Tuesday, September 30, 2014

2014-39 - Stop Stopping Yourself...

Stop stopping yourself. Stop holding yourself back.

Yes, the world throws all sorts of difficult challenges your way. And you can find a way to transcend every one of them.

Yet you must choose to do so. You must make the commitment, deep within yourself, to live with richness and purpose and fulfillment.

Many events, people and situations will challenge you and impede your progress. However, the only limitations that can stop you completely are the limitations you place on yourself.

See that the doubts and limiting beliefs are of no use to you. Choose to simply and effortlessly let them go, just like that.

Your dreams are calling to you right now, calling for you to begin living them in this very moment. Stop holding yourself back, and let yourself be all you know you can be.

~ Ralph Marston



The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.

~ Oprah Winfrey

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

2014-38 - The Perfect Leader...

The encyclopedia defines it as an individual's capacity to motivate others to seek the same objective. The bookstores are full of texts on this theme, and the leaders are normally portrayed in brilliant colors, with enviable qualities and supreme ideals. The leader is to society as the "master" is to spirituality.

This, however, is not absolutely true (in either case). Our big problem, especially in a world that is growing more and more fundamentalist, is not allowing people in prominent positions to commit human mistakes.

We are always in search of the perfect ruler. We are always looking for a pastor to guide and help us find our way. The truth is that the great revolutions and the progress made by humanity were brought about by people just like us – the only difference being that they had the courage to make a key decision at a crucial moment.

~ Paulo Coelho



A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

~ John C Maxwell

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

2014-37 - The two brothers...

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work," he said. "Could I help you?" "Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighboor. In fact, it's my younger brother. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence - an 8-foot fence - so I won't need to see his place anymore."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, and nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge - a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! And the neighbour, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done." The two brothers met in the middle, taking each other's hand.

They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days." said the older brother. "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but I have many more bridges to build."

~ Author Unknown



Everyday we have the choice of building fences or bridges. One leads to isolation and the other to openness.

~ Author Unknown

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

2014-36 - How to change the world...

The ninth week of SEAL training is referred to as Hell Week.

It is on Wednesday of Hell Week that you paddle down to the mud flats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive the freezing-cold mud, the howling wind and the incessant pressure from the instructors to quit. As the sun began to set that evening, my training class was ordered into the mud. The instructors told us we could leave the mud if only five men would quit - just five men and we could get out of the oppressive cold.

Looking around the mud flat, it was apparent that some students were about to give up. And then, one voice began to echo through the night - one voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune, but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two, and two became three, and before long everyone in the class was singing. The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing - but the singing persisted. And somehow, the mud seemed a little warmer, the wind a little tamer and the dawn not so far away.

If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person can change the world by giving people hope.

So, if you want to change the world, start singing when you're up to your neck in mud.

~ Admiral William H McRaven



Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

~ Desmond Tutu