Lessons from the classics: As You Think

March 1, 2015 By

In my message to our community this week I shared a quote that is very meaningful to me. It comes from Theodore Parker whose words have also been cited by Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr.

AbracadabraHere are his thoughts about what makes a book valuable:

“The books which help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is by easy reading: but a great book that comes from a great thinker – it is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and with beauty.”

Those are the books that we seek. Those that make us think.

Those that inspire and incite us with their truth and the beauty of the ideas shared in words.

There are some books which do this so remarkably well they cannot be confined to a single reading. They require us to return to them like a well, to be replenished and reminded of their life affirming sustenance. When we find those books, they are a gift. One of those is the classic work, As a Man Thinketh from James Allen. Because this is now in the public domain you can find it readily enough and even at no cost. But that is certainly not a reflection of its value.

The version that I prefer has been revised and updated by Marc Allen. He offers in his introduction that “truth can always be stated simply”. I share that belief. Perhaps that is why these classics continue to speak to us. It is in their simplicity we find truth.

Here are ten of the simple truths in the words of James Allen:

  1. As the plant springs from, and could not be without the seed, so every one of our acts springs from the hidden seeds of our thoughts. And could not have appeared without them.
  2. We are made or unmade by ourselves.
  3. Your mind may be likened to a garden that may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild – but whether cultivated or neglected it must, and will, bring forth.
  4. We do not attract what we want, but what we are.
  5. Our wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with our thoughts and actions.
  6. Most of us are anxious to improve our circumstances, but are unwilling to improve ourselves and we therefore remain bound.
  7. We cannot directly choose our circumstances, but we can choose our thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape our circumstances.
  8. As physically weak people can make themselves strong by careful and patient training, so can people with weak thoughts make themselves strong by exercising themselves in right thinking.
  9. Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force; those who know this are ready to become something higher and stronger than mere bundles of wavering thoughts and fluctuating sensations; those who do this – align their thoughts fearlessly with their purpose – become the conscious and intelligent wielders of their mental powers.
  10. There can be no progress, no achievement, without a certain degree of sacrifice.

oak tree in acornHere is a final thought from Mr. Allen that speaks to me each time I read it because of the vivid use of imagery in the statement:

“The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul, a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.”

As we think, so we act and become. Powerful and empowering.

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

Live (Think) well.

 

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What word do you see?

January 25, 2015 By

Success-FailureOne of my favorite thoughts about perspective comes from French novelist Marcel Proust: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in making new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

Wayne Dyer says it this way: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” What I love about this truth is that it is both philosophical and practical.

From a philosophical point of view, it can compel us to see what binds us together rather than what drives us apart. From a practical point of view, it drives us to see a new purpose for talents and resources.

To see something new, we have to be open to seeing things another way. Success and failure are both there. What I see is up to me.

And what I see, will be reflected in what I do.

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

Filed Under: Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , ,

WEALTH – It’s not about the money…

January 20, 2015 By

Wealth LetterpressJim Rohn, an early mentor in my life taught that the major reason for setting any goal is what it is going to make of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get. This is very true when it comes to goals that we set for ourselves and wealth.

What is your wealth goal? Close your eyes with me for a moment and let’s transport ourselves forward to that place where you have reached your wealth goal. You are there! Perhaps you’ve achieved your first profitable year in your business. Maybe for you it’s reaching that first year with a six figure income. Or perhaps it’s a seven figure income or even eight figures. Are you there? Can you see it? Are you smiling yet? Good! Now join me back here in this present day.

The point of that exercise is to take you forward mentally and emotionally. Getting to that point will change you. You will not get there without growing and evolving from who you are today. But what exactly will bring that transformational change and what does it mean in your life?

Let’s break it down.  W-E-A-L-T-H

The W of wealth is really quite simple. It’s completely going back to the basics. It’s about WORK. As we work our way to wealth, the work we do, how we do it and our mastery of it is going to change. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase before that your net worth is in your net work. I’m going to challenge that and ask you to think about it this way: Your net worth will never exceed your SELF worth. Your self-worth is impacted more than anything else by the self esteem and confidence that grows from the accomplishments in your work.

So what is next? The E in wealth is about your EXPERIENCES.  What are you experiencing in life? This is not about expertise, it is about the experience. Where are you going to go on this journey? What are you going to see? What are you going to experience? When I speak with highly successful people and they talk about their life, they talk about what they have experienced. They are collecting experiences and they are being enriched. A wealthy lifestyle is not about what you have. It is about how you use what you have, starting today. What experiences are you creating in your life?

Right after E, we come back to the beginning of the alphabet – A. This is also where I believe we come back to the beginning of setting ourselves up for sustainable success and that is our ASSOCIATIONS. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with in any area of your life.  We like our comfort zones and that includes keeping people close by that are comfortable. But the truth is that we need people that challenge us. Not as competitors, but as co-creators in this life. Associations go beyond just what people have attained or the goal you are stretching for. They also represent an alignment of values. And it is one of the best ways to connect. What causes are you associating with and who else is there? Those associations are priceless and beyond measure because of the WORK you will do together.

With L we find the wealth of LEARNING, of knowledge. But not just in the knowing, the wealth happens with understanding. Whatever we want to achieve in life requires us to be continuously learning. In today’s world, there is no static platform that is sustainable. Personal and professional growth is required. We need to take it in.  As much information as we can about the skills and values we care about.  That is what being a lifelong learner is about.  It is a simple matter of curiosity and taking it in.

As we progress on our road to success we will certainly learn to cherish the wealth of T: TIME. One of the results of the journey is being smarter about how we invest our time and our partnership with it.  Of the three resources we have at our disposal (money, energy, time) it is only one that is finite. Because of that, its value is increased.

Which brings us to H: On our journey to and through wealth, it is about HEALTH.  Everything about our lives is impacted by our health. There is little point to reaching your other goals if you are not able to enjoy them. But let’s talk about this for a moment because sometimes I believe we confuse some of these terms. Health is a broad subject. A question to ask ourselves is this: “What are you tolerating that you can change?” When was the last time you were at the dentist, got your eyes checked, had an annual physical? Ladies – did you get your mammogram this year? Do more than share posts about Breast Cancer Awareness. Go get them checked! Be here at your best so you can serve at your best.

These six areas represent the forms of WEALTH where mastery will give you value beyond any monetary goals you achieve. These areas are also a great starting point for creating your Life Plan. When you are at your summit, what do each of these look like? Where are you today? How will you get there? Develop a strategy for true wealth and get started!

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

Live your WEALTH!

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Success & Significance, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The gift of a day…

January 5, 2015 By

AbracadabraThis post originally published here on my blog on May 11, 2013. Since then I have read the book mentioned a second time and it continues to speak to me with each reading. There are a few books in my library where that is true.

I read Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist at the end of every December as my last book of the year. It also continues to speak to me. I’ve been giving thought lately to the power of books in my life. As Charlie “Tremendous” Jones taught us: The progress we make is largely going to be the result of the people we meet and the books we read.

Because of technology platforms, we also can take in information, sights and sounds that have the capacity to move us, to inspire us on our journey. That’s also something this post highlights through the video that is shared. You may have already seen it but it’s another one of those pieces where we can gain something from each experience of it.

And so I share it all with you again. Because today is not just another day. It is the one day that is given to you today.

Live well.

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

Typically, I know within the first few pages of a book when I begin reading if it’s going to move me to an experience that transforms.

It certainly doesn’t happen with every book, even some that I immensely enjoy.  But there is something, sometimes that goes directly to the soul.

I started a new book this morning that may become one of those books.  If the first chapter is any indication, it will be.  It is Greater by Steven Furtick.  It’s about spirituality and purpose which is something of high priority for me but it’s also quite contemporary in terms of context which is very refreshing.

One line from the first few pages leapt out and really did stop my eyes in their tracks.  He said that “The thing is, most believers aren’t in imminent danger of ruining their lives. They’re facing a danger that’s far greater: wasting them.”  The fundamental truth of that should inspire all of us to guard against it.

As I meet people when I speak or in my interactions as a life coach, it has become more and more clear that we have this desire to focus on the long term, the big picture.  And that is important.  There is no doubt that we have to have a vision.  But we must also remember that the vision has to be refined and experienced every day.  Because that’s where lives change.  Not what we want to accomplish a year from now, what we’re doing today.  Today is the gift.  Not next year, not even tomorrow, today.  As we look at calendars, to-do lists and schedules it is what we must be mindful of every moment.  We can have grand plans for the coming year and yet waste today.  So that is where we begin.  Today.  I believe that if we want to live our best lives, we must live our best days.

Recently, I came across a video I had seen before but this time it lingered with me.  And when I read Steven Furtick’s words this morning it came rushing back and I had to find it and watch it again.  It’s a wonderful inspirational piece about gratitude and the gift of time and place.

Here are the opening words:

“You think this is just another day in your life.

It’s not just another day.

It’s the one day that is given to you today.

It’s given to you. It’s a gift.

It’s the only gift that you have right now.

And the only appropriate response is gratefulness.”

 

 

Filed Under: Inspiration & Creativity, Personal thoughts & insights, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , ,

The miracle of perspective: The beauty of change in progress

December 28, 2014 By

If we go back to the beginning of this year and play the movie we created with our lives, there will be moments that stand out. And there will be moments our memory may miss. Those moments are still there, they just weren’t captured as vividly. But each in their own way contributed to where we are now. Sometimes the best way to fully understand the depth and beauty of our growth is to think of our life using time lapse photography as a guide.

The video shared below can help. Experience the beauty of change with this incredible time lapse photography project from Czech Republic-based photographer Katka Pruskova.

Coaching insight: Imagine that this reflects our journey of personal growth.  We open up to our world by degrees but there is beauty at every mark in the journey. Whatever our experiences have been this past year, they have contributed to our life today. Each day we lived, we were moving forward in the sequence of growth.

Now imagine that you have the ability to influence and create that change. Because you do. While these images are insightful, the most significant difference is that the flower had no choice; it could and did only react to pre-destined DNA and its environment. We on the other hand have a choice. Every day. Every moment.

What will you choose?

Live well.

Live today like you want tomorrow to be.

 

Filed Under: Inspiration & Creativity, Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , ,

What’s in a word: Magic or mindset?

December 17, 2014 By

make it happen conceptWhat’s in a word? Sometimes quite a bit. Words are powerful. They can be tools that build or weapons that destroy.

Did you know that the word abracadabra used by magicians has its origins in a phrase that means: “I create as I speak”?

We can use words to create our best life and experiences. We can speak and make it happen.

Here are some words that can help us create as we speak:

“Begin with the end in mind.” That’s your strategy.

“Live today like you want tomorrow to be.” That’s your success formula.

These two series of words allow us to experience a fulfilled life that enriches us and many generations to follow. Our signature “abracadabra”.

Another foundational practice with words is selecting a guidance or focus word each year for the coming twelve months. This is not just a random word. Its selection is very deliberate. It could be in response to the previous year or it might be in preparation for the coming year. Perhaps even a combination of the two.

For example, the year that my guidance word was gratitude I was going through a health challenge. My decision to focus on gratitude was significant. Being thankful and seeing life through the lens of grace can and does change your perspective about everything!

Why does it work? Because it goes beyond the word as it “speaks” and changes our mindset. We are choosing a mindset represented by a word. That mindset creates our reality by controlling our perception. When I approach life everyday from the perspective of gratitude, I see everything I have for which I’m grateful. Wayne Dyer expresses it in these words: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Imagine that you have always operated within what you thought were reasonable limits. Now imagine that believe is the guidance word you adopt. The mindset you accept is to believe in yourself wholly and without reservation. The result is going to be astonishing. I have witnessed this first hand with great joy for one particular friend in 2014.

With each passing year, as the dimension of my life continues to deepen I find that my expectations grow higher in this practice. As I am reflecting on this past year and looking forward to 2015, there are three words that continue to float to the surface: Focus, Finish, First. The personal meaning for each of them is clear to me. So clear in fact that for 2015, I may adopt three guidance words vs. one. It may be a first!

What about you? Is this a practice you employ? If not, consider adding this to your personal leadership quest for 2015. If a year seems overwhelming, try choosing something for 30 days and then just continue.

Don’t worry if more than one word comes to mind. Write them down. Put them on 3 x 5 cards or sticky notes. Keep them in front of you every day for awhile. See which ones continue to really resonate. Then begin to ask yourself how your life will change if you make that guidance word your chosen mindset. Is that the growth you seek? Is that the legacy you want to live? If so, you’ll come to a place of peace for that decision.

Don’t be alarmed if a surprise word comes into the picture. The word FIRST was a surprise to me. But it’s perhaps the most important of the three I’m living with for now. Because FIRST for me is about leaving my comfort zone. It’s about giving me permission to explore and try new things in my life. Rather exciting when you think about it!

So what’s in a word? Whatever you choose for it to be. Choose wisely! And then get ready for magic!

Begin with the end in mind. Then choose today what you want tomorrow to be.  Then live that.

Live well.

Filed Under: Learning & Growth, Possibilities & Perspective, Winds of Change Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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