Category: Reflections (A Special Gift)

Desire inspires us to establish goals and objectives.  When we believe our desires are attainable, we create power to achieve them.

Decisions we make today create our destiny tomorrow.  These decisions are the result of desires and objectives.  Without a fixed direction we are like a ship on an ocean of change without a rudder.  We will surely arrive though at a destination unknown.

To take control of our destiny, it is essential we have a concrete idea of our objective.  When this objective becomes a burning desire, we are driven to take action which launches us in the right direction.

Limitations in life are measured by desire.  It is impossible to grasp beyond what we dream and desire.  Our direction is determined by our aspiration.  The fear of wanting too much is often accompanied with the fear of failure.  Nevertheless, it is better to try and fail than to never try at all.

Failure is simply a temporary detour in the journey of life; a pebble which causes initial discomfort and which inevitably becomes a distant memory.

Visualization is a powerful mechanism which gives substance to dreams and desires.   Visualization takes us to the unknown and the known.  It is possible to imagine what we desire and have not achieved as well as what we already know.   The mind has the power to create and produce incredible imagery.  Intense mental images facilitate the formulation of an action plan.

The key to effectively using desire, imagination and visualization is coming back down to earth afterwards to create a definite action plan which leads us to the destiny we desire.

Maintaining an excellent attitude generates clear and concise desires.  Concrete objectives create a powerful reason to live.  When our desires vanish, it is time to think about how we will leave this reality we call life and pass to another reality which is yet unknown.

To desire something with all our heart is also the best way of staying young in body and spirit.  While we are in route towards an objective or a worthy ideal, we have no time to reflect on what could have been.  What happened yesterday is a distant dream, what comes tomorrow an unfulfilled promise and what we have today an exact certainty.  This instant is the most intense moment of our lives.  The dreams and desires we create today give purpose to rise and rally tomorrow to embrace another day.

The pessimist says dreams are empty promises while the optimist says dreams are promises yet unfulfilled.  Desire allows us to reach for the stars instead of staying stuck in the mud.  Our dreams and desires are the seeds of success sown today which grow straight and tall to be harvested tomorrow.

@RobMcBride

It is virtually impossible to live isolated from the world. Interaction with others is important and necessary.  Our success and happiness are a result of our ability to successfully relate with other people.  Our capacity to be useful and help others satisfy their necessities determines our ability to achieve our goals and objectives.

The objective of any profession is to be of service.  A doctor utilizes his knowledge of the human body to keep people healthy.  A carpenter utilizes his hands to construct houses and furniture to make our lives more pleasurable.

The more useful we are, the more success we will have.  When we give, we receive.  The law never fails.  The compensation we receive, monetary and otherwise, is in direct proportion to the service we provide.  The more service we provide, the greater the rewards.

There is a tremendous difference between being servile and being of service.  Being servile implies being timid, passive and shy.  Being of service, on the other hand, implies being outgoing, helping and of assistance others.  The perception that one is being servile while being of service is incorrect.

The most well-known people in the world are those who have discovered means of sharing their knowledge and wisdom.  They have a decided impact on humanity.  The wise man who hides his knowledge is no better than he who knows nothing at all.

When we share our abilities with the world we are compensated accordingly. The surest way to arrive at the destiny we desire is to be useful and to be of service.

All we do is related directly or indirectly with the art of sales.  We are constantly selling the idea we are good people and we deserve the love and respect of others.  We also sell goods and services which enable us to acquire that which we need and desire.

Selling through trickery and deception may lead to short term success. It is possible to succeed through lies and deception.  Initially, it may seem to be the easiest path.  We find, however, in the long term we reap what we sow. More often than not, fraudulent strategies fail and fall like a house of cards.  Meanwhile, opportunities abound for those who are transparent and honest.

We gravitate towards those relations which are pleasurable.  Those who transmit an attitude of service and utility are those who attract life’s abundance and prosperity. They are respected and sought in times of calamity and crisis.

To be useful to our family, friends, and humanity leads us to achieve what we desire in life.  As sure as the day follows the night, a positive attitude of usefulness and service leads to success and happiness.

@RobMcBride

In life some elements are within our realm of control and others exceed our grasp. While it is important to influence and change those things within our power of control, it is also critical to tolerate those beyond our reach.

Many worry about the weather.  While it can be important to be aware of climatic changes, there is nothing we can do to modify the weather.  Instead of allowing unknown elements to influence our behavior, it is imperative we adjust our attitude to those factors within our control.  While it is wise to prepare for the weather, in the end it doesn’t matter if the weather is wonderful or wild, we can be content in either situation.  We are masters of our attitudes and have the power to establish our attitude daily for better or worse.

Our ability to tolerate those things which exceed our influence frees us from the often perceived need to change our environment.  We participate, though we are not responsible for all that occurs in our immediate surroundings.  Many times things happen which are impossible to change and difficult to understand.  Awareness of this simple truth leads to inner peace and tranquility.

There are also situations which we can positively influence in our environment.  We often have the power to change and mold the world around us.  Taking initiative and action to create positive change is one of life’s most intense pleasures.  Many things can be changed in our immediate surroundings and we should take every opportunity to effect positive change in our world.  At the same time, understanding we cannot change everything encourages us to focus on those things within our control.

There will be people whose vision of the world differs from our own.  Instead of trying to convince them we hold the truth, we can listen attentively and attempt to understand their reasoning.  Tolerance implies accepting differing opinions without feeling the obligation to convince others they are mistaken.

Tolerance allows us to listen more and speak less.  People love to talk about themselves and when we listen to them completely and attentively without judging or criticizing, we demonstrate our interest in them as individuals and demonstrate our value for their opinions.

Death, sickness and injustice are all difficult to comprehend.  We can influence the intensity, frequency and duration of our emotions for the most unfortunate occurrences in our lives.  The knowledge that time heals all wounds makes it easier to fight valiantly against difficulty and distress to the best of our ability.

Tolerating and accepting those circumstances we cannot change energizes us to effect and influence those elements within our control.

@RobMcBride

Initiative is vital to achieve our objectives, activate change and create a course of action.  Initiative gives rise to life’s most significant accomplishments.

Ideas, dreams and goals are not enough to effect change.  One person who takes the initiative to solve a problem is worth more than a thousand who have the intention to resolve the same situation.

Initiative comes from a burning desire to produce change and achieve an objective.  Hunger, sexual desire and survival all create pressure which influences action.  In order to live healthy productive lives, it’s vital to resolve the pressure which is present in each of us.  Initiative is the ideal response to this pressure.

When we are hungry, we seek food.  When we feel sexual desire, we seek release.  When we are in danger, we seek safety.

While initiative which satisfies biological necessities is an instinctive response, initiative to advance professionally or personally is a learned response and more elusive.  The pressure we feel when embarking on a new activity or initiating a new journey is more subtle and our reaction to this type of pressure must be developed and nurtured.

We constantly seek pleasure and avoid pain.  Starting something new is frequently associated with pain, an uneasy feeling which arises when we venture outside our comfort zone and are exposed to the prospect of failure.

Every decision we make in life has a consequence; some are perceived as good and others as bad.  Some involve pleasure and others pain.  Of all decisions, the decision to do nothing guarantees mediocrity.

Taking initiative involves assuming risk, breaking away from the known and leaping into the unknown with decision and action.  We are often faced with a double-edged sword.  Family and friends often encourage us to seek the comfortable and convenient, frequently criticizing our stand to deviate from established parameters.

Resolve to follow our own path and take calculated risks is essential to soar with the eagles rather than slither with the snakes.

Eliciting the guidance of allies who inspire us to take initiative is often critical to our success. Communicating with those who share our vision and desire to create and initiate significant ventures builds strength and confidence.  At the same time, it is wise to carefully guard our initiatives and desires from those who do not share our vision and may wish to diminish our desire.

Our creative power is unique.  Our capacity to create, imagine and establish new ideas is extraordinary.  Confidence in our abilities as well as the initiative to take action nourishes our creative energy.

@RobMcBride

Tenacity is our capacity to continue working on a job or task until we achieve the result we desire.  Persistence is imperative to attain goals and objectives.

Obstacles and difficulties generate a yearning to surrender.  Impediment and inconvenience determine our character and define our destiny.  Our reaction to adversity can create power or enhance vulnerability.  The best way to confront a problem tenaciously is to perceive difficulties as challenges, not obstacles.

In nature, perseverance and persistence always win.  A river has no concept of time.  Regardless of whether it takes a day, a month or a century to overcome an obstacle, it continues its course until achieving its objective.  It never tires from being diverted and doesn’t complain when things get difficult.  It simply continues in spite of hindrance and hurdles.

We can learn much from the river which adheres to its course.  Life’s events are neither good nor bad, they simply are.  We assign qualities to a particular event depending on our experience and point of view.  Life’s most wonderful moments frequently come after the most trying and turbulent times.  During these cycles tenacity creates the most inspiring and intense reflections and responses to overcome difficulty.

Tenacity in our occupation can be the difference between achieving success and having to look for another profession.  Everything is difficult before it is easy.  The master carpenter must learn from mistakes before becoming a craftsman.  The apprentice observes, listens and practices before creating a masterpiece.

The desire to learn from each situation also allows us to be more tenacious.  When we look at problems as opportunities to learn, we change our perspective and expect to overcome challenges.  We do not grow old as a result of age, rather as a result of a broken spirit.  We remain young at heart as long as we learn and grow.

Tenacity is not innate; it is learned.   We learn to be tenacious through success and failure. When we quit, we learn to give up.  When we persevere, we learn to be tenacious.  This, in turn, pays tremendous dividends.

Education, knowledge and intelligence are elements which contribute greatly to our success.  Without adding the ingredient of tenacity, however, we fall short of our desires.  To achieve our objectives, it is imperative to have the will to gain wisdom which provides us with the power to persist in complex situations.

Tenacity elicits the use of all resources at our disposal which allow us to attain objectives and desires in spite of the multi-layered myriad of obstacles which create detours and deviations in our journey.

@RobMcBride

People who attain personal and professional success are very confident in themselves.  Confidence is developed by experience, preparation, perseverance and a positive attitude.

The more experience we have, the more confident we will be.  When we do something for the first time, we lack confidence even when we have all the necessary tools.  It is only by doing the task several times that we gain higher levels of confidence.

Most believe experience comes only with time.  We learn much from time and it is a great professor.  What is not so evident is that we can energize our experience today to create more confidence for tomorrow.

When we take risk, break routine and do something extraordinary, we augment our experience immediately. The more risk we take, the more experience we gain.  We can let time be the master of our experience or we can energize our experience today to create confidence tomorrow.

Preparation is another fundamental element to acquiring more confidence.  Regardless of the objective, we can take action to be more prepared.  Preparation takes time, hard work and constancy while paying tremendous dividends in confidence and success.

It is easiest to go into a situation unprepared, managing problems as they arise as best we can. On the other hand, when we are prepared for the situation, we go in with increased confidence to manage it and to direct the process to achieve what we desire.

Perseverance also increases our confidence.  Perseverance, achievement and confidence are tightly intertwined.  When we persevere, we achieve our objectives and increase our confidence.  The opposite is also true.  When we give up and don’t achieve our objectives, our confidence plummets.  By persevering in the most difficult of circumstance, we assure confidence and success.

The most important factor in achieving a high degree of confidence is maintaining an exceptional positive attitude. Attitude is an exponential factor both in the negative and also in the positive.

An excellent positive attitude allows us to achieve our objectives despite a lack of experience, preparation or perseverance.  A negative attitude stops us short even though we have experience, preparation and perseverance.  Confidence and attitude are inseparable.

Our confidence is evident in our behavior and our energy.  Confidence with humility attracts opportunities and circumstances which lead us to achieve our goals and objectives.

@RobMcBride

Taking action is essential to achieve our goals and objectives.  Without action life’s opportunities remain scattered and abandoned by the wayside.

Intentions and plans proliferate.  As human beings, our minds never stop thinking, imagining and creating.  We constantly look for something better.  The difference between actors and spectators in the theater of life is action.

The road to any objective begins with an initial step.  Before assuming the risk involved in implementing any idea, we analyze and consider alternatives and consequences.  While logical in process and prudent in theory, too much analysis creates paralysis.

Taking control of our future entails taking action today to eliminate the horrible habit of leaving for tomorrow what can be accomplished today.  What we leave for tomorrow can also be postponed for another day.  Each day we let pass without definite action towards our burning desire causes us to drift farther away from our objectives, like a boat without a rudder subject only to the winds of change.  The best time to implement any activity which promotes positive change for the future is this instant.

The most intense moment of our lives is, in fact, this instant.  What happened yesterday and what comes tomorrow can never compare with the intensity of this moment.  Yesterday is a dream and tomorrow is a promise yet unfulfilled.  The only thing we have with certainty is this instant.  What we fail to do in this moment may well be left undone forever.

It is easy to realize what we should do.  In fact, often we know exactly what needs to be done and how we need to do it.  What is difficult is taking action and actually doing it.

Fear of failure is a common enemy.  The possibility of failure is one of the main reasons we stop at the precise moment we need to take action.  Failure, as such, is a relative term.  Those who have been the most successful in life are also those who have failure as a familiar friend.  Failure and success are interrelated. Those who take calculated risks, even in the face of failure, are those most likely to achieve elevated levels of success.

Failure drives us to modify our path in order to assure we reach our objectives.  There are many roads to success, yet not one road assures success for everyone.  We must each find our own direction.  What works for one can be a disaster for another.  While starting down a path is essential, making adjustments and managing change is critical. Tomorrow will come with any path we choose, though not always with the desired destination.

Life is a random walk determined by peculiar circumstances which create our direction and destiny.  Cultivating the habit of taking action fortifies our character, increases our confidence and allows us to achieve what many deem impossible.

Our ability to build a better tomorrow is determined by the action we take today.  It’s not what we know, rather what we do with what we know which is most important.

@RobMcBride