Good Things Come to Those Who Ask by Jack Canfield

Good Things Come to Those Who Ask
by Jack Canfield

Asking for what you need is probably the most underutilized tool for people. And yet, amazing requests have been granted to people simply because they've asked for it!

Whether its money, information, support, assistance, or time, most people are afraid to ask for what they need in order to make their dreams come true.

They might be afraid of looking needy, ignorant, helpless, or even greedy. More than likely though, it is the fear of rejection that is holding them back. Even though they are afraid to hear the word no, they're already saying it to themselves by not asking!

Do you ask for what you want or are you afraid of rejection?

Consider this: Rejection is just a concept. There is really no such thing as rejection! You're not any worse off by hearing no than you were before you asked. You didn't have what you asked for before you asked and you still don't, so what did you lose?

Being rejected doesn't hold you back from anything. Only YOU hold yourself back. When you realize that there's no merit to rejection, you'll feel more comfortable asking for things. You may just need a bit of help learning how to ask for what you want.

How to Ask for What You Want

There's a specific science to asking for and getting what you want or need in life. And while I recommend you learn more by studying The Aladdin Factor, here are some quick tips to get you started:

1. Ask as if you expect to get it. Ask with a positive expectation. Ask from the place that you have already been given it. It is a done deal. Ask as if you expect to get a "yes."

2. Assume you can. Don't start with the assumption that you can't get it. If you are going to assume, assume you can get an upgrade. Assume you can get a table by the window. Assume that you can return it without a sales slip. Assume that you can get a scholarship, that you can get a raise, that you can get tickets at this late date. Don't ever assume against yourself.

3. Ask someone who can give it to you. Qualify the person. Who would I have to speak to to get...Who is authorized to make a decision about...What would have to happen for me to get...

4. Be clear and specific. In my seminars, I often ask, "Who wants more money in their life?" I'll pick someone who raised their hand and give them a quarter, asking, "Is that enough for you?" "No? Well, how would I know how much you want. How would anybody know?"

You need to ask for a specific number. Too many people are walking around wanting more of something, but not being specific enough to obtain it.

5. Ask repeatedly. One of the most important Success Principles is the commitment to not give up.

Whenever we're asking others to participate in the fulfillment of our goals, some people are going to say "no." They may have other priorities, commitments and reasons not to participate. It's no reflection on you.

Just get used to the idea that there's going to be a lot of rejection along the way to the brass ring. The key is to not give up. When someone says "No"-- you say "NEXT!" Why?

Because when you keep on asking, even the same person again and again...they might say "yes"...

...on a different day
...when they are in a better mood
...when you have new data to present
...after you've proven your commitment to them
...when circumstances have changed
...when you've learned how to close better
...when you've established better rapport
...when they trust you more
...when you have paid your dues
...when the economy is better
...and so on.

Kids know this Success Principle better than anyone. They will ask the same person over and over again without any hesitation (can you relate!).

Getting a good perspective on rejection and learning how to ask will make a world of difference for you as you work toward your goals. Practice asking and you'll get very good at it! You'll even speed your progress by getting what you need, or improving yourself in order to get it later.

Make a list of what you need to ask for in all areas of your life, and start asking.

Remember, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE... if you dare to ask!

© 2009 Jack Canfield

* * *

Dare to be Yourself ... by Paul Hoffman

Who am I? What do I want? What level of consciousness am I living from? These are great questions to ask yourself as you begin to usher in the dawn of a new day. The absolute truth in answering these questions is simply you are brilliant, magnificent, genius, caring, loving, kind, extraordinary, unstoppable, successful, creative, giving, generous, supportive, nurturing, confident you get the picture. You are all these qualities and so much more in every moment of your day. I ask you today to "Dare To Be Yourself" and bring out all these awesome qualities and values of who you are in all you do. When you do, life will begin to take on a new color and vibration of abundance and prosperity in every aspect of your being so that the person you really are emerges powerfully in all your relationships as you communicate the joy of being who you are.

There is no holding back the divine inspiration that you are. You can only be that which you believe you are. When you lose focus and clarity about the true authentic being you are then thoughts of lack and limitation creep in. You must have the courage to be steadfast in your commitment to living in your excellence. You must have the determination to stay the course in the journey you have chosen so that the vision in your heart becomes your reality. You must believe in yourself so you will receive all the divine intelligence that is encouraging you to keep stepping into your brilliance. There can be no other way to be. It is all within you right here and now to have it all. All you need to to do is "Dare To Be Yourself" and watch as the most amazing thing happens. YOU will be given the keys to the castle and your life will become all that you have dreamed it could be. Try it you'll like it!

"The first choice you should make each day is to be committed to be the blessing you are so that everyone will get to share in the magnificence of who you are."

I AM ready to show up in all my power
I AM open to the calling of my heart
My dream is the reality I see in my life today
I AM committed to the full expression of who I AM
I see the road ahead with focus and clarity
I AM full of infinite opportunities and possibilities
There is magic everywhere
I LOVE ME!

It's your day...MAKE IT A GREAT ONE!

-Paul Hoffman

Negative Emotions Can Turn Into Fears ... by Angie Sierra

Negative Emotions Can Turn Into Fears ... by Angie Sierra

I’d like to share a true story with you:

There was a little girl who admired and respected her father. She always enjoyed watching him work around the house.

One sat. evening, her father was working on an ongoing complicated project in the garage. He was tired, frustrated, irritated and didn’t want to be bothered.

The daughter (unaware of how her father was feeling at that exact time) walked inside the garage in a exciting, care free and happy mood.

Watching him from a distance, she decided to impress her father and work on her own little project. So she picked up a hammer, a small nail, a piece of wood and began to hit the nail with the hammer.

She was doing well until she missed the nail and instead hit her finger.

Holding back her tears from the pain & throbbing of her finger,she grabbed the hammer to try again, her father yanked the hammer from her hands and yelled at her saying: “You don’t know how to do anything! just get out of here! And leave me Alone!”...

Even though our parents or guardians were our first teachers, we can not blame or get upset on how they raised us. Being a parent or guardian does not come with instructions.

There actions toward you were based on how they were raised, how they were discipline, how they were treated or mistreated, and how they were loved.

Some parents had a hard upbringing and learned from there experiences, overcame them and vowed never to treat there children the way they were mistreated, others kept there emotions locked away, not knowing/understanding how to approach or handle there emotions.

You see the father lashed out with anger not because of his daughter but because of how he was feeling and took it out on his daughter. The bad news is the little girl heard and believed every word he said...

Experiences like this can stay with you for many years and the negative emotions at a young age can easily turn into fears as we grow. That’s what happened in this case.

As she grew into a teenager, she became extremely shy. She didn’t talk very much and kept to herself. In school she never volunteered for any thing because she was afraid to mess up and believed no one wanted her around...

This story was based on one of my personal experiences.

The feeling of never being good enough has always been a struggle. A battle within myself of either trying my hardest to accomplish or being afraid to succeed. but
The understanding I got after working on myself first (healing) was by far most important in improving my entire life.

Can you recall of a moment or moments that may have had a negative impact through out your life?

Write about it in your journal...


Join me in 3days, for a better understanding.
Have an Amazing Journey!
TrueHealthAndHappiness.com
© Copyright 2009 TrueHealthAndHappiness.com All Rights Reserved

Angie Sierra
757 E. Realty St.
Carson
90745
United States

Welcome to Your New Beginning! by Angie Sierra

Everything in your life happens for a reason, You didn't just so happen to subscribe to these emails and are now continuing to read each word. (Note: I discovered Angie's articles, subscribed and believe they're worthy of sharing)

This is not a coincidence, its all apart of YOUR Journey.

Maybe you're looking for answers or in need of encouraging words, maybe you're looking to change your present life, find balance and move forward.

Or maybe you're one of my supportive friends (which I welcome and
appreciate by the way)Whatever your reasons are, they've lead to this moment...

As you know, we don't live in a perfect world and things aren't always going to go as planned. Running into obstacles and always facing challenges are apart of our lives. The lessons we learn, the sacrifices we take, the emotional roller coaster we face and the negativity we live in, are there to help us Experience, Learn, and Evolve.

Some might ask, "Then how do I deal with it all, especially the stress, challenges and bad situations?"

Its very simple.

The answer:

By Never Giving Up and Thinking Positive No Matter What.

For example lets say you get hurt or were involved in some sort of accident and now your in the hospital. Its OK... Things aren't always what they seem. Maybe you needed to get some rest an take a break, maybe you were moving too fast and needed to slow down, maybe you were headed towards something worse and this had to happen to stop you from going any further. There's always a deeper meaning. You'll see & understand exactly why things happen but only after overcoming the emotional process.

Remember this: Your Greatest Learning Experiences always come from bad situations. let me repeat "Your Greatest Learning Experiences Always Come From Bad Situations".

Accept your problems and solve them as they come. Tell yourself your challenges are temporary and will pass. Ask "What is this experience trying to teach me" or "How can I grow from this setback?". This helps deal with the situation, finding ways to solve, accept and move forward...

You see you're a Powerful Person who can influence and attract more good then bad in your life by Feeding your Mind with Positive Thoughts no matter what. Overcoming our obstacles and gaining knowledge along the way is what its all about.

Take the First Breath, Welcome to Your New Beginning!

P.S I understand many of us have hectic life's but we need time off to work On Ourselves to Create a more Positive Outcome. Having a personal journal to write down any thoughts, dreams, goals, quotes, etc. is a great way to help develop your personal growth. It increases your self-awareness and helps keep you on track. By also writing the exact dates and time, will allow you to go back reflective and analyze where your state of mind was at that moment.

So everyday or at least 2×'s a week set a quiet time for yourself to relax, clear your mind, gather your thoughts and look over your journal. This is the time to Reevaluate your life, make changes and Improvements. To have awareness and clarity, to receive guidelines, hunches, and ideas. (with No distractions)

P.S.S Its also extremely important when receiving an email, you reread that particular email at least 2×'s that week.

A suggestion would be to place your emails in one folder for easy access, by clicking on Move...[New Folder]...then entering a name for your folder...and moving all your emails into that folder. Your new folder will be located on the left hand side underneath My Folders.

The Value Of Learning Is Truly Beyond Words
Have an Amazing Journey!
TrueHealthAndHappiness.com
© Copyright 2009 TrueHealthAndHappiness.com

Learning to live in the flow

Kamala Chambers Seattle Conscious Living Examiner


Think of your life as a river. What does it mean to be "in the flow?" How do you know when you are on the right track, making decisions that are in alignment with your purpose? It is the nature of a river to find the path of least resistance. The river doesn't sit around and becomes a couch potato, because then it would just be stagnant water.

When you are "in the flow," your actions follow an effortless path... a path where opportunity opens like those automatic doors at the supermarket. When we spend our time fighting the current, we invite struggle into our lives, creating lives of... struggle. Struggle can seem normal, when it's what you're used to, but we often struggle precisely when we go against ourselves. Most of us are not taught how to listen to our own inner wisdom and guidance. Instead, we are taught how to obey others, and follow rules.

How do we know when we are following inner guidance, and not just old programming? Inner wisdom speaks clearly. When I am making decisions, I go with what follows the "flow." I know a decision is right for me when it is easy. When it feels as though someone has just opened a door and said... "come on in!" These effortless openings let me know I am on the right track, at the right time. When I am met with resistance, I usually take it as a pretty good indicator that, perhaps, it's not the best choice for me. I feel like I have learned, and benefitted from, becoming more aware of when my inner resistance is keeping me from being in the flow of life.

I recently returned from a 10-day Vipassana Meditation Course. Every time I heard about it (friends had referred to it frequently) I resisted it. "I don't meditate. That's not really for me. I enjoy things like dance and movement as a way to find inner peace... not sitting still!" I resisted it completely. Then, after the third person told me about this course, I listened (I always pay attention to things when they come in threes.) The point is, the more I learned about the course, the less resistance there was for me to go... until, finally, my resistance was "broken down" so much that it suddenly became clear to me that the course was in alignment with my life right now. I was not necessarily looking forward to it, but everything that was happening in my life at that time made it easy for me to just go.

And I am so thankful that I did. It was the most beneficial 10-day period of my life. The results have been amazing, and I found something that I've been looking for, for a LONG time.

On your journey, you may experience inner resistances such as I did. I encourage you to look for, and pay attention to, the times in your life when circumstances flow together effortlessly. By doing so, I believe you will be able to find the path of least resistance and surf the flow!

Where are you? "Stop rushing through life. Live it instead."

Where are you?
"Stop rushing through life. Live it instead."

by Cheryl Richardson

"We do less by the very quality of our being. We must be completely present for what we are doing, without sacrificing or rushing what's in front of us in order to get to 'more important' stuff later. No matter how mundane the activity, treat everything as important and take pleasure in it. At bottom, whatever we are doing right now is what we are engaged in and it deserves our full attention and appreciation."

I read this passage in a new book called, "Less: Accomplishing More by Doing Less", by Marc Lesser. I had been sent the manuscript in the hopes of providing a testimonial but, at the time, I had too many books in the cue and couldn't commit. So, I put the manuscript on top of a pile in my office and forgot about it.

One day, when I was feeling particularly frenzied, I picked up the book and went into my sunroom to have a look. I was immediately taken by the simple, elegant writing style, the obvious wisdom in the author's experience, and the good, common sense advice.

The passage above held a clue as to why I was feeling so frenzied, and Marc's suggestion to "treat everything as important and take pleasure in it," made me stop and think about how I was operating in my life.

How often are you engaged in a task while focused on another activity that needs to get done at the very same time? I soon discovered that I was doing it constantly. I'd be folding laundry or emptying the dishwasher, for instance, while at the same time ruminating about the number of emails that still needed a reply. Or, I'd be answering emails, while feeling distracted by a writing deadline that had to be met in short order. I was perpetually rushing through my life rather than living it. And, the tension of doing one thing while focused on the need to do another, left me feeling exhausted and irritable. It's no wonder. I was missing out on my life.

After reading more about this concept in Marc's book, I immediately put his wisdom into action. When I was feeding my cat, Poupon, I listened with tenderness to his excited meows, felt the can in my hand, and heard the fork scrape against the bowl as I placed the food in its center. If I were writing at my desk, I felt the keys under my fingers, focused my attention on the page, and allowed myself to get lost in the words. No more "body in one place, mind in another." I was engaged in the practice of actually being present for my life. Pretty soon I did, in fact, find myself taking pleasure in the task at hand. And I actually got more done, felt energized, and became a whole lot better to be around :).

Marc's one, simple piece of advice has made a significant difference in the quality of life, and I invite you to give it a try this week. Follow the "Take Action Challenge," and get back to actually experiencing the joy of your life rather than rushing through it.


Take Action Challenge

This week, I encourage you to do two things:

1. Simply notice where your mind is while engaged in an activity. You might be reading emails, watching TV, listening to a friend, or working on a project at your desk. Are you present for the task at hand? Or are you thinking about something else that needs to get done? Just bring awareness to your behavior without judging it.

2. Next, gently bring your mind back to the present activity by saying something like:

"I choose to be fully engaged in this activity right now."

Then, use your senses to ground yourself in the present moment. What do you feel with your body? What do you hear or see? What can you taste or smell?

You'll know you're getting it when you feel yourself slowing down, relaxing, and breathing more deeply and fully. Then, wait for the moments of joy to come - the experience of realizing that this very moment is actually the best time of your life, regardless of what you're doing :).

http://cherylrichardson.com

A Certain Amount of Mess by Dick Warn

The Miracle Minute
A Certain Amount of Mess

Francis Ford Coppola, American cinematographer and director, said, "I bring to my life a certain amount of mess."

Who doesn't? Even when we think we're totally upbeat and positive, thoughts and feelings of a negative nature creep in.

Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor and philosopher, said, "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment."

Recently the local media made a big deal out of unemployment reaching 6.3%. Most people assume that is a bad thing because of the spin it is given, but is it really? Nothing is either good or bad until compared with something else. Is 6.3% unemployment bad when compared with other nations? We've got 93.7% of our people working.

Right now our nation is going through tremendous change. Change is scary. However, there is a difference between being concerned and being scared. Scared people tend to panic, run for cover, and expect others to make things better, whereas concerned people open their minds, look closely at what they are doing, and ask, "What can we do to make things better?"

In every extended economic downturn many firms go under. Yet, there are always a select few who rise up and become more successful than they were before. How can this be?

Rather than fight with change or wait for others to fix things, the select few look in the mirror and begin making changes within. They find ways to get more done in less time. They find ways to better serve their customers. They find ways to better serve the needs of their employees, their suppliers, and everyone else they deal with.

What separates the winners from the losers in an economic down turn is the winner's willingness to grow.


Dick Warn
Copyright 2009 Richard S. Warn & Associates

The Phenomenon of Boredom

by MJ Ryan

The labeling of a huge part of human experience as boring is a relatively new phenomenon. The concept of boredom -- a sense of emptiness and a lack of stimulation -- didn't even exist until the nineteenth century. Before that, it was used only in the context of a person who spoke too long or rambled off the topic: "Oh, she's such a bore!" Now it is a state of being that is a fate worse than death.

Psychologists say that the problem we think is "out there" -- in the book, movie, job, relationship -- is actually in us. Boredom, they say, is created by an inability to delay gratification and a low tolerance for frustration, both of which have serious implications for our success in life and in love.

Any time we proclaim something boring, what we really are saying is that we don't have patience for it. Rather than looking at ourselves for the source of the problem -- and therefore the solution -- we look at whatever is provoking the feeling and label that the problem.

A lot of human experience can be considered boring. There are huge stretches of parenting, in relationships, in work, where "nothing" is happening, or at least nothing obvious. We can consider those moments boring and seek to alleviate that boredom with any distraction available. Or we can see such occasions as opportunities to tap into our patience and look more deeply.

Try it yourself. Go on a fast for a week in which you refuse to consider any experience boring. When your mind begins to use that label -- in traffic, say, or on hold -- challenge yourself to find something of interest in what is going on, either in yourself or the world around you. How does that change your experience?

With attention, nothing is boring, even the most routine tasks. If you tune in to how the warm soapy water feels as you wash the pots and pans, how does that change the experience for you? Or weeding the garden, how does it feel to bend and stretch in the sunlight? What *is* the name of that gray bird with the crested head that suddenly appeared? This level of experiencing life isn’t one that we tune in to, but it is one that can bear many riches of wonder at the very fact of being alive in this amazing world.

Happiness Decision

Happiness Decision by Lionel Ketchian

This is well worth the time to view it.



There is a positive connection between health and happiness (now scientifically verified), as well as a negative correlation between health and unhappiness (à stressàdisease)

� Happiness doesn’t mean you won’t have problems, even major ones; we all have problems; life is all about problems.

� You are/can be separate from your problems. When you see the truth of this you can be happy even in the midst of these problems.

� Acceptance is the way out for those problems over which you have no control.

� This doesn’t mean you can’t work on improving life or getting rid of problems. Those who are happy, in fact, have more energy for working on the problems they can work to improve.

� You choose happiness moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day. Whatever comes up you can ask yourself if it is worth losing your happiness for it…and will that help? It’s a present moment choice all the time in Being Happy in the Moment, moment by moment.

� When you are happy you make better decisions; you mind is clearer and more creative.

� Happy people are more fun to be with, more attractive to others, have better long term relationships, are healthier, and live longer.


Excerpt from Aymee Coget, "How to Be Happy No Matter What"

SPREAD THE JOY by Dr. Lisa Love

The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic, or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much of what is not shared between them, and lessens the threat of their difference.-- Audre Lorde

Dr. Lisa Love Coaching Tip

The other night I was home with my son and received a video link from a Facebook friend in Greece. The images of Greece combined with the music got my heart happy and the next thing you know I was singing and dancing all over my home. I new fan of Twitter, I "tweeted" about all the fun I was having to friends there and the next thing I knew I was in the middle of an international party spreading the joy all around. I even had people from other states in the United States call me on the phone. The laughter, the networking, the sheer fun and silliness of it all kept amping up the joy in my life. In turn I amped it up with the people around me and went to bed on a super high of giggles and smiles.

As I woke up the next morning I thought to myself, "Instead of telling people around the globe in this economic crisis to go shopping, maybe we should tell everyone to go dancing instead." A vision of people all around the world dealing with the economic crisis not by saying, "Oh my, how will I handle this all?" but by indulging in one big joy fest of singing, dancing, laughing, and smiling flooded my imagination. I could even see YouTube videos being shared of people just sharing the major joy fest they were having. None of it costs a thing to indulge in, yet far more than shopping I am certain such a thing would do way more to help out the economy than anything else we could think of. Can't you see it? A world wide laugh fest? No one able to supress our spirits because we decide instead to raise them up to a whole new vibration regardless? Couldn't be better. So get out your dance shoes. Tune up your instruments. Looses up your vocal chords. Get playing and spread the joy! It's infectious! And, it's one virus worth spreading right now.

Dr. Lisa Lisa
www.doctorlisalove.com

And the Award Goes to...

Does the idea of standing in front of a mirror and appreciating your positive qualities feel uncomfortable and stupid? It did to me-which was a sign that I really needed to try it.

I first learned this mirror exercise in 1990, when I took a week-long course from my mentor, Jack Canfield, on self-esteem. Jack assigned the exercise as homework every night, saying, "Make sure you do this behind a closed door so nobody walks by and thinks you're crazy." Each night my roommate and I took turns going into the bathroom, shutting the door, and whispering sweet nothings to our reflections: "You're kind." "You're loyal." "You have a loving heart."

The first night, I felt like a California New Age woo-woo nutcase, but soon I experienced a rush of sadness; I was such an expert at judging myself-why was it so hard to say nice things?

With practice, it gradually became easier to list reasons to love myself: "You're smart." "You go out of your way to help others." And so on. But the real power of this exercise came when I learned to express appreciation for myself for no reason-to look myself in the eye and simply love who I was, unconditionally.

If you're like most people, consciously recognizing the positive about yourself may feel conceited. After all, we're raised not to "toot our own horns." So we end up not giving ourselves credit or acknowledgment or even worse, beating ourselves up, which shuts down our hearts, contracts our energy, and decreases our happiness levels.

Doing the research for my book Happy for No Reason, I interviewed scores of scientists along with one hundred unconditionally happy people (I call them the Happy 100). One of the things I discovered is that truly happy people have a compassionate, encouraging, and validating att­­­­itude toward themselves. This isn't arrogance or self-centeredness; it's an appreciation and acceptance of who they are.

Learning to see the positive about yourself starts by changing your brain's habit of focusing on your negative experiences and instead inclining your mind toward joy.

So today, begin registering your happy experiences more deeply-- consciously look for them. You can make it a game you play with yourself. Have the intention to notice everything good that happens to you: anything you see, feel, taste, hear or smell that brings you joy, a "win" you experience, a breakthrough, an a-ha, or an expression of your creativity-the list goes on and on.

This intention triggers the reticular activating system (RAS), a group of cells at the base of your brain stem responsible for sorting through the massive amounts of incoming information and bringing anything important to your attention. Have you ever bought a car and then suddenly starting noticing the same make of car everywhere? It's the RAS at work. Now you can use it to be happier. When you decide to look for the positive, your RAS makes sure that's what you see.

Adelle, one of the Happy 100, told me about a unique method she has for registering the positive. As she goes about her day, she gives away awards in her mind: the best-behaved dog award, the most colorful landscape design at a fast food drive-through award, the most courteous driver award. This keeps her alert to the beauty and positivity that is all around her. Charmed by this idea, I tried it myself. I liked it so much, I've been giving out these "Happiness Oscars," as I call them, ever since.

Once you notice something positive, take a moment to savor it consciously. Take the good experience in deeply and feel it; make it more than just a mental observation. If possible, spend around 30 seconds, soaking up the happiness you feel. If you want to accelerate your progress, take time every day to write down a few of your wins, breakthroughs, and things you appreciate about others-and about yourself.

You'll know you've really mastered this when you can give yourself an Academy Award-for outstanding achievement in true happiness!


Marci Shimoff

Paul Hoffman's Success Songs & Empowering Video

Click here to watch an empowering music video that will move you to greater success.

It's Your Day! .... Make it a great one!

This World is Perfect

This World is Perfect
by Swami Vivekananda

Is it not a blasphemy to say that the world needs our help? We cannot deny that there is much misery in it; to go out and help others is, therefore, the best thing we can do, although in the long run, we shall find that helping others is only helping ourselves. […]

Life is good or evil according to the state of mind in which we look at it, it is neither by itself. Fire, by itself, is neither good nor evil. When it keeps us warm we say, "How beautiful is fire!" When it burns our fingers, we blame it. Still, in itself it is neither good nor bad. According as we use it, it produces in us the feeling of good or bad; so also is this world. It is perfect. By perfection is meant that it is perfectly fitted to meet its ends. We may all be perfectly sure that it will go on beautifully well without us, and we need not bother our heads wishing to help it.

Yet we must do good; the desire to do good is the highest motive power we have, if we know all the time that it is a privilege to help others. […]

[And] one must first know how to work without attachment, then one will not be a fanatic. When we know that this world is like a dog's curly tail and will never get straightened, we shall not become fanatics. If there were no fanaticism in the world, it would make much more progress than it does now. It is a mistake to think that fanaticism can make for the progress of mankind. On the contrary, it is a retarding element creating hatred and anger, and causing people to fight each other, and making them unsympathetic. We think that whatever we do or possess is the best in the world, and what we do not do or possess is of no value. So, always remember the instance of the curly tail of the dog whenever you have a tendency to become a fanatic. You need not worry or make yourself sleepless about the world; it will go on without you. When you have avoided fanaticism, then alone will you work well. It is the level-headed man, the calm man, of good judgment and cool nerves, of great sympathy and love, who does good work and so does good to himself.

--Swami Vivekananda, From "The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda," Vol. 1

Achieving Your Dreams

The Miracle Minute
Achieving Your Dreams

Most of us enter adulthood with dreams of achieving financial freedom, a house in the country, a career we love, yearly vacations in Hawaii, a cabin on the beach, owning our own firm and perfect health. People achieving these things (high achievers) are crystal clear dreamers, yet very few dreamers become high achievers.

In terms of talent and golden opportunities, most people just sit on the sidelines. Occasionally they consider getting up and putting their life together, but they never seem to find the time. To appear busy they attend meetings, listen to guessers, find fault with others, re-revise the same basic plans they have been playing with for years and often have coffee with other low achievers.

As all high achievers have discovered, dreams and desires can be achieved when people are willing to pay the prices involved. How can you uncover the prices? By listening to the people who have already achieved the same types of dreams that you have.

If business success is what you desire, find people who have already succeeded in the same basic game and listen to them. And a painful trap that you want to avoid is following people who say they know, when they're really guessing.

If improved health is what you seek, ignore what the sick people say. If sick people had the right answers they would be healthy. Find people who have faced a painful illness and gotten better ... and now know how to remain healthy.

If peace of mind is your desire, find people who already have it. How will you know if they've truly got it? It won't be anything they say. It will be how they make you feel. Individuals at peace with themselves radiate peace.

The first half of my life I listened to "fake-it-till-you-make-it" and "appearances-are-everything" highly polished near-sighted guessers. Guess where that got me?

No matter what you want, the fastest ways to get there can be found by asking questions and following the advice of people who have already paid their dues to achieve their dreams. Life's basic math is the same for everyone.

One additional thing that I had to do was stop trying to put my life together "my way" so I could hear what the high achievers were trying to share. Once I saw what they meant and applied the principles involved I began to transform myself into a more effective human being. And one by one I began to achieve more of my dreams.

If I could do that, so can you.

Dick Warn
Copyright 2009 Richard S. Warn & Associates

Elizabeth Gilbert - On Genius

This is an amazing talk given by Elizabeth Gilbert on genius and creativity, at the latest TED Conference. Elizabeth Gilbert is author of "Eat, Pray, Love"

The Thought Meter

"There are always flowers for those who
want to see them." -Henri Matisse

While sitting in my sunroom this morning, I remembered a very interesting dream. Here in the States, the police have a mechanism for checking how fast people drive in busy neighborhoods by using something called a radar speed sign - a sign that flashes your speed as you drive by. In my dream, I was driving down a neighborhood street when I came upon one of these signs. However, as I drove toward it, the sign didn't flash my speed, it flashed my thoughts - the actual thoughts I was thinking in that very moment (anxious thoughts about being late for an appointment). I was so amazed by what I saw that I wondered if it was my imagination. So I turned around to drive by again. Sure enough, as I pulled up, the sign flashed my actual thoughts: "I can't believe what I'm seeing."

When I woke from the dream I laid in bed for a long time thinking about what life would be like if each of us had a flashing "thought meter" on our street. Just imagine. Each day, as we traveled to work or to and from errands, we'd be able to catch a glimpse of what we're thinking. As you consider this idea, what thoughts would you see on most days? Would a majority of them be positive, life-enhancing thoughts, or worrisome ones that steal your energy?

If you find yourself in the latter category, don't be alarmed. The truth is most people live with a majority of less-than-desirable thoughts running around in their heads. Rather than beat yourself up, better to slow down and focus on getting a better reading on the meter :). This plan begins with awareness.

Here's something to keep in mind: Awareness raises consciousness. Read that last line again because it's important. Just becoming aware of your typical thought patterns will actually stimulate a move toward emotional health and balance. That's because the moment you notice a negative thought, you then have the ability to shift to something more positive. And then the fun begins. When you focus your mind on something good, it creates a good feeling, and that good feeling fuels you to make better choices. Better choices in turn, give you a better life. Let's look at an example of what I mean.

Let's imagine, like so many people right now, that you're worried about paying your bills. Once you turn on your thought meter, you notice that your thoughts are focused on how little money you have. If you make a choice to shift these thoughts to a powerful affirmation like, "Abundance flows into my life every day in miraculous ways," and you keep returning to this thought, it automatically makes you feel empowered to change your circumstances. This feeling of being empowered - a life-affirming feeling - will lead you to find actions you can take right now to improve your situation. Then, once you identify an action and take it, you not only change the course of your life, you reinforce your positive thoughts and the cycle starts all over again.

So, the first step toward success is to turn on your thought meter. To that end, check out this week's Take Action Challenge for three ways to do just that.

Take Action Challenge Ready to monitor your thoughts? Here are three things you can do to create your own thought meter right now:

1. Set an alarm on your computer, your wristwatch, or a nearby clock for every 30 minutes, and when it goes off, notice what you're thinking.

2. Purchase a big sheet of colored stickers with fun images on them and place these stickers around your home and office. Then, each time you see one, stop and notice what you're thinking.

3. Place several check marks on your daily calendar (or in your PDA) at various times throughout the day and when you come upon one, stop and notice what you're thinking.

Get the idea? Once you become aware of any patterns related to your negative thoughts, develop a simple phrase that will start to counteract these unhelpful thinking patterns. Start with just one area of your life and watch what happens.