4-29-05

"One must have the adventurous daring to accept oneself as a bundle of possibilities and undertake the most interesting game in the world – making the most of one's best." -- Harry Emerson Fosdick

Motivator: The real person u r is revealed in the moments when u're certain no other person is watching. When no 1 is watching, u r driven bi what u expect of urself. The foundation of success is built in the moments when no 1 else is watching. If ur efforts r only made 4 appearance, they will fall short. When u make the effort even though no 1 else is keeping track, that's a sure path 2 achievement. What do u do when no 1 is watching? U can't keep any secrets from urself. Success is built in the moments when u're truly free 2 b YOU. Make those moments count. Being a real winner is much better than just trying 2 look like 1.

4-28-05

"Our Deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our Darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually who are you not to be? ... Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won't feel insecure around you ....It is not just some of us; it is everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear our presence automatically liberates others." Mandela 1994

Motivator: Wisdom cums from learning the difficult lessons which experience teaches. With wisdom cums respect, authority & effectiveness. U pay a hefty price 4 wisdom, & yet what u get is even more valuable than what u paid. It is indeed difficult 2 console urself 2 "learning from this" when things fail 2 go ur way. It is much easier 2 get angry, 2 get depressed, 2 complain or even 2 forget about the whole thing. But when u do that, u end up paying the price without getting any value in return. Whatever happens, let it increase ur wisdom &, ultimately, YOUR success. Whatever happens, get past the concerns of the moment & learn from it.

4-27-05

"Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life." -- Ann Landers

Motivator: B free, & savor every little grain of existence that dances b4 ur eyes. Beauty & joy r not what some1 says they r. U know them because of the way they fulfill u. Ur own doubt is ur opponent's greatest strength. Free urself from the burden of ur own anxiety. Whatever is, is already. Whatever u will b, is urs 2 create right now. Live each moment with all u have, not just with whatever has survived the worry. Life is urs 2 live. Though it is gritty, it is real. Though sadness cums, it is possible only because u care so much. Let go & live the joyful experience that is YOURS.

4-25-05

"The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper." - Aristotle

Moticator: After u've been defeated is not the time 2 give up. Look @ ur defeat as a payment in advance 4 ur ultimate success. It matters little that u've been defeated. What really counts is how quickly u get going again. Find something better 2 do. Pick urself up & get on with it. U're smarter now. U're wiser & more experienced. Each of ur defeats can bring u closer 2 victory, so why in the world would u want 2 let any of them stop u? YOU've already paid part of the price. Now get on with the business of reaping the reward.

4-21-05

"Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity." -- Paul Goodman

Motivator: When u think of something u must do, get 2 work on it as quickly as possible, & then continue working on it until it is finished. Tasks which u put off until later, or which u start & then put off finishing, will have the effect of clogging ur thoughts. If u regularly & consistently procrastinate, ur mind will soon become so filled with thoughts of what needs 2 b done that there will b little room 4 anything else. Clear out all those "need 2 dos" from ur thinking bi actually getting them done. Rather than worrying about them over & over again in ur mind, do them once & b finished. Free ur mind 2 recognize new opportunities, 2 develop new insights & 2 focus clearly on the business @ hand... 1 of the hardest things 4 me

4-20-05

"If you're never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take any chances." --Julia Sorel 1926-

Motivator: Look up @ the stars on a clear night. U r not looking @ some illusion. They r really there. U r right in the middle of it. Though ur problems of the moment may seem overwhelming, stop & ask urself, "Compared 2 what?" Consider that the sun will rise 2morrow. The seasons will continue 2 change. The light from distant stars will continue 2 stream across the vast reaches of space, 2 sparkle b4 ur eyes. R ur challenges really challenging? If they seem 2 b, then enlarge ur perspective. U have plenty of room 2 do that. U have an entire universe against which 2 consider those challenges. Back off far enough, & they will appear very tiny. Look at a big enough picture, & u'll find the courage, energy & inspiration 2 move on through those seemingly overwhelming problems.

4-19-05

"So, then, to every man his chance -- to every man, regardless of his birth, his shining golden opportunity -- to every man his right to live, to work, to be himself, to become whatever his manhood and his vision can combine to make him -- this, seeker, is the promise of America." -- Thomas Wolfe

Motivator: Anything that knocks u off track does so because u have allowed it 2. Keep in mind that u give power 2 ur circumstances. U fill them with ur life, ur purpose & ur meaning. They r ur reflection, not ur essence. 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. Circumstances may b very appealing or terribly frightening, yet u exist beyond those circumstances. Keep that ever in mind, & b true 2 ur greatest possibilities.

4-18-05

"The way to get things done is not to mind who gets the credit for doing them." - Benjamin Jowett (1817-1893), British theologian and classicist

Motivator: Yes, u want 2 get it done as quickly as possible. U also want 2 get it done right. Because getting it wrong & having 2 start over will cause an even bigger delay than taking the time 2 do it right. Focus on what u're doing. Put the worries or excitement about what's coming next out of ur mind. Give ur full attention 2 the task @ hand. Take the time 2 do it right, so u won't have 2 do it again. If u've tried speeding up & it doesn't seem 2 get u anywhere, consider slowing down. Speed is not the only thing that matters. Quality matters. Effectiveness matters. Paying attention matters. If u were having surgery, would u want the surgeon 2 rush through the operation? Respect what u're doing enough 2 give it the time & attention it deserves!

4-15-05

"Being defeated is often only a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." --Marilyn vos Savant 1946-NA

Motivator: Though we often take this world & this life 4 granted, the fact is that we exist, experience & even thrive against unimaginable odds. U're already a winner because u r here 2day, living & breathing, capable of making decisions, thinking thoughts, taking action & accomplishing great things. Though u've made mistakes, though others may have hurt u, though u may b weary & filled with regret, still this life is full of positive possibilities 4 u. Consider the boundless magnitude of ur good fortune. Live every moment as if it were the most miraculous thing YOU could ever imagine, because it is.

4-14-05

"Never speak of yourself to others; make them talk about themselves instead: therein lies the whole art of pleasing." -- J.E de Goncourt

Motivator: The same effort spent looking 4 excuses 2 quit could instead b used 2 keep reminding urself of ur reasons 2 keep going. Don't fight against ur own best interests. Instead, let ur thoughts support ur ambitions. Keep on convincing urself of the value of ur goals, & u'll keep on doing what is necessary 2 reach them. Deciding 2 persevere is no more difficult than deciding 2 quit. & when u decide 2 keep pressing 4ward, the rewards r infinitely greater than if u had decided 2 give up. B ur own biggest supporter. Use the strength of ur thoughts 2 continually encourage YOUR own positive, productive actions.

4-13-05

"Genuine security arises from actual, first-hand knowledge that one is both capable and worthy of achieving happiness (through conscious, responsible action) and, once having attained it, that he deserves it." --Michael J. Hurd () American Motivational Speaker

Motivator: Someday I'll work on that new idea, but 2day there r 2 many interruptions. Someday I'll sit down & get focused on my goals, but 2day is just not right. Someday never cums. It is always TODAY. No matter how far-reaching ur goal may b, no matter how long it will take 2 complete, there is something u can do about it 2day. There is a step u can take which will propel u 4ward. What things have u been scheduling 4 someday? Start 2 work on them this very day. Find something u can do now, & keep on going until they're accomplished. 2day is the space in which u r able 2 move YOUR dreams from someday 2 this day, so make the most of it.

4-12-05

"To live at this time is an inestimable privilege, and a sacred obligation devolves upon you to make right use of your opportunities." - Grenville Kleiser

Motivator: Though u have much in common with others, there r many differences as well. Even those who agree with u have a different perspective than ur own. No 1 else knows exactly what u know. No other person shares ur unique set of experiences, just as u do not share the exact same experiences as any1 else. Ur success in working with other people will depend largely on the degree 2 which u r able 2 understand & consider their unique perspectives, & on ur ability 2 make YOUR own perspective understood. Make the effort 2 sincerely understand, & 2 b understood. It will add value & effectiveness 2 every undertaking.

4-11-05

"From long familiarity, we know what honor is. It is what enables the individual to do right in the face of complacency and cowardice. It is what enables the soldier to die alone, the political prisoner to resist, the singer to sing her song, hardly appreciated, on a side street." --Mark Helprin () American Novelist and Writer

Motivator: U can choose 2 put 4th the absolute minimum effort necessary 2 make it through this day, & u will indeed make it through the day. Trouble is, 2morrow u'll end up right back where u started, with the need 2 make it through another day. Instead, use 2day 4 all it's worth. Make the effort 2 make some real progress. U know what needs 2 b done. U know what u want 2 accomplish. Now is the time 2 do it. Instead of "making it through" focus on "making it happen." Think of one little thing u can do 2day, that will improve all ur 2morrows, & then do it. Surely u have the time & energy 4 1 little improvement.Think of the difference it will make. When u're already moving sideways, it doesn't take that much more effort 2 change YOUR direction 2 4ward. 2day is here right now. Use it!

4-8-05

"Do not dare to live without some clear intention toward which your living shall be bent. Mean to be something with all your might." -- Phillips Brooks

Motivator: When u make a choice 2 follow a particular path, start doing it right away, not bi jumping blindly in2 it, but bi taking the appropriate first step without hesitation. Commitment cums from action. Deciding in ur mind is not enough 2 seal ur commitment. When u delay taking action, it becums less & less likely that ur decision will ever b transformed in2 reality. Give power 2 ur choices bi giving them ur efforts. There is always a first step 2 b taken, something that can b done right away. Once in motion, YOU r much more likely 2 stay in motion. So don't just think about it. Get up & do it. Right now.

4-7-05

"Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him." --Epictetus (55-135 AD) Roman Philosopher

Motivator: Right now, think of something pleasant, something positive & uplifting, & smile. Think of someone special, of how they brighten ur life. Find something that will make u smile, & smile. Smile with sincerity, with ur eyes & ur face as well as ur lips, & u'll naturally bring out the best in the people around u. Smile as o talk on the phone. Even though the person on the other end cannot c ur smile, it will still cum across the line & inject a positive energy in2 the conversation. Smile as much as u can. Cum on... smile! A smile can work wonders. Put it 2 work 4 YOU.

4-6-05

"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope." -- Sir Winston Churchill

Motivator: U say u're ready 4 the challenge, but in the back of ur mind u have serious, nagging doubts. There's a little voice that keeps popping up, reminding u of ur self-imposed limitations. U may b able 2 convince the rest of the world, but if u cannot win over the little voice in the back of ur mind, it will stop u cold. In the past, u've told urself or been told u can't do it so many times that ur doubt has taken on a life of its own. Now u must give life 2 ur confidence. Know u can do it. Tell urself, over & over again, that u can do it. With enough repetition, YOU'll begin 2 truly believe it & the doubt will surely fade. Change the cruel, whining voice of doubt 2 a resounding chorus of confidence.

4-5-05

"Unswerving loyalty to duty, constant devotion to truth, and a clear conscience will overcome every discouragement and surely lead the way to usefulness and high achievement." --Grover Cleveland

Motivator: Part of providing value 2 others is making sure u receive value in return. 4 example, if u have a conversation with some1, & u do all the talking, neither 1 of u benefits as much as if there had been a give-and-take interaction. Uneven transfers of value r never sustainable. It is in the best interest of every1 when value flows in both directions. Honor others bi exchanging value with them. Don't cheat people bi letting them take value from u without getting them 2 provide value 2 u in return. Don't spread the lie that there's such a thing bi pretending 2 offer a free lunch. Provide true, significant value 2 others bi making sure YOU get value in return.

4-4-05

"Those who turn good (organizations) into great (organizations) are motivated by a deep creative urge and an inner compulsion for sheer unadulterated excellence for its own sake." -Jim Collins, author of "Good to Great"

Motivator: U look @ some1 who has built a massive 4tune, or created a magnificent work of art, or achieved a prominent leadership role, & u have trouble identifying with that person. When u look @ any great achievement, usually u can c only the end result. That's because the splendor of such an achievement overshadows all the little details that went in2 creating it. The greatness in the achievement cums not from any supernatural skill or special advantage, but from persistence & commitment. Greatness cums from ordinary actions, focused on a specific objective, followed with dedication & resolve. Great achievements r built day bi day, step bi step, bi people just like u. Almost anything is possible when YOU r committed 2 pursuing it 1 step @ a time.

4-1-05

"Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-directionally, without regret or reservation." -William H. Sheldon

Motivator: When u look @ the world through the fog of ur own worries, ur anger, ur frustration & impatience, many valuable things will just pass u bi, completely unnoticed. Imagine driving through town while some1 is holding a gun 2 ur head. R u going 2 notice the new flower shop on the corner? Probably not. Ur focus will b on that gun. R u holding a gun 2 ur own head, bi constantly focusing on what's wrong with ur life? R u so obsessed with ur own problems that u don't c the opportunities all around u? Ur attention can b effectively focused on only 1 thing @ a time. Sure u have problems & challenges. Yet what is the point, what is the value of agonizing over them? There are a lot of GREAT things in ur life. Give YOUR attention 2 them & they will grow.