George Bernard Shaw said, "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them."
Well, it's pretty apparent, isn't it? And every person who discovered this believed (for a while) that he was the first one to work it out. We become what we think about.
Now, it stands to reason that a person who is thinking about a concrete and worthwhile goal is going to reach it, because that's what he's thinking about. And we become what we think about.
Conversely, the person who has no goal, who doesn't know where he's going, and whose thoughts must therefore be thoughts of confusion, anxiety, fear and worry—his life becomes one of frustration, fear, anxiety and worry. And if he thinks about nothing...he becomes nothing.
How does it work? Why do we become what we think about? Well, I'll tell you how it works, as far as we know. To do this, I want to tell you about a situation that parallels the human mind.
Suppose a farmer has some land, and it's good, fertile land. The land gives the farmer a choice; he may plant in that land whatever he chooses. The land doesn't care. It's up to the farmer to make a decision.
We're comparing the human mind with the land because the mind, like the land, doesn't care what you plant in it. It will return what you plant, but it doesn't care what you plant.
Now, let's say that the farmer has two seeds in his hand—one is a seed of corn, the other is nightshade, a deadly poison. He digs two little holes in the earth and he plants both seeds—one corn, the other nightshade. He covers up the holes, waters and takes care of the land...and what will happen? Invariably, the land will return what was planted. As it's written in the Bible,
"As ye sow, so shall ye reap."
Remember, the land doesn't care. It will return poison in just as wonderful abundance as it will corn. So up come the plants—one corn, one poison. The human mind is far more fertile, far more incredible and mysterious than the land, but it works the same way. It doesn't care what we plant...success...or failure. A concrete, worthwhile goal...or confusion, misunderstanding, fear, anxiety, and so on. But what we plant it must return to us.
You see, the human mind is the last great, unexplored continent on earth. It contains riches beyond our wildest dreams. It will return anything we want to plant.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Listen to Your Inner Voice
Are you fulfilling your life's passion?
Do you have the confidence to trust your own inner voice?
"The best career advice to give to the young is to find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it."
-Katherine Whitehorn
In the first grade, our tall, red-headed teacher, Cleo Reagan, asked us...
"How many artists are in this class?"
We all raised our hands.
Four years later, our short, diminutive art instructor, Wanda Helvey, asked the same question and only one-third of the same class responded by raising their hands.
By the seventh grade, we were down to one-sixth of the class and finally by our senior year, only two out of the original 25 raised their hands. What happened across twelve years? Had we been sucker punched with self-doubt about our artistic capabilities?
At the start of our schooling, our parents gave frequent positive feedback about our artwork as they proudly displayed our renderings on the refrigerator. Somewhere along the path of our elementary education, some person or teacher pointed out a mistake and we started focusing on those comments. The presumed mistakes manifested themselves into, "I can't draw. I'm not an artist." We internalized the criticism and forever gave up on some of the best talent that 2-to 5-year-old children had developed. The majority of artists started listening to other voices and putting more credence in the opinion of their peers versus their own inner voice of confidence. Who has the right to feed you such negativity?
The mistake made is in listening to other people. On top of that, the grading process of the arts is questionable. Grading systems point out flaws. Isn't the whole idea of school to learn, grow and become contributing citizens?
Life Lesson...
Above all else:
Listen to your inner voice and have confidence that you can chase your own passion.
Foster an intimacy with your own skills and confidently build from your first level of success.
Do you have the confidence to trust your own inner voice?
"The best career advice to give to the young is to find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it."
-Katherine Whitehorn
In the first grade, our tall, red-headed teacher, Cleo Reagan, asked us...
"How many artists are in this class?"
We all raised our hands.
Four years later, our short, diminutive art instructor, Wanda Helvey, asked the same question and only one-third of the same class responded by raising their hands.
By the seventh grade, we were down to one-sixth of the class and finally by our senior year, only two out of the original 25 raised their hands. What happened across twelve years? Had we been sucker punched with self-doubt about our artistic capabilities?
At the start of our schooling, our parents gave frequent positive feedback about our artwork as they proudly displayed our renderings on the refrigerator. Somewhere along the path of our elementary education, some person or teacher pointed out a mistake and we started focusing on those comments. The presumed mistakes manifested themselves into, "I can't draw. I'm not an artist." We internalized the criticism and forever gave up on some of the best talent that 2-to 5-year-old children had developed. The majority of artists started listening to other voices and putting more credence in the opinion of their peers versus their own inner voice of confidence. Who has the right to feed you such negativity?
The mistake made is in listening to other people. On top of that, the grading process of the arts is questionable. Grading systems point out flaws. Isn't the whole idea of school to learn, grow and become contributing citizens?
Life Lesson...
Above all else:
Listen to your inner voice and have confidence that you can chase your own passion.
Foster an intimacy with your own skills and confidently build from your first level of success.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
An excerpt from An Enemy Called Average by John Mason
All successful people are faithful in the small things. There is power in taking small steps.
Many people are not moving forward today simply because they were not willing to take the small step placed before them. If you have a dream to go into any particular area, you should leap at the opportunity - no matter how small - to move in the direction of your dream. For example: if you dream of being a college basketball coach and are sitting at home waiting for an invitation from Roy Williams at North Carolina University, you should know that call will never come. You need to find an opportunity to coach somewhere, anywhere. Find a young person, a young team. Jump in and coach with all of your heart, like you would if you were coaching at the highest level.
Don't be afraid to take small steps. There's something powerful about momentum...no matter how small. Many times the impossible is simply the untried.
I can remember a time in my life when I was immobilized with fear, consumed with what I was supposed to do. It seemed so huge a task; I was unable to bring myself to face it. A friend came to me and spoke two words that broke that paralysis in my life. He said, "Do something!" I'll never forget that day...taking some small, seemingly insignificant steps. Momentum began to come into my life.
If you are at a point of paralysis in your life because of what you feel you're supposed to do, the words today are, "Do something!" Don't worry about the long-term goal right now; just take the steps that take you past the starting point. Soon you'll get to a point of no return. As you climb higher, you'll be able to see much farther.
As you begin, don't be afraid. Eric Hoffer said, "Fear of becoming a 'has-been' keeps some people from becoming anything." Every great idea is impossible from where you are starting today. But little goals add up, and they add up rapidly. Most people don't succeed because they are too afraid to even try. As incredible as it sounds, they decide in advance they're going to fail.
Many times the final goal seems so unreachable we don't even make an effort. But once you've made your decision and have started, it's like you're halfway there. Start—no matter what your circumstances. Take that first step!
It's simple. Grow wherever you're planted.
Many people are not moving forward today simply because they were not willing to take the small step placed before them. If you have a dream to go into any particular area, you should leap at the opportunity - no matter how small - to move in the direction of your dream. For example: if you dream of being a college basketball coach and are sitting at home waiting for an invitation from Roy Williams at North Carolina University, you should know that call will never come. You need to find an opportunity to coach somewhere, anywhere. Find a young person, a young team. Jump in and coach with all of your heart, like you would if you were coaching at the highest level.
Don't be afraid to take small steps. There's something powerful about momentum...no matter how small. Many times the impossible is simply the untried.
I can remember a time in my life when I was immobilized with fear, consumed with what I was supposed to do. It seemed so huge a task; I was unable to bring myself to face it. A friend came to me and spoke two words that broke that paralysis in my life. He said, "Do something!" I'll never forget that day...taking some small, seemingly insignificant steps. Momentum began to come into my life.
If you are at a point of paralysis in your life because of what you feel you're supposed to do, the words today are, "Do something!" Don't worry about the long-term goal right now; just take the steps that take you past the starting point. Soon you'll get to a point of no return. As you climb higher, you'll be able to see much farther.
As you begin, don't be afraid. Eric Hoffer said, "Fear of becoming a 'has-been' keeps some people from becoming anything." Every great idea is impossible from where you are starting today. But little goals add up, and they add up rapidly. Most people don't succeed because they are too afraid to even try. As incredible as it sounds, they decide in advance they're going to fail.
Many times the final goal seems so unreachable we don't even make an effort. But once you've made your decision and have started, it's like you're halfway there. Start—no matter what your circumstances. Take that first step!
It's simple. Grow wherever you're planted.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
It is Up to You by Jim Rohn
One of the first things successful people realize is the old adage, "if it is to be, it is up to me." That is, for you, the fact that your success and your course is up to you. This doesn't mean that you do it all alone. It simply means that you take responsibility for your life and your career. Too many people today look at opportunity and figure it is up to someone else to make sure they get it. They look at financial security and hope that the government will make sure they live safely in retirement or in case of disability. They wait and wait, figuring that it is up to someone else. And then the wait is over, and it is too late to do anything. Their life is over and they are filled with regret. This isn't true for you however. You know that you must take responsibility for your life. It is up to you. The fact is that nobody else is going to do it for you “you must do it yourself. Now, some people may say, "Jim, that's a lot of responsibility." Friends, that is the best news you can ever hear. You get to choose your life. Hundreds of millions of people all around this world would give anything to live in the situation you do “just for the chance to have the opportunity to take control of their destiny. "It is up to you" is a great blessing!
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Saturday, December 10, 2011
Time
If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,400—with no balance carried from day to day—what would you do? Well, you do have such a bank...time.
Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off as "lost" whatever you have failed to use toward good purposes. It carries over no balances and allows no overdrafts. You can't hoard it, save it, store it, loan it or invest it. You can only use it—time.
Here are six terrific truths about time:
First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.
Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.
Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.
Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time...pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.
Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.
Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.
So, how are you going to use your time today? How about trading your time for EQUITY, build your network, then let the EQUITY, your network work to create all the income you need to achieve your dreams?
Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off as "lost" whatever you have failed to use toward good purposes. It carries over no balances and allows no overdrafts. You can't hoard it, save it, store it, loan it or invest it. You can only use it—time.
Here are six terrific truths about time:
First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.
Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.
Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.
Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time...pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.
Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.
Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.
So, how are you going to use your time today? How about trading your time for EQUITY, build your network, then let the EQUITY, your network work to create all the income you need to achieve your dreams?
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
People Do What People See
When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant . . . thought he could kill David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. 2 Samuel 21:15-17
According to Albert Schweitzer, "Example is not the main thing in influencing others . . . it is the only thing." Part of creating an appealing climate is modeling leadership. People emulate what they see modeled. Positive model, positive response. Negative model, negative response. What leaders do, the potential leaders around them do. What they value, their people value. Leaders set the tone. Leaders cannot demand of others what they do not demand of themselves.
As you and I as leaders grow and improve, so will those we lead. We need to remember that when people follow behind us, they can only go as far as we go. If our growth stops today, our ability to lead will stop along with it. Neither personality nor methodology can substitute for personal growth. We cannot model what we do not possess. Begin learning and growing today, and watch those around you begin to grow. From John Maxwell ~ Developing the Leaders Around You
Monday, December 5, 2011
Change/Choice/Decision
One of the best places to start to turn your life around is by doing whatever appears on your mental "I should" list.
Indecision is the thief of opportunity.
Every life form seems to strive to its maximum except human beings. How tall will a tree grow? As tall as it possibly can. Human beings, on the other hand, have been given the dignity of choice. You can choose to be all or you can choose to be less. Why not stretch up to the full measure of the challenge and see what all you can do?
You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.
Decision making can sometimes seem like inner civil war.
I used to say, "I sure hope things will change." Then I learned that the only way things are going to change for me is when I change.
Don't say, "If I could, I would." Say, "If I can, I will."
It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off sometimes. What matters most is getting off! You cannot make progress without making decisions.
We generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation.
If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree.
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