Messages

46

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / The World Is Our Classroom

« on: December 14, 2014, 11:10:12 AM »

I've learned that most of the things I worry about never happen. -age 64
I've learned that every great achievement was once considered impossible. -age 47
I've learned that you can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. -age 7
I've learned that if there were no problems there would be no opportunities. -age 19
I've learned that it doesn't cost anything to be nice. -age 66
I've learned that the important thing is not what others think of me but what I think of me. -age 38

There Is A Lot to Learn In This World
End each thing we learn does not have to be a magnificent revelation but only something that sticks with you over time. Here are just a few things you may have learned over time:
- Most things in life that one worries about never happen.
- Great achievements are not always accomplished by the most educated but the most determined.
- Problems are the greatest reflection of possibilities to be and that failures are the best teachers in the world.
- To be nice, to be kind, to be considerate doesn't cost you a penny and what you give is worth more than money can buy.
- You can't have what you can't see, and you can't see what you can't dream about.

If we kept a journal and each year on our birthday we wrote the most significant thing that occurred in our life, and what we learned from this, then we would have a legacy to pass on to our children. Think of your last five years, what one thing did you learn that you would share with someone that you love.

What I Have Learned
2007 - I've learned that life is precious and we never know if tomorrow will come. It is critical that we live each day to the fullest.
2006 - I've learned that sometimes you need to ask for help, that you can't do it all.
2005 - I've learned that sometimes no matter how much you help someone, if they don't want tochange or learn, you can't change them, you can only change yourself.
2004 - I've learned to appreciate the changing of the seasons; sometimes we get so busy in life that we don't appreciate the simple things in life.
2003 - I've learned that dreams can come true. If you stick to your goals, don't get discouraged, persevere and persist when faced with roadblocks.

What Have You Learned
What have you learned in the last five years that has changed your thinking, or influenced your life? By recording the wisdom in your life events you will actually have the beginnings of your story. There is a saying, "every life is a story, make yours a best seller."

47

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Don't Let Go Of

« on: December 14, 2014, 11:08:39 AM »

Don't let go of your dreams. If you have determination and belief in your dreams, you will succeed in spite of your desire to let go.

One Example
One notable person who demonstrated this attitude was Washington Roebling. He and his father had a dream of building a suspension bridge. Not long after starting construction, his father died. Washington carried on but was struck with the paralyzing caisson disease. It was impossible for him to go to the site. But possessed with a dream, a strong desire, and with the help of his wife, Emily, he was able to complete the Brooklyn Bridge.

This story has many themes in it: determination; your dreams; and choice.

Here was a man who suffered the death of his father and became paralyzed, yet, because he was determined he did not give up on his dreams!

A Choice
In every situation we have a choice. We can either choose the negative or we can choose the positive --- the choice is ours. In Washington's situation he could have felt sorry for himself and gave up on his project. He chose, however, to continue with the help of others.

In situations you are confronted with which do you choose. . . the positive or the negative?

More Wisdom

"Set out each day believing in your dreams. Know without a doubt that you were made for amazing things."
Josh Hinds

"If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember this whole thing was started by a mouse."
Walt Disney

"Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."
Napoleon Hill

48

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / The Smoothest Way Is Full of Challenges

« on: December 14, 2014, 11:01:47 AM »

While the attitude that luck is the primary difference between success and failure would be a good excuse to easily accept the defeatist position in life, it is one that is untrue.

Many, many successful people met what appeared to be insurmountable challenges on their way to achieve success. People such as Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Thomas Jefferson, Yani, Thomas Jefferson, Walt Disney, the list goes on and on.

For Reflection
Reflect on the attitudes of these people while reading their quotes:

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." Thomas Jefferson

"Focused will is incredible. If you have a dream and you don't give up no matter what obstacles come up, then life's problems will fall away and you will get what you want. It happens. It works." Yanni
"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." Henry Ford

"Results! Why man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know of several thousand things that won't work." Thomas Edison

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

Common Factors
What each success story has in common is the obstacles faced and overcome by those who we now see as successful. Were they lucky? Hardly. What is often unknown, or conveniently forgotten, is how many failures these people endured before they reached their goal. The commonality among all these people is that they never gave up. For them, each new challenge was an opportunity to excel at life, to persevere in spite of at times seemingly overwhelming odds.

As Walt Disney once said,
"You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."

49

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Thoughts are Like a Garden

« on: December 14, 2014, 11:00:51 AM »

When life seems overwhelming, are you able to look ahead and see light at the end of the tunnel?

Your Focus
Sometimes, life's challenges are tough to deal with. You will succeed if you focus your thoughts on how to overcome the challenge.

Remove All Weeds
Negative thoughts are like weeds in a garden. Once a weed is allowed to flourish, the garden is quickly overtaken. But, if you weed the garden before the weeds spread, you will end up with a beautiful and bountiful garden.

And. like gardens, you must work at removing weeds every day just like you must work everyday to keep motivated. Tending to life’s garden is not easy. There are always excuses that can be used to put off what should be done. And, just like a garden needs nourishment and watering so does one’s spirit. It needs to be nurtured daily and one way to help to do this is by reading inspirational words of wisdom.

And, another is to reduce the number of negative influences in your life – these are the people who do not support your growth, or who relish in seeing only the negatives or possible problems you will encounter along the way.

You Control It
Do not allow anyone else to tend to your garden - it is up to you and you alone to ensure that it grows and is always at the forefront of your thoughts. Make your garden a beautiful one and one that is envied by all those other garden owners who just sit around and hope someone else will come along to tend to their needs.

You are the only one who can control the way you think. Make sure you nourish the positive thoughts, and weed out the negative ones!

More Wisdom
Find more wisdom in these Positive Thinking Quotes:

The World is what we think it is. If we can change our thoughts, we can change the world.
H.M. Tomlinson

There is a basic law that like attracts like. Negative thinking definitely attracts negative results. Conversely, if a person habitually thinks optimistically and hopefully, his positive thinks sets in motion creative forces, and success instead of eluding him flows toward him.
Norman Vincent Peale

The mind is like a river; upon its waters thoughts float through in a constant procession every conscious moment. You stand on a bridge over it and can stop and turn back any thought that comes along. The art of contentment is to let no thought pass that is going to disturb you.
Dr. Frank Crane

50

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / What Would You Change

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:59:59 AM »

When talking with people about their life, or their job, or their current situation I always ask: "What one thing would you change about your life?"

People always have an answer for what would make their life better. Before you read further,
think about what one thing you could change in your life. The one thing that would make your life better.

Okay, hold your thought.

My next question to you is: "What are you doing to make that change come true?"

So often people answer the first question with no problem. Everyone can think of the one thing that would make life better for them. But people are not so quick to answer the second question:
"What are you doing to make that change come true."

Sadly, most people take no action to change their current situation. I often use the saying: "May All Your Dreams Turn Into Goals"

Take your dream, start taking action, and before you know it your dream will be a reality. It really works!

I can speak from personal experience. I have had many dreams, which I turned into goals and now they are my reality. When I first started setting goals I never imagined that they would have such an impact on my life. It's awesome to have a dream, and then to see that dream come true.

The dreams I only thought about, the ones I took no action on, well they are still dreams.
But the ones that I took action on, they are now a reality. I have accomplished things in my life that I never realized I had the potential to achieve.

YOU also have the potential!

51

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Don't Wait For Desperate Times

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:59:20 AM »

To use the wisdom of John F. Kennedy,
"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

What Motivates You
What motivates you to change, to take action? Does taking action during the good times happen in your life or, do you only take action when you are forced to?

A Sad Example
Those who wait to take action until they find themselves in a desperate situation face more difficulties than they need to. They are also then under the stress of the challenge they are facing.

One of the saddest examples is an employed person who has the opportunity to take course to improve his skills, but instead, does nothing until he finds he no longer has a job.

Set Your Goals
Those who set their goals, work towards what they currently once only dreamed of achieving find success due to their hard work. They don't sit back and wait for others to create the future they want. They create the future by what they are doing today.

Keep improving your skills, and education, and you will greatly improve your odds of success.

Study Successful People
Read the biographies of successful people and you will find they looked at life as a continuous learning experience, they would learn how to do things, they would ask for help. They didn't sit back and wait for others to do it for them. They took the initiative and did it themselves or found people who could help them.

Some people think success is because others are lucky. To use the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson who once said, "I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it."

Luck Is Not The Reason
Luck does not happen for any reason. The majority of times you will find hard work and action behind those that you think are lucky.

One Step At A Time
Take action now, only if only baby steps. As the famous proverb says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." Take that one step, then another. Don't wait for desperate times!

52

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Do A Little

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:58:32 AM »

Sometimes we do nothing because we can only do a little. Let this inspirational thought change your thinking about doing a little. We hope you find words of wisdom in this message and the next time you can only do a little that you do that small part.   

                                                                                                                                                                        
If everyone would only do just a little, imagine what a difference it would make in the world.

Take recycling, for example. It is successful because a lot of people are each doing a little. If we all took the position that what we could do would be too little, we wouldn't be experiencing the progress we are today.

Similarly, when you first begin a project, you may only have enough time to do a little. Over time, however, what may first appear to be small efforts will multiply and end up being significant!

If inventors and scientists just gave up because they didn't have enough time, or didn't have all the answers, imagine all the conveniences, or advances in medicine, we would not have today!

Keep in mind the wisdom of Edmund Burke the next time you think you can only do a little:


"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little."


And, remember the wisdom said by David DeNotaris:


"I ask people if an elephant has ever bitten them. Most of the time people say no. But everyone has been bitten by a mosquito. It's the little things that get us."


There have been many times in my life when I only had a little time to work on my goals. Writing my first book was one of those times. I worked full time, I had two children, there were not enough hours in a day. But each morning I would get up an hour before the children and work for one hour on my book. For those of you who have written a book you know that one-hour to work is not a lot of time. But doing this every day, week after week, I saw the book taking shape. If I had said I only have time to do a little therefore I won't do it, my book would not be published today.

Here is another example that will serve to demonstrate what I mean by a little time used well is a sure way forward. A friend of mine had only graduated high school but soon realized that he was severely lacking in educational qualifications for any desirable position. He had been working since he graduated in the construction industry but was totally dissatisfied with his potential future prospects. He realized that he no longer wanted to spend the rest of his life in construction that was not only physically demanding but also paid poorly.

He also had married at an early age and already had one child so he knew it was going to be a real challenge to acquire additional education not only in terms of cost but also in terms of available time. The motivating factor though was his intense desire to change his future not only for himself but also for the sake of his family.

The road to achieving a higher level of education, in this case as an architect, was long, hard, and filled with hurdles. Not only did he have to start part-time but also he had to continue for over seven years to acquire what he ultimately wanted. How did he do it? One step at a time using almost every spare moment he had to complete his course assignments and still maintaining a full-time job. This meant that he went to work each day, came home and spent an hour with his wife and child and then hit the books until it was time to go to bed. This also meant that there were no vacations, no weekend trips, or fancy evenings out. Every spare dime that was left over from paying bills and providing for his family went into a savings account to pay for the next course and all the books he needed per course

Personal action is your pathway to success, even if it is a little bit at a time!                                                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                                                    

53

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Is Your Career RIPE

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:57:27 AM »

"The fellow who doesn't need a boss is often selected to be one."

Do you need someone to tell you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it? Or, are you the type of person who takes the initiative? Is your attitude solution oriented even when issues are not ones that you created. The people who reap the rewards are those who go beyond their assigned duties.

Not Sure Why
Many people don't understand why they are by-passed for promotions. Some people think promotions should be given by seniority only. If they stopped and objectively looked at the differences between themselves and the person who got the promotion, they would see why they did not receive the promotion.

Some people mentally quit their job years ago, but their body still goes to work every day. These types of people are quite willing to let others do their work for them. They are not solution oriented, their attitude is one that the company owes them. However, in the end, they are the ones who usually suffer.

Here Are Key Ingredients
As you work towards a successful career, remember "RIPE":

R eliable - be reliable in many ways - just showing up for work everyday is not what I am referring to, be reliable in offering to do more, to present solutions, to help others
I nitiative - take the initiative, do more and learn more than is expected , share your learning's, make suggestions for improvement, do not wait for someone to tell you what to do, just do it
P ositive - have a positive attitude , this makes all the difference. You can teach anyone new technical skills but you cannot teach attitude, this is completely within your control, you decide the type of attitude you dlemonstrate
E nthusiasm - your enthusiasm will rub off on others! Be the person who others come to for solutions, don't let others get you down.
These personal attributes can readily assist you in a successful career.

What Role Does Luck Play?
Now, you also be thinking that luck has played a role in someone getting promoted over you. If you do, that luck you may refer to is luck that was created and initiated by the person all their own. This is not luck that saw them be in the right place when a job came open either; instead, this is a person who prepared to be promoted by doing whatever it took to advance their own expertise even if that meant that they would attend part-time courses or seminars and by paying for these without any assistance by their company.

It is not a matter that one cannot be better at work and position themselves to get ahead. It is more a matter that most people, from my experience, expect that simply by showing up for work that they can get promoted, or even, worse, that they deserve it despite the fact they are willing to do no more than what is expected.

A Perfect Example
There was a young man who used to work for me who decided that his chosen profession was not working in my industry but as an actor. This was his passion and his goal. He worked for me for only a short time and all the while was preparing for a whole new adventure. And an adventure that he was more than willing to do whatever he had to in order to make it his reality. He left my area, and I never heard too much about him until one day I was watching a new TV series and there he was in a lead role. The series went on for several years and just recently aired their last show.

The Messages Are Clear
Two key messages - The first being that you do not have a passion for what it is you currently do, find one that really excites you and go full steam ahead and do everything possible to get there. The second message is that you need to prepare for what it is you want to do even if this means that you need to do something else in the meantime to pay your bills.

54

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Perseverance is the Ability

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:56:07 AM »

   
   
      "Perseverance allows you to get back on track when you hit a detour."


Many people search for the one secret that will propel them forward. Some look for these secrets within countless articles, or speak to people who have made it big in a chosen field. What people are looking for is the one secret that they can duplicate so that, in some cases, they can avoid the work. Others will continuously search for this vital secret so that they can make it to the end of the rainbow, to have what they've always wanted, or to create a life where they have more control rather than letting others guide them down an unrewarding path. So, what can be learned by researching; what secret is there that will assist you in capturing your desires and making them real?

For those who actually researched leaders, the inventors, the financially successful, there is one secret found within them all. Don't be disappointed. The secret is perseverance. Perseverance is the ability to keep going in the face of continuous challenges. It is the ability to disregard distractions and to stay focused. For every success, there are tons of failures.

To those who know the secret, these failures served to help them identify ways that failed knowing full well that they would find the right way to succeed. Knowing the secret kept these people excited because it is with this secret engrained within their souls that they could defeat all those who gave up when met with obstacles, all those who use failure as a rationale to quit, and all those who think that success comes before work.

So, what does failure have to do with attaining success? It teaches you that you may have to take detours to get to your end goal. But, as long as you persevere and realize that the detour is simply another alternative path in the direction of your goal, you will continue to move forward. Those who see a detour as a reason to quit, lack perseverance. You will always face challenges as you work towards your goals. To think there will be no obstacles is to think that a long lost millionaire relative will leave you a fortune. It takes effort and belief to persevere and stay dedicated to accomplish your goal. When you find yourself doubting whether the effort is worth it, visualize how you will feel and what you will have once your goal is completed. Perseverance means that you will not be satisfied until you attain what you want. It means that no matter how many people tell you you're foolish to even try, your inner strength will readily discount their negative speak.

Within each person there is a spark; a spark that only you can ignite. Your spark will allow you to see a future that is more rewarding, which leads you to setting a goal, which leads you to take action where perseverance is your secret weapon. Now that you know the secret, what will your life be like in the future?      
                  

55

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Three Kinds of Trouble

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:54:30 AM »

How do you handle trouble. Here is a positive thought for you to reflect on regarding trouble. May the wisdom in the message help you cope when you face trouble.


One of our all time favorite quotes on trouble is by Edward Everett Hale:

"Never bear more than
one trouble at a time.
Some people bear three kinds -
all they have had,
all they have now,
and all they expect to have."


Our thoughts on these wise words said by Mr. Hale are:

Think of your past troubles as lessons to help you with the challenges you face now. Past troubles are those that have bothered you, those that required many actions but those actions did not resolve them, and those troubles that are beyond your control to do anything about. For example, you may have an annoying colleague at work that does nothing except continuously interrupts your work by talking about anything and everything and not a thing to do with work. You have tried several times to talk with him or her about their behavior and your requests for no interruptions works for a few hours but continues to persist thereafter. In essence, you cannot even appeal to your supervisor because the same thing just continues to happen despite the supervisor’ occasional intervention. These are troubles that are in the past where actions have not resolved a thing.

Eliminate today's troubles and problems by finding solutions, and then concentrate your energy on implementing those solutions. Now, the troubles of today are in a different category altogether. These current issues are ones, by definition, that you must deal with in the present. However, let us define these issues a little more clearly by breaking these issues down into those that are within your control and those that are not. This means simply that those over which you can do absolutely nothing about must be discarded from the list because no amount of thinking will change the situation at all, and to keep spending time thinking about them is to waste your precious time.

On the other hand, though, the troubles that you can influence or those over which you can control by taking focused and dedicated action are those to which your energies should be directed.

As for the troubles of tomorrow, either completely forget them, or take whatever action is necessary to avoid them or minimize them. Without fail, I have spoken to a great percentage of people who focus more of their energy of what tomorrow might bring than focus their thoughts and energy on what can be done right now to help eliminate future concerns. For example, one of the greatest concerns for those labeled as baby boomers is future financial issues. Part of these issues related directly to whether they will have enough money to retire fully, or will they have to continue working to make ends meet. This particular future concern, however, is a concern that should be dealt with by devising a financial plan right now to eliminate the worry or concern. This may mean cutting back on discretionary spending right now, or selling a larger home and moving into a smaller home that is either totally paid off or has a much smaller mortgage payment.

If you want to avoid trouble in your life, I need to tell you right now that it is impossible. When we go through life no matter whom you are, trouble is there in many forms. You cannot hide from it nor can you closet yourself away.

Since trouble can be found around any corner, you must decide now how you will handle trouble. If you decide to just sit and complain, you will stay stuck in the same place; if you decide that you will turn trouble into a valued learning experience, and an experience that can help you through future difficulties, then you are on the right path.

Remember the song, "Don't worry, be happy"? It is good advice!

And when you are facing trouble, always remember the wisdom said by Oliver Wendell Holmes,

"Trouble creates a capacity to handle it."

56

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / The Link to Motivation

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:52:56 AM »

Is there a link between motivation and success? Mario Andretti, a successful Italian American racing driver, said, "Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal -- a commitment to excellence -- that will enable you to attain the success you seek." So, if you have desire do you then have motivation? Mr Andretti points out it is more than just desire, you also need determination and commitment to your goal to achieve success.

If you have the desire, determination, and commitment, you'll find a way to achieve your goal. Your commitment will determine your chances of success. It allows you to see the finish line because you believe that you will reach it. But, if your commitment is feeble, or your determination is unsteady, your chances for accomplishment are slim. You may find yourself using the excuse that it is impossible.


"Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything,
and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means.
It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible."
Francois La Rochefoucauld


With a powerful desire, with a strong determination, and with a commitment to yourself, you can find ways to achieve your goals, and overcome challenges. If you have one without the other, than your chances for success are diminished. When determining your goal and your motivation, ask yourself:
- Do you have a burning desire? Is this something you can't wait to do? You will want to do this in all your spare time you have, and you will enjoy doing it?
- Are you determined to succeed? Do you believe that you can do it?
- Are you ready to make a commitment? Will you not let other daily interuptions distract you?

If your answers to the above are all yes, then you are half-way to success. And, you do have all the links to motivation!


"You are what you think. You are what you go for. You are what you do!"
Bob Richards

57

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Enthusiasm a Key to Success

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:52:01 AM »

      
Inspirational Thoughts
Enthusiasm a Key to Success
By Catherine Pulsifer

If you approach any task without enthusiasm, the task will be laborious. You will find yourself watching the clock waiting for the day to be over.

But, with enthusiasm, any task becomes so much easier, you will find yourself wanting to finish the task not finish the day.

Enthusiasm is contagious. When you work with enthusiastic people, you can't help but be enthusiastic yourself. Enthusiasm spreads like wild fire. Think of people you have worked with. Usually, those who show enthusiasm are fun to work with. And, those who have little enthusiasm usually bring you down. This is true not just at work but also in your personal life.

There are a lot of attitudes among workers that can lead to a better workplace and these can be as simple as respect for others, laughter, understanding, and compromise. But, enthusiasm is one of the biggest factors when linked with all the others previously mentioned. As you might understand, enthusiasm by itself can only do so much but when enthusiasm is also coupled with respect for others, or the ability to compromise in the workplace, mountains can be moved.

Enthusiasm isn’t just about work either. Enthusiasm for everything you do will not only put you ahead in dealing with whatever comes your way, but you are also showing yourself to be a model of what constitutes a person of value, a person of merit, and a person to emulate.

The question for some people is how do I actually show enthusiasm, and how does this translate to model a behavior for others to follow?

To show enthusiasm means that you openly do what others may be reluctant to do. You take on any task with a positive attitude. For example, if you are faced with a problem, you do not start talking about the problem as if it is something that stops you dead in your tracks. Instead, you talk about the problem only as a beginning to find a solution. The problem is only seen as a starting point to move forward and not as a place to stay stuck and complain, or feel defeated.

The next action in resolving the issue is to engage everyone involved that the problem affects. This means that you ask for assistance in finding a solution where you sate clearly that no possible solution is judged or ignored. In other words, your enthusiasm to resolve the issue is the main focus of the conversation. Once you have everyone involved in finding a solution, the next step is to get everyone’s input into agreeing what one solution is the best. It is this demonstration of leading others forward that demonstrates your enthusiasm for the positive and not the negative. Remember this: enthusiasm for a positive solution is the hallmark of a positive person, whereas a person who only sees the problem is a sign of a pessimist.

I have a post-card on my desk taken from "Life's Little Instruction Book" that says: "Be the most enthusiastic and positive person you know!" When I am having a difficult day, I read that card, and it encourages me to change my outlook. To refocus my thinking to a more positive attitude.

Much has been written about enthusiasm, consider the wisdom of Samuel Smiles, "Enthusiasm...the sustaining power of all great action."
If you have enthusiasm you will find challenges you may be facing will be easier because of your attitude. You will find a solution.

And consider the wisdom of Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
Looking at successful people we can see these words are true. Look at great inventions or works of art for example, the really great ones had an person who was excited and enthused about their work.

And Vince Lombardi whose words may make you smile, but there is true wisdom in them, "If you are not fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm."
Those who come to work full of energy and enthusiasm are usually the ones who are kept on. And the reason for this is that they are the ones who will take the initiative, they willingly help out when needed, and they contribute more than others.

How enthusiastic are you?      
                  

58

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / 90/10 Secret

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:50:23 AM »

   
We have all heard about the 80/20 rule when it comes to work or business - 20% of what you do actually brings in 80% of the results. If you were to record everything that you did for a day and then looked at what actually brought results, you would find that this rule holds true - only 20% of what you did actually brings real results.

So what about the 90/10 rule? Does it mean only 10% of what we do is equal to 90% of results? In order for this rule to apply, you must have extra ordinary focus. Imagine if you only did 10% in a day, but that 10% is very focused. And if you did that for a few days every month, what the results could be? If you are self-employed, I am sure you are saying, no way, not possible. But if you stopped and looked at your business and identified the one thing that you need to do to bring the results you need, and you only did that for a couple of days, you would find that you would have amazing results.

You see, we all get caught up in non trivial things, such as phone calls, emails, checking this and that - but in reality if we were really focused we could achieve so much more. If our efforts stayed focused and before every task we ask ourselves how important is this, you would find you could eliminate a lot of tasks.

Another way to look at this is to identify your peak time. For some people, first thing in the morning is when they accomplish the most. For others, it is early afternoon, and for some it is just before they leave for the day.

So if we were to define success in the least amount of time, this is what we would do:
- Identify your peak time.
- Identify the one main thing in your job or your business that would have the highest impact

For one week, during your peak time, do that one main thing. Do this every day for five days and you will not have to even think about the 80/20 rule, or the 90/10 secret. You will find that your secret will be that you focus during your peak performance time of the day.

Read the wisdom of David DeNotaris, "I once heard someone say that success is not hocus pocus but focus focus." Focus is a core principle of success. You can be busy doing many things, but if these things are not focused on your end result then you truly are just doing hocus pocus.

59

Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Attitude Determines Everything

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:41:33 AM »

A thought that has messages for your attitude. Be encouraged by these words of wisdom and let them remind you to keep your attitude positive.

How we react, what we do or say, all depends on our attitude. It determines whether we'll be happy or sad. Attitude can help, or hinder us in all areas of our lives. And we have complete control over our own attitude. We are the ones we decide how we feel, how we look at things, how we react.

If your thoughts are constantly of doom and gloom, you will receive the same in return. You will view the world as cloudy and dismal.

Your thoughts and your perception of the world influences all that you do, and all that you are, and all that you can be. If you see the sunshine, feel the sunshine then you feel good. But if your focus is only on the clouds and the dark sky then you may find your self a bit gloomy.

For may years, I worked in a very large corporation and had the opportunity to actually work my way from the bottom of the organizational chart to near the very top. During these many years, I needed to be able to keep going even though I ran into several roadblocks. Some of these roadblocks were a direct result of my dissatisfaction with what job I was currently assigned to. In one particular case, I had to travel extensively away from home for days at a time. It wasn’t so much the aspect of travel that was the issue, or the fact that I could not do the job well, it was more that I hated being away from my family including my children. So, rather than giving in to a negative attitude about my work, I chose to ask for a reassignment despite the fact that I would be demoted. My attitude was not defeatist but one of being realistic.

Over the ensuing years, it was my positive attitude that allowed me to tackle and successfully complete and compete in many diverse assignments. On occasion, I was asked to train people as my supervisor who had less experience and knowledge. Again, I could have easily been sour or hurt to the point where I resisted doing anything helpful, or for that matter, being of any assistance whatsoever. But, not only is that counter-productive, it is also not my attitude. My attitude is to take the good with the bad and to do the best job possible despite the odds or the challenges. Instead, I not only helped train this new supervisor, I went out of my way to ensure that she was fully knowledgeable about every major issue that she would face. Bitterness is not positive to anyone especially to your own personal ethics and to your own inner spiritual health.

Changing your attitude is really changing the way you see things. To begin the change, you must start looking for the good in every situation, rather than the negative. The wisdom here is "looking for the good in every situation". And, yes sometimes you may have to look hard to see the good, but believe me it is there you just have to keep looking. And when you find it, then focus on it, keep it in the forefront of your thoughts.

So, you see the choice is yours. If we compare attitude to swimming, which are you doing?
Are you swimming - even against the currents and the waves you keep going, you see your destination and you are taking action to reach it.

Are you floating - just allowing the waves to carry you, you end up where ever the water takes you.

Are you drowning - you see the waves and the currents as difficulties you can not over come
Keeping a positive attitude will help your swim through life!

Remember the wisdom said by William James:
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being
can alter his life by altering his attitude."

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Common Forum/Request/Suggestions / Imagination or Knowledge

« on: December 14, 2014, 10:40:32 AM »

Watch A Child
As children, we have lots of imagination. Sit and watch a small child as they play, it is amazing to see them. I recently was watching my 2-year-old granddaughter. She had a tea set and she was pouring her tea and pretending to drink it. She played with that tea set for over an hour. She was feeding her doll and me. She imagined the tea and when she drank from her cup she actually looked like she was drinking. Two year olds have imagination that we need to capture.

But as we grow older, we come to believe knowledge is more important. And, yes, while knowledge is important we still need to use that creative side of our minds. If we take our knowledge and allow our imagination to see what is not then it is amazing what can be done or created.

Your Picture
Imagination allows you to see things in a non-traditional, non-restrictive manner. Your imagination is your picture of what tomorrow may bring.

What about the first person who imagined flying a plane? The only thing that occupied the skies in those days were the birds. It sounded absurd to think that someone could actually build a machine that would allow people to fly! Yet, Orville and Wilbur Wright's imagination saw that plane. To quote the words wisdom said by Orville Wright, "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance." Now today imagine not being able to fly in a plane. That sounds even more absurd. It would be hard to think about not having access to airplanes to get from one place to another.

A Great Example
Another example of imagination is Disneyland. Today millions of people enjoy the excitement and joy of this wonderful place. But when Walt Disney first talked about it people laughed and did not have the insight to see it. And he once said, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." Can you see what is and imagine what is not. Think about the words of Walt Disney, "I first saw the site for Disneyland back in 1953, In those days it was all flat land - no rivers, no mountains, no castles or rocket ships - just orange groves, and a few acres of walnut trees."

A Reality
Use all of your knowledge and resources to see things not as they are but as they could be - turn things imagined, into reality.
"Limitations live only in our minds.
But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless."
Jamie Paolinetti