Choose Faith Over Worry!

“There is nothing that wastes the body like worry, and one who has any faith in God should be ashamed to worry about anything whatsoever” - Mahatma Gandhi

Pray for Power

Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks.
Phillips Brooks

Fail?

Act as if it were impossible to fail. -Dorothea Broude

Dale Carnegie-Mental Attitude

“Happiness doesn't depend on any external conditions, it is governed by our mental attitude” - Dale Carnegie

A Real Decision

Remember, a real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided. - Tony Robbins

Socrates Quote

“Be as you wish to seem.” - Socrates

Napoleon-Stop Thinking and Go In!

"Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

Helen Keller-Appreciate the New Door Opened 'To You

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” - Helen Keller

Mark Twain-Explore, Dream, Discover!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - MarkTwain

Success Is Just A Matter Of Time

Success Is Just A Matter Of Time
Stuart Gardiner

There is a great quote that goes "Time is God's way of keeping everything from happening at once" and perhaps this is key to our understanding of why things are the way they are. Time is there for us to experience and through that experience, learn and grow. Our limited sensory perception allow us only to experience events one at a time. We then memorise these events and from these memories are able to predict the consequence of certain actions. The concepts of past and future become firmly embedded in our psyche. The problem is that we have been duped into believing they are absolute truths. The mind becomes our driving force, using time to control our lives!

Instead of fully experiencing the moment and all it has to offer we tend to spend most our lives either dwelling on the past or projecting into the future. Very little mind activity is concerned with the now. Yet, isn't this the only time things are done? If we are constantly being dragged away from the task at hand by subtle and intrusive time related thoughts are we not letting the mind control us rather than us control the mind? Isn't our attention diverted from doing the very best we can do now? Holding onto the past keeps us in our habitual state. Constantly living in the future keeps us from ever getting to the place we dream about.

There is no doubt that to lead a successful life we should make our dreams big and design a plan of action to get there. We break the hold of our habitual condition by coming into the present and taking the action we know we must take to achieve our dreams. We don't allow fear to enter our lives because we don't dwell on future outcomes or what if scenarios. It is pointless trying to second guess everything. It will only lead to disappointment and failure. We can't know everything that is going to happen so we should only deal with what does happen.

The degree to which we can alter our circumstances is directly related to how much power the mind has over us. We overcome that power by coming into the present. If you were to observe your thoughts for a moment by shifting into the present, you would notice that you are in fact not your thoughts. How can you be if you are observing them? You are the observer and have full control over that which you can observe. The more we think and act in the moment the easier it becomes for us to control the mind and to transcend the limitations of time.

When we shift from our current state into the present we look through the window of eternity. From out of nowhere comes now and here. The place from which all creativity springs and where we think and do our very best. Success can be found in the present, a gift from God to you.

Stuart is the co-owner of site http://www.7stepsup.com and the author of several blogs. He believes a major key to success is our personal philosophy on time and how we use it.

Erma Bombeck-Independence Day

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. - Erma Bombeck

Brave = Free

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. - Elmer Davis

Thomas Paine Quote

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. - Thomas Paine

Vernon Howard-Your Reaction is Key!

No one on earth can hurt you, unless you accept the hurt in your own mind. . . . The problem is not other people; it is your reaction. - Vernon Howard

Whit Hobbs-Success is.....

Success is waking up in the morning, whoever you are, wherever you are, however old or young, and bounding out of bed because there's something out there you love to do, that you believe in, that you're good at — something that's bigger than you are, and you can hardly wait to get at it again today. - Whit Hobbs

When a Goal Matters

When a goal matters enough to a person, that person will find a way to accomplish what at first seemed impossible. - Nido Qubein

Walt Disney: Strengthened by Adversity & Obstacles

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. - Walt Disney

Liberate Your Greatness

“Nothing liberates our greatness like the desire to help, the desire to serve.” - Marianne Williamson

Lincoln: Success Motivated by Friendship

“I am a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't have the heart to let him down...” - Abraham Lincoln

Albert Einstein Quote

“Only a life lived for others is a life worth while.” - Albert Einstein

It's Not the Critic Who Counts.....

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Whatever Course You Decide Upon...

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

If You Only Do......

“If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much.” - Tom Krause

Success Starts with a Can Do Attitude: Three Secrets to Creating More Success

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Success Starts with a Can Do Attitude: Three Secrets to Creating More Success
By Ed Sykes

If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won't, you most assuredly won't. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad. -Denis Waitley

Recently, I was watching a women’s professional tennis match on TV. One of the players, Nadia Petrova, was having a spectacular tennis season, either winning or playing for the championship in several tournaments in recent months.

The TV interviewer interviewed Nadia’s new coach and mentioned that Nadia, who was rated in the top twenty players in past years, was fast becoming one of the top five players in the world. The interviewer asked Nadia’s coach about this, and the coach said, “In the past, Nadia had people around her that concentrated on what she ‘can’t do.’ So Nadia would concentrate on what she couldn’t do, especially in challenging situations on the court, and it would frustrate her. I am concentrating on what she ‘can do,’ and she is a much better, confident player and is mentally much happier.”

So I ask you, do you concentrate on the “can’t dos” or the “can dos?” The following are three secrets to creating a “can do” attitude that produces positive results and more success in your life, business, and career:

1. Set Can Do Goals

Set goals that move you toward successful results. People fail because they don’t know what they want or what they don’t want. Ask a friend, family member, or associate what they want in life. In most cases, they will pause and really think about what they want. Sometimes they can’t come up with an answer. Sometimes they may come up with a weak response. However, ask the following question, “What don’t you want in life?” and, in most situations, you will receive multiple, clear, and quick answers to your question. That’s because we concentrate on what we don’t want to happen instead of what we want to happen. In life, as in sports, we concentrate on “not losing” instead of concentrating how to “win.”

Set S-M-A-R-T-E-R (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely, Encouraging, Rewarding) goals that create a crystal clear roadmap for your success, and work to achieve these goals everyday.

2. Take Care of Your N-E-T-S

N-E-T-S stands for Network with Everyone Today for Success. Fill your NETS with positive people that will support your positive “can do” attitude. These people, while supporting your goals, will also help you pass roadblocks to achieve your goals. You will also make your NETS stronger by supporting their goals to create a mutually supportive situation.

Joy Fisher-Sykes always says, “Clean your NETS of people who have a “can’t do,” negative attitude, and who don’t support your quest to achieve your goals.” The more junk (negative people) in your NETS, the less room you have for more treasure (positive people). Take a close look at “friends,” family and co-workers and ask, “Do they support me and my “can do” attitude?” If they don’t, remove them from your NET. Keep your NET strong with positive people.

3. Concentrate on the Positive

Recent research shows that 75-80% of daily communication is negative. This would include negative self-talk, conversations with others, or the media (TV, radio, the internet, etc.).

Take back control of your mind and be responsible for your “can do” attitude. You can start with the following:

a. Concentrate on self-talk with positive solutions
Start your mornings with meditation. Concentrate on positive thoughts with positive results. Visualize, involving as many senses as possible, to intensify the visualization and make it real for you. Ask, “What does your success feel, look, sound, and taste like?” Be aware of negative self-talk, and replace it with positive self-talk.

b. Control the Communication
If it is a conversation, reframe the negative conversation into a more positive conversation. If someone is complaining endlessly, say, “Mike, I hear what you are saying. What solutions to you see to this problem?”

If the media is negative, tune it out or turn it off.

You can always walk away. You have that right.

c. Walk the Talk
Be consistent in your behavior, and act on your “can do” attitude.

d. Fake It Till You Make It
Act like you are already achieving your goals, and you will rise to a higher level. Others will also see you as achieving your goals and interact with you accordingly.

Follow these “can do” techniques and you will also achieve more success in your life. I know Nadia does. As of this writing, she has won two additional tournaments, with no end in sight. She has a “can do” attitude that creates success, and you can, too.

Ed Sykes is an professional speaker, author, and success coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building. You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032. Go to his web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com/, and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and receive either free ebook, "Empowerment and Stress Secrets for the Busy Professional," or "Secrets of Outstanding Customer Service."

David Frost: Don't Aim for Success

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. - David Frost

Dale Carnegie:The Success Quality

Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success. - Dale Carnegie

Erma Bombeck-Fame vs. Success

Don't confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other. - Erma Bombeck

C.S. Lewis Quotes

* “When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place”

* "Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”

* “Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained”

* "We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ''Blessed are they that mourn.''

* “The very man who has argued you down, will sometimes be found, years later, to have been influenced by what you said”

* “God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain”

* “We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”

* “Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.”

Make-Over Your Attitude

Make-Over Your Attitude

By Michael Nalbone

The old, worn-out phrase: “attitude is everything” is true. Your attitude has a profound impact on your level of success – and moreover, your happiness. You have to keep a positive outlook no matter what challenges or distractions you’re confronted with.

Maintaining a positive attitude in the face of overwhelming odds and frequent disappointments is one thing successful business owners have in common. It’s true, everybody from Sam Walton to Bill Gates, has triumphed in the face of adversity.

Ok, so we agree that a positive attitude is, at the very least, beneficial. So, how do we implement the knowledge? Used properly, it will determine your level of success.

One thing you can do is to watch who you associate with and who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with negative people, their negative attitudes will creep into your head and inhibit you. The “attitude is everything” axiom applies to negative attitudes as well as positive ones.

Surrounding yourself with people who exhibit positive attitudes is contagious too, but in a way that’s beneficial to you. Keep your “people network” as positive as possible.

Know this: Whatever you do, wherever you go in life, your attitude will has a profound effect on the success you achieve. Success and happiness, whether in business or in your personal life, are directly related to your attitude.

If you’re still “working for the man”, you’ll achieve greater success in your job, no matter what your current circumstances are, if you remain positive. Even in today’s harsh job market, you can work your way up through any company. Exhibiting a positive attitude will help you get the attention of those who are in positions of power within the company – those people who can help your career. That’s because these people understand that attitude is everything. They’ll recognize your positive attitude and reward you appropriately.

The can-do attitude is necessary to your being recognized as a valued employee, but taking the phrase attitude is everything to heart is absolutely essential if you plan to start your own business. It doesn’t matter if your plans are for a one person, part time enterprise, or a global company employing hundreds or thousands of people, the attitude you express is reflected in your business and in your employees. If you exhibit a constant, positive attitude to your employees, they’ll respect you & go the extra mile, making your business thrive.

Mike Nalbone’s “Success University” web site is helping thousands of people achieve their personal and financial goals. Visit Mike’s site at: http://team.upwith.us

Power To Do It

“In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.” - Marianne Williamson

George Sheehan Quote

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be” - George Sheehan

Strength and Growth

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle - Napoleon Hill

Wayne Dyer-Want To Be Treated Well?

Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you. - Wayne Dyer

Andrew Carnegie

He that cannot reason is a fool. He that will not is a bigot. He that dare not is a slave. - Andrew Carnegie

Roses Over Diamonds

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. - Emma Goldman

Edison: I Have Not Failed

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. - Thomas Edison

Achieving Success: Learning To Have Faith In Yourself

Achieving Success: Learning To Have Faith In Yourself
By Nick Arrizza, M.D.

How many times have you heard successful people say that one of the most important lessons they learned on their journey to success was having faith in themselves?

Now for many this is not only a tall order it's what blocks them from ever succeeding.

What does it mean to have faith in one’s self?


Well basically it means the ability to recognize the value of what it is that you came here to contribute to this planet.

Now many might say that they don't even know what it is that they came here to contribute. If that is you, you are allowing yourself to fall into a state of self doubt that is undermining your connection to your inner wisdom and therefore the awareness of that purpose. You see everyone has a purpose in being here and you simply need to reconnect to it. More on that in another article.

Suppose that you do know what you came here to contribute but are struggling with the value of that contribution here is what you can do.

See yourself making that contribution in some way and then notice what you feel inside yourself and where you feel it.

If you feel any of the following there:
A feeling of lightness, joy, contentment, sense of peace, relief, expansive, open, clear, buoyant, present, energized, radiant, uplifted, inspiration etc.

Then ask yourself whether you like that feeling.

If you do then simply admit that to yourself.

Then notice how you feel.

You should feel even more anchored in the positive experience you were having before.

Let me explain what has just happened.

In this exercise you have reconnected to your inner wisdom and allowed it to verify for you the importance and value of your contribution here.

The value was communicated to you in the feelings you had when you went through the exercise itself. It is in that feeling that lays the desire and inspiration to propel you forward in achieving your goals and your dreams.

Now that you feel it remembers it and revisit it often. It will sustain you. In fact it is the source of all your passion for contribution and for life itself.

Allowing yourself to do this is what I mean by having faith in yourself.

If you would like to have more help in this journey to your success kindly click on the web link below.

Dr. Nick Arrizza is trained in Chemical Engineering, Business Management & Leadership, Medicine and Psychiatry. He is an Energy Psychiatrist, Healer, Key Note Speaker,Editor of a New Ezine Called "Spirituality And Science" (which is requesting high quality article submissions) Author of "Esteem for the Self: A Manual for Personal Transformation" (available in ebook format on his web site), Stress Management Coach, Peak Performance Coach & Energy Medicine Researcher, Specializes in Life and Executive Performance Coaching, is the Developer of a powerful new tool called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) that helps build physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being by helping to permanently release negative beliefs, emotions, perceptions and memories. He holds live workshops, international telephone coaching sessions and international teleconference workshops on Physical. Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Well Being.

Web Site: http://www.telecoaching4u.com/IntroConsult.htm

Helen Keller-Resolve To Keep Happy

"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties." - Helen Keller

Helen Keller-Optimism

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. - Helen Keller

Helen Keller-Doors of Happiness

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us." - Helen Keller

Dr. Seuss Says...

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. - Dr. Seuss

Anne Frank Quote

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank

Napoleon Hill Quote

“Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success” - Napoleon Hill

Marianne Williamson-No Peace Without Forgiveness

“Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.” - Marianne Williamson

Anthony Robbins-Copy and Achieve!

“If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you'll achieve the same results.” - Anthony Robbins

Brian Tracy-Successful People

“Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'” - Brian Tracy

Your Creative Genius: Moving into Vision

Your Creative Genius: Moving into Vision
By Steve Brunkhorst

There is truly magic inside of each individual. No, not the magic made of illusion. You have a creative genius, a gift of God, which was yours at birth. You have the potential to bring this gift to the world in a very special way.

This divine gift often becomes apparent in childhood. It may remain undiscovered until the adult years. It may call until you have no choice but to listen and follow its urgings. Whether or not you listen, it calls.

If you are still searching for that special gift, there is good news. You can find it if you seek diligently. The secret is to look and listen with your heart, not your eyes and ears.

Look past outer appearances and see possibilities that only your heart can see. Your eyes see with brain-power. Your heart sees with faith-power. Your inner genius sees reality; the image it registers is joy. It sees obstacles as stepping stones to a future filled with tremendous excitement.

Your creative genius speaks through feelings, urges, and coincidences that bring unexpected blessings. When engaged in activities of its liking, you feel that you are living purposely. Your actions are aligned with your deepest values. The calling of your creative genius feels like an "action magnet" too strong to ignore.

What activity makes you feel ecstatically joyful and fills you with a sense of purpose and contentment? Remember when it first tugged at your heart? Remember how you knew something special had just happened?

Your creative genius is always signaling and calling to you. Stop today and listen for its quiet voice. Look for the beauty of its vision with a new spiritual perspective. Its image of inspiration and fulfillment is always moving into vision!

© Copyright 2004-2006 by Steve Brunkhorst. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprinted from Achieve! 60-Second Nuggets of Inspiration bringing great stories, motivational nuggets, and inspiring thoughts to help you achieve more in your personal life and career. Get the next issue by visiting http://www.AchieveEzine.com

Trials

Trials
By Linda Clarke

“Storms make oaks take deeper roots,” my mother reminded me. She always told me that trials made us better people. They help us mature and grow. If a tree never had to fight for sun and water, but had everything given to it, it would become a scrubby little thing. In other words, the stronger the wind, the stronger the tree. My mother insinuated that I was growing from these trials. She would tell me that God must really love me to give me so many trials. I remember telling her, “Mom, I wish that He didn’t love me so much.”

Thomas Edison was 67 years old when he had one of the greatest trials of his life, but he didn’t let it get him down. He was a very optimistic man. One evening his film plant caught fire. Spontaneous combustion had ignited some of the chemicals and exploded. Within seconds, all of the celluloid for records, film, packing compounds, and anything flammable went up in flames. Fire trucks from eight towns arrived as fast as they could, but the intense heat was so powerful that the water from the fire hose had no effect whatsoever.

When Edison’s daughter arrived, she was distraught and didn’t know where her father was. She was frantic with worry until she saw him running toward her. Before she could say a word, he called out to her, “Where’s your mother?” Her eyes widened at such a question as he added, “Go get her and tell her to bring her friends. They’ll never see another fire like this as long as they live.”

The following morning, when the building was only rubble and ashes, he called his employees together and announced with confidence, “We’re building again. Oh, and by the way, does anybody know where we can get some money?”

Practically everything we recognize as an Edison contribution came after that devastating disaster. Many times difficulties make us stronger people and we end up successful. When a blacksmith takes a piece of raw iron ore and plunges it into hot coals, he burns off impurities and introduces carbon into the metal. He then hammers it on an anvil to forge and shape and strengthen it. This process is repeated over and over again. This can be compared to the trials we go through. We’re like this piece of ore. We’re gradually being strengthened and will eventually end up victorious.

Remember how hard the patriots fought for our freedom in 1776? They were farmers and merchants, and not learned in the way of combat. The crossing of the Delaware in a blizzard and all their struggles will never be forgotten. Many were sick and poorly clothed, and their feet were wrapped with cloth to protect them from freezing weather. They lacked enough food for everyone and many times went hungry until a farmer donated some beef. Who would ever think that these men could fight a battle against the fearsome Hessians? They were German mercenaries, skilled fighters paid by the British to cut down the patriots. The Continental Army was outnumbered, but George Washington had faith in his men and knelt in humble prayer, pleading with God, before crossing the Delaware. The tattered Continental Army struck the town of Trenton the morning of December 26th, 1776, and it was a never-forgotten battle of victory that stunned the British. It was a surprise attack, and not one patriot was killed in that battle.

Harry Ward Beecher said, “Difficulties are God’s errands and when we are sent upon them, we should esteem it as proof of God’s confidence…as a compliment from Him.”

George MacDonald said, “How often we look upon God as our last and feeblest resource! We go to Him because we have nowhere else to go. And then we learn that the storms of life have driven us, not upon the rocks but into the desired haven.”

Helen Steiner Rice wrote, “Before you can dry another’s tears, you too must weep.” Many times our sorrows and problems help us to understand another person’s sorrow. When we go through similar trials, then we are more sympathetic toward others.

Hugh B. Brown wrote: “We ask for strength and God gives us difficulties, which makes us strong. We pray for wisdom and God sends us problems, the solution of which develops wisdom. We plead for prosperity and God gives us brain and brawn to work. We plead for courage and God gives us dangers to overcome. We ask for favors and God gives us opportunities. This is the answer.”

Written by Linda Weaver Clarke Copyright 2006

Bio: Linda Weaver Clarke received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre and Music at Southern Utah University and received the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student Award for the College of Performing Arts in 2002. She is the mother of six daughters and the author of Melinda and the Wild West, A Family Saga, published by American Book Publishing. If you would like to know more about Linda and her novel, her web site is http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com. You may use this article freely with this author bio intact.

Mark Twain-Hang Around Great People!

“Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

Action

“Action conquers fear" - Peter Nivio Zarlenga

Your Big Opportunity

“Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.” - Napoleon Hill

Misses and Gains

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Procrastination

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. - William James

Taxation

America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid taxation. - Laurence J. Peter

Solitude

We live in a very tense society. We are pulled apart... and we all need to learn how to pull ourselves together.... I think that at least part of the answer lies in solitude. - Helen Hayes

Your Life As A Bible

Your life may be the only Bible some people read. - Author Unknown

Don't Try to Be Different

Don't try to be different. Just be good. To be good is different enough. - Arthur Freed

Hope

Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them. - Vincent McNabb

Optimism

Optimism is the foundation of courage. - Nicholas Murray Butler

Fate

Fate laughs at probabilities. - E.G. Bulwer-Lytton

Learning From Experience of Others?

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

Adopt The Pace of Nature

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fear and Courage

Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them. - Brendan Francis

The Possibilities...

“The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react.” - George Bernard Shaw

Procrastination-Napoleon Hill

“Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday.” - Napoleon Hill

The Key To Patience

“The keys to patience are acceptance and faith. Accept things as they are, and look realistically at the world around you. Have faith in yourself and in the direction you have chosen.” - Ralph Marston

Albert Einstein Quote

“I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent; curiosity, obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my ideas." - Albert Einstein

Pearl Bailey-Face The Truth

“You never find yourself until you face the truth” - Pearl Bailey

Harry S. Truman Quote

“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves...self-discipline with all of them came first.” - Harry S. Truman

Do Something Remarkable

Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable. - Wendy Wasserstein (she just passed away a few months ago)

Eleanor Roosevelt Quote

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Don't Miss Your Opportunities!

"Nothing is so often irretrievably missed as a daily opportunity." - Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

Listening

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk. - Doug Larson

Henry Ford Quote

Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right. - Henry Ford

Paul Sweeney Quote

"How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young?" - Paul Sweeney

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Respect

In my day, we didn't have self-esteem, we had self-respect, and no more of it than we had earned. - Jane Haddam

Be Bold-Be Free!

Freedom lies in being bold. - Robert Frost

Fear

"To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another." - Katherine Paterson

We Must Die To Live!

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another." - Anatole France

Optimal Thinking

Optimal Thinking
By Steve Pavlina

Optimal Thinking by Rosalene Glickman is a book I read about a year ago. I don’t recommend that anyone here read it because it’s one of those books that reads like an article padded out to the length of the book. You need only read the first chapter to absorb 80% of the book’s value. And I’ll give you that 80% right now, so you don’t even need to do that.

Here’s the concept of optimal thinking in a nutshell. Suboptimal thinking is when you ask questions like, “What’s a good/great way to do X?” or “How can I solve Y?” Optimal thinking is when you ask, “What’s the best way to do X?” or “How can I solve Y in the best way possible?” It may seem like a subtle and unimportant difference, but when you start applying this rule to your life, I think you’ll see some interesting results as I have.

For example, when planning your next day, you might ask yourself (perhaps subconsciously and nonverbally), “What’s a good way to schedule my time tomorrow?” And by answering that question, you’ll plan a decent schedule for yourself. But it’s most likely a suboptimal schedule. Try instead asking yourself, “What’s the best way to schedule my time tomorrow?” Now you’re seeking the optimal solution — the best instead of just good or even great.

Sometimes you don’t immediately know the best solution to a problem. So what you can do in that situation is to ask, “What will the best solution look like?” And then you start listing attributes and constraints that your optimal solution will need to exhibit. This helps you narrow your list of alternatives. If you know a particular attribute of the optimal solution, then you can reject all possible solutions that lack that attribute.

Going back to the example of the best possible scheduling of your day, you might list some of these attributes: awaken early, exercise, work at least 8 solid hours, eat healthy meals, spend time with family, do something fun and rewarding in the evening, stretch myself in some way, get email inbox completely emptied, read for an hour, etc. Then you can work backwards from these subgoals to piece together your optimal schedule.

Keep in mind that the best solution always takes into account the resources you have available. If a possible solution is impractical, then it certainly isn’t optimal. So if the best way to schedule your day would require a supercomputer and six hours of planning time, then that solution is far from being the best. You might wish to include your key constraints in your original question, such as, “What’s the best way to schedule my time tomorrow in 20 minutes or less?”

In my experience the most beneficial aspect of optimal thinking is that it helps you raise your standards. Instead of settling for suboptimal solutions and mediocre results, you commit to doing your best, yet in a way that’s practical and which considers the reality of your situation. Often when you ask yourself, “What’s the best …,” you’ll find your mind zooming towards a very different kind of solution than you would if you asked suboptimal questions.

Here are some sample optimal thinking questions to get your mind moving in that direction:

What’s the best use of my time right now?
* What’s the best way for me to exercise regularly (when, what, how)?

* What’s the best way to get myself out of debt?

* What’s the best way for me to make an extra $10,000 as quickly as possible?

* What’s the best school for my child to attend?

* What’s the best place for me to live?

* What’s the best way to reply to this email? (use this one repeatedly to purge that clogged inbox)

* What’s the best way for me to improve my social life?

* What’s the best book I should read next?

* What’s the best character class I could play in City of Heroes?

* What’s the best new blog I should be reading regularly and tell everyone I know about?
Ask and you shall receive. Ask for the best.

Copyright © Steve Pavlina

Steve PavlinaPersonal Development for Smart People http://www.stevepavlina.comhttp://www.stevepavlina.com/blog (blog)http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles (articles)

Steve is intensely growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from college in three semesters with two degrees. He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So chances are good that he's awake right now.

Confucius-Our Greatest Glory

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius

Attitude-W.C. Fields

Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. - W.C. Fields

Not Because They Are-You Are!

Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are. - Author Unknown

Love vs. Desire

"Love is often gentle, desire always a rage." - Mignon McLaughlin

Roosevelt Quote

"This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in." - Theodore Roosevelt

Friends in Overalls

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world. - Thomas Edison

Ludwig van Beethoven Quote

Only the pure in heart can make a good soup. - Ludwig van Beethoven

Ray Kroc Quote

If you're not a risk taker, you should get the hell out of business. - Ray Kroc

Helen Keller Quote

We may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings. - Helen Keller

Albert Schweitzer-Obstacles

“One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity.” - Albert Schweitzer

Attitude of Gratitude

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. - Brian Tracy

Ten Roadblocks to Creative Success

Editor Pat: Here are some effective tips regarding sparking your own creativity. Creativity can add tremendous benefits to your life, changing it for the better.

Ten Roadblocks to Creative Success
By Jan Marie Dore

To stay competitive in the world of work today, you must use your imagination and creativity. These innate gifts have the potential to give us an edge in business and in life, yet we are often blocked and fail to accomplish the projects we intend to.

Creativity is one of the most essential of human talents. You have all the creativity you need to accomplish your goals. Your creative ideas provide you with tools for meeting challenges and coping with adversity.

Creativity means, by definition, change. There is often strong resistance to change, so it is natural that barriers would be in our way. There are inner and outer obstacles eclipsing your creative process and projects. How do you unblock the creativity within you? Here are ten specific obstacles to creative success in business, and some ideas to overcome them.

~ROADBLOCK 1 – Lack of Vision

Many people think too small about what they can potentially accomplish. They stay inside the comfort zone of what they imagine is currently possible for them. They fail to use their imagination to think bigger about possibilities, and don’t expect a positive outcome.

Solution


Think Big! Sharpen your visionary skills. Take time to dream, to visualize a positive outcome, and to develop a strong compelling vision for what you want to create. Write our your vision as if it were happening right now in the present, and get in touch with the emotions and sensations you feel once you imagine your vision accomplished. Make a mind-map to capture all your big ideas. Create a ‘Vision Canvas’ – a collage that represents your vision - by placing images and words on paper.

~ROADBLOCK 2 – Lack of Inspiration

Many people say they are waiting for inspiration before they start a creative project. It’s often a long wait!

Solution

Surround yourself with inspiration. Be open to the inspiration that is all around you, moment to moment. Savor everyday wonders, and carry a journal with you to capture random ideas. Go places that spark your imagination, for example, art galleries, museums, or live theatre, music or dance events. If you’re stuck looking for a solution, go do something completely different. When Einstein got stuck on a difficult concept, he would often go into another room to play his violin. A solution would often come to mind when he returned to the problem. Exercising his mind in a different way boosted his creativity for the work he was doing.

~ROADBLOCK 3 - Procrastination

Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last possible minute, can be a major problem in business. Missed opportunities, frenzied work hours, stress, overwhelm, resentment, and guilt are just some of the symptoms.

Solution

Thinking of a task as one big whole that you have to complete will virtually ensure that you put it off. Break your projects into small tasks, and take action on those. Thinking that you absolutely have to do something is a major reason for procrastination, so give yourself permission to not do anything you really don’t want to do. Even though there may be serious consequences, you are always free to choose. Procrastination becomes less likely on tasks that you openly and freely choose to undertake.

~ROADBLOCK 4 – Overcommitted & Overwhelmed
Overwhelm can be described having too much to do, or perceiving that what you have to do is too much. Distractions rob us of the productive use of time and contribute to the feeling of overwhelm. Saying yes to every request made of you and taking on too many responsibilities can quickly lead to burnout.

Solution

Creativity needs time and space to flourish. Slow down and reduce your commitments. Learn to say no. Make a short list of what is important to you that you will say yes to, and say no to everything else. Give your mind time to wander.

~ROADBLOCK 5 - Clutter
Clutter is often a symptom of unfinished business, indecision, procrastination, and disorganization. It represents the past. Creativity is in the future.

Solution

Maintain an inspiring, uncluttered environment that is supportive of your work. Create a space for your creative work separate from where you pay your bills and have responsibilities so that your creative imagination can flourish.

~ROADBLOCK 6 – Unbalanced Thinking

Men and women create differently. Men typically create in a linear, step by step fashion, while women create in a more holistic, spiral fashion. Men tend to start with A and end at Z, while women see the whole picture all at once, then sort out the details in a random order.

Solution

Become aware of your preferred style of thinking and creating. Balance linear thinking with holistic thinking. Balance imagination with strategy. Balance left brain thinking with right brain activities.

~ROADBLOCK 7 – Confusion and Indecision

Too many ideas, so little time! Often we have competing ideas or goals. Many times, we have conflicting intentions which tend to cancel each other out – for example, wanting to have more business while also wanting more free time. The effect is that nothing happens, and we can’t decide which one to choose.

Solution

Focus your intent and energize your will to make clear choices, prioritize, and get into action. Train your mind and wise inner self to find the answers you already have inside. Trust your intuition; it will always lead you to the next right action. Prioritize, choose, act.

~ROADBLOCK 8 - Isolation

Creative people are often alone with their vision and ideas. Creativity can’t exist in a vacuum.

Solution

When you feel alone on your path, remember that you can share your journey. Support from others is key for brainstorming, inspiration, encouragement, and accountability. Share your ideas with positive people. Connecting with other creative souls jump starts your creativity faster than anything else.

~ROADBLOCK 9 – Negative Mind Chatter

Doubts, fears, anxieties, worries, and other negative thoughts hinder the creative mind.

Solution

There are many strategies to get unstuck when the inner critic comes knocking on your door. Befriend this negative voice in your mind. Replace negative or unconscious thoughts through practices designed to tap your creative forces. Try to release self-judgment or criticism while in creative moments. Give yourself permission to fail. Shift your thinking from ‘I’m not a creative person’ to ‘I bring creativity and imagination to everything I do’.

~ROADBLOCK 10 - No Clear Plan of Action

Vague thinking or no thought given to a plan or project timeline or to the small goals that could bring you closer to your big creative goal will stop creative action in its tracks.

Solution

Create a simple plan of action, give yourself a deadline, and hold your self accountable to the commitments you make to yourself.

You can learn to rely on your creativity to improve the quality of your life and business. Taking action on any one of the above items will get you on the path to completing the things that really matter to you and to finishing your most meaningful, creative projects.
~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright © 2005 Jan Marie Dore. All Rights Reserved. Newsletter publishers are most welcome to reprint this article provided it is published in its entirety, without change, including contact and copyright information. Please send an email to admin@janmariedore.com advising the ezine’s name & URL, and the date the article appeared.

Jan Marie Dore, Master Certified Coach, Speaker, and Writer, publishes articles like this one in her free ezine designed to inspire, challenge, and support you in creating a life that is meaningful, authentic, and a joy to wake up to every day. You can sign up for your own subscription by sending a blank email to subscribe@janmariedore.com For free resources and programs on living a purposeful life, visit Jan Marie's website: http://www.janmariedore.com

Justify or Liquify?

We should all be obliged to appear before a board every five years, and justify our existence... on pain of liquidation. - George Bernard Shaw

Genius

"Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience." - George-Louis de Buffon

Broader Shoulders

I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders. - Jewish Proverb

Humble Equals Great!

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. - Helen Keller

Benefits of Service

"Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness - great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy." - Jim Rohn

Inner Reactions

An obvious fact about negative feelings is often overlooked. They are caused by us, not by exterior happenings. An outside event presents the challenge, but we react to it. So we must attend to the way we take things, not to the things themselves. - Vernon Howard

A True Friend

"A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down." - Arnold Glasow

Paul Harvey Quote

"I've never seen a monument erected to a pessimist." - Paul Harvey

Discipline is.....

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." - Jim Rohn

Sin and Virtue

Sin is commitable in thought, word or deed; so is virtue. - Martin H. Fischer

Perfection

Try as hard as we may for perfection, the net result of our labors is an amazing variety of imperfectness. We are surprised at our own versatility in being able to fail in so many different ways. - Samuel McChord Crothers

Ann Landers-Class

“Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life.” - Ann Landers

Lose 60 Seconds of Happiness

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

All Tony Robbins

* “Remember, a real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided.”

* “There's always a way - if you're committed.”

* “Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant.”

* If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten.

* Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives.

* For changes to be of any true value, they've got to be lasting and consistent.

Dale Carnegie-Success and Happiness

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get." - Dale Carnegie

The Greatest Mistake.....

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. - Elbert Hubbard, The Note Book, 1927

Smiles and Sunshine

"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day." - Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

The Practice of Forgiveness

The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world. - Marianne Williamson

Wayne Dyer-On Purpose and Focused

When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused on giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous. - Wayne Dyer

Success and Work

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” - Donald Kendall

Christopher Reeve-Hope

Once you choose hope, anything's possible. - Christopher Reeve

Great Minds

"Great minds have purposes, others have wishes." - Washington Irving

Angry?

"If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?" - Sydney J. Harris

Make The Most of Yourself

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

David Brinkley-Successful Person Is...

A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her. - David Brinkley

Oscar Wilde Quote

"If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want." - Oscar Wilde

Eleanor Powell Quote

What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God. - Eleanor Powell

Zig Ziglar-Adversity

“Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” - Zig Ziglar

Move Out Of Your Comfort Zone

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” - Brian Tracy

When You Discover Your Mission

“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.” - W. Clement Stone

Courage

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon

Integrity

“Integrity is the essence of everything successful.” - Buckminster Fuller

Use Your Talents

Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best. - Henry van Dyke

John Muir-Beauty

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." - John Muir

Buddhist Proverb

When the student is ready, the master appears. - Buddhist Proverb

Benjamin Franklin-Passion and Reason

If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins. - Benjamin Franklin

15 Ways to Know If You Are An Idea Person

Editor Pat: Remember, new and creative ideas are good to come up with, but putting the best of those ideas into action is what will lead you to success. Don't be afraid to fail. We learn lesssons from our failures that can lead to our ultimate success. As it's been said, "fail forward"!. Failure based on taking thoughtful action is noble, not to try and lament for the rest of your life is cowardly.

15 Ways to Know If You Are An Idea Person
By Vernon Myers

1. Ideas come to you effortlessly.
Creating ideas is as easy for you as putting on your shoes in the morning. Thomas Edison said that ideas are waiting to be discovered. You discover ideas constantly by creating ideas without really trying to create ideas. No matter where you look you see unique solutions to improve products, services, your personal and professional life, and the lives of your fellow human beings.
2. You are always trying to find ways to do things better.
You do not start with the way things have been done in the past. You start by thinking about how to do things better right now. Master motivator Tony Robbins developed the CANI principle, which is Constant and Never-ending Improvement and you live it by seeking to improve everyday.

3. Your insights and opinions are often radically different than anyone else’s.

You are an independent thinker. You don’t mind taking the road less traveled to produce an outstanding result. While everyone else is focusing on short-term problems, you are thinking about long-term benefits and opportunities.

4. People seek you out to get your opinion because it is different and they want to get a different perspective.

People respect your ability to paint outside the lines. You tend to take a different angle when tackling difficult issues and challenges. You blend your past experience with the ability to visualize a future outcome, resulting in creative breakthroughs.

5. You are extremely curious.

You have an overwhelming desire to know. You are curious about everything. You will spend hours delving into a topic so you can understand the essence of an issue and then use this new knowledge to develop new ideas.

6. You think differently – you recognize it and others recognize it.

The people who you interact with are amazed at the ideas that you create. You have the ability to think in-depth about a topic and to extract the key points that are relevant to your current challenge or issue.

7. You have an unquenchable desire to learn.

You are a continuous learner. You attend courses to learn new skills or you design a self-study course for yourself to bone up on various subjects.

8. You are always asking questions.

Your desire to know is only eclipsed by your need to ask questions. You ask detailed questions to clarify issues and to determine how far you can explore. Your questions seek to go deep into your topic to get a foundational or basic level understanding that you can build upon.

9. You are a voracious reader of books, magazines, and newspapers.

You read everything that you can get your hands on. You read to broaden your knowledge base. You are very well-read and always well informed.

10. You never stop at the first right answer.

The first right answer is a good starting point; however you believe that the first answer is usually incomplete. You continue to develop alternative answers until you find the best answer.

11. When you get one idea, it often sparks a string of other ideas in your mind.

You are such a fluid idea-generator that when you develop one idea, it usually leads to a myriad of spin-off ideas. You tend to make connections that most people would not recognize. Aha is your favorite word.

12. You do not consider yourself to be a right-brain or left-brain thinker, you use your whole-brain to create breakthrough ideas.

As a creative person you are considered a right-brained person. Left brained people are logical, analytical and methodical. You combine the best of both sides of your brain to produce creative solutions to your challenges. You are a disciplined and creative idea generator.

13. You have the ability to hold many concepts in your mind at one time.

You can hold numerous concepts in your mind because you are an expert at using idea generation tools such as brainstorming, mind mapping, and affinity diagrams. You use these tools to mentally generate ideas without having to write anything on paper.

14. You are always looking for a tie-in between your ideas and concepts and your current task or challenge.

You are very good a combining your past ideas with your current ideas because you look for connections and similarities between ideas. Since you operate from this mode all of the time, you tend to combine and connect ideas instantly.

15. You look at what can be instead of what is right now.

You have a vision of where you want to go and what you want to do. You do not limit yourself to your current circumstances. You see your ideas in vivid detail in your mind’s eye because of your ability to use your imagination.

Vernon Myers is the founder of IdeaMERGE.NET – Where Ideas and People Unite! - An online networking site devoted to connecting people who have ideas to people who have experience and advice to share.

Vernon is also the author of The Idea Journal – visit http://www.ideamerge.net/products to find out how to unleash your urge to create.

Visit Vernon’s blog, The Idea Pipeline, at http://www.ideapipeline.blogspot.com to discuss your ideas, dreams, and goals or to leave your comments.

Copyright (c) 2006, all rights reserved.

Who is More Foolish?

Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light? - Maurice Freehill

Do Not Be Too Moral

"Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something." - Henry David Thoreau

Harry Truman-Pessimist-Optimist

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." - Harry Truman

The Secret of Success

Put your heart, mind, intellect and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success. - Swami Sivananda

J.G. Holland Quote

God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest. - J.G. Holland

Don't Aim for Success-David Frost

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. - David Frost

Perseverance

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. - Albert Einstein

Ready Or Not...Change is Coming

Ready Or Not...Change is Coming
By Ray Steadman

The one thing that we can absolutely be certain of in this life is that things will change. Well I guess there are two things; things will change, and we will die. Okay, maybe three things, there will be change, we will all die someday and we will pay taxes...

As we get ready to celebrate the arrival of another new year, we in our family are reflecting on the fact that things will change. We as people will change. Think about this for a second, who you are married to or who your significant other is today, is not who they were when you met or married them. People change!

As we embrace the challenges of this new year, my prayer is that we look at ourselves and do some deep soul searching and ask ourselves, "what do I need to change?" "What about my life do I need to work on?"

You might need to work on an anger issue or you might have a problem with an addiction that you really need to seek help. The thing is, we all have our issues that we must confront. To this day, there has still only been one perfect person, who was without sin...

I challenge all of us, myself included, that we should consciously change something in our lives that will make our own worlds a better place, starting with the man or woman in the mirror.

About the Author

Ray Steadman is the publisher of The Quotivator. The Quotivator is a Success and Motivational Blog that will help you step to the next level in your life by using the timeless wisdom of the past and present to inspire you to greatness.