Life’s Full Stops

When we are born we are issued with a life sentence.

Now there are two ways that we can approach this. We can either treat our  life as if we have been imprisoned into a set path of drudgery, restricted living and repetitive doldrums, or else we can treat it like writing a book.

Yours and my book of life is made up of a whole collected group of sentences. And each of these sentences are denoted by punctuation such as commas, colons, semi-colons, the occasional exclamation mark, lots of question marks, hyphens, and the inevitable appearance of the full stop.

And it is in this treatise that I particularly want to take a look at – the full stop.

The good news is this, that just because you have reached a full stop in your life, and you’re still living and breathing, you are presented with the opportunity of simply writing the next sentence.

For a book, much like a life, is made up of paragraphs. Paragraphs include a combination of sentences. And each sentence contains a group of words. So don’t see a full stop as ‘the end’. But rather view a full stop as a ‘new beginning’.

One sentence leads to another. One phrase to another phrase. And one completed chapter can unfold a whole new exciting chapter to your life.

As sure as the seasons appear each year – so to do the seasons of life.  Learn to identify them , and learn to flow through them. At times there is a pause. At times a delay. At times a surging forward, and at times a drawing aside. But no matter what punctuates your life at this present time – know this – that you are always moving forward – for time ticks on, age adds on, and life goes on – no matter the punctuation we are currently facing.

Your life is a journal – a book filled with words, pictures and illustrations connected by punctuation marks. It’s the very nature of life lived on planet earth.

Don’t be surprised by them. Flow with them. For they have been given to you so that your character can be developed and your life’s mission can be fulfilled. And at the end of your days – what a story it will read to inspire all of us who follow in your footsteps.

Growing Young

Chronologically, with the passing of every second, our physical bodies grow older. But I have good news – no matter what is happening without, you can grow young within.

This will happen if you are:

1) Willing To Never Cease Learning

2) Willing To Reach Beyond Your Current Capacity

3) Willing To Dream Big Dreams

4) Willing To Never Retire, But Rather Re-fire

So let’s take a closer look at these four areas that will keep you growing younger, no matter how old you are.

1) Willing To Never Cease Learning

Someone once said to me that we will be where we are in the next five years as a direct result of the people we associate with and the books we read. That is why I choose to hang around people who are younger, and those of any age who are smarter than myself. I simply choose to keep the company of those who have a much higher IQ than myself and ask lots of questions while taking plenty of notes. I don’t need to know everything. I just need to have access to those who know more than I do.

In addition, I spend the bulk of my reading time reading ‘wisdom’ literature, starting with the Glorious Quran and then working my way through books written by brilliant men and women who have lived throughout the ages and into this present time. They inspire me, teach me, and cause me to think beyond my current thought patterns. They in fact mess with my head – and yet out of that mess comes great clarity.

2) Willing To Reach Beyond Your Current Capacity

Some people are ‘toe dippers’ while others are ‘plungers’. I have to admit it – I’m a plunger. I go where angels fear to tread as it were. It’s either sink or swim. But I’m pleased to report that I have to date never come close to drowning. Oh sure, I’ve probably gasped and spluttered along the way, but have finally, because I had no choice but to survive, learnt very quickly how to put together the necessary strokes that were required for me to reach the other side.

By stretching beyond our current capacity we suddenly become a bigger person who can handle more stress, pressure and responsibility, because we have dared to grow beyond the status quo.

3) Willing To Dream Big Dreams

I dream more while I’m awake than when I’m fast asleep. I dream ‘impossible’ dreams. I dream ‘ridiculous’ dreams. But the crazy thing is this – I have watched many  of these dreams come true, because I dared to dream.

To be a dreamer is to be someone who looks forward with anticipation towards a promising future. It fills you with hope. It packs your brain with plans. It forces you to become creative. It brings you into the company of other dreamers. This is the place where life must be lived if you are to continue to grow younger with every breath that you take.

4) Willing To Never Retire, But Rather Re-fire

Man was never created to retire. We were created to re-fire. With the addition of years the wisdom , the experience, the insight that you have obtained needs to be imparted to the generations that follow. Retirement in fact is a selfish word. If you simply settle into retirement you are robbing future generations of the riches that are yours, and which have always been given to you to share with others.

Every time I’m given the opportunity to mentor someone younger  (Specially my younger brother) than myself, I feel that I have become richer because of it – and often learn much more about myself. I find that I’m actually smarter than I first thought, and am amazed as to how much I’ve actually learnt throughout the years. The law is true – the more you keep giving, the more you keep receiving.

So shelve your plans for retirement, and reposition yourself by finding someone younger to help, and burn with a fresh zeal in your re-firement.That way – until the day you leave this earth – you’ll continue to always grow young.

The Law Of Kindness

I have to pinch myself sometimes to be reminded that I just could be the luckiest man alive on planet earth.

I live in a democratically run country. I have freedom of religion. I have an abundance of food, the ability to earn as much money as I want, and plenty of opportunity at my disposal.

I can drive what I want and where I want. I can travel freely throughout the world. There are no limitations placed upon me and my dreams. I am loved by my family and my friends – even when I make mistakes.

I can set goals. I can make plans. I can sip lattes, read books, listen to music, watch films,  swim in the ocean, paddle up a river, climb a mountain, and breathe in the fresh air. To do these I don’t ever have to ask anyone’s permission.

I can tap into the latest technology available and communicate with my friends in an instant – whether they live in Peru, Panama, Paris or Portugal.

But with all that freedom I am ruled by one law – the law of kindness. And that law states that the more that I get the more responsible I need to be when it comes to giving.

Get more? Give more!

For I have walked the streets of poverty. I have visited the corridors of leprosy colonies. I have smelt the stench of lack and I have heard need’s cry.

So I am fully aware that as a citizen of planet earth I have a responsibility to reach out to those around me and to  share what I have, as directed by the one who created kindness, with those I am divinely brought in contact with all the days of my life – demonstrating the spirit of the law called kindness.

Poss-Ability

Every one of us has been given certain abilities. But in life, if we are to ever stand above the crowd, we must take those abilities and develop them if we’re ever going to make a significant contribution to the world in which we live.

I must admit that I have come across individuals more talented, more intelligent, more handsome, more connected, more capable, more financial, more able than myself who have failed to reach their full potential, because they have never fully developed or even used those abilities to benefit others.

And yet I have observed others who lack the charisma, the charm, the opportunity, and all the things that one would consider necessary to live an influential life, and yet they have soared. They have turned their limited abilities, in the eyes of others, into what I would call ‘poss-abilities’.

And what is required to take the ordinary and turn it into the extraordinary?

Here are just a few courageous qualities that I have identified in those who live lives filled with ‘poss-ability’.

1. They Have The Courage To Dream

Dreamers are those who dare to live differently. They are forged with a desire to make a difference, to contribute, and to inspire. And it all starts by having the guts to dream something bigger than their ability.

2. They Have The Courage To Take Action

A dream on its own is simply a dream. A dream backed up with a plan and corresponding action is a dream being fulfilled. It positions the dreamer to do one of three things – win, fail, or to have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Through the lessons they learn they will become stronger.

3. They Have The Courage To Persist

Once action has begun, there is going to be a time where persistence will need to kick in. This is the period between identifying the dream and actually fulfilling the dream. This gutsy persistence separates those who think that they have a dream from those who know for a fact that the dream is real and true, and will require a double dose of determination to see its ultimate fulfillment. This is where the champion takes over – all the way to victory.

Through these courageous qualities someone’s ability is totally transformed into that wonderful creature called ‘Poss-Ability’.

Faith your FEAR

Fear attacks without warning. It can assault you in the early morning before you arise from your bed. It can pierce your heart in broad daylight and then it can confront you in the deepest and darkest of nights.

Fear can be triggered by a statement, a bill, a phone call, a word or simply by a thought. Fear is a slippery, slimy wild pig that is not concerned with any form of etiquette, and will barge into your sphere unannounced and unwelcomed. Then like a parading lion it will seek out the weak or pounce when you find yourself in a weakened, tired or sickened state.

Fear is merciless. Fear is wily. Fear is a schemer. Fear is fatal – but only if you allow it to take up residence in your life.

But when the savage dog of fear speeds towards you, the best remedy to overcome and nullify the attack is to turn front on and stand still. For by standing your ground you have not only faced your fear, but you have in fact ‘Faithed Your Fears’.

The only power that fear will ever have over you is when you choose to turn and run. Fear will pursue you and hunt you down if you flee. But if you ‘Faith Your Fear’ and stand firm – never allowing fears ammunition to be uttered from your lips – but rather to speak words of faith in the face of fear – you will stand strong.

And what are some of those faith words? Well here are just a few that you can use when you find yourself being hemmed in by the wolverine pack called fear.

‘I can’, ‘I will’, ‘I have’ and ‘I’m more than able’.

And as a Muslim I add a few others like…

‘If Allah is with me me then who can be against me’ along with ‘No weapon formed against me shall prosper.’

And with these weapons flowing from your mouth you will faith your fears all the way to victory.

Dream Stealer

Original Author - Peter G. James

I have recently been embroiled in an ugly legal threat devised by men who have nothing better to do than to lure their prey into a net, and even before both myself and two other parties knew it, we were the victims of some vicious personal attacks aimed at destroying both ourselves and our businesses, and even some dear relationships that had been reforged between the time I first met these men until when the attacks began.

The sad thing is that these men are not what I would call stupid men.  They are seemingly gifted with great talent, but have allowed themselves, because of past challenges faced, to seek devious ways to get ahead.  And one of their greatest ploys seems to be that if their dreams are seemingly unachievable, that they will seek to steal or destroy the dreams of others in the process.  How childish!

So how do you guard yourself against these dream stealers?

Here are just a few ways that I have, through experience, not only kept my dream in tact, but at the same time ever-expanded my dreams.

1. Find Your Dream – The first thing is to have a dream.  This can only be acquired if you ask yourself some serious questions.  Have a conversation with yourself and ask yourself this question:  ‘If time and money were not restricted in any way, what would I do, have or be?’  Answer that and you will begin to unwrap not only your past, but your future and your present.

2. Hold On To Your Dream – Never ever let another human being take away your dream.  They may take your house, your car, your business, your bank account – but as long as you hold onto your dream all those things are replaceable.

3. Share Your Dream – Be selective in your sharing. For no matter what happens in your life,  you need to surround yourself with a company of people who will cheer you on.  By sharing your dream openly you are crystallizing it in your own mind while at the same time positioning yourself as one who is held accountable while in pursuit of your dream.

4. Secure Your Dream – Unfortunately the world is full of doubters who question anyone who calls themselves a dreamer.  You will hear the following: ‘How dare you think that you can do that? What right have you to think that you can have that?  You’re not qualified.  You don’t have the ability.  You’re not sufficiently skilled or educated’, and on it goes.

5. Pursue Your Dream – The great thing about doing business for myself is that I don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to succeed.  I simply get an idea and then follow it.  Now there have been times that I have hit roadblocks.  But some of those stoppages have taught me the best lessons.  So I simply get up, dust myself off and go again on the highway of successful dream fulfillment.

So be alert.  There are dream stealers all around you and I.  They may even be in your family.  But do not allow them to steal the dream that, once achieved, will even bless the thieves who endeavoured to rob you of your life’s destiny.

The power of giving

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make  a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog.  He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.

There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman’s sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

‘I want to repay you,’ said the nobleman. ‘You saved my son’s life.’


‘No, I can’t accept payment for what I did,’ the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer’s own son came to the door of the family hovel.

‘Is that your son?’ the nobleman asked.

‘Yes,’ the farmer replied proudly.

‘I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy  If the lad is anything like his father, he’ll no doubt grow to be a man we  both will be proud of.’ And that he did.

Farmer Fleming’s  son attended the very best schools and in time graduated from St. Mary’s  Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout  the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman’s son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved his life this time? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman?

Lord Randolph Churchill

His son’s name?

Sir Winston Churchill.

5 Ways to Break-up with Stress

Stress is like a partner to many of us, who is always with us, making our lives miserable. But for some reason we are unable to Break-up with it. And you know? Stress is like a slow poison. It will kill your health, your dreams, your productivity very slowly. So let me give you five suggestions from my experience to avoid getting stressed.


1. Know Your Priorities: 
Most of the times we get stressed because we try to do everything. Accept that it's not possible. So please write down your priorities, focusing on your dreams and values. And be strict about it. Learn to say NO to less important things to say YES to more important things in your life.


2. Finish What You Start:
Another very common cause of stress is heap of unfinished projects. Lot's of SMS and Emails to reply, lots of unfinished blog posts (which you left to reply your tweet), piles of magazines and books left half-read (as you started reading another one). As the list grows, so does your stress. So make it a habit from today, to finish what you start. If something can't be done immediately keep it noted under DoItLater category.


3. Simplify Your Life: 
Wait! I am not going to advice you to be Gandhiji, to wear just loincloth. Just think for a moment, which complexity of your life makes you stressed? How do you feel when your more than one mobiles start ringing simultaneously, or all of your inboxes (as you have subscribed to every Email provider available)are flooded with mails, or you surf through 10-15 Social Networking Sites you use? If you simplify these aspects, you will feel much better. Some quick steps:

Use Single Mobile
Use maximum two Email Id (My Recommendation: Gmail + work)
Use one/two Social Networking Site (My Recommendation: Twitter, Facebook)
Get in a relationship (Lol! Otherwise it will make your life most complex)

4. Learn to Relax:
When people feel stressed, what they do is to dive into the pending works, and gets  more stressed within a few minutes. So whenever you feel stressed, stop! and RELAX! Nothing productive can be done with a troubled mind. How to Relax? Well you should find your own techniques, let me give you some suggestions:

• Pray 
• Have a walk (best if you can walk in the nature)
• Do what you love (Like painting, playing games)
• Spend time with your friends and family.

5. Remind Yourself "AALLL IZZZ WELLL!" :
People get stressed because they worry too much. My suggestion is to Stop Worrying and Start Living(as the title of the book by Dale Carnegie suggests) . As Rancho (the lead character in the bollywood movie "3 Idiots" ) says "Whenever you are in difficult situations, facing problems keep your hand on your heart and say AALLL IZZZ WELLL (All is Well). This may not solve your problem, but it will give you strength to look for the solution"

So wish you all a stress-free life. I will be coming up many more ideas on how to deal with the stress.

Faith As Our Currency

Throughout history the currency of many nations and its worth has fluctuated, and at times even become totally worthless. So to put your confidence in a nation’s monetary system alone is to build your foundations on shaky ground. This is where you need to invest in your faith account. And how do you do this? Well, I can only speak from personal experience.

So here are a few tips to enable you to position yourself time and time again for success.


1) Have Faith In God – I personally have faith in the Allah (The creator for the whole world) . And that faith is simply expressed in my trust and a confidence in my creator. So much so that I stake my life and my very existence on Him. In my life I have seen Him supply my greatest needs time and time again that proves to me that He is personally interested in my well being. I talk to Him as my friend and my mentor.

2) Have Faith In Your Strengths – I have consistently needed to identify my strengths and learn to operate in those strengths if I wished to walk in success and satisfaction. The first thing was to identify them. To do this I simply needed to recognize those things that I do naturally and the things that I have a passion for. And then I needed to do them on a consistent basis – ever seeking to improve along the way.

3) Have Faith In Others – Then I have at the same time learnt to delegate my weaknesses. This has been helped by gradually surrounding myself with a strong support network of people who can help me in these weak areas. Mentors are in this group. And the older I get the greater need for these is becoming more evident in my life. These individuals are strong individuals who assist, support and guide me in the daily decision and activity process that make up my life.

So no matter where I find myself in the world geographically or financially, this faith currency is the currency I use on a daily basis, and it sufficiently sustains me.

Try using it yourself, for it is of eternal value

Iron Sharpeneth Iron, But Sandpaper Blunteth

When it comes to building successful relationships with others it basically comes down to one thing – respect.

And that respect is reflected in the way we relate to the other party. If you or I enter into the relationship with one thing in mind – ‘what can I get out of it?’ – you will soon find that you are building on some shaky ground.

However, if we approach the relationship from the viewpoint of how can I bring benefit to that other person – then you have immediately created an environment whereby a relationship can be developed. In simplistic terms, it’s more about the give rather than the get.

We cannot force others. We must not manipulate. Love says that we must accept people for who they are and provide them time and an environment where they can grow and develop.

‘Iron sharpeneth iron’ speaks of two strong individuals coming together – and through their interaction there is a spark and there is a further sharpening as two minds meet with a common sense of giving at the centre of their interaction.

Sandpaper? Sandpaper tells. Iron invites. Ever been rubbed up the wrong way? Ever been in a situation where the intention of one of the party is to get, and where there’s very little give? There is no sharpening here. There is only blunting. Ultimately there will be no relationship.

So be a giver. Be a sharpener. Add the spark to all your relationships by discarding the sandpaper and by administering only the iron – the iron of love and respect

Built To Build

Destruction is not the purpose of humanity, for all humans have been built to build.

And what are we to build?

1. We Are To Build Each Other

An encouraging word, a pat on the back, an uplifting text or email can change the course of one life in an instant. Be a builder, not a destroyer.

2. We Are To Build Strong Families

A nation is only as strong as the family unit. With the divorce epidemic rampant in our midst there is a need for us to stand up and say no to the ‘D’ word and to say yes to the ‘F’ word – and that word is FORGIVENESS.

3.  We Are To Build Strong Economies

And how do we do that? By working diligently, by giving generously, by providing excellent service, by helping others, and by putting them first in all we do. For those in business – if you serve your customers and your staff well, then they will serve you well. And if you work for a boss, then take ownership of the business and act accordingly as though it is your very own.

4. We Are To Build A Strong Faith

As a Muslim my faith comes from hearing and doing God’s word. There is no other way to develop my faith. And to my faith must always be added corresponding action, for faith without works is dead. I must practice what I preach, or else I am nothing but a hypocrite.

Make it your mission to be a builder, for you have been built to build.

Championing Courage

Courage is not the absence of fear and is not formed in the land of ease.
Courage is formed on the battlefield of life. It is the outworking of faith in the lives of those who dare to step out of the lounge called comfortable and onto the field called uncomfortable.
A courageous champion is one who steps forth while the butterflies are still flying into formation. Courage is demonstrated by those who could possibly fail in the pursuit of victory. And yet they are wise enough in their preparation, diligent in their research, and even have a plan B just in case their first plan falters. They wisely position themselves to win. Courageous champions are not courageous fools.

And what of mistakes? These are the courageous champion’s friend from whom they learn much. But yet they don’t allow the impossible or the improbable to hinder their forward progress.
They are the ones who start early and those who finish late. They are the ones who prepare, so that when opportunity introduces itself to them, and it does, they are positioned to succeed and to be hailed as courageous champions.
But the courageous know secretly, that while all others have slept they have been awakened to the exciting possibilities that life has to offer those who demonstrate courage in their daily lives.

Meeting With The Chairman Of The Board

I love my five times meeting a day with Chairman of the Board. It would have to be the highlight of my day. It is the oxygen, the blood stream. It is the place of dreams. It is the source of hope. It is the realm of peace. It is the launch pad. It is the shelter. It is the rock. It is the comfort. It is the hug. It is the kiss. It is the joy. It is the tenderness of tears. It is the thunder. It is the expression of love.

I don’t know how people survive without this refuge.

It is the still small voice. It is where I draw my next breath. It is where life changing words guide my life. It is the source of reality. It is the war room where strategies and plans are birthed. It is the central nervous system of my very existence, because it is the place where I meet Him; the creator of all things, the inventor, the mastermind, the Lord of life, the King of the universe.

So it is here that I cuddle up to him and nestle deep in his arms – sometimes laughing, sometimes crying. It is here that I am fearless, comforted, restored, renewed and where I am called to obey His instructions in the knowledge that I will hear his beautiful voice, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’ and where he calls me his child.

Bill Marriott’s Twelve Rules Of Success.

Bill Marriott’s Twelve Rules Of Success (Marriott Hotel Group)

He wrote: My father often said, “Success is never final.” After hearing the stories of our Marriott associates, it’s easy to see why this is a great company. Their spirit to serve and passionate pursuit of excellence are the reasons we’re successful.

Based on the core values that formed the foundation since the early days of our company, coupled with my experience, I’ve adopted what I refer to as the “Twelve Rules of Success”. These management philosophies are a simple but powerful part of our culture and create a living tradition of values and beliefs that we share with our associates all around the world.

1. Continually challenge your team to do better.

2. Take good care of your employees, and they’ll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back.

3. Celebrate your people’s success, not your own.

4. Know what you’re good at and mine those competencies for all you’re worth.

5. Do it and do it now. Err on the side of taking action.

6. Communicate. Listen to your customers, associates and competitors.

7. See and be seen. Get out of your office, walk around, make yourself visible and accessible.

8. Success is in the details.

9. It’s more important to hire people with the right qualities than with specific experience.

10. Customer needs may vary, but their bias for quality never does.

11. Eliminate the cause of a mistake. Don’t just clean it up.

12. View the problem as an opportunity to grow.

Your end speaks

The final speech of our life will be the one that is remembered throughout the generations. And you and I will spend a lifetime preparing that dissertation.

So what thought, what planning, what platform are you creating for that final analysis of a life lived on planet earth?  For the rehearsal is participated in every day that we breathe, with every word uttered and with every act expressed.

Many discard the moments as if they are only scraps that can be easily tossed aside. But let me enlighten you by revealing to you that every second wasted is as a diamond lost.

For what price can you place upon a life? What value is a finger? What worth is an eye? And the sum total of it all – what is the true value of a life lived to its fullest potential?

For the only common element that we share in common in this world is time itself.  And at the summation of all the collected seconds that have made up our life – what will be the contents of your speech that will openly reveal the true value of a life lived?

Let your end speak in a way that future generations will be inspired to launch their own momentous beginning.

aggressive progressive

You must also acquire the correct knowledge and then put yourself within an environment whereby you can access ongoing wise counsel.

I recently heard about a multi-millionaire who had a dream.

It may surprise you, but his first dream was not to own a condominium or a hotel resort beside the ocean.

His very first dream was to have at his disposal a team of wise lawyers, accountants, financial advisors and mentors.

He knew that they in turn would be able to provide him with the necessary information and guidance that would supply him with the necessary knowledge to acquire those very things.

In addition to pursuing great deals, he spent much of his time seeking out the right people to guide him in those purchases. In doing so he set himself up to procure wealth that secured both his and his families future beyond his wildest dreams. That also included the condominiums and hotels.

He was an ‘aggressive progressive’ and you too can be one.

Here are four qualities of an ‘aggressive progressive’?

1. Invest In An Ongoing Education

One of the greatest investments you can make is in yourself.

This was once again reinforced in my own life recently when I watched a teenager I know spend  42000 Rs, of their hard earnt money which they had been earning at 8000 a month in a part-time job, on a course that would expand his financial education.

There were many other things that they could have spent their money on, but they realised that if they invested this money now, that they would in turn learn how to make so much more money in a far shorter period of time.

It always amazes me how many adults wince at paying 90K Rs to 1.5 Lac for a three day seminar and yet are willing to struggle for twenty years of their life and never change the way they think or act.

2. Gain Access To Wise Counsel

Henry Ford was once accused of being ignorant. But the fact was that eventhough he didn’t know the answers to TRIVIA-type questions, he knew people who could get him the information, because he surrounded himself with experts in their own specific fields of endeavour.

To be successful, you don’t have to be good at everything. You need to surround yourself with people who know more than you, and as you associate with them more and more it won’t be long before that knowledge will overflow into your life.

3. Acquire Knowledge

An ‘aggressive progressive’ is hungry for the acquisition of knowledge.

They listen to tapes, they attend seminars, they read book after book after book. They ask questions. They join forums on the Internet.

They seek out opportunities to learn from every circumstance and continue at all times to have the attitude of a student.

4. Act

I have read a book entitled ‘Good Things Don’t Come To Those Who Wait’.

If you’re waiting for your ship to come in it won’t be long before you’ll find yourself shipwrecked.

‘Aggressive progressives’ don’t wait.

They TAKE ACTION.

The ‘Aggressive Progressive’ Challenge

If you haven’t experienced significant positive change in the last five years then you need to do something drastic.

NOW!

Change will only happen if you ENFORCE change on your life.

If you want a different life then do something different to what you did last year and the year before last. Don’t remain in a state of ‘degressive regressive’. Move ahead now by becoming an ‘aggressive progressive’ once and for all.

Nothing will happen until you make it happen.

Purchase that book. Buy that tape. Enrol in that seminar. Learn and Act on the teaching

DO SOMETHING!

Apply the four qualities of an ‘aggressive progressive’ to your life and watch powerful and exciting changes start to occur.

Motivational Quote:  An ‘Aggressive Progressive’ makes progress through fearless action.

Mentorship

Here are some great ideas on mentorship and leadership that were recently shared with me

• Recognize the grace of God on your life and examine your potential.
• Who speaks into your life is very important. Be surrounded by assessors, constructive assessment.
• I need a mentor who asks me the right questions. Ask right questions to right people. Questions trigger learning curve and revelation.
• Recognize you can’t grow in isolation and you need a team.
• A mentor needs to identify my current capacity that I can enlarge from.
• I must remain teachable. How I respond is important.
• Embrace a different approach to your work – paradigm shift – daily routine.
• Maintain pure motives.
• We must identify the burden bearers amongst us. Give them a go!
• We must learn to delegate effectively.
  I DO – YOU HELP
  YOU DO – I HELP
  YOU DO – I WATCH

The Master Idea

I just read an inspiring article in a magazine I picked up recently….here is an excerpt from that article….with a few of my added notes…

“Nothing else in the world….is so powerful as an idea whose time has come” Victor Hugo

A corporate Master Idea has the power to ignite and propel a company in the direction of its fullest potential.


Core Values

Trust, Optimism and Resilience work

In one survey, professionals who considered their company’s core values to be “crucial and part of everything we do” were:

300% more likely to believe their work is continually challenging;
200% more likely to feel energized when thinking about the job;
600% more likely to say they work for a superbly led organization;
200% more likely to report customer service as the driving force behind the organization

Those who believed their company’s values are unimportant, not motivating, not articulated or inconsistent were:

500% more likely to say they plan to leave their current job as soon as possible.

Source: Based on interviews with 750 professionals, with results to be published in ‘Business at the Speed of Molasses’ by Joey Reiman and Andrea Hershatter (Crown Business 2007)

A Higher Purpose

Working toward a higher purpose that captures a company’s soul is an idea whose time has come. Some of the most successful companies have realized the value of providing employees with meaningful aspirations.

Values First

By putting values and principles before money, the capacity of the organization can be harnessed in service of both a greater good and a profitable future. Master Ideas offer the promise that the deeper you look inside an organization, the more passion and celebration you will find. This translates into a bond with a marketplace that increasingly demands authenticity along with every transaction.

Companies that identify their Master Idea create corporate missionaries who contribute to its success. When an organization excavates its Master Idea, it harnesses a power that results from a clear, pure purpose. It provides a new way of thinking that invigorates and guides all aspects of the business.

The great news is that the Master Idea already lives inside your company. When you discover it, it will give depth to your culture, define your policies, guide your tactics and give rise to a strategy that holds it all together.

Many wonder, “If my company were to fold, would the world miss a beat?” If you have defined your company’s heart, the world most certainly would.

Ten Tests of a Master Idea

1. Do you know the founding sentiments that made your organization thrive?
2. Does the vision or purpose feel authentic? Distinctive? Enduring?
3. Can you articulate meaningful organisational values shared and lived by all?
4. Do you feel inspired to go to work each day?
5. Are creativity and innovation part of everyone’s job description?
6. Does your organization leave its communities better off than it found them?
7. Do you create something more significant than products and services?
8. Is your company on a heroic mission?
9. Do you earn profits in a way that is consistent with your purpose?
10. Does working toward your purpose enable you to earn profits?

Discretion Preservation

There is an ancient proverb that says: ‘When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul; discretion will preserve you and understanding shall keep you.’

When you combine both wisdom and knowledge you get common sense. But then add to that formula discretion.

Discretion means the quality of being discreet; circumspection;having judgment that is sound, being prudent, tactful;having the ability to make such judgment; individual freedom of decision or choice.

Let’s take a look at the word circumspection. Circumspection simply means to examine carefully all the circumstances that may effect a determination or a decision and of being wary,vigilant, prudent and cautious.

These are the necessary ingredients for a life lived long and a life lived well; a preserved life that rides through the storms, weathers the winds of change and is kept in good shape as one pursues their dreams.

The old proverb tells us that in being discreet we will be preserved. That means that we will be sustained and that we will be kept or saved from harm or destruction.

In this day and age, where there is so much violence, it is something that is of major importance to those of us who have families.

But what are the characteristics of a discreet life? What qualities must you develop and what habits must you adopt in order to be preserved from those things that threaten your success on a daily basis?

Here are five points that I believe will assist you in your pursuit.

1. Get The Facts

Never rely on hearsay. Go to the source and find out the facts. This relates to anything that you are involved in. Don’t rely on the reporter. Go to the reported. Whether it is investments, motivational formulas, or anything that you are interested in, make certain that you get as many viewpoints as possible and then compare notes. Do your own research and never be reliant on the so-called expertise of another without doing your own personal investigation. The reason so many of us make bad judgements is because we have been mentally lazy.

2. Find A Mentor

Mentors are available everywhere. You will be  surprised how freely information and input is available. People in general are more than willing to share information with those who have a hunger and a willingness to learn. On the internet there are forums that allow you to ask questions and it certainly provides a platform for you to discover your mentor. Once you have found them, make certain that they walk the talk. By spending time with them you will soon discover the truth behind their words and through your friendship you will discover fortunes untold.

3. The 100-1 Rule

I don’t know if it is a law or not, but I have come across this principle time and time again. I recently stumbled across it once again in an investment property book. The writer stated that if you look at 100 properties, put in offers on 10, and try arrange financing for 3, you may end up buying 1. In another industry they recommended that if you talk to 100 people you will ultimately end up with 1 person who will shine above all the rest. Success is a number’s game. Go through the numbers and you cannot but learn and succeed.

4. Be Vigilant

Don’t relax in your success. Guard it wisely. I have seen so many people who have had a taste of success and then they suddenly stop doing what got them success in the first place. They think that once they have it, it will remain forever. Not true. It requires vigilance and diligence. If before you succeeded you read a book 20 minutes a day, then don’t stop. If you attended seminars, then continue doing so. If you talked to a certain number of people each day, then increase it. Whatever it took to get you where you are, then don’t decrease. Multiply your efforts. Work harder. Renew your dream and go for it.

5. Make Your Own Decisions

If you allow others to make decisions for your life, you will wake up one day in a place that you never planned to be. Always, always, always make your own decisions for your own life. Listen to the experts, but don’t let them rule your decisions. Allow them to guide you, but become educated in the area that the experts are operating so that you can then make your own qualified decisions. Again, don’t have a lazy mind. Rather, have a learned mind.

These five discretionary qualities will assist you  in the preservation and the sustainment of a successful life. Apply them today and preserve your freedom to succeed.

Motivational Quote: Discreet lives are preserved for great achievements.

Randy Pausch - Points on How to Improve your Life

Randy Pausch - Points on How to Improve your Life


This is amazing, he died of pancreatic cancer in 2008, but wrote a book ‘The last lecture” before then, one of the bestsellers in 2007. What a legacy to leave behind…


In a letter to his wife Jai and his children, Dylan, Logan, and Chloe, he wrote this beautiful "guide to a better life" for his wife and children to follow. May you be blessed by his insight.


POINTS ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE


Personality:
1. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
2. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment
3. Don't over do; keep your limits
4. Don't take yourself so seriously; no one else does
5. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip
6. Dream more while you are awake
7. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
9. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
10. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present
11. No one is in charge of your happiness except you
12. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
13. Smile and laugh more
14. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.


Community:
15. Call your family often
16. Each day give something good to others
17. Forgive everyone for everything
18. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6
19. Try to make at least three people smile each day
20. What other people think of you is none of your business
21. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch.


Life:
22. Put GOD first in anything and everything that you think, say and do.
23. GOD heals everything
24. Do the right things
25. However good or bad a situation is, it will change
26. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up
27. The best is yet to come
28. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful
29. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it
30. If you know GOD you will always be happy. So, be happy.


While you practice all of the above, share this knowledge with the people you love, people you school with, people you play with, people you work with and people you live with. Not only will it enrich YOUR life, but also that of those around you