SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

The smartest people are those who don’t feel the need to tell you all they know. The most accomplished people are those who don’t feel the need to talk about all they’ve done. Build on what you know rather than smugly sitting on it and talking about it. Listen, truly listen, and you will learn. Make good and generous use of your achievements and you won’t have to announce them. Find fulfillment not in seeking praise but in working to have a meaningful, positive affect on the world. Be smarter, richer, more satisfied and more at peace with life by being genuinely humble. Get your ego out of the way of your ability to bring great value to life. Genuine humility is smart. Genuine humility is powerful in a way that benefits all of life. Be smart, and powerful, and a creator of great value. Get beyond the confines of your ego and, with true humility, live a life that lifts up all the world.

It is really not that difficult to do what is right. And doing what is right can make all the difference in the world.  Don’t settle merely for what is convenient or popular or glamorous. Insist on doing what is right.  This is your life and it is worth more than you can ever imagine. Honor and fulfill that awesome potential by doing what is right.  Do what is right, not to impress or gain favor. Do what is right simply, and powerfully, because it is right.  Would you like to live in a world where people are driven by their highest ideals and best instincts? Then let that world begin with you, today. Do what is right, and you’ll have no lasting regrets. Do what is right, and put yourself on the side of truth, goodness, and the best of life.

Now is your chance to make life better. Now is your chance to do something that will make a positive difference.  Now is your chance, so take it, live it, give yourself to it and transform this fleeting moment into lasting value. Step boldly and decisively past any hesitation, and create new richness in this precious life of yours.  Life is always challenging in all sorts of ways, and you can choose to see that as a good thing. Accept the unique challenges of this day, put your positive energy into working through them, and you’ll quickly realize what a great opportunity you’ve been given.  You’ve known how beautiful love can be, and now is your chance to give it. You’ve felt how great it feels to build, to create, to achieve, and now is your chance to do more.  This is not a time for complaints, for excuses, or for turning a blind eye to your best possibilities. This is your time to fill your whole self with a zest for living and to fulfill those great possibilities...

It’s not really so hard to get up and get going. It’s mainly a matter of changing the story you tell yourself.  Every day you’re strengthening your habits and assumptions with the things you do and the things you tell yourself. Every moment you have the opportunity to become more energetic, more focused, more purposeful and successful.  If you sit around telling yourself that you’re too tired and that life is unfair, guess what? You’re creating a reality with your inaction and with those negative, self-defeating thoughts.  Instead, get up, move around, do something useful and caring, being thankful all the while. Remind yourself of life’s best possibilities and jump at every opportunity to have a positive impact.  Is the story you’re telling yourself holding you back, keeping you inactive and unmotivated? If so, it’s time for a new, improved story, and you can start telling yourself that story right now.  You deserve the best, so remind yourself to get busy and ...

In ways large and small, life can often be disappointing. Yet in every case, you don’t have to let the disappointing events keep you disappointed or discouraged.  For as disappointing as life can be, there is always something positive you can do. What you do next is what truly matters, and you can choose a positive step no matter what. In each disappointment there is a priceless gift. That gift is the opportunity you get to become more determined and purposeful and positively motivated.  Each time, choose to accept that gift, to take that opportunity and to embrace its great value. Quickly use it to transform the energy of disappointment into the energy of achievement.  When you think about it, the choice is actually an easy one. Would you rather waste your life and crush your spirit with resentment and retribution, or do you want to feel great about making a positive difference? Make the choice to honor your life, to honor all of life, by making your next step a positive...

When you have a good enough reason, you can figure out a way. Give yourself a reason, and give yourself the energy necessary to move forward. Without a good reason, any excuse or distraction will be enough to stop you cold. Without a good reason, you’re prone to complaining and questioning your work, rather than doing it. So give yourself a reason. If you can’t come up with a powerful and inspiring reason, then consider doing something else, something that will have a solid reason behind it. When you know what the reward is, and when that reward is something you really desire, nothing can stop you. Connect with the reason, connect with the reward, connect with the purpose, and you’ll naturally move toward it no matter what. Everything you do has consequences. Remind yourself, again and again, of the positive consequences of your efforts, and you’ll find the most effective way be persistent in making those efforts. Give yourself a reason, and you’ll give yourself a way. Give yourself a ...

When you’re going through a negative experience, it takes real work to see the positive in it. Yet when you can do that work, there’s no limit to the difference you can make. Great achievements very often grow out of great difficulties. Those who see the opportunity, and act on it, truly move the world forward. When you’re buried in trouble, disappointment, frustration and confusion, it seems like you can’t possibly see anything good in it. Yet that good is there, those positive possibilities are there, and when you have the strength and the foresight to look, you’ll begin to see them. One big key is to not take the difficult times personally, even though they may feel extremely personal. Step back, give yourself some objectivity, and you’ll start to see the situation differently. Instead of worrying, complaining or feeling sorry for yourself, adopt a counterintuitive strategy of being thankful. Be thankful for the goodness that will come out of your troubles, and you’ll be able to bri...

Rarely can you make an effective argument just by talking. The way to convince people of your point of view is to live that point of view. Live what you believe, day in and day out. No amount of scolding or cajoling or persuasive rhetoric can equal that. If you have trouble getting people to believe you or take you seriously, it’s probably because your actions don’t completely agree with your words. Do what you say, consistently, without fail, and your credibility will grow. Rather than explain how much you care, show how much you care. Connect with others on a personal level, and be of genuine service. The most persuasive way to talk, is to walk your talk. Let your actions and the way you live your life demonstrate who you are.  What you say can make a big difference, but only if it is fully supported by what you do. Walk your talk, and both your walking and your talking will get great things done

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be responsible, reliable, dependable and level-headed, but don’t get all bent out of shape when you stumble, or when the world knocks you around. It’s foolish to ignore the problems and hope they’ll go away. Yet it can also be powerful to laugh at your troubles and to know that you’ll eventually get yourself far beyond them. Be ambitious, focused and diligent, but don’t beat yourself up when you occasionally wander off track. When it happens, just see what’s there to see, have some new experiences, gain some new wisdom, and calmly move yourself back in your intended direction. Do less complaining and judging. Do more laughing and sharing.  Plan well, and work your plan, but don’t act like it’s the end of the world if things occasionally don’t go according to the plan. Make some adjustments, remember to smile, and you’ll be just fine. Much of life is indeed serious business, but being uptight about it doesn’t add any value. Loosen up, enjoy the mom...

It is tempting to think you can cheat, and receive more out of life than you give. It’s tempting to think you can shortcut the process of achievement, and create great, meaningful value with little or no effort. Even the wisest, most sophisticated, experienced achievers can be tempted by the promise of something for nothing. The problem is, that promise is never fulfilled. Yes, it may seem that you’re able to cheat life for a while. However, whatever you might manage to gain by doing so will ultimately have no value to you. That’s because the real value of life is in the doing, in the creating, in the work, not merely in the possessing. The real value is in making a difference, and there’s no way you can cheat your way to that. In fact, giving in to the temptation of something for nothing will actually put more distance between you and the fulfillment you seek. Though the temptation can be highly enticing, it helps to remember that it will always set you back. What you really want is n...

There is a whole big, beautiful world out there. From where you are, you can gain access to the very best of it. It’s easy to become dismayed when you focus too long on your own immediate surroundings. It can feel like you are stuck, and like all the best opportunities have already played out. Yet that’s not the case at all. Every day, countless numbers of people are living lives of true fulfillment, and that fulfillment is really not so far away from you. Although your choices may seem limited, that’s just because of your limited perspective. Look around, look outward, open your mind and your senses to more of what’s going on in this big, beautiful world. If the news seems to all be negative, that’s because the good things are so common and so pervasive that they are not considered news. Despite the urgings of those who profit from your fear, the world is filled with goodness and value. Step away from your comfortable habits, assumptions and routines. There’s a whole big, beautiful wo...

Remember your mistakes, and what you learned from them, and apply those lessons as you move forward. Remember your successes, and how great they felt, and inspire yourself to create more.  Live in the present, well informed by the past. Work toward a bright future, carrying all the best treasures you’ve collected along the way. Though you cannot change what has already happened, you can choose precisely what to take from it. Let go of the pain, while holding on to the wisdom and joy. Remember where you started, and realize how far you’ve come. Remember how much effort you’ve invested, and honor that investment by building on it in each new moment. Remember all those who have given you love, support, and encouragement along the way. Remember how good that felt, and remember that there are those who would benefit from your help right now. Remember how rich and meaningful life can be. Then step forward and make this day better than anything you can remember.

Today, in the everyday details of life, feel your purpose. Today, as you choose how to spend your time, live your purpose.  Your life has unique meaning and the potential for much more meaning. Stay true to the real, living, authentic person you are, and fulfill that potential.  You know what feels right for you and what feels wrong. Pay attention to that feeling, and remind yourself to stick with what’s right.  Enjoy and explore, learn and love, create, support and empower all that is important to you. You have meaningful work to do, and a beautiful vision to express, and today is your opportunity to do it. Don’t let yourself get too conceited or too dismayed by what others think or say about you. Do what you know is good and right, and in line with your purpose, and all will work out for the best.  Live true to your deeply felt purpose. And you will truly live well.

To make something special in your life, invest yourself in it. To give richness and meaning to a particular place, or a relationship, or a job or other experience, give some meaningful part of yourself to it. If you have no stake in it, you won’t get any real joy or fulfillment from it. Just because something is expensive or impressive or popular doesn’t mean that it will enrich your life. You don’t have to have the biggest, brightest or fanciest. You just have to really care, really give, and make a living investment. Life is overflowing with great opportunity because it is constantly giving you ways to make a difference. By giving your time, your care, your interest and your love, you transform generic abundance into personal treasure. The more you invest of yourself, the more valuable that treasure grows. Whatever is already meaningful to you can be made even more meaningful with your care, attention and effort. Invest meaning,  1 knowledge earn n shared,  2 time spend to b...

A great way to get things done is to already be getting things done. To be highly productive, establish and maintain some productive momentum. Momentum is a powerful thing. A body at rest has a strong tendency to stay at rest, and a body in motion has the same strong tendency to continue in motion. Get yourself in motion, and you’re much more likely to stay in motion. Get started on something, and you’re well on your way to doing everything that must be done. If you’re having trouble getting motivated to do a particular task, then start working on something else. The important thing is to get yourself going, to get the productive and creative juices flowing. When you feel the satisfaction of making a difference in one area, you’re much more eager to make a positive difference in another area. Just get started on something, establish a strong momentum, and let that momentum pull you forward. Life gets better the more you put some good, solid effort into it. Go ahead, make that initial e...

If there’s something you must deal with sooner or later, sooner is better. If it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be even more difficult when you keep putting it off and putting it off. Go ahead and act. Go ahead, deal with it, and get it out of the way. Instead of putting your energy into worry, anxiety and procrastination, put your energy into handling the situation. Do yourself a favor, and quickly do what must be done, so you won’t waste your life dreading it and avoiding it. Don’t obsess over how difficult or inconvenient it is. Instead, remind yourself how great you’ll feel to get beyond it. Get out ahead of what you must do by going ahead and getting it done. That puts you in the enjoyable position of being able to do whatever you choose to do. Life has its burdens and necessities, and you have what it takes to deal with them. Deal with them quickly, decisively and successfully, and free yourself to live on your own highest terms.

Aim higher and you will end up higher. Expect more of yourself and you will end up getting more from yourself.  Yes, it makes sense to base your expectations for the future on what has happened in the past. But although it makes sense, it doesn’t make for a very effective strategy.  Choose instead to base your expectations not on what you’ve already experienced, but on what you wish to see happen. Raise your level of ambition to match the highly worthy and capable person you surely are.  Challenge yourself to grow, to improve, to become stronger, more capable and more highly accomplished. All these things add value not only to your life, but also to all of life.  You owe it to yourself, to others and to the world to aim higher, to reach higher, and to work your way higher. After all, you’re part of life, and the miraculous fact of your existence obligates you to make all of existence the best it can be.  You’ve already done much, and you can do much more. Aim hi...

A new and beautiful world has come into being on this day. Explore it, enjoy it, appreciate it and make the most of it.  You have the priceless privilege of being here to experience this one-of-a-kind day. Use the opportunity to add meaningful richness to each of its moments.  See the positive possibilities, and act on them. Embrace the challenges, and find great satisfaction in moving successfully through them.  All the work you have done and all the moments you have lived have brought you to this day. Honor its rich legacy with the way you choose to live it.  There are new possibilities to fulfill, new wonders to behold, new relationships to be forged and new experiences to live. Get going with enthusiasm and with the commitment to make new goodness from it all.  You have the good fortune of being right here, right now in this new and beautiful world. Grab hold of the opportunity and live it to the fullest.  Either you are on top or at the bottom it's an ...