Is too quick a judgment good?

On occasion, it is useful and necessary to make judgments about what other people do and say.

Much of the time, though,it can be a waste of your time and energy.

In fact, one of the biggest obstacles to effective listening is the habit of continually and immediately making judgments about what is being said.

When the mind is so preoccupied with judging and criticizing, it has no space left for learning and understanding.

Different people have different approaches to life and different opinions.

In that diversity there is much value.

Yet when you are too quick to pass judgment, you can miss much of that value.

When you become too focused on showing how clever you are or proving your point, you can pass up the opportunity to gain real wisdom.

Certainly it is appropriate and wise that you exercise judgment to prevent others from harming you or taking advantage of you.

Remember, though, to balance that judgment with understanding and acceptance.

Relax your judgment and you will increase your awareness.

The more often you practice acceptance, the more wisdom and understanding you will gain.

Is too quick a judgment on your part a liability to you?

You can imagine it

Your imagination cannot instantly change things in the physical world around you, yet it can do something even more powerful.

It can change you, your attitude, your energy level, your focusand the way you feel.

If you imagine that you are feeling tired, weary, heavy and drained, you will soon start to feel exactly that way.

If you imagine that you are feeling enthusiastic, energetic, joyful and confident, you will quickly start to truly feel all those positive things.

It would be a mistake to live your whole life only in your imagination.

It would also be a mistake to go through each day without connecting to your imagination at all.

There is no limit to what you can imagine.

When you nurture your imagination, it can help you discover very real and workable ways to move forward in a world filled with challenges and constraints.

Once you imagine something, you make it possible for you.

And your imagination then goes to work, helping you find ways to make it real.

When it seems that circumstances and events have you locked in place, set your imagination free to roam where it will.

Won't you just imagine it, and you will start a positive momentum that can take you far?

Positioning in life

Many people talk about positioning in life to achieve success. What is positioning?

A heron stands in the blue estuary,
Solitary, white, unmoving for hours.
A fish! Quick avian darting;
The prey is captured.

That's a picture of positioning. It is as easy and natural as the heron standing in the water. The bird moves when it must; it does not move when stillness is appropriate.

The secret of its serenity is a type of vigilance, a contemplative state.

The heron is not in mere dumbness or sleep. It knows a lucid stillness. It stands unmoving in the flow of the water. It gazes unperturbed and is aware.

It is positioning itself. It seizes the opportunity without hesitation or deliberation.

Then it goes back to its quiescence without disturbing itself or its surroundings.

Unless it found the right position in the water's flow and remained patient, it would not have succeeded.

Actions in life can be reduced to two factors; positioning and timing.

If we are not in the right place at the right time, we cannot possibly take advantage of what life has to offer us.

Almost anything is appropriate if an action is in accord with the time and place.

But we must be vigilant and prepared.

Even if the time and the place are right, we can still miss our chance if we do not notice the moment, if we act inadequately, or if we hamper ourselves with doubts and second thoughts.
When life presents an opportunity, we must be ready to seize it without hesitation or inhibition.

Position is useless without awareness. If we have both, we make no mistakes.

How often have you positioned yourself in life?

Pursuit of success

In your pursuit for success, every day you become more aware of your abilities and recognize that opportunities to stretch your capabilities are limitless.

You desire change, growth, and challenge, and a healthy self-esteem provides the energy.

You learn to have more than goals, and have a vision of what your life will mean to youself and others.

You do not live in the future. Instead you make sure each step taken in the present keeps you on the road toward your life goal.

Most of the time you learn to say these things:

I am motivated and have a mission with realistic and measurable goals.

I accept complete responsibility for everything I think, say, feel, and do.

I look for the window of opportunity in every situation and know that I will learn from every experience if I choose.

I always help others to do their best, and I encourage everyone to contribute something.

I correct my course when I reach an obstacle. This way, when things go wrong, I am still headed in the right direction.

I expect and appreciate change. It does not overwhelm me because I am prepared.

I stand up for my own opinions and values and respect others.

I am able to manage myself. I do not require instruction every step of the way.

I am not afraid of making mistakes or of taking reasonable risks.

I am my own coach. I engage in positive self-talk and rehearsal.

I am a life-long student. I am always ready to learn, and I know growth takes sustained effort.

I know myself well and still expect to find hidden talents, resources, strengths, weaknesses, energy, and interests.

I respect reality both pleasant and painful.

I engage in self-confrontation and do not blame others.

I readily forgive others and myself and correct mistakes when possible.

I am patient, kind, gentle, and compassionate with myself.

I have no need to prove I am better or worse than anybody else.

Do you have such a vision statement that you can recite each day towards achieving success?

A beautiful mind

Thoughts of anger attract more anger.

Thoughts of goodness attract more goodness.

Thoughts of accomplishment enable you to see that accomplishment in every detail.

And whatever you can see, you can find a way to be.

Thoughts of peace truly make you more peaceful.

And that can lead those around you to carry peaceful thoughts as well.

Thoughts begin on the inside and quickly flow outward.

The thoughts you hold in this moment will soon spread far beyond you.

The thoughts you send forth will eventually find their way back to you, yet by that time they will be much more than just thoughts.

Those thoughts willreturn as circumstances, objects, challenges, opportunities and achievements.

Your thoughts attract more of whatever you think, because life has a dependable way of multiplying and manifesting them.

So choose to always hold the most positive, enriching thoughts, and from those seeds a beautiful garden will grow.

Won't you want to have a beautiful mind?

Seasons in your life

A good friend e-mailed me this story today.I find it very meaningful and it helped to remind me of the four seasons in life where there are ups and downs and a cycle of change.We must always persist until we succeed as many things change over time.

There was a man who had four sons.

He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly.

So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it is winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, the fulfillment of your fall.

Do not let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Do not judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

Which season of life are you in at now?

Expressing your inner values

Do your outer choices reflect your inner values?

If not, then your life will move from one conflict to another.

Yet when the choices you make do indeed come from the person you are, then you will travel steadily in the direction of your highest visions.

When your actions are in agreement with your purpose, those actions will surely take you where you most want to go.

Why would you ever act in opposition to who you truly are?

Unfortunately, there are plenty of temptations to do so.

It could be that you are worried about what others will think, so you go along with what they expect you to do, even though it hurts somewhere inside.

Or it could be that you crave the false sense of security that material possessions and shallow pleasures seem to offer.

Yet the real you, the beautiful, unique person inside, knows better.

The more you allow your own deeply held values to guide your moment-to-moment thoughts and actions, the more fulfilling and joyful life will become.

There is real and inexhaustible value in the authentic person you are.

Let your life express it in everything you do.

Meanwhile, consider when was the last time you express your inner values?

Building your own life

Someone sent me this meaningful story via e-mail a few days ago:

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire.

He told his employer, a building contractor, of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

His employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour.

The carpenter said yes, but it was easy to see that his heart was no longer in his work.

He had lost his enthusiasm and had resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.

It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came to inspect the new house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter.

"This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock!

What a shame!

If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us.

We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best.

At important points we do not give the job our best effort.

Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built for ourselves.

If we had realised, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter.

Think about your house.

Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.

Build wisely.

It is the only life you will ever build.

Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Who could say it more clearly?

Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past.

Your life tomorrow will be the result.

How are you building your life today?

Your dreams are waiting on you.

So what is your passion exactly?

Are you engulfed with thoughts of being a renowned writer with Pulitzer Prize nominations, with trails of your writings on the minds of people around the world?

Maybe you have the talents of an architect and can visualize skyscrapers that generate from the stencil in your artistic hand.

Possibly you have a testimonial word for the world to hear and zest to be a dynamic motivational speaker.

Could it be that your spirit vibrates with excitement when you witness the joy of a child learning and growing to accept and prosper with education?

No matter what you yearn for, take action by watering the seed that has been planted and take notice of how that craving will bring you victory.

Begin to understand where your true happiness resides, by nestling in your quiet place to have a heartfelt conversation with yourself.

Each day, we are constantly surrounded with distractions that counter the voice of truth that speaks life to our soul.

Sometimes we overlook our happiness and don't realize that it is sitting comfortably in front of us waiting to be seized.

It does not matter what your level of status is or how prestigious you are perceived; your eminent success is knocking at your door.

The first step is to begin believing in who you are and don't be afraid to confront yourself.

Without your own understanding of what you want and where you want to be, your image of self will be lost, and without that - your existence will be determine by someone else's classification or statistic.

It is never too early or too late to develop goals and decipher a plan as to how you will attain it.

You need to recognize that each of you are achievers.

The hopes and dreams you have are accessible. It's there.

However, in order to obtain those things we must do something.

Don't sit idle and watch your aspirations falter and dwindle to a lost reality.

You must take action.

Don't lie dormant and let the world and its dysfunctional ways trample all over you, in an effort to destroy your heart, your mind and your relationships.

Stand on what has been promised to you - that being...the desires of your heart.

So now I pose the same question to you....what will you do to create a change in your life?

A big portion of your job is taking part in transforming and amending your life.

With our short time on this earth, it makes sense to live it to the fullest.

It makes sense to love our family and friends with every ounce of affection we have.

And most importantly, it is worth delving into doing what we absolutely love to do.

And again I ask.....Are you engulfed with thoughts of living your passion?

I bet you are......well, my advice to you is to pick up that book or article, make that phone call, send that email, write that letter, take that class.......do whatever you have to - to initiate the first step.

Your dreams are waiting on YOU.

Don't squander time and talent waiting on a dream.

Don't waste another day, moment or generation sweltering over that of the past.

Have courage to accept that today could be your last.

Do not leave things........Unsaid. Unwritten. Unattained. Unsecured.

Today with your eyes ajar, what will you see?

Will you choose to live fulfilled......or die in regret?

Make a place in your heart

Give joy a place to dwell in you and it will fill that space.

Set aside time for sincere, simple enjoyment of life, and enjoyment will surely fill that time.

When you make a place for something in your life, you create a powerful, authentic intention.

And whatever you make a place for, will surely soon arrive.

Make room in your schedule for the actions that lead to achievement, and that achievement will be yours.

Make a place in your heart for love, and love will come to fill it.

Devote a portion of your thoughts to learning something new, and the knowledge you seek will fill your mind.

Open yourself to beauty,and beauty will fill your day.

Fulfillment, achievement, peace, love and joy all need a place to happen.

Welcome them into the space you provide.

Give the good things in life a place to live.

And they will find a home in you.

Won't you make a place in your heart for the good things in life?

Things I learned along the way

A lady named Maureen Ho wrote these life's lessons which she learned along the way.


Things I learned along the way
I've learned that I like my teacher because she cries when we sing "Silent Night". - Age 6

I've learned that you can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. - Age 7

I've learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back. - Age 9

I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up. - Age 13

I've learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up. - Age 14

I've learned that although it's hard to admit it, I'm secretly glad my parents are strict with me. - Age 15

I've learned that silent company is often more healing than words of advice. - Age 24

I've learned that brushing my child's hair is one of life's great pleasures. - Age 26

I've learned that wherever I go, the worlds worst drivers have followed me there. - Age 29

I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it. - Age 39

I've learned that there are people who love you dearly but just don't know how to show it. - Age 41

I've learned that you can make someone's day by simply sending them a little card. - Age 44

I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt, the greater his need to cast blame on others. - Age 46

I've learned that children and grandparents are natural allies. - Age 47

I've learned that singing "Amazing Grace" can lift my spirits for hours. - Age 49

I've learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone. - Age 50

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. - Age 52

I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills. - Age 52

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die. - Age 53

I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. - Age 58

I've learned that if you want to do something positive for your children, try to improve your marriage. - Age 61

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. - Age 62

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catchers mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. - Age 64

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you. - Age 65

I've learned that whenever I decide something with kindness, I usually make the right decision. - Age 66

I've learned that everyone can use a prayer. - Age 72

I've learned that it pays to believe in miracles. And to tell the truth, I've seen several. - Age 73

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. - Age 82

I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch - holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. - Age 85

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. - Age 92

Her life lessons are probably different from most of us but they do have a strange way of making you agreeing with them as you read through them.It reflects so much of your own experiences no matter at which stage of life you are.

What are some of life's lessons that you have learnt in your life?

We are all cracked pots

This is a story which uplifts my soul and refreshes my spirit:

A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Moral of the story : Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots in a sense.
But it is the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together
so very interesting and rewarding. You have just got to take each person
for what they are, and look for the good in them.

When was the last time that you realsied that you are a cracked pot as well ?

How do you finish each day?

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and
absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be
encumbered with your old nonsense."
~ Ralph Walso Emerson

How do you finish each day in your life?

How do you fill the moments of your life?

Fill your moments with action, and there will be little time left for worry.

Fill your moments with meaning, and there will be little time left for despair.

Fill your days with discovery, and you will fill your life with valuable knowledge.

Fill your hours with caring, compassion and respect, and you will fill your world with love and friendship.

Fill your thoughts with positive possibilities, and the best things in life will surely be within your reach.

Fill your words with encouragement and enthusiasm, and you will often find people and circumstances lining up in your favor.

Fill your efforts with purpose, persistence, diligence and integrity.

And your life will be filled with valuable achievements.

Fill your heart with a love of truth and goodness.

And your soul will be filled with the treasure of wisdom.

Your life is a most precious gift.

Fill every corner of it with the best that you can.

How do you fill each and every moment of your life?

The big rocks in the jar of our life

I remember last year someone very close to me shared this story with me:


A high school science teacher wanted to demonstrate a concept to his students.

He takes a large-mouth jar and places several large rocks in it.

He then asks the class, "Is it full?"

Unanimously, the class reply, "Yes!"
The teacher then takes a bucket of gravel and pours it into the jar.

The small rocks settle into the spaces between the big rocks.

He then asks the class, "Is it full?"

This time there are some students holding back, but most reply, "Yes!"

The teacher then produces a large can of sand and proceeds to pour it into the jar.

The sand fills up the spaces between the gravel.

For the third time, the teacher asks, "Is it full?"

Now most of the students are wary of answering, but again, many reply, "Yes!"

Then the teacher brings out a pitcher of water and pours it into the jar.

The water saturates the sand.

At this point the teacher asks the class, "What is the point of this demonstration?"

One bright young student raises his hand and then responds, "No matter how full one's schedule is in life, he can always squeeze in more things!"

"No," replies the teacher, "The point is that unless you first place the big rocks into the jar, you are never going to get them in. The big rocks are the important things in your life -- your family, your friends, your personal growth. If you fill your life with small things -- as demonstrated by the gravel, the sand, and the water -- you will never have the time for the important things."

So, what are the "Big Rocks" in your life?

Spending time with your children, your parents or your spouse?

Taking the seminar or class to get the information and perspective you need to succeed?

Making the time to set goals, plan or evaluate your progress?

How many big ocks have you been able to put into the jar of your life or have you simply accumulated too much sand in it that it now does not have any space for the big rocks?

Creating positive momentum

Show life how you want it to go.

Start the day by taking intentional,determined steps in a positive direction and your world will follow along.

Set the tone for each day by beginning the day with focused,purposeful effort.

Be the one to establish the day's momentum, and that momentum will move in the direction you desire.

You know how important it is to set a good example for those who look to you forguidance.

Be sure to also set a good example for yourself.

Start each day the way you want to live it.

Get a jump on the distractions and interruptions, and get your positive, productive momentum going early.

The thoughts you hold and the actions you take in the first moments of the day will have a powerful influence on how the rest of the day goes.

Take care to make that influence a positive one.

Start off right by setting a good example for yourself.

Create a positive momentum, and give your world something valuable on which to build.

Do youhave this positive momentum to create this day?

Darlene, the wife of a US Marine who served the country and returned from Iraq had this story to tell:

A nurse took the tired, anxious serviceman to the bedside.

"Your son is here," she said to the old man.

She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened.
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his heart attack, he dimly saw the young man in the Marine Corps uniform standing outside the oxygen tent.

He reached out his hand...

The Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old man's limp ones, squeezing a message of love and encouragement.

The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit alongside the bed.

Nights are long in hospitals-but all through the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward, holding the old man's hand and offering him words of love and strength.

Occasionally, the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest a while.

He refused.

Whenever the nurse came into the ward, the Marine was oblivious of her and of the night noises of the hospital-- the clanking of the oxygen tank, the laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, the cries and moans of the other patients.

Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words.

The dying man said nothing, only held tightly to his son's hand all through the night.

Along towards dawn, the old man died.

The Marine released the lifeless hand he had been holding and went to tell the nurse.

While she did what she had to do, he waited.

Finally, she returned.

She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine interrupted her.

"That's not necessary... Who was that man?" he asked.

The nurse was startled, "He was your father" she answered.

"No, he wasn't," the Marine replied. "I never saw him before in my life."

"Then why didn't you say something when I took you to him?"

"I knew right away that there had been a mistake, but I also knew he needed his son, and his son just wasn't here. When I realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, and I knew how much he needed me. So I stayed."

The next time God gives you an opportunity ... be there. Stay.

You'll be glad you did.

Do you have an opportunity remotely like that before?

Explore.Dream.Discover.

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

Are there things in our life that we have put off for many times and isn't it time for us to nowget it done?

Love doeth much

Another friend shared this with me:

A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away.

As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing.

He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars."

The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose."

He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers.

As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home.

She said, "Yes, please! You can take me to my mother."

She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.

The man returned to the flower shop, cancelled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's house.

When was the last time that you realise how precious your loved ones are?

A momentary reminder

Someone told me this story some time ago:

Imagine there is a bank, which credits your account each morning with $86,400, carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do?

Draw out every single cent, of course!

Well, everyone has such a bank.

Its name is Time.

Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.

Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.

It carries over no balance.

It allows no overdraft.

Each day it opens a new account for you.

Each night it burns the records of the day.

If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back.

There is no drawing against the "tomorrow."

Do you now remember this bank that has been there all along in your life and won't you put it to good use?

Are there things in your life that endure forever?

As time goes by, some things in life become faded, feeble and useless.

Yet the things that truly matter just keep getting stronger and more meaningful.

When you invest all your hope and love in the superficial things that will soon fade away, then you make time your enemy.

You become engaged in a battle that you cannot win.

Yet when you cherish life's true, enduring values, your opportunities for joy grow more abundant with each passing moment.

As life goes forward, it cannot help but get better. When you find your fulfillment in truth, in virtue, and in integrity, you set yourself up to gain real value and benefit from every experience.

Though life may not always go as you planned or desired, you will always have something real and meaningful to show for it.

For every situation is a situation in which your integrity can grow stronger.

Every experience is an experience in which a new and valuable truth is revealed.

Life always has so very much to offer.

Treasure those things that forever endure, and your store of treasure will be rich indeed.

Are there things in your life that endure forever?

Bullshit

A friend of mine e-mailed me this short anecdote:

A turkey was chatting with a bull.

“I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” the turkey sighed, “but I haven’t got the energy.”

“Well, why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull.

“They’re packed with nutrients.”

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree.

The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.

Finally, after a fortnight, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree.

He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Moral of the story:Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there.

When was the last time you checked your life about bullshit?

Take care of the small details too

The small challenges give you the opportunity to build strength.

The big challenges give you the opportunity to make valuable use of that strength.

Small, simple efforts, repeated over and over again, give you the ability to undertake the bigger, more complicated efforts.

Making the most of every moment puts you in a position to achieve the very best with each day.

By paying attention to the details, you will discover and develop ways in which to positively and successfully influence the big picture.

By making sure that the mundane and tedious tasks are taken care of, you open the door to exciting, impressive and spectacular results.

Big achievements are always composed of many, many smaller achievements.

That is what makes real, substantial success available to anyone.

For anyone can begin the process by taking a modest positive step forward.

Take enough of those steps, and you can go anywhere you desire to go.

In every moment, in every situation, there is some small detail you can attend to, some small challenge that you can embrace.

Make a habit of always giving whatever you can, and you will reach the point where you can achieve whatever you wish.

When was the last time that you watched the small details in your life?

See the bright spots

Look closely, and you will see the bright spots in this day.

Give your attention, your thoughts and your efforts to those bright spots, and they will grow even brighter.

Look closely,and you will see the positive possibilities in this moment, in this situation.

Focus your energy on the good and valuable things you can do now, and the best of those possibilities will become real.

Though many circumstances may not be perfect,there are perfectly good, positive, life-affirming responses available to you.

Respond to life from a perspective of love, and your response will have real, lasting power.

Life is rich and complicated, ever-changing and coming at you from every direction.

You always have the opportunity to make the very most of it all.

You can grab on to those bright spots and nurture them toward magnificent proportions.

In the midst of all the noise and confusion, you can take a glimmer of hope and build it into a dominant force.

Whatever may be going on in your life, there are bright spots that you can find and build upon and utilize to create great value.

Even now those bright spots are there, ready for you to develop into something truly special.

Do you see and recognize the bright spots in your life?

Can you get there?

With each act, your confidence grows.

Take the first step and you will gain the confidence to take the next step.

The more you do, the more you'll be able to do.

Begin the journey, and you will set in motion a positive momentum that can surely carry you through.

Effort feeds upon itself.

Even though you start small, you can soon go very far.

Though you may not yet have what it takes to finish, you always have what it takes to begin.

And from the most modest initial effort, magnificent results can surely and eventually flow.

Whether the goal seems close at hand or infinitely far away, the way to reach it is the same.

Take the first step, set the momentum of your action in motion, and grow along with it until you are there.

Be willingto take the first step, then follow where each step leads.

And even the most ambitious goal is well within your reach.

Yes, won't you have the faith to believe that you can get there?

Your purposeful moments

When you have a reason, you can find a way.

When you know why, you can figure out how.

The more compelling the reason,the more magnificent the level of accomplishment it supports.

The more meaningful the reason, the more powerfully it will drive you to new heights.

Seek to know and fully understand why you do what you do.

And the effectiveness of what you dowill improve dramatically.

Live each moment in the purpose of a powerful vision.

And those purposeful moments will bring great value to your world.

With a strong reason, the obstacles cannot stop you.

With a strong reason, the setbacks will be unable to dissuade you.

Get clear about the reason for whatever you set out to do.

And you will indeed get it done.

Can you remember your purposeful moments?

Can you set an example?

Set a good example.

Show life how you want it to go.

Start the day by taking intentional, determined steps in a positive direction and your world will follow along.

Set the tone for each day by beginning the day with focused, purposeful effort.

Be the one to establish the day's momentum, and that momentum will move in the direction you desire.

You know how important it is to set a good example for those who look to you for guidance.

Be sure to also set a good example for yourself.

Start each day the way you want to live it.

Get a jump on thedistractions and interruptions, and get your positive, productive momentum going early.

The thoughts you hold and the actions you take in the first moments of the day will have a powerful influence on how the rest of the day goes.

Take care to make that influence a positive one.

Start off right by setting a good example for yourself.

Create a positive momentum, and give your world something valuable on which to build.

Can you set an example?

Your assumptions

There are some assumptions that you have no choice but to make,and they can at times be helpful.

Many assumptions, though, just get in the way.

When you assume that a task will be difficult, you will likely make it even more difficult than it otherwise would have been.

When you assume that something will be easy, that can lead to needless frustration and dismay when unexpected challenges arrive.

Instead of putting your energy into making assumptions, put that energy into being fully aware.

Pull away the mask of your assumptions, and there is much you will suddenly be able to see.

Rather than assuming what you will find around the next bend, make the journey and experience what is really there.

Instead of assuming how someone will be, make the effort to truly get to know that person.

When you assume, realize full well that you are doing it.

And know that you could indeed be wrong. Sometimes you may have to look beyond them and find the value in what is really there.

Are there assumptions you hold that could be holding you back?

Your learning in life

What is life? This is an age-old question that has no real answers yet many answers, depending on who is asking the question. Some of the answers heard over the years are as follows:

"Life is a game of cards. The cards are shuffled and the hands are dealt. You must play your
cards well" -- Eugene Hare

"Life is a play. It's not its length, but its performance that counts." -- Seneca

"Life is a B-picture script." -- Kirk Douglas

"Life is something like a trumpet. If you don't put anything in, you won't get anything out."
-- W.C. Handy.

"A life is a simple letter in the alphabet. It can be meaningless. Or it can be part of a great
meaning." -- Jewish Seminary

"Life is a daring adventure, or nothing." -- Helen Keller

"Life is an onion. You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep." -- Carl Sandburg
"Life is what's happening while you're thinking about something else." -- AA saying

Each day I learn more.

Each day I learn more than I teach.

I learn how much there is to learn.

What have you learned so far in life?

Take action

Ideas, thoughts, wishes, dreams, and intentions ... they are ALL great; however, without the one key ingredient listed below, everything else is rather pointless.

You must first and foremost:

Take ACTION from a place of inspiration.

Take ACTION from a feeling of intuition.

Take ACTION on the seemingly coincidental events and opportunities that come your way.

Take ACTION - an unusual action - even if you don't know the consequences ahead of time (yes, take a risk).

Take ACTION regardless of how inconsequential it make seem when you do it.

Take ACTION so that the whole world knows you actually have a serious intent to make things happen for yourself.

So are you gonna do it and then feel good about it yourself?

Gratitude to give wings to soar

A sure way to heal a disagreement is to focus on your sincere appreciation for the relationship.

An effective way to recover from financial setback is to focus on your gratitude for the many forms of abundance in your life.

To get beyond fear, fill your thoughts with thankfulness for the abilities and resources available to you.

To successfully deal with disappointment, immerse your awareness in those things for which you can be truly grateful.

There is real power in gratitude.

It can calm your anxieties and refresh your spirit.

The more thankful you are for your blessings, the more valuable and numerous those blessings will be.

Each moment you spend with a grateful heart is a moment in which your ability to move forward is at its greatest.

The more you practice gratitude and integrate it into your being, the more easily and naturally it comes.

The more gratitude you express, the more reasons you will have to express it.

Gratitude can open your eyes and your heart to the very best that life has to offer.

It will give you wings on which to truly soar.

Are you grateful for the things that you have and are in your life?

Purpose in your life

With a clear and meaningful purpose will come the motivation and the energy to follow that purpose.

When you are sure of the what and the why, you will find everything necessary to handle the how.

Do you have trouble staying motivated, or keeping yourself focused, or following through on your commitments?

With a compelling purpose, those troubles disappear.

Are you worried and anxious about how you will do what you need to do?

With a deep sense of purpose, those worries and anxieties give way to valuable,positive ideas and effective action.

There is a purpose, there is a why, that can bring every aspect of your life to higher and higher levels of performance and experience.

You have glimpsed that purpose in moments of pure joy, those times when everything in life just seemed to be flowing perfectly.

Dive deep into who you are and connect yourself to a purpose that is uniquely and overwhelmingly you.

Seek to know and live a purpose so positive, powerful and compelling that you cannot let go of it.

Already you have seen bits and pieces of that purpose at times, even if somewhat dimly.

Just imagine what you could do if you were to include that powerful purpose in every moment.

Imagine it, and then let yourself make it so.

Your highest and best purpose is ready to be lived.

Do you have such a purpose?

A quality effort

If you are spending your time doing it, then it is important enough to do it right.

A quality life is built through quality effort.

Put yourself fully in to every effort, whatever that effort may be.

Even the seemingly trivial chores can set the stage for greatness when you put your love, attention and commitment into them.

Put yourself fully into every moment, whatever you may be doing.

For each moment comes with its own unique opportunities.

Success depends just as much on the quality of your efforts as it does on the quantity and nature of those efforts.

When you consistently put quality and commitment into what you do, then whatever you do will create real, lasting value.

Every moment, then, is a chance to move forward.

Every effort, no matter how mundane or tedious it may first appear, can be a crucial step on the path to greatness.

Put your best into every effort.

And then do you know that all those efforts, the big ones and the small ones, will lift your life ever higher?

Go find your gold

I find this story pretty meaningful.It was e-mailed to me recently by a friend:

It was a long walk but someone had to do it.

And today it was Carl’s turn to carry the water from the river, through the fields and across the valley, back to the camp.

He set out early before sunrise so that he could do his work before the heat of the day became too much.

Very soon he was standing by the side of the river. He knelt down and cupped the flowing water into his hands.
It felt great. So refreshing, cool and alive as it flowed through his outstretched hands.

He drank some of the revitalizing waters before filling the two large urns with this clear, fresh water.

Holding one urn to his chest with each hand, Carl started the long walk back to the distant camp.

Even though the sun was now rising he could still not even make out the outline of the tents.

They were there somewhere on the other side of these fields, and across the wooded valley.

He walked on, taking care to stay clear of the high grass that tried to brush against him as he made his way along the path through the field.

He also took care to keep his balance as he walked along the dirt track otherwise he would spill water all along his route.

Carl walked quickly and before long, even before he noticed, he was on the outskirts of the camp.

The sun was a golden orange as he stopped to rest.

He put the urns down on the ground and at that moment ,Baba the old wise man of the village, walked out to greet him.

Baba had a smile on his old face as he looked down at the dew drenched trousers worn by Carl.

He giggled as he waved his walking stick in the air and explained to the confused Carl why he was laughing so hard.

Here is what he said:
“When you focus on what you want to avoid those little monsters grow even bigger, and faster than you expect. Instead put your attention only on what you want and where you want to go.

Today as you walked through the field you wanted to avoid getting wet and hot.

Nor did you want to lose any water from those two full urns.

But you got soaked by the wet grass and you slipped from time to time on the damp track and lost a little water each time.

And all the worry made you sweat.

If instead you had paid attention to what you wanted - to be cool and dry as you carried the urns you might have noticed the other pathway through the field.

The one in the shadow of the forest.

You can walk along that trail of perfectly level golden stones at anytime of the day without being bothered by the heat of the sun.

One step and one golden stone at a time would have brought you home very dry indeed with two urns full to the brim.”

And so it is for us all.

Know what you want and you just might get it,otherwise you are doomed to get what you worry about - that one which you do not want.

The best communicators and the most persuasive presenters know exactly what they want to say and how they want to impact their audience.

If they want you to laugh they tell a good joke, if they want you to listen up they might speak more softly or even pause and use silence to capture your attention.

And if they want to feel relaxed and confident for a big event they prepare diligently in advance of the big day.

Be highly specific about your intentions and you will find the steps to take you where you want to go.

Your steps to success are out there - won't you just go and find your gold?

Face life instead of fearing life

Fear is often much more destructive than that which is feared.

Anxiety can often be far more harmful than those things about which you are anxious.

Avoiding effort can be more difficult and time-consuming than the effort itself.

Worrying about a negative situation is usually more prolonged and painful than experiencing the situation itself.

Life is best when you face it directly.

Your efforts are far more effective when they don't have to push through layers of denial, avoidance and anxiety.

When something must be said, stand up and say it.

When something needs to be done, get busy and do it.

It can be tempting to put tasks off until later, or to think that problems will just go away, or to hope that some magical occurrence will fulfill your desires.

Yet the truth is that the real fulfillment in life comes from putting all of yourself into the living of it.

So go ahead and face that fear, make that effort, move forward into new territory and fully live the grand possibilities with which you're blessed.

Boldly face life, and you will find it to be better than you ever imagined.

Won't you just try to do that?

It is in the small details

The small challenges give you the opportunity to build strength.

The big challenges give you the opportunity to make valuable use of that strength.

Small, simple efforts, repeated over and over again, give you the ability to undertake the bigger, more complicated efforts.

Making the most of every moment puts you in a position to achieve the very best with each day.

By paying attention to the details, you will discover and develop ways in which to positively and successfully influence the big picture.

By making sure that the mundane and tedious tasks are taken care of, you open the door to exciting, impressive and spectacular results.

Big achievements are always composed of many, many smaller achievements.

That is what makes real, substantial success available to anyone.

For anyone can begin the process by taking a modest positive step forward.

Take enough of those steps, and you can go anywhere you desire to go.

In every moment,in every situation, there is some small detail you can attend to,some small challenge that you can embrace.

Make a habit of always giving whatever you can, and you'll reach the point where you can achieve whatever you wish.

Have you taken care of the small details in your life?

Have you washed and cleaned your windows lately?

Someone shared this story with me recently:

A businessman was highly critical of his competitors' storefront windows.

"Why, they are the dirtiest windows in town," he claimed.

Fellow business people grew tired of the man's continual criticism and nitpicking comments about the windows.

One day over coffee, the businessman carried the subject just too far.

Before leaving, a fellow store owner suggested the man get his own windows washed.

He followed the advice, and the next day at coffee, he exclaimed, "I can't believe it. As soon as I washed my windows, my competitor must have cleaned his too. You should see them shine."
Confucius once declared, "Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean."

Have you washed and cleaned your windows lately?

What will you do?

When you can't see how you will get it all done, the thing to do is to do what you can.

Even when it's difficult to imagine getting the job finished, the thing to do is to take the first step.

Creating something of value takes time and effort,the thing to do is to make that effort.

Getting beyond the difficult challenges will require persistence and diligence ,the thing to do is to keep going.

When you're not sure where to start, the thing to do is to find some action that will move you forward.

Even if you start slowly, it is much better than falling further behind.

When you don't know how you'll continue, the thing to do is to focus on the next effort.

The more diligently you work on it, the more good and valuable options you'll
see opening up to you.

Whatever may come your way, the thing to do is to make the most of all that you have to work with.

And every moment will move you closer to where you have chosen to go.

Do you now know what is thing to do to get on with your life?

Make today your best day

Today is now here. And with it has come the opportunity for you to move in the direction you choose.

If you have been knocked off your feet, today is the day to get back up and get going again.

If you have made choices that led to disappointing results, today is the day you can change your direction.

If you have been holding a treasured dream in your heart, you can begin today to make that dream happen.

If something has been holding you back, today is your chance to start moving beyond it.

All that you've done and all that you are, has now arrived at today.

In this day there are opportunities that have been building for a lifetime.

You've learned what works and what does not, experienced pain, joy, sadness and fulfillment.

Today you know, better than ever before, just which way to go.

So breathe deeply, feel the fresh air of real meaning and true purpose as it fills your spirit.

Won't you make today the best day yet?

Your own beautiful world

You live in a beautiful world. The more you appreciate and enjoy that beauty, the more beautiful it becomes.

Beauty is impossible to define and, at the same time, impossible to ignore.

You know what it is without having to learn.

Beauty is much more than mere physical appearance.

In fact, magnificent beauty can often be found in what appears to be plain and ordinary, when you explore it deeply enough.

Beauty can awe, inspire and astonish.

Beauty can energize your spirit in ways that nothing else can.

One of the nicest things you can do for yourself is to give yourself the time and space to simply take in the beauty that is around you.

Beauty asks nothing more than to be treasured, and when you let yourself experience it, beauty has much to give.

There is beauty stretching out in all directions.

Dive deeply into it, and it will make you more.

Won't you simply take time to enjoy your each day of your life, and take time to reflect in the beauty of your life and the country in which you live?

Making a difference

You'll rarely be able to make things perfect.

Yet you can always make things better.

You'll never be able to improve the past.

Yet you can always improve right now.

Get in the habit of adding value to each moment.

And those moments you enhance will soon add value to all that is around you.

Get in the habit of being a positive influence on the people you encounter.

And bit by bit, your world will become a more beautiful, loving place.

The difference you make will make a difference for you and all that surrounds you.

The love you give adds over and over again to the love with which your life is filled.

Use your time, your energy, your resources and creativity to produce a real and positive
difference in life.

It is the best investment you can make.

Can you make that difference?

Apparent failure to great success

The 3M Company encourages creativity from its employees. The company allows its researchers to spend 15 percent of their time on any project that interests them.

This attitude has brought fantastic benefits not only to the employees but to the 3M Company itself. Many times, a spark of an idea turned into a successful product has boosted 3M's profits tremendously.

Some years ago, a scientist in 3M's commercial office took advantage of this 15 percent creative time.

This scientist, Art Fry, came up with an idea for one of 3M's best-selling products.

It seems that Art Fry dealt with a small irritation every Sunday as he sang in the church choir.

After marking his pages in the hymnal with small bits of paper, the small pieces would invariably fall out all over the floor.

Suddenly, an idea struck Fry.

He remembered an adhesive developed by a colleague that everyone thought was a failure because it did not stick very well.

"I coated the adhesive on a paper sample," Fry recalls, "and I found that it was not only a good bookmark, but it was great for writing notes. It will stay in place as long as you want it to, and then you can remove it without damage."

Yes, Art Fry hit the jackpot.

The resulting product was called Post-it! and has become one of 3M's most successful office products.

Doesn't it amaze you that sometimes a apparent failure may end up as a great success?