SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

It occasionally happens that you become disappointed in yourself. When that occurs, choose to transform that disappointment into determination. Many times you will become disappointed by the words or actions of others. At such times, you can take the power of that disappointment and transform it into effective, purposeful determination. Experiencing the shortfalls in life can actually give you increased positive energy to create real improvements. You have the opportunity to take a bad thing and transform it into a good thing. Disappointment is powerful because it commands your attention, and focuses your thoughts on what you envision for life. When you feel that happening, what you’re feeling is the chance to make a positive change in your approach. So go ahead, and feel the legitimate disappointment, but don’t let it disappoint you for long. Know right away that you can let it inspire you, motivate you, and create an unstoppable determination. Grab the opportunity that disappointment...

The vast majority of what you consider problems, when viewed in a historical context, are nothing more than trivial inconveniences. That’s because a whole lot of people who came before you made the choice to leave life better than they found it. By the standards of that same historical context, if you’re not improving life, you’re not living fully. No matter where you are or what you have, you always have the opportunity to move life positively forward. You have the capacity to be creative, productive and effective. To the extent you utilize that capacity, you experience life’s richness. Those problems, those trivial inconveniences, don’t have to slow you down for more than a short while. You are far more powerful than any problem that might come along. In fact, the challenges give you all sorts of ways to utilize your capabilities and to create new value. Get out there, meet those challenges head on, and discover how you can connect to the best life has to offer. Step back from the da...

Have a little more patience, and you’ll have a lot less stress. Take a deep, relaxing, refreshing breath, and allow life to unfold as it will.  Don’t take it as a major personal affront if someone else is not as quick or as competent as you would like. Find a way to enjoy the moment rather than poison it.  Instead of being obsessed about what you might be missing, be thankful for what you have. Instead of being so anxious about what’s next, focus on the richness of what’s now.  Let go of the life-wasting need to prove how important you think you are. Put your energy into improving how good and helpful and creative you truly are.  Enjoy the journey, and enjoy the rich, unique qualities of those who journey with you. Expect the absolute best of life, while giving your vision plenty of time to unfold.  Have a little more patience. Give your life and your world, and all the others in it, the time they deserve.

If there’s a problem, work on it. Instead of wishing there was no problem, or complaining, feeling sorry for yourself, or running away from the problem, work on it.  Sooner or later you’re going to have to work on it. So make it sooner, and get the problem behind you.  If there’s something you would like to create in your life, work on it. Work on it, and bring it out of the realm of fantasy into the living reality of your world.  Any situation can be improved when you work on it. Though it does indeed seem simple and obvious, you always benefit by reminding yourself to work on it.  You don’t have to remain stuck, or frustrated, discouraged or ineffective. Work on it, and feel the unique joy of making real progress.  Life is a blessing, and in countless ways you can make it even more so. Work on it, and discover again and again how much good you can do. 

Expressing outrage is a very poor way to show how much you care. In fact, too many people use the dramatic expression of outrage as a substitute for actual caring and commitment.  The way to truly care is not with loud, abrasive outrage. It is with beneficial, sustained effort.  Nobody really benefits from anyone else being offended and outraged. What people benefit from are quiet acts of kindness, encouragement, support, respect and generosity.  Instead of loudly proclaiming your values, consider all the many ways you can live them. Instead of putting on a show, put forth some real, sustained, helpful effort.  Lashing out is a sure sign of weakness. Living with goodness, quiet determination and generosity is evidence of true strength.  Be strong, and skip the outrage. Be strong, and make the necessary effort, again and again, to make the world a better place. 

You will be miserable when you choose to be miserable. You will be happy when you choose to be happy. You don’t need a certain job or activity, or a certain collection of possessions, or a specific set of circumstances in order to enjoy life. You must simply choose to enjoy life. You can choose in any situation to feel whatever way you wish to feel. When you choose to feel empowered, fulfilled and positively purposeful, you are. Do you wish to be old, young, rich, poor, smart, foolish, useless or highly effective? It is all in the way you look at life, and all in the way you choose. Yes, there are solid objective realities about which you cannot do very much. What matters to you, though, is your subjective viewpoint, which is always yours to choose. You are the way you choose to be. Choose your own unique greatness, and your choice makes life greater with each passing day.

Quality questions create a quality life. They direct our mental focus and therefore determine how we think and feel. The difference in the quality of people’s lives often comes down to the difference in the questions they consistently ask themselves. If you ask a disempowering question (i.e. “Why does this always happen to me?”), your mental computer will look for an answer, even if it has to make something up! It might come up with “Because you’re stupid” or “Because you don’t deserve to do well anyway.” On the flip side, if you ask an empowering question, such as “How can I take this experience and use it to contribute to others?” your brain will look for answers to this question and often come up with an answer that not only makes you feel better, but that can help others as well. The key is to develop a pattern of questions that empower you. The following questions are designed to help you experience more happiness, excitement, pride, gratitude, joy, commitment and love every day o...