There is a tide in the affairs of men..

"There is a tide in the affairs of men- which taken at the flood,
leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in
shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; and we
must take the current when it serves... or lose our ventures." - Shakespeare

JOE's THOUGHTS - Today we each float upon a full sea of opportunities. Daily we encounter
the power to make strong choices and decisions - when we decide to face those
challenges head on into the "flood" it will lay the path to other "fortunes" for us.

Taking the higher road at every chance gives us the strength to move
onward over any challenge. Choosing to take the lower road, the easy road... the road which pushes aside our values in exchancge for a quicker easier route to what we want... ultimately leaves us stranded without many options... as Shakespeare said it... "bound to shallows and miseries."

ALTERNATE THOUGHTS -

In Zen Buddhism, is it taught to not force things, to not fight against the natural current of life, but instead to become part of the current, to gain the strength of it.

We have a power, that lesser animals do not posses. The dynamic power of cdeliberately creating our own futures. Like attracts like. If we want to bring happiness into our life, it would not make sense to be continually frustrated, allowing for tension and sadness to pervade our emotions. We must act in accordance with what we truly desire, and be focused on what we truly desire.

We must say to ourselves, "I choose to feel good, now." It is the secret to changing the course of our own life, and that power is within each of us.

HOW BIRDS CREATE AFFIRMATIONS

" "The Power of Affirmation" by Remez Sasson, positive affirmations are positive sentences or phrases repeated many times in order to condition the mind, especially the subconscious mind, and trigger it into action. These sentences describe a situation that we want to happen and they are repeated many times with attention, feeling, and faith. -" http://ezinearticles.com/?Daily-Affirmation&id=817079

This might be a far stretch - but in keeping true to form in regards to the mind taking lessons from more and more "normal" situations, I will relate what I discovered for myself yesterday.

It was a beautiful day. Early in the morning, remember that. I was outside and the sun was shining. Just like every beautiful day, one would expect the birds to be chirping away - and they were. I was intrigued by one particular bird's call. It was very mellow and had a tone that sounded as if it were played through a woodwind. While listening I began to count the different sets of chirps, and it was very mathematical. The bird would chirp the same notes 5 times in a row, and then a completely different set 5 times repeating this until there were 10 sets of different bird calls all repeated 5 times each, one after another...

and then... a short pause....
and the FINALE... a 5 time repetition of another set of chirps the 11th... and then all was quiet.

This reminded me of daily affirmations - something I am beginning to explore and which has shown to be a very valuable way to start each day. It was almost a reminder of saying the things you want... pausing and then saying "I WILL HAVE IT ALL!" as a final affirmation and then being at peace to let the universe bring it to you.

Let nature be a teacher.

June 4 - ...Perhaps It Is Your Opportunity

JUNE IS OPPORTUNITY MONTH

"IF IT ISN'T YOUR JOB DO TO IT, PERHAPS IT IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.

Someone once observed that the reason we often fail to recognize opportunities is because they come disguised as problems. When a customer, a colleague, or your boss has a problem, it may create a valuable opportunity for you. It isn't important to the person with the problem how your company is organized or whose responsibility is it to solve the problem; he or she only wants the situation resolved.

The next time a customer, a colleague, or your boss asks for your assistance in something that falls outside your area of responsibility, instead of referring them to someone else, offer to help. Look at the situation from the other person's point of view. How would you like the situation handled if the roles were reversed? Take the initiative to find the answer, solve the problem, or keep the project moving forward." - Napoleon Hill's Action Plan
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JOE's THOUGHTS

Creating value by giving more than we expect in payment is one of the 5 laws of stratospheric success in the book "The Go-Giver". First by being able to see the opportunity and then by taking it. By taking the opportunity to go the extra mile, to step up and take responsibility and to resolve a situation without it being assigned as your duty creates a great amount of value for you.

Thomas Edison said it well, ""Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work." Change the way you look at things. Instead of focusing on how hard it might be, focus on the reward of accomplishing it.

This can apply in work, school at home and in every relationship.

May 28 - Never Mind What Others Didn't Do...

"NEVER MIND WHAT OTHERS DIDN'T DO. IT'S WHAT YOU DO THAT COUNTS.

If you depend upon others for your success, you are doomed to a life of failure and despair. It is a sad fact of life that few people consistently deliver what they promise. Instead of lamenting what someone else should have done to help you, focus on what you can do to help yourself. The best plan of action is one that provides opportunities for others to benefit if they wish to work with you toward the accomplishment of your goals but that does not depend upon these people for success." - Napoleon Hill's Action Plan

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MY THOUGHTS
Focusing on what we can do to help ourselves is a key element to becoming successful in your endeavors. In order to pull someone up, you must first be standing on higher solid ground. If you are waiting on someone else in your life to take action - before you take action on something, don't wait! Go and take the next step. Tony Robbins calls this waiting period the Law of Diminishing Intent, the longer you wait the less likely you are to do something. For example waiting for your friend to exercise with you before you will go yourself - you could just start a routine and then let them know you started without them, more than likely this will spur them into action also. Waiting for your doctor to make you healthy before you start eating healthy and taking action yourself... So go out there today and take action on something - do not mind if the other person is not, you may become the initiative for them to take similar action.

Story of a Flashlight

Story of a Flashlight... by Joseph Hummel

You are on a road at night. The path is unsafe and your are unsure of your direction. You have been in the dark a long time, even though your eyes have adjusted, it is still difficult to see clearly. Every so often someone passes you and shines a light in front of you and then fades into the distance. Your mind pieces together what you saw and you take the next few safe steps with excitement and confidence.

Do you believe that sometimes, we are given the opportunity to see ahead with the light that someone else shares with us? For some, the light may be too bright, or they may not be able to adjust their vision quickly... and for others, they need someone else to shine more light on it before they are able to make another step.. and still for others they were not paying attention when they light showed up.

When you are inspired to see through the darkness at the path that lies ahead... you need only but a flash of light... and all too quickly that light can fade -- but do not despair, you need only be ready and continually look for light in your life, so that you may brighten your path and so you determine where you are headed.

May 22 - Reaching Decisions Promptly

"THE MAN WHO DOESN'T REACH DECISIONS PROMPTLY WHEN HE HAS ALL THE NECESSARY FACTS IN HAND CANNOT BE DEPENDED ON TO CARRY OUT DECISIONS AFTER HE MAKES THEM.

The is no one right answer-- but an endless number of right answers-- to most of life's problems. Usually, your options are many and varies; the difficulty lies in choosing the best alternative from among many, all in a reasonable time frame. If you devote yourself to making small decisions promptly, you will fin d it much easier to be decisive when the stakes are much bigger. Most important, you'll find making decisions and acting on them far easier if you act promptly." - Napoleon Hill's Action Plan
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MY THOUGHTS -

I seldom meet someone who is able to make good decisions promptly. But why is this? I believe we live in a society that bombards us with advertising, and that takes away from our initiative to make our own decisions. Additionally, many are employed in careers that dictate their how much they earn, where they will live, what clothes they will wear, what hairstyle they will have, what school their children will go to, the time they wake up and go to sleep, when they will eat, how much free time, and many times we are told what to do during work hours. We are misled by professionals, politicians, people who publish opinions versus the opinion of another - making it difficult to understand the truth behind matters. This takes away from our innate human ability to make our own decisions promptly-- we become so used to being told what to do, that when we are asked what to do... we hesitate.

Your life is full of options, and weighing them out will become easier with practice. Make it a point to look at how each one may best benefit you and the future you want to have.,
So ask yourself this question when making a decision today... HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM ________ NOW and WHAT IMPACT WILL IT HAVE ON MY FUTURE I CREATE, and WHAT AFFECT WILL MY CHOICE HAVE ON OTHERS?

May 19 - The Right Sort of Actions Require No...

"The Right Sort of Actions Require No Embellishment of Words

One of the most common mistakes is making excuses to explain why we do not succeed. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people in the world--those who do not succeed -- are excuse-makers. They try to explain their action, or inaction with words. When you succeed, accept the congratulations or others with grace; when you fail, take reposinsibility for your actions, learn from your mistakes, and move on to more constructive things. When your actions are appropriate in every circumstance, you will never feel the need to explain them with words. Your actions will say all that needs to be said." - Napoleon Hill's Action Plan

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MY THOUGHTS -
We never want others to think negatively of us, and I think that is a big reason why so many make excuses for not succeeding, or for anything at all. Can you relate to this honestly? Do you tend to place blame for failures on others, but always take praise for accomplishments? If you put yourself in alignment with a more honest approach with this, you will find new opportunities will arise. This is NOT about labeling yourself a loser, failure or giving self-pity-- you should be able to learn from an honest internal self-evaluation of your actions and results, and then look at why things happen, and by knowing this you can then focus on what you could do differently next time.

May 16 - Faith is a Combination of Thoughts and Actions

"Faith is a Combination of Thoughts and Actions

When you apply your faith in yourself, your faith in your fellowman, and your faith in a higher power [God], the result is a positive course of action that when persistently followed will almost always lead to success. When you believe in your ideas and in your abilities, and you trust in the Infinite Intelligence of the universe you know that you thoughts and deeds will ultimately lead to a successful conclusion. You CANNOT fail." - Napoleon Hill's Action Plan

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MY THOUGHTS -

Action Action Action until you get the results you want.

May 15 - It's Not WHAT you know...

"THE WORLD PINS NO MEDALS ON YOU FOR WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT IT MY CROWN YOU WITH GLORY AND RICHES FOR WHAT YOU DO.

Knowledge is an important component of success in any field. To accomplish anything worthwhile often requires years of study. but knowledge alone is not power; it becomes powerful only when it is applied through positive action.

Study after study of successful people reveals that they have a bias for action they gather the appropriate facts, relate them to their knowledge about the subject, develop an implementation plan, and get into action. When in doubt, it's far better to act too soon rather than too late."
-Napoleon Hill's Action Plan

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MY THOUGHTS -

We are taught when we are young that knowledge is power. We are rewarded for test taking as an individual and our ability to memorize facts. In the real world we quickly learn that few people care what you know. You are judged on your actions, your good deeds, your bad deeds and are rewarded accordingly. Thus, we find this statement is correct. Knowledge is not power without action. In physics we can use this contrast in an analogy between "potential energy" and "kinetic energy" compared to knowledge and action. The more applicable knowledge we gain, the more potential for success we may have, but without movement by our actions or "kinetics" ... the power may never be discovered. How much potential energy do you have? Are you ready to use it now? Continue to always replenish your potential with knowledge but also be consistently applying yourself in forward action.

Book Discussion: Rich Dad,Poor Dad (Robert Kiyosaki)

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