How To Develop A Motivational Habit

We are all creatures of habit. When we do one thing consistently and for a long enough period of time, it becomes second nature. That tendency is often embodied in negative ways.

Things like smoking, overeating and procrastination become habits. And one they do, they become very difficult to break.

The good news is that the “habit factor” cuts both ways. If you develop a good habit, it will remain intact and will be just as resistant to change.

We are all constantly on the lookout for an additional motivational spark--something that will keep us going day after day.

By making daily motivation exercises a consistent ritual, we can develop a habit that will help us to reach even our loftiest aspirations.

Discover motivation exercises that resonate with you and make them part of your daily schedule. Commit to establishing a motivational habit. Before you know it, you will never be searching for inspiration; you will be making your own every single day!

Did That REALLY Motivate You?

Sometimes, we can watch a program, listen to a speaker, or read a book that fills us with a sense of motivation and that makes us feel like we can do anything to which we set our minds.

In some cases, that sense of limitless possibility remains intact and we refer back to that inspirational material again and again as we work toward our goals. In other cases, the feeling of elation and excitement passes within a very short period of time.

Motivation exercises are a lot like food. Some foods really do nourish the body and provide us with the essential nutrients we need to survive and thrive. Some foods, on the other hand, are junk. They taste sweet, but don’t do much good for the body and may actually harm it.

Some motivation exercises are nourishing psychological and emotional meals, while others are nothing more than the motivational equivalent of cotton candy.

As you experiment with different methods of motivation, make the effort to separate the truly good stuff from the junk. Look for exercises that connect with you on a deeper level and that tend to linger with you long after the initial excitement subsides.

Don’t confuse dinner with a candy bar or motivation with manipulation.

Learn More About Motivation

Motivation is a simple concept. Finding sources of motivation, in practice, however can be a little complicated sometimes. The things that motivate us as children become less important as time passes.

Even as adults, events around us can change our ways of thinking and our outlooks toward certain ideas and activities. The nature of individual motivation is in a constant state of flux.

As such, it is important to constantly refill our motivational cup. We need to find ways to prod ourselves toward our goals and aspirations, realizing that we won’t always be able to draw from the same sources of inspiration.

One of the best possible ways to learn more about motivation and how to find it is by becoming a student of the subject.

By reading and learning more about what makes us tick and what compels us to “do better,” we can always have real sources of inspiration at our disposal.

Becoming a student of motivation is a great way of becoming a more fulfilled person and of reaching our individual goals.

Making The Time For Motivation

You were motivated when you came up with a plan to change your life, but you might have found your ability to keep on moving toward your goals waning now that a little time has passed.

You either need to recapture some of the motivation that led you to take action in the first place or to find some new inspiration elsewhere.

This is why motivation exercises can be so valuable. They allow you to find a little extra boost that can help keep you working on your program. There are as many motivation exercises as there are people. Some find inspiration in an upbeat film. Others are motivated by introspection and a desire to bring their actions into alignment with their beliefs. Physical exercise has an impact on others.

The important part about motivation exercises isn’t so much which one you choose, but that you make the choice to do something. A consistent, long-term commitment to maintaining high motivation levels is often critical to self-improvement.

Make sure you are setting aside a dedicated chunk of time every day to find new motivation and to re-connect with the ideas that originally inspired you to make a positive change

Ask Yourself A Question!

Would you believe that one of the most powerful possible motivation exercises consists of nothing more than asking yourself a single question?

It’s true. Training yourself to have a brief internal dialog at the right times can be a great way to stay on track as you pursue your goals.

Here’s how it works. Think about the most fundamental reasons why you have decided to make a better life for yourself. After you isolate those reasons, begin to ask yourself whether the actions you are considering will help you toward that aim.

For instance, someone involved in a weight loss plan might, when presented with an opportunity to consume some patently unhealthy food, ask himself or herself whether doing so will really help them be a healthier or happier person?

It sounds almost too obvious to work, but it does. Asking a “filter question” forces conscious decisions, this increases the likelihood of acting consistently with our carefully chosen goals.

A few well-placed questions can serve as a strong motivational exercise that will help you stay on track as you build a better life.

Hold Your Pleasure Hostage

Some days you just want to sit down and relax when the work day ends. Nothing sounds better than watching a favorite television show, reading a great book, ordering a delivery meal or some other small luxury.

Before you flip on the tube or find that delivery menu, however, you might want to consider turning the situation into a motivational opportunity.

Ask yourself what you still need to do to work toward your personal goals. Do you have a few small tasks you were willing to let slide as you enjoyed that program or dinner?

Is there something you should be doing, as part of your overall plan that you were just going to skip? Is there something you could do that would make you feel better about your day and yourself?

If the answer to any of those questions is, “yes,” it’s time to hold your pleasure hostage. Tell yourself that you get to watch the TV after you do your task or work toward your goal.

Make that small luxury into a reward for a job well done. Not only will you enjoy the reward more that way, you will also be one step closer to the life you have envisioned for yourself.

This simple motivation exercise probably won’t change your life all by itself. However, it can help you to find a spark when you really need it.

Are You Following Through?

Most of us set goals for ourselves. We spend time thinking about the ways we could make our lives more productive, exciting, happy and pleasing and convert that thinking into a list of personal objectives that should help us to build a better life.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t follow through with our plans. We start with the best possible intentions, but find our efforts derailed as the grind of every day life begins to wear at us. What once seemed like a challenging, yet very possible way to transform life slowly becomes little more than a deferred dream.

It’s not a lack of thinking or seriousness that holds us back. Usually, it is a lack of follow-through! Are you following through with your plans? If not, you should consider learning and implementing some powerful motivation exercises that can keep you on the right track.

Motivation exercises can solve one of the most common self-improvement problems. They can allow us to find that spark of motivation we need to work on our goals day in and day out.

Don’t give up! Follow through!

The Crippled Hunter

A great hunter named Hawk woke in the medicine man's hut. His arm ached fiercely, and when he reached over to touch it, he found the bottom half removed. He lay there, stunned.

"I'm sorry my son," said the medicine man from the smoky interior of the hut. "You are a cunning hunter, but you were hurt gravely saving Little Wing's life. You are a hero to all our people, but the spirits said I must take your arm to save your life."

Beneath the wraps on Hawk's arm, the injury ached. He let his remaining hand fall limply to the blanket.

"What can I do now?" he asked numbly.

"You will not be able to use a bow any more," the medicine man said, "but your years providing food for the tribe will not be forgotten. You will find a way to contribute."

"You mean I can join the old women and the cripples who tend to the hunter's catches," Hawk growled. He could barely restrain the tears that pricked his eyes. A hunter did not cry.

But if he was a hunter no longer, did it matter?

Hawk spent a lot of time alone while he was recovering. He went on many long walks. He tried to use his bow, but he could see no way to shoot an arrow with his arm mangled.

People told him to relax, to do the work he could do to contribute to the tribe, such as preparing meat and tanning hides. But even this work was difficult for him with only one hand. Besides, he did not want to tan hides for the rest of his life.

Something else bothered him. Winter was coming and game had been scarce all year. The tribe had not put in as much meat for the hard months as it should have. They needed every hunter out there catching food. They needed him.

"Not like this," he muttered and glared at his useless stump.

One day Hawk abandoned the menial work--others did it so much more efficiently than him anyway--and walked away from camp. He followed a canyon rim. Far below a tiny stream meandered through, but anyone who fell would be splattered on the rocks.

For a moment he considered falling. What was his life if he could not hunt?

But what a cowardly end. Surely the spirits would be disappointed.

Hawk sighed and looked over his shoulder. Fields of tall yellow grass stretched before him. Then he noticed dark shapes in the distance. Buffalo. A small herd, more than enough to provide meat for his people through the winter.

A hunting party was out, but they had gone the other direction. They might miss these buffalo altogether.

Hawk looked from them to the cliff and back. An idea formed.

He waited until the buffalo came as close to the canyon as they would, then tested the wind. Perfect.

He set a fire in the tall grasses behind the buffalo. The flames soon grew and smoke filled the air. This terrified the buffalo, and they stampeded.

Hooves struck the earth so hard it was like being in an earthquake. Hawk had set the fire in just the right spot, and many of the huge creatures ran blindly at the canyon cliff. Their instincts told them to run from fire, and they went right over the edge.

After the fire had died down, Hawk returned to the tribe for help skinning and preparing all the meat on the canyon floor. Now his people would have enough food for the winter. The tribesmen and women looked at him with awe. They had never looked at him like that before, even when he had been a good hunter with two strong arms.

"How did bring down so many when you're a cripple?" one blunt boy asked.

"I learned that you don't have to be stronger and faster than the buffalo, just smarter than it."

Men And Fish Ponds

A man stalked into a fish store in a huff. He located the owner out back, attending a tranquil water garden. In a large pond, fish swam happily in clear clean water.

The man barely noticed the peaceful setting. He thrust a bag full of water out for the owner to see. A small, runty fish twitched its tail inside.

"I bought this last summer," the man said.

"Is there a problem?" the owner asked.

"It's tiny! You sold me a bunch of defective fish. I wanted ones like those." He pointed to the long, sleek fish gliding through the pond.

"They are the same breed, sir," the store owner said.

"They can't be. Yours are magnificent and mine are stunted. You keep all the best ones for yourself and give the customers the rejects. Admit it!"

The owner clasped his hands behind his back and did not respond to the accusation. Instead he merely said, "Please, sir, tell me about the pond where your fish live."

"Well, it's about this big." The man stretched his arms, indicating a size much smaller than the store pond.

"Yes, how many fish are in it?"

"Eight."

"That is very many fish for such a small pond, sir. Are they fed well?"

"Of course," the man said. "Well, actually my wife handles that. Sometimes she forgets."

"And the water?" the shop owner asked. "Is it clear and fresh?"

"It's a little murky," the man said. "We're busy, and we don't have that much time for pond care."

"I think I see your problem, sir. This kind of fish is just like a person. To reach its full potential, it must be in an environment that nurtures growth."

The Great Turtle Race

Two turtles entered into a race. At the end lay a golden shell, a prize any turtle would enjoy.

As soon as the race official shouted, "Go!" the first turtle, Milfred, started plodding toward the finish line.

The second turtle, Manny, shook his head in disgust. Everybody knew turtles were slow. It would take her all day to reach the finish line like that. It would be hard work too.

Many took out a map he had snuck into the race. He looked for shortcuts, spotted a couple of likely routes, and chose the best looking one.

That route took him up a hill. He huffed and puffed, telling himself it would be easier in the end. But he eventually came to a spot where a rock avalanche had buried the path.

Manny reluctantly turned back and tried another shortcut. This time, he came to a ten-foot high cliff. A human or a monkey might have been able to climb it, but a turtle certainly couldn't.

Grumbling, Manny retraced his path and headed for the third shortcut. It seemed a likely route, and he would surely shave hours off his race time if it continued to the end. But he came to a spot where a river had changed course and now ran right over the trail. The water was too swift and wide for a turtle to cross.

Manny had to turn back again.

By now, the sun hung low in the western sky. Then things got worse.

The official returned with the news. Slow, plodding Milfred had finished the race and won the golden shell.

Manny was still at the start line. Not only that, but in recounting all his steps, he realized he had walked farther than Milfred.

Coconut Frustration

After a storm washed her overboard, Samantha found herself stranded on a desert island (perhaps that deep-discount cruise vacation hadn't been the best investment).

Since Samantha did not know how to fish, the only food was in the trees.

Beautiful, ripe coconuts hung from the branches high above her. She stared longingly at them, but none littered the beaches. They all hung high out of reach.

She attempted to climb the coconut tree trunks, but they had no branches to grab onto, and her arms were not strong enough to scale them unaided. Though she tried several times, she could not climb even close to the height of the coconuts.

By the third day, she was weak with hunger. The large ripe coconuts merely taunted her from the treetops.

She dropped to her knees and prayed.

"Lord, I'm so hungry. Please drop a few coconuts. I'll be eternally grateful."

That night a great storm blew in from the sea. Waves surged up the beaches, and rain pelted down from the black sky. Samantha could only huddle beneath the trees and wait for the storm to pass.

When dawn and the sun returned, she ventured out. She expected a beach full of coconuts that had been blown down, but only driftwood met her gaze. If any coconuts had fallen, the waves had washed them into the ocean.

She screamed and grabbed a chunk of driftwood. She hurled it at the nearest bunch of coconuts. The stick missed its target, thudded against the trunk, and fell to the ground.

From that futile act came an idea.

Samantha gathered several pieces of driftwood, selecting those that had some heft, but were not too bulky to throw. She hurled the first into the air again, this time putting more effort into aiming.

The projectile flew wide, but not by far. On the tenth try, a chunk of driftwood struck a coconut. It fell to the ground at her feet.

Samantha squealed and jumped in the air. She pumped her fist in victory and grabbed her prize. She had no knife, but she soon found a jagged rock, which she used to bash open the coconut.

The milk slid down her throat, the smoothest sweetest beverage she had ever drunk. The meat tasted better than anything she ever remembered eating.

She used the driftwood to snag several more coconuts from the trees. When she was full, she lay down and gazed contentedly at the sky.

"You sure make things hard, God," she observed, hardly expecting an answer.

But a voice drifted to her on a breeze: "That which is given is cherished for a short while, but that which is earned is valued for a lifetime."

The River of Fame And Fortune

A young man decided to leave town instead of taking the apprenticeship his parents has lined up for him. He wanted to see fame and fortune, and a traveler told him of a river that led straight to it.

Of course, the river was plagued by many obstacles: rapids, bandits, and bears to name a few. But if one followed it to its end, one arrived at fame and fortune.

The young man pursued odd jobs around town until he could afford a small boat. He waved goodbye to his parents and friends, and he set sail down the river to fame and fortune.

The traveler had not lied. The waterway sported many obstacles, everything from jagged boulders protruding from the shallows to robbers who would shoot arrows from the banks.

Still, the young man did well until a great storm came upon him. He did not pull his boat into shore in time, and the gales hurled him against a rocky cliff. The impact shattered his craft and left him alone and helpless in the rough waters.

Through some luck, he reached an island in the center of the river. When the storm passed over, he found himself so far from shore on either side, that he dared not try to swim across. Fortunately, the island offered plentiful berry bushes, and the man soon fashioned a fishing pole, so he could catch his meals.

A couple days later, two merchants on a raft happened by.

"We're heading down the river toward fame and fortune," they said. "Do you need a lift?"

The man eyed the handmade raft, which was barely more than a few logs lashed together. "Thanks, but I think I'll wait for the next boat."

A couple weeks passed before the next craft came by, a little dingy with a single oarsman.

"Do you need a way to get to fame and fortune?" the oarsman asked.

"Thanks, but I think I'll wait for a bigger boat. These waters are rough, you know."

Other vessels drifted past, and many of the owners asked if the man wanted a ride. By this time, the man had created a simple but decent shelter on the island, and he had saved some fish and berries. It was a hard life, but the idea of risking the storm again scared him. He decided to wait until a large armored vessel that could not possibly be damaged by the river's obstacles sailed past. Then he would ask for passage.

Of course, such a craft never came. However, many of those who had passed survived the perils of the river and made it to fame and fortune. The man grew old and died on the meager island.

Lessons of The Bonsai Tree

Peter circled the table and frowned at the overgrown shrub sitting in a pot on the table. "What is it?"

"A bonsai tree," Yukio said.

"Uhm, I've seen the Karate Kid. That's no bonsai tree."

"It is so." Yukio scowled. "It just hasn't been trimmed."

"Oh."

"My grandfather left it to me when he died, but I want to learn how to shape it before I do any cutting."

Yukio pulled a stack of books off the shelf. Bonsai for Beginners. How to Shape a Bonsai Tree in 10 Easy Steps. Inner Peace Through Bonsai.

"Okay," Peter said. "I get that I guess. How long have you had it?"

"Three years."

"Three years? And you haven't snipped a branch yet?"

"I don't want to screw it up," Yukio said. "This is a rare species and very valuable."

"So, you're just going to let it sit there and get bushier and bushier?" Peter asked. "Have you read the books yet?"

"Yes."

In fact, the spines were creased, and each one was full of underlined passages and dog-eared pages. Yukio returned them to the shelf before his visitor could discover the truth of just how often they had been read.

"Well," Peter said. "You might want to start clipping those branches soon. You're about one winter away from being able to hang ornaments and put presents under this thing."

"I don't have any experience. It's hard to teach yourself from a book." Yukio touched a branch gently. "I don't want to ruin it."

"I'm no Einstein, but I'm pretty sure you actually have to do something to get in experience. Why don't you clip a branch? What's the worst that could happen?"

"I could kill it," Yukio said glumly.

Peter raised his eye brows. "How likely is that?"

"Not very. I guess the worst that would happen is it wouldn't come out anything like what's in my head. I have this really pretty picture in my mind... but I don't think I can do that."

"So, what? It'd grow back, right? And you could try again."

"Yeah, in a couple years."

"There you go." Peter shrugged and left the room.

Yukio stood in silence and gazed at the tree for a while. He looked at the shelf and all the books he had read, and he looked back to the tree. Yes, perhaps it was time to do something.

He found a pair of cutters and took the first snip.

The Battle Between The Rat And The Lion

Long ago in a human town, pit fights were held that pitted one animal against another animal. Everyone gathered to watch these matches, to cheer--and make money betting on--the winners. The losers were soon forgotten.

Usually the matches were fair, such as a lion against a tiger or a wolf against a dog. But one night, someone made a mistake, and out came two unlikely contestants: a rat and a lion.

The audience grabbed their sides and laughed at the craziness of the pairing. Yet nobody moved to stop the battle. Once the animals were released, the fights did not end until one was dead. That was the rule.

While the humans chortled, the lion smiled. "I thought I would have to fight tonight, but it seems I'll just be getting a snack." It flexed its powerful muscles and showed its great fangs. "Though I don't usually eat rats. You creatures so often carry diseases."

The rat lifted his chin, whiskers bristling. "I am not diseased, but if you want to eat me, you must fight me first."

"Don't be foolish. I'm bigger, stronger, faster, and my claws are as long as your whole body. What will you do? Bite my toe? Why don't you just come over here and lie down. I'll make your death swift."

"I will not give up that easily." With that said, the rat charged.

The fight was predictable. The rat's teeth could not even pierce the lion's thick fur to reach flesh. The lion laughed and swatted the tiny creature. It flew several yards and hit the wall.

The audience cheered and chanted: "Eat the rat, eat the rat!"

Though obviously injured, the rat limped back and attacked anew. This time he got in and bit the soft skin between his opponent's toes.

The lion screeched, jerked back his paw, and struck. Again the rat flew far and landed hard. Yet again, he came back to the lion.

The lion dropped a paw and pinned the rat to the ground. Still the rat struggled, thrashing and trying to escape.

By now, the audience had stopped laughing and jeering. Everyone watched silently to see what would happen next.

The rat tried to bite the lion again, but its small teeth did no damage. The lion did not release his pinned opponent. He could easily eat the little creature now, but he hesitated.

"Why will you not give up?" the lion asked as the rat continued to struggle. "Don't you understand? You can never win."

"You don't think I know that? Of course I can't win."

The lion twitched a furry ear. "Then why fight? Why make it harder on yourself?"

"To show everyone I am more than they think. When people see rats, they see vermin that sneak around and hide in the shadows. They think we carry disease. They go out of their way to put us down, to destroy us. But when they see you, it's a different story. They respect your power. They think you're noble. They call you the king of the jungle, for crying out loud!"

That speech weakened the rat, and its struggles slowed down. Blood seeped into the ground, draining from the rat's body, and the lion realized his opponent's wounds were mortal.

"Some of us are born to better lots in life," the lion said apologetically. "I'm sorry but that's simply how it is."

"It's worth fighting to change your lot," the rat whispered. "To change the way people think about you."

The lion lifted his paw. It seemed a shame to eat this rat. It had put up such a good fight, and he'd even call it noble, though its beliefs were surely misguided.

"Look, I'm not going to eat you, but you didn't accomplish anything." The lion gazed up at all the people watching from above. "They'll forget you by tomorrow. You'll never change anybody's mind about rats."

The rat wheezed and drew in its last breath. "I changed yours, didn't I?"

The Sapling In The Ancient Forest

A tiny seed sprouted in a great ancient forest and knew right away it had a problem. Tall trees loomed all around it blocking out almost all of the sun.

Since a tree cannot grow and thrive without sun, things did not look good for the little sprout. It might not live to become a sapling much less a full grown tree.

But afternoon brought a tiny ray of sun peaking through the canopy. The sprout basked in the warmth though it was short lived. It was enough to offer hope.

As the sprout slowly and painfully struggled to get enough nourishment to grow into a sapling, it noticed all the branches the other trees had. It must take energy to send those branches out in every direction, the youngster reasoned. Perhaps I'll just create enough branches to nourish myself on this beam, and then wait until I can see the sun to grow more branches. Then I won't waste any energy.

Years passed, and the sapling grew taller. It was frail from lack of sunlight and crooked from straining to reach that one beam, but it never gave up. Rains came and the heavy snows of winter, but the thin little tree did not bow beneath the weight.

Every day it told itself, "Soon I shall see the sky."

And then one day it brushed against the leave of the other trees. Though it was tired, it pushed itself to grow just a little taller, to pierce the canopy and bask in the rich air above.

It could scarcely believe it had reached the heights of the other trees, but while it had thrown all its energy into growing, the ancient trunks had merely grown a little fatter. So comfortable in their dominance were they that they had not noticed the upstart until it was too late.

Now all those great ancient trees are in the younger tree's shadow, and it has more sun than it could ever need.

The Wolf Pup And His Shadow

On a warm spring day, a wolf pup crawled out of his mother's den. It was his first time venturing outside, and everything was so big!

Trees loomed overhead. Hawks squawked in the branches. Water roared past in a fast-running river. A bear dug grubs from a log on the other side. What was friend and what was foe?

Overwhelmed, and more than a little scared, the pup took hesitant first steps.

Then he spotted something on a flat boulder by the river. A fish had been thrown clear of the turbulent white water, and it was flopping and thrashing.

This riveted the pup's attention. He didn't need world experience to know a fish was something he could eat. It would be far tastier than the leftovers the adults in the pack gave the pups.

As he inched forward, the fish continued to thrash. Any moment, it might wriggle itself back into the river, never to be seen again.

Sensing this, the pup walked faster. He was about to break into a trot, when a shadow startled him.

Startled, he raced back to the safety of the den. His instincts told him that great birds roamed the skies, and a little wolf pup might make a tasty meal for them.

From the safety of the den entrance, he peered into the blue expanse, but he saw nothing up there but the sun.

And that fish beckoned him.... He could almost taste it. Saliva dampened the fur around his mouth.

The pup strode out, intent on capturing that fish, but the shadow appeared again. Whining, the pup retreated. He paced anxiously at the mouth of the den. He wanted that fish so badly, but was afraid of the risk.

He gathered his courage and decided to dash for it.

The pup charged out of the den, ran across the beach, and pounced.

It was too late. With a flip of its tail, the fish finally launched itself back into the river.

The pup skidded to a stop on top of the boulder and stared forlornly into the water. That was when he noticed the shadow again.

It did not move when he did not move. He took a few steps, and it followed him. It was his own shadow, and it was harmless. Too late, he realized he had let his fear of the world create obstacles where there were none.

The Empty Field

A factory worker grew tired of accepting long hours, little pay, and a tyrant for a boss, so he left the city for the country. He wanted to harvest his own crop and reap the wealth of the earth. He took his entire savings and bought a piece of land from a farmer.

"It's good land," the farmer said. "Lots of potential. It'll yield you a decent crop."

Excited at the idea of one day harvesting a great bounty, the factory worker thanked the farmer with a hearty handshake. The he walked out and sat in the middle of the field. He imagined all the crops he would enjoy.

Over there would be corn. On that other side carrots and cabbage. On the end, he'd grow turnips. He loved sweet fruit, so he'd have strawberries and blueberries too. It would be pure joy to eat food grown from a field he owned.

The factory worker spent a long time imagining his harvest. He barely noticed the changes in the weather.

One crisp cool day, the farmer found him lost in thought in the empty field.

"Oh, hello," the factory worker said when he stopped daydreaming long enough to notice the farmer. "What are you doing here?"

"I got my harvest in. I thought I'd see if you needed a hand with yours."

The factory worker blinked. "I don't have one yet."

"Didn't you plant any crops?"

"Well, I bought the land. I guess I thought..."

"It'd grow on its own?" the farmer asked, mouth dropping in disbelief. "It doesn't work that way. The land's just the beginning. You have to put in work to see a harvest."

Your Purpose Is To Be Uniquely You

Whatever you are be a good one. - Abraham Lincoln

Are you still waiting for a sign from the heavens to figure out what to do with your life? Are you hoping that the sky will crack open and a loud booming voice will tell you exactly what to do, where to go, what to focus on? If only it were that easy.

There is nothing wrong with believing in a pre-destined life purpose, but it does tend to keep you feeling powerless and adrift if you can’t figure out what it should be. Not only is the uncertainty maddening, there is also the fear that you might choose wrong and set a cataclysmic chain of events into motion. That might sound overly dramatic, but it can certainly feel that way at times! What most of us overlook is the thrill that can come from choosing our own purpose.

Whether you’re more comfortable thinking you have a distinct destiny to fulfill or you think of it in terms of having the free will to choose your path, you can still be proactive in choosing your own life mission. Think about it this way: your life purpose will be something that makes you feel passionate and fulfilled.

It is designed that way on purpose – so you “know” what you’re supposed to be doing! Your purpose is to do that which is most aligned with who you are, and uses your natural talents and abilities to their fullest extent. Only you can say what that is exactly, and you may not have the foggiest clue right now.

So begin finding out! If you already know what makes you feel inspired and purposeful, do it more often. Find a way to share it with others. If you don’t know what your passions are, go exploring and find them.

Try new things and see if any of them resonate with you. The activities themselves don’t really matter except that they should make you feel wonderful and provide some kind of benefit for the world around you.

Think about your existing talents, skills and passions, constantly work on developing new ones – and find a way to share them with others. Then, no matter what else you do, you are definitely fulfilling a grand purpose here on earth. Is it “your” purpose? It is if you choose it to be!

You Need To Just Let Go

The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice that which we are for what we could become. - Charles DuBois

Do you struggle to step into your new life because you’re still hanging on to the old one? No matter how badly you might want to change your life, clinging to old circumstances that no longer serve you will prevent you from being able to move forward.

It’s scary to let go of what is familiar to us, even if it doesn’t make us happy. Most of us would rather stay in comfortable and familiar circumstances (even if they are unfulfilling) rather than move into new and uncertain territory. That’s a normal reaction, but a limiting one all the same.

In order to make room for better circumstances, you need to let go of your current ones. You don’t have to do it all at once, but at least one thing at a time. Are you clinging to old friendships that don’t contribute to your life anymore? Are you still working at the job you’ve had since young adulthood even though your pay is capped and you’re bored out of your mind?

Are you stuck in a loveless marriage but too frightened to move on? Whatever situations are keeping you stuck, be willing to release them in order to make room for something better.

When you begin this process, it brings up all kinds of scary feelings. When you remove a set of circumstances that once served as a foundation, other parts of your life may collapse of their own volition. You may find yourself floating in a dark void that may not be filled up right away.

You may feel empty, lonely, terrified and unbalanced. All of this is a normal part of the growth process. Simply turn within and allow your inner guidance to lead the way. Ignore any temptation to succumb to panic and instead just go with the process one moment at a time.

Enjoy the weightless feeling you get after releasing something that no longer serves you, and keep affirming that something better will fill that void soon – and it will happen sooner than you think!

You Are Never Really Stuck!

You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. - Steven D. Woodhull

Believing that you can’t change your circumstances is one sure way to feel powerless. You can spend all the time in the world bemoaning your job, your relationships, your finances, your lack of opportunities, or your streak of “bad luck” . . . but doing so only keeps you locked into an illusion of permanency.

The truth is you always have choices. You may not like the choices available, but they are still yours. You can choose to act, or not act; you can choose to be optimistic about the possibilities that exist for your life, or you can accept limitations at every turn. Deciding which choice is best is the tricky part.

Fear can also disguise itself as a condition of powerlessness. You may know on some level that you have choices but refuse to acknowledge them because you fear the unknown. You know you can leave a dissatisfying job, but then what will you do?

Will you find another job to replace it, and if so will it be a job you enjoy, or be worse than the one you just left? You know you can dissolve an unhealthy relationship, but is being alone really any better? At least now you have someone there, even if it’s not the person you’d prefer be there. Rather than face uncertain outcomes, you avoid making choices at all.

Whether you really believe you have a shortage of options or you are simply making excuses because you’re afraid to move forward, know that it’s ALL within your control. Just like every other person on the planet, you always have the most basic opportunity before you now: resign yourself to staying where you are, or roll up your sleeves and make something happen.

If you worry about making the wrong choice, know that you can always make another choice. You can keep making choices as often as you’d like until you find something that works for you. To avoid making choices altogether doesn’t serve you, because in the end even not making choices is a decision all its own.

Taking A Detour Onto The Wrong Path

Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak. Sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go. - Author Unknown

There are truly no “wrong” paths in life – only paths that serve to teach us one thing or another. Even the biggest errors of our lives can be powerful teachers and contribute immensely to our growth. However, it is common for most of us to choose the wrong path for US.

In other words, to ignore our inner calling and veer off onto a path that we think will provide the fulfillment we seek, but in fact only carries us further away from our authentic self. These “wrong” paths can teach us much, so they are not a waste of time – but staying on them for too long will make us lose touch with who we were meant to be.

When you discover that you’ve taken the wrong path for you, it takes tremendous courage to step off it. It means admitting that you were wrong, that your thinking was not aligned with your inner wisdom.

It feels a little embarrassing, and a lot frustrating. However, it can be one of the most profound experiences of your life and will always lead to something much better. In fact, the re-awakening of your inner wisdom is what often makes you realize that you’ve been following the wrong path.

Take a look at your common activities these days. Do any of them feel wrong, boring, uninspiring, unfulfilling? Do any of them make you feel unbalanced inside? These “activities” could be anything from your job to your social activities, to your health habits, to your negative self-talk.

When you stumble across something that doesn’t make you feel peaceful inside, question it. Do you really need to keep doing it? Is it serving you somehow? If not, consider summoning the strength to let go and choose something better. It may seem like you’re being a “quitter” at first,

which is something most of us have been conditioned to avoid. But quitting that which holds back your growth and development is not quitting at all – it’s more like purification.

It’s a process of clearing away the unnecessary in order to make way for the miraculous. In that context, it’s okay to let go. Open your hands so they’ll be ready to grasp what you really want.

TODAY! What Will You Do?

If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today. - Author Unknown

As wonderful as past achievements may make you feel, they cannot compare to what you are capable of today. It’s natural to want to reflect upon our previous accomplishments because they make us feel good about ourselves.

We can remember the glory of the battle, the difficulties we overcame during the journey and glow with pride as we point out, “I did that.” That’s great, but the very next words out of your mouth should be, “What will I do next?”

Instead of pacifying yourself with memories of what you’ve done before, you can choose to make it your mission to always keep growing, evolving and producing ever greater works. If you do this, you may be surprised to note that you rarely feel compelled to look back at your past accomplishments.

Why? Because you’ll be too darn busy being productive! Rather than dwelling on your past success, let it fuel your next endeavor. Besides a feeling of pride, your accomplishments can offer something else of value: confidence to try something new! Sometimes we do just the opposite and use our past accomplishments as an excuse not to do anything more.

Whether we fear not being able to top a previous victory or we simply don’t want to try, we decide it’s safer to stay where we are and bask in the afterglow. Ridiculous!

Let excitement about your next endeavor fill you up. Let it quicken your heart and flush your face as you look forward to your next phase of growth.

As exciting as your past achievements may have been, they cannot hold a candle to what you will do today! When you are too old and infirm to produce anymore, THEN you can look back and be proud of all you accomplished.

Until then, you’re not nearly done yet. You’ve got mountains to climb, fears to face, doubts to overcome, and astounding achievements waiting to be realized. Go to it!

What a Journey!

Forever is composed of nows. - Emily Dickinson

Have you ever been so intently focused on a goal that you forgot to enjoy the process of getting to it? Next thing you know, you’re looking around in disbelief and muttering, “That’s it?”

As satisfying and enjoyable as the outcome can be, the journey itself is what can really get us pumped up! Focusing too hard on the outcome ensures that we miss out on many great insights and opportunities that appear between now and then.

The truth is there really isn’t any past, present or future. In fact, some theories claim that all three are happening simultaneously. It seems impossible, but one thing we know for sure: our entire lives are composed of a very long string of “nows.”

Like right now, and now, and now. Each moment is a glimmering gem of opportunity to experience feelings of joy, excitement, happiness and love. You may not think this is so important, but when you’re working on creating something beautiful in your life don’t you want to be able to remember it fondly?

Imagine reaching the end of your life without a single recollection of the things you experienced. Imagine not being able to remember all the love you gave and received, all the laughter you shared, all the moments of amazement and awe. How would you know whether the journey was worthwhile? What an incredible loss that would be.

The journey to our goals is just as important because we not only move from one place to another, we transform from one person into another throughout the process. If we spend too much time looking forward or backwards, we’ll completely miss what we’re doing right now. Make sure you take time to enjoy your journey.

Make sure you are pausing to look around and open your eyes from time to time. Not only can this help you notice more great opportunities, it can make the journey require less effort too.

Instead of keeping your head down, legs pumping furiously to get where you’re going, you will be strolling happily along with a smile on your face and your shoulders relaxed. Big difference!

How To Get Rid of Negativity

You must weed your mind as you would weed your garden. - Astrid Alauda

Weeds in a garden can be incredibly pesky, persistent and destructive to the plants you do want to cultivate. Any good gardener knows that frequent weeding is necessary if you want to keep a clear area for healthy plants to grow to their fullest potential.

How similar this process is to the role of positive thinking in personal development! Just like a garden, your mind can easily and quickly become overrun by “weeds” in the form of negativity, impatience, jealousy, anger or inflexibility.

You may think these types of thoughts aren’t truly harmful, just perhaps a bit annoying. Wrong! Remember, what you focus upon the most is what you tend to create in your life. While most of us have fleeting moments of negative thinking now and again, the length and frequency of time you focus on these thoughts determines whether they will sprout roots and grow into something larger and much more troublesome.

What kind of trouble can negative thoughts create in your mind? How about feelings of depression, defeatism, inability to recognize opportunities, hopelessness, resistance to positive change, confusion, lack of focus, lack of direction and purpose, and much, much more.

Even worse, negative thoughts (just like weeds) are incredibly prolific. They multiply and take over the whole darn joint if you let them. They invite all their rowdy, boisterous friends and begin to bully and crowd out the positive thoughts you are trying to encourage to take root.

If you want to keep your mind (and life) free from interfering “weeds,” you must learn to pluck out the ones that prevent the better growth from happening. That means letting go of grudges, not letting yourself be overcome by anger or frustration, and learning how to find the good in every situation.

You must learn how to cultivate only that which you want to harvest in your life. You will reap what you sow, but remember too that sometimes other people are gardening on your land without your conscious awareness or permission.

Don’t let them! Put up an electric fence and be clear about what you will and will not accept into your lush garden. Be vigilant about weeding your mind daily, and you will ensure that only beauty, joy and abundance grow there.

How To Use Failure As A Learning Experience

Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting." - Author Unknown

So many of us fear failure because we take it as a personal reflection of our own worth and capability in life. We think that if we didn’t do well at one thing it must mean that we will never be good at it, or anything else we try.

We think it means that we’re less of a person or we’re destined for a life of mediocrity. Even worse is when a failed attempt seems to reinforce the limiting messages we’ve been fed by others in our lives. “Mom always said I wasn’t the lucky type; I guess she was right . . .”

Nothing could be further from the truth! Failure at anything simply means that we now have a wonderful learning opportunity in the palm of our hand. We tried one way, and it didn’t work. That just means we need to find another way – or retry the first way (depending upon the situation).

It could mean that we didn’t give our full effort because we weren’t feeling too confident about our ability to succeed, or it could mean that we need to try several times until we really master the activity. It could even mean that circumstances weren’t right and the timing was off, but if we try again it might work like a charm next time.

DON’T let failure hold you back from trying something new! In fact, look forward to failure because it will teach you a lot about yourself and your resiliency. When something doesn’t go as planned, look at it objectively and ask why.

Did you do something you shouldn’t have? Did you not do something you could have? Did you approach the goal from a less than favorable angle? Could you try again from a better angle, or with a different mind-set, or using different action steps? You are bound to achieve favorable results if you keep working at it.

If you stop working at it and don’t learn anything from the experience, THAT’S what you call failure.

The Nature of Challenge

Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all life really means. - Robert Louis Stevenson

When most of us are faced with a challenge or difficulty, we tend to view it as immovable, permanent, and disempowering. Problems have a way of seeming larger than life, looming ominously over us and casting a dark shadow over our dreams and goals.

Does this sound familiar to you? Do your problems and challenges seem to have a sinister life of their own?

What intimidates us most often is not the challenges themselves, but the way we interpret those challenges. For example, taking on a “doom perspective” can convince us that a particular challenge means the end of our dreams. It can cause us to drop everything and give up because all hope seems to be lost.

It can cause us to admit defeat and resign ourselves to a life of mediocrity because we “obviously don’t have what it takes to succeed.” It doesn’t have to be like that! What if there was a way to diminish the intensity of challenges so that they appeared to be simple complications with clear solutions? What if we could learn to laugh in the face of challenges, and continue on toward our goals without a hitch?

The next time you’re faced with a challenge, step back from it and ask yourself how bad it really is. Viewing it from the right perspective might pleasantly surprise you. Remind yourself that problems and challenges are temporary 99% of the time. Engage in some creative thinking to see if you can figure out a way around the trouble.

Even if you can’t immediately see any logical way of resolving the problems, you can still begin taking action on one or two small aspects of the problem, and that will usually get the ball rolling so more solutions become visible. The key to success isn’t about the challenges you face, but your attitude as you overcome them.

How To Act More And Talk Less!

Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promise. - Author Unknown

Are you a big talker? Are you always rambling on about how great your achievements are, how much you’re capable of, how far you’re going to go in life? Speaking confidently about yourself and your activities is a good thing – but NOT if you’re just blowing hot air.

Some people do this in an effort to build up their courage or seek approval from others. They lack a strong sense of inner security and belief about who they are and what they do (or want to do). While we can easily understand and sympathize with this temptation, we need to focus on not falling into the trap ourselves.

Rather than letting your mouth tell others who you are and what you can do, let your actions do the talking. Promise less but give more. Give WAY more. Let everything you do shout your worth to the world.

In fact, you’d be surprised how much of communication is actually non-verbal. Words are only icing on the cake. It’s your countenance, your demeanor and your attitude that speak the most about you. If you blow a lot of hot air, all you do is steam up the room and create a fog that makes it difficult for people to see the genuine you. You may think this obscures the less developed parts of yourself, but most people have surprisingly good radar and can smell a façade easily.

Actions, however, tell the whole story. What you do is who you are. You are what you do. Your achievements, your energy and your character will reach out and grab the attention of those you wish to align yourself with.

If you always strive to do your best in everything you do and push yourself to be not just “good” but GREAT, you will infuse your unique energy into every activity and the results you get will astound not only you but everyone you touch.

Remember, a truly great person doesn’t have to say a word about their success because it’s written all over them.

Taking Actions That Matter The Most!

The essential question is not, "How busy are you?" but "What are you busy at?" - Oprah Winfrey

It is easy to trick ourselves into believing that we’re working hard on our goals, while simultaneously avoiding taking action on the things that count. We find it easy to plan, prepare and dream about the day when our goals come to fruition, but maybe not so easy to actually take action and move toward them.

In order to create real results in our lives, we need to take focused, consistent action. Yes, there will always be little things that need to be done too, but those should be secondary to the actions that get results.

Taking action is scary; let’s not kid ourselves on that point. We need to have the courage to face possible rejection, ridicule or even worse – poor results. We need to be willing to face the possibility of failure, which is often our worst fear. What if we take action and nothing happens?

What if our results are terrible? What if people laugh at us, or we find out we don’t have what it takes to succeed? These fears are often enough to shove us into a false sense of focus. We promise ourselves that we’ll take action “someday” but in the meantime we’ve got all this other stuff that needs to be done first. We’ve got to plan and prepare, then plan and prepare some more.

In the meantime, we keep dreaming of that great day when our goals will be realized, not acknowledging that they won’t EVER be realized unless we get off our butts and do something to make them happen.

Today, be willing to do that which others won’t do. Work hard at the right actions to create the results you want. Be willing to face your fears and push through any self-doubt you have.

If the results you get from these initial actions aren’t great, keep doing them anyway! See if you can refine any steps and then do them better next time.

It is only through taking action that you will be able to master whatever you’re doing. Thinking about it is a good first step, but it cannot be the final one.

Taking The Right Meaningful Action

Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning? - Coleman Cox

How easy it is to procrastinate on the things we really want to do. “Tomorrow” is always more attractive because we envision ourselves better able to conquer our fears, overcome challenges, and develop the motivation we need to move forward.

We don’t want to do these things now because we trick ourselves into believing that we don’t yet have the courage, time, money, experience or resources that will make it feasible.

However, the problem occurs when tomorrow comes and we find ourselves still feeling intimidated, fearful, or hesitant to take action. Rather than pushing through feelings of resistance and taking action anyway, we find it easier to refine our plans, visualize our success, do further research – anything except leave our comfort zones and take action.

If we allow ourselves to be stuck in a cycle like this for too long, eventually we reach a point where we are almost paralyzed by fear. We want to move forward and we know how important it is to break the hypnotic spell that holds us captive, but it seems impossible to do so.

The longer we stay locked into a cycle of inaction, the more effort we will need to break out of it. As time goes on, we find ourselves looking at what we’ve (not) created in our lives, feeling regretful about all the missed opportunities we could have taken advantage of, but didn’t. We look at our level of success, our living conditions, the state of our physical bodies, and we feel shameful about squandering the gifts and talents we have. We know darn well we could do better, but we don’t.

Do yourself a favor: take action NOW. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Don’t let your dreams die a slow, neglected death. Don’t fool yourself into believing that you have all the time in the world.

Don’t let another day go by that you will later look back at what you didn’t do with regret. If you begin by taking even small steps forward, taking action on even the tiniest of aspirations, you will gain confidence.

Before long, you’ll grow to love the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction you get from moving forward. Then you will be able to look back at each “yesterday” with a feeling of pride about what you’ve been able to accomplish.

Success May Be Hard Work, But So Is Failure!

Some people dream of success . . . while others wake up and work hard at it. - Author Unknown

Just like every action has a consequence, inaction also brings about its own consequences. It may seem easier not to work on your goals and dreams and instead spend most of your time griping about your hard luck and envying those who seem to have it so easy.

You may think you’re taking the path of least resistance as you seek shortcuts and avoid taking big risks, but everything you fail to do now comes back to bite you later. What you fail to realize is that you are working equally hard at failure as you would at success!

Think about that: with everything you do (or don’t do) you are contributing your energy to it. Either you give it your effort, or you give it your resistance. A little piece of you goes into everything you do. Think of it as an energy investment.

If you consistently try to avoid the things that seem too difficult or scary – that’s the type of energy you’re putting into the results you get: resistance and non-commitment. If you refuse to put your energy into success, you are inevitably putting it into failure.

Let’s face it, it takes a lot of hard work to keep resisting taking the actions you want to take, and coming up with excuses for why you’re not doing what you want to do. You’ve got to keep searching for things outside yourself to blame for your lack of progress, and you’ve got to spend a lot of time and energy convincing others that you’re a victim of circumstances.

Wouldn’t it be simpler to just DO what you want to do? Wouldn’t it be easier to let go of excuses, put your head down, roll up your sleeves and do the work that will get you to where you want to go?

It may seem scarier to do it that way, but it sure will end up being less aggravation in the end. At least you won’t have to deal with lackluster results and negative consequences that are born from not working toward what you want.

Understand that you are already putting your energy toward something; why not put it toward what you really want? It may seem to be harder work than avoidance at first, but it’s certainly more gratifying in the end.

How To Stop Fooling Yourself

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you're the easiest person to fool. - Richard Feynman

Our minds are labyrinths of illusion and deception, and it is way too easy to fool ourselves sometimes. Perhaps you’ve had an experience where you were certain that something was the truth, and later discovered you were wrong.

When the real truth was exposed, you practically slapped yourself in the forehead because you couldn’t believe you missed it! We’ve all had experiences like that from time to time. That’s because perception is very individual, and our minds are designed to see only what we want to see. This can be helpful in certain circumstances, but incredibly damaging in others.

What are some of the ways you’ve fooled yourself in the past - or are you still fooling yourself now? Are you telling yourself that you’re working hard on your goals when in fact you are just spinning your wheels and trying to stay busy? Are you convinced that you don’t have as much chance for opportunity as others do?

Are you telling yourself that the obstacle you face is too big, too imposing to overcome? Are you promising yourself that someday soon you’ll begin taking action to get what you want? Are you waiting until your fear diminishes, your confidence grows, or someone in your life gives you the green light? No matter what you are telling yourself, be willing to question whether it’s really the “truth” or not. Just because it seems to be so, doesn’t mean it is.

One of the best practices you can adopt is the process of inner reflection and honesty. Learn how to see through your perceptions and discern which ones are serving you and which ones are holding you back. Learn how to get in touch with your intuition and use the signals it sends (like gut feelings, inner knowing, and warnings about bad choices) to guide your decision-making.

Stop fooling yourself into believing things that keep you from expressing your greatness, and start pushing yourself to believe things that add to your character and grow your potential.

Take off the rose-colored glasses and begin assessing yourself and your habits with brutal honesty. Only then will you understand the quickest way to release your potential, figure out the right path for you, and determine the right actions to get you there.

That “Someday” Is Right NOW!

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt

Are you still holding back on your dreams because you’re waiting for some internal or external set of circumstances that will make it easier for you to proceed? Maybe you’re waiting until you feel confident enough to take the plunge, or maybe you’re trying to save up enough money to fund your dream.

Maybe you have a unique set of circumstances that seem to limit your ability to move forward – or maybe you’re just making excuses because you are scared to move forward.

The truth is, “someday” never comes. There is no someday! There is only NOW. It’s important to understand that YOU are the one who is choosing to believe that you can’t move forward until . . . something else happens. You have created that illusion in your life.

In order to free yourself from your self-imposed prison, you have to commit to moving forward now. I know, I know, there are reasons why you can’t, and those reasons may very well seem rock-solid and legitimate. But rather than see them as unyielding truth, why not try to find a way to move forward on SOME aspect of your dreams, instead of waiting for the magic password that will unlock the opportunities you wait for.

Consider this: even if your existing limitations were removed right now, today, you would very likely find another excuse. Your unwillingness to move forward has nothing to do with your external circumstances and everything to do with your own lack of determination to make it happen.

There will never be a more perfect time to create the desires of your heart. There will never be a moment in time that holds as many opportunities for you as this one does right now.

Let go of your fears and take a step forward! Ignore those limitations that try to stop you. Ignore the self-doubt, the fear, the uncertainty and just MOVE. If you can’t do it all, do something. Start small. But start.

Putting Your Knowledge Into Action

All the so-called "secrets of success" will not work unless you do. - Author Unknown

Have you ever noticed how many “latest, greatest” books, videos, and material there is out there? Walk into any bookstore or take a cruise around the Internet and thousands of titles will scream out at you:

The Underground Secrets to . . . Earn a Massive Income by . . . The Little-Known Techniques for. . . Amazing Powers of . . . - It’s all too easy to get sucked into buying “how-to” after “how-to”. Are any of these products helpful? Yes, but only if you actually put the knowledge into action!

Most of us are great learners. We love to read, watch, listen to, and absorb new ideas like a sponge. We love exploring new techniques and ideas to better our lives, improve our relationships, make more money, get a better body, and so on. However, a problem arises when we spend all of our time searching for that “latest, greatest” tip that will propel us to the success we desire.

What we forget is that the most helpful material out there is only as valuable as our ability to use it effectively in our lives. If we just absorb it and let it sit idle in our heads, not much change is going to take place.

If we take even the most moderately helpful ideas and put them into action, we immediately reap the rewards. Rather than having a vague wisp of knowledge rattling around in our minds, we now have a solid addition to our personal growth process. With each new book or video we buy, we can increase the value we receive from it by taking time to work with the techniques or ideas before moving on to something else.

Over time, this habit helps us to create lives that are well-rounded, deep and enriched. Rather than a shelf full of useless tools and techniques, we have a library of resources and knowledge that can empower us to take charge of our lives.

As time goes on, we also come to understand that less is more. We don’t feel compelled to keep buying more and more and more self-help products – only the ones we know intuitively will add something of value to our long-term progress.

How To Predict Your Own Future

The best way to predict your future is to create it. - Peter Drucker

Have you ever wished you had a crystal ball so you could see what your future holds? Perhaps you’ve even had a reading done by a psychic, palm reader or tarot card reader? Did they tell you something frightening or did they dash your dreams with a few ill-spoken words?

I’ll never forget the day my friend and I went to have a tarot reading done by a local psychic for the first time. This woman was highly acclaimed for her accuracy, so we were excited about being read by her. My reading was done first, and went beautifully. She really did seem to tune into me and highlighted many things that were happening for me.

Then it was my friend’s turn to be read. The psychic looked at the cards with concern and said bluntly, “I’m seeing major relationship trouble for you, so either you’re going through a divorce or will be shortly.” My friend was so shocked that she started to cry, wondering if something was wrong with her relationship that she wasn’t aware of.

You see, my friend had just gotten married a few months earlier. She and her new husband were very much in love and looking forward to a bright future together. This psychic’s “innocent” question sent my friend into a whirlwind of doubt, and the entire reading was awful. I was so angry at that psychic, and even angrier at my friend for believing her! I finally convinced my friend to ignore those dire warnings and just live her own life, create her own destiny.

It’s so easy to hand our power over to others. Maybe you’ve never consulted a psychic, but do you always let others tell you how to live your life? Do you listen to the advice of your pastor, your spouse, or your best friend like they know you better than you know yourself?

Don’t give your power away to anyone else, whether that person is a psychic, employer, parent or spouse. Choose your own destiny. Take control and do what makes you happy. Create the future you want, and you’ll be able to predict exactly the life you will lead.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what happened to my friend with the major relationship trouble, she and her husband are still blissfully happy – twelve years and two beautiful children later. Who could have guessed?

Elbow Grease And Opportunities!

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

When you think of opportunities, do you envision a neatly wrapped package that plops into your lap fully formed? That’s not an opportunity, it’s a gift! Rarely, opportunities might be ripe for the picking and require just a gentle nudge to get them rolling, but the most rewarding opportunities will usually involve a little more effort than that.

Rather than procrastinating because something will take hard work, why not allow yourself to relish the feeling of satisfaction that comes from completing something you’re proud of? Rather than avoiding hard work, be willing to throw yourself into it with abandon. Revel in the feeling of creating something out of nothing.

The more you flex your mental and physical muscles, the stronger they become. Not only does this make you feel more capable about taking on new challenges, it also makes future projects seem less intimidating.

It’s like anything else in life; the very beginning seems incredibly hard, and definitely not worth the effort. It takes tremendous courage and fortitude to move beyond the start line. But each sequential push after that seems a little less difficult, and a little less strenuous, until finally you’re rolling along quickly and easily. Before long, you’ve built up momentum and each step seems lighter and longer.

If you aren’t determined enough to push through the sluggish beginning, you won’t be able to enjoy the downhill slide later. Ask yourself today if you are willing to put forth a tremendous amount of effort at the beginning, so you can enjoy the benefits tomorrow.

I bet your answer will be yes. If you don’t go for it now, you’ll forever keep holding back, letting a little bit of work keep you from creating the vision in your heart. Put a little elbow grease into it, and see how much more smoothly it goes after that.

Never Try to Do Anything!

The difference between try and triumph is a little umph. - Author Unknown

“Try” is a word that should be removed from the English language (except perhaps for legal proceedings). Think about the last thing you “tried” to do. How did that work out for you? If you’re like most people, when you “try” to do something, that means you are giving less than your full effort to it.

You are simply testing the waters, dipping a toe in to determine the temperature, but ready to yank your foot back out at the slightest hint of discomfort. How boring! If you’re going to do something, why not just DO it? If you’re not going to do something, then don’t bother “trying”.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t proceed with caution or take the time to plan and prepare for a goal properly. This isn’t about throwing caution to the winds; it’s about the intensity of energy you put forth when you take action on something. Imagine saying that you’ll “try to breathe” today. What image does that put in your mind?

It makes me think that something will be interfering with your ability to breathe naturally, which means you may or may not be successful at breathing. Trying is pointless. You either do, or you do not. Now, just because you put your full effort into something doesn’t always mean that your results will be what you expect. Sometimes you may need to do something dozens of times before you’ll get the result you want. But holding back your effort will definitely ensure less satisfactory results.

“Trying” is for those people who doubt their ability to do something. It means they would like a successful outcome but highly doubt they’ll get one. When you go into something with such a negative focus, it’s no surprise it doesn’t work out very well.

Instead, make it your mission to simply DO it - whatever you are planning to do. If the outcome is less than you hoped for, do it again. Or find another way to do it. But never “try” to do anything. It’s a complete waste of your time and energy.

Self Mastery

It is better to sleep on things beforehand than lie awake about them afterwards. - Baltasar Gracian

We often get so attached to the end result of our goals that we end up acting first and thinking (or regretting) later. While there is a lot to be said for taking bold action, if that bold action isn’t focused it is rarely effective.

When we put more importance on the outcome of our efforts than the growth and development that takes place through consistent focused action, we are holding the wrong end of the sword. We end up with a few cuts, clumsy progress and a sense that something is missing. Yes, the outcome is important – but it’s not the biggest part of the journey!

The biggest part of the journey is the mastery of self. That takes place ONLY through lots of self-discovery, stretching of our limits and intuitive creative expression. When we focus more on the process that takes place within us as we pursue our goals, the outcome we desire will occur naturally.

We don’t have to force the outcome or exhaust ourselves trying to make it happen. We just slip into an effortless process of evolvement that carries us along to the finish line and the outcome unfolds gently before us.

Rather than trying to force your outcome by acting hastily or recklessly, take a few moments to first define exactly what you want to achieve, and then discern the best (most effective) action steps that will smoothly pave the way to the circumstances you want. Pay particular attention to how you are developing yourself as a person, and how that person will automatically attract the right opportunities for growth and progress.

Then, remember to enjoy the journey! Be insightful about the actions you take, and do them well. Focus on the way they strengthen and stretch you as a person, and your outcome will come rushing forward to greet you.

Your Mind Is It A Landfill?

Every one should keep a mental wastepaper basket and the older he grows the more things he will consign to it - torn up to irrecoverable tatters. - Samuel Butler

It’s amazing how much junk we tend to absorb into our minds and allow it stay there, festering and tainting everything we do.

Most of have minds that are cluttered with unproductive thoughts like negative comments by friends or family members, derogatory messages we’ve fed to ourselves, and restrictive messages received by society. All of this trash will continue to degrade our performance unless we clear it out occasionally.

Take a few moments to think about the types of thoughts and beliefs you hold about yourself and your life. Are you still operating under your father’s assertion that you’ll never amount to anything?

Are you still hearing the voice of your third grade teacher who said you wouldn’t go far in life because of your inability to pay attention in class? Make a list of all the beliefs and limitations that others have placed upon you. Also be sure to include the limitations that you have placed upon yourself.

You know the ones that claim you can’t do such-and-such because you’re just not good at it, or the things you’ve tried but didn’t have much success with the first time around, so now you believe you’ll never be successful at it. When you’ve written down everything you can think of – read the list over once more, and then BURN it.

Everything on that list was simply a perception, whether yours or someone else’s. Perceptions are flexible and subject to change. You now have a clean slate upon which to write your own empowering perceptions. You can start by writing the opposite of the beliefs and messages you just burned, or you can come up with entirely new ones.

What truths do you want to apply to your life? That you’re wealthy? That you’re successful and confident? That you are eager to try new things? Whatever you want to do in life, add it to the list and then get moving on it!

Periodically, repeat this clearing-out exercise to be sure you’re not reabsorbing restrictive messages again. Keep your mind free of unproductive trash and debris, and you’ll have plenty of room to store the thoughts you actually WANT to keep in there.

Is Integrity Its Own Success?

The future lies before you, like paths of pure white snow. Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show. - Author Unknown

If you’ve ever been tempted to do something unsavory in order to get ahead in life, you may have wondered whether it would be worth it or not. Perhaps you were tempted to take a shortcut that would detract from your quality of work just so you could churn out greater volume and make more money.

Or maybe you were hoping to cheat your way to the top of your field because you’ve seen others getting away with it and figured, “Why should I do all the hard work if they don’t have to?”

You may think it doesn’t matter how you reach your destination as long as you get there, but you may be surprised to know that every step you take on your journey will have an effect on your outcome – and your character.

That’s because the caliber of your person is what will determine the quality of results you get, and your ability to enjoy those results when they show up. Other people may never know that you cheated your way to success, but you’ll know. And the universe will know. “So what?” you might be thinking now.

Maybe nothing bad will happen if you follow this type of path. Or maybe the people you interact with will sense that you are not genuine and decide to work with someone else.

Maybe your customers will sense that something isn’t quite right with you and your products or services. Maybe your own conscience won’t be able to rest because of your past actions and you’ll end up making grave errors in judgment at some time in the future.

The way it all comes about doesn’t really matter – but the experiences you get in life will be dependent upon your intentions as you create them. The truth has a way of making itself known, and it’s amazing how creatively it sometimes does so. Every shady step you take will detract from your character and set you up for a negative consequence later.

If you instead make it your priority to do what’s right, you’ll get right results. Focus on being the person who deserves the level of success you desire, and you will achieve that level of success easily.

Give A Little To Get A Little

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. - Jimmy Johnson

We often get so stuck on what we stand to gain in life that we forget the true power of giving. Not giving in just a philanthropic sense, but giving as in contributing something of value to the world in general.

This universe is set up with the most effective compensation program I’ve ever seen. What you put out, you get back. What you hold back, you lose. Think of the universe like a huge mirror that simply reflects back to you whatever you think, feel and do.

If you try to take from others, you take from yourself (or others will take from you). If you try to give true value to others, you will receive great value from others and often from unexpected sources too!

If you want to take your progress to the next level, begin thinking about ways you can use this big mirror to create more opportunities for growth and abundance for others, and you will also be creating the same for yourself. Begin thinking about ways you can add something meaningful to the lives of others, rather than focusing on what you stand to gain from others.

Even more importantly, think about how you can take your efforts to the next level. Don’t just do something halfheartedly and call it good – give it your absolute BEST effort and watch how dramatically that alters your results. No matter what you’re doing, giving it half your attention or half your effort will give you half the results you could have received.

It’s all about the energy you put forth while engaged in any activity. If you want to get a little, give a little. If you want to get a lot, give a lot. Put the same amount of focus and effort into washing the car as you would while writing a poetic masterpiece.

Put the same amount of effort into raising money for the needy as you would while earning money for yourself. Strive for excellence in everything you do and then stand back in shock and awe as the universe gives you a standing ovation that rains blessings down upon you.

A Hidden Gem In Every Setback

When you lose, don't lose the lesson. - Author Unknown

How many times have you experienced a setback in your life? If you’re like most people, it’s probably hundreds of times. Setbacks are a part of life, and there is no realistic way to avoid them.

However, if we learn to find the hidden gem in every setback, we’ll be able to use them in productive ways. Let’s take a look at some of your setbacks and see what can be done to shift your perception of them. First, make a list of every failure you can remember, no matter how insignificant it may be.

If you started a diet and reverted back to eating donuts the next day, write it down. If you set a goal to make more money and ended up in further in debt, write that down. When you have your list completed, take a few minutes to review it. How does it make you feel to remember those things you didn’t accomplish? Probably not great, but don’t worry; we can turn that around in a jiffy!

Next to each item on your list, write down what you learned from the experience...

Don’t cheat by skipping this part of the exercise, it’s very important! And don’t say you didn’t learn anything, or choose a dumb lesson like, “I learned not to try it again.” No – you absolutely learned something from every single failure and setback you’ve experienced.

If you can’t think of any good lesson, you are probably still harboring feelings of bitterness about the experience. Step away from that one for awhile until you can look at it objectively. For the others, take a look at the lessons you’ve learned and pay particular attention to how they have contributed to who you are today.

You may notice that your life lessons have made you stronger, wiser, more focused, or more determined. Whatever you’ve learned through the painful experiences of your life, keep the lessons in mind as you attempt new goals.

If you choose to keep finding something positive in every unsatisfactory result, you really cannot lose! You will simply keep using your expanding knowledge to do better next time and move steadily toward where you want to be.

Best of all, when you finally get there, you’ll be a much better person, able to fully enjoy it because you’ve grown so much from every experience.

You Can Always Find a Way

The person who really wants to do something finds a way; the other person finds an excuse. - Author Unknown

If your dreams are really that important to you, you will always find a way to make them happen. That’s not to say you won’t run into obstacles or experience setbacks along the way. You might even endure your fair share of actual failures. It’s what you do with these experiences that count!

If you sit back and say bitterly, “It just wasn’t meant to be. I’m not meant to succeed. Events just wouldn’t work for me. I couldn’t do it no matter how hard I tried….” Then you are just buying into excuses.

Excuses so often seem like undeniable truth – until we stand back to look at them objectively. Circumstances might NOT have worked for you, but how hard did you try to get around limitations and problems? You might not have been able to do it . . . yet.

But are you going to stop here, or are you going to find a way to make it happen? The story isn’t over until you write the words, “The End”. Only your refusal to keep fighting can make your excuses come true. Only easing up on your efforts can decrease your progress. On the other hand, if you simply refuse to give up and keep pushing on no matter what – something good must come from it.

It might take longer that you expected. You might feel that you’re working hard for nothing because it’s just not going to happen for you. You might be tempted to quit a thousand times. But if you set your mind to finding SOME way to make it work for you, you will do it.

The trick is to not get caught up in excuses and self-doubt. Don’t base your intensity of effort on the results you’ve seen so far; give your full effort even when it seems pointless to do so.

Make it your mission to keep striving to create a better life, and your life will have no choice but to comply with your wishes. Don’t make excuses – make it happen!

Demand Only The Best From Yourself

Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. - Henry Ward Beecher

We’re really good at demanding the best from others, but we often give ourselves a bit more slack. We allow excuses to take over our lives and hold us back, and then we use those same excuses to explain why we haven’t become as successful as we want to be.

It’s not surprising that we try to go a little easier on ourselves since we already feel pressured and overwhelmed by our obligations and the expectations of others. However, while the demands of our lives usually detract from our resources, demanding more from ourselves adds to who we are. The harder we work on ourselves, and the more excellence we demand from our actions, the more focused we will be and the better people we will be because of it.

Demanding the best from ourselves is not the same as expecting perfection or never being satisfied with our progress. It’s not about being unreasonable with ourselves or trying to push ourselves beyond our true capabilities.

Demanding the best from ourselves is about being honest about our capabilities, about learning how to stretch our limits and refusing to buy into excuses that limit our potential. It’s about recognizing our strengths, honoring our accomplishments, and always striving for greater success in all areas of our lives.

Today, take a look at your own accomplishments, and assess your true strengths. Have you been pushing yourself as hard as you can? Or have you been slacking off because it seems like too much work to step out of your comfort zones? Have you been drifting aimlessly along, resting on your laurels, rather than striving for bigger dreams?

If you are honest with yourself, you may realize that you have not been pushing yourself as hard as you could, and therefore you haven’t accomplished as much as you are truly capable of. Changing this is as simple as demanding the best from yourself, beginning right now.

When you demand the best from yourself in everything you do, you’ll soon realize that your results will be the best too...

Change Your Perceptions And Change Your Life

Men are not prisoners of fate, but prisoners of their own minds. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

How many times have your own thoughts worked against you? Whether you turned a mild concern into a major anxiety attack or you let fear hold you back from doing something you really wanted to do, your perceptions have everything to do with your life as it is today.

The way you see the world around you determines the way you feel about yourself, your potential, and your progress.

• A perception of limitation will convince you that you can’t move forward.

• A perception of lack can convince you that your life is barren and empty of opportunities.

• A perception of injustice will convince you that you’ll always lose - one way or another.

What would happen if you changed these perceptions from negative to positive?

• A perception of limitless abundance and opportunities would convince you that you have plenty of potential for growth and happiness.

• A perception of self-assurance would convince you that you always have what it takes to succeed.

• A perception of increasing wisdom through experience would convince you that failures are simply stepping stones to something greater.

You might think this is wishful thinking or living in denial – but your own thoughts have the power to control your actions, which will control your results. Your thoughts have the power to make your journey fun and exciting, or horribly frustrating and pointless.

When it comes right down to it, you have a choice in how you view any situation, challenge, goal or opportunity. There are two sides to every coin - heads or tails, positive or negative. You can choose to see the potential, or the difficulties. You can choose to focus squarely on the blessings or the hardships.

You can absorb life-changing lessons, or add one more negative experience to your list of woes. Every moment holds a simple choice: let your perceptions empower you or hinder you. Which will you choose today?

Can You Believe It?

Face what you think you believe and you will be surprised. - William Hale White

You may be familiar with the concept that your beliefs create your reality, but have you explored this idea further? What does it really mean that your beliefs create your reality?

A belief is a thought that has been repeated in your mind so many times that you know it to be “true.” Sometimes the things we believe really are true, but other times we have tricked ourselves into believing something is true, even if it isn’t. These illusory “truths” are reinforced because our actions day to day actually create “proof” that reinforces the belief.

Take, for example, a belief that you are not strong enough or talented enough to achieve the success and abundance you crave. If you believe this about yourself, you will feel no incentive to try to be successful so you will avoid taking action on the things that could make you successful.

If you do somehow manage to ignore your self-doubt and start working toward a bigger goal, the slightest obstacle you encounter will convince you that your original belief was correct: you don’t have what it takes!

Your every thought and action will be putting forth an energy into the universe that says, “I want to be successful and happy. Wait, never mind, I can’t be successful and happy. What was I thinking?” The universe then starts pulling back the opportunities and abundance you asked for. You have now cemented the belief in your mind because you can’t seem to make any progress, so surely you must NOT be worthy of the things you desire.

In order to alter your limiting beliefs (whether about success, money or anything else) you need to be willing to question their validity. You need to be willing to face the fears you have, the self-doubts, the beliefs that you are not worthy of whatever you desire, and find out WHY you believe those things.

Once you are fully aware of your limiting beliefs, it’s a simple matter to begin changing them and replacing them with more affirmative beliefs. The good news is that once you start to question your beliefs and act differently, you eventually create “proof” that the new belief is true – which eradicates the old, limiting belief!

Can Blinders Be Your Best Friends?

Troubles are a lot like people - they grow bigger if you nurse them. - Author Unknown

If someone accuses you of “wearing blinders” it’s usually a negative comment that refers to your inability (or refusal) to face reality or admit the truth about something.

While it’s true that denial can be a bad thing if you use it to avoid growth or hide your head in the sand, getting into the habit of selective denial can also benefit you immensely as you strive to make positive changes in your life. The trick is to learn how to use mental blinders to keep out the stuff that would hold you back or detract from what you’re trying to do.

Negative thoughts, doubts about your abilities, false conclusions about what failures mean to you, and even negative comments from others in your life can all detract from your ability to focus and keep moving forward. The more you dwell on stuff like this, and the more you allow it to infiltrate your consciousness, the more pervasive it tends to grow.

Before long, you’re all clogged up and unable to remember what you were working toward or why it’s important to you. While it’s impossible to completely block negative stuff from your life, it’s not impossible to select carefully what you choose to focus on most of the time.

That’s not to say you have to live in denial or adopt a Pollyanna attitude, but at least be a little more selective in what you choose to allow into your head. Put on blinders when you know you’re heading into a negative environment – or better yet avoid negative environments if you can.

Learn how to take control over the information you absorb and the thoughts that run through your mind, and you will be able to ignore the stuff that would cause damage and destruction.

That frees your focus so you can turn your attention to the stuff that will create opportunities, empowerment and advancement. Not only will this help you reach your goals more quickly, it will help you to feel more positive as you do so!

Become a Door-Builder Extraordinaire!

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. - Milton Berle

Are you still waiting for opportunity to knock on your door? Do you even have a door? When we’re born, each of us has unlimited doors available...

These “doors” are symbols for the many potential pathways we can travel throughout our lifetime. We may not use all of them, but they are there if we decide we want to. However, during the course of our lives, many of us become frightened by what may be lurking behind those doors.

We haven’t opened them to peek because we’re sure it must be something scary – so we lock the door tight, board it up, and shove heavy furniture in front of it. Even if opportunity DID knock, we wouldn’t be able to find the door, let alone open it.

If you want to turn your life into something miraculous, start building doors like crazy! You can either clear the ones you’ve blocked in the past, or grab a saw, some nails and a hammer and start building new ones! Instead of waiting for opportunities to come to you, go to them. Stop waiting for the right opportunity to float by; jump up and grab one you like!

Did you know that one of the definitions of opportunity is, “a chance for advancement”? It doesn’t have to be something mind-blowing or a once in a lifetime chance – just A chance! Think about where you are right now, figure out where you’d like to go next, and start moving in that direction! That’s all that’s required to build a door!

Simply be proactive about inviting more opportunities into your life. All it takes to create a great opportunity is: an open mind, an open heart, an optimistic attitude, and the willingness to take action. When you begin to do this on a regular basis, you can’t NOT attract opportunities. Some of them might be small opportunities; some may be astounding opportunities that few people get to experience.

Grab hold of the ones that make your heart leap in excitement and make the most of them. Someday, you’ll look back and realize that you are no longer playing a victim role, and instead have become a door-builder extraordinaire!