SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

Live by intention, not by reaction. Consciously choose your actions and they will be far more rewarding. Instead of being a slave to the negativity of others, be the master of your own positive and purposeful life. Decide precisely how you wish to live, and then focus your energy on following that course. Keep in mind that excuses make you a victim, so let go of any urge to create those excuses. Choosing to unconditionally take responsibility for your life is what will make life rich and full. Living intentionally and responsibly is difficult, inconvenient and won’t always make you the most popular person around. Ultimately, though, it is always the choice that creates the true, meaningful value you seek. Live fully in each moment, but don’t live just for the moment. Live so that your very best possibilities continue to unfold as time goes on. You know that there is great, unique value and goodness within you. Live each day with purposeful intention, and joyfully give that value and go...

Life is amazing, so be amazed. Instead of acting like you’ve seen it all before, live as though you’re seeing it all for the first time. You are in fact experiencing this bright new moment for the very first time. So look carefully, lovingly, and with the highest of expectations. Take an interest in what you’re doing, in where you are, and in every part of life you touch. There is new treasure to be discovered everywhere, so find as much as you can. Let yourself be curious about whatever crosses your path. Let yourself be fascinated by what you see and what you learn. There is never any reason to be bored. Embrace a vision of life that is endlessly fascinating and truly amazing. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, be amazed. And your life, along with your whole world, will indeed be amazing.

When you doubt yourself and your efforts, keep working. Your creative energy, persistently applied, will soon make the doubt go away. When you’re simply not making any progress, keep working. The breakthrough you seek may be just one more effort away. When you’ve enjoyed a great success, keep working. Instead of resting on your achievements, make them even more meaningful by making good use of them. When it feels like all your energy is drained, keep working. Your determined efforts will create their own energy. When you’re not sure what to do, keep working. The more you do, the more you learn, and the more clearly you’ll be able to see the way forward. Life works best when you keep working at it. Keep working, and keep making life truly amazing.

Even the smallest positive effort can create a radical shift in your perspective. Even the smallest positive effort can begin to create a powerful, forward-focused momentum. If it seems you’re going through a bad stretch, make the choice to change your momentum. Then step decisively forward and act on that choice. The way to change something is to do something. You can wish and worry and complain until you’re blue in the face, yet nothing good is likely to happen until you act to make it happen. When you avoid any effort, life can seem endlessly overwhelming. Yet the moment you start to do something you’re suddenly connected, almost as if by magic, to all kinds of positive options. Though you may not feel like it, and though you may have to do it on faith, take a small positive step. Make a little effort in a good and positive direction, and you’ll be making a big change in your momentum. Your actions absolutely can make a difference, so choose to use that power. Act to give your momen...

Certainly life has its pains and disappointments, but you don’t have to totally invest yourself in them. Life has its setbacks and injustices, but you don’t have to identify yourself by them. You can acknowledge and deal with the negativity without letting it get to you. You can live in a world that is sometimes harsh and cruel without choosing to see yourself as a victim. Sure, there are lots of difficulties that come along. Yet there are even more positive possibilities to live for. Instead of letting the difficulties get you down, let them inspire you. Let them inspire you to focus more intently on the good, valuable and beautiful aspects of life. No life is free of pain, inconvenience, frustration or challenge. However, there is no law that says you have to let those negative things completely overwhelm your awareness. Take the difficulties in stride, and then be sure to move quickly on to the joys. No matter what has happened, remember that joy can always be your next experience.

Your intentions can be enormously powerful, yet they must be clear, specific and meaningful. If you just have a vague idea of the results you intend, the results you actually get will have little value. Decide what you wish to do today, or this month, or this year, and make it precise. In order to be fully committed, you must know exactly what you’re committed to doing. The more clearly you visualize your intentions, the more powerful you make them. When you can see exactly where you’re going, you can also find realistic and workable ways to get there. The power of your intentions also comes from the strength of purpose behind them. When they’re solidly connected to what’s meaningful in your life, then you’ll put your best efforts into making those intentions happen. Your intentions are powerful precisely because they enable you to focus and harness your substantial energy. Your intentions bring results because they compel you to create those results. Make them clear and meaningful, an...

Some of the most interesting and valuable experiences are the ones you don’t expect. Surprises can bring into your life good things you never knew were there. It’s comfortable to stick with the same old routine, but comfort is overrated. Choose to regularly jump out of that routine, and get yourself in situations where you can be surprised. Learn to look forward to the difficult, the unusual and the unknown. When you’re not sure what you’ll find, you’re more likely to find something that will bring new richness to your life. You are superbly able to be curious, innovative and adaptable, so make use of those powerful abilities. Step out of the comfortable box that houses everything you already know, and enjoy exploring unfamiliar territory. If you were a typical child, you loved surprises. Make it a point to get some of that magic back. Go where you can surprise yourself. And experience firsthand just how fascinating and rich your life can be.