One Powerful Word - Life Inspiration, Motivation and Insight

14 Simple Resolutions For Extra-Ordinary 2012

2011-12-31T13:32:00.000-05:00

Ordinary habits in life will always bring extra-ordinary results. Make a resolution to become better than you were in 2011. Scroll through these 14 simple rules and make 2012 the best year ever.

1. As you sow, so you reap
This has a lot of variation in different cultures but the bottom line is "What you give is what you get". Yes, your kindergarten teacher told you this. What you do to others is your karma, what they do to you is their karma. Don't be bothered by their karma, focus on your own story.

2. Play the lead role in your movie
Write your own script. Define your own dreams. Don't play a supporting role inside your head to someone's cause which you are not passionate about.
3. Stop giving past more power than the present.
I got fired. I still miss my ex. I feel hopeless because X did Y to me. I am miserable. The list of excuses never ends and to you it will always appear that your story is unique. Well it very well might be but its time to attach your emotions to the present and refer to point 2 above.

4. Worry will not solve our problem. It will make you weak.
So dont worry, but acknowledge and accept. Then formulate your game plan which will take you to the desired result. Milk is spilled - either buy a new house or clean the spill. Stop fretting.

5. Belief is more powerful than dreams and hopes.
We become what we believe.

6. The only prayer we need to say is "Thank You".
I have written a lot about being grateful. We need to be reminded of this quite often.

7. Stand up for what you feel you should do and is right for you.
If you make a choice that goes against what everyone else thinks, the world will not fall apart.

8. Trust your instincts.
Intuition doesn't lie. If you don't have instincts then meditate. You will develop them soon.

9. Love yourself
and then learn to extend that love to others in every encounter.

10. Let passion drive your profession
Hard to implement. But once you eventually find it there will be no stopping you and you will not need an alarm clock to get up.

11. Every day brings a chance to start over.
I need not say more.

12. Doubt means don't.
Don't move. Don't answer. Don't rush forward.

13. When you don't know what to do, get still.
The answer will come. Playfulness will always lead you to a solution. Enjoy the process.

14. Trouble don't last always.
This too shall pass.

23 Must Read Books in 2012

2011-12-24T07:11:00.000-05:00

When you're looking for advice on how to create a successful and rewarding life, why not get the answers from those who have "been there, done that?" These thought leaders and business experts used the principles of positive mental attitude and experienced a lifetime of rewards.

We encourage you to find a book that interests you and carve out a few minutes every day to read at least a few pages. You'll be amazed at the difference it will make in your journey toward success! You can also check these 23 books on Amazon Listmania

How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie (Pocket Books, 1998)

First published in 1937, How to Win Friends and Influence People was an overnight success with staying power. Today, this book is regarded as one of the all-time best for its lessons on dealing with people.

The reality of Carnegie's teachings is that none will work if the intent is manipulation. Only with authenticity and honesty will Carnegie's methods work consistently.

Carnegie's book is a classic. Though he credits many people for inspiring his ideas, his methods are the foundation for many of today's personal-development and business-management books.

The Richest Man in Babylon, George S. Clason(BNP Books, 2007)

Too often, life doesn't turn out as expected. And money, or the lack of money, plays a large role in people's ability to handle life's ups and downs. Perhaps that's why, in the 1920s, banks and insurance companies decided to distribute short parables written to educate people on important financial principles. The Richest Man in Babylon began in 1926 as a series of pamphlets, the most famous ones later compiled into one of the best-loved money guides of all time.

With time-tested principles and an engaging format, The Richest Man in Babylon is an excellent introduction to finance, and a classic.

Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill(Aventine Press, 2004)

Napoleon Hill, inspired by business legend Andrew Carnegie, spent 20 years of his life studying the lives of some of history's most successful people. The culmination of his research was the in-depth series, The Laws of Success. In 1937, Hill published another book, Think and Grow Rich, founded on the same philosophies of success. This book condensed the wealth of knowledge he's accumulated into 13 principles for successful living.

Think and Grow Rich is a timeless classic that should be read by everyone interested in improving their lives and reaching their goals.

9 Steps to Financial Freedom, Suze Orman(Crown, 1997)

As a financial expert, Suze Orman offers advice on the nuts and bolts of managing money. But whether you're watching her on television or reading her advice in O, The Oprah Magazine, or in one of her best-selling books, such as 9 Steps to Financial Freedom, her message is clear: Wealth is an attitude and money isn't the key to acquiring true financial freedom.

Acquiring wealth isn't as simple as piling up the green stuff. Your beliefs about money, yourself and the world around you have as much to do with wealth as do the riches you acquire.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey(Free Press, 1989)

While Stephen Covey wasn't the first to write a book on becoming a better, more effective person, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People marked the beginning of a revitalized interest in personal development.

The habits are divided into three sections: Private Victory, Public Victory and Renewal. Private Victory focuses on the individual's view of himself. The first three habits are: becoming proactive, beginning with the end in mind, and putting first things first. These habits will challenge you to take responsibility for your thoughts, beliefs and actions. The Public Victory section focuses on creating meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships. And because being effective requires energy and focus, the seventh habit, "Sharpening the Saw," encourages you to engage in activities that promote mental and physical renewal.

Covey says that when our behavior contradicts our beliefs or when our relationships consistently fail, any successes we achieve feel hollow. This book takes a total approach to success and encourages growth and maturity beginning with self, which leads to stronger relationships and greater success at home and at work.

Laws of Success, Napoleon Hill(Combined Registry Co., 1966)

Twenty-six years of research, including interviews with more than 500 self-made millionaires, laid the foundation for this massive collection. After studying the methods and accomplishments of masterminds such as Thomas Edison, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, Theodore Roosevelt and Alexander Graham Bell, Napoleon Hill compiled what he learned, offering it to the world as the Laws of Success.

Acres of Diamonds, Russell H. Conwell(Filiquarian, 2007)

Opportunities for success, wealth and happiness often lie under foot and yet go unnoticed. This little book, originally a speech by Russell Conwell, serves as a reminder not to overlook the abundance right on our doorstep.

This timeless work is freely available online, in both written and audio formats, and addresses the myth that fame and fortune are waiting somewhere "out there." He also dispels the notion that men and women of integrity shouldn't desire money or wealth. "Money is power, and you ought to be reasonably ambitious to have it. You ought because you can do more good with it than you could without it," Conwell said. And to that end, he advises readers to begin searching for the diamonds in their lives… at home.

As a Man Thinketh, James Allen(Filiquarian, 2007)

Published in 1902, "This little volume" as James Allen refers to it, has been a source of inspiration for millions and has influenced the work of many respected personal-development leaders. And with statements such as, "The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears," Allen paved the way for many contemporary philosophers.

At its core is the belief that "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This book, now in the public domain and freely accessible on the Internet, should be in every achiever's library.

Maximum Achievement, Brian Tracy(Simon & Schuster, 1995)

As suggested by this book's subtitle, "Strategies and skills that will unlock your hidden powers to succeed," it's likely you already possess what's required to create success in your life. Learn how to create success that encompasses every area of life-health, personal and professional happiness, relationships and wealth. Whether you're already on the road to success or just getting started on your success journey, the principles outlined in the book will help you realize your true potential. Build the life you want and attain the peace of mind that comes with the knowledge that you control your destiny.

The Seasons of Life, Jim Rohn & Ronald Reynolds(Jim Rohn International, 1981)

In The Seasons of Life, Jim Rohn and Ronald Reynolds draw parallels between life and the changing seasons. When you learn that change is the only guarantee, you can make the most of each season as it comes into your life.

It's possible to learn and grow from every experience. The authors help readers understand that every season is necessary and valuable-even winter, when life seems harsh and your actions unfruitful.

See You at the Top, Zig Ziglar(Pelican Publishing Company, 2000)

Ziglar offers a nuts-and-bolts approach to developing the self-image, attitudes and habits that make people successful. Learn how to set and achieve goals, how to create momentum that propels you forward in life and why being focused on others is a critical aspect of success. This step-by-step guide will help you excel in every area of life.

The Magic of Thinking Big, David J. Schwartz(Pocket Books, 1995)

Thinking big separates the achievers from the average. In this best-selling classic, David Schwartz suggests that it's not necessarily intelligence or work ethic that move people up the ladder of success, but the personal choice people make to believe that something bigger and better is possible.

Make time to reflect on your life's goals and expand them. Once you have a clear picture of what you want, focus your energy on achieving that goal. Keep your eyes fixed on your goal and do not allow the small thinking of the world around you to cloud your vision. Schwartz offers practical advice for putting the magic of thinking big to work in your life.

The Power of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale(Fireside, 2007)

The book teaches readers that focused, intentional and unyielding belief is required before they can achieve the lives they desire.

The philosophies from this best-selling book have helped millions reach their personal, financial, spiritual and relationship goals. Learn to replace negative thoughts with positive beliefs and to break the worry habit by cultivating a character that isn't swayed by circumstances.

Awaken the Giant Within, Anthony Robbins(Free Press, 1992)

Not one to do things in a small way, Robbins found huge success, lost it all and then, using the techniques outlined in this book, took control of his life and his success. This personal-development classic delves into the specifics of goal-setting, achieving success in relationships, talking to yourself and discovering your true potential.

Developing the Leader Within You, John C. Maxwell(Thomas Nelson, 2005)

Developing the Leader Within You makes the theories of leadership personal. For those struggling to take the next step in their careers or who doubt their leadership abilities, the book offers practical methods for developing leadership skills.

Recognizing that some people have innate leadership-personality traits, the book provides direction for becoming more effective. But John Maxwell's book debunks the myth that only an exclusive few are born to be leaders. Instead, he suggests that everyone benefits from learning self-discipline, seeking mentors and adding to their skills through training.

The One Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard(HarperCollins Business, 2000)

Apply the principals taught in The One Minute Manager and watch your team's productivity and job satisfaction grow. This allegorical tale pulls together the wisdom gained through experience, allowing readers to prosper without making their predecessors' mistakes.

The One Minute management style allows leaders to be efficient and effective with their time. The short chapters in this easy read focus on interaction between managers and their teams. By setting goals that encourage, redirecting, reprimanding and praising appropriately, leaders can get more from their teams while earning their respect.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, Jim Collins
(Collins, 2001)

If good is the enemy of great, can good companies become great? And if so, how is that transition made with lasting effect? These are some of the questions central to the research that led to the publication of Good to Great.

Five years of investigation uncovered the characteristics that made uncommonly great companies outshine their competition and earn significantly higher profits. Comparing the differentiating traits of good companies and their great counterparts, Jim Collins and his research team learned that, among other things, leaders who willingly work with their heads and hearts, rather than their egos, are required to take a company from good to great. Such leaders create the foundation for the culture and sustainable results that propel an organization to excellence.

The Automatic Millionaire, David Bach(Broadway, 2003)

Who wouldn't want to become a millionaire automatically? The truths related in this book, as in Bach's Finish Rich series, are that nothing great is accomplished without forethought. But with a little planning and by putting many aspects of your finances on autopilot, you can be on the road to wealth.

The automatic aspect plan allows readers to save time while saving money. And though many of the principles aren't new, Bach's easy-to-understand approach helps the reader understand them in a new way. Some of the highlights include principles such as paying yourself first, and advice about why and how to save for retirement-even if you're hard-pressed to make ends meet now. Bach also provides advice for accomplishing short-term savings goals and explains that giving is an important part of wealth.

Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki(Time Warner Paperbacks, 2002)

The paradigm shift related to work, employment and entrepreneurship has been a long time coming. In one of his most-read books, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki reveals the value of taking control of your financial destiny through entrepreneurship and investing.

In Rich Dad Poor Dad, Kiyosaki contrasts the differences between what the rich and the poor or middle classes teach their children. As a young man, Kiyosaki was taught by his "poor dad" to follow the path of least resistance: Get an education, get a job and work hard. His "rich dad," his friend's dad, mentored him to do the opposite. The book acknowledges education is important but it isn't always best received in a formal learning environment. Lessons include the value of self-employment, how to be self-employed without limiting yourself to the constraints of an employee, and how to create and take advantage of residual-income opportunities. Instead of working hard for money, use the principles in this book to make money work for you.

The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino(Frederick Fell Publishers, 2001)

Ten ancient scrolls hold the key to wealth and happiness in this classic parable. A young camel boy wishing to improve his station in life takes his master's words to heart: "No other trade or profession has more opportunity for one to rise from poverty to great wealth than that of a salesman." Desiring success and wealth, the young man sets out to become the greatest salesman in the world.

This pocket-sized book can be read easily in an hour, but it's packed with wisdom for those pursuing a career in sales. Far more than a how-to book on closing the sale, the story encourages the reader to contribute to society and to grow in peace of mind and in heart. Those who apply the principles in the scrolls will learn how to overcome the challenges of sales, how to persist through trials and, ultimately, how to succeed.

The Sales Bible, Jeffrey Gitomer (Wiley, 2003)

Jeffrey Gitomer has an extremely low tolerance for lamenting salespeople and that comes through in the bold and fast-paced tone of his books. The Sales Bible puts more than 100 sales facts, tips and solutions at your disposal to help you "make sales while others are whining!"

This book magnifies the details of every aspect of sales. Learn the basics and understand how recent changes in selling affect you and your pitch. Discover the keys to setting yourself apart from the competition and finding your prospect's button. The table of contents is designed to help you quickly identify specific topics. Or just start reading from cover to cover for an excellent education from someone who knows the profession from the inside out.

Who Moved My Cheese?, Dr. Spencer Johnson(Vermilion, 2002)

For many people, change can be challenging. It can cause fear, anger and the feeling of being out of control. This popular parable examines change and what happens to those who choose not to embrace it.

"If you do not change, you can become extinct," is one of the many truisms the characters learn in Who Moved My Cheese? What's holding you back? Are you taking note of small changes that could lead to more significant changes in the future? In the maze of life, it's possible to successfully deal with change if and when you clear your mind of expectations and understand that while your comfort zone may be cozy, it's not necessarily the safest place to live.

Success through a Positive Mental Attitude, Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone (Pocket
Books, 1991)

Success through a Positive Mental Attitude was first published in 1960, written by two of history's greatest personal-development leaders, Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone. For almost half a century, this book has been the launching point for those who want to change the direction of their lives.

Hill and Stone recognize that each person has their own definition of success. But whether your desire is to build great wealth, own profitable organizations or be a world-renowned artist, the authors point out, "You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by trying. Success is achieved and maintained by those who keep trying with a [positive mental attitude]."

This book addresses all areas of life. From getting the job you want to building better relationships with those around you to living healthier longer (Stone lived to be 100 years old!), this book takes an inclusive approach to success, beginning with your state of mind.

8 Ways To Become More Like Steve Jobs

2011-12-06T06:30:00.000-05:00

“You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary” – Steve Jobs

1. Trust that it would all work out OK

Steve naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of his working-class parents’ savings were being spent on his college tuition. After six months, he couldn’t see the value in it. So he decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions he ever made. The minute he dropped out he stopped taking the required classes that didn’t interest him, and began dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

2. Follow Your Interests

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because he had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, he decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating. None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me.

3. Love What You Do

He found what he loved to do early in life. Woz and him started Apple in his parents garage when he was 20. In 10 years Apple had grown from the two of them in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees.

4. See the Good in Every Bad Situation

At 30, he got fired from Apple. What had been the focus of his entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. He even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on him — he still loved what he did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. He had been rejected, but he was still in love. It turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to him. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

5. Don’t Settle

“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs

6. Life is short, Listen to Yourself

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

7. Your Time is Limited

Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

8. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalogue, which was one of the bibles of my generation. This was in the late 1960’s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself.

Progress

2011-11-28T06:30:00.000-05:00

“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible” – Frank Zappa

There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect. Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. True progress is to know more, and be more, and to do more.

Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.

On every front there are clear answers out there that can make you stronger, but you have to break through the fear and the frustration you are feeling.

Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better. If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

11 Success Lessons from Billionaire Mark Cuban

2011-11-15T00:30:00.000-05:00

Mark Cuban is the owner of the NBA basketball team the Dallas Mavericks, owner of Landmark Theatres, and Chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet. The following lessons are extracted from his blog posts Success and Motivation. The following are excerpts from his blog.

1) Dream, Believe and Imagine
Mark says, "I drove by big houses and would wonder who lived there. What did they do for a living? How did they make their money? Someday, I would tell myself, I would live in a house like that. Every weekend I would do it."

2) Work Hard
Mark says, "As fired up as I was about the job, I was scared. Why? Because I have never worked with an IBM PC in my life. Not a single time, and I'm going to be selling software for it. So what do I do? I do what everyone does: I rationalize. I tell myself that the people walking in the door know as little as I do, so if I just started doing what I told my boss I would do, read the manuals, I would be ahead of the curve. That's what I did. Every night I would take home a different software manual, and I would read them. Of course the reading was captivating. Peachtree, PFS, DBase, Lotus, Accpac... I couldn't put them down. Every night I would read some after getting home, no matter how late."

3) Build Trust and Good Will With People
Mark says,"Within about 6 months, I was building a clientele and because I had also spent time on the store's computers learning how to install, configure and run the software, I started having customers ask me to install the software at their offices. That meant I got to charge for consulting help: 25 bucks an hour that I split with the store. That turned into a couple hundred extra bucks per month and growing. I was raking it in, enough that I could move from the Hotel (that was what we called our apartment) where the 6 of us lived, into a 3 bedroom apartment across the street, where instead of 6 of us, there were only 3. Finally, my own bedroom!"

4) Be Optimistic and Listen to Instinct (No matter how hard things get)
Mark says, "One day, about 9 months into my career as a salesperson/consultant, I had a prospect ask if I could come to his office to close a deal. 9am. No problem to me. Problem to my boss, Michael Humecki. Michael didn't want me to go. Decision time. It's always the little decisions that have the biggest impact. We all have to make that "make or break" call to follow orders or do what you know is right. I followed my first instinct: close the sale. I guess I could have rescheduled the appointment, but I rationalized that you never turn your back on a closed deal. So I called one of my coworkers to come in and open up, and closed the deal. Next day I came in check in hand from a new customer and Michael fired me".

5) Feeling Good is Important. Enjoy Present Moment
Mark says, "After he got fired the first thing he did was went out and partied with his friends. He partied hard and was feeling good."

6) Be Determined and Fearless. Trust that you will figure a way out
Mark says, "He came up with a name and started calling old clients. Two of them agreed and other things started falling in place. He worked hard and built the trust. It was not about money but he was enjoying every moment of it. He made $15k the first year."

7) Do Not Only Do It For Money, Enjoy Every Moment
Mark says, "That first year in business was incredible. I remember sitting in that little office till 10pm and then still being so pumped up, Other days I would get so involved with learning a new piece of software that I would forget to eat and look up at the clock thinking it was 6 or 7pm and see that it was 1am or 2am. Time would fly by."

8) Be Passionate and Always Visualize Your Outcome with 100% Certainty
Mark says, "I would drive over to the gym I belonged to and run 5 to 10 miles on the treadmill going through that day, and the next in my head."

9) Keep Learning, Keep Changing
Mark says, "I was aware and always open to read and learn. I kept adjusting my actions based on what I learnt. I read books about successful people. In fact, I read every book or magazine I could get my hands on. I would tell myself 1 good idea would pay for the book and could make the difference between me making it or not."

10) Be Honest with Yourself
Mark says, "Always ask yourself how someone could preempt your products or service. How can they put you out of business? Is it price? Is it service? Is it ease of use? No product is perfect and if there are good competitors in your market, they will figure out how to abuse you. It's always better if you are honest with yourself and anticipate where the problems will come from."

11) Act like You Are Competing with the Best
Mark says, "Always run your business like you are going to be competing with Microsoft. They may not be your direct competitor. They may be a vendor. They may be a direct competitor and a vendor. Whatever they may be to your business, if you are in the technology business, you have to anticipate that you will in some way have to compete with Microsoft at some point. I ask myself every week what I would do if they entered any of my businesses. If you are ready to compete with the Best, you are ready to compete with anyone else."

Reach for the Stars

2011-08-12T06:32:00.000-04:00

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for – Epicurus

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today. Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.

Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened. Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny.

Love

2011-08-10T06:56:00.000-04:00

Play Song while reading:

6 Quotes from Eat, Pray and Love

1. “We search for happiness everywhere, but we are like Tolstoy’s fabled beggar who spent his life sitting on a pot of gold, under him the whole time. Your treasure–your perfection–is within you already. But to claim it, you must leave the buy commotion of the mind and abandon the desires of the ego and enter into the silence of the heart.”

2. “There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under the jurisdiction. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I can read and eat and study. I can choose how I’m going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts.”

3. "People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master..."

4. "I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism."

5. "Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."

6. "In desperate love, we always invent the characters of our partners, demanding they be what we need of them, and then feeling devastated when they refuse to perform the role we created in the first place."

You are in Charge of the Direction in your Life

2011-08-06T06:15:00.000-04:00

Don’t forget that. ….

It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities - Joanne Kathleen Rowling

I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude. No one else can ever make your choices for you. Your choices are yours alone. They are as much a part of you as every breath you will take, every moment of your life. You may think that in life, a lot of things happen to you along the way. The truth is, in life, you happen to a lot of things along the way. Choosing to live your life by your own choice is the greatest freedom you will ever have. It is only when you exercise your right to choose that you can also exercise your right to change. It is your programming that has created your choices in the past. It is the choices you make today that are creating the programs of your future.

If you were given only one choice: To choose or not to choose, which would you choose? The choices we make by accident are just as important as the choices we make by design.Another person’s choice is nothing more than another alternative for you to consider. There is no life as complete as the life that is lived by choice. There may be a thousand little choices in a day. All of them count. Whatever you choose, you might as well enjoy it. It is your choice. When you have a problem, make a choice…you’ll feel better. If you’d like to know what your choices have been, look at yourself and the life you have lived. What you see is the choices you’ve made. Who knows what you could accomplish in life if you made more of the right choices along the way? Some people choose to live by complaining. Other people choose to live. You cannot manage your life if you do not manage your self. You cannot manage your self if you do not manage your choices. Manage your choices, and you will manage your life. Learning what to choose, and how to choose, may be the most important education you will ever receive. The choices we make in the heat of emotion would be better if left for some other day.

Listen to the quietest whispers of your mind. They are telling you the choices that will help you the most. Even the best of choices is only as strong as the choices that stand by its side. It is the big choices we make that set our direction. It is the smallest choices we make that get us to the destination. Each day that passes, your choices will come and go. They are like diamonds in a chest of jewels, each waiting to be discovered. Those who choose to succeed always do better than those who never choose at all. The highest levels are most certainly filled with those who chose to be there. If you have to take time to make a choice, take time. Then make the choice. The end result of your life here on earth will always be the sum total of the choices you made while you were here.

It All Happens For A Reason. Even If We Never Understand The Reasons Why.

2011-08-04T06:54:00.000-04:00

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. ~Philip K. Dick

There is an objective reality out there, but we view it through the spectacles of our beliefs, attitudes, and values. ~David G. Myers, Social Psychology

Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead. We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a bit of reality against which they are dashed to pieces. ~Sigmund Freud

How do we know that the sky is not green and we are all colour-blind? ~Author Unknown

There are no facts, only interpretations. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

What is reality anyway! It's nothing but a collective hunch. ~Jane Wagner, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, 1985, performed by Lily Tomlin

What is a face, really? Its own photo? Its make-up? Or is it a face as painted by such or such painter? That which is in front? Inside? Behind? And the rest? Doesn't everyone look at himself in his own particular way? Deformations simply do not exist. ~Pablo Picasso

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. ~John Lennon

World Is In Your Hand

2011-08-02T06:40:00.000-04:00

Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is? ~Frank Scully

You hold the world in your hands. We may not be able to control everything that happens to us, what people say, think or do, but we can control how we react, what thoughts race around our head, and what words escape our mouths. Take control. Tomorrow isn’t good enough. Today is. People will only treat you how you let them.You’ll never know what could, should, or would happen if you don’t take a chance. Risk it all. Fear absolutely nothing. Try everything once. Twice if you like it.And never lose who you are in all the chaos surrounding you. It only affects you if you let it. When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap. Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.

Source: riskeverythingfearnothing

Don’t Worry

2011-07-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fear try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal - and soon they'll forget my number. ~Edith Armstrong

If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. Drag your thoughts away from your troubles... by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which will never happen. If things go wrong, don't go with them. Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep. Troubles are a lot like people - they grow bigger if you nurse them. Every little thing is gonna be alright.

Solitude

2011-07-29T06:41:00.000-04:00

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness - Henry David Thoreau

I think we all feel like this sometimes. Solitude is the audience-chamber of God. A creation of importance can only be produced when its author isolates himself, it is a child of solitude. A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Be able to be alone. being alone immersed in doings of your own choice, aware of the fullness of your own presence rather than of the absence of others. Solitude is an achievement. Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius.

Conviction

2011-07-27T06:30:00.000-04:00

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” – Winston Churchill

A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done. A man of conviction is often more to be desired than a man of experience. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. Every man, wherever he goes, is encompassed by a cloud of comforting convictions which move with him like flies on a summer day. Conviction brings a silent, indefinable beauty into faces. Follow your honest convictions and be strong.

You Never Know How Strong Are You

2011-07-25T06:13:00.000-04:00

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have”

Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong. Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think. Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect. The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential. Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

Image Source: deviantart

Meaningful Life

2011-07-23T06:59:00.002-04:00

"Part of positive psychology is about being positive, but sometimes laughter and clowns are not appropriate. Some people don't want to be happy, and that's okay. They want meaningful lives, and those are not always the same as happy lives." — Eric Weiner (The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World)

Draw a positive conclusion from life, understand its meaning and find the happiness which exists in some form every where in each one of us.

Strongly Selfish Motives In Every Action Make Life Meaningless. The trouble with life isn't that there is no answer, it's that there are so many answers. Happiness depends upon being self-sufficient and master of one's mental attitude; suffering is consequence of false judgments of value, which cause negative emotions and a vicious character. There is a huge difference between a pleasant life and a meaningful life. A pleasant life is what most of us would call “the good life”: it is all about the enjoyment of the senses and pursuing pleasure for its own sake. And a meaningful life is one which you create thoughtfully, moment by moment and day by day.

Image Source: Design Crush Blog

Finding Inspiration: The Diary of Facebook

2011-07-21T06:46:00.001-04:00

In March, MTV aired a series called “Diary of Facebook”. It is divided into 4 Parts – The videos give an inside inside look into the environment of working at Facebook.

You can watch all the videos on MTV. I find “Part 2: Let the The Hack-A-Thon begin” really inspiring. Look at the video below and see the drive/energy of these employees.

Favorite quote from these videos is when Mark Zuckerberg says, “Anything that is really good, you can build it in 24hrs”.

3 Things Not To Do When Asking People For Help

2011-07-18T02:25:00.002-04:00

When Asking for Help Appeal to People's Self-Interest Never To Their Mercy or Gratitude. If you need to turn to an ally for help, do not bother to remind him of your past assistance and good deeds. He will find a way to ignore you. Instead, uncover something in your request, or in your alliance with him, that will benefit him, and emphasize it out of all proportion. He will respond enthusiastically when he sees something to be gained for himself.

Self-Interest Is the Lever that Moves People. The art of asking people for help depends on your ability to understand the person you are dealing with, and to not confuse your needs with theirs. Know that even the most powerful person is locked inside needs of his own, and that if you make no appeal to his self-interest, he merely sees you as desperate or, at best, a waste of time.

3 Things Not To Do When Asking People For Help

1 Don’t Bring Up The Past

Bringing up the past, rather good or bad, will not help you in your cause. The justice and nobility of your cause will not prevail. Not only is a man not obliged to be grateful, gratitude is often a terrible burden that he gladly discards. It is best to speak pragmatically to pragmatic people. People rarely act against their own interests.

Like in the case of the Corcyrans and the Corinthians who were at the brink of war with one another. They both wanted to win over the Athenians as an ally because to do so, would surely win the war. Both sides were to send representatives to plead their case to the Athenians. The Corcyra representative could only offer one thing and that was an alliance of mutual interests to create a formidable force that could intimidate the rival state of Sparta. The representative from Corinth only talked about their past relationship with Athens and went on to list the many services Corinth had performed for Athens, and the importance of showing gratitude to one's friends.

Needless to say, The Athenians were offended by the Corinthian ambassador by his subtle way of asking them to feel guilty about past generosities. The Athenians could have cared less and allied with the Corcyrans.

2 Don’t Be Trapped In Your Own Wants and Desires

Do not start from the assumption that the people you are appealing to have a selfless interest in helping you. Don’t talk as if your needs matter to people—they probably could care less, especially referring to larger issues: a great cause, or grand emotions such as love and gratitude when simple, everyday realities would have much more appeal.

When the Dutch began to arrive in

Japan

in great numbers, Ieyasu, the Japanese emperor, was much relieved. He needed Europeans for their know-how in guns and navigation, and here at last were Europeans who cared nothing for spreading religion—the Dutch wanted only to trade. Ieyasu swiftly moved to evict the Portuguese who were desperately trying to convert the Japanese people to Catholicism. From then on, he would only deal with the practical-minded Dutch. Japan and Holland were vastly different cultures, but each shared a timeless and universal concern: self-interest.

3 Don’t confuse your needs with others

Once you make people see how you can in some way meet their needs or advance their cause, their resistance to your requests for help will magically fall away. At each step on the way to acquiring power, you must train yourself to think your way inside the other person's mind, to see their needs and interests, to get rid of the screen of your own feelings that obscure the truth. Master this art and there will be no limits to what you can accomplish.

Sometimes The Motivation is Superiority

Believe it, or not, there are people who are not motivated through cynical self-interests. These are people who thrive on opportunities to display their good heart. They prefer to be able to exercise charity, mercy, and justice, which are their ways of feeling superior to you:

Because of their superior position, if you ask this person for help, you emphasize their power and position. The only requirement from you is that all of this is done in public, the more pubic, the better. It is truly their pleasure to give and to be seen giving. They are dying to fund your project, to introduce you to powerful people—this is the wine that intoxicates them.

You must have the wisdom to distinguish the differences among powerful people and figure out what makes them tick. When they ooze greed, do not appeal to their charity. When they want to look charitable and noble, do not appeal to their greed.

Related articles

Today is the Tomorrow We Worried About

2011-06-10T06:19:00.001-04:00

I came into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethoughts of grief. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. - Wendell Berry, Peace of Wild Things

Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future. I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person. If I had my life to live over, I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles, by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep. Troubles are a lot like people - they grow bigger if you nurse them.

I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fear try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal - and soon they'll forget my number. ~Edith Armstrong

Image Source: Parker Fitzerald

Tapping the Source Winners

2011-06-08T06:06:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago we held a contest in the post titled 7 Focus Phrases to Get in Touch With Yourself and Get a copy of 'Tapping The Source' to giveaway two copies of the book “Tapping the Source” and 4 Free Life Coaching Sessions.

Contest Prizes Were:

First Prize: Tapping the Source + Free 30 min Better Life Session
Second Prize: Tapping the Source
Third Prize: Free 30 min Better Life Session
Fourth Prize: Free 30 min Better Life Session
Fifth Prize: Free 30 min Better Life Session

Thanks to BetterLifeManual.net and ‘Tapping the Source’ publishers for these goodies.

You can check out the video above to find the winners. The Winners are:

First Prize: Sammy G
Second Prize: Anthony Ryan
Third Prize: Gina Standifer
Fourth Prize: Adn Nwakwesi
Fifth Prize: Virgil Scott

I will be contacting the Winners by email/FB. Thanks everyone for participating.

9 Steps to Build and Sustain Charisma

2011-06-05T03:11:00.001-04:00

Dictionary defines Charisma as: A personal quality that gives an individual influence or authority over large numbers of people. We all have heard about it, looked up its meaning in the dictionary but still we don't know how to have it.

You have to realize that what people think of you is totally based on their perception. If you can change their perception you can change the way they feel about you. Let’s look at 9 steps to becoming more Charismatic:

1. Getting things done on time gives the perception to people that you are powerful.
2. The more things you get done on time for other people, the more they will start respecting you.
3. As you gain respect, everyone around you wants to talk to you to pick on your brains.
4. Be nice to people but mind you do not go out of your way to do things unless you really want to.
5. Be optimistic.
6. Do not talk bad about anybody in front or behind their back.
7. Be strong and resolute to achieve your goal.
8. Be practical and most importantly have fun or appear to have fun while doing all this.
9. Never lose your temper

Slowly you will start becoming influential in your environment. So you see just by practicing simple rules you can be charismatic too. So start today, you cannot force charisma and it will not happen in an instant. Give it time and slowly but surely it will happen.

Love, Destiny and You

2011-06-02T05:26:00.001-04:00

"When you are in Love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams." - Dr Seuss

An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but it will never break.

When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the desire to mate every second of the day. I am telling you some truths. For that is just being in love; which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away

Image Source: RiskEverythingFearNothing

The Gift of Present Moment

2011-05-31T07:54:00.001-04:00

The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” - Abraham Maslow

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.

Exercise present moment awareness. At night before sleeping, read out all your desires and let go of them with unwavering faith that the power you believe in will MAKE IT SO. You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear. Do it! Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments. Using them up in any self-defeating ways means you've lost them forever.

Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives. The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.

Eternity is not the hereafter...this is it. If you don't get it here you won't get it anywhere.

Good vs Bad: Are you Self-Secure or Need Validation?

2011-05-29T06:25:00.002-04:00

This is a guest post by Ashwani Srivastava. He writes the Blog “World of Illusions” and tweets as @iAshh

One of the great Indian epics is called “Ramayana” which depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters. The characters are all fundamental to the consciousness of the world. “Ram” is the good god and “Ravan” is the bad one.

As the epic goes, the golden city of Lanka was built by Ravan’s half-brother and treasurer of god’s wealth keeper who he drove out from Lanka by force, and took over the kingdom of Lanka. He went around the world killing sages and raping women. Why? To establish his dominion – to generate fear. In other words to establish his monopoly. He tried to monopolize outer things as he is insecure from inside. He needed constant validation from the outer world, so do most of the people nowadays.

Ram, by comparison, seems boring – a rule-upholder who never does anything spontaneous or dramatic. He always does the right thing, whether he likes it or not, and does not seem like much fun. Whereas Ravan is the exciting character, he takes what he wants either by invoking any god or by strength. Ravan lives only for himself. His pleasure matters to him the most, same for most of us. Everyone wants from “The World” to fill their inner vacuum by asking or by deceit. They live in the illusion that one day the inner vacuum will fill and they would be satisfied. But no one thinks that Ravan’s tendency (which is most of the people of today’s age) from taking forcefully from this world made him the object of divine wrath.

Ram is content from inside he doesn’t require any validation from “The World”. Ravan was the richest person in that time but epic rejected him. The wisdom of epic doesn’t value someone’s possession, wealth but it values the righteous conduct and love.

Epic calls Ram as “Maryadapurushottam”(The Finest Specimen of a Disciplined Human Being) instead of “King of Ayodhya” and Ravan is called “King of Lanka”. Both words are very significant. Ravan belonged to a place called Lanka. Whereas Ram does not belong to any place, metaphysically. He is someone who has conquered and constrained the self. He doesn’t need any material opulence for his validation.

Image Source : i.imgur.com

Dream Big Dreams, Act out Big Actions

2011-05-27T07:56:00.000-04:00

“When an idea exclusively occupies the mind, it is transformed into an actual physical or mental state.” - Swami Vivekananda

Our work defines us. All the people in history who we remember did something which they loved. The reason they were able to leave a mark on this world is because they protected their dream and made it happen. They worked hard and struggled. They made it happen ! They did not let anyone tell them that they were not good enough. They followed their fears and overcame them. They were the champions of their times and we live in a world dominated by ideologies of the past which started as nothing but a thought in someone’s head. What you do today will leave an impact on the future. So do not look at work as a medium to simply pay your bills but become really good at it. Love it and you will be a force like none other.

Image Source: GetOutTheBox.org

Whatever You do, Hold on to Hope !

2011-05-25T07:48:00.000-04:00

The Tiniest thread will twist into an unbreakable cord. Let hope anchor you in the possibility that this is not the end of your story, that change will bring you to peaceful shores.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of HOPE

intransitive verb
1: to cherish a desire with anticipation
transitive verb
1: to desire with expectation of obtainment
2: to expect with confidence : trust

Hope is not wishful thinking, it is to expect with confidence. So make hope a habit and let it transition you to it’s infamous brother better know as action, and go behind the impossible.

Image Source: LoriLawsPersevere