MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES

THE PATH

2010-08-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the path you’re on is not as important as the direction you’re heading.

~ Kevin Smith

SUCCESS IS A JOURNEY

2010-08-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

Success is a journey, not a destination.
~ Ben Sweetland

GIVE AND RECEIVED

2010-07-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.

~ Author Unknown

ALWAYS BE THANKFUL

2010-07-24T05:35:00.000-07:00

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.

~ Oprah Winfrey

A Priceless Journey

2010-06-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

"The road of life twists and turns, and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination."

~ Don Williams Jr.

"Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be...Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before."

~ Erich Fromm (1900-1980)

"We must get beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey."

~ John Hope Franklin (1915-2009)

"Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late. Today, this hour, this minute is the day, the hour, the minute for each of us to sense the fact that life is good, with all of its trials and troubles, and perhaps more interesting because of them."

~ Robert R. Updegraff (1889-1977)

by Steve Brunkhorst

HEALING AND PEACE

2010-05-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

"Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is."

~ Gary Zukav

"Of one thing I am certain, the body is not the measure of healing - peace is the measure."

~ George Melton

"We are all broken and wounded in this world. Some choose to grow strong at the broken places."

~ Harold J. Duarte-Bernhardt

"Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future."

~ Lewis B. Smedes

By Steve Brunkhorst

How You Start Your Day Counts

2010-02-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

Whether or not we choose to believe it, for the most part
you and I have a clean slate with each new sun rise.
Whatever happened yesterday, good or bad is now rooted in
the past.

In the moment in which we now find ourselves, we have the
ability to focus in on and do the things which will serve us
for the better, or we can give our attention to those things
which will re-ignite whatever thoughts were causing us to
remain stuck.

We have a choice, and fortunately, it isn't all that
difficult to set the tone early on in your day. Does that
mean you're guaranteed not to meet with a challenge early on
that will knock you off course or throw you for a loop? Of
course not, but in the event that something (or someone)
shows up with such an agenda you'll find yourself a lot more
prepared to deal with it and be able to adjust course
accordingly.

Here are some simple, but effective ideas you can use to
start your day out on a positive note.

Upon waking up, name at least ten people you're thankful for
- recount those in your life who've had a positive impact on
you. Think of those who have in some way helped to make you
the unique person you are.

Don't sell yourself short here. No matter what place you may
find yourself in now, you're still an amazing person, with
unique gifts and talents. You don't have to believe it, but
it's still the absolute truth!

Practicing gratitude is a powerful thing that helps to
reconnect us with our inner power, and the abilities which
make up who we are.

Give thanks for your talents and skills - each of us has
been blessed with special skills and talents. You may not
feel as though you've completely developed all of yours up
to this point in your life, but that doesn't change the fact
that you've got them.

Think through those things that others compliment you on,
those are talents. Don't underestimate all the amazing bits
and pieces that go into making you the person you are. As
you identify and give thanks for the talents that were
bestowed upon you commit to develop them and become more
proficient in their use.

Write down your days most important action steps the night
before - The simple act of writing down the following days
most important tasks will give you a plan to move on the
next day. Keep in mind that you can get the most productive
mileage if you'll put your "super tasks" at the top, where
you'll complete them first.

For the purpose of this article consider Super Tasks as
those things which upon their completion will give you the
absolute most bang for your buck. Consider the difference
between a "super task" and say one of lesser importance. A
super task might be: calling on a prospective client, while
one that doesn't quite hold such importance in the grand
scheme of things might be: cut the grass.

While both are important, and you may very well want to get
both done, the simple fact is the first example is going to
lead towards a greater reward then the latter. You see, it's
more a matter of separating items which fall into the
category of "busy work" versus those which can move us
forward at a maximum pace. Another such "super task" might
be to spend time studying your industry or chosen
profession.

Review the actions steps you wrote down the night before -
As you are looking over the items you wrote down, close your
eyes and see yourself completing them and experiencing the
wonderful sense of accomplishment for having done so.

After you have visualized yourself finishing the items on
your daily action list take a deep breath and begin your day
working on and completing them.

Keep in mind that each new day is just that -- an
opportunity to turn the page, and implement daily actions
that can steer your life in the direction you wish it to go.

You can sail your ship, or choose to remain mired in
inaction and float aimlessly, dependent upon whatever life
may throw your way. My sincere hope for you is that you will
choose the first option.

- It's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds

EXPLORATION COURAGE

2010-02-20T22:02:00.000-08:00

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

~ Mark Twain (1835-1910)

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started... and know the place for the first time."

~ T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)

"Once I knew only darkness and stillness... my life was without past or future... but a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped to the rapture of living."

~ Helen Keller (1880-1968)

"Courage is a cold choice between two alternatives, the fixed resolve not to quit; an act of renunciation which must be made not once but many times by the power of the will."

~ Charles Wilson
The Anatomy of Courage (1967)

Let's Think About It

Copyright 2010 by Steve Brunkhorst

Words Without Actions

2010-02-07T06:04:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, I was interviewing two people applying for the
same position. When the first candidate was asked what her
goals were, Becky replied that continuous learning was her
goal. When asked what steps she had taken to accomplish her
goal, Becky said that she was going to sign up for a course
in the fall.

The next candidate had a similar goal, but, in this case,
Rebecca had actually taken several courses to help her
achieve what she wanted. This action showed not only did
Rebecca have a goal; she had been implementing an action
plan to achieve here desired results.

"Words without actions are the assassins of idealism."
-- Herbert Hoover

In the end Rebecca had created stress for herself in using
"words without action". When you find yourself in stressful
situations, rather than using words to reduce your stress,
take action to create less stress in your life.

A great way to take action is to set goals for your life.
Setting goals and taking action can result in less stress in
your life. It prepares you for other opportunities. It gives
you a focus on the future rather than being stuck where you
are.

So often people are stressed but do little to reduce their
stress. Setting goals for yourself is the first step in
changing your life. But more importantly, taking action
towards achieving these goals will actually create less
stress in your life, as you will see yourself progressing
towards "a goal that you want".

To achieve more, be a person of action. Throughout your day
Keep in mind the old saying, "all else fails without
action". As you put forth effort on the things you deem to
be most worthwhile, you will find that your inner belief
system grows.

The beliefs you hold about yourself determine the goals you
are able to manifest in your life. Dream big, for when you
do, truly you will see that your life becomes one filled
with rich life experiences.

Let's Think About It

-- It's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds

Making Courage a Priority

2010-02-03T08:31:00.000-08:00

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear."

~ Ambrose Redmoon

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

~ Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)

"Priorities reveal themselves. We're all transparent against the face of the clock."

~ Eric Zorn

Let's Think About It

Copyright 2010 by Steve Brunkhorst

Laughter, Life's Great Elixir...

2010-02-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

Make a point to introduce a little laughter into your day.
Much like taking a vitamin, it'll do wonders for promoting
more joy and happiness in your life.

Instead of just waiting to laugh, be proactive about it --
partake in things that will actually cause you to smile
more, or even burst out in laughter. A few ideas might
include: watch or listen to a comedy. Think back on a
humorous event that makes you smile.

The point is, take a moment to just experience a bit of
laughter. It has the power to literally change your current
state or outlook.

Don't believe me? The next time you're feeling down, see for
yourself how impossible it is to stay in a sad state when
you're experiencing something that truly takes your mind off
what's bothering you and makes you laugh. It might not be a
permanent fix, but often all you need is relief in the
current moment.

And that's worth considering isn't it?

Let's Think About It

-- It's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds :-)

A Hero's Compassion...

2010-02-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

"Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling
what it is like to live inside somebody else's skin. It
is the knowledge that there can never really be any
peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy
finally for you too."

- Frederick Buechner

"The whole idea of compassion is based on a keen
awareness of the interdependence of all these living
beings, which are all part of one another, and all
involved in one another."

- Thomas Merton

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to
something bigger than oneself."

- Joseph Campbell (1904-1987)

Let's Think About It

copyright by Steve Brunkhorst

Borrow Someone Else's Brain!

2010-01-31T11:20:00.000-08:00

One of the things I hear most from people, and that I notice
about myself, is that when you get an idea about going after
some cool goal, often it's dismissed in a millisecond
because you can't imagine taking the steps necessary to
reach it.

Imagining something that doesn't exist yet is a skill that
very few people have...

But it just may be the single most important factor or skill
in living a happy, contented, and productive life.

Usually, we don't get the outcomes we want simply because we
can't imagine it. We aren't able to imagine saying the
right thing or being confident no matter how much we prepared.

We don't feel creative or successful, so that part of our
mind stays hidden behind a brick wall. It's there, but we
don't "let" it out. We "can't imagine it..."

Microwave ovens, disposable diapers, fax machines and email
grew out of someone's mind. Forks had to be invented, too.
All from the mind of a person. In fact, simply learning
anything old requires imagination.

What you may not realize is that in just a few minutes a
day, you can use your imagination for some other very
interesting things... useful things. And if your ability to
make real something that doesn't exist today is lacking, I
have a new and simple tool for you. I'm amazed every time I
do it.

It's literally a "no-brainer."

If you want to learn something or do something you've never
done or done well, try this.

You can do this for absolutely anything, but let's say
you're trying out for a play. Ask yourself who's done this
before? Who's good at this? The simplest answer is to think
of an actor you admire for their talent and range.

My stepdaughter is going through this right now. So she
chose Sarah Michelle Gellar, one of her favorite actresses.

What you do is this: When you need to perform at your best
or if you need to get great ideas, replace your own head (or
mind), figuratively speaking, with theirs. You imagine their
head is put in the place of yours. Got the picture?

Once you've done that, ask yourself what they would do now.

-How would they stand?
-What would they think about their chances? What is their
confidence level?
-What kind of look would they have on their face?
-How would they walk?
-What kind of pictures would they see in their mind's eye?
-What would they be imagining?
-What would they do? And after that, what? And on and on...

Sit down, close your eyes and imagine it. Have a piece of
paper and a pencil next to you. Give yourself 5 minutes.
Have all the questions above and more in your mind.

Become that person...

Studies have been done on this phenomenon and frequently
found that at the exact moment the imagining exercise was
being done by a person, others observed that person to be
actually doing, saying or acting in the manner that they
were imagining!

School children who've never been good students have been
transformed into 'A' students literally in minutes, just by
imagining themselves as top students.

It's simple. You don't need training. But the more often you
take these 5-10 minute "breaks," the faster you'll get the
answers you want, the better you'll do your job or the
better your grades will be.

Use it to improve your work performance and get that
promotion and raise.

But if you're a gotta-have-it-now person, keep in mind that
this will work and work quickly. But if you think that next
week you'll be getting a raise, based on your great
performance of the week before, success still demands that
you continue to perform daily. Long-term rewards come in the
long term.

So pack this one in your arsenal and pull it out whenever
you need to effortlessly overachieve or when you're stuck.
And if no one is there to pat you on the back, do it
yourself. Or imagine someone you respect doing it.

Do this. It only takes 5 minutes. You just may get an idea
that will revolutionize your entire life; and maybe everyone
else's too!

Keep in mind that success is seldom complex. Just because
this "seems" too simple to be effective, don't dismiss it.
If your success and happiness are important to you, choose
an area of life where you want to perform well and do this
exercise.

5 minutes. How about right now?

Let's Think About It

wrote by JOSH HINDS

The 100 Day Challenge - Change Your Life in 100 Days!

2010-01-31T01:58:00.001-08:00

Change Your Life in 100 Days

Consider what would happen if I were to follow you with a
camera crew 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the next 100
days while you went for your goals?

I bet 3 things would happen....

1) You would START doing the things you say you need to do.

2) You would STOP doing the things you know you shouldn't be doing.

3) You would MAKE monumental performance gains and change
your life.

This is ALL possible through the discipline of
accountability. Accountability serves and protects your
character, credibility and commitments. It ensures that what
you want to accomplish gets accomplished.

Throughout every area of your life it's important to
understand that ALL unfinished goals, projects and
relationships are the result of broken promises, unfulfilled
commitments, and lack of accountability.

Let's Think About It

wrote by JOSH HINDS