Discovering & Nurturing Possibilities to Transform the World

My world was transformed with the (true) understanding of Mahatma Gandhi’s clear statement; “Be the change you want to see in the world.” For too long I ‘knew’ what needed to be changed and was on a crusade to bring it about. I was met with limited success but nothing close to the level of mental anguish. The wisdom & understanding have set me free to attain new heights, to enjoy like never before.

I bet Gandhi was familiar with Socrates and this morsel; “Let him that would move the world, first move himself.” Really derived pleasure when reading this recently. Couple this with another wise saying from Socrates; “Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.”

Together we can transform the world.

Pablo Picasso (Spanish Artist and Painter. 1881-1973) had something there we should learn from. Compare what he declared with this statement from Anatole France (French Writer, member of the French Academy and Nobel Prize for Literature in 1921, 1844-1924) “When a thing has been said and well said, have no scruple; take it and copy it.”

We reach new heights by building. Build on Anthony Robbins’ proclamation; “If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you’ll achieve the same results.”

Really opens up a lot of new growth. The clock is ticking.

Relocating (very) soon and needed to coordinate a matter with the postal service at the new location. I have a lifetime of experience moving and call on 48th years of tricks to assist. Imagine my surprise when the new phone book does not list a number for the local post office. Only a “General Information For All Locations” (6 in the area) listing. The gatekeeper grilled us and only reluctantly gave the local number when we persevered. When we spoke with the woman at the local post office she went out of her way to help and was super nice.

The positive part is to learn; try not to enable foolish practices.

We can positively make a difference.

Making a promise to myself (& you) to seek the positive and share it.

That said, here is an observation from this morning that we can use to learn ‘what it is not’. Bounded into the local library while on errands. Stopped in my tracks at how all the folks behind the counter worked so diligently to not look up or acknowledge a new customer. Four people in plain sight behind the counter taking great pains to not be the first to speak/acknowledge me/anyone.

What can we take away from this? If you are going to show up then contribute.

We know ‘working to avoid’ uses (way) more energy than setting out to accomplish something. Have any memories of the time you didn’t want to do something and went to great lengths to get out of it? Not fond memories for me either. Want to make memories today to replace those?

Look up. “Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars.” Les Brown

1. What are you standing for?
2. What keeps you up at night?
3. What has you most excited?
4. What are you going to do today?

Answers are revealing and are (really) great when pursued with a workout partner. Answer these four daily and cover the results (or lack of results) with your workout partner. This can/should be done quickly and perhaps we could build it into a group.

This is another concept Kevin Koym taught me. Feel free to rephrase the questions and build the habit of answering them daily.

What you gain will impact your life and the world.

The most amazing day awaits your our curious minds.  Remind me to talk about curiosity.

I had folded in my mind; not going to get to attend the next days grand event featuring Zig Ziglar. Things were in place when my day started. Work & leisure combined with my wonderful wife and pick up the ticket sandwiched in there.  Crumble, crumble in the details led me to the miserable realization of no way the plan would go. Just as this thought was gaining entrance Chris rang me to ask if I needed a ticket to see Zig Ziglar!

Stuff happens.  You We may not (always) get what you we need/deserve. You We are not screwed up, stuff happens (or doesn’t). Everyday is a gift to open. Eat your cake and go past the stuff. Dwell on the good.

So there I am going in to claim my seat to learn & enjoy this amazing day. Thousands of people and I am seated front row dead center. Please remember there is only one seat front row dead center and this auditorium is filled along with three overflow locations. I picked up my ticket at ‘will call’ just moments before walking in.

Truly an amazing day.

You We deserve many amazing days & are assured more with a curious mind. I am glad you brought up curiosity again.  Al said it best; “The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity  has its own reason for existing.” Albert Einstein, 20th century physicist, creator of the theory of relativity

I am curious about your amazing day. Won’t you share it?

You guessed it, Robin Crow again. Here is a great quote from an unlikely source.

“Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of a genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.” ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Robin starts the section on ‘Living an Abundant Life’ with this gem. Abundance awaits you in Jump and the Net Will Appear. Is today your day?

Each of us has a higher calling which we are richer when working toward fulfilling. Robin Crow once again is spot on describing it in Jump and the Net Will Appear;

“Perhaps our purpose here on earth is to help one another learn and evolve, bringing us closer to God, closer to each other. By learning to sacrifice we experience wholeness. This mission lasts a lifetime. We must never stop learning how we can help others in meaningful ways. We must never stop uncovering the depth of our relationship with God. This is our Higher Calling. Have you ever witnessed a child who won’t share a soft drink with her parent who just bought it for her? I was recently with someone whose child did just that. The father smiled and said, ‘She just doesn’t get it yet.’ That’s the way it is with us humans. So many people receive incredible blessings and then refuse to share them. They fear someone might take it all back or that there won’t be enough. Maybe God is thinking, ‘They just don’t get it yet.’ The reason that we don’t share enough, give enough, help others enough, or love enough is simple - fear. Hey, sorry it’s so simple, but it is that simple. It’s our human fear of not getting our fair share, of not having enough. It’s a mindset of scarcity.”

Four post down for more on mindsets in Pumped Up.

It is OK to not fully understand the destination but please enjoy the journey.

or not, change that is. Continuing with Robin Crow in Jump and the Net Will Appear you have a simple formula for success. “So it’s not really about what we can do, but rather what we will do. We all have the ability to do extraordinary things, but many of us have been criticized and rejected so much that we’ve started to believe what we’ve been told. Sure, Jump and The Net Will Appear is about taking risk, but more important, it is a metaphor for life: Only when we take risks - those leaps of faith - can we experience the abundance life has to offer, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, even physically. The first step in creating positive change is walking away from old patterns.”

Makes me want to get walking (away from old patterns) to experience the abundance life has to offer.

Robin has a great quote in this section from Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”