Tuesday, April 30, 2013

2013-18 - Finding copper pennies...

There was a small boy who when walking down the street one day found a bright copper penny. He was so excited that he found money and it didn't cost him anything.

This experience led him to spend the rest of his days walking with his head down, eyes wide open, looking for treasure. During his lifetime he found 296 pennies, 48 nickels, 19 dimes, 16 quarters, 2 half dollars and one crinkled dollar bill. For a total of $13.96.

He got money for nothing.

Except... that he missed the breathless beauty of 31,369 sunsets, the colorful splendor of 157 rainbows, the fiery beauty of hundreds of maples nipped by autumn's frost. He never saw white clouds drifting across blue skies, shifting into various wondrous formations. Birds flying, sun shining, and the smiles of a thousand passing people are not a part of his memory.

~ Author Unknown



"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."

~ Gilbert K Chesterton


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

2013-17 - Committed...


Today, you are committed to something. What is it?

Are you committed to just getting by, to just getting through the day with as little effort as possible? Or are you committed to something greater, something magnificent and exciting and fulfilling?

Whatever you're truly committed to, is exactly what you'll achieve. Whatever you're truly committed to, determines the kind of life that you lead.

Within you is a vision that longs to be brought to life. It's a vision that deserves your full commitment.

Commitment to your most profound vision is not easy, and will ask much of you. Yet you know it is the best choice.

Make that choice, make that commitment to the best that's within you, again and again, each moment of each day. And the life you create, your own life, will be nothing short of outstanding.

~ Ralph Marston



"Commitment is an act, not a word."

~ Jean-Paul Sartre

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

2013-16 - Keep building...


Small efforts that are repeated are far more powerful than big efforts that are made just once and then abandoned. Instead of hoping for a chance to make a big impact, take advantage of each opportunity you have to make a small impact.

Time works in your favour when you work in your favour with every little bit of time you get. You can achieve great things with modest efforts by persistently repeating those efforts.

Every moment is an opportunity to add a little bit to life's richness. Those little bits add up.

Each revolution of your car's engine moves the vehicle forward only a short distance. Yet with enough successive turns of the engine and tires, you can traverse an entire continent.

Just because the effort is small, doesn't mean it is insignificant. Just because you can't do it all at once, doesn't mean it is out of your reach.

Success and fulfilment are built on a day-by-day basis. Keep going, keep building, and enjoy the ride.

~ Ralph Marston



"Whatever good things we build end up building us."

~ Jim Rohn

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

2013-15 - Let yourself be yourself...


Achievement is not particularly difficult, if you'll simply let yourself do it. A life of rich fulfilment is within your reach, when you let yourself reach for it.

You could worry about what might or might not happen. Or, you can allow what happens to happen, and let yourself make the very best of it.

Let yourself live fully and without limitation. Let yourself truly be yourself, with no regret, no apologies, and no holding back.

The obstacles are there, but they are not there to stop you. They are there so you can let yourself become stronger, more capable, more confident and more experienced.

Let yourself do what must be done to create the life of your dreams. It's really not that far away when you let go, and let yourself live it.

Let yourself be the living expression of what you value most. Let yourself live at the highest level you can imagine, in new and beautiful ways with each dawning day.

~ Ralph Marston



"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

2013-14 - Triumph over doubt...


Every action you take, is a triumph of your courage over your doubts. Go ahead and make the effort. Go ahead and see it through. Sure you have doubts. Everyone does. They must not be allowed to stop you.

Idleness gives strength to your doubts, and as doubts grow stronger they immobilize you even more. If you let them, your doubts will quickly become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Yet as soon as you begin to take action, those doubts begin to lose their power. As soon as you start to make it happen, the doubts seem less and less real. Doubts may grow in your idleness to overwhelming proportions, but they have no power against your actions.

Take the first step and watch your doubts step back. Keep on going, and leave them far behind.

~ Ralph Marston



"A dream will always triumph over reality, once it is given the chance."

~ Stanislaw Lem