121. "Today is yesterday's
pupil." - Benjamin Franklin
122. If you have a choice of
taking two paths, always take the more daring of the two. Calculated risk
taking often produces extraordinary results.
123. Every day, get away from the
noise, the crowds and the rush and spend a few hours alone in peaceful
introspection, deep reading or simple relaxation.
124. That which any person who
has walked this Earth has achieved you can achieve with the right mental
attitude, perseverance and industry. Limiting thoughts and weak mental images
must be banished. One's focus must be on the attainment of goals that are truly
important.
125. Get into the habit of
memorizing beautiful poetry. Not only will it be a great source of
entertainment but it will quickly lift your intellectual functions to a higher
level by improving your memory, concentration and mental agility.
126. Keep your words soft and
arguments hard.
127. Break the worry habit by
putting things in perspective and laughing over small setbacks. Repeat to
yourself that "this will soon pass". Then take a sheet of paper,
write out the worry on your mind. Allot a certain period of time to think on
it, isolate the precise problem and formulate a powerful line of attack. By
this practical technique, your negative, energy sapping habit will soon be a
faint memory of the past.
128. Be known as that person who
goes the extra mile; the person who works longer than others; the one who takes
on the extra assignments and follows them through with great success. Be the
person who always has concerns about others and who makes family members feel
truly special. Be a standout, the one with a balance in both personal and
professional excellence. Be a star that shines brightly for all others to
admire.
129. Become a committed and
sincere networker. Cultivate new friendships. You will truly be surprised where
people end up over the years and how small, kind gestures will help you later
on in life. Treat everyone who crosses your path as if they are the most
important person in your world. You will certainly meet with great success.
130. When you look for something
you will find it. If you constantly expect exceptional success, you will surely
have it. Peak performers attract success. You must keep the goals you desire to
achieve at the forefront of your mind throughout the day. Repeat your ambitions
at least five times a day and visualize yourself achieving them. If your goal
is to be rich, picture the house you will be living in, the car you will be
driving, what it will feel like to be rich and the pleasure of attaining your
goals in life. Repeat your ambition over and over until you have complete
certainty that you will attain your desires and eventually you will.
131. Develop a sense of wonder
about the world. Be an explorer. Find pleasure in the things that others take
for granted. Stop and actually listen to that wonderful street musician playing
the trumpet. Read that classic book your father loved so much. Plan to get away
from the city next week and visit a secluded, powerfully natural place for a
few days. Take a mini-retreat and care for your mind, body and spirit. It will
profoundly improve the quality of your life.
132. Send cards on birthdays and
little notes from time to time showing that you care and were thinking about
your relations. We are all busy but if you spend just five minutes a week to
send a card to a friend or family member, by the year end you will have sent
out 52 cards. This is a small investment for the dividends that are guaranteed
to follow.
133. Remember and use people's
names when you talk to them. A person's name is a uniquely sweet sound to them.
134. Go outdoors and look up into
the blue sky for half an hour. Note the supremely strong feeling that you get
when you are connected to Nature. Get away from your rigid schedule today and
spend the afternoon in a beautiful setting. Walk in the woods and sit by a cool
stream. Go fishing or rent a canoe. Getting away from your routine will provide
a refreshing release and make you feel wonderful when you eventually return.
135. Once every few weeks, leave
your watch at home. In this society we often become bound to the clock and soon
it governs our every action like a rigid taskmaster. Go through the day doing
precisely what you wish to do and for however long you wish to do it. Spend
time with that special person without having to run off to your next
appointment. Savour the moments and focus on what is truly important rather
than those mundane things that somehow take on a greater importance than they
really deserve. Lose the clock and gain some quality time.
136. Laugh at work and be known
as a positive achiever.
137. An idea gives rise to a
mental image. A mental image will then generate a mental habit out of which a
mental trait ultimately blossoms. Master your thoughts and you master your
mind; master your mind and you master your life; master your life and you
master your destiny.
138. Recognize the tremendous
power of opposition thinking. This simple technique simply involves the
substitution of a positive thought each and every time a negative or limiting
thought enters your mind and begins to detract from your focus. For example, on
a Sunday evening, you may think "I wish I did not have to return to work
tomorrow after such a pleasant and relaxing weekend." Immediately replace
this defeating thought pattern before it begins to take hold by thinking the
opposite. For example you might think "I cannot wait to return to the
office given the exciting projects on the go and the wonderful sense of
accomplishment I receive after a productive, challenging week." Then think
how fortunate you are to have a job and one that you can advance in through your
own efforts and productivity. Make a list of all of the positive attributes of
your position and repeat them over and over. Soon the negative pattern will be
broken and you will look toward the exciting week ahead with that most fabulous
of qualities: enthusiasm.
139. Get deep into the habit of
personal introspection. Ben Franklin called this one of the most important
strategies for personal effectiveness. Spend ten minutes every night before you
go to bed in self-examination. Think about the good things you did during the
day and the bad actions you may have taken which you must change in order to
excel and grow. Successful people are simply more thoughtful than others. Daily
reflection will soon allow for the eradication of your negative qualities
(ranging from procrastination to gossiping to insulting others) and will
sharpen the mind. After steady practice, a time will eventually arrive when the
mistakes you make are few indeed and your personal power will move to the
highest level.
140. The most efficient and
effective alarm clock ever developed lies within our own minds. If you do not
believe this, try the following: 1. Sit in an easy chair approximately ten
minutes before you go to bed. 2. Shut your eyes and gently rest your hands on
your knees. 3. Breathe deeply for a few minutes (inhale to the count of five,
hold to the count of ten and exhale fully). 4. Repeat the following command to
yourself at least twenty times: "I will awake at (the desired time)
feeling fresh, alert and enthusiastic." This command must be said with
feeling and emotion. Then take a few seconds to visualize yourself waking up at
the desired time (the more detailed the mental picture the better) and imagine
how great you will feel. You will soon wake up at the desired moment after little
or no practice.
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