Hmmm

I should be lucky I have a job. While having dinner alone in the hotel diner, I saw Richard Quest host his show Quest Means Business and he showed the lives of two people in the USA who lost their jobs. One was unemployed for 2 months while the other was out of a job for 8 months now. And life isnt getting any better for them. Ouch. In the current economic times, those of us who have jobs to do, should do them well, complain less and be grateful that we're employed. And its not because we're skilled that we have jobs. There are others out there who are even more skilled than we are but unemployed. Timing plays a big part. You could be one of them. So never look down on the jobless, their just like you and me. Help them out when you can. Remember Lion King and the Circle of Life - you and I are all part of the Big Circle of Life - dont forget it. Samir, if you're reading this, thanks for my job.

On another note, I watched Liverpool struggle to beat Leeds United 1-0. Leeds United is three divisions down the English league but at times looked like they were the Premier League team and not their opponent. Without Steven Gerrard, Liverpool looked a pale comparison of themselves, a real let down. It's no wonder Manchester United will win the league again this year and become the most successful team in England, surpassing the only history that Liverpool had all these years.

Skills make all the difference. No matter how good of a personality you have, its not going to help you if you cant do a decent job. No amount of positive thinking can substitute hard work and skills. You can only bluff you way through life to a certain extent. After that, people will know what you're really made off. So keep studying, reading and thinking. Polish your skills daily. Sharpen your mind. Persevere and never give up.

Tomorrow the traffic will be back to normal. Cars clogged along the highway to Victoria Island. Commute time to and from work will be around 45 minutes. Good time to catch up on some reading. It's so relaxing not driving to work. I dont feel so drained when reaching work, as I do in KL when I drive on my own.

Got another visit to the hospital tomorrow. Just to double check that I am all okay.

Good night.

Why Me? - Arthur Ashe

ONE PARAGRAPH WHICH EXPLAINS LIFE!

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983.

From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

To this Arthur Ashe replied:

"The world over -- 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD 'Why me?'. And today in pain I should not be asking GOD 'Why me?' "

Why Is My Cross So Heavy?

All of us carry our crosses daily. And all of them are heavy. Why does God do this to us? Maybe this illustration will help...

Remember, all our crosses, not matter how large or small they may seem, is specifically made to help us through our lives. Dont compare your cross with someone else's. Your cross is special. It is made for you, for your future.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I'm just through the introduction and here's what I have gathered so far about The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Is your map correct?

If you're in KL and bought a map of KL, you'd expect to find the location of buildings and streets easily. But what if the map was wrongly named? What if that map was actually of Selangor but was mistakenly tagged KL. You can motivate yourself to find the location to the best of your abilities, but you wont be able to. You can work on your behaviour – trying harder, running harder, not giving up when people tell you that they don't know where the place is. But all of this isn't going to get you to where you want to go. Why? Because you're using the wrong map.

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, maps are your paradigm – your view of the world, which is always clouded by your experience. Both of us can view the same incident but we'll both internalize the incident differently, based on our experience. That is why the elderly always smile seeing the young one's rush around in circle over petty issues. The young ones haven't had that experience to add to the paradigm.

What Covey is trying to say is that if you're going around in circle and not being able to achieve what you want, then maybe you could be following the wrong map.

That's as far as I have gotten, I'll delve further to see how to refine my map!

Evan Almighty - What I Learned From It.

I am not a movie critic, nor do I watch a lot of movies. The only reason why I watched Evan Almighty was because of my wife. She insisted that I leave the Internet for a couple of hours and head over to the big screen.

The fact that Morgan Freeman was acting made me think it would be a good movie. Was it? It was but I was disappointed that the story line wasn't any deeper.

Would I encourage you to watch it? Not if you have a better film to watch.

What did I take away from the film? One very important concept. When you ask God for something, he doesn't give it to you. Instead, he gives you the opportunity to go and get what you want. If you ask God for a happy marriage, God gives you the opportunities to make the marriage happy. If you ask God for more money, God gives you opportunities to get the money, like small projects from friends and so forth.

God gives, but He gives subtly. We're so blinded by the rat race that we don't see it.

Have you been in the situation where you have some extra cash at the end of the month and then suddenly, the car breaks down or the washing machine dies? What will you think? Will you think, "Why, oh, why must God curse with this especially when I have a little money to spend on my family?". Wouldn't it be better to thank God that the car and washing machine had to break down when you have some money to spare. Think of what would have happened if God allowed the washing machine and car to break down when you had no money - how would you get to work? Wouldn't that cost you more money taking the bus or cab to work? How will your wife wash the clothes? Laundry would be expensive.

When something happens, always ask yourself, "What is God trying to teach me now?" God is using these problems to give us the opportunity to strecth ourselves even further. We only improve our lives when we stretch and move ourselves from our comfort zone.

And be grateful you can read this little not that I had written. That means you have internet access, and a computer to read it from, and eyes to take in the words and hopefully the meaning, and many things more. There's a lot of people who are not as blessed as you and me. Just look at the Middle East, India, China - just imagine the hungry, abandoned women, children and men who will never know the comforts that we have.

One last lesson from God in the film: All goodness starts with ARK, which was what Evan was asked to build.

A = Act
R = Random
K = Kindness

All goodness in the world starts with ARK, one Act of Random Kindness.

What ARK will you be doing today?

Vitamins for the Mind

by Jim Rohn

Basics/Fundamentals
Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.

There are no new fundamentals. You've got to be a little suspicious of someone who says, "I've got a new fundamental." That's like someone inviting you to tour a factory where they are manufacturing antiques.

Some things you have to do every day. Eating seven apples on Saturday night instead of one a day just isn't going to get the job done.

Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. It is the accumulative weight of our disciplines and our judgments that leads us to either fortune or failure.

I am Thankful For ...

The partner who hogs the covers every night, because he is not out with someone else.
The child who is not cleaning his room, but is watching TV, because that means he is at home and not on the streets.
For the taxes I pay, because it means I'm employed.
For the mess to clean after a party, because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
For the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means I have enough to eat.
For my shadow that watches me work, because it means I am in the sunshine.
For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing, because that means I have a home.
For all the complaints I hear about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.
For the parking spot I find at the far end of the lot, because it means I am capable of walking and I have been blessed with a car.
For my huge heating bill, because I am warm.
For the lady behind me in church who sings off-key, because that means I can hear.
For the pile of laundry and ironing, for it means I have clothes to wear.
For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, for it means I have been capable of working hard.
For the alarm that goes off in the early morning, because it means I am alive.
And finally, for too much e-mail, because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of GOD." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

If You Believe in Numbers....

IF you were born on the:
1st, 10th, 19th, 28th
Of any month you are number 1.
2nd, 11th, 20th, 29th
Of any month then you are number 2.
3rd, 12th, 21st, 30th
Of any month then you are number 3.
4th, 13th, 22nd, 31st
Of any month then you are Number 4.
5th, 14th, 23rd
Of any month then you are number 5.
6th, 15th, 24th
Of any month then you are number 6.
7th, 16th, 25th
Of any month then you are number 7.
8th, 17th, 26th
Of any month then you are number 8.
9th, 18th, 27th
Of any month then you are number 9.

Number 1
You are smart, a straight talker, funny, stubborn, hardworking,
honest, jealous on a competitive basis, kind hearted, temperamental, friendly,
and popular. You always want to be on the top and most likely to be
independent. You are most lik ely to fall in love at a young age, but
will marry once you mature! You are likely to have problems with people who
have opposite views and you are most likely to take revenge over your
enemies in a long time basis. You are a spender, but you will have a
good profession in the future. If you are guy you will be very popular. You
can go anywhere from the local shop to the heart of the parliament because
you are positive and talented in numerous areas. But in your life you will
always have some people who will work hard to bring you & your name
down.
Because of your intelligence, some might hate you. You are a pioneer,
independent & original your best match is 4,6,8 while a good match
would be with 3,5,7

Number 2
No matter what, every one will love you because you are ruled by the
Moon. You daydream a lot, you have a very low-self esteem, you need to have
a back up for every move in your life, and you are very unpredictable.
You tend to change according to time and circumstances, selfish, have a
very strong sense of musical and artistic talent and powerful verbal
communication. You can be sweet as an angel and can be ruthless when
double-crossed. Some might say you have a sixth sense. You will become
a poet, writer, an artist or a businessperson. Y ou are not strong in
love, so your relationship will be in disarray until you settle down. If you
are a girl, you will be responsible for your family. If you are a man, you
tend to get involve in fights & arguments in the family. You will
sacrifice your life for your family. You are gentle, intuitive with a
broad vision. You make a well-balanced person. Your best match is 2,
7,5, and 9 no other people can put up with you!!!

Number 3
You are hardhearted and selfish most of the time. You always tend to
have lots of problems within your family in the early stages but you will
be able to cope with everything. You seem to have your way in everything.
And from birth you would always have to work hard to achieve anything you
want. You always make a point to set examples on others, especially
the younger ones. Generally you are not a cool person. It's not easy
dealing with you. A tough player you are! But once you are comfortable with
someone, it will be a lasting friendship. You always earn respect from
others. Your Ilk seems to have lots of worries and problems but they
won't be for long. You will have brilliant kids! You love money a bit too
much so temptation will push you to try endlessly. You will look after your
family and help friends, so you will spend a life time just being
generous and kind (except for men born on the 21st). You love your freedom,
creative and ambitious, a person who brings beauty, hope & joy to this
world!!! Your best match 6 and 9. Good match 1, 3, and 5

Number 4
You are very stubborn, very hard working but unlucky in important
matters in life, very cool and helpful. You might repel people away from you,
you may cause nuisance to others if you area man, as you gifted are with
understanding other people's problems. If you are a girl, you excel in
your studies and arts. If you are a guy you spend most of your time
with girl friends and you tend to have too much fun with your mates &
girls.
Your friends will spend your time & money and get on with their life
and you will be left empty handed. So be careful! You love to spend. Your
positive side is that you are always around to help family and
friends.
You always fall in love with those younger than you. You often live
with disappointments but you will take good care of your family. You need
to be careful of people who will take advantage of your kind heart. And
beware of your relationships too. You are radical, patient, persi stent, and
a hit old-fashioned; you live with foundation & order. Your best match
1, 8. Good match 5, 6, and 7


Number 5
You are very popular and you can get things done only by talking. Even
to your enemies! You are business-minded and like to do things
spontaneously. You will be famous if you get involved in any business. Your friends
and families will always ask for your help, and you are the one actually
with the money to help your friends. You will have more than one
relationship, but when you settle down you tend to be selfish. You tend to go for
other relationships - even if you are married at times because of your
popularity. You tend to get along easily with anyone because the
numbers is a middle number. You love freedom and changes. You learn your life
through your personal experiences. Your best match 1, 2, Good match 6, 8.


Number 6
Ooopppss.. You were born to enjoy! You don't care about others. I mean
you always wanted to have a lifetime of enjoyment. You will excel in
either education or business management! You are talented, kind (but with
only people who you think are nice), and popular . All good things come
easily to you. Your mind and body is just made perfect for love. You are
loveable by any number. But if you are a number 6 men, you will be involved in
more than a few relationships until you get married. If you are a girl,
most of you will get married/engaged early. You are a caring person towards
your family and friends. You are a person of compassion, comfort &
fairness, domestic responsibility, good judgment, and after all you can heal
this world's wounds to make peace for everyone because you have the great
power and caring talent to take the world of love one step further.. Your
best match 7, 6, and 9. Good match 4, 5


Number 7
You are realistic, confident, happy, and talented in education, music,
art, singing, and most importantly in acting. You also have a bad
temper!
You value your family status a lot; you will be in the top rank when
you reach a certain age. If you are a guy you are popular with girls. Most
of the number 7s face lots of problems with their married life. Only a
few are happy. You have everything in your life but with worries
throughout your lifetime. You need to get ready looking for a partner rather than
waiting. If you don't, then you might end-up being single. You are
born to contribute to everyone's joy. Your best match is 2. Good matches are
1,4


Number 8
You have a very strong personality and people will find it hard to
understand you. You are more likely to suffer in your younger year s.
You might be also the one responsible to look out for your family. You
often suffer all the way through life. You will learn life in a very
practical way. You are the one who will fight for justice and may even die in
the war too. You are normally very reserved with a handful of friends and
most of the time, live life alone and always prepared to help others.
However, once you settle down, (which is often late), then your had lucks will
disappear. You will face unexpected problems such as encountering
poisonous animals, and accidents. You are highly- disciplined,
persistence, and courageous, and it is your strength that will take
you to success. You are a great part of a family team. You are a fighter!
Your Best match 1, 4, and 8. Good match 5


Number 9
You guys are the most incompatible people in the world. You are so
strong, physically and mentally. You often have big-aims. You will work hard
and will think it's still hard to get there, even if you already have
gotten there! Normally you suffer in the early age from family problems and
generally you will have to fight in life. You are respected by others.
You were however very naughty in your childhood, and often got beaten up
by your parents and had be en involved in fights and you seemed to have
suffered lots of injuries. But when you grow older you become calm and
will fall into the quiet and dignified macho type. Love is not an easy
matter for you. You are however good in engineering or banking jobs
because people always trust you. Your family life is very good, but
you will always worry over your children. Your finer qualities are that
you are humanitarian, patient, very wise & compassionate. You are born to
achieve targets and serve every one equally without any prejudice. You
are a role model for everyone. Your best match 3, 5,6, and 9. Good match 2

The Link Between Man and God is....

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, the Almighty. He asks one of his new students to stand and.....


PROF: So you believe in God?


STUDENT : Absolutely, sir.


PROF: Is God good?


STUDENT : Sure.


PROF: Is God all-powerful?


STUDENT : Yes.


PROF: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?


(Student is silent.)


PROF: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. is God good?


STUDENT : Yes.


PROF : Is Satan good?


STUDENT : No.


PROF : Where does Satan come from?


STUDENT : From...God...


PROF : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?


STUDENT : Yes.


PROF : Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?


STUDENT : Yes.


PROF : So who created evil?


(Student does not answer.)


PROF : Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?


STUDENT : Yes, sir.


PROF: So, who created them?


(Student has no answer.)


PROF: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?


STUDENT : No, sir.


PROF: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?


STUDENT : No, sir.


PROF: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?


STUDENT : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.


PROF: Yet you still believe in Him?


STUDENT : Yes.


PROF: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?


STUDENT : Nothing. I only have my faith.


PROF: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.


STUDENT : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?


PROF: Yes.


STUDENT : And is there such a thing as cold?


PROF: Yes.


STUDENT : No sir. There isn't.


(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)



STUDENT : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.


(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)


STUDENT : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?


PROF : Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?


STUDENT : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?


PROF: So what is the point you are making, young man?


STUDENT : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.


PROF: Flawed? Can you explain how?


STUDENT : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one to view death as the
opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.

Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?


PROF: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

STUDENT: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?


(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)


STUDENT : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir?

Are you not a scientist but a preacher?


(The class is in uproar.)


STUDENT : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)


STUDENT : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so.

So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. with all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?


(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)


PROF: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.


STUDENT : That is it sir... The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.


NOTE: I believe you have enjoyed the conversation...and if so...you'll probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same...won't you?.... this is a true story, and the student was none other than...


Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam , the President of India

(from his college life)

The Six Pillars of Inner and Outer Balance

By Ineke Van Lint


Many people are building their inner balance and happiness on one single pillar. This is a dangerous situation! What's going to sustain them if for some reason the only pillar they rest upon collapses? There are six pillars that support your inner balance. If you want to live a life of inner calm and peace, don't just lean on one or two pillars, but make sure to invest in all six of them. When you are resting on six pillars and one of them crumbles, there will be no need for drama. You can still support yourself with the other five pillars while you start repairing the one that broke down.

Compare it to a table. Which one will be the most solid one: the one with only one or the one with six legs? Do you think a table resting on only one leg will be stable? Would you dare to put your cup of coffee on it? How do you dare to put your whole life then on the one and only pillar?

What are these six pillars that support inner balance? Here they are in random order:

1. Your intimate relationship. A warm, supportive, nourishing and loving relationship with that significant other, will substantially contribute to your inner balance and happiness. Be careful, however, not to bet all your money on this one pillar alone, while neglecting the others! If your happiness depends completely on your relationship, then you are taking a big risk: what will you do when your partner is gone? When that significant other leaves, dies, or loves somebody else, your entire life will collapse because you have nothing else to support you. Don't link your happiness to just one person!

2. Your job. A meaningful job where you can express your talents is a valuable source of well-being. However, what would happen if you put all of your time and energy in your job, and then some day your employer dismisses you? Your world will fall apart and you are headed for a serious depression. Does it feel like you are married to your job? It is too dangerous to entirely identify yourself with your job without paying attention to the other pillars. You are much more than your business card!

3. Your children. God knows it's a wonderful gift to have children. I have four of them myself and every day I thank the Universe for choosing me as their mother. But what happens if you focus too much on your children? A parent who lives only for his children will suffocate them. He puts too much pressure on the child, which then feels obliged to live up to the parent's expectations. The child may feel solely responsible for fulfilling the need for love and affection of the parent. This is a burden too heavy for any child to bear, and it jeopardizes the child's free development and individuality. One day the children will leave to start their own life somewhere else. If your children are your only pillar of happiness, then your whole world will fall apart. What's left is emptiness, depression, dependency, and trying to make the grown-up children feel guilty for not caring enough about their parents. Don't take your kids hostage. They are entitled to a life of their own.

4. Your house and material possessions. Creating and enjoying a beautiful house brings a lot of pleasure into your life, but what are the dangers of making property your most important life goal? When it's all about having, buying and possessing "stuff," the only guarantee you have is that of dissatisfaction. You don't know how much stuff you need to possess before you will find peace, and therefore you will never find it. There is no end to "having." As long as you are convinced you need to have things in order to be happy, you will be restless and a slave of your own attitude. Being rich is okay, of course, but it should not be a goal in itself, otherwise you are doomed to be unhappy, always waiting until you possess another car, another house, more money, more stuff.... Not a good recipe for happiness!

5. Meditation. Meditation is good, you say! Of course it is! But what if all you do is meditate, and hope everything will be fine? You will not get much satisfaction or happiness that way. You will feel useless and restless. Your body needs action, and your energy needs a goal to strive for, so that it can flow through your veins and direct your life. Meditation will only get you nowhere. There's more to life!

6. Your friends. Good friends are essential. They are the pepper and salt that give taste to life. They share your experiences and make them worth living. They give you feedback and back you up when you need help. But what if you need to share everything with them? They have their own life, their own experiences to live. Relying on friends for every single thing you do is a ticket for disaster. You need to be able to sometimes do things by yourself. If your friends leave you or break up with you, and they are everything your life is built upon, then your world will fall apart.

I think you are getting my point: every pillar is good and a valid source of energy and happiness, but it's dangerous to rely too heavily on only one of them. Leaning on your relationship too much makes you dependent on the other. Identifying with your job too much transforms you into a workaholic. Chasing after material possessions makes you a materialist. Relying on your kids too much suffocates them. Thinking meditation will fulfill all your needs makes you an isolated stranger. Relying on your friends too much makes you a needy person, always turning to somebody else for rescue.

You will however find inner balance in the combination of all these aspects. Every one of them can be a source of happiness, as long as you enjoy each of them with moderation.

Do you have kids? Wonderful! But don't forget to also invest some time in your relationship, your work, your friends, your house and your inner silence.

You have a good job? Great, but do take time to play with your kids, to spend some romantic time with your partner, to go out and have fun with your friends, to take care of your house and to meditate.

You are a meditation freak? Don't forget to clean the house, to help the kids with school, to do your job, to meet your friends and to listen to your partner when he comes back from work.

You invest a lot of time and energy in your house and other material possessions? Fine! Just don't forget to spend some time with your children, your partner, your friends, enjoy your work and meditate!

You are committed to freedom and friends? Ok, no problem! Now balance your life by taking some time to experience the inner silence, to play with your kids (or somebody else's), to invest in a particular loving relationship (even if it scares you), to take care of your house and possessions and to excel at your job.

You love someone and that person loves you back? Great! Now don't forget about your friends, your job, your children (or someone else's), your house and your inner silence, if you want this relationship to last!

Imagine a peace temple, built on six pillars. If your personal peace temple is supported by one pillar only, then surely the first tornado that comes along will bring it all down! Too dangerous! The stability of your temple depends on the support of all six pillars. If one of the pillars is temporarily out of service, nothing catastrophic will happen because you still have the five other pillars to carry you on.

If you lose your job, but you still have five other solid pillars to hold you up, you will find the strength to find a new job. Your children are leaving the house? No panic! You still have five other pillars to support your temple! One of your friends has let you down? Your significant other has left you? You have to leave your house? You will be able to handle all of this, if you can revert to other pillars that continue to support you.

Don't build your happiness on one pillar, but invest in the solid combination of all six of them. Everybody knows about the importance of a balanced diet, as well as the danger of an overdose! In the same way, your inner peace depends on your ability to find the right balance between the six pillars.

About the Author:
Written by Ineke Van Lint, psychologist. My goal is to help you achieve success and happiness. Accomplish your mission on earth and love yourself. Two free e-courses at http://www.theenthusiasm.com

Do You Have an Hour to Become the Person You Want to Be? – By Amy Potavin

Did you know that, according to Michael Sky, "the real challenge (in life) is to choose, hold, and operate through intelligent, uplifting, and fully empowering beliefs"? Well, I believe him. Recognizing and believing in your own abilities is the core of self-image, and self-esteem.

The greatest hindrance to recognizing and developing your natural tendencies into talents and skills is fear: fear of uncertainty; fear of moving beyond your comfort zone; fear of disapproval; fear of loss; and, of course, self-doubt. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that these fears are counterproductive, self-destructive, and limit your ability to live a rich and rewarding life. So how do you move beyond fear to action? How do you face the fear and REFUSE to allow it to rule your life choices?

The answer lies in simply taking small steps and making daily, conscious choices to create new habits. Here is a guide that will show you how to assess your hidden talents, and set you on a path to purposeful living, in less than and hour!

To begin, you will need to get a journal or new notebook. This will be your "Life Lessons Workbook." Your first lesson will to determine what natural abilities you currently possess. To do so, create an "Activities List" by asking yourself these basic questions and writing down your answers in your Workbook.

1) What is your life's passion? (What have you always wanted to do?)

2) What activities make you happy and bring you joy?

3) What talents would you like to develop?

4) What things were you good at as a child?

Do not agonize over these questions. You should write down what immediately comes to mind, and you should not spend more than 10 minutes answering the questions.

Next, evaluate your Activities List. What talents and skills were needed (or will be needed) to engage in activities? As a child, did you need to be energetic, fearless, competitive, or creative to participate in the sports you liked or the clubs you belonged to? Are you now required to be a good communicator, fair, and nurturing to manage your own household and settle sibling disputes?

Are you the office problem-solver and decision maker? Are you ambitious and confident as the leader of your PTA? Have you adapted to change easily by moving? Do your neighbors see you as the fun-loving social coordinator?

During your evaluation, create an "Abilities List" on the next page. Create the list by answering the questions outlined above, and any others you believe are appropriate. Write down your answers, and don't be surprised when the list grows longer than you thought possible!

Now, your second lesson is a simple exercise: look at that growing list of abilities. Beside each item, write the sentence, "I AM (fill in the ability here.)" For example, if you have "problem-solver" on your Abilities List; write the sentence, "I AM a problem-solver."

You are probably asking yourself, why am I doing this? The reason is that the simple statement of "I AM" sets forth your intentions and your beliefs. It declares to yourself, your peers, your friends, your family, and the universe your self-image, and it allows you to OWN the abilities you have listed.

Once you own those abilities, you are then able to move beyond your fear. (Why be afraid when you KNOW you are dedicated, fun-loving, creative, and a good communicator?) You are able to look toward the highest vision of your greatest aspiration rather than sabotaging yourself with self-doubt and fear of failure.

The next lesson in this process is to create your "Personal Priorities List." To do so, you must again ask yourself some basic questions.

1) What are your current priorities? Is your family most important? Are you currently committed to advancing your career?

2) What do you most value about yourself and your life? Is honesty and integrity most important to you? Are you more motivated by status and prestige? Is it your spirituality, or your relationships?

3) Who do you most admire and why? What values guide their behavior? Do you agree? Do you want the same outcomes in your life that they have had theirs?

You should not spend more than 10 minutes answering these questions. The key here is to work with your first, true response. This response is usually an authentic response; a response from the person you truly are.

It is important to follow your authentic self, your authentic responses, because these are your true values, beliefs, priorities, and guiding principles. By knowing what they are, you have created a road map for your future. These keystones serve as the benchmarks of your future success and the beacons of your life's journey.

Your final lesson is to assess your current lifestyle. Are you using your abilities and talents to achieve your Personal Priorities? Ask yourself these questions to find out. Again, do not agonize over these questions. You should write down what immediately comes to mind, and you should not spend more than 10 minutes answering the questions.

1) Are you devoting your energies to your priorities, values, and guiding principles?

2) Where is realignment needed?

3) What skills need to be re-learned, improved, or attained to fully achieve realignment?

Again, write down these answers in your Workbook. This will now become your Life Lessons Workbook, your tool to document your current status and will serve to gauge your future progress.

Now, when you have completed this exercise, if you are like 99% of the world's population, you WILL find discrepancies between where you are now, and where you want to be. You WILL find inconsistencies between what you value and what you believe are priorities in your life, and where you are devoting your energy.

This is natural and normal. Each one of us is growing, learning, and changing every day. The question to ask yourself is whether you want to grow, learn, and change with direction. Or do you want to be ruled by the sea of society? Do you want to own the purpose for your life's journey? Or do you want to be a passenger who is along for the ride and does not know your destination?

If you want to own your own direction and take control of your life's course, then you simply need to continue working your Workbook lessons.

Go back to your Final Lesson. What discrepancies and inconsistencies did you find? Are there abilities that you need to develop, improve, or re-learn? Developing your natural abilities into talents can be as easy as trying out something new every month.

Each activity you undertake should be one that is aligned with your values, beliefs, priorities, and guiding principles. You should document each new activity in your Life Lessons Workbook, taking special note of the abilities that you are seeking to attain, improve, or re-learn. For example:

* To develop your communication and networking abilities, join your local Rotary or Toastmasters Club.

* To develop your nurturing and commitment abilities, join the local YM(W)CA or Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association.

* To develop your abilities to focus your energy and attention, learn karate, tai chi, or yoga.

* To develop your creative abilities, try your hand at painting, writing, or gardening.

* To develop your organizational abilities, choose a section of your office or your home each week to de-clutter and organize.

* To develop your time-management abilities, create a COMPLETE (business and personal) daily, weekly, and monthly schedule and ensure that you schedule time for self-development.

By working your Life Lessons, you will find that each time you complete this exercise, there will be less distance between where you are, and where you want to be. There will be less discrepancy between the person you are, and the PERSON YOU KNOW YOU CAN BE.

If you are faithful to your own Life Lessons and you consciously make choices aligned with your values, beliefs, priorities, and guiding principles, you will begin to live fully and purposefully. You will find talents and skills that you never knew you had, and you will be able to use those talents to succeed both professionally and personally.

© Copyright 2006 Amy M. Potavin

About the Author:

Ms. Potavin assists managers, executives, and entrepreneurs as a Professional Business and Life Coach to gain success through coaching, management consulting, e-learning, and on-site training. Her business provides the means to allow you to discover, unlock, and harness your hidden talents, inspiring you to live fully AND purposefully, and allow yourself to BELIEVE in your abilities and SUCCEED in your professional and personal life.