11-30-04

"To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind." --William Hazlitt

Motivator: The joy of accomplishment makes most other pleasures seem empty & trivial bi comparison. Anything u accomplish bi ur own effort is truly urs, & the delightful fulfillment it brings can never b taken from u. While others fight over the meager crumbs of getting & possessing & upholding appearances, set ur own direction on the much less crowded road 2 true accomplishment. Rather than worrying about what u'll get, focus on what u can create. Ur mind, ur body, ur five senses make u ideally suited & equipped 4 overcoming obstacles & accomplishing things. How have u used ur valuable skills & resources today? Want 2 feel great about urself? Then set a goal & accomplish it. Make full use of ur incredible ability 2 make a difference, & experience how great life can b.

11-29-04

"Life's about friendships, the way you love your partner, the way you care for your children. That is what life is about. Not anything about earning a hundred zillion dollars because you toured America more than anyone else. I want life to be about creativity." -- Joe Strummer

Motivator: Ur own thoughts r much more closely connected 2 u than they r 2 anyone else. So take care with them. Even if ur negative thoughts r about someone else, the person who is most harmed bi those thoughts is u. Ur thoughts have a way of b-cuming ur reality, even without conscious effort on ur part. Don't waste 2 many of them on frivolous & trivial things. Make sure they don't lead u in2 a negative mindset or destructive actions. Use ur thoughts 2 improve the quality of ur life & the world around u. They're powerful, & they r urs 2 control & direct. Make the most of ur thoughts & ur living reality will reflect the effort.

11-28-04

"No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work." --Mother Teresa

Motivator: Pay attention. Watch. Listen. Success doesn't just give clues. Success shouts specific instructions 2 anyone who takes the time & the trouble 2 notice them. Pay attention not only 2 those u wish 2 follow, but, more importantly, 2 those u aim 2 serve. If u're selling something, know ur customer. If u're performing, know ur audience. If u're writing, know ur readers. The world will tell u how 2 make it urs if u'll just pay it some sincere respect. Open ur eyes & c the wealth of opportunities 2 make a + difference. Get out & get involved. B curious. B genuine. If the market is not beating a path 2 ur door, make it ur business 2 discover ways 2 b of true, genuine service & YOUR days will b full indeed.

11-25-04

"You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims." --Harriet Woods


Motivator: For every desire u have, no matter how far out of reach it may seem, there is a part of that desire, at some level, which can b fulfilled right now. If u desire a shiny new jeep (lol like mine) or a sports car, ask urself why. Don't b satisfied with an answer of "who wouldn't?" Make a real & sincere effort 2 uncover the deep & driving connection between the desire & ur true self. What if, at the heart of it, ur desire 4 a sports car was driven bi the simple desire 2 feel the cool wind in ur face? All too often, we r ashamed at the raw simplicity of our desires, & we seek 2 hide them in complexity. Most desires r simple & wonderful. Acknowledge their true essence, & u're well on ur way toward their fulfillment.

11-24-04

"Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people."

Motivator: Those things u'r "trying" 2 do usually never seem 2 get done. U can convince urself that u'r trying. U can announce 2 others that u'r trying. Yet only when u're actually doing will u get anything accomplished. What would happen if u eliminated "trying" from ur vocabulary? 4 1 thing, it would force u 2 b more specific. Instead of saying "I'm trying 2 get the job finished" u would have 2 say specifically what u've done so far. If u didn't have "trying" 2 fall back on, perhaps u'd b more apt 2 go ahead & really get it done. Making a sincere effort is great, but a vaguely focused "trying" is of little use. Take care that u'r not trying 2 much & actually doing 2 little. Forget about trying. Get up and get busy doing.

11-23-04

"When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy." --Samuel Goldwyn

Motivator: Rather than waste ur time & effort on useless complaints, invest urself in improving the situation. Moving forward will get u much farther than moving against. There r those who complain, who take pride in being a victim. & then there r those who c the enormous opportunity that comes from making a situation better. Which approach makes the most sense 2 u? If there's something u don't like, make it better. It's not that big of a step from c-ing something as undesirable & visualizing how it can b better. Put some effort behind YOUR vision. Don't just stand there complaining. Make it better!

11-22-04

"I don't think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it. I think if you are determined enough and willing to pay the price, you can get it done." -- Mike Ditka

Motivator: Rarely will u ever accomplish more than u expect 2 accomplish. So get in the habit of expecting the best. Ur expectations bi themselves do not create ur reality, but they do indeed set the direction 4 it. What do u expect 2 achieve today, this week, or this month? How do u expect other people 2 relate 2 u? Expectations guide our actions. When we know what is expected it gives us a clear plan 4 exactly what 2 do. If u expect the day 2 b dreary and boring, most likely it will b. When u expect the day 2 b productive and fulfilling, u'll find urself acting 2 satisfy those expectations. Make it a point 2 expect the best, and then commit 2 following those expectations.

11-21-04

"The only service a friend can really render is to keep up your courage by holding up to you a mirror in which you can see a noble image of yourself." --George Bernard Shaw

Motivator: Get ready. Here it comes! Another day. Another 24 hours in which 2 move forward, 2 get things done, 2 learn, 2 grow, 2 live and enjoy. In the next 24 hours someone, somewhere will move forward with a decision that will create great wealth. In the next 24 hours someone, somewhere will fall in love, and it will last a lifetime. In the next 24 hours someone, somewhere could make a discovery that will change the world. It is a fertile period of time just waiting 2 b used. What do u have planned 4 it? Today is the day 2 act. If not today, when? It's a fabulous opportunity. No 1 anywhere in the world has more time than u do in the next 24 hours. It's plenty of time 2 plant the seeds 4 magnificent accomplishments.

11-19-04

"Cowardice asks, is it safe ? Expediency asks, Is it polite ? Vanity asks, Is it popular ? but con-science asks, Is it right?"


Motivator: U've often heard that what u focus on grows, & indeed it is true. Perhaps the most powerful & accessible way 2 focus on the + is through gratitude. Take care not 2 unnecessarily limit ur gratitude. B thankful not only 4 the shiny, new, easy, generous, happy, delicious things but also 4 the things which may not at first appear 2 b blessings. Find a way 2 b thankful 4 the difficulties. Somewhere in each of them is something +. Thanksgiving certainly takes more effort when it is directed toward the disappointments as well as the joys. That effort is returned, though, many times over. It enables u 2 connect with the + aspect of each situation. Find a way 2 b thankful 4 it all, & YOU'll uncover value & abundance in every direction.

11-18-04

"The great thing and the hard thing is to stick to things when you have outlived the first interest, and not yet got the second, which comes with a sort of mastery." --Janet Erskine Stuart

Motivator: No circumstance has the power 2 distract u from the direction u have chosen. Anything that knocks u off track does so because u have allowed it 2. Keep in mind that u give power 2 ur circumstances. The world around u can influence u 2 the extent that u allow it. There is a part of u that no 1, no thing can ever touch without ur participation. The direction in which u point & focus that essential core of ur being will largely determine the quality of ur life. Pain & pleasure may both b quite compelling, yet they r outside of who u really r. Keep that ever in mind, & b true 2 YOUR greatest possibilities.

11-17-04

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." --Helen Keller

Motivator: Some days r more beautiful without the sun shining brightly. Some days, the cold, bitter wind feels good against my face. Some days, the dark clouds impart a sense of hope & comfort. There is beauty not only in the obvious, but also in the subtle -- perhaps even more. It is the amount of beauty that makes it so sublime. That a dark, cold day can b just as wonderful as a bright, sunny 1, is a monumental testament 2 the beauty of life itself. Excitement comes also in quiet moments. Love is present during lonely times. Satisfaction is found even with hunger & desire. Hope is possible even amidst despair. Drink in the richness of the whole, beautiful world which exists beyond the obvious.

11-16-04

"Fate is the friend of the good, the guide of the wise, the tyrant of the foolish, the enemy of the bad."


Motivator: It's important 2 develop ur abilities. But there's no sense in developing them unless u also put them 2 use. Get ready. Prepare. B-cum competent. & then b sure 2 make something of it. Excellence cums from preparation, yet the excellence is not in the preparation alone. It is nothing without the performance. Learn & rehearse ur lines, then walk on stage 2 face the audience. Train and practice, then step on2 the competitive field of play. Write, revise, and edit, then publish ur work 4 the world 2 c. Prepare with diligence, & then do the thing YOU've prepared so well 2 do.

11-15-04

"The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." -- Jack London

Motivator: The world is filled with beauty. But who is it 4? It is 4 u, who can appreciate & enjoy it. Just think how very special u must b that u have such joy available 2 u. Dreams r 4 u who can follow them. Success is 4 u who can achieve it. Desire is 4 u who can b moved bi it. Life is 4 u, who can live it. Just 2 take 1 breath after another, 2 have all this in view & within ur reach, is a blessing that has no =. It's all here 4 u. Feel 4 a moment the true depth of what u have in front of u, and YOU cannot help but make the very best of every beautiful portion.

11-11-04

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to the end, requires some of the same courage which a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men to win them." -- Emerson

Motivator: Will u choose 2 b healthy or will u choose 2 pursue illness? Will u choose 2 make a difference or will u choose 2 b indifferent? Will u choose 2 create value or will u choose 2 create excuses? Whatever happens beyond ur control is, 4 the most part, no more than a background 4 ur own will and actions. Ur circumstances r not what make u or break u -- it's what u choose 2 do about them. Think of each moment as a choice. Don't fool urself in2 thinking that u'r just automatically reacting 2 the world around u. Each thing u do is the result of a choice u have made at some point. 2 get where u would like 2 go, make the choices that will take YOU there.

11-10-04

"A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn't feel like it." -- Alistair Cooke

Motivator: Those who know real success and fulfillment understand the fallacy, waste and impossibility of seeking something for nothing. Winners and achievers know that nothing can flow 2 them unless there is something flowing from them, that consumption is impossible without production. At a fundamental level, getting and giving r the same. That's why those who seek 2 avoid giving, come up empty. And those who offer the most of themselves enjoy commensurate abundance. In ur decisions, ur relationships, ur plans and ambitions, keep in mind that the value u receive from anything is in direct proportion 2 the value u put in2 it. Life is an opportunity 2 make a difference that only u can make. Do, and u will b. Create, and YOU will have. Only from experience do I tell this. :x Marco

11-9-04

"In every person who comes near you look for what is good and strong; honor that; try to imitate it, and your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes." -- John Ruskin

Motivator: Life is immense. If u could c the entire universe all at once it would b overwhelming. Everything u know and can comprehend fits, with room 2 spare, in just a tiny, obscure corner of creation. There is always something new 2 discover. There is always another possibility. There is always more than u can c. The wonder never ends. No matter how vast ur horizons may seem 2 b, u can always expand them further. Whatever limits u may have known in the past can b transcended. Whatever borders u have lived within can b crossed. Imagine the possibilities, and know that even ur imagination falls short of the magnificence in which u r immersed. Life is truly a wonder and YOU have it. Proceed accordingly.

11-8-04

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of." -- Benjamin Franklin

Motivator: Y did u get out of bed this morning? Y r u reading this message? Look @ ur list of things 2 do today. Y has each item been added 2 the list? 4 what reasons do u work, love, play, strive and pray? U've gotten good at going through the routine, but perhaps u've lost touch with the reasons y u'r doing it all in the 1st place. Stop 4 a moment and think about y. The reasons r there. Buried under the noisy complications of daily life is the person u truly wish 2 b & things which u long 2 achieve. In some way, whatever u'r doing @ any moment is connected 2 those reasons. When u remember y, u get where u wish 2 go with much more speed & effectiveness. Take the time & make the effort 2 stay in touch with y. Know what drives u, and let it take u wherever u wish 2 go.

11-7-04

"The direst foe of courage is the fear itself, not the object of it, and the man who can overcome his own terror is a hero and more." -- George MacDonald

Motivator: Sit up straight. Lift ur head up. Lift ur eyes. Take a long, deep breath, and smile. Though things may be far from perfect 4 u, act like it's a great day 2 b alive. Because it is. Keep a smile on ur face and in ur voice. Put a spring in ur step. Act like u would act if u were the most confident, successful, joyful person in ur town. Speak 2 others in kind and positive terms. Think and speak 2 urself the same way. Embrace the challenges and see their positive possibilities. There is no need 2 delay, even 4 another moment, the fulfillment that life can bring. See the world around u 4 what it is, and know that it cannot bring u down. Live today as if it is the best day u could possibly imagine. And in doing that YOU make it so.

11-5-04

"True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess." --Louis Nizer

Motivator: Nothing seems so out of reach as that which u have not yet begun. The moment u get started, the task b-comes infinitely more achievable. Action is what seals ur commitment 2 achieving anything. The sooner u get started after deciding 2 do something, the more likely u'll get it done. Even if the initial step is small, it is vitally important because it sets the direction 4 ur momentum. Act quickly, and then keep going. There's always something u can do. Once u've started, and as u go along, u won't just think u can do it -- u'll know that YOU already r.

11-4-04

"Character may be manifested in the great moments, but it is made in the small ones." -Phillips Brooks

Motivator: Why is it that, in a world where we'r able 2 do so much, we have time 2 do so little? Perhaps this is because it is very easy 2 us 2 spend more time developing our capabilities than we spend actually using them. Certainly u want 2 b capable and effective, but take care not 2 b-come a slave 2 mere capabilities. Don't put so much time and effort in2 being able 2 do something that there's no time or energy remaining 2 actually do it. Preparation is vital. Yet at some point the preparation needs 2 end so the actual doing can begin. Being highly prepared means very little if nothing is ever attempted. Learn by doing, not at the expense of doing. Rather than collecting empty, unused capabilities, develop ur capabilities in response 2 the challenges YOU undertake.

11-3-04

"If there is one thing upon this earth that mankind love and admire better than another, it is a brave man, -- it is the man who dares to look the devil in the face and tell him he is a devil." --James A. Garfield

Motivator: Resentment is a kind of attachment. It builds a strong connection between u and the person u resent. Is that really what u want? The time and energy devoted 2 resentment r ur own. Is that really how u wish 2 spend those precious resources? U don't have 2 like someone in order 2 let go of ur resentment 4 them. B willing 2 forgive. Carrying a grudge is mostly ur burden. Consider how valuable it would b 2 free urself from it. It doesn't mean that whatever wrong u suffered was acceptable, or that u would allow it 2 happen again. It simply means that u'e ready and willing 2 move past it. Letting go and forgiving does not undo what was done, but it does free u from having 2 waste any more time or effort on useless resentment. Find a way 2 do that, and turn YOUR focus 2 the future.

11-2-04

"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -Helen Keller

Motivator: What could possibly constitute a better use of ur time and energy than 2 manifest that excellence which yearns in u? Bring in2 being those things which already exist in ur imagination. Share ur special possibilities with the world. Untold beauty and excellence r waiting 4 the power of ur actions. What is the best possible world u can imagine? What can u do 2 make it so? There is much u can do this very day. Ur dreams r not trivial. They r ur gift and ur obligation. Treat them with respect. Give them the attention they deserve. B the very best u can imagine. Make a difference that is uniquely urs. Let the best of u come out. U r destined 2 express life in ways that no one else can. Live it and let it flow with YOUR own special magnificence, today and every moment.

11-1-04

"Courage is grace under pressure." --Ernest Hemingway

Motivator: Fear can b valuable when u decide 2 put it 2 use. The purpose of fear is not 2 stop u, but 2 prepare u. Fear is strong and compelling, and it can certainly b transformed in2 an excuse 4 not taking action. Yet that same strength can also b directed in a more positive way, in a way that will, rather than stopping u, make ur actions more effective. Fear heightens ur awareness of any situation. That can give u a tremendous advantage. Fear points out what can go wrong, so u can b ready 4 the obstacles which arise. Fear gives u energy and excitement which can b channeled in2 enthusiasm. Fear will focus u like nothing else can. And with enough focus, there r no limits 2 what YOU can accomplish. Feel the fear. Don't hide from it.