and shows the world just what we believe about ourselves. If you are not conscious of your attitude and why you think or feel a certain way about something, then you are at the mercy of that thought pattern. Many of our destructive issues resulting from low self-esteem stem from our attitude about ourselves and perceptions of the value we bring to. Today perceptions make a pact with yourself to be conscious of your position and the resulting experience that comes into your life because of it. Look at your thoughts, words, and actions and see how they reflect your attitude toward life, other people, and, most importantly, yourself.

Attitude Toward Life

Most people look at themselves as adults like they are set in stone. It is as if their attitudes about the world were poured into concrete when they were very young, and they never seek to revise them or improve them in any way. It is our attitude toward life that determines life’s attitude toward us. You attitudewill get precisely what you believe you will get from experience—your att, and yours the catalyst for life’s behavior toward you.

What do you believe about life? Is it fair? Is it cruel? Is it difficult? Whatever your attitude is toward life is what you will get from experience. Take a moment and become conscious of what those beliefs are.   If you radiate confidence and self-assurance, then the world will react accordingly. The same will be true if you lack confidence and are insecure. Life is an equal opportunity provider of challenges. Your attitude will determine the ease or difficulty with which you will face challenges. Create awareness in yourself of your feelings toward life. Expect more good than bad, and that is what you will experience.

Attitude Toward Others

It is essential to develop a positive attitude toward other people attitudebecause success rarely comes to one person by themselves. We are all interdependent in living our lives every day, and there is someone you rely on and someone that depends on you. It is our attitude toward others that determines their attitude toward us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your attitude should be to treat every person that you meet as if they are the most critical person in the world. Developing this mindset is a much more difficult task then it sounds. We are filled with bias, discrimination, judgment, and selfishness that limit our interactions with others. Being conscious of this will eliminate it as you treat others to treat you. Change your life by putting your interest in the stories of others ahead of your own. What can you learn from them? How can you help them? This attitude will increase your enjoyment of life and opportunities for success. Life isn’t all about you, understanding that is the beginning of really living.

Attitude toward Self

All people look at themselves as the hero of their own story. Their attitude and will determine if it is a success story or not. Your opinion about yourself develops continually over your life, and you can change that perception at any moment for the better or, the worse. It changes because of your actions and your attitude about these actions. Before a person can achieve attitudethe kind of life they dream about, they must become that kind of individual. If you want to be successful, then do the things successful people do. Set goals, take action, and be persistent in those actions until your goals are achieved. If you think you want to be something but set no goals and take no steps toward it, then you do not want that. This is your attitude.

Too often in life, we shortchange ourselves because we fear failure or what others are going to think of our efforts. These fears manifest in our minds and tell us: “You can’t!” “You mustn’t,” “People will think I am crazy.”, or any other negative message you can think of. A positive attitude toward yourself will erase those things. The human mind is only capable of entertaining one thought at a time. There is no benefit in negativity and many benefits to being positive. Why not consider positive thoughts and create an attitude of success for ourselves? Attitude is everything when it comes to success or failure.

So the challenge is to be conscious of your attitude today and be honest with yourself about what you find. If you lack in confidence and self-assurance, then start to change this. Set goals, write them down, take action toward them, and be persistent in following through until the goal is achieved. Your attitude will determine your experience in life with others and yourself. It all starts with knowing your thoughts, words, and actions today. Act as if success is already yours.

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” ~ Og Mandino

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” —Ayn Rand

“Do what you have to do until you can do what you want.” —Oprah Winfrey

“Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. Realize the strength, move on.” —Henry Rollins

 

 

21

How Are You Programmed?

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Programming- a:  the process of instructing or learning utilizing an instructional program. b: the process of preparing an instructional program for a device (such as your mind)

Everything seems to run and be limited by the programming it has received.  As people, we obtain our programming from society and those influential in our lives from the moment we are born.  We get instructed on how to think, what actions are acceptable and where our value lies in constructing the situation we are experiencing.  These factors are the programming of our lives, and it determines what we can create, the amount of wealth we accumulate, and the types of relationships we accept for ourselves.  It is all programming from outside sources, and we take it all as truth.  But it isn’t, and that is one of the biggest lies of life.  It all starts with looking at your thoughts and being aware of the origin of their source. Is it original, or have you been taught to think that way? Ideas have corresponding emotions attached, which color how you feel about things. Then there are the words you use to express those thoughts to the world and their power validating your programming or contributing to the programming of others.  Of course, it all results in the actions you take. Every choice will determine your impact on the world with all of those you interact with daily. Your power comes from your programming.

We Believe our Programs

It is our programming that sets up our beliefs, and the chain reaction begins. Most of the results we have experienced in our lives result from the type of programming we have received throughout. Each interaction and experience provides an input of information we internalize. Either we choose to accept it as a part of who we are, or we reject it.  The scary part is that much of what we get as accurate is faulty, cynical, and just plain untrue.  So the system, our life, is running on information with no factual or healthy basis.  Our programs take each choice, decision, thought, feeling, word, and action.  We believe what we are programmed to think, and our programs run our lives.

If your programming tells you that you are no good, overweight, ugly, and unworthy, then that is what your reality is going to be. What is the significant difference between someone who achieves easily and someone who doesn’t?  Programming is the answer and the way they see themselves and their place in the world. This programming left unaddressed will continue to run in the background of your mind, influencing all attempts you make to change your situation in any way. They are not permanent, but these programs are persistent and will not change by magic or wishful thinking.  Real change starts with looking at your thoughts, which will tell you the current plan you have running.

How Thoughts Reveal Programming

Your thoughts are running all day long, and sometimes we are conscious of the ideas we accept, so we pay attention to them.  But most times, we allow our thoughts to run in the background of our subconscious mind. How does your subconscious know what opinions are critical and which ones to discard?  Programming, of course. Where you have traditionally placed your emotional attachments and beliefs before determining this, you may consciously think about losing weight, but when your guard is down, and your subconscious programming takes over and will sabotage a lot of good work you might have done.

Look at your thoughts and notice how they speak about you. There is a constant dialogue in your brain, revealing everything you think and feel. Most importantly, look at your thoughts about your value in any area you think is lacking. Finances, relationships, or health, your current condition is mainly due to your programming.  Listen to your thoughts and notice the negative beliefs you accept without question. This truth is your programming, and it is NOT permanent, but it is pervasive in everything you do.  Change involves focus and learning how to change your programming.

Change the Programs Change Your World

Changes in programming happen on the inside. We start to notice the negative programming and seek to replace it with something more positive. Know what you want in life and create a clear picture of it. Notice the thoughts you have when you think about that thing.  They will reveal your programming in that area of life.  If you want to change the outcome, then replace the negative programming.  One of the best ways I have found to do this is through positive self-talk.  Our programming controls the way we talk to ourselves in our minds. Much of this is negative words and thoughts that result in negative results.  You may have success for a day, a week, or a month but in the end, we will all default to our programming.

To change your programming for good is not all that complicated, but it isn’t easy either.  Replace the negative things which are stopping you from being healthy, wealthy, and happy in life with positive programming, which will allow you to grow as a better person.  Being better is done by the talk you allow in your mind.  If you support programming that limits you, like: I am not good at that. I have no balance. I am clumsy. I am not good at math. I am not intelligent. I am not attractive. Things never work out for me. I am just not good with money or any other harmful program, and you will be limited.  A person can replace all of those thoughts with something positive. It takes a little persistence in action and positive thinking.

A Willingness to Change

Our programming in our lives is what it is. The natural choice is to see an area of lack and to have a desire to change. Then you will be looking for the faulty programming stopping your progress and replacing it with new programs that are more beneficial to producing the results you are seeking.  A willingness to try something new and realize your programming can be changed to bring a different result will succeed.  What if everything you ever wanted is right there for you on the other end of better programming? Of course, you have to be willing to change your situation. Look honestly at your thoughts when you think of a job, which is your programming. If you like what you hear, reinforce it. If you don’t, then seek to replace it.

The thoughts we accept will lead to the emotions we experience,  the words we speak about that situation, and our actions. Of course, the steps will lead to results. If you think you are unattractive and overweight, you will subconsciously do things living up to that programming.  The encouraging part is it is all up to you what kind of programming you accept in your life.

 

“Successful weight loss takes programming, not willpower.” Phil McGraw

“In philosophy, they talk a lot about humans being actual organic machines, and the idea of free will is something that we’ve made up. We don’t have free will. We’re acting according to our programming as organic mechanisms.”– Joel Kinnaman

“The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. It’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.” –Charles R. Swindoll

 

 

21

HOW’S YOUR CAREER

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How do you handle the demands of your career?

One of the things we all must navigate in life is our work/life balance.  We live in a society where work is a must to live because we all need money.  But work doesn’t have to be a boring, difficult task that we hate.   Confucius advised,  choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life. The Secret is to find what you are passionate about and do that to earn money.

Many people will argue that this can’t happen because you can’t make money following your dream.  However, those people never looked for or found their passion, so they see it as impossible.  It isn’t, and if you set your goal for finding that type of job, right for you. You will.  It begins by honestly looking at your thoughts, words, and actions and identifying what makes you come alive on the inside. Then find a way to make money incorporating that into your life.  Or you can work at something mind-numbing, life-ending, boring, and defeating.  It is your choice.

Finding Passion

Finding our passion seems like a daunting task, but it really isn’t when you pay attention to how you feel. Most men are taught to keep their feelings at arm’s length and act.  The problems arise when you realize that you are a human and have emotions that need to be dealt with actively or deal with them passively.  This means that what your feeling will get

your attention eventually, you can pay attention and acknowledge emotional responses or be the victim of them through uncontrollable outbursts or even physical illness.

A passion is something that you do that makes you lose track of time.  You find a focus, and all other things drift away, and you are creating something new.  Creativity is the fuel for all human activity. When you are creating, you are unique, growing, and being vital to the world.  Creativity brings passion to things and allows your personality to show through.  Work at something like this, and it will be amazing. Work at something opposite of this, and it will feel like a prison sentence.

Attitude is the Key

When we look at any job we choose to do, success or failure will be determined by the attitude we have when performing this task.  Your ability will certainly allow you to perform adequately or not. But your attitude will allow those skills to rise to the surface.  Being positive is the only attitude to real success.  Nothing good was ever created through negativity. That is a fact. If you are spending all your time complaining, you allow the victim mentality to take control.  You give all your power to the problem.

Whereas being positive about things will allow growth to be possible, and your choices will give you power. There are always three choices to every situation, accept it, change it, or leave it.  A positive attitude will allow you to see all of these options more clearly.  Enjoy the little things that your job entails. There must be something that you like, or you should really be doing something else.  Focus on these positives and ignore all of the negatives.  Positive attitudes at work allow you to be your best and others to be their best as well.

Work and Grow

Work is an inevitable part of life. It provides a purpose, develops skills, and can be of value to society. We should all look for jobs that resonate with us. Not just for the money we make, but for the enjoyment they bring to our soul.  If this is a foreign concept to you, then you need to seek a new job.  To work at something you despise is a version of torture nobody should endure.  When you see your situation as limited with no other options, you are trapped. No human works at their best in this situation.  Seek the freedom of doing what you have a passion for and see what a life of enjoyment is like.  It is possible to be financially secure and enjoy what you do.  It all begins with a focus on your thoughts, words, and actions when it comes to work today.

“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

“We rise by lifting others.”

This song by Huey Lewis reminds me of being in high school and college and the many jobs I had back then. Work is an interesting part of life.  I’m taking what their giving ’cause I’m Working for a livin’.

 

21

Small Steps

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success“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”~ Success

Are great deeds hiding from you? Is it difficult to find them? This can be the case from time to time, but all deeds provide the chance to be performed with greatness. Each moment of every activity you are taking part in provides the opportunity to display the greatness inside you and find success.

You can always perform in a great way by completing whatever you are doing with the greatness that is inside of you. Some call a poor effort “good enough,” but not you.  Your talent, conscience, and effort won’t let that stand as an example of your work.  Only greatness can come from you because let’s face it, you are great. Do you see that in yourself, or is there something else you are looking at?

Creating Success

greatnessIt doesn’t matter if you are bringing an orchestra together to play a great piece of music. Or perhaps it is a team of athletes working to become the best they can. If each person participating creates greatness in their little part, then the music or the team has a chance to achieve unique perfection. Even with the smallest role, if one person decides to be less than great, then the whole project is in jeopardy of mediocrity or worse.

The little things make the big things possible, and each of us has a part to play in this. All that we can control is our own thoughts, words, and actions in any situation. Another person’s choices belong to him or her, and that is why it is important to understand who we are aligning ourselves within, attempting to achieve our hopes and dreams. If you are spending time on a project with a person who is less than committed to greatness, then how can you find success? Use wisdom when choosing your companions on the path of life.

More On Little Things

You have greatness within youWith each small task you perform each day, and you are choosing to be great or not. This generally is going to come from being present in the moment of the task you are performing. That means not having your mind on something else, which is a cheat to you and those you are with and the task you perform.

Being totally present at the moment will allow you to perform at your best every day. Notice all the little moments and things that make up your life. Allow for the opportunity to practice this. If you are great in all things, then there will be no choice for the bigger things in life. Being great consistently is a skill that you can develop. Don’t let anyone tell you any different.

It Can Only Be Greatness

Greatness is defined in you every day of your life. The way you think, hear, talk, walk, or spend your time is unique to you and in that rarity is your greatness. It is all of these small things that make us who we are, unique and AMAZING.  Each goal we have, large or small, will be accomplished one small step at a time. Take and make those steps as perfectly as you can with your maximum effort, and the result can only be greatness.

Do your part to thrive in your experience. 

 

21

Persistence

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persistence
Be like the river in all you do.

There is a power inside successful people, and that strength comes from the consistent practice of persistence.  To be able to continue moving forward to a goal, despite hitting some obstacles along the way. Nothing takes the place of persistence when it comes to achieving your goals, financially, physically, or even spiritually.  Many things that are worthwhile to our experience are not easy to get. In this lies their value.   It is often the steps that one has to take to reach their ultimate goal that makes the goal a growth experience.  Persistence is the ability to push past your perceived limits and find your abilities.  Consciously look for persistence today in your thoughts, words, and actions. Where can you push through, keep moving forward and find success when it would be easier to pull over to the side of the road.

Never Give Up

Everyone faces moments of darkness in life. Times when challenges seem to be stacked against them. It can seem like there is no hope at all. But somewhere deep down inside, there is a voice, if you listen,  that tells you to keep trying. Try again. One more time.   It is the thing that gives you the power to give more effort, to begin again, to believe again, to hope you can achieve. This voice is persistence.  Without this word, you will have difficulty achieving anything of value because things of value, by definition, have a cost and that cost is your effort, imagination, and ability. Too often, the easy road requires nothing and is worth that exact amount.

Remember that challenges are two-fold. They provide difficulties that are unforeseen and seem like problems. But on the other side, they also come with an opportunity to succeed.  By being persistent, you can learn the lessons of the challenges, move forward, and apply them to your life.  It reminds me of the poem my grandfather gave me once. They don’t quit poems.  Challenges provide people with a chance to grow and become better.  Most successful people faced challenges that allowed them to develop the strength to achieve their goals.

Persistence Grows Your Best

When you are persistent and keep moving forward, it can be the best personal development program there is. Skills you didn’t have must be developed, and talents unknown rise to the surface.  These are treasures that would remain buried if there was no need for persistence in your actions to move toward your goals.

Look at your own story closely. Were there times you had to dig deep to get something accomplished? Where you tried and failed at first? But you kept going.  Most people have been in these situations.  The amazing thing is that most often, we can do things, that without the challenge, would never be realized. Having the gift to be persistent grows your best and allows you to share it with the world.  The saddest people I have seen are those who shy away from challenges because they are afraid of failing. Never trying means accomplishing anything.

It’s All In Front of You

When you look at your life as if it is taking place on a game board, these are the spaces you have already moved. Some were easy, and some were difficult, but they all led to where you are now. Whatever goal or reward you have chosen that you haven’t achieved yet, is another thought, feeling, action, and step away. To find it, there is only one choice to keep moving forward because it is not behind you or with you currently. It is all in front of you. Persistence gives you the strength to take the next roll or spin and move along the board. Like a game of Chutes and Ladders, it may lead to a quick rise or a step back, but it is all the move you need to get to the next step in your development, persist.

So be persistent today in your thoughts, words, and actions. Keep moving forward to the next step of your goals, growth, and development as a human being.  The only way to reach the finish line or win the game is to make the next move. No matter how scary it may seem. Persistence makes it all possible.

Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. ~ Bill Bradley

“My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball.”- Bjorn Borg

“The most interesting thing about a postage stamp is the persistence with which it sticks to the job.”- Napoleon Hill

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins – not through strength, but through persistence.” – Buddha

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”- Babe Ruth

 

 

21

Think

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We think all the time! From the moment you wake up to the second your slip back into sleep at night, our minds are a thought creation machine. Smarter people than me estimate we are producing somewhere around 70,000 thoughts per day. The other shoe that must drop on this amazing statistic is that 95% of those thoughts are repeats and totally unoriginal footprints left from days before.  That leaves about 5% of original powerful thoughts to create in your day.  And there is more.  The tenor of your predominant thought patterns, either positive or negative, will determine how things are playing out in your life for you.  It is not what happens to you that matters but how you choose to think about them.  Remember this as we delve into the ideas I am thinking about today.   Think about it.

Thoughts  Lead to Happiness or Not

We think so much that you would be more aware of the thoughts we create and how they affect our lives, but we don’t, and those thoughts control the enjoyment and even success in life we experience. Thoughts that are positive in nature lead to how much you choose to enjoy life.  Those who are of a negative nature lead to the opposite of enjoyment. If you let your thoughts move unchecked through your existence, then your mood will change at the whim of random thoughts, which can easily be manipulated by someone else.

We live in a society that constantly bombards you with negative messages, so it is no wonder that the mind will produce a virtually nonstop stream of negativity left to its default state.  About other people, situations, and of course yourself and how you don’t measure up.  The greatest hope is that in all of our thoughts, we have a choice if we allow them to hook into our consciousness or not.  We can even create our own positive thoughts to buy into if we choose to.  Conscious creation of positive thoughts is the difference between the happy and the sad, and even the successful and unsuccessful in life.

All Things are Twice Created

Everything ever in existence was created twice. The first creation is in one’s mind as a thought.  The second is when forces combine to make that imagined thing a reality. It is true for every building, car, road, or stick of furniture around you.  All of them were once just a thought in the mind of someone, and only through action and pursuit of that dream were created in reality before you.  Can it be that much of a stretch to think the same is true about your health? Your financial well being? Or any other aspect of your existence.

Look at your reality today, and then follow your thoughts about that area of your life.  If you are not happy with your current financial situation or relationship situation, then it is time to examine and consider changing the way you think.  Choosing the thoughts about the way you want things to be like is the first creation. The second will come as you pursue those things in your life.  Of course, you have the choice to stay with the thoughts you have carried your whole life, but you can’t be surprised when those thoughts deposit you right back where you are now, in the same situations not making you happy. Choose to create the things that will make you happy with your thoughts.

It Can Change in an Instant

The great thing about refocusing your thoughts is it doesn’t require a long, drawn-out process to accomplish. You have to start to create a focus around the things you are thinking.  What are the negative thoughts you believe about yourself? Money? Success? Love? Whatever?  We predominantly think the thoughts are based on the programming we received when we were very young children, trying to figure out how to survive and thrive in this world.  The things which were true for us then clearly, at the very least, are no longer applicable today. At the most, they are inaccurate and faulty programming we accept as true without question.

Look at the thoughts you believe in and challenge them.  The worst thing that will happen is you will know some beliefs you want to hang on to. But the best thing will be that you will edit or remove faulty thinking from your reality.  Success, money, love, or anything else are available for everyone, and our thoughts are the place we need to start to take control of our own reality.  The alternative is to believe you are operating at the will of every other force in the world. You are not. Each of us has the ability to be a unique and powerful creator in this world.

 “If you realized just how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” Anonymous

 “Change your thoughts, and you change your world.” Norman Vincent Peale

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” Willie Nelson

 “Every thought we think is creating our future.” Louise Hay

“Begin to believe in the power of your thoughts.” Anonymous

“Thoughts have energy. Make sure your thoughts are positive and powerful.” Anonymous

 

21

Life Learning

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Make The Most of Your Failure

Learn from failure try again
Samuel Beckett

Sometimes it feels like we can never do anything right, that everything we do is inherently wrong, and we have no clue what we are doing.  Most thinking people will feel this way at some point in their lives. It is just human nature.  Often as we try out new thoughts to see which ones are “keepers” and which ones need to be thrown back, we will experience failure characterized as a mistake.   However, it is important to understand that mistakes in life are not only inevitable. They are vital to our growth as people and professionals.  You will never experience genius in any field without first experiencing a few missteps along the way.

Learning from the cruel hand of experience has been occurring throughout history. It would help if you didn’t allow your mistakes to define you because you have been presented with a powerful growth opportunity when you approach it from the right frame of mind.  If you analyze the failure, why did this happen?  Why didn’t it work out?  What can I do better?  How can I fix it?  You will start to build on the misfortune, using the knowledge you were able to compile by failing to move you toward a solid construction of a success.

 

Learning More From Failure

Make the most of your mistakes
New shirt!

It is often difficult to learn from success because if you feel everything went right, you are not going to be looking as hard for the weaknesses.  When you experience failure, it is not desirable, so you are motivated to find out what is wrong or what you can do better and fix it.  This was the case for me as a coach.  When we won, it was easy to pat yourself on the back and feel good about yourself.  You won, how bad could you be?  But when you lose, you know that changes have to be made, both mentally and physically, to experience success the next time.  The weaknesses jump out at you, and you always feel like you should have seen it coming.  Or even if you were able to recognize the problem, it is difficult to motivate change in people experiencing success.  Only after the group touches the cold hand of failure will they be willing to accept change.  We are like this as individuals, and if we are experiencing nothing but perceived success, there is no motivation for change.   That is why we all learn more from failure than we can learn from success.

Our Society Fears Failure

success-and-failure-sign
One can lead to the other.

Today, failure is looked at as something to be avoided today, even more so than in the past.   Parents look at their kids today and want to control every aspect of their lives so that they can protect them from failure.  In doing this, they rob their kids of one of the most powerful learning experiences they can have.  Why are we afraid to let kids make mistakes?  I think it is for several reasons. First of all, mistakes can be painful. In many ways, some poor decisions can affect someone for their entire life, or in some cases, end a life.  This is tragic but doesn’t change the fact that an individual needs the freedom to make mistakes to reach the potential that they have inside.  Lessons learned in this manner are lifelong and provide a solid base for development.  You can’t make mistakes for your kids, and you can only guide them, love them, pick them up when they fall, and urge them to keep moving forward, trying again.

When you look at your life from an outside perspective and analyze events you would characterize as mistakes, honestly, make a list of the positives that have come from it.  You will be surprised at how your perspective will change.  We all want to avoid mistakes, and the wisdom of time allows us to do this more often.  You cannot live your life in fear of a mistake, or you are not living your life at all.

Learning from Failure Quotes:

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.
– Albert Einstein –

 

Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.
– Og Mandino –
Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.
– Abraham Lincoln –
The person interested in success has to learn to view failure as a healthy, inevitable part of the process of getting to the top.
– Dr. Joyce Brothers –
The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
– Elbert Hubbard –
If you’re not failing now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative
– Woody Allen –
Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.
– William Saroyan –
To succeed, you must fail so that you know what not to do the next time.
– Anthony D’Angelo –
Success is often the result of taking a misstep in the right direction.
– Al Bernstein –
Victory is sweetest when you’ve known defeat.
– Malcolm Forbes –
You learn as much from those who have failed as from those who have succeeded.
– Michael Johnson –
From success to failure is one step; from failure to success is a long road.
– Yiddish Proverb –
Success does not consist in never making blunders but in never making the same one a second time.
– Josh Billings –
Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.
– Al Franken –
Instruction does not prevent wasted time or mistakes, and mistakes themselves are often the best teachers of all.
– James Anthony Froude –
Our life business is not to succeed but to continue to fail in good spirits.
– Robert Louis Stevenson –
The things that hurt us teach us.
– Author Unknown –
Being defeated is often only a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
– Marilyn Vos Savant –
My great concern is not whether you have failed but whether you are content with your failure.
– Abraham Lincoln
You’re on the road to success when you realize that failure is only a detour.
– Author is unknown –
Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker.
– Zig Ziglar –
It’s how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success.
– David Feherty –