Always Follow Your Dreams

There were once two brothers who lived on the 80th level. On coming home one day, they realized to their dismay that the lifts were not working and that they have to climb the stairs home.

After struggling to the 20th level, panting and tired, they decided to abandon their bags and come back for them the next day. They left their bags then and climbed on. When they have struggled to the 40th level, the younger brother started to grumble and both of them began to quarrel. They continued to climb the flights of steps, quarreling all the way to the 60th floor.

They then realized that they have only 20 levels more to climb and decided to stop quarreling and continue climbing in peace. They silently climbed on and reached their home at long last. Each stood calmly before the door and waited for the other to open the door. And they realized that the key was in their bags which was left on the 20th floor.

This story is reflecting on our life…many of us live under the expectations of our parents, teachers and friends when young. We seldom get to do the things that we really like and love and are under so much pressure and stress so that by the age of 20, we get tired and decided to dump this load.

Being free of the stress and pressure, we work enthusiastically and dream ambitious wishes. But by the time we reach 40 years old, we start to lose our vision and dreams. 

We began to feel unsatisfied and start to complain and criticize. We live life as a misery as we are never satisfied. Reaching 60, we realize that we have little left for complaining anymore, and we began to walk the final episode in peace and calmness.

We think that there is nothing left to disappoint us, only to realize that we could not rest in peace because we have an unfulfilled dream …… a dream we abandoned 60 years ago.

So what is your dream? Follow your dreams, so that you will not live with regrets.

- Unknown

10 Steps To Success

1. Self-Belief: 

Success is begins in the mind. One has to be a believer, first, if one wishes to be an achiever. Never under-estimate yourself. You have no idea how often can you surprise yourself. So to begin with, let's get in the belief, "I Can."

2. Clarity of Vision: 

There is no point running around without knowing where one wants to reach. you must get your job cut out. Greatest achievers in the world have been visionaries. Know exactly what you are best at and give it your best shot.

3. Setting the Right Goals: 

The goals should be realistic .The goals should be achievable ,and yet challenging enough - neither too easy nor too difficult -something in the middle.

4. Be Focused: 

If the sun's rays are focused on a piece of paper with a lens, the intensity of the concentrated energy burns the paper. Focus on your objective will enhance the intensity of the effects of your efforts.

5. No Short Cuts to Success: 

There are no short cuts to success. Divide your overall goals into smaller targets. Divide your monthly plans into weekly and weekly plans into daily plans and see how simple can things be.

6. Take Risks: 

Without any risk no progress is possible. Life comes to a stable standstill. People who take chances are the people who get ahead in life. The only way to reduce risk is to take risks.

7. Take the Initiative: 

People who take the initiative make the most of their lives. Proactive people do not wait for success to happen; rather they make it happen. As they say, 'JUST DO IT'.

8. Never Hesitate to Struggle: 

No one has ever climbed a mountain just by looking at it. Struggle, hard struggle, is a key to success.

9. Own Responsibility: 

Failure to hit the bull's eye is never the fault of the target. People, who own complete responsibility of their lives, are the people who make the most of it.

10. Never Give Up: 

Many people who failed in life, where those who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Success demands extra-ordinary amount of perseverance. Never, never, give up.

- Unknown

What Life Means Today

Earlier, life meant:

A winter evening, Four friends, Mild rain.., Four pegs of rum.

Earlier, life meant:

100 bucks for petrol, Two rusty old bikes.., An open road.

Earlier, life meant:

Maggi noodles, A hostel room, 3.25 a.m.., Sharing food.. and love.

Earlier, life meant:

Last minute exam preparations, One night, One book.., 8 duffers.

Earlier, life meant:

One girl, One number, 4 friends.., And a fight.

Today life means:

Old friends, Separate cities, Separate lives.,

And endless efforts to earn money & get peace.

Today what you are looking in life.., Is probably that you lost in your way here.

Remember old friends, old memories you shared, Reconnect, rejoice!

- Unknown

Motivation From Within

Motivation is a contraction of motive and action. An inner force that compels behavior, it comes from within, not from any external circumstance.

You know where you’re going because you have a compelling image inside, not a travel poster on the wall, a financial statement with a big bonus, or a slogan in the hall.

The performance of many externally motivated individuals begins declining as soon as they win contests of one sort or another. I have personally witnessed this among Super Bowl champions and World Cup teams that lost the incentive to maintain their excellence after winning the cup, the honors, and the cash.

If you’re really committed to peak performance and leadership, you must motivate yourself from within. Studies of achievers show that inner drives for excellence and independence are far more powerful than desire for wealth, status or recognition.

The Inner Drive :

Behavioral scientists have found that independent desire for excellence is the most telling predictor of significant achievement.

In other words, the success of our efforts depends less on the efforts themselves than on our motives. The most successful companies, like the most successful men and women in almost all fields, have achieved their greatness out of a desire to express what they felt had to be expressed.

Often it was a desire to use their skills to their utmost in order to solve a problem. This is not to say that many of them did not also earn a great deal of money and prestige. William Shakespeare, Thomas Edison, Estee Lauder, Walt Disney, Oprah Winfrey, Sam Walton and Bill Gates all became wealthy.

But far more than thoughts of profit, the key to their success was inspiration and inner drive by creating or providing excellence in a product or a service. All were motivated by the desire to produce the very best that was in them.

Go for the Inner Applause :

The late Ray Kroc, a former neighbor of mine who founded McDonald’s Corporation when he was in his 50s, stressed the importance of people working for the inner satisfaction, not just for the money. Ray said most people find it difficult to associate applause with their work when they can’t hear literal applause—but the important applause should come from within. It is the faster heartbeat, the pride and satisfaction of accomplishment.

Kroc told the University of Southern California’s Business School that the first thing a business executive needs is love of an idea.

If you don’t love your concept, drop it. If you prostitute yourself at an early age by taking a job where the money is, you’ll be working for money all your life. Loving their work is particularly important for younger people. If they lose that love early, they may never grow to anywhere near their potential for self-actualization.

Hire People Who Have Empowered Themselves :

An inner drive for excellence motivates you always to be the best you possible can in whatever you do. Leaders and managers should take special note here. They must be careful in their use of external motivators—money, perks, prestigious offices and titles—in trying to inspire their team members and employees. Enduring motivation must always come ultimately from within the individual.

That’s why empowerment and vision are so crucial to team performance and quality. Their power and their vision, not those of the leader, must compel team members.

Interviewing potential members, you should look for internally motivated individuals who hold their work important for its own sake, who love their field or their industry, who seek the exhilaration of testing their limits and contributing to the world. Be wary if they show more interest in your compensation package than in their contribution package.

Commit to achieving peak performance and leadership, by motivating yourself from within!

- Denis Waitley

Doing Something Out Of The Ordinary

I have just done something out of the ordinary, and it felt fantastic. I found myself with a couple of hours free and nothing to do so I  decided to go to a low cost supermarket and made up 3 bags of food costing about £10 each. I then proceeded to drive to a very deprived part of my town where I knocked on the three most shabby looking doors and waited.

Once the door was answered, I simply said: "I know things can be hard sometimes and we all need a little help, I hope this comes in handy." I handed over the shopping, smiled, turned around and walked away. The look on the people's faces was priceless. The food fed the people and the gesture fed my soul.

As always, "we make a living out of what we get but we make a life out of what we give!!"

- By Etseth 

Focus on Key Result Areas

The Key Question for You to Ask :

Why are you on the payroll? This is one of the most important questions you ever ask and answer, over and over again, throughout your career.

As it happens, most people are not sure exactly why they are on the payroll. But if you are not crystal clear about why it is that you are on the payroll and what results you have been hired to accomplish, it is very hard for you to perform at your best and get paid more and promoted faster.

Determine the Results Expected of You :

In its simplest terms, you have been hired to get specific results. A wage or a salary is a payment for a specific quality and quantity of work that can be combined with the work of others to create a product or service that customers are willing to pay for.

Define Your Key Result Areas :

Each job can be broken down into about five to seven key result areas, seldom more. These are the results that you absolutely, positively have to get to fulfill your responsibilities and make your maximum contribution to your organization. Your failure to perform in a critical result area of your work can lead to failure at your job. There is essential knowledge and skill that you must have for your job. These demands are constantly changing. There are core competencies that you have developed that make it possible for you to do your job in the first place. But there are always key results that are central to your work and which determine your success or failure in your job.

You Are Responsible :

A key result area is defined as something for which you are completely responsible. This means that if you don't do it, it doesn't get done. A key result area is an activity that is under your control. It is an output of your work that becomes an input or a contributing factor to the work of others.

Give Yourself A Grade :

Once you have determined your key result areas, the second step is for you to grade yourself on a scale of 1-10 in each of those areas. Where are you strong and where are you weak? Where are you getting excellent results and where are you under performing?

Here's the rule: Your weakest key result area sets the height at which you can use all  your other skills and abilities.

This rule says that you could be exceptional in six out of seven key result areas but really poor in the seventh. And your poor performance in the seventh area will hold you back and determine how much you achieve with all your other skills. This weakness will act as a drag on your effectiveness and be a constant source of friction and frustration.

Decide to Become Excellent :

The fact is that everybody has both strengths and weaknesses. Refuse to rationalize, justify or defend your areas of weakness. Instead, identify them clearly. Set a goal and make a plan to become very good in each of those areas. Just think! You may be only one critical skill away from top performance at your job.

Here is one of the greatest questions you will ever ask and answer: "What one skill, if I developed and did it in an excellent fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my career?"

You should use this question to guide your career for the rest of your life. Look into yourself for the answer. You usually know what it is.

- By Brian Tracy

A Tale of Two Tags

Some months ago, my husband and I had tried tagging some military personnel and it had not materialized. Imagine our surprise when we landed at the same airport last month and noticed that there were military personnel waiting around in order to be shipped to some frontier. We literally rubbed our hands with glee and decided to tag them - and hopefully manage to complete it. Here is the story of the two tags - and both the tags (irrespective of the end result) left a great impact on us.

Tag 1 (6  months ago):

It was the end of our vacation and while we were waiting at the airport for our flight home, we noticed that there were a lot of military personnel waiting to be shipped out.  We had a thought - why don't we tag them with all with a beverage of their choice before they boarded their special flight.

So we went to the McDonald's in the airport and approached the manager. He was a young man and was initially a little puzzled that we wanted to tag the soldiers anonymously with a free drink. He was, however, sporting enough to want to help with the tag. Checking with the airline, we figured that there were about 127 soldiers in the airport, and we handed the manager about Rs. 3,500/-in cash to pay for a beverage for each of the soldiers.We asked the McDonalds manager to approach the carrier and make a PSA to the soldiers to step to their counter for a free drink - as a thank you from the country's grateful  citizens.

The manager approached the airline who refused to make the PSA as they could not understand why we wanted to do it. So the manager told us that he will go ahead and inform a couple of the army people waiting in the lounge and ask them to pass on the message to other army personnel in the lounge. So we walked back to where we had left our luggage, feeling a sense of warm glow.

Just our luck - the airline decided to make an announcement that the army personnel should board their flight immediately. And it was with a sense of disappointment that we watched them leave. We were disappointed that none of the army people had been tagged as the announcement came immediately after the manager had approached the first army person. However the manager said that he felt very warm and touched to see such a gesture, and gave us a free ice-cream (his way of paying-it-forward) ;)

Tag 2 (Fast forward to last month) :

At the end of another trip, we landed in the same airport to take our return flight home. And voila! The karma of RAK had sent a whole contingent of army people who were waiting in the airport for their flight. So we immediately went to the nearby snack shop where they sold pre-packaged snacks and sweets, explained the Smile Card concept to the manager there, and requested for his help.

He caught on to the idea at once, and asked one of his colleagues to select the snack items that could be used for the tag. While his colleague prepared the snack bags, we paid for 25 snack bags. We then asked him and his colleague to go around the airport offering a snack bag to each of the personnel stating that it was a thank you from all the citizens. We did not wait to see how the tag went, but I do hope it brought about a smile in a couple of hearts :)

- Unknown

The Law of Priorities

The very worst use of your time is to do what need not be done at all. The Pareto Principle says that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of the value of your activities. This means that, if you have a list of ten items to accomplish, two of those items will be worth more than the other eight items altogether.

To achieve great things, you must always be concentrating on the small number of activities that contribute the greatest value to your life and your work.

Determine the Consequences :

The value of anything in your order of priorities can be measured by assessing the potential consequences of doing it or not doing it. Something that is important has significant consequences to your life and your career. Something that is unimportant has few or no consequences of significance to your life or career. The mark of the superior thinker is your ability to consider possible consequences before you begin.

Ask the Key Question :

Continually ask yourself, "What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?" And whatever it is, work on that. Your ability to discipline yourself to work on those few tasks that can make the greatest difference in your life is the key quality that makes everything else possible for you.

- By Brian Tracy

Time Has Wings

Do not waste any of life’s precious time.
There is something to be gathered out of each moment.

We’re here for a little while. We’re only passing by.
Time has wings and the golden moments quickly fly.

- Unknown

Make Every Minute Count

Time management is the central skill of success. Your ability to manage your time, to focus and channel your energies on your highest value tasks, will determine your rewards and your level of accomplishment in life more than any other factor.

Save Hundreds of Hours and Thousands of Dollars in Personal Advancement :

Your mind is your most precious asset. You must be continually working to increase the quality of your thinking. One of the best ways is to turn driving time into learning time. Listen to educational CDs or audio cassettes in your car. The average driver, according to the American Automobile 

Association, drives 12,000 to 25,000 miles each year, spending 500 to 1000 hours that you spend each year in your car. That is the equivalent of 12 1/2 to 25 forty-hour weeks. This is the same as two full university semesters spent behind the wheel of your car each year.

Use Traveling Time as Learning Time :

If you did nothing but use that traveling time as learning time, this decision alone could make you one of the best educated people of your generation. Many people have gone from rags to riches simply by listening to audio programs as they drive to and from work.

Attend Every Seminar :

In addition, for personal and professional development, you should attend every seminar you can. You can often save yourself 100's of hours of reading and researching by attending a seminar given by an authority in his or her field. You can learn ideas, techniques and methods that can save you hours, days, even months of hard work and research on your own.

Increase Your Earnings :

Remember, to earn more, you must learn more. Your outer world of results will always correspond to your inner world of preparation. Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.

- By Brian Tracy

The Brick

How many times have you asked yourself, 'why is this happening to me?' or 'why is God punishing me?' Whatever word you give to your problem and choose to search on the net for an answer or explanation, you will find thousands of places that claim to be able to free you from all of your tribulations.

You name it, there is a book, a site, and a 'guide' over there that will give the answers you desperately need. Some of them are sincere, and are honestly done to inspire hope and to support you in achieving a positive life and self-esteem. What they all have in common is that 'you hold the answer to all your questions, and the solution to all of your troubles.'

Maybe you don't even believe in God but nevertheless when something bad hits you over the head you question 'who, or what, is the power that threw me that punch?' Have you ever thought about first asking yourself the answer to that thorny question? Remember that little voice that is constantly nudging you? Well, that voice can be your best friend and advisor, or your worst enemy. If you believe in God or a force that connect and guides our dimensions you will pray and try to find comfort in your beliefs. If not, the road will be long, wide and hard. As one of these believers I pass to you this simple advice, if God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

What I call spirituality is not going to church every Sunday or joining any mystic group. Spirituality is being responsible for all of your thoughts and actions. The forces of the universe will take care to coordinate these thoughts and actions and transform your life and the world. As opposed to advising you on how to live your life, I will entertain you with this short story I heard a long time ago. Especially now at this difficult period of global uncertainty, when we are exposed to so much suffering, misunderstanding and pain, it has an even more poignant feel.

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared but instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid he saw standing by and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?'

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister....please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother, ' he said, "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!'

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not. He didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but God did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Let this thought sink in... If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Have a great journey.

- By Ton Pascal

Playing The Game

Life is a game with a glorious prize,
If we can only play it right.
It is give and take, build and break,
And often it ends in a fight;
But he surely wins who honestly tries
(Regardless of wealth or fame),

He can never despair who plays it fair
How are you playing the game?

Do you wilt and whine, if you fail to win
In the manner you think your due?
Do you sneer at the man in case that he can
And does, do better than you?
Do you take your rebuffs with a knowing grin?
Do you laugh tho' you pull up lame?

Does your faith hold true when the whole world's blue?
How are you playing the game?

Get into the thick of it - wade in, boys!
Whatever your cherished goal;
Brace up your will till your pulses thrill,
And you dare - to your very soul!
Do something more than make a noise;
Let your purpose leap into flame

As you plunge with a cry, "I shall do or die,"
Then you will be playing the game.

- Unknown

Don't Act Like An Elephant!

In India, elephants are used for manual labor. When an elephant is small and weighs approximately 200 pounds, it is securely tied with a heavy-duty rope. In between 'jobs' the elephant tries to break through its limitation. The calf whines, tugs, and even tries to chew through the rope-but it is unable to break free.

Finally, the elephant gives up its will and accepts his circumstances. The elephant believes there is absolutely no chance to free himself and overcome his limitation. In doing so, he misses out on his defining moment.

A defining moment is the exact moment one adopts or accepts a new belief that drastically transforms their life. They accept this new belief as a new truth, regardless if it is true or not. Because the brain accepts repetition of thought and deduction as 'the truth,' the rope reigns sovereign not only in the calf's immediate environment, but in his mind as well.

With this belief deeply embedded in the elephant's mind, his handler came up with an ingenious idea to permanently disempower him. He realized all that was needed was to tie the four-ton animal up with extremely small ropes and he would remain tied. You see in the elephant's mind, any size rope would keep him securely confined.

Don't act like an elephant. Size up and break through the confining ropes in your mind. When you're faced with change, change your perspective. 

When you're overwhelmed with something new; change your view. Use affirmations, to eradicate limitations and nothing will be impossible for you!

- By Fran Briggs

Look Within

People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace.
They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people,
hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them.

The irony is that the only place
they ever needed to search was within themselves.

- Author Unknown

Excerpt from Heart of a Teacher

He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in Morris, Minnesota. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was one in a million. Very neat in appearance, he had that happy-to-be-alive attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful.Mark talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking without permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving. "Thank you for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but before long I became accustomed to hearing it many times a day.

One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, and then I made a novice teacher's mistake. I looked at Mark and said, "If you say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!" It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking again." I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it.

I remember the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That did it! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister."

At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to my instruction in the "new math," he did not talk as much in nineth grade as he had in third. One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked hard on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this crankiness before it got out of hand.

So I asked them to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend." That Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant anything to anyone! I didn't know others liked me so much." No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again.

That group of students moved on. Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at the airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions about the trip, the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the conversation. Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply said, "Dad?" My father cleared his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds called last night," he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't heard from them in years. I wonder how Mark is." Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it if you could attend." To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me about Mark.

I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, "Mark, I would give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me." The church was packed with Mark's friends. Chuck's sister sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? It was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last walk by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to bless the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark talked about you a lot," he said.

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting for me. "We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. "Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it."

Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. I keep it in the top drawer of my desk at home." Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album." "I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash. "I think we all saved our lists." That's when I finally sat down and cried. I cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

Take a moment today to show gratitude to the teachers who have made a difference in your life. 

- By Paula Fox

Awesome Motivational Poem

Don't Quit 

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high;
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are;
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit.

- Unknown

7 Disciplines for High Performance

There are seven disciplines you must develop if you want to achieve all that is possible for you. You can learn these disciplines through practice and repetition until they become automatic. 

Goal Setting :

Every morning, take three to five minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense. Get a spiral notebook for this purpose. By writing out your ten goals at the beginning of each day, you will program them deep into your subconscious mind. This daily goal writing will activate your mental powers. It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert. Throughout the day, you will see opportunities and possibilities to move more rapidly toward your goals. 

Planning and Organizing :

Take a few minutes, preferably the night before, to plan out every activity of the coming day. Always work from a list. Always think on paper. This is one of the most powerful and important disciplines of all for high performance. 

Priority Setting :

The essence of all time management, personal management, and life management is contained in your ability to set the proper priorities on the use of your time. This is essential for high performance.

Concentration on your Highest-Value Activities :

Your ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop. 

Exercise and Proper Nutrition :

Your health is more important than anything else. By disciplining yourself to exercise regularly and to eat carefully, you will promote the highest possible levels of health and fitness throughout your life. 

Learning and Growth :

Your mind is like a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it. Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field. 

Time for Important People in your Life :

Relationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Build time for your relationships into every day, no matter how busy you get. 

- By Brian Tracy 

Even Difficult Times Can Be Kind Times

Good sense might have suggested I stay in today. There was snow on the ground and we really don't have any money to be spending right now. 

But, there were a couple of things I needed, so I gathered what cash I had together and hopped on to the bus to the next town (hoping it wouldn't slip off the road on an icy patch.)

Once in town one of the first thing I saw was a brass band! They had taken over an empty shop and were setting up to perform in the window. I didn't get to hear a toot out of them, but I did see they were "busking" for donations. The money raised would buy gifts for local needy children.

A I slipped a note into the collection bucket the woman holding it finished a sentence to another man with the words, "... even the bad times are good." The she smiled at me. I said, "God bless." She said, "Thank you - and God bless you!"

A few steps closer to the shopping mall, I saw the Big Issue seller. (Big Issue is a magazine sold by homeless folk.) I've talked to Gabriel lots of times and I know his mother, back in Romania, has a heart problem. I hadn't seen him for weeks. Sure enough, he'd had another emergency phone call and had rushed to Romania fearing he might not get there in time to say goodbye. Thankfully, his mother, while not exactly well, was back in her home. 

But for how long he didn't know.

So, we talked a while, then I bought a magazine for way above the cover price. Contributing, I reckoned, towards his next European dash. He shook my hand and said, "God bless you, my friend!"

Well, by the time I reached the shopping mall I didn't have enough money left to buy what I'd set out for. I wandered around for a while, window shopped and people watched. On my way back to the bus stop I counted my money. Not enough to do anything with, but too much to waste. So, I bought Gabriel a tea and a doughnut. On a day like this one I thought he might appreciate the warmth.

He really did!

So, heading home, I could have counted it a wasted day. I'd set out with a little money. I came back with none - and nothing to show for it. But! Some children I would never meet would get gifts. Gabriel's hands would be warmer. I had the happy realisation that my mum was well and only half an hour's walk from my house should I need to get to her. And two people had 'God-blessed' me.

How did I feel? I felt just like the Salvation Army woman had said - "Even the bad times are good!"

- Author Unknown

Create Your Personal Strategic Plan

Your success in life is determined, to a large extent by your ability to think, plan, decide, and take action. The stronger your skills are in each of these areas, the faster you will achieve your goals and the happier you will be with your life and career. Personal strategic planning is the tool that takes you from wherever you are to wherever you want to go. 

Difference between Train and Plane :

The difference between people who use strategic planning to organize and direct their lives and those who do not is like the difference between taking a train and taking a plane. Both will get you from point A to point B, but the plane—personal strategic planning—will get you there much faster and without frequent stops. 

Systematic Way of Thinking :

Skill in personal strategic planning is not something you are born with, like eye color or perfect pitch. It is a systematic way of thinking and acting and is, therefore, something you can learn, like riding a bike or changing a tire. With practice, you can master the many different elements that make up this key skill, and you will get into the rhythm of thinking and acting strategically for the rest of your life. When you do acquire rhythm, you will realize extraordinary results. Your life and career will take off, and the sky is truly the limit. 

Save Time and Money :

Why is strategic planning and thinking so helpful? The answer is simple: it saves you an enormous amount of time and money. When you review and analyze key strategic questions of concepts of your career or business, you find yourself focusing on the critical tasks necessary to achieve your goals. At the same time, you stop doing those things that keep you from achieving success. You do more of the right things and fewer things that get and keep you off track. You set performance goals for people and projects. You become skilled at measuring and tracking results. You move into the express lane in both work and life. 

Design Your Life and Career :

Your goals in personal strategic planning are similar. The key difference is that rather than improving your return on equity, your planning efforts will allow you to realize a greater return on energy. You might say that personal strategic planning will increase your return on life. A business measures its equity in terms of financial capital. On the other hand, you measure your personal equity in terms of your own human capital. Your personal equity consists of the physical, emotional, and mental energies you are able to invest in your career. Set a goal of achieving the very highest return possible on the investment of your energies. 

Critical Question :

Ask yourself this critical question: What is it that I do especially well? Examine the areas where you excel or are clearly superior to others in your field. You need to know what you can claim as your personal competitive advantage. This is the lifeblood of personal strategic planning. Your success is tied directly to how excellent you become at the most important part of your work. 

- By Brian Tracy 

Life Lesson

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there...to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be but, when you lock eyes with them, you know that every moment they will affect your life in some profound way. And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair but, upon reflection, you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, will power or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, Injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul.

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. Safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create who you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart to. If someone loves you, love them back, unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high.

Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you.

-Author Unknown

Overcome Your Limitations By Changing Your Beliefs

So many in the world today believe that in order to attain wealth that you must be smarter than the “average person”, be fortunate enough to be able to afford an education at some prestigious university, that you must “work harder and longer”, that you must “invest wisely”, or “just be plain lucky.”

These misconceptions run rampant in our societies today and are perceived to be truth by the majority. Many mistakenly perceive these falsely held beliefs to be the only logical means to attain such a state as true abundance and happiness, because that is what they have been led to believe to be true.

While it is true that a college education can be helpful in your life long endeavors, whole societies teach that a college education is essential and necessary to attain a good job unless you are one of the lucky few.

If this is true, what becomes of the multitudes who are not fortunate enough to attain a formal education? What becomes of the many who for whatever reason are unable to attend a college? Are they doomed to a life of mediocrity and struggle? Are they hopelessly bound to unfulfilling low paying jobs with no hope of ever realizing any sort of success and financial independence? Absolutely not!

Sadly, because of these widespread traditional misconceptions that have been taught for hundreds of years, and that the masses have accepted as truth, millions of people today do believe that they are hopelessly stuck in jobs that they dislike, that they must work long grueling hours, spend little to no time with their families, and get so caught up in making a living that they fail to make a life.

In looking at the world, it has become obvious that something isn’t working quite right. Although two income families are more prevalent than ever before, technology is far more advanced, and opportunity at an all time high, why is it, that so many seem to have to get by with so little?

If one were to look at the statistics of rising emotional and mental dysfunction, rising bankruptcy percentages, stress related dis-ease, staggering rates of divorce, and the ever increasing rates of homelessness, it would certainly raise questions as to why.

Could it be that that the harder people try to cure the deficient areas of their lives by following ill given advice, provided through a flawed educational process, that is actually the cause for these ever increasing and unfortunate situations? Is it possible that the majority have lost sight of the true means of where real and lasting abundance comes?

Is it possible that our educational system is severely flawed and not teaching the real life principles that would allow the majority to live lives of plenty rather than struggle?

Is it possible that there might be a simple answer to the rising numbers of poverty stricken families, ever increasing divorce rates, single parent homes, world hunger, etc. etc.

There is! It’s called education. I’m not talking about the kind of traditional type education that is received in the majority of our government controlled schools., or learning a new trade at the local Vo-tech.

I’m talking about an education that teaches people the truth about who and what they were really created to be, and taught correct principles concerning the kind of lives that they were really intended to live, that would teach each individual the unlimited potential that each is capable of attaining.

I’m talking about an education that helps people to understand that life doesn’t have to be a “I wonder what’s going to happen tomorrow” type of existence wondering if the electricity, phone, or water is going to be turned off because they didn’t have enough left over to pay the bill.

Why is this education not taught to the masses? It’s readily available to all who will take the time to find it and certainly provable if they will only take the time needed to discover, learn, and apply the simple principles that are required.

Many would have you believe that such talk is a bunch of nonsense, and that so many struggle in our societies because “that is just the way life is.” Many would have you believe that is just the nature of people and to some extent, I would have to agree. The reason that many people find themselves in these unpleasant and uncomfortable situations is because that is what they have been taught and come to believe to be the truth.

All any person or family needs to do is learn the true principles that control our entire universe and learn the simple, unwavering, and predictable laws that govern the entire cosmos. All any struggling single mother has to do is rewrite the nonsense subconscious programming that they have allowed to be absorbed through the education that they have received and learn to replace the self limiting teachings of the nay sayers that they have associated with and replace that false teaching with universal truth. All it would take is a slight shift in the thought processes that have been taught to them throughout their lives.

All that is required is developing an awareness of who they truly are as individuals and learn the real truth of what they were created to be and capable of becoming.

All it takes is a change in belief. Your beliefs are determining where you are at in your life right now. Your current beliefs are determining what kind of job you are capable of, the amount of money that you can make, and what type of home you live in.

If what you currently believe isn’t serving you, you have the power to learn new information and the free will to choose to establish new beliefs. You have the capability and the power within yourself, without any help from anyone, to accomplish your lifelong dreams and goals if only you will only acquire the right kind of education that will empower you to do so, and allow you to establish the real truth concerning who you truly are and what you are truly capable of becoming.

You also have the power to remain as you are. You possess the power to continue to make your life decisions based on what you have come to know as truth. You have the power to allow your previous teaching to control the rest of your life or you also have the power to discover for yourself what you are truly capable of doing, achieving, and becoming.

If you are able to develop your awareness of the true and limitless possibilities that are available to you and develop your consciousness to the point of conceiving a life of Abundance and Happiness for yourself, you are certainly able to achieve it, regardless of what you have been previously taught.

Now you have to decide if this is a bunch of nonsense, or if it is in fact possible that what is being shared might be true. There is plenty of credible information available to you to prove it for yourself. This proof comes in many forms. It can be found through scientific study. It can be found through correct teachings in the right spiritual circles which has been practiced, talked about, and understood for thousands of years.

The truth is readily available as well as the steps that it will take for you to live a life of purpose, joy, fulfillment, and inner peace.

Does it require some effort on your part? Absolutely! Does it take a specific amount of discipline to accomplish it? Definitely.

The truth is available to those that will seek it. The steps have been laid out for those that have a sincere desire to transform their lives in a dramatic and powerful way.

Now it only becomes a matter of choice. Your Choice. What do you choose?

Your life is limited only by your beliefs. Change your beliefs and you can change your world.

- By Chuck Danes

The Mousetrap

A little mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house — like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake lunged and bit the farmer's wife on her foot.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his dear wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for them to eat.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall and sighed with great sadness...

Moral :

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and you think it doesn't concern you, remember that when one of us is threatened, we are ALL at risk ... we are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for other folks and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

The Niche Strategy for Success

The starting point of career success is for you to select your boss carefully and refuse to work for a difficult or negative person. Much of your happiness and job satisfaction depends upon your relationship with your superior. If you don't get along, make every effort to resolve it or get transferred but if you can't, be prepared to walk away.

Make the Right Choices :

Choosing the right work, the right place to do it and the right people to do it with is laying the foundation for career success. Now you are ready to implement the "niche strategy." The niche strategy is based on the fact that some jobs in any organization are more critical to the health of the organization than are others.

Influence the Cash Flow :

A strategic niche is a job or position that influences the cash flow of the company. In most companies, cash flow is determined by sales and marketing and if you want to get ahead rapidly in those companies, you must work your way into the sales and marketing function.

How to Make More Money :

Many people ask me how they can make more money at their jobs. When they tell me their positions, the problem is usually clear. They are working in areas of the company that are felt to be of lesser importance than other areas. As a result, their services are not highly valued no matter how hard they work or how well they do their job. Their increases are set at the level that will keep them from quitting or that will enable the company to hire someone else fairly quickly.

- By Brian Tracy

24 Things To Always Remember

Your presence is a present to the world.
You are unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You will make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Do not put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.
Do not take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasure are people together.

Realize that it is never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have hearth and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a start.

AND DO NOT EVER FORGET., FOR EVEN A DAY HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE!