Archive for October, 2004

My life is my message

Thursday, October 28th, 2004

“My life is my message.” ~ Gandhi ~

I love having the ability to shape the world around me through the thoughts and dreams I cleave to in my mind. These words are to lend a hand in shoring up the hedge of protection around my mind. I must be diligent, just as when watching the flock or nurturing the crops.

A great place to start is by living what Lance Armstrong, the 21st century cyclist and 6 time Tour de France winner has to say;

“I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days or great days.”

Carl Sandburg’s proclamation that “Nothing happens unless first a dream” is perhaps too intense for some to grasp. So lighten up and take heart with the words from a physicist named Albert Einstein (1879-1955). “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge.”

This ‘fantasy’ is the ‘dreams’ that James Allen speaks of; “The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.” Dreams ARE the seedlings of realities. Sidney Madwed said it another way. “Our subconscious minds have no sense of humor, play no jokes and cannot tell the difference between reality and an imagined thought or image. What we continually think about eventually will manifest in our lives.” Our dreams are the fuel to propel us to new heights. Our dreams are limitless. Be strong and of a good courage as you read how simple it is as we follow the truth spoken by U.S. Andersen. “When you paint success pictures in your mind, you initiate an inner process whereby your attitudes, hopes, aspirations, and enthusiasm are elevated in response to an image of a more promising future. Every person who aspires must first sell themselves hope, the promise of a better life.” The great Paul J. Meyer makes this salient point live for us: “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon…must inevitably come to pass!” One way I keep my mind [The Dream Machine] stoked is by adhering to what Charlie “Tremendous” Jones declared; “You are the same today as you’ll be in five years, except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.” The choice is ours each day; we are either growing or dying. A sad soul is one who functions as the person Leo Burnett describes; “To swear off making mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas.” Samuel Johnson describes another variation on the path of no growth; “Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.” Paulo Coelho tells us what steals life from so many people; “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Fear is sand in the machinery of life. Fear has to be out. Fear has no place in the life of grace. Lets invest our lives in growing. “Don’t spend your precious time asking ‘Why isn’t the world a better place?’ It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is ‘How can I make it better?’ To that there is an answer.” Leo Buscaglia. It is simple to take this approach; just do what William James suggest “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”

Passion (noun) Boundless enthusiasm! ~ American Heritage Dictionary ~

What are we to do with our dreams? If our dreams are the fuel that propels us, then passion is the ignition source. Ralph Waldo Emerson decreed this truth so aptly with “Every great achievement is the victory of a flaming heart.” My good friend, Yvonne Fizer put it this way; “Our only competitive advantage is our passion.” Martha Graham, the dancer, teacher and choreographer spells it out for us from the creative angle of life; “Great dancers are not great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.” Maybe I should have led a section on passion with what Napoleon Hill so appropriately stated. “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.” Want some heat? Do what Andrew Carnegie asserts; “The average person puts only 25% of his energy into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%.” You see, ATTITUDE AND HEART RULE! Abraham Lincoln knew this when he stated “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” For you see “Persistence prevails, like a stream that is temporarily blocked by boulders and then collects force enough to overflow onward.” Vernon Howard

How do you choose to life this one life you have been given?

“Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world.

Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves.

All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people.”

~ George Bernard Shaw ~

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

~ Margaret Mead ~

“The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind.

Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.”

~ Napoleon Hill ~

As Maslow says, “You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.”

“One can never consent to creep when one feels the impulse to soar.”

~ Helen Keller ~

“The powers of a man’s mind are directly proportional to the quantity of coffee he drinks.”

~ Sir James MacKintosh ~

Let me know what kind of coffee you like.

Melvin

Guess it doesn’t hurt enough

Sunday, October 10th, 2004

It is astonishing how otherwise sane people will not take steps to better a situation even though they see the need. The following story sheds light on this devastating practice.

A friend was talking with a man that was sitting on the front porch. As they conversed my friend noticed the man’s dog would lift up his head and groan as it lay on the porch. This happened several times and as my friend was about to leave he asked if the dog was ill. The man answered no, he was lying on a nail sticking up from the porch. My friend asked why the dog didn’t move to which the man replied, ‘Guess it doesn’t hurt enough.’

People are comfortable with the pain. Life is better than this.

"Cause something to happen."

Sunday, October 3rd, 2004

On a sign posted in the players’ locker room by legendary Alabama coach Bear Bryant, “Cause something to happen.”

Some great ammunition to lend a hand in our quest to “Cause something to happen” is located at GoSmallBiz.com. Rummage through Fran Tarkenton’s site for some real trinkets of knowledge that have immediate implications. Be sure to nibble on Playing to Win to gain tremendous insight.

Never stop.

Intellectual Reflections?

Saturday, October 2nd, 2004

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. What is coming out of your mouth? I have to remind myself to always keep in check what I allow myself to speak. Speak those things that are edifying or go the way of the world… I sometimes grow weary in doing this. If I am not tempted above what I am able; then is the answer that I am lazy? Could it be the continual wearing away by the ‘systems’ blast a hole in the hedges protecting our minds? We have the privilege of guarding our minds. Think about the word ‘guarding.’ Does it fit? Absolutely. Do you guard what you put in your mouth? It is essential. It is an eternal obligation to guard what we allow in our minds also. We would not put poison in our mouth but how readily we put poison in our minds.

My choice is simple, my implementation sometimes lacks. Love never fails.