Archive for the 'World Of Self Improvement' Category

Creativity And Humour

Thursday, January 1st, 2009

Consider the following (depending on which country you are from you may miss the point in one or two):

“If you see someone doing the impossible, don’t interrupt them”
Amar Bose (Bose Corporation)

“Space is not remote, you can get there in an hour if you can make your car travel vertically”
Fred Hoyle (Astronomer)

“A sure cure for seasickness is to sit under a tree”
Spike Milligan (Comedian)

“I took a speed reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. Its about Russia”
Woody Allen (Comedian)

“Those who say it can’t be done are being passed by those who are doing it”
Anonymous

“I said ‘nearest the bull starts’. He said ‘baa’, I said ‘moo’. He said ‘you start’”
Peter Kaye (Comedian)

“‘Hallo Rabbit’, he said, ‘Is that you?’. ‘Lets pretend it isn’t’ said Rabbit, ‘and see what happens’”
Winnie-the-pooh (bear, philosopher and explorer)

Now you may chuckle at one or more of the above, but did you wonder why? It is the juxtaposition of (strange) ideas that does it. It is exactly this mode of thinking that we need in the business world to be able to see things from a new perspective, generate ideas and spot new opportunities. The stranger two things are, the greater the potential for laughter. Similarly, when we have two (or more) odd ideas they create what some call ‘creative friction’ and these can often lead directly to other ideas.

I once met an author who had just created a children’s book and jokingly mentioned something about smell - now he has a scratch and sniff childrens’ book.

Derek Cheshire is an expert, speaker, consultant and facilitator in the areas of Business Creativity, Innovation and Idea Generation. He is creator of the Innovation Toolkit, and co creator of workshops such as Creating The Difference, Creativity as a Business Tool, Sticky Strategy and The Idea Factory.

You can receive regular ideas and updates on Business Creativity and Innovation by visiting http://www.creative4business.co.uk and filling out the simple sign up form.

Derek Cheshire - EzineArticles Expert Author

What You See is What You Get

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

H. Jackson Brown Jr. once wrote, Your mind can only hold one thought at a time, make it a positive and constructive one. As simple as these words may seem, they are in fact, very true. You see, if you are looking for a way to feel better at any given moment, all you have to do is change what you are focusing on. Your brain is a very powerful tool that you own and you should use to your advantage.

When was the last time you were reminiscing about a great time in your life and it made you feel terrible? When was the last time you were thinking about a painful event in your life and it made you feel good? I’d venture to say you answered ‘never’ to both of these questions. That’s because what you focus on in life is what you get! Would you be willing to agree that Mother Teresa felt a great deal of love in her life because love was her main focus in life?

Understanding this, next time you find yourself in a less than desirable situation, be sure to find the positive side of it and focus your attention on that. Not only will you feel better about the situation but also you will actually be in a better frame of mind to work through it. With this mindset you will find yourself focusing on the solution rather than the problem.

The best way to control your focus is to ask yourself good questions. Such as, What can I find that is good in this situation? What have I learned from this that will make me more successful the next time? How can I make this situation better? By asking yourself effective questions, you will force your brain to look for and find a solution for what you can do to solve a problem and how you can make a situation better. On the other hand, if you ask yourself self-defeating questions such as, Why does this always happen to me? Why can’t I have that? What did I do to deserve this? Your brain will look for those exact answers and tell you why bad things happen to you, why you can’t have something and why you deserve something bad. Do you see what is happening here? You are confirming to yourself why you don’t deserve something and why bad things happen to you. Now it’s one thing when someone else tells you something like that, but when you tell it to yourself, you are sure to believe it! I guarantee you will always believe yourself on a subconscious level if not on a conscious level. In other words, be careful what you ask for!

Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

So practice focusing on positive thoughts and learn to ask yourself effective questions that will lead to constructive answers. If you look hard enough, there will always be a positive side to every situation. And for the challenges you must face in life, focus on the solution, not the problem. If you focus on the problem at hand, you will never find the solution. Focus on your dreams and they will become a reality. Ask yourself How can I reach my dream? Don’t be surprised when your brain gives you the answer!

This article may be reprinted with the following attachment:

Copyright (c) 1999 Glen Hopkins

About The Author

Glen Hopkins, owns Motivational-Messages.com, your Free resource for daily motivation and inspiration, including quotes, tips, and stories to help you lead a successful life. To subscribe fro Fr~ee visit http://www.motivational-messages.com/ today!

Feel the Fear . . . And Speak Up!

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

Publishing Guidelines: You are welcome to publish this
article in its entirety, electronically, or in print fre*e
of charge, as long as you include my full signature file
for ezines, and my Web site address(http://www.schrift.com)
in hyperlink for other sites. Please send a courtesy link
or email where you publish to sandra@schrift.com Thank you.

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TITLE: Feel the Fear . . . And Speak Up!

AUTHOR: Sandra Schrift

CONTACT: sandra@schrift.com

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Feel the Fear . . . And Speak Up!

Fear of public speaking is No. 1. Death is No. 4. So most
people would rather get a root canal and pay their taxes
than speak in front of an audience!

Ask yourself,

“Wouldn’t it be great to be able to stand in front of an
audience of hundreds of people and hold them in complete
captivation?”

“Wouldn’t it be great to feel confident and assured the
day you’re scheduled to speak before your company’s
executives, an association, or a local civic group?”

“Wouldn’t it be great to go into a presentation confident
that the attendees are going to love you, be surrounded by
their applause, and overhear comments afterwards, such as,
“He was excellent,” or, “She made a real connection with
her audience”?

Here are some tips to build your confidence in front of
others. I have never met an audience that did not want
the speaker to succeed.

1. Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Preparation helps reduce
your jitters. Please do not read your speech. Instead,
use some notes on 3×5 index cards. Be confident that you
know your material. Because you do!

2. Memorize only the opening and closing of your speech.
If you try to memorize your entire speech you will be too
focused on yourself and fearful that you may forget
something. Just continue the conversation, make your
points and use illustrations/stories to highlight your
information.

3. Remember to breathe from your stomach before you
begin . . . and keep breathing.

Deep breaths will keep your vocal chords relaxed and keep
you from trembling. Then no one will know you are nervous.

4.. Deliver your speech as you would engage in a
conversation with someone. Make eye contact with different
members of the audience. When you land on one person’s eyes,
everyone in the audience will feel as if you are speaking to
them also. This is called CONNECTION.

5.. Present your content with lots of examples and personal
stories, mixed with humor and some

interactive exercises for your audience. Get them involved.
This will heighten their interest and retention of your
message. Relax and have some fun. Your audience will too!

6. Here is an old adage to follow: Tell ‘em. what you’re
gonna tell ‘em.(Opening) Tell ‘em. (Body of speech) Tell ‘em
what you told them. (Closing)

7. Stop on time, no matter what. Don’t deliver everything
you know on your topic - just highlight 3 to 5 points in your
speech. Save time at the end for audience questions. And
hang around after your speech to answer some individual
questions.

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Get
more clients and consistent monthly income? Judy Cullins,
book coach, and Sandra Schrift, speaker coach, invite you
to join a “Business Marketing Achievers” small group
coaching beginning May 25th. We are looking for 12
committed people who are ready to use speaking and writing
to catapult their business. For more details, contact
Sandra at 1-800-340-3683 between 9-6pm pst. Hurry! This
group will fill quickly. For details and to
register go to: http://www.schrift.com/group_coaching.htm

COPYRIGHT: ©2005 by Sandra Schrift. All rights reserved

Sandra Schrift 13 year speaker bureau owner and now career
coach to emerging and veteran public speakers who want to
“grow” a profitable speaking business. I also work with
business professionals and organizations who want to
master their presentations.
To find out HOW TO MAKE IT AS A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER, go to
www.schrift.com/success_resources.htm
Join my free bi-weekly Monday Morning Mindfulness ezine
www.schrift.com/monday.htm

The Vision of James Allen, Who Was Allen?

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

James Allen’s inspirational writings have touched the hearts, and influenced millions of people around the world - yet today, he still remains almost unknown, to the vast majority!

It is said, he never gained much fame or fortune… and this unrewarded genius rarely made enough money from his writings, to even cover his expenses.

As A Man Thinketh by James Allen, identifies universal laws and applies them to the mechanics of desire and prosperity, and was the 20th century’s first self-help classic!

But did you know…

As A Man Thinketh was not the only book James Allen wrote?

That’s right, James Allen is also the author of over twenty other self-improvement books, which are lesser known, but just as equally powerful, and just as equally life-changing…

For over a hundred years, his timeless works have motivated and inspired both men and woman to lead more successful, effective, and peaceful lives!

James Allen was a STRONG supporter of ethics in all the areas of our lives. His goal was to reveal universal principles to the masses in order to relieve people of their suffering, empower the individual, and thus uplift humanity.

His works focus on teaching individual responsibility, finding the cause of personal problems within our own selves, and revealing how each of us can harness our inner power, to master our own destinies.

In Allen’s own words…

The Vision of James Allen

“I looked around upon the world and saw that it was shadowed by sorrow and scorched by the fierce fires of suffering. And I looked for the cause. I looked around, but I could not find it. I looked in books, but I could not find it. I looked within, and found there both the cause and the self-made nature of that cause. I looked again, and deeper, and found the remedy. I found one Law, the Law of Love; one Life, the life of adjustment to that Law; one Truth, the Truth of a conquered mind and a quiet and obedient heart.

“And I dreamed of writing books which would help men and women, whether rich or poor, learned or unlearned, worldly or unworldly to find within themselves the source of all success, all happiness, accomplishment, all truth. And the dream remained with me, and at last became substantial; and now I send forth these books into the world on a mission of healing and blessedness, knowing that they cannot fail to reach the homes and hearts of those who are waiting and ready to receive them.”

Every one of Allen’s books are surprisingly straight-forward, practical and easy-to-follow. He never wrote for the sake of just writing, and he never dealt with theories!

As his loving wife - Lily once said…

“Allen wrote when he had a message, and it became a message only when he had lived it in his own life, and knew that it was good. Thus he wrote facts, which he had proven by practice”

And thus Allen teaches us two essential truths: today we are where our thoughts have taken us, and we are the architects - for better or worse - of our futures…

In short, “You Are What You Think” As James Allen states positively “That The Mind Is The Complete Master of Your Life”

From the smallest circumstances which surround you, to your physical health, to your personal level of abundance… every detail of your life is determined solely by the thoughts you first allow to flourish in your mind!

As these explosive secrets have already helped tens of thousands of people, gain the power to demand what they REALLY want from life. Now, it’s time to put them to work for YOU!

I would like to give you a FREE copy of James Allen’s most timeless classic, As A Man Thinketh…

You can now, discover and also benefit fully, from the teachings - of the forefather of personal development himself.

Want your very own copy of, As A Man Thinketh by James Allen?
Simply visit our website dedicated to James Allen to find out more!

Getting Connected

Saturday, December 13th, 2008

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.” -James Oppenheim

Today is very special. Besides being your “un-birthday”, it’s the first day of the rest of your life.

We’ve all heard that one. We acknowledge the wisdom and move on — checking our watches and calendars to see how long before the “good stuff” starts happening.

Our impatience and anxiety prevent us from focusing our awareness on “now”. As a result we never discover it’s full potential or give ourselves permission to enjoy it.

We recognize many important holidays on the calendar; Christmas, New Years etc…and these are the times when we have permission to celebrate.

Surprisingly, many people report having “depression” around the holidays. Could it be that our enjoyment muscles have grown flabby or that we’ve been driving ourselves nuts to get there.

Just as we don’t have permission to enjoy “now”, we also don’t have permission to enjoy “here”. We can’t wait to go on vacations to visit the “good places”

We’re certainly not allowed to enjoy our jobs. We want to move on so that we get to be with the “smart people”.

Within any given day, certain places and times are more important than others: — getting to work — and once we’re there — getting home. Meal times are “biggies” — important events. Is it any wonder that many of us have weight problems.

Where am I going with this? We shouldn’t go to work? We shouldn’t eat?

No. Go ahead and do all those things. You’ll do them much better when you learn to slow down and connect. The difference is that you’ll feel better about things.

Connect to what?

To “here” and “now”: Our immediate experience separated from what the Zen masters call “the monkey mind” — our obsessive conceptualizing and labeling of things.

The ability to practice “non-thinking” and focus on immediate experience is called “mindfulness”. In other words, when you’re washing the dishes, you’re washing the dishes.

Non-thinking is not easy. It’s a habit which has to be learned. The key is attention to our breathing. It provides something on which to focus.

Starting your day with a daily “non-thinking” exercise or meditation is the best thing you can do if you want to connect. It provides a fresh image of what it feels like to relax. You can accomplish this in as little as ten minutes or even less once you’re used to it.

Just find a comfortable spot and relax. Clear your mind of all thoughts — even the one’s you think are important. Pay attention to your breathing. Don’t force it. Your body knows how to breathe without you telling it to. Just go along for the ride. But, breathe through you nose. For some reason it helps. If thoughts intrude (and they will!), simply redirect your attention to your breathing.

If you’re unsure about how long you should do this, just set an egg timer for ten or fifteen minutes.

If you’d like more detailed instructions and some good tips, try Christopher Calder’s excellent site, The Meditation Handbook.

Many schools of thought hold that what you are connecting to when you meditate is much, much, more than just relaxation. I tend to agree. But, expectations can be very distracting when you’re getting started. It’s important that while you’re meditating you feel whatever it is you feel. Not, what someone tells you you’re going to feel.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll have a wonderful way to start your day. You’ll also learn eventually how to “re-connect” throughout your day — take little “vacations” — any time you want. They won’t cost a dime and you’ll feel better about things.

Bob Steinman (AKA ‘Feelbetterman’) resides in Orlando, Fl. with his wife, 13 year old son, and a totally spoiled female Shih-Tzu. He is retired following consecutive careers in academics and human services. Presently he aspires to write a definitive self-help book which will present his unique perspective on how to live in harmony with ourselves and our life situations. His web site,Feel Better about Things provides a means to fine-tune his writing and also communicate with those who have interest in his work.

Just the Facts-Just the Facts

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

Have you ever blamed someone else for something? Did you do that blaming whether that person was at fault or not? Did you ever get out of some problem or punishment because you falsely accused someone of something they did not do?

Did you ever blame yourself for something that you had no control over? Do you feel guilt because something happened to you that was such a surprise that you could barely react, let alone think things through?

Whatever you did to others or yourself does not matter because the facts are the facts. All the blaming in the world does not change one thing.

So whether you did something you should have not done or something happened to you that you had no control over one thing remains clear. The facts are the facts. Yes there can be circumstances around why you did something, but the fact that it happened remains unmovable.

Although what matters is HOW you react to something and (within reason) not what happened TO YOU is important. The facts are the facts and you must deal with this world reality. All the wishing, hoping and crying will not change what needs to be done about what has happened.

What this means is that you need to deal with the reality of the world. What that really means to you is that you need to face what is and not what you think something is. This may be a very sorrowful and bitter thing to try to do.

It is very important that you be strict with yourself. You must deal in reality. But also, be a littke kinder to those involved and especially to yourself.

Remember that nothing lasts forever…hopefully that means your pain to.

Discipline - Part II

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008

As we continue with our series on discipline, I’d like to discuss what I consider to be the first aspect of this master key to success - commitment. One dictionary defines commitment as (i) an agreement or pledge to do something, (ii) the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled. Jim Rhon, America’s foremost business philosopher defines it as the practice of six or so positive habits daily. I see commitment as simply keeping the promises you make to yourself every single day.

Whichever definition you choose, note that commitment requires definite action. A man once approached Henry Ford and offered him the secret of success if Ford would agree to pay him $10,000. Ford agreed, so the man gave him an envelope. Inside was a letter with two simple instructions. 1. Write down everything you need to do today 2. Do them Ford smiled and gladly paid over the money because he recognized the truthfulness of the letter. Commitment requires definite action As you noticed in the story about Henry Ford, nowhere in the letter did it say write down everything you need to do and then try and do them. In fact, when it comes to success, there is no such thing as trying. You either do or you don’t, and every time you try you are setting yourself up for failure. The minute you stop trying and start doing it’s only a matter of time before you become successful.

People who are committed don’t dabble their fingers in the birdbath of life, they plunge in headfirst. Neither did the letter say write down everything you need to do and then do them if you feel like it, do them if you’re not too tired or do them if the conditions are just right. Anyone can work when they are well rested, are in high spirits and/or have everything going their way. Olympians - winners in life - are deeply committed to achieving their goals so they act despite the way they feel. They forge ahead despite the unfavorable circumstances they may find themselves in. Commitment requires consistency

In order to make it to the Olympics the athlete must adhere to a regimen of daily workouts. Likewise, the student must study on a consistent basis and the sales person must make phone calls to prospective clients on a regular basis. Whatever it is that you need to do, it must be done whether or not you feel like doing it; and it must be done on a consistent basis. People often get frustrated over not hitting their goals. However, if they were to honestly evaluate their efforts they might recognize that they were sporadic at best. Seriously, how can you get frustrated over work you didn’t do?

Success, they say, is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. It’s the step-by-step process of achieving something that is worthwhile to you. Oftentimes the joy and exhilaration is not in reaching the final destination but in the realization that you are making progress. That only happens by doing a little bit at a time and getting better and better day-by-day.

Let’s say your goal is to lose ten pounds within the next three months. This is definitely achievable. Your plan of action requires you to work out three times per week for 30 minutes; but instead, you work out every now and then. Why would you be surprised if you didn’t lose the intended ten pounds at the end of three months?

One of the keys to success is consistency. Lack of consistency results in failure. The successful person practices six or so positive habits EVERY DAY. The unsuccessful commits six or so errors in judgment daily. Any goal, no matter how monumental it may seem at first, is achievable if we work on it consistently, a little at a time. Remember, “Yard by yard it’s hard. Inch by inch it’s a cinch.”

Commitment requires total immersion

Back in 1987 when our team was first assembled we practiced our push starts with a makeshift sled on wheels. For three hours every afternoon during the week and six hours every Saturday morning we would push back and forth on a flat concrete surface on the army base (www.jdfmil.org) in Kingston, Jamaica in the boiling sun. When we eventually traveled to cooler climates, there were many mornings where I woke up, saw the frost on the window, knew it was freezing outside, and just wanted to roll over in bed and go back to sleep and dream about playing volleyball on the beach in Jamaica. Instead, we got up. Fatigued bodies, aching muscles, strained hamstrings, facing hostile elements, lifting heavy sleds, all became inconsequential given our strong commitment. Lake Placid, NY (www.lakeplacidny.com) should really be renamed Lake Frigid, for as I remember it back in January 1988 the average daily temperature was minus 25 degrees. One day we came out and it was a brisk minus forty. We were among the very few who dared to take to the track that day. Just imagine careening down an icy chute at 80 mph in minus 40 degree weather. Can you imagine what the wind chill was like? Can you feel the cold seeping through to your very core? We did.

In the pursuit of our goals we all face our Lake Placids, but when we are committed, we will show very little regard for our personal comfort.

Opportunities often present themselves in the most uncomfortable and inconvenient of circumstances, but when we are committed to the goals we set, discomfort and inconvenience simply don’t matter. I watch guys play football all the time in the freezing cold and wonder how they do it, but soon come to the conclusion that mentally and emotionally the weather isn’t a factor. They have a Super Bowl to win and so they play full out. AND SO MUST YOU.

If you want to win in sports, business or life, you must play full out. Commitment equals total immersion. We were playing full out; racing in minus forty-degree weather. So, whether it is making your daily quota of sales calls, studying conscientiously or working out at the gym three times a week, when you stick to it even though you’re exhausted or everything around you is going amiss, you will be playing full out. Always remember that extraordinary results require extraordinary efforts, while half hearted attempts will only leave you frustrated and defeated.

Keep On Pushing!

Copyright (C) 2005 Devon Harris
All rights reserved worldwide
www.devonharrislive.com

The contents of this E-zine may be copied, reproduced, or freely distributed for all nonprofit purposes without the consent of the author as long as the author’s name, copyright notice, and contact information are included.

Day Dream Believer

Saturday, November 1st, 2008

I am sure you, just like the rest of us, experienced all sorts of day dreams when you were younger. Who amongst us did not find themselves, at one time or another, in the precarious position of being blissfully lost in day dream when one of our teachers called on us in class? You know how that story went.

Caught completely off guard, hopelessly lost in the tranquillity of the day dream, we would awaken to the teacher’s raised voice, stumble or bumble out some sort of goofy answer and then proceed to turn beet red with embarrassment as our classmates laughed at our lack of attentiveness. After being summarily chastised by our teacher and told to pay more attention and stop our foolish day dreaming, you would think that such an unpleasant event would serve as a permanent reminder to for us to quit day dreaming once and for all. Yet a few moments later, the teacher would catch us lost in a day dream once again.

Even as adults, the beat still goes on. Who hasn’t caught themselves day dreaming at work when they were supposed to be right in the middle of doing something else?

It is kind of weird, isn’t it? When you day dream, your mind somehow drifts off into a whole other world unobstructed from the rigors of your daily routine. Your mind, without your permission or conscious effort, conjures up all sorts of nice, peaceful and tranquil feelings. You are literally lost in the bliss and contentment the day dream offers when all of a sudden, BOOM!!! … you find yourself wide awake and thrust back into the real world again. With the day dream over for now, you experience a feeling of being let down. Why is that the case?

Whenever we day dream, our minds meticulously paint a breathtaking picture of the paradise we want our life to become. Isn’t it ironic how we have somehow been conditioned over the years to believe that day dreams are bad for us and distract us from the business at hand? That is simply not the case. It is perfectly A-OK for you and me to regularly day dream, freeing our minds to fashion and shape the game plans we need to turn our dreams into reality. Instead of feeling guilty about day dreaming when you should be working, why not plan your day dreams?

A great time to let your mind wander aimlessly, without restraint or limitations, is during your ‘break’ times. Whenever you take a few moments to unwind and relax, you can at the same time encourage your mind to paint a brilliant, dramatic, sensory rich day dream of the life you desire. Your mind, once turned on and turned loose, can almost over power you with a spontaneous stream of emotion laden positive thoughts, ideas and images. Then instead of waking yourself up, you should let yourself go, totally immersing yourself in the beauty and splendor of the day dream.

I want you to see, feel, touch and live this beautiful picture in full detail. Can you see it? Can you sense it? Doesn’t it feel absolutely terrific to see yourself doing, being and having everything that you have ever wanted? You bet it does! And if dreaming about living the beautiful life feels this great, just imagine how sensational it will feel to make these dreams a reality. I encourage you to have really big day dreams about really great things. Then I want you to wake up and make these dreams come true.

The Bottom Line: Dream of your life like as it could be - then wake up and live it like it should be.

About The Author

Greg is President of the Motivational and Inspirational Corner, a web-site committed to helping people uncover and realize their enormous God given potential. His website address is http://www.motivational-inspirational-corner.com

greg@motivational-inspirational-corner.com

Limitations Real Or Imagined, Stick Em In A Pigs Eye!

Saturday, November 1st, 2008

It’s about time to take a real hard look at what you think about yourself. What do you really think you’re capable of? What if I told you that you could walk on water? Would you believe me? Well, what if I told you that you could never be an important person? What would you say to that?

Against All Hope!

What you are capable of doing first and foremost rests with what’s between your ears. The next most important thing I can share with you is our limitations, whether they are real or imagined, will leave us a day late and a dollar short.

There’s hope. A very positive person will look at all limitations as opportunities. A very negative person will look at limitations as roadblocks or, even failures looking for a place to happen.

Now obviously, there are certain things that are universally considered limitations. For example, I’m not going out and jump off the top of a building thinking I won’t get hurt when I hit the ground; because gravity is not going to be my best friend if I decide to do that.

But, on the other side of the coin, I have accomplished things in my life that, at the first, would have made the parting of the Red Sea look easy. Why even Moses would have been proud of me! :>) Nah…I’m kidding. But, we all have had accomplishments at times, that we have no idea at all how we ever did it.

As Good As It Gets!

Well, why did we attempt it? Because at the time, our perceived limitations didn’t look so big. If the limitations were there at all, they certainly didn’t make themselves real in our consciousness. If they had, we might have done a soft shoe shuffle.

What was the outcome? Well, we succeeded. Why did we succeed? Because we tried. Why did we try? Because we didn’t believe we would fail. So, that combination of action and absence of our own perceived limitations put a fire in our desire hotter than a garlic milkshake.

When roadblocks stuck their ugly head up, we just whizzed on by them. Because there was nothing holding back our will. That’s where the rub comes in most cases. It’s not the problem, the obstacle, or the size of the project that defeats us. Mostly, it’s our own preconceived limitations, whether real or imagined.

A Word To The Wise!

In all truth, now listen carefully, this is not some new revelation but I want to say it a little differently to make it strike your thinking. You will never “REALLY” know whether or not your limitations will hold you back until you try, so why not try.

I mean think about it. What is the worst thing that can happen? Could the thing eat you? Then best not do it. Makes sense, right? Could it cause you to lose an eyeball? Then best not do it. That makes sense too. But, only you can decide whether the dangers of trying outweigh the benefits and joy of succeeding.

Once that question is settled in your mind, it’s time to charge ahead and allow all preconceived limitations to die on the vine. Again, your own preconceived limitations will cause you more agony than going for the gold. Once the worst of all possible scenarios is surveyed, then we can decide if it is worth the energy.

The problem is: most people don’t do the surveying first. They just let the preconceived notions swell and swell until they become as nervous as a pregnant possum.

Enough To Flip Your Lid!

Well, if it is worth the energy, there will still be plenty of opportunities to give-in to our limitations. What makes it so stressful, is our minds are constantly shifting back and forth; I can, no I can’t, I can, no I can’t.

With every obstacle that surface, our mind is doing it’s very best to see if we “really” want to do this. And, sometimes, we do our best to listen. I have discovered that the only meaningful successes I have ever had was when I didn’t sway back and forth in that kind of double-minded-ness.

You want to know what a double minded person is? A person who is attempting to operate in faith and fear at the same time. When you are double minded, the “can’t” side of your mind makes you focus on your limitations. When you are focused on the limitations, instead of the end result that you desire, it doesn’t matter whether the limitations are real or imagined, they will just make you feel dumber than home made dirt because you don’t really know for sure.

Now, sometimes the universe just feels sorry for us and gives us a little bone. You know what I mean; it’s like being a little bit pregnant. Just enough to make us aggravated and want to jump in with both feet, and, the next time we’ll show the thing what we’re made of.

But, don’t misunderstand the universe. It’s not trying to hold us back. Oh, No…., It just wants to know what we believe. And, if we show a full steam ahead attitude, then the universe says, now, that’s the Spirit.

In A Pigs Eye, You Say!

Oh Yeah! Then what happens is, the TEST! Oh yeah, we showed our confidence and our boasting and now the universe says “test time”. Now don’t get paranoid. This is supposed to happen. If it were not for the test, we would all have enough money to burn a wet dog.

I know that’s a nice thought, but remember, gravity won’t go away and neither will the test. It’s part of the equation and necessary for our growth and development.

Here is what is happening. As an illustration I’ll use gravity again. Gravity is always trying to make airplanes crash. It is ever trying to bring them down. But, there is a higher law, and that is the law of lift.

Now do you think that airplanes could ever have flown if everyone believed that the limitation of gravity was impossible to overcome? Sure, gravity is a big limitation, and it’s real, but there is also a way to overcome it. And, that’s our job: to find a way to make it work, without killing us, or putting our eyeball out, or ending up with foot-in-mouth disease.

Put A Fork In Me, I’m Done!

There is always a way to overcome real or imagined limitations. If man can fly; if we can float an aircraft carrier; what!! You mean you can float that much steel? Yeah, that’s right: If so, then your limitations can kick the bucket too.

Richard Vegas ©

About The Author

Richard Vegas is a popular recording artist and internet marketing professional. He invites you to subscribe to his FREE weekly ezine “Wing-Tips” Teaching The Success System That Never Fails, at: http://www.1-work-at-home-based-business-opportunities.com. You may also hear some of Richard’s free music at: http://www.richardvegas.com.

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Get Motivated the Smart Way

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

What does a person need to do when they need to get something in their life done, but just can’t seem to do it? Get motivated!

How does a person go about getting motivated about something? Setting goals is the most important step in becoming motivated. Goals are extremely important. As a matter of fact, without goals, we will not achieve success. In order to be a motivated person at anything, you must have goals to reach for.

The goals we set for ourselves need to be realistic goals. They are of no use to us if they are not possible goals to meet. They are actually more harmful than no goals at all!

Be smart about your goal setting. It is great to set them high, but if you set them out of reach, you are stepping backwards. If your goal is to run 5 miles with-in a month’s time, then set it for 1/2 mile and then raise your standards. Don’t set it for 5 miles and then when you don’t make it get discouraged. That is detrimental in getting motivated.

Do you listen to yourself and the way you talk to yourself? Are you honest with yourself? These are very important questions that need to be answered. The way you talk to yourself can determine your success and motivation.

Are you constantly beating yourself up? We are our worst critics. But we need to retrain ourselves into patting ourselves on the back more often, when we do a good job. For some reason that is a difficult thing for us to do. Work on it. Self talk needs to be positive to end in positive results.

When you are having a bad day, and you will no matter how positive you are, think of positive memories that make you feel good. Do things that make you feel food about yourself? Good music, or a good movie, or whatever it takes. Don’t let negativity get the best of you! Tomorrow will be another day.

Reward yourself for a job well done. So many times we forget to give ourselves incentives to keep going. It could be anything from a favorite treat, to a weekend of relaxation. But rewards are just that. They need to be something we want or they are not rewards. They will not be affective in getting motivated if they are not something we desire.

The last and final stage in the process of learning to get motivated is to stay focused and committed to our goals. Don’t let them go by the way side or lose interest in them. They were obviously important enough to us at one time to make them.