2007 - A Positive Reflection

As we enter a new year there are always reviews of what has happened over the previous 12 months.

However, most of these reviews remember the negative events and the people who have died. Today, we will look at the other side of the story, the positive things that happened last year so that we can hopefully build on those successes this year.

2007 was a record year for charitable contributions with the USA alone donating over $300 billion to charitable causes. This includes an anonymous $100 million Christmas gift to be shared equally between 46 charities in Pennsylvania, USA.

On a health front, we are starting to control the battle against cancer as 2007 saw cancer death rates continue to fall and recovery rates increase.

On an environmental front, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Kenyan Green Belt Movement achieved its goal of planting 1 billion trees. This goal was one that it expected to achieve over many years, however, it achieved it in 2007 alone!

On the world-peace front, the atomic threat of North Korea has subsided as it has agreed to shut down its nuclear weapons facility and commit to peace. Similarly, in Darfur where there has been much turmoil fueled by scarce water and food, a large underground lake has been discovered by satellite imaging that will provide over 1,000 wells to help nourish the nation.

If you would like to share any other positive news from 2007, please do so by posting a comment below.

Andy Andrews

Andy Andrews has had a difficult life.

He lost his parents and became homeless in his late teens.

During the time that Andy lived on the streets, he would go into libraries and read the biographies of great people. Andy read over 200 in total.

Andy took the lessons that he had learnt and put them into a self-help book, The Traveller's Gift.

This book was turned down by 50 publishers.

One evening at dinner, Andy was sitting next to a lady who asked him what he did. Andy told her that he had been writing a book and she asked to read it.

This lady was the only person more powerful than a publisher. She was a publisher's wife! She loved the book and a week later, Andy had a contract.

We hear of many men and women who have had difficult lives. We hear how many transform their lives around. Sadly, we very rarely get to learn about how these transformations happened and what triggered them. For Andy, success did not come easy. It took over 50 attempts to publish his book and, luckily, it was a coincidental meeting that gave him his break.

Appreciation

Appreciation is a dying art. We are starting to take things for granted and expecting far too much.

In order to appreciate something, it is important to ask where we would be without it. How much harder would things be?

We have never had it so good. We are the most fortunate people to have ever lived. Technology and transport have greatly simplified our lives.

If we considered that 100 years ago, a simple journey would have been a grand voyage. The simple act of cooking, keeping warm and having light involved more than turning a switch or a microwave on.

The world was confined to a very small radius and to encounter a foreigner would have been a rare event.

Take some time to appreciate all that you have. Look back at how easy it has made your life today.

As one generation passes onto another one, its sole purpose is to make life easier for their children. Take some time to value the sacrifices and innovations that have made our lives so wonderful to live!

There is no greater feeling in life than when one realises just how much they have to be grateful for. In this book, celebrities, intellectuals, scholars, athletes and general individuals, all share what they value most. This is a book of humility, a tribute to life. It teaches us that even the smallest things in life can make us feel completely satisfied and content. It is worth keeping by your side and visiting each time you feel overwhelmed and cannot find anything to appreciate.

Are you happy?

One of the hardest questions to ask is, 'Are you Happy?'

This question has the power to bring people to tears as they realise that all that they have worked for has not brought them happiness.

The truth is that we have been conditioned to believe that certain things will bring us happy.

We are taught that having money will make us happy. We are told that being in a relationship will make us happy. We assume that having a job will make us happy.

However, many of us have these and they simply do not guarantee happiness.

How many rich people are unhappy? How many people are in a relationship they wish they weren't in? How many are in a job they do not like?

Ask yourself how happy you are. It is the hardest question you can ever ask.

How many times have you gone to bed thinking that today was a day well lived and you enjoyed it? How many nights have you gone to bed unhappy about something? For most people, this scale is heavily tipped to the latter side. However, is this really how it should be?

Beat Your Conditioning

How many of your own thoughts, beliefs and values are actually your own?

The answer, for most people, is very few. This is because most of our thoughts, beliefs and values are a result of our religious, social, family and communal background and, in many ways, the values of our heroes.

As a result of this, whenever we are faced with something that is different to our conditioning, we do one of two things. We either try to disprove it or we try to ignore it.

As we enter a new week, try to make a conscious effort to beat your conditioning. When you are faced with something that goes against your conditioning, do not ignore or try and disprove it.

In stead, try to remember what Rumi once advised us to do. He said that we should sell our cleverness and purchase curiousity and bewilderment in stead.

Therefore, make it a goal for this week that whenever you experience something that goes against your conditioning, you will become curious. Try and understand the reasoning behind the conditioning of other people.

At the end of it, you will not only have a greater understanding of how other people have been conditioned. You will better understand how you, yourself, have been conditioned too.

Celebrating Differently

Brian Wilson and Christine Gunn did not want a normal wedding. In stead, they wanted something unique that was true to themselves.

Seeing that both Brian and Christine loved diving, they decided to marry at the place where they took their first dive together, in the Illinois River.

The couple wore wet suits to their wedding ceremony and wrote their vows down on waterproof cards. They then showed the relevant card when the vicar, Pastor Jim Bard, asked them too.

What celebration do you have coming up? How could you celebrate it uniquely, in a way that is true to yourself?

Similarly, do you know anyone who has a special event coming up? Could you arrange something for them that it is true to their nature that would be unique to them?

Certainty

The most important human need is that of certainty. We need to feel certain that our actions or our ideas will lead to a positive outcome for both ourselves and others.

The difference between something being successful or not is the level of certainty that is behind it.

If you are certain that it will succeed, it will seem effortless to achieve it.

If you are uncertain that it will succeed, fear and a sense of concern will block you from successfully achieving what you desire.

Take some time to think about the power of certainty. Listen to Martin Luther King Jr. I have a Dream Speech and hear the certainty in his voice. Hear the certainty with which Churchill inspired the Allies in the Second World War.

The power that an attitude of certainty has is very powerful. No obstacle can stand in its way.

Decide what you want and commit to a sense of certainty that ensures that it will be achieved. By doing this, nothing can stand in your way.

 

Change

One of the most important aspects of life is that it is always changing.

In the past, change was seen as a bad thing. In Babylon, cast-iron laws were written. In Egypt, death was very difficult to accept and the mummification of Pharos was a sign that the people could not accept the change in their leader. Change has been difficult to deal with for many great civilisations.

One of the most influential ideas came from Charles Darwin.

Darwin changed the way we view change. Whereas change was once seen as something that robbed us of tradition and of security, Darwin taught us that change was good. Darwin taught us that everything evolved for the better and that any change that would occur would always result in something better replacing it.

The impact of this idea is very easy to comprehend. Just look at how much the world has changed in the last 250 years, compared to the millions of years before this.

The only reason for such a catalysed result is the change in our attitude towards change.

Many people fear change in their own lives. By adapting Darwin's belief that all changes occur for the good, remarkable changes will begin to take place as you embrace this crucial natural law of nature and of life.

How do you view change? Do you embrace change? Do you fear change? Change is a natural part of life. Our bodies change, our thoughts change, our beliefs change, our friends change and our families change. In truth, there is nothing that does not change. Fortunately, it is in our ability to control the way in which you respond to change. Believe that all change occurs for the good and you will find great peace and acceptance as your world continues to change.

Changing Your Focus

Dr. John Demartini is a man who has overcome all odds to achieve success. At school, he was told that he would never learn to read or write. However, through perseverance and effort he achieved this and has excelled academically (achieving a PhD in Quantum Physics) and has become a best-selling personal development author. One of his most important lessons is about how what we focus on determines our lives.

Let us use an example for this. When we are young, are main focus is having fun and going out. Most of our time, money and effort are spent on activities that allow us to do this.

As we grow older, get married and have children, our focus shifts to providing for our family. Most of our time, money and effort are spent on this.

Finally, as we enter retirement, we focus on activities and fulfilling life-long ambitions. Most of our time, money and effort are spent on this.

The difference between normal people and successful people is what they focus on. They spend some of their time and money investing it on developing skills and finding mentors who will help them grow.

How do you spend most of your time and money? How much of it is used in activities that help you grow? The answer to this will give you a clear indication of where you will be in the future.

Dabbling your way through Life

Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to do or master anything in particular.

Their main goal is simply to survive each day.

They do not have a focus that they live their life by. Life, for dabblers, is merely an experience and not an opportunity.

One key characteristic that all successful people have is a clear focus of where they want to go.

They use each day as an opportunity to get closer to that goal.

In stead of just living each and every day, they invest it in helping them reach their goals, knowing that when they do, the small sacrifices are more than repaid.

What is your main focus in life? What would your life be like if you invested half an hour every day in working to realise this?

Life becomes so much more rewarding when you have a clear focus and are constantly working towards it. As you do this, you will feel yourself growing as you get closer to achieving your dreams. As you work towards your major focus in life, you will spot many people and opportunities that can help you achieve this. When you have a focus and are investing yourself in attaining it, you will be amazed how quickly and easy it is to realise it.

Deadlines

What would you do if you had only one year to live?

Where would you go? Who would you meet? What would you do?

In the book, Find Your Purpose by Richard Jacobs, Richard talks about a friend who was in a very difficult situation.

A former partner of his had contracted Aids and he thought that he might have too. If he had, he would have a maximum of one year to live.

On the same day that he came back from being tested, he made a decision. He realised that if he did have only one year to live, he would live it well. He would do everything that he possibly could.

Fortunately, when the results came through, he did not have Aids.

However, he did live that year as if it might be his last and did most of the things on his list.

Why not try the same exercise that Richard's friend did. Imagine that you only have a year to live. What are all the things you want to do? What are all of the places you want to visit? Who do you want to meet? Our lives are short and there is so much that we all want to do. Live a life full of pleasant memories and moments, not one full of regrets.

Decisions

Anthony Robbins once said that it is in our moments of decision that our destiny is shaped.

The word decision is derived from a Latin word that means to cut off from any other possibility.

A decision, in its purest sense, is the highest level of commitment a person can give.

Our lives today are a direct reflection of the decisions that we are currently making or have made in the past.

Our lives are also a direct reflection of the decisions we have failed to make.

As America goes to the polls to elect their new president, the power of decision is clearly illustrated. A vote made today will have an influence over the next few years.

Turn your decisions into self-promises that you commit to keep. By doing this, you will have control over your future.

A decision is the first step to success. Whether it is something as ordinary as boiling some rice or as complex as running for President, nothing can be achieved unless there is first a decision. The greatest difference between those who succeed in life and those who live an ordinary life is how they view decisions. For successful people, decisions are opportunities to shape their future that they welcome. Most people, however, put off major decisions until they have to act on it. Decisions are something that they put off, rather than welcoming as the powerful opportunity that they are. The decisions you make, or do not make, will determine your future.

Decisions and its Original Latin Root

One of the most important concepts that man has ever introduced is the power of decisions.

The word decision, in its original Latin root, means to cut off from any other situation.

Consequently, a decision is something that must be fulfilled. It is an obligation to oneself and to others.

Throughout history, we have seen how some simple decisions have led to great events. Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus led to the Civil Rights movement in America.

Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi's decision not to resort to violence defeated the greatest empire the world had seen.

To understand the power of a decision to understand the greatest power available to man.

Indeed, it is our decisions and, more importantly their strength and our certainty, that hold the keys to our future.

Decisions are like muscles. One must start off by making small decisions just as one starts off lifting small weights. As you progress and grow, decisions become easier and, consequently, have a greater effect. Today, try to make a commitment to decide to do two things each day. These could be simple things such as taking a 10 minute walk or calling someone that you have not spoken to in a while. By doing this, you will unlock a powerful force within you that wants to grow, expand and make a difference. By utilising your power of decision, you will soon be doing things you never thought possible.

Differences

When one puts a Human Being and a Great ape in the same room, it is difficult to realise that over 95% of their genetic make-up is the same.

Similarly, if we were to put two humans in the same room (regardless of whether one was light-skinned and the other was dark-skinned, or one was male and the other was female), genetically they would be 99.999% the same.

The difference between all humans, genetically, is only 0.001%.

If we were to sum-up the whole of human existence in one sentence, it would be this: "Because we are so similar, we have tried so different to be unique."

It is a human flaw that we rarely look for what is similar and mainly look for what is different. We always look for the 0.001% that is different and ignore the 99.999% that is similar.

We then take this small fact and make it as large as possible. Whether the difference is the sex of the person, the age of the person, the religion of the person, the colour of their skin or whether that person has any physical disabilities, we always tend to find the 0.001% that is different and focus on that.

It is because of our tendency to focus on the 0.001% that is different that we have so many arguments, prejudices and wars. If only we focused on the 99.999% that we have in common with everyone else, the world would be a better place.

As human beings, we like our individualism. We like to feel that there is something that we can do that nobody else can do. We like to feel that there are some things that we can do well that others find difficult. As a result of this, we always try to look at the differences between ourselves and others. Unfortunately, as a result of this, we often fail to see what we all have in common. This fact alone is the cause of most arguments and conflicts that happen on a personal and, consequently, on a national and global level.

Different and Differently

There is a world of difference between doing something different and doing something differently.

When you do something different, you are essentially making the same mistakes, but only in a different situation.

When you do something differently, you are amending your pattern of behavior and tackling the same situation in, hopefully, a more effective way.

Think back to when you were a child. Did you learn to walk the first time you tried?

Most likely, you did not. However, you tried different ways to walk until you finally found a way to walk.

The difference between success and failure is not doing something different, but doing something differently.

This allows the greatest teacher of all, experience, to lend his hand to helping you succeed.

True success depends on doing things differently. After all, you may have tried to do something ten different ways and, as a result of this, you have ten different methods that do not work. This allows you to use these experiences to find a way that does work. Conversely, if you try soccer and are not good at it, and then try rugby, and then cricket and then tennis and are not successful in either, how can you use these unrelated experiences to help you perform well in any one sport? The secret of success is to find one thing and continually do it differently until you find the way that works. Ironically, in life, it is often the most simple thing that is stopping us from succeeding and simplicity takes time to reveal itself to us!

Doubt

Shakespeare once wrote that "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt."

As Human Beings, our most prominent need is that of certainty. We need to know that what we do can be done and can benefit us, before we actually start to do it.

Although this need is important to our very survival, it can also be the cause of us not doing many things that we have wanted to. We may doubt our ability to do it and, as a result, fail before we have even started.

Take some time to think of all that you wanted to do, but have not done, because you doubted your ability to do it.

By doing this you will see just how much of a role doubt plays in our life. More importantly, you will start to understand the nature of doubt.

To doubt is human. However, those who have achieved anything in life are those who have carried on despite their doubt and in so defeated this traitor within.

There is only one remedy to defeat doubt, and this is faith and belief. When you doubt, in stead believe. When you are uncertain, find examples of those who have achieved your ambition. By doing this, you can turn doubt into a force that you control.

No matter who we are, there is a piece of us that does not want us to grow. This is called doubt. It can aid us by preventing us to something that is dangerous or illogical. It can, however, also prevent us from taking the steps we need to achieve our dreams. Each time you doubt something, ask yourself the reason you doubt. If it is for the first reason, listen to it. If it is for the second reason, find as many examples as you can of people who have done what you want to do. By controlling doubt, you can gain confidence, enthusiasm and, most importantly, certainty.

Dreaming

Zig Ziglar once spoke about an experiment that was done to determine how important dreams are for us.

Scientists tested several volunteers in the following way. Each rested and fell asleep. Just as they were about to enter a state of dreaming, they were woken up. They were then allowed to return to sleep.

After one day of this experiment, the volunteers were irritable. After two days, they became depressed. After three days, some were in a state where they needed psychological attention. It was at this stage that the experiment was stopped due to concerns regarding the wealth fare of the participants.

The conclusion of this experiment was that we all need dreams when we are sleeping.

Zig Ziglar added that, more importantly, we need dreams when we are awake!

What are your dreams? How often do you think about them? How much do you work to achieving them.

People who have dreams and pursue them are much less likely to be depressed or upset with their lives. Take some time to redefine your goals and begin to work towards them.

Dreams

If you were to ask ten five-year olds what they want to do in life, nearly all of them would have a clear answer.

They will say that they want to be a doctor or an actor or something similar.

If you were to then ask ten eight-year olds what they want to do in life, most of them would be able to give you a clear response.

If you were to then ask ten teenagers what they want to do in life, probably half of them would give a clear definition.

Finally, if you were to ask ten adults what they want to do in life, very few would actually be able to give an acceptable definition.

In fact, most adults would tell you all of the things that they do not want to do, as opposed to that which they do want to do!

It is our dreams and ambitions that keep us alive and growing. As they grow uncertain with confusion and fear, life becomes so much harder.

Imagine going out on a journey and not being sure exactly where you are going to. The chances are that you will get lost and confused. The truth is that most adults live their life like that. They get so caught up in the journey and its difficulties that they forget where exactly they are trying to go to. Take a lesson from your children, be clear with what you want and, in most cases, that is exactly what you will end up with.

Experience

Throughout our lives, we come to regret many things that we did and did not do.

We often look back at these as wasted time or an opportunity missed.

However, as life progresses, you begin to realise that there is no such thing as a regret.

Everything that happens to you teaches you something or reconfirms an important life lesson that you have not fully understood yet.

From everything that happens to us, we can either take with us negative regrets or positive lessons that will help us in the future.

Those that choose to carry their regrets around with them will cull their future growth.

Those who choose to take and learn the lesson being taught, will catalyse their future growth.

Not everything that happens to you will be pleasent, successful and enjoyable. There will be great tests of character and inner strength in every area of your life, from dealing with the death of a loved one to coping with pressures at work. Most people view experiences by how much they enjoy it and how satisfying they find it. However, the most important lessons are taught in the most difficult times. Being able to learn these lessons is the most difficult part of life.

Fear

Our fears are often irrational. A person who is afraid to fly by plane will often happily drive to the airport, even though the probability of being injured in a road accident is much higher than that of being injured whilst traveling by plane.

We all have things that we fear. Some of us may fear speaking in public and other may fear heights.

Some of our fears are serious, such as a fear of death. Other fears are irrational and inconsequential, such as a fear of certain animals.

Fears can help us and they can also hold us back. They can prevent us from taking irrational risks or they can prevent us from experiencing new things.

Take some time to evaluate your fears. Identify which fears are rational and protect you. Which fears are irrational and hold you back?

Once you have identified the irrational fears that are holding you back, begin to question those fears.

What have they stopped you from doing in the past? What are they stopping you from doing now? What will they prevent you from doing in the future? Are those fears justifiable? Will what you fear really happen?

Our fears are chains that hold us back from living how we want to. Many people spend years freeing themselves from their fears. Why not begin to get rid of your fears now?

Our fears ensure that we look at the worst case scenario and, more importantly, make it seem real and likely to happen. The truth is that most fears are false lived, whilst some genuinely do protect us. To be able to differentiate and to use the power of fear to your advantage is a great challenge that only few master.

Feelings

Herbert Spencer once said that "the brain is half feeling". In truth, it is probably considerably more.

If you were to examine the ingredients from which human beings are made from, the answer would be that we are made from feelings.

We are made from feelings such as jealousy, hate, sorrow, scorn, laughter, shame, anger, compassion, despair, pain, pleasure and, most importantly, love.

Our ability to feel is much older, deeper and more influential than our ability to think or reason.

In fact, our feelings govern our thoughts and, often dictate the nature of our thoughts.

It is true that the opposite is also possible, whereby we can think happy thoughts and then become happy.

However, this only happens with conscious effort. By default, our feelings control our thoughts.

Let us assume that the mind is governed by two things. The first is thought and the second is feeling. Throughout our lives, we are taught to make our thoughts strong. However, very rarely are we taught about our feelings. To examine our feelings is seen as a very sensitive and affeminate issue. In truth, an understanding of our feelings is the first step to understanding what lies within us and, from then on, what we are capable of.

Goals and Goal-Setting

We all need a clear direction in our life.

Many of us have a sense of direction, but it is a confused and misunderstood ideal that cannot truly influence us.

Having goals and a direction is akin to going on a journey.

If you are unsure of where you want to get to, you will probably not get there.

Similarly, even if you know where you are going and are not sure how you will get there, it will be much easier to find a way to succeed.

Goals are the very juice of life. They are our chance to take control and shape our future.

When did you last set some goals and did you complete them? Take some time to set some goals and get back into control, it is easy, empowering and rewarding.

Goals are crucial in life. In a study done in the 1950's, a group of equally gifed university students were asked if they had a written plan of how they wanted to live their lives. 3% said that they did and 97% said that they did not. 25-years later, the surviving members of the class were asked about how their life turned out. The 3% who had a written outline for life were richer than the other 97% combined. They were also happier, healthier and had greater value for life. A written outline for life is certainly the first step to success.

Good Riddance Day

Yesterday, New York City celebrated Good Riddance Day.

This was a day in which thousands of people wrote down everything that they wanted to say goodbye to and placed them in large paper shredders that were available to the public.

As we spend the last few hours of 2007 looking forward to 2008, it is worthwhile to spend some time listing everything that we want to say good riddance too.

This could be anything from an unhealthy habit to a difficult relationship, from a lingering bad memory to a negative thought pattern.

Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2008.

Gratitude Rocks

In the movie, The Secret, there is a wonderful story of how Lee Brower has turned gratitude into a habit.

When he was a teacher, Lee found a rock and decided to keep it in his pocket. Every morning, when he would put his wallet and keys into his pocket, he would also put his rock in to his pocket and he is placing it in his pocket, he would think about everything that he is grateful for. Similarly, at night, when he empties his pocket, he would also repeat the exercise.

One day, Lee was with a friend in South Africa and he dropped his gratitude rock. His friend asked Lee to explain what a gratitude rock was so that he too could get one.

Two weeks later, Lee received an email from his friend who said that his son had a severe bout of hepatitis and needed send some gratitude rocks so that he could sell them and pay for medication.

Five months later, his son was cured from hepatitis thanks to the rocks and the money that selling them had raised.

As we enter the weekend, what do you have to be grateful about this week? How can you make being grateful a habit? How can you teach others around you to also develop a similar habit?

Habits

Habits are a crucial part of our lives that we cannot do without.

Naturally, our heart beats out of habit, our eye lids blink out of habit and our brain thinks out of habit.

In addition to this, there are many habits that we have picked up during our lives. The way we talk, dress, wash, work and travel are all mainly habitual.

Habits are easy because it is easier to do something in a way that you have done hundreds of ways before than to do it in a way that you have never yet experienced.

However, habits have one major disadvantage.

When you see someone doing something wrong, you can immediately recognise that they are doing something incorrectly and to help them to correct it.

With habits, however, it is very difficult for you to realise whether what you are doing is the best way to do it. Just because it is the way have always done it does not mean that it is the best way.

What do you do out of habit? Is this habit constructive? Is this habit effective? We very rarely examine our habits because we do not realise what a large impact they have on our lives. Our habits determine the quality of our life and if we want to improve our lives, we need to start with improving our habits. After all, the greatest leaders have got the most people to change their habits so that incorporates something that they desire.

Habits and Leaves Falling

In Autumn, when the trees lose their leaves, they do so for one reason only.

There are new buds behind those leaves that push those leaves out.

Similarly, in life this is also true. If one wants to change a habit, the only lasting way to do so is if the habit is pushed out like an old leaf by a new bud.

By doing this, new empowering habits are created and more importantly, will last.

Many people have decided to change their eating habits, drinking habits, exercise habits, smoking habits or working habits. There is some change but it is short-lived and often they return to the old way of doing things.

The reason for this is that although they have forcefully tried to change, they have not thought of a new habit that could go into its place.

If you want to change a habit you must do three things in this order. Firstly, commit fully. Secondly, find a new way doing things. Finally, do it so well and with so much emotion that soon the old habit falls out like an old leaf.

Learning how to change a Habit is one of the most important lessons we can learn. In order to do so, decide on one habit you are going to change. Secondly, find an alternative. If your habit is to lose weight, firstly, find out why you are in such a state. Is it because of eating patterns or lack of exercise? Let us assume it is a lack of exercise. We now have the first two stages, the final stage is to actually exercise and to stay exercising. The best way to do this is to ask yourself the following question, what exercise do I enjoy and how can I make it so that on I love doing it. Could it be by swimming, playing a new sport or running? Just by asking this question, your mind will find an answer. All you have to do now is do something you enjoy!

Happiness and Richard Carlson

On December 13 2006, Richard Carlson, the best-selling author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (and its all Small Stuff) passed away. He was only 45.

Richard’s gift was his ability to take the time-tested ideas from many different cultures and to express them in simple and easy terms, so that everyone could apply them.

One of his most powerful mantras was ‘you can be happy no matter what’.

The secret behind success, for many people is to be happy. When you are happy, you are automatically more motivated, more focused and obstacles that would otherwise seem like mountains become easy to solve.

Therefore, to be happy has more than one benefit. Firstly, it makes you feel better. Secondly, it allows you to perform better. Finally, it also positively affects all of those around you.

Try living by Richard’s mantra today. Being happy is easy. After all, happiness is a natural state. We only become unhappy when we allow other things to make us unhappy. Today, do not allow anything to make you unhappy and see how well your day goes.

Health

Dr. Deepak Chopra cites that our organs have the capacity to perform sufficiently and healthily for 170 years.

Despite these facts, very few people live long and healthy lives.

We live in very fortunate times. We can live longer and healthier than any generation before us.

We should all be living to 80 or 90 years of age in good health.

Take sometime today to look at your lifestyle and your diet.

Do you exercise much? Do you eat healthily? Do you get sufficient and regular sleep? Do you drink lots of water and eat lots of fruit and vegetables?

Your answers to these questions will give you a good indication of how your health will be in years to come.

Medics estimate that about 5% of diseases are hereditary. The remaining 95% of diseases are diet or lifestyle related. This clearly illustrates the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and having a good diet. Living healthy today is the best retirement investment that you can make.

How Far Ahead Do You Think?

Imagine you are walking down the road in New York City and see a homeless person on the street. There is a large chance that his or her thoughts are about mainly about the near future, maybe towards the next hour.

Imagine that you carry on walking and see a hot-dog stand. Chances are that the hot-dog stand attendant’s thoughts are mostly tending towards what will happen today.

Imagine then walking into a shop. The chances are that the salesman’s thoughts are largely focused towards this week.

Imagine then meeting the owner of the shop. Their thoughts will mainly be focused towards the next month or so.

Imagine then going to the office of a large company. Imagine seeing a senior manager, the chances are that their thoughts will be focused towards the next year or so.

Finally, imagine meeting the CEO of that company, his or her thoughts will be focused towards the next decade and beyond.

Throughout history, all of the super-achievers have had one thing in common, they have always focused their thoughts decades ahead of where they want to be. Stalin, for example, used the 10-year plan to outline where he wanted Russia to be in a decade’s time. By ensuring that the whole of Russia elevated their thinking and focused on the long-term, Russia grew more in those 10 years than it had in any decade previously.

As we enter a new week, try to think on a long-term basis. Think about where you want to be in 10-years time and see what steps you need to take to get there. Shift your attention from the present to the future so that in stead of living in survival mode, you are creating your own destiny.

Human Needs

As Humans, we are an advanced species. However, our needs are not that advanced.

As Humans, our needs are similar to those of cats, dogs, birds and many other animals.

Our two main needs are the needs for food (which gives us nourishment and energy) and for shelter (which gives us warmth and safety).

The only difference between us and other animals is that we want them to our particular tastes. In stead of raw meat, we want steak and in stead of a tree or bush to live in, we want a brick house with windows and doors.

If we were to look at the global economy and global business, we would see that 2/3rds of world trade concerns the fulfillment of our need for food and shelter (by shelter, we include clothing as our evolutionary path has not yet taken into fact that we sometimes do get cold, so that whilst animals have feathers and fur to keep them warm, we need clothing!)

When we examine this fact, it makes us realise how important our primary needs are (in that they consist of 2/3rds of all world trade) compared to everything else that are luxuries (cars, books, DVDs, airplane tickets) that, when combined, make up the other third.

More importantly, it shows us that even with such an important influence on these two needs, we still have millions that are hungry and homeless that we have not even catered for.

The world is ruled by two main factors. The first is its need for food and the second is its need for warmth and shelter. These two primary needs are crucial in order to support life. The truth is that in many places, these needs are not met and millions die because of it. Perhaps if we focused less on our luxuries so that others could have their necessities, everyone would be fed and warm.

Imitation

As babies, we imitate our parents. We learn our first words by imitating what we hear, before we really have any understanding of what they mean.

As children, we continue this habit. We want to play the same games as our friends, go to the same places and watch the same films.

As adults, we subconsciously continue this habit. We always judge things by whether they are socially acceptable and how well they reflect the norm.

We live in a society in which imitation is a part of life. It is something we do all of our lives and is natural.

Throughout history, we have seen time and time again that only those who imitate the norm and adhere to the social expectations are accepted by society. We tend to fear those that do not and outcast them.

However, the problem is that if we just imitate each other, how will we progress? Who will be innovative and imaginative and create new alternatives?

The greatest innovators have been those that have not been accepted by society. Unfortunately, this is the price one often has to pay to be original.

Alain de Botten is a philosopher who lives and writes today. Recently, Alain began to lose his hair. Alain realised that many people his age do not have a simialr problem and so made a decision. He decided that he was no longer like his peers and so no longer wanted to dress like them. He bought the same jumper, trouser and shirt in multiple quantities and decided that he would wear this all the time. Whereas many of his peers dress in Ted Baker shirts and are fashionable, Alain has decided that he no longer can imitate them and has decided to follow his own path in stead of imitating others who adhere to the social norm.

Laughter

In the 1950's, an experiment took place that counted how many times people laughed each day.

The average result was 40 times.

A similar experiment was recently conducted and the results were astounding.

They showed that, average, we now laugh about 8 times per day.

The results of this survey prove that we are just not having as much fun as we used to.

This could be one of the reasons for rising stress levels and, as stress is seen as a key accelerator of many major diseases, could explain the rising cancer and heart disease rates.

Take some time today to count how many times you laugh. Try to find a way in which you can build more laughter into your daily routine.

Life's Greatest Paradox

One of life's greatest paradoxes lies in the following fact:

In life, we get what we need when we need it least.

As children, we are bound with enthusiasm and energy without really having anything to channel these powerful forces to.

As we grow into adults, we often find these two forces dwindling, even though it is at this time that we need them the most.

Similarly, in our later years, we develop wisdom, without having the years to use this skill.

This is life's greatest mystery. Why do we have a skill or a character trait in abundance when, in reality, we can do the least with it.

This however is what makes life challenging. This is what makes it so beautiful.

As children we have energy without anything to channel it into. As students we have time and knowledge but no money. As adults we have money but no time. In our later years we have time and money but do not have the energy and health to utilise these. Finally, we develop wisdom but do not have the years to live and share this great gift. This is the greatest paradox of life. Why do we lack what we need when we need it most?

Living Fast

One of Lance Armstrong’s personal beliefs is to live fast. He says that he does everything fast, he eats fast, breathes fast and lives fast.

In his early twenties, before being diagnosed with testicular cancer, Lance Armstrong was rapidly being regarded as the greatest cyclist ever.

However, Armstrong faced the most difficult challenge ever when he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer and given only a 40% chance of survival. Most people would have been destroyed by news but Lance had a difficult attitude.

Lance said that it was a good thing that it happened to him so young, whilst his body was still strong, as this gave him the strongest chance of defeating this. More importantly, it gave him the quickest chance of defeating it.

We are living in a world that is ruled by speed. We see how every 6 months a new computer comes out that is double the speed of its preceding model. What we must also realize is that this rule also applies to success. The most successful people are simply the quickest ones to act.

As we enter a new week, try and live by Lance Armstrong’s example and live fast. By doing this, you could have the most productive week of your life.

Luck and Richard Wiseman

As a child, Richard Wiseman was fascinated with the psychology behind magic and why people were amazed at things that they knew could not possible be true.

This passion led Richard to conduct a study on luck, that would last for more than 7 years.

Richard looked for 400 of the most 'luckiest' and 'unluckiest' people alive and tried to find out why they had been so lucky or unlucky.

Richard found that of the lucky people, most were optimists and positive about life. He also found that most of the unlucky people were negative and only looked for the bad in everything.

After concluding his study, Richard thought of an interesting experiment that would prove his conclusion that out mental attitude is, in some way, linked with how lucky we are.

Richard took the unlucky people and asked them to start looking at the positives in life. He asked them to make a list of all of the positive things in their lives and to read them on a daily basis. He also asked them to make a list, on a daily basis, of all the good things that had happened to them that day.

Within a few weeks, Richard found that as the unlucky people began to focus more on the positives, they became more positive and their luck and their lives in general began to improve.

As humans, we have a habit of judging whether someone is lucky or unlucky. If they have achieved a great deal of success in their life, we assume that they have been very lucky to get where they are. Similarly, if someone has had great misfortunes, we assume that they have had a lot of bad luck in their life. Very rarely to we question why they were so lucky or unlucky and if the person themselves actually created their own good or bad luck. Richard Wiseman's study shows us that, to a large extent, we all create our own luck.

Mother Teresa and the Law of Attraction

Mother Teresa is one of the few people who truly understood the law of attraction and the fact that we manifest what we focus on.

During her life, Mother Teresa was often invited to anti-war rallies and events. She always declined on going to them.

She would respond by saying that she would attend events promoting peace, but never events that were anti-war.

Throughout history, we have seen that anti-war events and demonstrations do not work. Think back at all of the protests against the Vietnam and the Iraq wars, did they work?

Similarly, we have seen that pro-peace movements do. Jeremy Gilley’s Peace One Day mission has created an international day of peace.

The law of attraction is simple, you get what you focus on. If you focus on war, whether it is in a positive or a negative way, you will manifest war. If you focus on peace, whether it is in a positive or a negative way, you will manifest peace.

As the weekend approaches, what will you be focusing on? Is it what you would like to manifest?

Motivation

One of the greatest feelings in the world is the feeling of motivation.

When one is motivated, difficult tasks seem easy, hours invested seem to pass by like minutes and energy levels reach a pure and sustainable peak.

The sad truth, however, is that very few people know how to get motivated and, worst still, few people can maintain this magic emotion.

The real truth, however, is that motivation is easy. It is simply a question on focusing on the opportunity, the rewards and the satisfaction associated with the task.

Conversely, a lack of motivation is one of the loneliest and most disheartening emotions possible.

It brings with it a feeling that nothing you can do will ever be good enough and no effort will ever be justly rewarded.

How do you journey through life? Do you power through it with pure motivation or do you find it a struggle just getting up in the morning?

Many people feel that motivation is simply an empty calorie that is over-explained and over-simplified. This is partly true, but for good reason. Motivation is crucial to success in anything. It is the force that gets you to take the first step, then the second and third until the goal is completed. Success, as many have said is 90% about being motivated enough. As Zig Ziglar advises, motivation does not last, but neither does showering, that is why it is suggested on a daily basis!

Mystery

Carl Sagan once said "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."

Conformity is one of our weakest habits. It ensures that we sample very little in life, save for that of which we are familiar and know well.

To live is not to live as yesterday and the day before, but to experience something that you have not experienced before.

The greatest satisfaction in life does not come from doing something that you have done many times, but from doing something you have never done before.

In fact, in truth it comes from doing something that you never imagined doing before!

Take some time to truly appreciate life. Do not do this by doing something that you have done before, but something new to you.

We live in an age where literally everything is possible. Why then limit yourself only to doing what you always do?

Try a new restaurant, play a new sport, listen to something different, watch a film that you would not have watched before or, if you want, die your hair blue and white! Whatever you do, you'll be glad that you did.

As children, we constantly search for these incredible things and, more often than not, find them. However, as adults, we become afraid to try new things. We think of the cost, the time factor, the inconvenience and as a result miss out on something that could really be valuable for us. Take some time to be bold. Live life fully. Many people talk about doing it and very few do.

Opportunities

Our ability to spot opportunities is an important skill that separates us from other animals.

Through rational thought and logic, we can make connections so that different things can be combined.

A prime example of our ability to spot opportunities comes from the toilet.

Although the toilet was invented in the mid 1700's, it was not for some 50 years that someone invented toilet paper, even though the tissue was in existence!

This highlights the fact that for over 50 years, the experience of going to the toilet was not improved in any way.

Fortunately, we live in a very effecient time. Our experiences are constantly improving as everything is getting faster, smaller and cheaper.

Our ability to spot opportunities is crucial because it is the only way in which we can improve ourselves and our situations. The more opportunities we spot and gratify, the quicker we will grow.

In order to grow, we need to key pieces of information. What do we want to grow into and how can we grow into it? Our dreams and our goals are what we want to grow into and our ideas and experience provide ways from which we can think about how we will grow into it. We need to spot opportunities if we want to grow. The best way to do this is by asking how can I improve and, once you have something that you want to improve to, find a strategy that will get you there.

Patience

As a French proverb states, the hardest battles bring the sweetest victories.

We live in a society in which the predominant word is now. We immediately want all of our goals and dreams to be fulfilled.

To live with this attitude of expectancy is very dangerous as it rids all worthwhile things of their value.

Life is a long journey in which we have plenty of time to achieve our goals and to enjoy our successes.

Imagine a world in which everyone got what they wanted straight away.

What value would achievements have? How boring would life be?

Walk through life with certainty that through your hard work and effort all of your dreams will come true. Do not worry about when they will come true, just believe that they will.

 

Repeated Lessons

One of the most important lessons that one can learn from life is this:

A lesson is repeated until it is learned.

If you continue to make the same mistake, you will continue to be challenged by problems from which you must learn a lesson.

Take a look back and see what mistakes you have made.

Are there any mistakes that you consistently make?

Are you often late? Do you forget alot of things? Do you make too many simple mistakes?

If so, what is the lesson that you need to teach yourself? Do you need to be more punctual, more organised or more assertive, amongst many possibilities?

We all make mistakes. It is part of human nature. However, a key characteristic of success is one's ability to learn from their mistake and prevent it from happening again. Successful people make the mistake once. Others make that misake many times and, sometimes, fail to learn the lesson altogether.

Self-Control

Self-control is the ability to decide on right and wrong and live by those convictions.

Life is a series of temptations, we go through time being tempted by money, fame and love.

However, each of these temptations are distractions from our true jounrey.

In life, we must each follow our own path. It may seem an awkward thought, but we are all uniquely different. Thus, our paths, our needs and our goals are different.

Develop the art of self-control. Start off with something small and build it until you feel in control.

There is very little in this world which we can control.

However, by having control over our hearts, minds and souls, it feels as if we have control over everything.

Self-Honesty

In life there are things we do right and things we do wrong.

Our purpose is to grow and mature so that as we get older we do more right and less wrong.

The only way to do this is by learning from past mistakes and implementing what we learn.

Whereas honesty often teaches us the right way to do something, self-honesty teaches us the way that is right for us.

The self-honest person does not look at failure as a reflection of ability, but merely judgement.

They do not see deconstructive and demoralising failures as a guarantee that they will always fail.

Learn your lessons quickly and honestly. Once you do that, you will make fewer mistakes and have less fear when it comes to making important decisions. You will be able to handle anything.

Setting Big Goals

In his book, the Four Hour Work Week, Tim Ferris proposed something radical.

Tim, like most inspirational writers, encourages us to set big goals. However, what separates Tim from the others is the logic behind what he says.

Tim says that if you set normal goals, then you have the same goals as everyone else. Due to this, there is greater competition in achieving it.

A simple example of this is if we take money. If you ask most people about their money goals, they will say that they want to be a millionaire.

Due to this there is greater competition in achieving this. Tim, however, would say a better goal to have would be to become a two or three millionaire because immediately you have lifted yourself out of this competing group.

The similar example can be applied to jobs. Numerous studies have shown that if there are two job adverts for the exact same job and with the exact same pay, then the one offering the lower amount always gets the more applicants. This proves Tim’s point, if you set higher goals than everyone else, you will automatically be in the group with least competition.

As we enter a new week, try to use Tim’s idea and set goals that have fewer people competing with you to achieve it. This will greatly increase your chance of achieving it.

Sleep - An Experiment

Throughout our lives, we have been conditioned to believe that we need 8 hours sleep.

Scientists tested this theory and their results proved to be remarkable.

During the experiment, scientists monitored volunteers to study their sleeping habits. All of the volunteers were placed in an environment where they could not see whether it was day or night outside. They also had no access to watches, clocks or any other instrument to tell them what time it was. Similarly, their meals were served randomly so that they could not estimate what time it could be.

All of these volunteers had activities and resources to stimulate their mind whilst they were being monitored.

At the end of the experiment, it was found that each person slept, on average, just 4 hours per day. After the experiment, medical and IQ tests showed that there had been no deterioration due to this, in fact the opposite had occurred.

The scientists concluded that there are two key reasons why we believe we need so much sleep. The first is that we have been conditioned to believe we need 8 hours and we start worrying if we do not fully get them. The second is that we often are bored and unfocused and have nothing better do.

Throughout history, some of the greatest men and women survived on much less sleep than we do today. Leonardo da Vinci slept about 4 hours per day. Churchill often worked through the night and slept only a few hours.

How much more could you achieve if you sacrificed an hour of sleep and devoted it on a goal that you otherwise do not have time for?

Solving Things That You Hate

Maria Merziotis, a 17-year old from Canada despised flu so much that she came up with a way to get rid of it.

Maria, who recently took first prize in the Sanofi-Aventis BioTalenet challenge for this achievement, has achieved this by creating a molecule that would act as an alternate receptor for the virus, ensuring that human cells are protected.

Medical bodies are testing Maria's concept and early indications are that it is very positive.

Take some time to follow Maria's example. What disease, problem, social issue or prejudice would you most like to solve. What issues move you emotionally and upset you deeply when you are faced with them?

Could you find a solution to them? More appropriately, is there already someone who has found a solution but needs support in their cause?

Success - A Habit

The legendary Basketball player, Michael Jordon, was once making a television commercial.

The advert simply comprised of Michael Jordon missing a simple shot.

However, as Michael Jordon had mastered his art so effectively, it took over 20 attempts before Michael Jordon actually missed that shot.

Michael's mastery was so profound that he still succeeded even when he knew that he had to fail.

Success is a habit. It is just like smoking, drinking or gambling. The only problem is that it is more effective!

More importantly, once this habit is established, it becomes easier to succeed than to fail.

Eventually, it becomes so natural that it just happens. In order to fail takes more effort than to succeed.

Many people fear that success is hard to maintain. The truth is that it is a habit just like everything else.

Human beings are dominated by conditioning. Once a routine, a habit or an addiction is established, it continually manifests itself throughout life. The great problem we have is that a habit, routine or addiction form themselves slowly and then take complete control, with great effort needed to change them. This great problem is a great opportunity. Imagine if you were addicted to success in stead of failure or to vitality in stead of just surviving? How easy would life then be?

Surprises

What would life be like without surprises?

How boring would life be if everyday went perfectly, exactly as you had intended it to go?

As human beings, most of our behaviour and thoughts are conditioned and repeated constantly throughout our lives.

Surprises, however, force us to think and behave differently.

A surprise can be both positive or negative. It could be the joy of a new baby or the shock at the unexpected death of a loved one.

No matter what the nature of the surprise is, its effect on us cannot be understated.

Surprises force us to immediately think and behave in different ways. Very often, it is as a result of a surprise that we make our biggest changes in behaviour or thinking.

When was the last time that an hour went exactly as you planned it to go? When did a day last pass when every single aspect of it went just how you planned it to be. For most people, most days contain an element of surprise and unexpectedness. It is our ability to react positively and calmly to these surprises that determines our stress levels, our success levels and our happiness.

The 3% Rule

The reason why most people fail to achieve their goals is because they try and set goals that are too big.

They set goals such as losing a stone in weight, finding a new job or buying a new car.

By just looking at the size of the goal, most people get frightened.

The most successful people in the world achieve their goals because they break them up into small and manageable pieces. They set their main goals up into 20, 30 or even 40 mini-goals and see the completion of a mini-goal as a percentage of the completion of the main goal.

This has many advantages. Firstly, as the goal is smaller, it looks less intimidating. When people set big goals, they try and achieve them by taking massive action. For the next few days, they do nothing else but try and achieve that goal. If their goal is to find a new job, they will spend as much time as possible searching for all of the jobs available. Successful people, however, break their goals up into small mini-goals that are easy and manageable to achieve. If their goal is to find a new job, they will break it down into a small task of finding five possible jobs per day that are worth applying for. Small and consistent action towards achieving a goal is easier to manage and more effective than spending several hours doing something once.

Secondly, if you break a goal into mini-goals, there is less risk if something goes wrong. As fear is one of the main reasons why people do not go after their goals, by reducing the risk, and the fear attached to it, you will automatically feel more motivated to go for your goal.

Most importantly, by setting mini-goals and achieving them, you will be motivated at how quickly and easily you are speeding towards the completion of your main goal.

What goal did you start the year with? What new year resolutions did you set yourself? If your goal was to stop smoking, did you succeed? What if you had set your goal to smoke 1 less cigarette per day by the end of January and then one cigarette less for each month thereafter, do you think you would have achieved this? How can you reset your goals for the year so that they are more manageable and easier to achieve?

The Catergories of Success

Every body has a goal.

Most people take the first steps towards its completion.

Some people fall at the first hurdle or quit after the first setback.

Few people step past this and continue to persevere.

Very few people persevere past every failure until they finally reach success.

Which category do you fall into?

We all have dreams and goals. What separates those who live their dreams and those that dream their dreams is which category of persistence they fit into. To achieve a goal is very simple. You just have to succeed one more time than you fail. In many cases, you just need to succeed once. The amount of failures that you have is inconsequential. It is the number of successes that you have that truly matters.

The Habits of Health

Recent research by the University of Cambridge has shown that four simple habits can increase your life expectancy by up to 14 years.

The research, which took place over 10 years and involved 20,000 participants, found that people who followed these principles had an average life expectancy of 74, whilst those who did not follow any of them had a life expectancy of 60.

The four factors in question are taking regular exercise, eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, drinking alcohol moderately and not smoking.

The study, which covered many different segments of society, found that factors such as wealth, ethnic origin and social position could not conclusively be linked to life expectancy.

Which of these habits do you practice daily and which of them can you adopt in to your life to help you live a happier and healthier life?

The Marathon

One of the most demanding physical challenges is the Marathon.

This concept is one that comes out of Ancient Greece.

Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger, was sent by his generals to Sparta in order to secure help for the dwindling Athenian Army.

Athens was under great pressure from the hordes of Persians that had come to attack it.

Without help from Sparta, Athens would have easily been captured.

The great challenge was to get word to Sparta, some 250km, as a matter of urgency.

Pheidippides ran this mammoth distance in thirty six hours. As a result of his heroism, he saved Athens.

The 92 Year Old Marathon Runner: Yesterday, during the London Marathon, countless individuals of all ages took part in a bid to raise money for charity and to test their own physical and mental stamina. The most interesting of all of these runners was one Mr. Singh, a 92 year old runner who successfully completed the Marathon. More importantly, however, is that ever since he was 89, he has been ran the course quicker every single year! It proves that our own limitations are only in our mind.

The Miracle of the Bamboo Tree

We can all learn a lesson from the bamboo tree.

For the first three years, it only grows a couple of inches under ground, as it develops a strong root system underground.

Then, in the fourth year it grows about 80 feet.

Life is like this as well. Before we can see external success, we must first develop an inner character and mindset that will be the roots of our success.

Once this has been established, success will come so quickly and in such abundance that you will wonder where it was all of this time.

Most people expect to see external growth without first establishing the correct mindset and character for this. This is the precise reason why they fail, because they have not developed the roots of their success, which takes time and effort.

Take some time to start nurturing yourself for success. Be patient and hold strong in the belief that once you have developed the mindset and character for success, external success will come quicker than you can possibly imagine.

The Museum of Laziness

As we have just began a new year and are busy beginning to achieve our targets and goals, a museum has just opened in Bogota, Columbia that is dedicated to laziness.

The purpose of the museum is to help people in the Columbian capital escape the hustle of city living. The museum offers beds, sofas, hammocks and sleeping bags as its exhibits, where visitors can rest.

The curator of the museum also says that another reason behind this is to encourage people to think about their preconceptions of laziness and rest and to stress the importance of some idle time to help us to recharge our batteries.

Dr. Richard Carlson, who wrote Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (and its all Small Stuff) once said that we have been conditioned by society to no longer be human beings but to be human doings. He states that if we spend some time on our own, we will first have an urge to do something productive, but soon later, this urge will go and we will find inner peace.

As we enter a new week, try to schedule in some idle time where you can become a human being in stead of a human doing and, hopefully, find some inner peace.

The Past Does Not Equal the Future

Years ago, Tony Robbins was faced with a difficult decision.

He was failing in many areas of his life and, even though he had studied numerous success systems, he just did not believe that he could achieve anything in his life.

At this point, an old friend came round to see him and was shocked to see how Tony was living. He realized that Tony had great potential and was disappointed that Tony was not fulfilling it.

This meeting changed Tony's life because it was then that Tony decided that he would take control of his life.

The key belief that Tony needed to install in himself was the fact that the past does not equal the future.

Tony knew that he was faced with a fresh opportunity to change his life. He did not need to worry about the past failures and disappointments, they were history. This is now.

As we enter a new week, heed Tony's advice and live by the notion that the past does not equal the future.

By doing this, you will not be haunted by your past failures and everything that you do will be so much easier.

The Power of Now

Many people live their lives in the past. They find their source of happiness in days gone by.

Others, however, live their lives in the future. They find their strength in what is to come.

To do this is to rob yourself of the only thing that you truly possess. This great possession is the moment that you are in at present.

Theodore Roosevelt gallantly advises us, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

The only place to live is in the present.

The past is over, it cannot be controlled. The future is only yours if you make today count.

There is great power in this idea. To understand the power of the present is a source of true strength.

One of Shakespeare's most insightful ideas was spoken by Iago. "This is the night that either makes me or for does me quite." To understand these words is to understand the powerful concept of cause and effect. Everything you do has a consequence that will one day benefit or hinder you. Similarly, anything you do not do has a similar power. It is true, we reap what we sow.

The Power of Thought

There is a wise saying that states the following simple rule:

“You become what you think about most of the time.”

Upon contemplation, this statement reveals a much deeper meaning.

This is because regardless of how someone thinks of something, this will manifest itself in his or her life.

A prime example of this can be seen with eating. People who think a lot about food, often tend to be either very hungry or overweight.

Even if they want to go on a diet, they change their physical eating habits, but it is always short-lived as their thoughts are dominated by food.

This is just one example, but it can be applied to anything from money to health to spirituality and it holds true for even the smallest things.

If one understands the power of thought and how it can influence what manifests itself in life, anything is possible.

Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality. Many people create the worst-case scenario in their mind, hoping to avoid it. To do this is to plan your own downfall. It is important to create a positive image as this will then create itself in reality. Take some time to evaluate what you think about most of the time. Does this manifest itself in reality?

The Seven Wonders of the World

The real seven wonders of the world are:

1. Our ability to see

2. Our ability to hear

3. Our ability to smell

4. Our ability to taste

5. Our ability to feel

6. Our ability to think

7. Our ability to love

For many people, the Seven Wonders of the world are a place that they might visit a few times in their life. However, the true wonders of the world are our senses and our ability to think and to love. These are the true wonders of the world. They are not a place that we might visit that exists in a far land, they are what we use all the time and lie within us at our own disposal. To realise just how wonderful these seven wonders are, just ask someone who has lost the ability to use one of them.

 

The Twelve Blocks to Success

In his book How to Get What You Want and Want What You Have, Dr. John Grey outlines twelve blocks to success.

He states that these act as barriers that prevent you from reaching your goals. In order to succeed, you first need to find out which barriers are stopping you and then remove them, so that you can proceed towards success.

The twelve barriers are:

Blame, depression, anxiety, indifference, judgment, indecision, procrastination, perfectionism, resentment, self-pity, confusion and guilt.

As we enter a new week, reflect on this list and see which of these barriers are preventing you from succeeding.

Take a look at your goals and see which barriers are stopping you from achieving this. Make it a habit to try and remove one of these barriers at a time. By doing this, you will clear the path to achieving your goal.

True Value

One day, a teacher stood before his class and taught them an important lesson.

The teacher pulled out a crisp $20 note and asked his students how much this note was worth.

The students all replied that the note was worth $20.

The teacher then dropped the $20 note on the floor and began to step on it, until the note became tattered.

'How much is this note now worth?' The teacher asked his students.

'It is still worth $20!' They all replied.

The teacher then told the students the meaning of this lesson. He taught them that even in the hardest times, your value is still the same.

When people feel great, they often say that they feel like a million dollars. However, when they feel dejected and unsure, they say that they feel like nothing. Which one of these is true? In truth, our value is always the same. Whether we feel like a million dollars or nothing, our true value remains unchanged. Knowing this, why not choose to feel like a million dollars today?

Why worry?

The Ancient Greek Philosopher, Epicurus, once said:

"Why worry about death? When I am here, it is not. When it is here, I am not."

This is true in life as well.

Most of the things that we worry about never actually happen or when they do happen, we are in a much stronger position to deal with them positively.

Worry is a habit that stops us finding peace with ourselves and can destroy our relationship with others.

In most cases, there are only a few things that cause us to spend alot of time worrying.

Next time you start worrying, see things in perspective. The cause of your worry will most likely fail to materialise anyway!

Zig Ziglar and Motivation

When you are motivated, the world literally seems to be a different and easier place.

Many things happen. Difficult tasks become effortless. Little things that would usually annoy or frustrate you have no effect and people seem to be so much more helpful.

Being motivated is not difficult. In fact it is easier than being unmotivated!

Zig Ziglar once said "People say that motivation does not last. I agree. Neither does bathing. That's why I suggest it daily."

Invest ten minutes a day in reviewing your goals and ambitions.

Do this regularly and with commitment. By doing this, you will find that motivation is not just a phase, but a state in which one can live.

Do you have your goals written down? If not, then now is the ideal time to get them on to paper. What would you like to do? Where would you like to go? Who would you like to meet? What would you like to have? What would you like to share? Make a commitment to writing down your top ten goals. Once you have them, read them at least once a day. By doing this, your mind will start to focus on transforming them into a strategy and then, through action, into reality.