"The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are."
Thomas Dreier
If your world is a mirror, what is it reflecting back to you? Are the people around you kind and loving towards you? Are they available to you when you need help or advice? Are strangers freindly towards you? If the answer to any one of these questions is no, it is time to consider how you behave around other people.
Over time, people learn to treat you the way you treat them. You actually teach them how to treat you. You send all kinds of non-verbal communication to them about how you see them. This tells them a lot about how you see yourself, because only a person who loves himself can truly love other people. And only a person who loves himself expects to be treated well by others. If you aren't loving towards others, this means you aren't loving of yourself because you know that people who are treated badly by you will treat you badly in return and you expect this. A person who loves himself would never tolerate that situation.
One of the quickest ways to determine how you come across to other people is to see how they treat you. If most people treat you with disrespect, then you have some work to do on your own self-respect, as well as your respect of others. We are all connected. A person who puts other people down puts himself down. The world around you is a mirror. To improve it, you must improve yourself.
For ideas about true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Blind
An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
Mohandas Gandhi
People are so easily offended by others. How quickly we fight back whenever we feel the other person threatened us in some way, even if nothing is hurt except our pride. We will defend our rights to the end, even our right to have everything go the way we want and everyone do what we think they should. We wage wars because other people don't see God the way we do. Worse yet, we teach our children to continue our battles, so family feuds can keep going for generations.
We feel like anyone who hurts us should be hurt back. They should get a taste of their own medicine. Murderers should be murdered. But what does that really accomplish? Do two wrongs make a right? Because someone behaved badly towards me, what do I really accomplish by behaving badly towards him? I've just brought myself down to his level. To begin with, this isn't exactly going to help my self-respect. Do you ever feel good about yourself when you've just struck back at someone? You feel lousy, if only because you know deep down that you've shown you have no self-control.
An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind. Develop the self-control to avoid fighting back when someone has hurt you. This means you can't do anything with your pain but let it be nothing, and then the other person is forced to see that the only enemy he has is his own pain. It is much more constructive to forgive the other person for acting so irresponsibly than it is to act irresponsibly yourself by striking back at him. That way, at least one person will be able to see.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Mohandas Gandhi
People are so easily offended by others. How quickly we fight back whenever we feel the other person threatened us in some way, even if nothing is hurt except our pride. We will defend our rights to the end, even our right to have everything go the way we want and everyone do what we think they should. We wage wars because other people don't see God the way we do. Worse yet, we teach our children to continue our battles, so family feuds can keep going for generations.
We feel like anyone who hurts us should be hurt back. They should get a taste of their own medicine. Murderers should be murdered. But what does that really accomplish? Do two wrongs make a right? Because someone behaved badly towards me, what do I really accomplish by behaving badly towards him? I've just brought myself down to his level. To begin with, this isn't exactly going to help my self-respect. Do you ever feel good about yourself when you've just struck back at someone? You feel lousy, if only because you know deep down that you've shown you have no self-control.
An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind. Develop the self-control to avoid fighting back when someone has hurt you. This means you can't do anything with your pain but let it be nothing, and then the other person is forced to see that the only enemy he has is his own pain. It is much more constructive to forgive the other person for acting so irresponsibly than it is to act irresponsibly yourself by striking back at him. That way, at least one person will be able to see.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Character
"If you think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself"
Woodrow Wilson
Most of us go through life thinking about our own needs before the needs of other people. We think this kind of egocentrism is normal and natural. But that's just our ego talking. To our ego other people are enemies because they get in the way of us getting whatever we want. With some people, this idea is more pronounced than others. We talk of self-centered people with scorn. Yet we can recognize it in ourselves too.
How many times in a day do you stop and think about what you can do for other people? How many times a day do you stop and think about what you can do for other people when it may be uncomfortable or dangerous for you; with no reward in it for you? Altruism is universally admired, probably because we see so little of it. But altruism is the best indication of character there is.
If you think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself. Character really isn't that complicated. It comes from caring about others at least as much as about yourself. It comes from love and kindness towards others; which can only really appear when you show love and kindness towards yourself. A person of good character is universally respected and admired; and that goes a long way towards your success in life.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Woodrow Wilson
Most of us go through life thinking about our own needs before the needs of other people. We think this kind of egocentrism is normal and natural. But that's just our ego talking. To our ego other people are enemies because they get in the way of us getting whatever we want. With some people, this idea is more pronounced than others. We talk of self-centered people with scorn. Yet we can recognize it in ourselves too.
How many times in a day do you stop and think about what you can do for other people? How many times a day do you stop and think about what you can do for other people when it may be uncomfortable or dangerous for you; with no reward in it for you? Altruism is universally admired, probably because we see so little of it. But altruism is the best indication of character there is.
If you think about what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of itself. Character really isn't that complicated. It comes from caring about others at least as much as about yourself. It comes from love and kindness towards others; which can only really appear when you show love and kindness towards yourself. A person of good character is universally respected and admired; and that goes a long way towards your success in life.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Step
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."
Lao Tzu
Often when we stop to really think about what we want to acheive in life, we find an overwhelming number of things that seem so far away from where we are now. Some of us might want to change everything in our lives. Where does one start? We are often so puzzled by this that we end up not starting anything at all.
The first thing we need to do is to prioritize. We can't do everything at once. We need to decide what is the most important thing; the one that once acheived will impact those other goals the most. But once we've identified a single goal to start with, it might still seem so very large and so very far away.
So the next thing we need to do is to divide it into objectives. For example, instead of having the goal of cleaning up the whole house, we start with the objective of just cleaning up the living room to start with. If necessary, we might have to divide up cleaning the living room into smaller goals, such as organizing where things need to go. We do this until we find an objective that we can manage right now.
And finally we get started on that one objective. We can go as far as we want if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, just doing one objective, one small part of our final goal at a time, and never giving up and quitting. This is how we will finally succeed.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Lao Tzu
Often when we stop to really think about what we want to acheive in life, we find an overwhelming number of things that seem so far away from where we are now. Some of us might want to change everything in our lives. Where does one start? We are often so puzzled by this that we end up not starting anything at all.
The first thing we need to do is to prioritize. We can't do everything at once. We need to decide what is the most important thing; the one that once acheived will impact those other goals the most. But once we've identified a single goal to start with, it might still seem so very large and so very far away.
So the next thing we need to do is to divide it into objectives. For example, instead of having the goal of cleaning up the whole house, we start with the objective of just cleaning up the living room to start with. If necessary, we might have to divide up cleaning the living room into smaller goals, such as organizing where things need to go. We do this until we find an objective that we can manage right now.
And finally we get started on that one objective. We can go as far as we want if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other, just doing one objective, one small part of our final goal at a time, and never giving up and quitting. This is how we will finally succeed.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Monday, July 27, 2009
Casting
"Let your hook be always cast. In the pool where you least expect it, will be fish."
Ovid
Taking action is so important. Many of us procrastinate until the window of opportunity has almost closed; and some of us are so afraid of failure, or even success, that we never get started at all. Very occasionally, you can get what you want if you just constantly focus on it and visualize it, but it's not wise to plan on that. People who are successful are generally those who consistently take action until they get what they want.
In general, the more action you take, the more successful you are. It is only when you are out there taking action, that the Universe knows that you are serious about getting what you want so it is more inclined to bring you the resources and opportunities you need in order to be successful. It is also true that the more you take action the more you will make mistakes; and that is a good thing because the more mistakes you make the more you will learn about what doesn't work and that narrows down the possibilities of what will work.
One important thing though, is that you can't just take action. You need to take action in a variety of different ways, experimenting with different things. Diversity of action is essential, and not just because it will help you make more mistakes so you learn more about what doesn't work and narrow down the possibilities of what does work. When you're "fishing" for a certain result, and you cast your hook into many different ponds, you're more likely to find what you're looking for than you would if you only cast your hook into one pond. As the saying goes "Never put all your eggs into one basket". Even when an action seems unlikely to produce the result you want, you'll never know for sure until you try it. In the pool where you least expect it, will be fish.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Ovid
Taking action is so important. Many of us procrastinate until the window of opportunity has almost closed; and some of us are so afraid of failure, or even success, that we never get started at all. Very occasionally, you can get what you want if you just constantly focus on it and visualize it, but it's not wise to plan on that. People who are successful are generally those who consistently take action until they get what they want.
In general, the more action you take, the more successful you are. It is only when you are out there taking action, that the Universe knows that you are serious about getting what you want so it is more inclined to bring you the resources and opportunities you need in order to be successful. It is also true that the more you take action the more you will make mistakes; and that is a good thing because the more mistakes you make the more you will learn about what doesn't work and that narrows down the possibilities of what will work.
One important thing though, is that you can't just take action. You need to take action in a variety of different ways, experimenting with different things. Diversity of action is essential, and not just because it will help you make more mistakes so you learn more about what doesn't work and narrow down the possibilities of what does work. When you're "fishing" for a certain result, and you cast your hook into many different ponds, you're more likely to find what you're looking for than you would if you only cast your hook into one pond. As the saying goes "Never put all your eggs into one basket". Even when an action seems unlikely to produce the result you want, you'll never know for sure until you try it. In the pool where you least expect it, will be fish.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Choose
"It matters not what a person is born, but whom they choose to be."
J. K. Rowling
Who do you choose to be? Chances are you think that you are the person you are and that's the way it is. We think that our genetics combined with the environment we are in, especially during childhood, determines who we are but science is suggesting that that's just not the case. It seems that our genetics are more flexible than we used to think. It is also the case that every cell in our body has died and been replaced within a year or two, so every couple of years we have a whole new body. The reason our body doesn't change much over the years is because we don't expect it to.
If you could be anyone you want, who would you choose to be? Some of us have heroes; people that we want to be just like. Some of us just admire one characteristic of one person, and another characteristic of another person, and would like to be a combination of the best characteristics of everyone they like.
Some of us would just like to get rid of what we see as our faults and then we'd be perfectly happy with ourselves. All of these are good ideas.
It doesn't matter what a person is born because they can always change. And they can choose what they want to change into. Our souls are always striving for improvement. Ultimately we want to be as much like God as possible. It turns out that the more you take on the characteristics of God (or whatever you want to call the higher power), which are love, beauty, creativity, kindness, receptivity, expansion, and abundance, the happier you will be. And that's what all of us really want.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
J. K. Rowling
Who do you choose to be? Chances are you think that you are the person you are and that's the way it is. We think that our genetics combined with the environment we are in, especially during childhood, determines who we are but science is suggesting that that's just not the case. It seems that our genetics are more flexible than we used to think. It is also the case that every cell in our body has died and been replaced within a year or two, so every couple of years we have a whole new body. The reason our body doesn't change much over the years is because we don't expect it to.
If you could be anyone you want, who would you choose to be? Some of us have heroes; people that we want to be just like. Some of us just admire one characteristic of one person, and another characteristic of another person, and would like to be a combination of the best characteristics of everyone they like.
Some of us would just like to get rid of what we see as our faults and then we'd be perfectly happy with ourselves. All of these are good ideas.
It doesn't matter what a person is born because they can always change. And they can choose what they want to change into. Our souls are always striving for improvement. Ultimately we want to be as much like God as possible. It turns out that the more you take on the characteristics of God (or whatever you want to call the higher power), which are love, beauty, creativity, kindness, receptivity, expansion, and abundance, the happier you will be. And that's what all of us really want.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Turn Back
"No matter how far you have gone on the wrong road, turn back"
Turkish proverb
It is often very difficult for us to admit that we have changed our minds. Perhaps we have committed ourselves to something and then realized that it isn't going to work out. We are reluctant to stop it because we are afraid of hurting or upsetting other people who are relying on us to do what we said we would. We feel guilty about backing out of a commitment. But what is the point of knowingly making yourself miserable for a long time in the future. It's better to quit while you still can.
Perhaps we have spent a great deal of time, money, and/or energy on something and it hasn't got us where we want to be. We are feeling dissatisfied with it. We are reluctant to get rid of it because that would mean that all those resources we spent on it would have been wasted. But what is the point of wasting even more resources on it in the future?
Successful people know when it's time to get rid of something. They don't wait around and hope that things will get better. They don't allow negative things to take up space in their lives. They have no tolerance for nagging unresolved pains. They don't allow anything to spoil their dreams. No matter how far they have gone down the wrong road, they turn back as soon as they realize that they are on the wrong road.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Turkish proverb
It is often very difficult for us to admit that we have changed our minds. Perhaps we have committed ourselves to something and then realized that it isn't going to work out. We are reluctant to stop it because we are afraid of hurting or upsetting other people who are relying on us to do what we said we would. We feel guilty about backing out of a commitment. But what is the point of knowingly making yourself miserable for a long time in the future. It's better to quit while you still can.
Perhaps we have spent a great deal of time, money, and/or energy on something and it hasn't got us where we want to be. We are feeling dissatisfied with it. We are reluctant to get rid of it because that would mean that all those resources we spent on it would have been wasted. But what is the point of wasting even more resources on it in the future?
Successful people know when it's time to get rid of something. They don't wait around and hope that things will get better. They don't allow negative things to take up space in their lives. They have no tolerance for nagging unresolved pains. They don't allow anything to spoil their dreams. No matter how far they have gone down the wrong road, they turn back as soon as they realize that they are on the wrong road.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
Enjoy
"I'm a firm believer in the theory that people only do their best
at things they truly enjoy. It is difficult to excel at something
you don't enjoy."
Jack Nicklaus
Do you really enjoy what you are doing? Most people choose a career based on how much they get paid, what the benefits are, and how "practical" it is. Some people even choose a career because that's what their parents did, or think is best for them. We often don't have a clue how what we really enjoy could be made into a career. Why, we question, would people want to pay me for something that I really enjoy doing, something that is just play for me?
The truth is, however, that just about anything can be made into a career with some imagination. Oprah Winfrey has made a career of talking to people. Rick Steves has even made a career of going on vacation in Europe. People make careers out of any art, or of playing their favorite sport. The opportunities are limited only by your capacity to imagine and plan. As long as you know more about something, or can do something better, than a significant number of other people, they will pay you for it. What you think of as play, many other people think of as work.
People only do their best at things they truly enjoy. When you stop to think about it, are you really doing a good job of the work you do? If so it is probably because you enjoy doing it. Most of us spend our work lives just looking forwards to the weekend. It is difficult to excel at something you don't enjoy. Don't waste your time doing something you don't enjoy. Find a way to profit from the things you enjoy doing most.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
at things they truly enjoy. It is difficult to excel at something
you don't enjoy."
Jack Nicklaus
Do you really enjoy what you are doing? Most people choose a career based on how much they get paid, what the benefits are, and how "practical" it is. Some people even choose a career because that's what their parents did, or think is best for them. We often don't have a clue how what we really enjoy could be made into a career. Why, we question, would people want to pay me for something that I really enjoy doing, something that is just play for me?
The truth is, however, that just about anything can be made into a career with some imagination. Oprah Winfrey has made a career of talking to people. Rick Steves has even made a career of going on vacation in Europe. People make careers out of any art, or of playing their favorite sport. The opportunities are limited only by your capacity to imagine and plan. As long as you know more about something, or can do something better, than a significant number of other people, they will pay you for it. What you think of as play, many other people think of as work.
People only do their best at things they truly enjoy. When you stop to think about it, are you really doing a good job of the work you do? If so it is probably because you enjoy doing it. Most of us spend our work lives just looking forwards to the weekend. It is difficult to excel at something you don't enjoy. Don't waste your time doing something you don't enjoy. Find a way to profit from the things you enjoy doing most.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Seriously
"The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous."
Margaret Fontey
Are you serious? It turns out that the more seriously we take something the heavier and more permanent it seems. And it turns out that the more we don't want something, the more seriously we take it. So the things that we dislike actually seem to be more important and more permanent than the things we like and want. This is why we always seem to remember the bad events in our lives more easily than the good ones, and why we always seem to remember our failures more than our successes.
When we take our work seriously, we are focused on what we want to acheive with our work. We have a goal that we are working towards. We are serious about our results. This means that the result we want to get will seem to be important and permanent. That is, of course, why we are motivated to work for it. We can't be serious about doing our work if we are not serious about getting a result that is important and lasting. So taking one's work seriously is imperative if we are to be successful.
Taking ourselves seriously is another matter. When we take ourselves seriously we are strengthening our ego. And our ego is focused on making us miserable by reminding us of all our failures and shortcomings, and all the reasons why we can't succeed. We end up making our obstacles, failures and shortcomings into what is important and permanent, rather than the goal we wish to acheive. We begin to feel like acheiving our goal is a measure of how good we are, so there is much unnecessary fear and anxiety about not acheiving it. So we are much less likely to actually get what we want. Taking ourselves seriously is disasterous to our success.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Margaret Fontey
Are you serious? It turns out that the more seriously we take something the heavier and more permanent it seems. And it turns out that the more we don't want something, the more seriously we take it. So the things that we dislike actually seem to be more important and more permanent than the things we like and want. This is why we always seem to remember the bad events in our lives more easily than the good ones, and why we always seem to remember our failures more than our successes.
When we take our work seriously, we are focused on what we want to acheive with our work. We have a goal that we are working towards. We are serious about our results. This means that the result we want to get will seem to be important and permanent. That is, of course, why we are motivated to work for it. We can't be serious about doing our work if we are not serious about getting a result that is important and lasting. So taking one's work seriously is imperative if we are to be successful.
Taking ourselves seriously is another matter. When we take ourselves seriously we are strengthening our ego. And our ego is focused on making us miserable by reminding us of all our failures and shortcomings, and all the reasons why we can't succeed. We end up making our obstacles, failures and shortcomings into what is important and permanent, rather than the goal we wish to acheive. We begin to feel like acheiving our goal is a measure of how good we are, so there is much unnecessary fear and anxiety about not acheiving it. So we are much less likely to actually get what we want. Taking ourselves seriously is disasterous to our success.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Obsolete
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
R. Buckminster Fuller
How many times have you wished that conditions would be different? That something would just end, or go away? Most of us do that continually all day long. We hear about another soldier killed in the war and wish the war would end. Perhaps we wish all wars would end and no new ones be started. We are, in this case, focused on how terrible war is, and how sad it is that so many people are being killed. Now we are focused on people being killed and this is even worse.
The amazing thing in this situation is that very few people focus on peace. We are all trying to figure out how to end the war, but few people are trying to figure out how to create peace. It is much easier for us to see what actually is than for us to see what we would like to be there in its place. It is also much easier for us to focus on what we don't want than one the things we do want. Both of these tendencies together create a situation where we amplify or make worse anything we see around us that we don't like.
It is pointless to try to change things by fighting the existing reality. When you fight with some opponent, you can't help but be very aware of them and of their menace. And the more you focus on your oppontent, the more strength you give them. The way to change what is is to focus on something better. Focus on what you want, and give your strength to it. Build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
R. Buckminster Fuller
How many times have you wished that conditions would be different? That something would just end, or go away? Most of us do that continually all day long. We hear about another soldier killed in the war and wish the war would end. Perhaps we wish all wars would end and no new ones be started. We are, in this case, focused on how terrible war is, and how sad it is that so many people are being killed. Now we are focused on people being killed and this is even worse.
The amazing thing in this situation is that very few people focus on peace. We are all trying to figure out how to end the war, but few people are trying to figure out how to create peace. It is much easier for us to see what actually is than for us to see what we would like to be there in its place. It is also much easier for us to focus on what we don't want than one the things we do want. Both of these tendencies together create a situation where we amplify or make worse anything we see around us that we don't like.
It is pointless to try to change things by fighting the existing reality. When you fight with some opponent, you can't help but be very aware of them and of their menace. And the more you focus on your oppontent, the more strength you give them. The way to change what is is to focus on something better. Focus on what you want, and give your strength to it. Build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
Opportunity
"The secret of success in life is for a person to be ready for opportunity when it comes."
Benjamin Disraeli
If an opportunity to get what you've always wanted came tomorrow, would you be ready for it? The first question to answer here is would you even recognize it as an opportunity to get what you've always wanted. In order to recognize it in the first place, you must be very clear about what it is that you want. Many of us haven't even got that far. We are not at all clear about our mission in life, our life's purpose, our values. We spend so much time reacting to what's going on right now that we have never really thought about it.
In order to recognize an opportunity, once you are clear on your goals, you must be able to see how it could help you get closer to those goals. This means you must have done some thinking about possible courses of action that might lead you towards your goals. You must have a rough understanding of what is required of you in order to move forward.
Finally, in order to be able to take advantage of an opportunity once you indeed recognize it as such, you must have done some prior preparation. You must have made, or saved up, the money you'll need, or gone through the information you need to know, or saved up some time to spend on this project. Always think ahead and prepare for what you think you'll be likely to need on your way to your goal. The secret of success in life is for a person to be ready for opportunity when it comes.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Benjamin Disraeli
If an opportunity to get what you've always wanted came tomorrow, would you be ready for it? The first question to answer here is would you even recognize it as an opportunity to get what you've always wanted. In order to recognize it in the first place, you must be very clear about what it is that you want. Many of us haven't even got that far. We are not at all clear about our mission in life, our life's purpose, our values. We spend so much time reacting to what's going on right now that we have never really thought about it.
In order to recognize an opportunity, once you are clear on your goals, you must be able to see how it could help you get closer to those goals. This means you must have done some thinking about possible courses of action that might lead you towards your goals. You must have a rough understanding of what is required of you in order to move forward.
Finally, in order to be able to take advantage of an opportunity once you indeed recognize it as such, you must have done some prior preparation. You must have made, or saved up, the money you'll need, or gone through the information you need to know, or saved up some time to spend on this project. Always think ahead and prepare for what you think you'll be likely to need on your way to your goal. The secret of success in life is for a person to be ready for opportunity when it comes.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Liberty
"The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of earnest struggle. . . .If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters."
Frederick Douglass
Why is it that we have to continually struggle to protect our freedom to be ourselves? There are constantly people who want to tell us what to do. People want us to do what makes them happy instead of what makes us happy. Or they may simply want us to do what has always been done because that is the system that they are comfortable with. We put up with this because our society has trained us right from the beginning to be victims.
We are taught, first by our parents and then by other "authoritarian figures" such as older family members, babysitters, teachers, the police and others, that in order to get the support we need, we must do what other people tell us to do. We accept this in part because if we have a setback or failure to get what we want, we can always blame someone else for it. It's their fault, not mine.
But this is not freedom and we know it. So we struggle for the right to be free to express who we really are. Without struggle there is no progress because people are happy to stay in their comfort zone. Society is happy with the system because it provides them with all the control. If we want control over our own lives, we have to fight for it. Freedom and struggle go together like plants and the soil, like rain and thunder, like the ocean and the noise of its waters. They need each other.
And freedom is essential for your success.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Frederick Douglass
Why is it that we have to continually struggle to protect our freedom to be ourselves? There are constantly people who want to tell us what to do. People want us to do what makes them happy instead of what makes us happy. Or they may simply want us to do what has always been done because that is the system that they are comfortable with. We put up with this because our society has trained us right from the beginning to be victims.
We are taught, first by our parents and then by other "authoritarian figures" such as older family members, babysitters, teachers, the police and others, that in order to get the support we need, we must do what other people tell us to do. We accept this in part because if we have a setback or failure to get what we want, we can always blame someone else for it. It's their fault, not mine.
But this is not freedom and we know it. So we struggle for the right to be free to express who we really are. Without struggle there is no progress because people are happy to stay in their comfort zone. Society is happy with the system because it provides them with all the control. If we want control over our own lives, we have to fight for it. Freedom and struggle go together like plants and the soil, like rain and thunder, like the ocean and the noise of its waters. They need each other.
And freedom is essential for your success.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Question
"Every man ought to be inquisitive through every hour of his great adventure down to the day when he shall no longer cast a shadow in the sun. For if he dies without a question in his heart, what excuse is there for his continunace."
Frank Moore Colby
Do you ask a lot of questions? Those who have lived with children are very familiar with the number of questions a child asks. Why is he doing that? How does it do that? When are we going to get there? Who is the fat woman over there? All day long. Sometimes it seems tiresome to us as parents but there certainly is a correlation between all the questions they ask and the rate their minds are growing.
When we get to be adults, we start to think that we know everything we need to know in order to live our lives and that's all that's important. Our world is one of practicalities. We are no longer concerned with whether the sun travels as long as it shines in the sky and gives us heat. We don't care about why fireflies glow because whether they glow or not doesn't change our lives. But this dull acceptance of the world as just being the way it is dulls our minds and our lives. There is no child-like wonder and enthusiasm for our surroundings any more.
If we don't ask any questions, we are not going to be motivated to find out answers. We are not going to learn anything. And if we are not learning, we are not growing. We will have missed the reason for our existance, which is to learn and grow. Life is not fun unless we are busy seeking out answers, and learning about our capabilities. There is no happiness unless we are finding the answers to problems we have posed ourselves. And there is no success unless we learn the answer to some problem. Always be inquisitive.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Frank Moore Colby
Do you ask a lot of questions? Those who have lived with children are very familiar with the number of questions a child asks. Why is he doing that? How does it do that? When are we going to get there? Who is the fat woman over there? All day long. Sometimes it seems tiresome to us as parents but there certainly is a correlation between all the questions they ask and the rate their minds are growing.
When we get to be adults, we start to think that we know everything we need to know in order to live our lives and that's all that's important. Our world is one of practicalities. We are no longer concerned with whether the sun travels as long as it shines in the sky and gives us heat. We don't care about why fireflies glow because whether they glow or not doesn't change our lives. But this dull acceptance of the world as just being the way it is dulls our minds and our lives. There is no child-like wonder and enthusiasm for our surroundings any more.
If we don't ask any questions, we are not going to be motivated to find out answers. We are not going to learn anything. And if we are not learning, we are not growing. We will have missed the reason for our existance, which is to learn and grow. Life is not fun unless we are busy seeking out answers, and learning about our capabilities. There is no happiness unless we are finding the answers to problems we have posed ourselves. And there is no success unless we learn the answer to some problem. Always be inquisitive.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Thursday, July 16, 2009
What You Have
"To be upset over what you don't have is to waste what you do have."
Kim S. Keyes Jr
Do you fret over all the things that you don't have? Do you think it's unfair that your neighbor has a fancy new car and you're stuck driving a cheap used car with air conditioning that doesn't work? Do you wish that you had enough money to go on exotic vacations? Most of us do. Perhaps it starts with when we were little and we were constantly told that we can't have everything we want. Then we see other people who have it and think that it's unfair. What makes them so much better than me? We never learned that nothing makes them better than us except for the quality of their thoughts; and that is something we can always improve too.
The best way to improve our thoughts is to think about all the wonderful things that are already in our lives. Sure you might have a cheap, used car, but it works well enough to get you where you need to go. You don't have to sit waiting for a bus to come by that takes a long time and doesn't go directly to your destination. The truth is that you are lucky to have a car at all, and you know it. You just forget it when you see the fancy cars that some other people drive.
It's very important to appreciate the things that we do have. Everyone has all kinds of blessings in their life. It often helps to forget about other people and what they have. Don't compare yourself to them. Just look at the things in your life and how your life is made better by them. What if you didn't have them? Be grateful for all the good things in your life, and more will show up.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Kim S. Keyes Jr
Do you fret over all the things that you don't have? Do you think it's unfair that your neighbor has a fancy new car and you're stuck driving a cheap used car with air conditioning that doesn't work? Do you wish that you had enough money to go on exotic vacations? Most of us do. Perhaps it starts with when we were little and we were constantly told that we can't have everything we want. Then we see other people who have it and think that it's unfair. What makes them so much better than me? We never learned that nothing makes them better than us except for the quality of their thoughts; and that is something we can always improve too.
The best way to improve our thoughts is to think about all the wonderful things that are already in our lives. Sure you might have a cheap, used car, but it works well enough to get you where you need to go. You don't have to sit waiting for a bus to come by that takes a long time and doesn't go directly to your destination. The truth is that you are lucky to have a car at all, and you know it. You just forget it when you see the fancy cars that some other people drive.
It's very important to appreciate the things that we do have. Everyone has all kinds of blessings in their life. It often helps to forget about other people and what they have. Don't compare yourself to them. Just look at the things in your life and how your life is made better by them. What if you didn't have them? Be grateful for all the good things in your life, and more will show up.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Greatness
"The secret of greatness is simple: do better work than any other man in your field - and keep on doing it."
Wilfred A. Peterson
We all would like to be great. We often think there must be some reason why people become great that has to do with their character, or intelligence, or resources. But none of these are the determining factor. Many people have become great when they started with nothing. They became great just because they did better work than anyone else in their field, and they never gave up. They had the burning desire to succeed.
How do you do better work than any other man in your field? It comes down largely to being clear about exactly what kind of work you want to accomplish, and determining the best way to do that, often through trial and error. If you really want to do great work, you will find a way. If you keep focusing on your goal of providing your best work to as many people as possible, you will get to the point when you expect to do that. This will give you the persistance you need to not quit when obstacles and roadblocks happen, which they will.
We all have the ability to be great. People do great things because they convince themselves that they can do better work than their competition. People do great things because they never give up trying. You too can be a great success, as long as you dream big and never give up.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Wilfred A. Peterson
We all would like to be great. We often think there must be some reason why people become great that has to do with their character, or intelligence, or resources. But none of these are the determining factor. Many people have become great when they started with nothing. They became great just because they did better work than anyone else in their field, and they never gave up. They had the burning desire to succeed.
How do you do better work than any other man in your field? It comes down largely to being clear about exactly what kind of work you want to accomplish, and determining the best way to do that, often through trial and error. If you really want to do great work, you will find a way. If you keep focusing on your goal of providing your best work to as many people as possible, you will get to the point when you expect to do that. This will give you the persistance you need to not quit when obstacles and roadblocks happen, which they will.
We all have the ability to be great. People do great things because they convince themselves that they can do better work than their competition. People do great things because they never give up trying. You too can be a great success, as long as you dream big and never give up.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Goals
"You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of acheiving it, you become someone worth becoming"
Jim Rohn
What kind of goals have you set for yourself? Maybe your goal is just to get through life without any disaster happening. Maybe your goal is just to take care of all those urgent little things that just seem to keep on coming. Maybe your goal is to keep the people around you happy. Maybe you don't even really know what your goal is. Only about 3% of people know what they really want and consciously set goals to acheive it.
Many people have not stopped to consider what they value most in life, but there is usually one thing that colors all their decisions. If, for example, you must make a decision about whether to move somewhere else for a job promotion, some people whould choose moving because it will give them more money. Some would choose moving because it would give them a better job. Some would choose staying because their family's reluctance to move would be the most important factor to them. Some would choose whatever they felt like because they only care about their own desires. But none of these values are ones that empower you by making you a better person.
Whether your goal would be to accept the new job and move away or stay where you are, your value should be to become a better person. If the new job would make you a better person for whatever reason you'd choose it, but if staying would make you a better person for whatever reason you'd choose that. In order to become a better person, however, you need to choose a goal that forces you to grow. You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of acheiving it, you become someone worth becoming. The real definition of success is personal growth. If you have grown, if you have become a better person, than you have succeeded, regardless of what physical things you might have gained.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Jim Rohn
What kind of goals have you set for yourself? Maybe your goal is just to get through life without any disaster happening. Maybe your goal is just to take care of all those urgent little things that just seem to keep on coming. Maybe your goal is to keep the people around you happy. Maybe you don't even really know what your goal is. Only about 3% of people know what they really want and consciously set goals to acheive it.
Many people have not stopped to consider what they value most in life, but there is usually one thing that colors all their decisions. If, for example, you must make a decision about whether to move somewhere else for a job promotion, some people whould choose moving because it will give them more money. Some would choose moving because it would give them a better job. Some would choose staying because their family's reluctance to move would be the most important factor to them. Some would choose whatever they felt like because they only care about their own desires. But none of these values are ones that empower you by making you a better person.
Whether your goal would be to accept the new job and move away or stay where you are, your value should be to become a better person. If the new job would make you a better person for whatever reason you'd choose it, but if staying would make you a better person for whatever reason you'd choose that. In order to become a better person, however, you need to choose a goal that forces you to grow. You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of acheiving it, you become someone worth becoming. The real definition of success is personal growth. If you have grown, if you have become a better person, than you have succeeded, regardless of what physical things you might have gained.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Monday, July 13, 2009
Goals
“The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit
of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore
will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced
that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you
closer to fulfilling your dreams.”
Og Mandino
Only about 3% of people actually are clear about what they want and regularly set goals for themselves. Only 1% of people actually write down action steps to take to get to those goals; and then take action on them. It is no wonder why most of us aren't as successful as we would like. If we don't know what we want then we won't know what direction to head in. If we don't set goals for ourself then we have no way of knowing whether we're successful or not. And if we don't take action to move forward towards those goals, we will never reach them.
Stop and think about what it is that you really want from life. One way to do this is to pretend that it is your funeral and think about what you would really like your friends and family to be saying about how you lived your life and what you accomplished. Ask yourself what is really valuable to you. You might want to ask yourself what kind of work you enjoy doing so much that you could do it all day without being paid for it.
Make a habit of setting goals and acheiving them. Set clear specific measurable goals with a timeline to acheive them, and then consider all the possible courses of action that might help you acheive those goals. Choose the one that has the most promise and bet on it. Take a calculated risk and then act. When you know that your actions are (probably) moving you towards your goals, it doesn't matter how tedious they are. You will willingly do them anyway, doing whatever must be done to get you where you want to be. You're moving towards acheiving your goals, towards success; and you will know it.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore
will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced
that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you
closer to fulfilling your dreams.”
Og Mandino
Only about 3% of people actually are clear about what they want and regularly set goals for themselves. Only 1% of people actually write down action steps to take to get to those goals; and then take action on them. It is no wonder why most of us aren't as successful as we would like. If we don't know what we want then we won't know what direction to head in. If we don't set goals for ourself then we have no way of knowing whether we're successful or not. And if we don't take action to move forward towards those goals, we will never reach them.
Stop and think about what it is that you really want from life. One way to do this is to pretend that it is your funeral and think about what you would really like your friends and family to be saying about how you lived your life and what you accomplished. Ask yourself what is really valuable to you. You might want to ask yourself what kind of work you enjoy doing so much that you could do it all day without being paid for it.
Make a habit of setting goals and acheiving them. Set clear specific measurable goals with a timeline to acheive them, and then consider all the possible courses of action that might help you acheive those goals. Choose the one that has the most promise and bet on it. Take a calculated risk and then act. When you know that your actions are (probably) moving you towards your goals, it doesn't matter how tedious they are. You will willingly do them anyway, doing whatever must be done to get you where you want to be. You're moving towards acheiving your goals, towards success; and you will know it.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Wake Up
"If you want to make your dreams come true, wake up. Wake up to your own strength. Wake up to the role you play in your own destiny. Wake up to the power you have to choose what you think, do, and say."
Keith Ellis
It has been said that we do a kind of sleepwalking through our lives. We are not really aware of what we are doing. In a way, we are like a computer which is programmed to perform certain tasks and it does them without thinking. We are programmed to beleive what our parents, and then our society, taught us when we are young. We formed habits of beleif and action more or less in childhood, and then follow them for the rest of our lives. We don't question them because we aren't aware of them.
It is time to wake up. If you keep doing things the same way as you have always done them, you'll get the same results you have always got. Do you really want that? We don't really have a choice unless we choose to exersise it. We don't have to be a puppet that society pulls this way and that. We can decide for ourselves what we really want in our lives. All it takes is to wake up and be aware of what is going on around us.
Once we know what is really going on, we can change it. Once we know who we really are, we can make our dreams come true. But it all starts with a choice. We can choose to be who we have told to be, or to be who we truly are with all the previously unknown power we have to change the world, if we choose. Wake up to your own strength and power to influence your own destiny. Choose to exersise it. Today.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Keith Ellis
It has been said that we do a kind of sleepwalking through our lives. We are not really aware of what we are doing. In a way, we are like a computer which is programmed to perform certain tasks and it does them without thinking. We are programmed to beleive what our parents, and then our society, taught us when we are young. We formed habits of beleif and action more or less in childhood, and then follow them for the rest of our lives. We don't question them because we aren't aware of them.
It is time to wake up. If you keep doing things the same way as you have always done them, you'll get the same results you have always got. Do you really want that? We don't really have a choice unless we choose to exersise it. We don't have to be a puppet that society pulls this way and that. We can decide for ourselves what we really want in our lives. All it takes is to wake up and be aware of what is going on around us.
Once we know what is really going on, we can change it. Once we know who we really are, we can make our dreams come true. But it all starts with a choice. We can choose to be who we have told to be, or to be who we truly are with all the previously unknown power we have to change the world, if we choose. Wake up to your own strength and power to influence your own destiny. Choose to exersise it. Today.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Self-Confidence
The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you. Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
William Jennings Bryant
It is important to take an aggressive rather than a passive attitude towards life. We often fear aggression but the truth is that aggression is necessary in its appropriate place, which is in working towards a positive goal. It only becomes a problem when it is diverted into self-destructive channels because we beleive we can't succeed. We must beleive that we can conquer our obstacles and reach our goal, and we can't conquer anything without feeling aggressive towards it.
Many of us are lacking in self-confidence to begin with. We are often set up for this in childhood. Our parents unintentionally teach us that self-expression is morally wrong. If you were shamed or shut-up or humiliated or punished as a child for speaking up and expressing your ideas, you will “learn” that it is “wrong” to express yourself, to hold yourself out as having any worthwhile ideas or perhaps to speak at all. If you were punished for showing anger or fear, or even love, you learn that expressing his real feelings is wrong. If every time you come up with an opinion, you are “put in your place” you learn that it is “right” for you to be a nobody, and wrong to want to become a somebody.
For those who are in that situation, it is essential that we get a record of successful experiences behind us. It is best to start with small successes and build upon those. If your future is going to be your own creative choice, and a thing to be acheived, you must develop a good healthy confidence in yourself.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
William Jennings Bryant
It is important to take an aggressive rather than a passive attitude towards life. We often fear aggression but the truth is that aggression is necessary in its appropriate place, which is in working towards a positive goal. It only becomes a problem when it is diverted into self-destructive channels because we beleive we can't succeed. We must beleive that we can conquer our obstacles and reach our goal, and we can't conquer anything without feeling aggressive towards it.
Many of us are lacking in self-confidence to begin with. We are often set up for this in childhood. Our parents unintentionally teach us that self-expression is morally wrong. If you were shamed or shut-up or humiliated or punished as a child for speaking up and expressing your ideas, you will “learn” that it is “wrong” to express yourself, to hold yourself out as having any worthwhile ideas or perhaps to speak at all. If you were punished for showing anger or fear, or even love, you learn that expressing his real feelings is wrong. If every time you come up with an opinion, you are “put in your place” you learn that it is “right” for you to be a nobody, and wrong to want to become a somebody.
For those who are in that situation, it is essential that we get a record of successful experiences behind us. It is best to start with small successes and build upon those. If your future is going to be your own creative choice, and a thing to be acheived, you must develop a good healthy confidence in yourself.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Friday, July 10, 2009
Believe
"Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find the ways to do it. Believing a solution paves the way to solution."
Dr. David Schwartz
Do you beleive that your goal can be reached? Especially by you. We often think that we don't have the time, or energy, or money, or resources, or the age, or the intelligence to succeed. We are good at coming up with all kinds of "reasons" why we can't succeed. And they prevent us from even trying or, if we do get started, from keeping going in spite of the inevitable obstacles.
The only information our minds have about our environment or our situation is what we beleive to be true about them. If we beleive that we can't reach our goal, then our mind will think it's impossible too. But if we beleive that our goal is indeed possible for us, then our mind will think it's possible too, and that is the prerequisite information for it to start to work out a way to acheive it.
Believe it can be done. Beleive that your goal, whatever it is, can be reached, and the solution to your problem can be found. When you really believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it. When you believe that a solution is possible, your mind will find it.
You are designed to reach your goal. But if your "goal" is failure, your mind will find a way to acheive that too. Beleive your goal can be reached, and watch your success.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Dr. David Schwartz
Do you beleive that your goal can be reached? Especially by you. We often think that we don't have the time, or energy, or money, or resources, or the age, or the intelligence to succeed. We are good at coming up with all kinds of "reasons" why we can't succeed. And they prevent us from even trying or, if we do get started, from keeping going in spite of the inevitable obstacles.
The only information our minds have about our environment or our situation is what we beleive to be true about them. If we beleive that we can't reach our goal, then our mind will think it's impossible too. But if we beleive that our goal is indeed possible for us, then our mind will think it's possible too, and that is the prerequisite information for it to start to work out a way to acheive it.
Believe it can be done. Beleive that your goal, whatever it is, can be reached, and the solution to your problem can be found. When you really believe something can be done, your mind will find the ways to do it. When you believe that a solution is possible, your mind will find it.
You are designed to reach your goal. But if your "goal" is failure, your mind will find a way to acheive that too. Beleive your goal can be reached, and watch your success.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Integrity
"The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office."
Lucille Ball
Exersising integrity is showing the world who you really are. It is doing the things that are congruent to what you say you beleive in. We all know that if someone says one thing, and does another, we can't know what it is that they really beleive in, although we usually judge in favor of their actions. We can't help wondering whether the person themselves knows what they really beleive in. And once we have doubt that he knows what he beleives in, we start to doubt that thing too. We figure that if even the leader isn't too sure about this thing that he says he values, why should we be any more sure.
A good leader must be able to motivate his followers to do what he wants them to do. He must show them his dedication to the result he wants them to acheive, because if his followers begin to think he's not dedicated to it, then they will not see any good reason why they should be. Whatever else the leader does right, if he does not convince his followers of the value of taking the path that he wants them to take, they won't work to acheive it.
Whatever it is that you want to succeed at, chances are that you will require the efforts of other people in order to get you there. You will need to lead them to work towards the result you want.
When you show your integrity, making it clear what it is you value and what your goal is, then you will be able to inspire and motivate others to work with you to make your dream come true, and will be able to accomplish much much more than you could of by yourself.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Lucille Ball
Exersising integrity is showing the world who you really are. It is doing the things that are congruent to what you say you beleive in. We all know that if someone says one thing, and does another, we can't know what it is that they really beleive in, although we usually judge in favor of their actions. We can't help wondering whether the person themselves knows what they really beleive in. And once we have doubt that he knows what he beleives in, we start to doubt that thing too. We figure that if even the leader isn't too sure about this thing that he says he values, why should we be any more sure.
A good leader must be able to motivate his followers to do what he wants them to do. He must show them his dedication to the result he wants them to acheive, because if his followers begin to think he's not dedicated to it, then they will not see any good reason why they should be. Whatever else the leader does right, if he does not convince his followers of the value of taking the path that he wants them to take, they won't work to acheive it.
Whatever it is that you want to succeed at, chances are that you will require the efforts of other people in order to get you there. You will need to lead them to work towards the result you want.
When you show your integrity, making it clear what it is you value and what your goal is, then you will be able to inspire and motivate others to work with you to make your dream come true, and will be able to accomplish much much more than you could of by yourself.
For ideas about how to be truly successful, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Expectation
"High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation."
Charles Kettering
What do you expect will happen in your life? If you are like most people, you expect to see more of what is happening now. One of the most difficult things that we can do is to ignore the evidence our senses notice all around us and instead focus on something completely different. This is especially true when we are in physical pain. Precedent is even important in our law. It is also true, however, that once we are able to do this, the rewards are immense.
When we expect things to go on in the same way that they have done in the past, our lives don't change very much. We don't make significantly more money than we have done in the past, or have significantly better relationships, or have significantly better health. We live in our comfort zone, whether we like it or not, because that is what we are used to. That becomes part of our ego's definition of who we are.
The only way to aquire something significantly different than what you are used to is to expect to acquire it. Expectation of something better happens when you want to acheive something and you also beleive that you can acheive it.
Belief comes from confidence in your abilities, and this is where many of us fall down. We simply are not confident that we indeed have the ability to make a change. That can only really come from seeing ourselves actually accomplish things. Many people have started with just small things, and with practise and continued good results, their confidence in their abilities has grown.
If you want to acheive great things, you must expect them. You must believe that you can produce them, and you must really want to. When your expectations and desires come together, that's when success really happens.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Charles Kettering
What do you expect will happen in your life? If you are like most people, you expect to see more of what is happening now. One of the most difficult things that we can do is to ignore the evidence our senses notice all around us and instead focus on something completely different. This is especially true when we are in physical pain. Precedent is even important in our law. It is also true, however, that once we are able to do this, the rewards are immense.
When we expect things to go on in the same way that they have done in the past, our lives don't change very much. We don't make significantly more money than we have done in the past, or have significantly better relationships, or have significantly better health. We live in our comfort zone, whether we like it or not, because that is what we are used to. That becomes part of our ego's definition of who we are.
The only way to aquire something significantly different than what you are used to is to expect to acquire it. Expectation of something better happens when you want to acheive something and you also beleive that you can acheive it.
Belief comes from confidence in your abilities, and this is where many of us fall down. We simply are not confident that we indeed have the ability to make a change. That can only really come from seeing ourselves actually accomplish things. Many people have started with just small things, and with practise and continued good results, their confidence in their abilities has grown.
If you want to acheive great things, you must expect them. You must believe that you can produce them, and you must really want to. When your expectations and desires come together, that's when success really happens.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Monday, July 6, 2009
Success
"Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."
Maya Angelou
Can you honestly say that you like yourself? Are you comfortable with your faults and shortcomings? Are you familiar with, and proud of, your strengths? Most of us are very good at coming up with things about ourself that we would rather not have. We feel that we are not good enough, that we don't measure up to some ideal we have. Perhaps it is our looks, perhaps it is our behavior; but we tend to be dissatisfied with ourselves.
Do you like what you do? If you do, that is probably because you have dedicated yourself to acheiving a worthy goal. It is probably a goal that involves helping at least one other person. It is also probably a goal that supports some thing or idea that you value greatly. When you have this kind of a goal and are working towards it, that is when you truly like what you do. And if you like how you do it, that is because your actions are showing that you are a "good" person, that you are doing things in a way that God would do them.
If you like who you are, what you are doing, and how you are doing it, you can't help but be a success in your own eyes; and that is where it counts. If you have a good self-image, and are working towards a worthy goal in a way that makes you feel good about your actions, then you will acheive that goal eventually. It's only a matter of time.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Maya Angelou
Can you honestly say that you like yourself? Are you comfortable with your faults and shortcomings? Are you familiar with, and proud of, your strengths? Most of us are very good at coming up with things about ourself that we would rather not have. We feel that we are not good enough, that we don't measure up to some ideal we have. Perhaps it is our looks, perhaps it is our behavior; but we tend to be dissatisfied with ourselves.
Do you like what you do? If you do, that is probably because you have dedicated yourself to acheiving a worthy goal. It is probably a goal that involves helping at least one other person. It is also probably a goal that supports some thing or idea that you value greatly. When you have this kind of a goal and are working towards it, that is when you truly like what you do. And if you like how you do it, that is because your actions are showing that you are a "good" person, that you are doing things in a way that God would do them.
If you like who you are, what you are doing, and how you are doing it, you can't help but be a success in your own eyes; and that is where it counts. If you have a good self-image, and are working towards a worthy goal in a way that makes you feel good about your actions, then you will acheive that goal eventually. It's only a matter of time.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Freedom
"Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me. To see reality--not as we expect it to be but as it is--is to see that unless we live for each other and in and through each other, we do not really live very satisfactorily; that there can really be life only where there really is, in just this sense, love."
(Carl) Frederick Buechner
We all want our freedom, but when it comes to wanting freedom for everyone we become unsure. If the other person was free to do what they want, wouldn't they do things that get in the way of us doing what we want? Wouldn't they effectively prevent us from being free? We tend to assume that what the other person wants is in opposition to what we want.
But in reality we all want the same things. The only way we can find true joy and satisfaction is if we do things that are consistent with the way God acts. This means showing loving kindness towards others, as well as creating, growing, appreciating everything that comes to us, striving for beauty, and having abundance. This is what freedom really allows us to do.
I might gain some feeling of power if I prevent you from doing what I don't think you should do, but I will not be happy or even peaceful. I will not be free because I have, in effect, disobeyed God and I will know it. We are all connected, and what happens to one person happens to everyone. Life is only really satisfactory when we are willing to give everyone what we want for ourselves. Because whatever we give others, always comes back to us too. The better life we can give others, the better life we will have too.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
(Carl) Frederick Buechner
We all want our freedom, but when it comes to wanting freedom for everyone we become unsure. If the other person was free to do what they want, wouldn't they do things that get in the way of us doing what we want? Wouldn't they effectively prevent us from being free? We tend to assume that what the other person wants is in opposition to what we want.
But in reality we all want the same things. The only way we can find true joy and satisfaction is if we do things that are consistent with the way God acts. This means showing loving kindness towards others, as well as creating, growing, appreciating everything that comes to us, striving for beauty, and having abundance. This is what freedom really allows us to do.
I might gain some feeling of power if I prevent you from doing what I don't think you should do, but I will not be happy or even peaceful. I will not be free because I have, in effect, disobeyed God and I will know it. We are all connected, and what happens to one person happens to everyone. Life is only really satisfactory when we are willing to give everyone what we want for ourselves. Because whatever we give others, always comes back to us too. The better life we can give others, the better life we will have too.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wonder
"People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering."
Saint Augustine
Do you stand in awe at the forces of nature. We are amazed by the strength of Nature's fury. We are amazed by the odd shapes (and colors) that water can carve in rocks. We stare in wonder at the number of stars in the night sky, and how the sun and moon move across the sky. We are amazed by the size of oceans and deserts, by the heat of the equator and the cold of the poles. There is indeed so much of nature that is fascinating and awesome.
The most fascinating and awesome fact of nature, however, is the miracle of life. It is truly awesome just how many forms of life there are in the world, and are still being created. It is amazing just how many methods of reproduction there are in different species. It is a real miracle that two tiny cells can come together and create a person like you. Few people seem to appreciate just how much of a miracle that they themselves really are. There is nothing like human beings anywhere in the known universe. Only a human being has the innate ability to create his/her own world, to improve on what he/she sees around him/her; even as he/she is being shaped by that world. Only humans can imagine things that never were. We are indeed special.
We have an unfortunate habit of taking things for granted, for not seeing the wonder and mystery in them. We give everything a label, categorize it, and try to explain it away. Revel in the wonder and mystery that is you. Appreciate how special you are. Enjoy the awe and wonder of life. That's the only way to really live.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Saint Augustine
Do you stand in awe at the forces of nature. We are amazed by the strength of Nature's fury. We are amazed by the odd shapes (and colors) that water can carve in rocks. We stare in wonder at the number of stars in the night sky, and how the sun and moon move across the sky. We are amazed by the size of oceans and deserts, by the heat of the equator and the cold of the poles. There is indeed so much of nature that is fascinating and awesome.
The most fascinating and awesome fact of nature, however, is the miracle of life. It is truly awesome just how many forms of life there are in the world, and are still being created. It is amazing just how many methods of reproduction there are in different species. It is a real miracle that two tiny cells can come together and create a person like you. Few people seem to appreciate just how much of a miracle that they themselves really are. There is nothing like human beings anywhere in the known universe. Only a human being has the innate ability to create his/her own world, to improve on what he/she sees around him/her; even as he/she is being shaped by that world. Only humans can imagine things that never were. We are indeed special.
We have an unfortunate habit of taking things for granted, for not seeing the wonder and mystery in them. We give everything a label, categorize it, and try to explain it away. Revel in the wonder and mystery that is you. Appreciate how special you are. Enjoy the awe and wonder of life. That's the only way to really live.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Friday, July 3, 2009
Regret
"I want to set a precedent for my children. They won't hear me say on my deathbed that I wish I had lived my life differently"
Francis Ford Coppola
Do you wish you had lived your life differently? What would you have done differently? People at the end of their lives regret what they didn't do far more than anything they did do. They regret that they never left their comfort zone. They never tried something different. They never went after their dreams. They spent their time going about their routines and paying attention to the most urgent responsibilities. They said to themselves "Someday, I'll get around to it" and before they knew it, there were no more somedays left. Don't let that happen to you.
If you have a dream, start taking action towards it today, even if they are baby steps. There is no reason to wait. After all, you could be dead tomorrow. It is so easy to get caught up in all the things you are doing now, that you are used to doing, no matter how much we long for something different. Urgent matters are shouting for our attention all the time. We have to prioritize our actions, responding to the important matters first no matter how urgent the unimportant ones are.
Live your life exactly the way you want it. Do the things you want to do before you wake up one day and don't have the health to enjoy them. The real fun in life is exploring and learning and trying out things that you have never done before. The only time you can enjoy this is in the present, right now. If you want to really live life, then don't keep putting it off. Tomorrow may never come. Enjoy the life you want while you still can. Set a precedent for your children. If you don't do what you want now, you will regret it later. You don't want your children to hear about your regrets.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Francis Ford Coppola
Do you wish you had lived your life differently? What would you have done differently? People at the end of their lives regret what they didn't do far more than anything they did do. They regret that they never left their comfort zone. They never tried something different. They never went after their dreams. They spent their time going about their routines and paying attention to the most urgent responsibilities. They said to themselves "Someday, I'll get around to it" and before they knew it, there were no more somedays left. Don't let that happen to you.
If you have a dream, start taking action towards it today, even if they are baby steps. There is no reason to wait. After all, you could be dead tomorrow. It is so easy to get caught up in all the things you are doing now, that you are used to doing, no matter how much we long for something different. Urgent matters are shouting for our attention all the time. We have to prioritize our actions, responding to the important matters first no matter how urgent the unimportant ones are.
Live your life exactly the way you want it. Do the things you want to do before you wake up one day and don't have the health to enjoy them. The real fun in life is exploring and learning and trying out things that you have never done before. The only time you can enjoy this is in the present, right now. If you want to really live life, then don't keep putting it off. Tomorrow may never come. Enjoy the life you want while you still can. Set a precedent for your children. If you don't do what you want now, you will regret it later. You don't want your children to hear about your regrets.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Promise
"Never promise more than you can perform"
Publilius Syrus
How often do you keep your promises. Many of us will promise to do things just because we know that it will please the other person, only to realize later that we can't do what we promised. Sometimes we even know before we agreed that we weren't going to be able to follow through. We don't want to risk confrontation, to risk disapppointing other people. But in the end, the other other person feels let down, and we feel guilty. It's a bad situation for everyone.
We often give our word casually, and break it just as casually. We aren't aware of the costs of breaking our word. These costs include losing trust, respect, and credibility with others, which leads to deteriorating relationships. They also include sometimes causing a mess when things don't go the way people had planned on. But the most important cost of all is that you learn to not trust yourself. You weaken your sense of integrity. You create confusion and self-doubt within yourself and weaken your sense of personal power.
Never promise more than you can perform. Only make agreements that you intend to keep, and write them down. Don't rush into any agreements without taking the time to think them through. And if for some reason you can't keep an agreement, always tell the other person as soon as possible; apologize and tell them why you can't keep it. This way you will have better relationships with others, and most importantly, with yourself. And you will be more successful.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
Publilius Syrus
How often do you keep your promises. Many of us will promise to do things just because we know that it will please the other person, only to realize later that we can't do what we promised. Sometimes we even know before we agreed that we weren't going to be able to follow through. We don't want to risk confrontation, to risk disapppointing other people. But in the end, the other other person feels let down, and we feel guilty. It's a bad situation for everyone.
We often give our word casually, and break it just as casually. We aren't aware of the costs of breaking our word. These costs include losing trust, respect, and credibility with others, which leads to deteriorating relationships. They also include sometimes causing a mess when things don't go the way people had planned on. But the most important cost of all is that you learn to not trust yourself. You weaken your sense of integrity. You create confusion and self-doubt within yourself and weaken your sense of personal power.
Never promise more than you can perform. Only make agreements that you intend to keep, and write them down. Don't rush into any agreements without taking the time to think them through. And if for some reason you can't keep an agreement, always tell the other person as soon as possible; apologize and tell them why you can't keep it. This way you will have better relationships with others, and most importantly, with yourself. And you will be more successful.
For ideas about how to acheive true success, visit http://www.reachingmypotential.com
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