MOTIVE MAGNET

2019-06-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

#Morning #Mantra Let's appreciate the present, for Yesterday is by gone, Tomorrow is yet to come and we are left with today. Lets focus on NOW and I am sure we will be able to take care of the present.

Love thyself

2016-07-07T04:30:00.001-07:00

Many of us believe that loving oneself is being selfish and therefore, we experience a sense of guilt. Loving your own self doesn’t mean ignoring your imperfections or being selfish — it doesn’t mean that you say, “I am perfect and don’t need to change.” Loving yourself is not a selfish act. It does not imply that you must ignore the needs of others. Nor does loving oneself need to involve doing so with arrogance.

Self love means you pay attention to your feelings, your perspective. You are fully aware of your own needs while recognizing the needs of others.
If you don’t feel fulfilled within, how can you properly reach out and become deeply fulfilling to others? If you cannot love and respect yourself for the person you are how will others accept and love you? If I don’t enjoy my own company, how can I expect others to find me interesting? Ask: Could you live with yourself on a deserted island?
Self love means loving and accepting yourself the way you are, while acknowledging fully the changes that you need to make in your life. Recognize the areas in your life that needs improvement and enhance it.
It’s human to err, to make mistakes, to know defeat and to face failures. We grow from this. However, what is important is to not to indulge in self-blame but to accept what needs to change, while acknowledging and respecting what is good in you. Release the past and move on.
When you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you feel? What or who do you see? Can you look in the mirror and say, “I love you exactly the way you are?” Can you say, with conviction; “I love you, because I recognize that you are unique and wonderful?”
We often feel that forgiving and letting go is for others. We forget that when we hold on to the pain and the grief and hurt caused by others—and if don’t forgive — it is like holding hot coal in our hands, refusing to throw it.
Do you trust your abilities and know what is good, unique and wonderful in you? If your answer is in the affirmative, it means you are manifesting a life of your dreams. If negative, then you need to delve deeper into your mind and soul to find what is stopping you from living your dreams.
We talk about loving others and of doing things for others, but, if a part of you, somewhere deep down, is aching, frustrated and belittled, how can you do justice to others?
Reach within and find the real you; feel assured that you have great potential. Use it.

The Tunnel..........

2012-10-09T00:11:00.002-07:00

Zenkai - the son of a samurai, journeyed to Edo and there became the retainer of a high official. He fell in love with the official's wife and was discovered. In self-defence, he slew the official. Then he ran away with the wife.

Both of them later became thieves. But the woman was so greedy that Zenkai grew disgusted. Finally, leaving her, he journeyed far away to the province of Buzen, where he became a wandering mendicant.

To atone for his past, Zenkai resolved to accomplish some good deed in his lifetime. Knowing of a dangerous road over a cliff that had caused death and injury to many persons, he resolved to cut a tunnel through the mountain there.

Begging food in the daytime, Zenkai worked at night digging his tunnel. When thirty years had gone by, the tunnel was 2,280 feet long, 20 feet high, and 30 feet wide.

Two years before the work was completed, the son of the official he had slain, who was a skillful swordsman, found Zenkai out and came to kill him in revenge.

"I will give you my life willingly," said Zenkai. "Only let me finish this work. On the day it is completed, then you may kill me."

So the son awaited the day. Several months passed and Zenkai kept digging. The son grew tired of doing nothing and began to help with the digging. After he had helped for more than a year, he came to admire Zenkai's strong will and character.

At last the tunnel was completed and the people could use it and travel safely.

"Now cut off my head," said Zenkai. "My work is done."

"How can I cut off my own teacher's head?" asked the younger man with tears in his eyes.

Peace of Mind

2012-09-13T04:52:00.004-07:00

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his follower

s. This was in the initial days. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples,
“I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.”

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own – and you got clear water... Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”

What did Buddha emphasize here?

He said, “It is effortless.” Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

Paradox of LOVE ...........

2012-08-31T02:33:00.002-07:00

A greater fear than death grips you whenever you are in love. That’s why love has disappeared from the world. Rarely, very rarely does the phenomenon happen that love descends. What you call love is just a false coin: you have invented it because it is so difficult to live without love. It is difficult because without love, life carries no meaning; it is meaningless. Without love, life has no poe

try in it. Without love, the tree exists but never flowers. Without love, you cannot dance, you cannot celebrate, you cannot feel grateful, you cannot pray. Without love, temples are just ordinary houses; with love an ordinary house is transformed, transfigured into a temple. Without love you remain just possibilities – empty gestures. With love, for the first time you become substantial. With love, for the first time, the soul arises in you. The ego drops but the soul arises...

“Moving towards love is moving towards an abyss. One starts wavering, one feels dizzy. Go to a height in the Himalayas and look down at the valley; that valley is no-thing. When you look down at the valley of love, a tremendous fear grips you. You are almost paralyzed: you cannot run away, you cannot take the jump. You simply tremble in infinite fear. What to do? Going back is not possible because love attracts: love calls your depth, love calls your future, love calls your potentiality; love gives you a glimpse of what you can be. You cannot run away from it, and you cannot jump because the cost is too high. You will have to drop yourself – all that you have been thinking yourself to be – the image, the past, the identity.

“But I tell you, the cost only seems to be too much before the jump. Once you take the jump…then you will know that whatsoever you have given up is nothing, and what you have attained is infinitely valuable. Let me tell you a paradox: love demands that you drop that which you don’t have, and love offers you that which you already have. Love wants you to get rid of that which you don’t have.”

~ Osho ✲ Knowledge ✲Action✲ Care✲_̴ı̴̴̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡*̡̡ ̴̡ı̴̴̡ ̡̡͡|̲̲̲͡͡͡ ̲▫̲͡ ̲̲̲͡͡π̲̲͡͡ ̲̲͡▫̲̲͡͡ ̲|̡̡̡ ̡ ̴̡ı̴̡̡ ̡͌

The Pencil:

2012-08-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. “There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

One: “You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.”

Two: “You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”

Three: “You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”

Four: “The most important part of you will always be what's inside.”

And Five: “On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark.

No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: “You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.”

Two: “You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.”

Three: “You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”

Four: “The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”

And Five: “On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.”

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.

The Tunnel

2012-08-13T04:58:00.003-07:00

When you enter the tunnel, it is darkness and probably a faint light on two sides guide you thru the road. The moment you enter the tunnel, there is an yucky, damp smell all around. You just wish Oh God! I should be able to be reach to the faint light I can see at the other end of the tunnel.

The same way - when you are going thru a bad patch always remember that the bad phase is your tunnel and

you can see a faint light at the end of the tunnel which you need to target - your aim to reach the brightness of your life.

Sometimes the tunnels are short and you are happy. The other times they are long, don't worry they are a part of your learning phase in life to make you stronger.

Just have faith in GOD and trust him he will surely take you out of the Tunnel very soon. He just wants you to go thru this so that you can appreciate the best things coming after........

You're NOT Alone On That Island!

2012-08-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

It is a year of challenge; a year of change; a year of learning that it is time to let go!
You may feel like you’re all alone on an island; and nobody understands how you think or feel; but you are not alone! There are more people here than you could imagine .... patiently waiting.
There are people who really do care; who want to listen, and want to actually hear y

ou! They can help you to step out of that emotional cave that you may have retreated into.
It's so easy to withdraw into what we think is a safe zone; but then we start to live in our heads; and not in the world around us!
We think it's safer at first; but then it starts to get very lonely and dark in there; doesn't it ... ?
It takes a lot of courage and determination to stick our heads out, and have a look around at who or what might be just outside waiting for us to re-appear .... And it takes a stack more courage to step outside and stand tall amongst the uncertainty of it all .... doesn't it ... ?
Far too often people get overwhelmed by the stigma that can be attached to 'not being a 100%' ...
If we reach out to people who we trust and feel safe with; then there is no stigma; not one tiny bit of it; and the personal empowerment that begins to take place is often stronger than we could have ever imagined.
I see it every day in my work; and I've been in some pretty dark places during my run through life too. Lot's of us have!
I've learnt that 'a problem shared is a problem halved'; every time; not just sometimes!
The value of talking and sharing your stuff (with someone who actually does care and wants to help); is priceless; absolutely priceless!
C'mon now; reach out to that someone who does feel right; and allow yourself to be heard!
You'll be so glad that you did!

Courtesy: Phil Evans and aimkaam.com

Chances missed..............

2012-07-03T00:54:00.003-07:00

Thoughts to ponder on....

2012-06-05T21:17:00.001-07:00

Life doesn't give you the people you want.

It gives you the people you need:

to help you, to hurt you,

to love you, to leave you,

and

to make you the person you were meant to be.

LITTLE THINGS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE - Author Unknown

2012-05-18T02:45:00.001-07:00

There was a man taking his morning walk on the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came hundreds of starfish and when the tide receded, they were left behind and with the suns’ morning rays, they would die.

The tide was fresh and the starfish were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one and threw it into the water. He did that repeatedly.

Right behind him there was a young boy who noticed and couldn't understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. What difference does it make?"

This man did not reply, took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one."

After hearing why the man was doing this, the boy bent down, picked up a starfish and threw it back in the ocean. Then he smiled and said, “I made a difference for that one.”

Will you make a difference in someone's life today?

Letting Go......

2012-05-08T05:03:00.001-07:00

Its a lot harder than it seems. You talk all day, everyday. You fall asleep on the phone together. You wake up to good morning texts. You think about them every second you’re awake then when you’re asleep, you dream about them. You spend time with them whether its in person or not. They soon become a part of your everyday life and you get used to it. Then all of a sudden, they leave. Most of the time once they’re gone, they’re gone for good. Meaning, no more late night calls, no more cute text messages (actually no texts at all), no more ’i love you’ ‘babe‘ all of that. The first few days you will want to call, text, send them an ask, IM, really do everything just to talk to them and restore what’s “normal”. But, as much as you try, things don’t change. The hardest part is letting go. You check their tumblr and facebook often just to see what they’re doing and also to see if they have someone new. This person that was once your everything is now just a memory. A memory that you replay over and over again in your head. You spend nights reminiscing in the said words, shared laughs, the kisses, all the good things that went on during the time you two were together. Letting go can take weeks, months, even years. Remember that this was just a fragment of time, a memory that will someday fade.

Never Allow People Who Suck to Suck the Joy out of Your Day - KAREN SALMANSOHN

2012-05-07T23:41:00.003-07:00

Next time you find yourself face-to-face with a challenging person you can ensure your mood doesn't spiral downward by tapping into one—or all—of the following four helpful strategies:

1. View Your “Tormentor” As Your “Mentor”

View challenging people as your assignment. Ask yourself: “What is this person meant to teach me?” Every person in our lives has a lesson to teach. Some lessons include: to become stronger, to be more communicative, to trust one’s intuition, to be more self-loving, to know when to let go—to be nothing like this person.

2. Stay Centered

Remember: When you respond with hate to hate, anger to anger, bitterness to bitterness, you are ironically becoming part of the problem. Make the choice to remain peaceful and loving—so you resist becoming like your offender! In fact, I believe one of the bigger assignments a challenging person teaches is how painful it feels to be on their receiving end. Let this pain remind you how essential it is to not become anything like this challenging person! Keep in mind the wonderful words of one of my fave writers, Wayne Dyer: “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”

3. Focus on Gratitude

Remember: If you allow your mood to be at the mercy of unreliable people and unpredictable events, your happiness will be forever on a chaotic roller coaster ride. Happiness must always be an inside job. Whenever you are tempted to count all the many ways someone has done you wrong—instead count your blessings! Make a list of five aspects of your life that you appreciate. It is even a good idea to make this a nightly practice, and purposefully end your day focused on gratitude.

4. Say a Prayer

Keep in mind that if someone’s caused you pain, chances are it’s because they are dealing with a lot of their own emotional pain. Hurt people tend to want to hurt people. When angry feelings about this person who’s harmed you enter your mind, tell yourself: “We are all good, loving souls who occasionally get lost.” Pray for this person to find their way back to a happier place.

About the Author : Karen Salmansohn is a bestselling author and award-winning designer with over one million books sold. She’s been on the Today Show, The View, Fox TV, CNN, etc Her books -which offer a range of happiness and resiliency psychology tools – have been recommended on Oprah.com- including her best selling THE BOUNCE BACK BOOK and PRINCE HARMING SYNDROME which you can read more about at her site: www.notsalmon.com.

You are the light of the world........

2012-05-05T04:17:00.003-07:00

Buddha Wisdom - Thought for the day

2012-04-30T03:56:00.001-07:00

There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.

SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP

2012-04-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule "braying" or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving.

Instead he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...he should shake it off and step up! This he did blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!

It was not long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well. What seemed like would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

That's life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness or self-pity...the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us!

Remember forgiveness-faith-prayer-praise and hope.... All are excellent ways to "shake it off and step up", out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

One more thing..."never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the titanic."

Author Unknown

Guardian Angel on guard

2012-04-27T03:51:00.000-07:00

Today again my Guardian Angel came to my help. Today while getting down from the train, I was about to fall down, but lo he was there to hold me till I caught my balance back on the feet. Today in the morning I had asked my Guardian Angel to show his presence. And there he was holding me caring me on always on guard to save me from the dangers of life.

Obstacles.....

2012-04-26T05:52:00.000-07:00

Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you. Only you can stop you. ~Author Unknown

Thought for the day.............

2012-04-25T03:54:00.005-07:00

The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. ~William Arthur Ward

Invisible Guiding Soul Mate on Guard

2012-04-24T22:50:00.001-07:00

Today my Invisible Guiding Soul Mate was on guard.

He saved me from an accident which could have paralysed me for a month with a fractrued broken leg.

Thanks to my Friend Hetal whom I caught at the last minute and was back on my foot.

I thank GOD and my Guiding soul mate to come and help me thru my Friend Hetal.

Thanks Hetal for being there for me.

Love you all.....

PICK UP YOUR OAR AND START ROWING By Michael T. Smith

2012-04-20T22:02:00.001-07:00

My boss, two co-workers and I stood behind the hard plastic seats. We were in the front section, on the first-base line at Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets. We were so close to the infield, there was a protective net over our heads. I was new to the New York City area and had never been to Shea Stadium. These were dream seats. My heart pounded with excitement.

We stood with our umbrellas held high. The rain beat down on everything around us. It bounced off the seats and quickly formed deep puddles on the cover protecting the field.

"Steve," I asked my boss, "How did you get such great seats?"

"They came from Ed at the office. His dad is a blind sports writer and has a long- standing relationship with the Mets and Yankees."

The game was called due to rain. We left the stadium disappointed. On the long subway ride back to Jersey City, I wondered about the man behind the seats. How could a man be blind and be a sports writer?

Years have passed since that rainy night. Old friends back in Canada often ask me, "Mike, have gone to a baseball game in New York yet?"

I say to them, "I've been to a few, but let me tell you about
the best seats I ever had but couldn't use."

Whenever this happens, the memory of that night comes flashing back. I wonder about the blind sports writer. What was his story?

It had to be special.

I sat at my computer one night. An email popped into my in-box. I didn't recognize the return address. The subject line said, "Inspirational SI article about my dad, Ed Lucas." I was curious.

I opened the email. It was from a gentleman sending me a clip of a story written by Steve Rushin for Sports Illustrated. It was a wonderful read about a special man. Through the article and the man who sent it to me, I learned the full story. The following is a synopsis:

Twelve-year-old Ed Lucas ran home from his school in Jersey City. It was October 3, 1951. He arrived in time to see Bobby Thomson win the pennant for his favorite team, the New York Giants.

After the game, Ed ran out to play ball with his friends. During the game, Ed was hit between the eyes by a line drive. The force of the blow detached both retinas, leaving Ed permanently blind.

Ed became depressed. His mother, Rosanna, took matters into her own hands and took Ed to a Newark, New Jersey men's store.

There, she introduced him to Phil Rizzuto, a part-time employee of the store and a Yankee star. Phil befriended Ed.

Rosanna wasn't done yet. She wrote the Giants Manager, Leo Durocher, about her son. Leo asked her to bring Ed to, what was then called, the Polo Grounds. On June 14, 1952, young Ed sat in the clubhouse with the members of the Giants. It was the beginning of a special relationship.

Ed enrolled in St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City. The nuns were demanding. Ed learned to make his bed and match his clothes. If he whined about being blind and not being able to do what other kids could, Sister Anthony Marie was quoted saying, "Isn't that a shame? We're all in the same boat here, Ed. Pick up your oar and start rowing."

Ed enrolled in university to study communication arts. He worked hard. He knew no other way. The nuns had made sure of that.

He graduated in 1962 and became a regular in the Shea and Yankee Stadium press boxes, where he interviewed the players. Years later, a young Mets rookie, Ron Swoboda, took Ed by the hand. Together they walked the warning track around the field. Ed traced his fingers along the outfield wall. His fingers, sensitive to reading Braille, seemed to read the history of the park. Every dent, scratch and chip he touched meant something to him.

Later that year, Ed married. He and his wife had two sons - Eddie and Chris. Sadly, at a very young age, their mother left forever. Ed had to raise his two sons alone. With the strength he learned years ago at St. Joseph's, Ed took on the task. He taught his sons to be strong.

It was not uncommon for the two young boys to see Billy Martin in their home. "Huge stars like Mickey Mantle would tell me my dad was their hero," Chris was quoted as saying.

Years later, a friend came to Ed and told him about a nurse, Allison Pfeifle, whose detached retina left her legally blind and unable to continue her profession. He asked Ed to speak to her.

Ed and Allison talked on the phone for many years before meeting in person. They were baseball fanatics and spent their first date at Shea Stadium.

On March 10, 2006, at Yankee Stadium, Allison walked from the dugout to home plate and became Ed's new bride.

With his two sons at his side, Ed started a new life, at the place he holds so dear, and with the woman who captured his heart.

Ed, now 68, was quoted saying, "Baseball took my sight, but it also gave me my life."

***********************

I sat in shock. Could it be? I mailed Chris back and told him about the seats we couldn't use that rainy night.

He confirmed, his father was the man who provided those unused seats. Chris told me later, "They are the first couple in the 80 year history of the stadium to have the honor of marrying there."

I finally knew the story. It was sure worth waiting for.

Michael T Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael lives in Caldwell, Idaho with his wonderful wife Ginny. He writes in his spare time and is completing a collection of his stories to be called, “From My Heart to Yours.” Michael writes inspirational stories in his spare time. To read more of Michael's stories or to contact him, go to http://ourecho.com/biography-353-Michael-Timothy-Smith.shtml#stories

Koshish Karne waalon ki haar nahin hoti

2012-04-20T04:24:00.004-07:00

THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO TALK TO YOURSELF By Adam Kahn

2012-04-13T04:27:00.001-07:00

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT possible ways to talk to yourself. One way is to reassure yourself. For example, before a party you might be feeling a little nervous so you tell yourself, "It's going to be fine. It'll turn out okay."

Another way to talk to yourself is to give yourself advice or instruction. For example, "At the party, focus on drawing people out and getting them to talk about themselves."

Another possible way to talk to yourself is to put yourself down. "I look like hell. I'm a loser."

Or you could ask yourself a question. On your way to the party, you could ask yourself, "What can I do tonight that would make it genuinely fun?"

Of all the possible ways to talk to yourself, asking yourself a question is the most powerful. Questions direct your mind and set trains of thought into motion. That's what makes them so powerful. Questions are generative. They generate thought. And because they are so powerful it really makes a difference to pay attention to the questions you ask yourself and to ask yourself good questions.

Asking yourself a bad question before a party, for instance, can create excessive anxiety and a negative experience. For example, "What if I can't think of anything to say? What if I embarrass myself? What if I'm a loser for the rest of my life and I never get married and live alone and shunned by the world?" The what-if questions are creating a chain of anxious thoughts and images that produce feelings of anxiety. With thoughts like these running through your mind, you arrive at the party feeling nervous and withdrawn. You can't think of anything pleasant to say (because your own anxious thoughts are occupying your mind) and you embarrass yourself with your own awkwardness. Keep this up and your dire predictions of a lonely life could come true — not because you are stupid or ugly or have character flaw, but merely because you never paid attention to the questions you asked yourself, and you never tried to ask yourself high-quality questions.

What makes a good question? That's the obvious next question, isn't it? What makes a question a good question? The answer is simple. A high-quality question has a good result. It focuses your attention on something that makes you effective. It directs your mind to something that helps you successfully handle the situation. A question is good if it leads to a good result.

Bad question: What if they don't like me? Good question: What is something I could do right now that would make me more likable?
Bad question: What if I fail to accomplish my goal? Good question: What's the most important thing I could do to make sure I accomplish my goal?

A high-quality question is one that produces an end-result you desire. Check in on the questions you ask yourself (you'll have to pay attention because your thoughts are happening automatically much of the time) and then ask this question: "What is the result of asking myself that question?"

If the result isn't good, ask yourself, "What result do I want?" And when you decide on a result, ask yourself, "What question can I ponder that would help me achieve that result?" Don't settle for the first thing that pops into your head! Think about it. Make a list. Force yourself to come up with ten good possible questions.

Then choose the best question — the one that will produce the best result — and practice asking yourself that question. Literally practice. Ask that question many times. Get used to asking it. Make it familiar and comfortable and automatic.

There are certain times when it would help to ask yourself that question. Practice asking that question at those times.

For example, when Katie is preparing for an interview, she doesn't want to obsess about her automatic questions, "What if they don't want me?" and "What if I make a fool of myself in the interview?" She is fully aware that those questions don't put her in the best frame of mind to have a successful interview.

She decides that a good question to ponder is, "How can I help these people?" That will put her in just the right attitude for an interview. That's a question that will produce a good result. So while she is getting dressed for the interview, she asks herself that question. She ponders it. When her mind wanders, she comes back to that question. And in the car, on the way to the interview, she thinks about it some more, trying to think of ways she can help her future employers. Whenever her mind drifts to her worries, she asks herself, "Yes, but how can I help these people?" And even walking into the interview, she is wondering how she can help them.

What do you think would be the difference between Katie sitting down for an interview wondering, "What if they don't want me?" versus sitting down wondering, "How can I help these people?" What kind of difference would she have in attitude? In her demeanor? In her level of stress hormones? In her focus — outward focus versus inward focus? I think you can see it would be a large and visibly obvious difference. The second question would make her more effective in the interview. The second question is more likely to lead to a good result.

Asking yourself a good question is a very powerful tool. What great things do you think it can help you achieve? Good question.

Ask yourself questions that lead to good results.

Voyage of Life

2012-04-10T21:30:00.003-07:00

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes ~ Marcel Proust

THE POWER OF "WE"

2012-04-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

As a leader, do you honor and appreciate the power of WE? Do you stop to thank and recognize the members of your team? Do you consistently show an attitude of gratitude?

The story of Charles Plumb is inspiring and emphasizes the value of each individual of a team. Captain Charles Plumb, a graduate of the Naval Academy, whose plane, after 74 successful combat missions over North Vietnam, was shot down. He parachuted to safety, but was captured, tortured and spent 2,103 days in a small box-like cell.

After surviving the ordeal, Captain Plumb received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and two Purple Hearts, and returned to America and spoke to many groups about his experience and how it compared to the challenges of every day life.

Shortly after coming home, Charlie and his wife were sitting in a restaurant. A man rose from a nearby table, walked over and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

Surprised that he was recognized, Charlie responded, "How in the world did you know that?" The man replied, "I packed your parachute." Charlie looked up with surprise. The man pumped his hand, gave a thumbs-up, and said, "I guess it worked!"

Charlie stood to shake the man's hand, and assured him, "It most certainly did work. If it had not worked, I would not be here today."

Charlie could not sleep that night, thinking about the man. He wondered if he might have seen him and not even said, "Good morning, how are you?" He thought of the many hours the sailor had spent bending over a long wooden table in the bottom of the ship, carefully folding the silks and weaving the shrouds of each chute, each time holding in his hands the fate of someone he didn't know.

Plumb then began to realize that along with the physical parachute, he needed mental, emotional and spiritual parachutes. He had called on all these supports during his long and painful ordeal.

As a leader, how many times a day, a week, a month, do we pass up the opportunity to thank those people in our organization who are "packing our parachutes?"