The Parable of the Black Belt

Picture a martial artist kneeling before the master sensei in a ceremony to receive a hard-earned black belt. After years of relentless training, the student has finally reached a pinnacle of achievement in the discipline.

"Before granting the belt, you must pass one more test", says the sensei

"I am ready" responds the student, expecting perhaps one final round of sparring.

"You must answer the essential question: what is the true meaning of the black belt?"

"The end of my journey" says the student. "A well deserved reward for all my hard work"

The sensei waits for more. Clearly, he is not satisfied. Finally, the sensei speaks.
"You are not yet ready for the black belt. Return in one year"

A year later, the student kneels again in front of the sensei.

"What is the true meaning of the black belt?" asks the sensei.

"A symbol of distinction and the highest achievement in our art" says the student

The sensei says nothing for many minutes, waiting. Clearly, he is not satisfied. Finally, he speaks. "You are still not ready for the black belt. Return in one year"

A year later, the student kneels once again in front of the sensei. And again the sensei asks:
"What is the true meaning of the black belt?"

"The black belt represents the beginning - the start of a never-ending journey of discipline, work, and the pursuit of an ever-higher standard" says the student

"Yes, you are now ready to receive the black belt and begin your work"

Succcess is Never Final

This is not the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps, the end of the beginning.

by Winston Churchill

What is Recession

This Story is about a man who once upon a time was selling Hotdogs by the roadside.

He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers.

He was hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio.

His eyes were weak, so he never watched television.

But enthusiastically, he sold lots of hotdogs.

He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his sales.

His sales and profit went up.

He ordered more a more raw material and buns and use to sale more.

He recruited few more supporting staff to serve more customers.

He started offering home deliveries. Eventually he got himself a bigger and better stove. As his business was growing, the son, who had recently graduated from College, joined his father.

Then something strange happened.

The son asked, "Dad, aren't you aware of the great recession that is coming our way?"

The father replied, "No, but tell me about it."

The son said, "The international situation is terrible.

The domestic situation is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times."

The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers, listened to the radio and watched TV.

He ought to know and his advice should not be taken lightly.

So the next day onwards, the father cut down the his raw material order and buns, took down the colourful signboard,

removed all the special schemes he was offering to the customers and was no longer as enthusiastic.

He reduced his staff strength by giving layoffs.

Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered to stop at his hotdog stand. And his sales started coming down rapidly, same is the profit.

The father said to his son, "Son, you were right".

"We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you warned me ahead of time."


Moral of The Story:

It's all in your MIND!
And we actually FUEL this recession much more than we think

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 25

Never take direction from a crowd for your personal life. And never choose to quit just because somebody disagrees with you.
- John Mason

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 17

Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood. Make big plans: Aim High!
- D. H. Burnham

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 16

Think positively about yourself. Keep your thoughts and actions clean. Ask God who made you to keep on remaking you.
- Norman Vincent Peale

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 15

There is no money problem. It's always an idea problem. So think longer.
- Robert Schuller

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 14

The law of harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.
- G. D. Boardman

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 13

Develop the hunter attitude... wherever you go, there are ideas waiting to be discovered
- Roger Von Oech

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 12

Your ideas are like diamonds. Without the refining process they are just rock, but by cutting away the impurities, they become priceless.
- Paul Kearley

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - March 11

When you think you can do something then it's probably too easy. It's only when you think you can't do something that it becomes a challenge. The mind always gives up before the body.
- Luke Rosenberg

Commencement Address by John L. Gokongwei, Jr. on March 27, 2004

I wish I were one of you today, instead of a 77-year-old man, giving a speech you will probably forget when you wake up from your hangover tomorrow. You may be surprised I feel this way. Many of you are feeling fearful and apprehensive about your future.

You are thinking that, perhaps, your Ateneo diploma will not mean a whole lot in the future in a country with too many problems. And you are probably right. You are thinking that our country is slipping? No, sliding. Again, you may be right. Twenty years ago, we were at par with countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Today, we are left way behind. You know the facts. Twenty years ago, the per capita income of the Filipino was 1,000 US dollars. Today, it's 1,100 dollars. That's a growth of only ten percent in twenty years. Meanwhile, Thailand's per capita income today is double ours; Malaysia, triple ours; and Singapore, almost twenty times ours. With globalization coming, you know it is even more urgent to wake up. Trade barriers are falling, which means we will have to compete harder. In the new world, entrepreneurs will be forced to invest their money where it is most efficient. And that is not necessarily in the Philippines. Even for Filipino entrepreneurs, that can be the case.

For example, a Filipino brand like Maxx candy can be manufactured

In Bangkok where labor, taxes, power and financing are cheaper and
More efficient and then exported to other ASEAN countries. This will be a common scenario if things do not change. Pretty soon, we will become a nation that buys everything and produces practically nothing. We will be like the prodigal son who took his father's money and spent it all. The difference is that we do not have a generous father to run back to. But despite this, I am still very excited about the future. I will tell you why later. You have been taught at the Ateneo to be "a person for others." Of course, that is noble: To serve your countrymen.
Question is: How? And my answer is: Be an entrepreneur!

You may think I am just a foolish man talking mundane stuff when
The question before him is almost philosophical. But I am being very thoughtful here, and if I may presume this about myself, being patriotic as well. Entrepreneurship is the answer. We need young people who will find the idea, grab the opportunity, take risk, and set aside comfort to set up businesses that will provide jobs. But why? What are jobs? Jobs are what allow people to feel useful and build their self-esteem. Jobs make people productive members of the community. Jobs make people feel they are worthy citizens. And jobs make a country worthy players in the world market. In that order of things, it is the entrepreneurs who have the power to harness the creativity and talents of others to achieve a common good. This should leave the world a better place than it was. Let me make it clear: Job creation is a priority for any nation to move forward. For example, it is the young entrepreneurs of Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore who created the dynamic businesses that have propelled their countries to the top. Young people like yourselves. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, progress is slow. Very little is new. Hardly anything is fresh. With a few exceptions, the biggest companies before the war like PLDT, Ayala, and San Miguel are still the biggest companies today. All right, being from the Ateneo, many of you probably have offers from these corporations already. You may even have offers from JG Summit. I say: Great! Take these offers, work as hard as you can, learn everything these companies can teach and then leave! If you dream of creating something great, do not let a 9-to-5 job even a high-paying one lull you into a complacent, comfortable life. Let that high-paying job propel you toward entrepreneurship instead.

When I speak of the hardship ahead, I do not mean to be skeptical but realistic. Even you Ateneans, who are famous for your eloquence, you cannot talk your way out of this one. There is nothing to do but to deal with it. I learned this lesson when, as a 13-year-old, I lost my dad. Before that, I was like many of you: a privileged kid. I went to Cebu's best school; lived in a big house; and got free entrance to the Vision, the largest movie house in Cebu, which my father owned.

Then my dad died, and I lost all these. My family had become poor, poor enough to split my family. My mother and five siblings moved to China where the cost of living was lower. I was placed under the care of my Grand Uncle Manuel Gotianuy, who put me through school. But just two years later, the war broke out, and even my Uncle Manuel could no longer see me through. I was out in the streets literally.

Looking back, this time was one of the best times of my life. We lost everything, true, but so did everybody! War was the great equalizer. In that setting, anyone who was willing to size up the situation, use his wits, and work hard, could make it! It was every man for himself, and I had to find a way to support myself and my family. I decided to be a market vendor. Why? Because it was something that I, a 15-year-old boy in short pants, could do. I started by selling simple products in the palengke half an hour by bike from the city. I had a bicycle. I would wake up at five in the morning, load thread, soap and candles into my bike, and rush to the palengke. I would rent a stall for one peso a day, lay out my goods on a table as big as this podium, and begin selling. I did that the whole day. I sold about twenty pesos of goods every day. Today, twenty pesos will only allow you to send twenty text messages to your crush, but 63 years ago, it was enough to support my family. And it left me enough to plow back into my small, but growing, business. I was the youngest vendor in the palengke, but that didn't faze me. In fact, I rather saw it as an opportunity. Remember, that was 63 years and 100 pounds ago, so I could move faster, stay under the sun more, and keep selling longer than everyone else. Then, when I had enough money and more confidence, I decided to travel to Manila from Cebu to sell all kinds of goods like rubber tires. Instead of my bike, I now traveled on a batel?a boat so small that on windless days, we would just float there. On bad days, the trip could take two weeks!

During one trip, our batel sank! We would have all perished in the sea were it not for my inventory of tires. The viajeros were happy because my tires saved their lives, and I was happy because the viajeros, by hanging on to them, saved my tires. On these long and lonely trips I had to entertain myself with books, like Gone With The Wind.

After the war, I had saved up 50,000 pesos. That was when you could buy a chicken for 20 centavos and a car for 2,000 pesos. I was 19 years old. Now I had enough money to bring my family home from China. Once

They were all here; they helped me expand our trading business to
Include imports. Remember that the war had left the Philippines with very few goods. So we imported whatever was needed and imported them from everywhere, including used clothes and textile remnants from the

United States. We were probably the first ukay-ukay dealers here.
Then, when I had gained more experience and built my reputation, I borrowed money from the bank and got into manufacturing. I saw that coffee was abundant, and Nescafe of Nestle was too expensive for a country still rebuilding from the war, so my company created Blend
45. That was our first branded hit. And from there, we had enough profits to launch Jack and Jill. From one market stall, we are now in nine core businesses including retail, real estate, publishing, petrochemicals, textiles, banking, food manufacturing, Cebu Pacific Air and Sun Cellular. When we had shown success in the smaller businesses, we were able to raise money in the capital markets through IPOs and bond offerings-- and then get into more complex, capital-intensive enterprises. We did it slow, but sure.

Success doesn't happen overnight. It's the small successes achieved day by day that build a company. So, don't be impatient or focused on immediate financial rewards. I only started flying business class when I got too fat to fit in the economy seats. And I even wore a used overcoat while courting my wife it came from my ukay-ukay business. Thank God Elizabeth didn't mind the mothball smell of my overcoat or maybe she wouldn't have married me. Save what you earn and plow it back.

And never forget your families! Your parents denied themselves many things to send you here. They could have traveled around the world a couple of times with the money they set aside for your education, and your social life, and your comforts. Remember them and thank them.
When you have families of your own, you must be home with them for at least one meal everyday. I did that while I was building my company. Now, with all my six children married, I ask that we spend every Sunday lunch together, when everything under the sun is discussed. As it is with business, so it is with family. There are no short cuts for building either one. Remember, no short cuts.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, your patron saint, and founder of his 450-year old organization I admire, described an ideal Jesuit as one who "lives with one foot raised." I believe that means someone who is always ready to respond to opportunities. Saint Ignatius knew that, to build a successful organization, he needed to recruit and educate men who were not afraid of change but were in fact excited by it. In fact, the Jesuits were one of the earliest practitioners of globalization. As early as the 16th century, upon reaching a foreign country, they compiled dictionaries in local languages like Tamil and Vietnamese so that they could spread their message in the local language. In a few centuries, they have been able to spread their mission in many countries through education. The Jesuits have another quote. "Make the whole world your house" which means that the ideal Jesuit must be at home everywhere. By adapting to change, but at the same time staying true to their beliefs, the Society of Jesus has become the long-lasting and successful organization it is today and has made the world their house. So, let live with one foot raised in facing the next big opportunity: globalization. Globalization can be your greatest enemy. It will be your downfall if you are too afraid and too weak to fight it out. But it can also be your biggest ally. With the Asian Free Trade agreement and tariffs near zero, your market has grown from 80 million Filipinos to half a billion Southeast Asians. Imagine what that means to you as an entrepreneur if you are able to find a need and fill it. And imagine, too, what that will do for the economy of our country!
Yes, our government may not be perfect, and our economic environment not ideal, but true entrepreneurs will find opportunities anywhere.

Look at the young Filipino entrepreneurs who made it. When I say
Young and I'm 77, remember I am talking about those in their 50s and below. Tony Tan of Jollibee, Ben Chan of Bench, Rolando Hortaleza of Splash, and Wilson Lim of Abensons. They're the guys who weren't content with the 9-to-5 job, who were willing to delay their gratification and comfort, and who created something new, something fresh. Something Filipinos are now very proud of. They all started small but now sell their hamburgers, T-shirts and cosmetics in Asia, America, and the Middle East. In doing so, these young Filipino entrepreneurs created jobs while doing something they were passionate about.

Globalization is an opportunity of a lifetime for you. And that is why I want to be out there with you instead of here behind this podium perhaps too old and too slow to seize the opportunities you can. Let me leave you with one last thought. Trade barriers have fallen. The only barriers left are the barriers you have in your mind. So, Ateneans, Class of 2004, heed the call of entrepreneurship. With a little bit of will and a little bit of imagination, you can turn this crisis into your patriotic moment and truly become a person for others. "Live with one foot raised and make the world your house." To this great University, my sincerest thanks for this singular honor conferred on me today. To the graduates, congratulations and Godspeed. "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam". Thank you

The Hidden Treasure

A man was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.

As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw.

He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone. Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure.

He found hundreds of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of hundreds of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home thousands, but he just threw it away.

You know sometimes, it's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside.

It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.

But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person by God.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. I don't think he means just our physical bodies. I think he means our spiritual selves, which are sometimes hidden from others by the *earthen vessel*.

But if you take the time to get to know that person, and if you ask the Father to show you that person the way He sees them, then the claybegins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Mar 5

In order for us to live our personal vision of success, we must first untie the knots that limit our opportunities for success.
- TyHoward

The Essence of Destiny

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Choose your words, for they become actions.
Understand your actions, for they become habits.
Study your habits, for they become your character.
Develop your character, for they become your destiny.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Mar 3

Define and redefine your gifts, talents and strengths. Choose today to look for opportunities to exercise your unque God-endowed, God-ordained gifts and calling.
- John Mason

What goes around, comes around

He almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the

side of the road, but even in the dim light of day, he

could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of

her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still

sputtering when he approached her. Even with the smile

on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to

help for the last hour or so .. was he going to hurt

her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.

He could see that she was frightened, standing out

there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that

chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm

here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car

where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan

Anderson."



Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old

lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car

looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his

knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the

tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As

he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the

window and began to talk to him. She told him that she

was from St. Louis and was only just passing through.

She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid.

Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. The lady

asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have

been all right with her. She already imagined all the

awful things that could have happened had he

not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about being

paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping

someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who

had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his

whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to

act any other way. He told her that if she really

wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone

who needed help, she could give that person the

assistance they needed, and Bryan added, "And think of

me."



He waited until she started her car and drove off. It

had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good

as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.



A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe.

She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill

off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It

was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old

gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The

waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe

her wet hair. she had a sweet smile, one that even

being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase.

The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months

pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches

change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone

who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.

Then she remembered Bryan.



After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a

hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get

change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady

had slipped right out the door. She was gone by the

time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered

where the lady could be. Then she noticed something

written on the napkin. There were tears in her eyes

when she read what the lady wrote: "You don't owe me

anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped

me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want

to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this

chain of love end with you." under the napkin were

four more $100 bills.



Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill,

and people to serve, but the waitress made it through

another day. That night when she got home from work

and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money

and what the lady had written. How could the lady have

known how much she and her husband needed it? With the

baby due next month, it was going to be hard.. She

knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay

sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and

whispered soft and low,"Everything's gonna be all

right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 27

The road of life will always be full of curves, potholes and dangerous driving conditions. Success is not crashing the car.
- Tim Barchie

Time Waits for No One

To realize the value of one year,
ask the student who has failed his final exam;

To realize the value of one month,
ask the mother who has given birth to a premature baby;

To realize the value of one week,
ask the editor of a weekly newspaper;

To realize the value of one day,
ask the daily wage laborer who has ten kids to feed;

To realize the value of one hour,
ask the lovers who are waiting to meet;

To realize the value of one minute,
ask the person who has missed the bus, the train or the plane;

To realize the value of one second,
ask the person who has survived an accident;

To realize the value of one millisecond,
ask the runner who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have,
with your loved ones, with your blessings, with almost anything you possess.
You may want to reconsider your position if you think happiness will come
tomorrow....when you finally get a bigger paycheck, a promotion, a new home,
a new car, a better job or a long awaited vacation.

Tomorrow may never come and it might be too late to find out
that it's not worth the wait after all. You may have the urge to apologize,
to be nice, to hug, or to simply say, "I love you" to a loved one but keep
on delaying because of ego and pride; better do or say it now as the clock is
ticking and any moment could have been your last chance.

Time waits for no one. Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you
cry alone. You have the choice of making life fast without meaning, or to make
it slow full of joy and pleasant memories. If you choose to work too hard without
rest, or to keep on living with the pains of the past and be miserable, then you are
no longer a victim of fate but a victim by choice.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have.
For in doing so, you are giving the much deserved love, care, and respect to
someone who is closest to you....which is "yourself".

5 Ways God Uses Problems

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them.

Unfortunately, most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.

Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention? "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.

People are like tea bags...if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot ever water! Has God tested your faith with a problem, what do problems reveal about you? "When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience." James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.

Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something...health, money, a relationship... by losing it. "It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws." Psalm 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.

A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good... Genesis 50:20

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. "We can rejoice when we run into problems... they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady." Romans 5:3-4

Here's the point:

God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it. But it's much easier and profitable when you cooperate with Him.

"Success can be measured not only in achievements, but in lessons learned, lives touched and moments shared along the way."

When Life Gets Tough

How do you survive when life gets tough?

How do you hang on when you are grieving, lonely or broke?

You can only tackle your problems as you would climb a mountain ...

If you go rock climbing - and you get stuck on a precipice - you suddenly
focus on the present moment! All your effort goes into your next step.

Then
your next step. Inch by inch.

Eventually you find that the worst is over.

The same strategy works for everyday life.

When things seem desperate, you can only focus on the present moment.
One problem at a time. You take a step. You get a little confidence ... and
take another step, and another.

Eventually you find that the worst is over.

If you were to worry about
a) everything you need to do in the next year, or
b) everything that could go wrong in the next year, you might go
bananas!

But you can handle one day at a time.

And whenever 24 hours is too scary, bite off five minutes at a time.
IN A NUTSHELL
All you can do is give your best effort until bedtime. Let tomorrow
take care of itself.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 21

The only way to improve the quality of your life is to improve yourself. If you want to grow your organizatin, you must grow as a leader. If you want to have btter children, you must become a better person.
- John Maxwell

Be Willing to Be a Little Outrageous to Get What You Want! by Lisa Jimenez

Some psychologists say, "If a child has not had a serious fall within the first year of life, they are being too closely guarded." Now you might not agree with that statement in regards to children, but that statement needs to be said for our adult lives. Have you had a serious fall in the past year? If not, is it because you're being too closely guarded? Are you too cautious? Too safe? Too practical? Too boring?

Your lack of courage is costing you - a lot! It is your lack of courage that keeps you from greater profits, more intimate relationships, and a life you love!

The good news is one act of courage - in any area of your life - has a powerful affect on all the other areas of your life.

Your career, your marriage, your friendships need just one outrageous act to bounce you out of a rut and into a more abundant, courageous life!

During one of my recent speeches, after sharing with my audience about the time I moved to Hawaii by myself at the age of 18, I asked them to yell out the most outrageous thing they've ever done in life. After a short pause a man yelled, "I once bought a sailboat, and I didn't know a thing about sailing!" Another shouted, "I walked away from a six-figure income to start my own business!" A lady called out, "I backpacked in Europe for a summer!" another shouted, "I met a man in a bar and married him - and we're still happily married today!"

The synergy in that room was magical! As we relived our most outrageous acts of courage, we began to paint a path to risk again.

Courage is like a muscle. It's weak until it's worked out. But it doesn't take long to build this courage muscle into a strong, fit, powerful force!

What about you?

What are your most outrageous acts of courage? Think about them. Relive them. And let these memories from the courageous side of you help empower the possibilities of today.

One courageous act leads to another. It creates a courageous mentality.

What is the one thing you are willing to do right now that's a little outrageous to get your courageous muscles back into shape?

Do it! And watch opportunity begin to open up in all areas of your life. There's something about being willing to go all out that reminds us of just how big and abundant life can be. This one act of courage is your first step that will lead you to a courageous mentality and life of abundance!

Make it a great and prosperous day.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 18

When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 17

If you're a champion you have to have it in your heart
- Chris Evert

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 16

Where we aim our thoughts is where we genrally end up, which can be at a godly destination point or in a ditch of sin and error by the side of life's highway.
- Charles Stanley

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 14

Attitude is more imortant than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say. It is more important than appearance, gifted-ness, or skill.
- Charles Swindoll

Slapped by a Friend

A story tells that two friends were walking
through the desert. During some
point of the journey they had an argument, and
one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt,
but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

They kept on walking until they found an oasis,
where they decided to take a bath. The one who
had been slapped got stuck in the mire and
started drowning, but the friend saved him.
After he recovered from the near
drowning, he wrote on a stone:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.

The friend who had slapped and
saved his best friend asked him,
"After I hurt you, you wrote in the
sand and now, you write on a stone,
why?" The other friend replied "When someone
hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds
of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone
does something good for us, we must engrave
it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND
AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 12

Every person who has become successful has simply formed the habit of doing things that failures dislike doing and will not do.
- John Maxwell

Sounds Impossible

A complaint was received by the Pontiac Division of General Motors:

This is the second time I have written to you, and I don't blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of ice cream for dessert after dinner each night.

But the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It's also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem. You see, every time I buy vanilla ice cream, when I start back from the store, my car won't start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I'm serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds: "What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?"

The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an engineer to check it out anyway. The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn't start. The engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, they got chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start. Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end, he began to take notes: he jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas used, time to drive back and forth etc. In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavor.

Now, the question for the engineer was why the car wouldn't start when it took less time. Once time became the problem - not the vanilla ice cream, the engineer quickly came up with the answer: "Vapor lock". It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the Vapor lock to dissipate.

Remember: Even crazy-looking problems are sometimes real and all problems will seem to be simple when we find the solution with cool thinking. Don't just say it's "IMPOSSIBLE" without putting a sincere effort... Observe the word "IMPOSSIBLE" carefully... You can see "I'M POSSIBLE"... What really matters is your attitude and your perception.

Accept No Limits By Vic Johnson

"A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses." - James Allen, As A Man Thinketh You are not limited to the life you now live. It has been accepted by you as the best you can do at this moment.

He quickly copied the two math problems on the board, assuming they were the homework assignment. It took him several days to work through the two problems, but finally he had a breakthrough and dropped the homework on the professor's desk the next day. Later, on a Sunday morning, George was awakened at 6 a.m. by his excited professor. Since George was late for class, he hadn't heard the professor announce that the two unsolvable equations on the board were mathematical mind teasers that even Einstein hadn't been able to answer. But George Dantzig, working without any thoughts of limitation, had solved not one, but two problems that had stumped mathematicians for thousands of years. Simply put, George solved the problems because he didn't know he couldn't.Bob Proctor tells us to "keep reminding yourself that you have tremendous reservoirs of potential within you, and therefore you are quite capable of doing anything you set your mind to. All you must do is figure out how you can do it, not whether or not you can. And once you have made your mind up to do it, it's amazing how your mind begins to figure out how." And that's worth thinking about.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 9

I've tried 99 times and I failed, on the 100th try, came success.
- Albert Einstein

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 5

When life throws you lemons, make lemonade.

The Seven C's of Success by Chris Widener

Get ready to sail the Seven C's - the Seven C's of Success that is. Learn to navigate your ship of destiny in these seven "C's" if you want to be a total success. Here they are:

1. Caring - I believe that to be a true success in this world we must have a bigger vision than simply accomplishing a goal for ourselves or simply lining our own pockets. I believe that successful people have a deep care for others. Yes, they are aggressive, but they are not aggressive to the point that they run roughshod over others.

2. Character - Becoming a success is more than increasing the digits in your bank account. In fact, I believe ANYONE can increase his or her bank account with a simple plan. Financial development is the easy part. Character development is the hard part, letting each and every experience shape and mold us as we experience them, always moving toward our goal and never allowing negative circumstances to destroy us but make us better people. This is what true success is about!

3. Choice - Eisenhower reminded us that our histories are written by choice, not by chance. Every movement you make toward your ultimate success and destiny will be because you choose to move toward it. The actions that you choose, each and every day will add up, over the long-term, to your final destination. The power we have as humans to choose is one of the greatest gifts known to mankind.

4. Concentration - Often those who fail do so because they lose their concentration. Something else comes along and becomes their newfound fancy. They move from whim to whim, tossed to and fro by the strong blowing winds. The successful person however, stands firm, with their eyes transfixed on the goal. One of my favorite posters as a boy was of George Brett of the Kansas City Royals Baseball Team. The picture was taken just as the bat was hitting the ball. Where were George's eyes? Straight down the barrel of the bat, looking at the point where the ball and bat came together. Now that is concentration!

5. Confidence - Success comes to those who have the confidence to try, and more than that, the confidence to win. Confidence is something that you can grow in your mind and heart. Each passing victory that you achieve builds more and more confidence in you to draw from the next time you go to fight another battle on your journey to success. Do what you can to build confidence inside of yourself so you will be able to dip deeply into that well when you need it!

6. Consistency - People who become a success realize that to a great degree, success is a formula. At the very least it is sticking to doing the right things for a long enough period of time for them to create their destiny. This is consistency. They consistently do the things that will bring them their success. Tiger Woods hits hundreds of practice balls each and every day. He doesn't do 100 one day, then two days off, then 500 balls, then a day off, then 300 balls, then three days off. No, he knows the power of consistency and has achieved a level of success that that consistency formulated for him.

7. Courage - Successful people are brave people. They know that even success has its challenges, yet they face them head on and move forward anyway. No mountain is too high, nor river too wide, nor foe too large for the person who will choose to live out their dreams! They are courageous people who continue on even when others have quit. And for that they receive their reward!

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 4

Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God.
- William Carey

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 3

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in his life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.
- Booker T. Washington

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Feb 2

Most people live meaningless life simply because they never decided to write their vision down and then follow through on it. Know this, if you can't see the mark, you can't press towards it.
- John Mason

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 31

Success is 10% mechanics and 90% attitude. Your altitude is determined by your attitude.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 30

It is more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Don not mistake activity for achievement.
- Abel Newcomer

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 29

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.
- Napoleon Hill

Mouse Story

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.

"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said,"Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap-- alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.

In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one anotherand make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER: EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 28

Let instruction and knowledge mean more to you than silver or the finest gold. Wisdom is worth more than preciousjewels or anything else you desire.
- Proverbs 8:10 - 11

How to Get Anything You Want in 24 Hours

Have you ever seen the Hugh Grant movie "About A Boy"?

If you haven't seen it you should rent it because it's a great movie. But if you have seen it then you'll recognize the following quote from Grant's character "Will"…

I find the key is to think of a day as units of time, each unit consisting of no more than thirty minutes. Full hours can be a little bit intimidating and most activities take about half an hour. Taking a bath: one unit, watching countdown: one unit, web-based research: two units, exercising: three units, having my hair carefully disheveled: four units. It's amazing how the day fills up, and I often wonder, to be absolutely honest, if I'd ever have time for a job; how do people cram them in?

I'll admit the title of this post is a bit misleading. It reads like you can get everything you want "in under 24 hours" but that's not what I mean by it. I used this title to not only get your attention but to demonstrate the POWER of this statement if you fully grasp it.

In order for you to accomplish anything in life you have to learn the power of INCREMENTAL SUCCESS.

Let me explain how it works…

It doesn't matter what you want to accomplish… making a million dollars, losing 50 pounds, learning to speak French, etc. In order for you to accomplish what it is that you want you MUST achieve your goal incrementally. There's no other way for it to happen - it's IMPOSSIBLE.

No one makes a million dollars without making $1 first. No one loses 50 pounds without losing 1 pound first. And no one becomes fluent in French without learning how to say "bonjour" first.

So now that we've established that accomplishing anything you want must come through incremental progress, then you realize that success is created by a series of smaller accomplishments that add up to the final goal.

The next thing for you to understand is the process of TIME UNITS.

Just as the character in About A Boy managed his entire life, you need to understand how time is applied towards incremental progress for ANYTHING you want to accomplish.The main unit of time in our lives is THE DAY. That 24-hour period that repeats again and again until one day we die. It's what we live our lives by. Every day is an important day and in order to accomplish everything you want in your life you must account for each and every day.

Do you know why the kiss of death in trying to accomplish anything in life is the old mantra of I'll start on it tomorrow?

And you know exactly what I'm talking about. You have that product you want to create. The one that will make you more money. Or that new blog to set up. Or that affiliate marketing campaign to put together. Yet somehow you easily convince yourself, "I'll start on it tomorrow." And you lose yet another day of your life that you'll never get back where you made ZERO INCREMENTAL PROGRESS.

When we are living any given day it's so easy to put things off. It's so easy to procrastinate. It's so easy to convince ourselves that tomorrow we'll start going to the gym. Tomorrow we'll start eating healthier. Tomorrow we'll do some writing that we've been putting off. Tomorrow we'll start studying Japanese.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

Well, there's a reason why most people don't accomplish that much. There's a reason why it seems like WEEKS or even MONTHS go by and you haven't accomplished things you know in your heart you really want yet you haven't made any progress towards them at all.It's because it's so easy to put things off until tomorrow.

So Here's What You Need To Understand…This is exactly what changed my life when I was struggling as an entrepreneur and really helped me break-through to finally building wealth for myself…

If you are trying to accomplish anything, in this case growing your income, you must do something every single day towards accomplishing your goal. Let me repeat that…YOU MUST DO SOMETHING EVERY SINGLE DAY TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHING YOUR GOAL.It doesn't matter how big or how small this effort has to be. It just has to be SOMETHING. So every day that passes in your life you will incrementally be closer to getting everything you want. It's a simple, yet powerful concept.

If you want to lose weight, for example, then just walk 1/2 mile each day. Not a mile. Not 5 miles. 1/2 mile. If you walk 1/2 mile each day that's like walking 3.5 miles a week. Walking 3.5 miles seems pretty far to most people. But 1/2 mile is nothing. Yet you get the same net result from walking 3.5 miles whether you accomplish it in one day or one week.

Almost anything worth accomplishing in life seems BIG when we look at it from "Step 1." Everything requires incremental progress. And most things require MANY steps to reach the finish line.

When we are faced with everything we must do to accomplish any goal it often seems so overwhelming that it's much easier to just put off starting it until another day. And that day often becomes a week, a month, a year, or more often than not… NEVER.

If you want to grow your business you must be taking action every single day that contributes towards your goal. This doesn't mean checking your email more, or looking at stats more, or "doing research" (i.e. surfing sites all day) it means putting in the work towards creating that product, or doing some writing for an article or blog post, or making a video you've been wanting to make, or setting up a site and testing some Adwords, etc. etc.

Stop letting a single day go by when you aren't making at least SOME incremental progress towards ALL your goals and it is IMPOSSIBLE that it won't change your life for the better.

Even if it's just a small step each day. Because that's a step you'll never have to do again and you'll be even closer to accomplishing your goal.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 27

The wealthiest people in the world are the ones who are conscious of their time and the most powerful people in the world are the ones who are conscious of their mind.
- Jimmy Kan

Nail in the Fence

There once was a little boy who had a bad

temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails

and told him that every time he lost his

temper, he must hammer a nail into the back

of the fence. The first day the boy had

driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next

few weeks, as he learned to control his

anger, the number of nails hammered daily

gradually dwindled down. He discovered

it was easier to hold his temper than to

drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't

lose his temper at all. He told his father

about it and the father suggested that the

boy now pull out one nail for each day that

he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally

able to tell his father that all the nails

were gone. The father took his son by the

hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You

have done well, my son, but look at the

holes in the fence. The fence will never be

the same. When you say things in anger,

they leave a scar just like this one. You

can put a knife in a man and draw it out.

It won't matter how many times you say I'm

sorry, the wound is still there. " A verbal

wound is as bad as a physical one.

Friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They

make you smile and encourage you to succeed.

They lend an ear, they share words of praise

and they always want to open their hearts to us."

Show your friends how much you care.

YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I AM HONORED!

Please forgive me if I have ever left a hole.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 26

If you want to fell rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.
- Leo Buscaglia

Birds of a Feather

The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate - for the good and the bad. The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you. Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. ! You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere. With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest an evening. --author unknown to me

"Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. The godly
give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray."
Proverbs 12:25-26 NLT

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 25

We are given one life, and the decision is ours whether to wait for circumstances to make up our mind or whether to act, and in acting, to live.
- Omar Nelson Bradley

The 7 Ups

1. Wake Up!

Decide to have a good day. "This is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!

Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!

For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything. "Let us not be weary in doing well; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up!

To the Lord. "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:136. Reach Up!

For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up!

Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING." Philippians 4:6

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 24

No one can arrive from being talented alone. God gives talent; work transforms talent into genius.
- Anna Pavlova

Remember the Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car."

"The sand and the beer is everything else--the small stuff. If you put the sand or beer into the jar first,"

he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner.. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter".

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 23

Great things are not done by impulse but by a series of small things brought together
- Vincent Van Gogh

Even Fish Needs Challenges

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish will not be fresh.

The Japanese did not like the taste. To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price. So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive.

Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish. So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan? If you were consulting the fish industry, what would you recommend? As soon as you reach your goals, such as finding a wonderful mate, starting a successful company, paying off your debts or whatever, you might lose your passion. You don't need to work so hard so you relax. You experience the same problem as lottery winners who waste their money, wealthy heirs who never grow up and bored homemakers who get addicted to prescription drugs.

Like the Japanese fish problem, the best solution is simple. It was observed by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950's. "Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment".

The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy agood problem. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are happy. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You have fun. You are alive!

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.

Therefore, instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat the heck out of them. Enjoy the game. If your challenges are too large or too numerous, do not give up. Instead, reorganize. Find more determination, more knowledge and more help. If you have met your goals, set some bigger goals. Once you meet your personal or family needs, move onto goals for your group, the society, even mankind. Don't create success and lie in it. You have resources, skills and abilities to make a difference." So, put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 22

Success is that ole A B C : Ability, Breaks, and Courage. - Charles Luckman

Shake It Off

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later,the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Life's too short!! Enjoy Your Life ; SHAKE IT OFF!

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 21

We need to give ourselves permission to act out our dreams and visions not look for more sensations, more phenomena, but live our strongest dreams - even if it takes a lifetime.
- Vijali Hamilton

Emperor's Seed

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose His successor.

Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor.

I have decided to choose one of you." The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued.

"I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"

One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about 3 weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. 6 months went by; still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing.

Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection.

Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot but his Mother said he must be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his Mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful-in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"

All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.

He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.

But:
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.

So be careful what you plant now, it will determine what you will reap tomorrow.

The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 20

Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.
- Thomas Watson

Charles Schultz's Philosophy

Charles Schultz's quiz

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your jour ney through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier?

The lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 19

Vision looks inward and becomes duty.
Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration.
Vision looks upward and becomes faith.
- Stephen S. Wise

A Lesson for Us All - Attitude

Jerry is the manager of a restaurant in America. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude.

He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today. I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood. I always choose to be in a good mood.

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I always choose the positive side of life." "But it's not always that easy," I protested. "Yes, it is," Jerry said, "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's your choice how you live your life."

Several years later, I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business: he left the back door of his restaurant open one morning and was robbed by three armed men. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him. Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or choose to die. I chose to live." "Weren't you scared?" I asked. Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me. I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action." "What did you do?" I asked. "Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything." 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'." Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that EVERY DAY YOU HAVE THE CHOICE TO EITHER ENJOY YOUR LIFE, OR TO HATE IT. The only thing that is truly yours that no one can control or take from you - is YOUR ATTITUDE, so if you can take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 18

Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars - Casey Kasem

Dreams

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze. "Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of kids.." "No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium.

As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success.

You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change . Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives... At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by
what we give. God promises a safe landing, not a calm
passage. If God brings you to it--He will bring you
through it. Lord I love You and I need You, come into
my heart, Today. For without You I can do nothing.

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 17

With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. Always let Him lead you and He will clear the road for you to follow. - Proverbs 3:5-6

A Great Attitude

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.

After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window.

"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room ..... just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it."

"It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ... just for this time in my life."

"Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories."

Daily Inpirational Thoughts - Jan 16

Remember that your work comes only moment by moment, and as surely as God calls you to work, He gives the strength to do it. - Priscilla Maurice

The Mountain Story

The Mountain Story

A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to it."

YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU!

Daily Inspirational Thoughts - Jan 15

Our Goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. - Stephen A. Brennan

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle

Some people understand life better and they call some of these people "retarded"...

At the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.

At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry.

The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said,"This will make it better."

Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story...

Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win.

"A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle"

Daily Inpirational Thoughts - Jan 14

To be successful, you must decide exactly what you want to accomplish then resolve to pay the price to get it. - Bunker Hunt

1000 Marbles

I first heard of the story from a franchise seminar and later I've received an email of the article, it's such a good story that reminds me on what matters most in life. In fact I've bought marbles at home to keep my priority focus. Enjoy Reading.

1000 Marbles

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable. A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the basement ham-shack with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.

Let me tell you about it. I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind; he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whomever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles." I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital he continued, "Let me tell you something, Tom; something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years. Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900, which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime." "Now, stick with me, Tom, I'm getting to the important part. It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail." He went on, "And by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round up 1000 marbles. I took them home and put them inside a large, clear plastic container right here in the sack next to my gear. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away. I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focus more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure that if I make it until next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a little more time. It was nice to meet you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your family, and I hope to meet you again here on the band. This is 75 Year Old Man, K9NZQ, clear and going QRT, good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop on the band when this fellow signed off. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to work on the antenna that morning, and then I was going to meet up with a few hams to work on the next club newsletter. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. And hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles...."

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you." -Winnie the Pooh

Vitamins for the Soul

Thanks for visiting my blog :) This blog Vitamins for the Soul is a collection of inspirational stories, experiences from success people, business strategies, quotes from the books, motivational news and articles that I've collected to help me motivate myself and help me Get from Where I am to Where I Want to Be. And I hope it will be a good readings for you as well to keep your fire burning and achieve what matters most in your life.