ENERGIZE OUR THINKING

WE MUST LEARN TO ENERGIZE OUR THINKING WITH A MASSIVE INJECTION OF ENTHUSISM. ENTHUSIASM - WHAT IS IT? HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THIS MOUNTAIN-MELTING POWER? HOW CAN WE GET IT? THE WORD COMES FROM TWO GREEK WORDS, "EN" AND "THEOS". LITERALLY TRANSLATED THEY MEAN "IN-GOD". WE SPEAK OF SUCH PERSONS AS INSPIRED. IN-SPIRITED PEOPLE! FILL OUR LIFE WITH THE GOD SPIRIT AND ALL KINDS OF POWER BREAK FORTH. THUS ENTHUSISM CREATES ENERGY! IT IS THAT POWER THAT TURNS AN AVERAGE PERSON INTO AN OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL. IT IS THE HIDDEN SPRING OF ENDLESS ENERGY. IT IS THAT BEAUTIFUL FORCE THAT CARRIES US FROM MEDIOCRITY TO EXCELLENCE. IT TURNS ON A BRIGHT LIGHT IN A DULL FACE UNTIL THE EYES SPARKLE AND THE PERSONALITY BRIGHTENS WITH JOY. IT IS THE SPIRITUAL MAGNET THAT ATTRACTS HELPFUL AND HAPPY PEOPLE TO BECOME OUR FRUITFUL FRIENDS. IT IS THE JOYFUL EMOTIONAL FOUNTAIN THAT BUBBLES UP, ATTRACTING PERSONS TO COME TO OUR SIDE AND DRINK FROM THE JOY THAT CRIES OUTOF OUR HEART. IT IS THE HAPPY SONG OF A POSITIVE PERSON WHO SINGS AN INSPIRING MESSAGE TO THE WORLD. "I CAN! IT'S POSSIBLE! WE'LL DO IT." ENTHUSIASM IS THAT LONG-SOUGHT-AFTER FOUNTAIN OF ETERNAL LIFE. OLD MAN STOP TO DRINK OF IT ELIXIR AND SUDDENLY NEW DREAMS. MARVELOUS, MIRACULOUS, MYSTERIOUS NEW STRENGTH SURGES THROUGH THE OLD BONES. DISCOURAGEMENT FADES LIKE THE MORNING FOG IN THE SHINNING SUN. SUDDENLY WE CATCH OURSELF WHISTLING, NOTICING BIRDS FLYING, SEEING THE GLORIOUS SHAPE OF THE WHITE CLOUDS AGAINST BLUE SKY. FROM DEEP WITHIN OURSELF A NEW SONG BREAKS FORTH. WE WHISTLE, WE SING. NOW WE ARE ALIVE AGAIN! IN THIS ENTHUSIASTIC EXERCISE OF POSITIVE THINKING WE MUST WRITE DOWN OUR ENERGETIC THOUGHTS AND LIST ALL THE GOALS WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.

VISUALIZING THE OBJECTIVES

THE MIND IS AN AMAZING, MYSTERIOUS, MARVELOUS INSTRUMENT. THE VISUALIZATION IS NOT PHYSICAL VISION BUT INNER VISION THROUGH THE POWER OF MIND. THAT MEANS IT USES THE POWER OF IMAGINATION. THE BIBLE ALSO TALKS ABOUT A SIMILAR CONCEPT: "WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH." (PROV.29:18) IN VISUALIZING OUR OBJECTIVES, FOCUSING BECOMES EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. DR. DAVID BURNS, AUTHOR OF FEELING GOOD: THE NEW MOOD THERAPY, IS ONE OF THE LEADING PRACTITIONERS OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY CALLED COGNITIVE THERAPY. HE USES THE ILLUSTRATION OF BINOCULARS. "IF YOU DONT HAVE A VISION FOR YOUR LIFE," HE POINTS OUT, "THEN YOU HAVEN'T PROBABLY FOCUSSED IN ON ANYTHING." THAT'S WHY IT IS NECESSARY THAT WE MUST TAKE OUT OUR MENTAL BINOCULARS AND FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE WE WISH TO ACCOMPLISH. WITH OUR IMAGINATION AS OUR DIRECTION FINDER, AIM OUR ATTENTION UNTIL IT IS POINTED, SPECIFICALLY AT A MEASURABLE AND MANAGABLE OBJECTIVE. SEE IT. SEIZE IT EMOTIONALLY, AND IT WILL SEIZE US! WHILE WE ARE FOCUSSING ON OUR INNER VISION AND HEART'S DESIRE, USE A FILTER. THERE MAY BE MANY CONFUSING IMAGES IN OUR MIND. ANY AMBIGUITIES OF INTERNAL VISION CAN CAUSE COMPETETION FOR OUR INTENSE ENTHUSIASM AND DEFUSE OUR DRIVE AND POWER TO MOVE FORCEFULLY AHEAD. FOR MANY PERSONS THIS IS THEIR CONSTANT PROBLEM. THEY ARE LIKE TRAVELLERS ON A TOUR BUS, LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW, MATCHING ALL OF THE SIGHTS PASSING BY, BUT NEVER SEEING OR FEELING ANY ONE OF THE PLACES THAT PASS TOO SWIFTLY IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES. IN ORDER TO SUCCEED WE MUST GET A PICTURE WITH A CLEAR VISION AND FOCUSS SHARPLY ON TO ACCOMPLISH IT, THEN WE CAN MOVE AHEAD. IF WE SEE OUR PROJECT CLEARLY AND HAVE SIZED IT CORRECTLY, THEN SEIZE IT! MAKE THE GOAL FIRM, AND SEAL IT WITH AN INNER INTENTION. DETERMINE THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. EVEN IF IT APPEARS IMPOSSIBLE, MOVE AHEAD. IF WE WANT OUR DREAM TO REALLY SUCCEED - SEE IT! SIZE IT! SEIZE IT! FEEL IT! AND SUCCEED!

RECOGNIZING THE ASSETS

MANY PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN OR NOT DISCOVERED THEIR ASSETS YET. WE ALL HAVE POTENTIAL FOR GREATNESS. THE PROBLEM IS RECOGNIZING, DISCOVERING, TAPPING AND DEVELOPING THEM TO THEIR FULLEST. IF OUR HOPES APPEAR FANTASTIC BUT OUR DREAMS ONLY UNREALISTIC IMPOSSIBILITIES, THEN WE MUST HANG IN THERE! BECAUSE ITS TIME TO CHECK, DOUBLE-CHECK AND RECHECK OUR ASSETS. YES, THERE ARE THE OBVIOUS ASSETS - CASH, REAL ESTATE, CLOTHES JEWELLERY, ETC. BUT WE MUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALSO HIDDEN ASSETS LIKE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, FREEDOM, FRIENDS, FAITH. AND WE MUST NOT FORGET THESE HIDEN POTENTIAL! WE MUST RECOGNIZE, TAP AND DEVELOP THEM AND MOVE ON AND MOVE AHEAD. WE ALL HAVE DEAD ASSETS THAT CAN BE TURNED INTO LIVE ASSETS. SOME ONE HAS A PAINT BRUSH AND OILS WHICH THEY HAVEN'T PICKED UP FOR A LONG TIME. SOMEBODY ELSE OWNS A VIOLIN THAT HAS BEEN IN THE CASE FOR YEARS. AND SOMEELSE HAS NOT SAT DOWN AT A PIANO OR OPENED A MUSIC BOOK. ALSO THERE MUST BE SOME WRITER WHO DONT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME HE MAY HAVE TOUCHED THE TYPEWRITER. BUT HAVING SAID THAT WE MUST NOT BECOME NEGATIVE ABOUT OURSELF WHEN PEOPLE HAVEN'T GIVEN US ADEQUATE RECOGNITION AND EVEN IF WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WEREN'T PARTICULARLY TALENTED OR INTELLIGENT, EVEN IF WE WERE TOLD ONCE THAT OUR PAINTINGS WASN'T GOOD, OUR MUSIC WAS POOR OR OUR DANCING MEDIOCRE. TO BE PRECISE, WE MUST NOT GET DISCOURAGED. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN WE MUST RECOGNIZE AND ITEMIZE OUR HIDDEN ASSET - REVIEW THEM CAREFULLY IN ORDER TO PUT THEM INTO ACTION. THEN WE MAY CERTAINLY BE STRONGER, RICHER, BETTER POSITIONED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH OUR DREAMS THAT WE EVER IMAGINED!

SCRUTINIZING THE VALUES

VALUES ARE OUR STANDARDS, BELIEFS AND PRINCIPLES THAT WE INTEND TO LIVE BY; THEY ARE CRITICAL TO OUR PROPER OPERATION AS PEOPLE. THEY ACT AS OUR GUIDANCE SYSTEMS, TELLING US WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG FOR US, THUS PERMITTING US TO MAKE CORRECT DECISIONS. IF WE DON'T HAVE VALUES AVAILABLE TO GUIDE US, WE WILL LACK THE STANDARDS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE HOW WELL WE SHOULD DO THAT WHAT WE DO. AS A RESULT WE WILL LACK A SENSE OF PURPOSE - RESULTING IN FRUSTRATION, ANGER AND EMPTINESS. THUS VALUES ARE LIKE OUR BEHAVIOURAL COMPASS, DIRECTING AND ORIENTING US BY ALWAYS POINTING TO THE CORRECT 'HEEDING'. IF WE LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH A CLEAR SET OF TRUE VALUES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE A HAPPY AND CONTENTED LIFE, AND A LIFE OF TRUE INTEGRITY. TO KEEP OUR VALUES ON TARGET, REMEMBER SO TO LIVE THAT WHEN WE "ARRIVE", WE'LL HAVE PRIDE BEHIND US, LOVE AROUND US, AND HOPE AHEAD OF US. THEN SUCCESS IS TRULY THE PATH TO HEAVEN. AGAIN THINKING POSITIVELY WITHOUT THE RESTRAINTS OF WHOLESOME VALUES COULD LEAD US TO HELL! FOR INSTANCE: DO WE WANT TO BECOME SUPERRICH? WELL, WITHOUT THE VALUES OF THE TIME-TESTED TEN COMMANDMENTS, WITHOUT A RESPECT FOR LAW AND ORDER, WE COULD TURN IN TO A CRIMINAL! SUCCESS AT ANY PRICE IS HELLISH FOLLY! "FOR WHAT WILL IT PROFIT YOU," JESUS ASKED, "IF YOU GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE YOUR OWN SOUL?" (MARK8:36}. SO WE HAVE DREAMS! GREAT! CHECK THEM BY THE HIGHEST VALUE SYSTEM. WE KNOW OF NO TEXTBOOK ON ETHICS OR HUMAN VALUES THAT SURPASSES THE BIBLE. WE MUST GET ONE. READ IT. AND TEST OUR POSSIBILITIES IN THE LIGHT OF THIS CLASSIC TEXTBOOK! THUS IN THE PROCESS OF SUCCESS WHEN WE ARE READY FOR THIS MOST IMPORTANT STEP OF SCRUTINIZING OUR VALUES, WE MUST NOT FORGET TO HOLD ON TO THEM!

AFFIRM MANY TIMES THROUGH OUT THE DAY

I ALIGN MY VALUES TO MY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
I LIVE ACCORDING TO MY TEACHINGS AND TRUTHS.
I AM A SPIRITUAL BEING ENJOYING A PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE.
I WILL ACT ACCORDING TO THE HIGHEST GOOD FOR ALL.
I PRAY TO MY GOD BOTH IN PRAISE AND IN SEEKING ASSISTANCE.
I WILL DEVELOP MY SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING, BELIEF AND WISDOM.

THOUGHTS REGARDING PERSISTENCE - 2

PERSISTENCE, THE PROCESS OF NEVER GIVING UP, IS THE DIRECT RESPONSE OF A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE. IT IS THE ACTION STEP THAT IS THE KEY TO ALL SUCCESS STORIES. SO WE'VE SIMPLY GOT TO KEEP TRYING. WE'VE GOT TO PERSIST. - AFTER WE DEVELOP A NEW ATTITUDE, A NEW MIND-SET, A NEW DETERMINATION, AND A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD, THEN THERE IS STILL SOME MORE THAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO. WE HAVE A DREAM, WE SEE THE GOAL. WE'VE GOT A NEW ATTITUDE, WE BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE REALLY CAN ACHIEVE OUR GOAL, THEN WE START OUT TOWARD OUR GOAL AND THE PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES START TO APPEAR. DOORS ARE CLOSED IN OUR FACE, PEOPLE SAY "NO!" TO OUR IDEAS. MOUNTAINS APPEAR IN OUR WAY. WHAT DO WE DO NOW? DO WE GIVE UP? NO! WE MUST MAKE A FOCUSSED DECISION TO KEEP GOING. IF WE WANT SUCCESS AND WE WANT TO REACH OUR GOALS, THEN WE MUST DECIDE TO NEVER EVER QUIT; WE MUST DECIDE TO PERSIST. PERSISTENCE COMPENSATES FOR EVERY DISADVANTAGE AND EVERY LIMITATION THAT WOULD ORDINARILY KEEP PEOPLE FROM GOING AFTER THEIR DREAMS. PERSISTENCE IS THE ASSET, THE ACTION STEP THAT TURNS OUR DREAMS INTO REALITIES. DETERMINATION IS AN ATTITUDE, BUT PERSISTENCE IS AN ACTION, THE ACTION OF NEVER GIVING UP! THERE IS AN OLD SAYING THAT STATES "WINNERS NEVER QUITS AND QUITTERS NEVER WIN!" SO TO BE GREAT WE MUST BE PERSISTENT AND NEVER, EVER GIVE UP ON OUR DREAMS, BECAUSE ONE IS NOT FINISHED WHEN HE OR SHE IS DEFEATED. ONE IS ONLY FINISHED WHEN ONE QUITS!
OFTEN THE GOAL IS NEARER THAN,
IT SEEMS TO A FAINT AND FALTERING MAN.
OFTEN THE STRUGGLER HAS GIVEN UP,
WHEN HE MIGHT HAVE CAPTURED THE VICTOR'S CUP.
AND HE LEARNED TOO LATE WHEN THE NIGHT SLIPPED DOWN,
HOW CLOSE HE WAS TO THE GOLDEN CROWN.
SUCCESS IS FAILURE TURNED INSIDE OUT,
THE SILVER TINT OF THE CLOUDS OF DOUBT,
AND YOU NEVER CAN TELL HOW CLOSE YOU ARE,
IT MIGHT BE NEAR WHEN IT SEEMS AFAR,
SO STICK TO THE FIGHT WHEN YOU'RE HARDEST HIT.
IT'S WHEN THINGS SEEM WORSE THAT YOU MUSTN'T QUIT.

THOUGHTS REGARDING PERSISTENCE - 1

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS IS CLEAR - KEEP GOING AND YOU WILL WIN. BECAUSE NOTHING IN THE WORLD CAN TAKE THE PLACE OF PERSISTENCE. PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION ALONE ARE OMNIPOTENT. AS WINSTON CHURCHILL SAID, "NEVER GIVE IN, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER." PERSISTENCE MEANS DOING WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, WANT TO DO OR CHOOSE TO DO DESPITE THE PROPHETS OF DOOM, PESSIMISTIC FORECAST OR DIFFICULTIES IN YOUR PATH. IT MEANS SUCCESS THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR. IT MEANS GIVING FULL AND CONCENTRATED EFFORT TO WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING, RIGHT NOW, AND TACKLING THE TOUGH OR DIFFICULT THINGS WHEN YOU NEED TO DO THEM, WHILE WAITING UNTIL LATER FOR GRATIFICATION AND REWARDS. SO IF WE WANT OUR DREAMS TO COME TRUE, THEN IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY THAT WE BE PERSISTENT. OF ALL THE QUALITIES THAT CREATE WINNERS, THE MOST IMPORTANT IS PERSISTENCE. WE HAVE GOT TO KEEP TRYING. KEEP TRYING, KEEP TRYING AND RESOLVE IN OUR MIND THAT WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER! PERSISTENCE BREAKS DOWN RESISTANCE. LIFE IS GOING TO SAY NO! PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY NO! BUT IF WE PERSIST THEN LIFE WILL FINALLY HAVE TO SAY YES! IT IS LAW. SO DON'T BE ONE OF THE CROWD WHO QUITS AT THE OBSTACLE; BE SPECIAL BY DECIDING TO 'HANG IN THERE' AND PERSIST.
WHEN THINGS GO WRONG AS THEY SOMETIMES WILL,
WHEN THE ROAD YOU'RE TRUDGING SEEMS ALL UPHILL,
WHEN THE FUNDS ARE LOW AND THE DEBTS ARE HIGH,
WHEN YOU WANT TO SMILE BUT YOU HAVE TO SIGH,
WHEN CARE IS PRESSING YOU DOWN A BIT,
REST IF YOU MUST BUT DON'T YOU QUIT.
LIFE IS QUEER WITH ITS TWIST AND TURNS,
AS EVERYONE OF US SOMETIMES LEARNS,
AND MANY A FAILURE TURNS ABOUT,
WHEN YOU MIGHT HAVE WON, IF YOU'D STUCK IT OUT.
DON'T GIVE UP, THOUGH THE PACE SEEMS SLOW,
YOU MIGHT SUCCEED WITH ANOTHER BLOW.
FOLKS, DON'T QUIT NO MATTER WHAT.
MAKE UP YOUR MIND THAT YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO GIVE UP.

STERILIZING OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD ATTAINING OUR GOALS

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WRITES "NEVER LEAVE TILL TOMORROW WHICH YOU CAN DO TODAY." IF WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND IF WE WANT OUR DREAMS INTO REALITIES, WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE. WE HAVE TO DEVELOP OUR ATTITUDE TO THE POINT WHERE WE HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO FAIL. WE MUST STERILIZE THE ATTITUDE THE WAY A DOCTOR MAKES SURE HE IS PROTECED FROM PASSING ON, OR CATCHING INFECTIONS. CHALLENGE THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES THAT MAY ACTUALLY BE DISTORTIONS RISING FROM NEGATIVE ASSUMPTIONS LIKE "THE LAW WILL NEVER ALLOW - WE CAN'T AFFORD IT." WE MUST CHALLENGE EVERY SINGLE IMPOSSIBILITY IDEA OR NEGATIVE ATTITUDE THAT STILL LURKS FURTIVELY IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND. DIG OUT, UNVEIL, EXPOSE, UNCOVER, UNMASK EVERY ONE OF THEM! EXAMINE UNTIL WE UNCOVER SILENT ASSUMPTIONS THAT LEAD TO DISTORTED THINKING! CLEAR OUT EVERY ONE OF THEM! BIAS? IGNORANCE? BLIND SPOT? DISTORTION? CLEAR THEM OUT! CLEAR THEM UP! THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE! IT CAN GIVE US THE COURAGE TO ATTEMPT ANYTHING! DO WE LACK EXPERIENCE! THAT'S WONDERFUL! WE HAVE NEW AND FRESH ADVENTURE AHEAD OF US. WE MUST NOT LET INEXPERIENCE BECOME AN EXCUSE FOR NOT TRYING! DONT LET IT INTIMIDATE US! WE MUST JUST BREAK THROUGH THE BARRIER OF INEXPERIENCE BY SIMPLY STARTING BECAUSE - REMBRANDT WAS A BEGINNER ONCE! - EINSTEIN STARTED IN BASIC MATH - EVERY SUPERSTAR IN BASIC LEAGUES BEGAN AS A ROOKIE. THINK OF THE COLOSSAL WASTE OF HUMAN POTENTIAL, ENERGY, GROWTH AND CREATIVITY THAT OCCURS WHEN WE ALLOW INEXPERIENCE TO HOLD US BACK. TO BREAK THROUGH, WE MUST ADOPT THE ATTITUDE THAT INEXPERIENCE WILL NOT DEFEAT US. NEVER GIVE IN TO THE ATTITUDE THAT WE LACK EXPERIENCE TO MAKE OUR DREAM COME TRUE, FOR COURAGE AND A POSTIVE ATTITUDE ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT. IF WE WANT TO BUILD A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD ACHIEVING OUR GOALS, THEN LEARN THE PHRASE, "DO IT NOW" AND STOP THE HABIT OF PROCRASTINATION. THE SADDEST WORDS IN LIFE ARE: "IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN - I SHOULD HAVE - I COULD HAVE - I WISH I HAD - IF ONLY I HAD GIVEN A LITTLE EXTRA." WE MUST REMEMBER THAT TO BE A WINNER WE MUST THINK LIKE A WINNER.
"IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEATEN YOU ARE
IF YOU THINK YOU DARE NOT, YOU DONT
IF YOU LIKE TO WIN BUT YOU THINK YOU CANT,
IT'S ALMOST A CINCH YOU WON'T.
IF YOU THINK YOU"LL LOSE, YOU'VE LOST.
FOR IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL SURELY FIND
SUCCESS BEING WITH A PERSON'S WILL,
IT'S ALL IN THE STATE OF MIND.
THINK BIG AND YOUR DEEDS WILL GROW,
THINK SMALL AND YOU'LL FALL BEHIND.
THINK THAT YOU CAN AND YOU WILL.
IT'S ALL IN THE STATE OF MIND.
IF YOU THINK YOU'RE OUTCLASSED, YOU ARE,
YOU HAVE TO THINK BIG TO RISE
YOU'VE GOT TO BE SURE OF YOURSELF,
BEFORE YOU CAN WIN THE PRIZE.
LIFE'S BATTLES DON'T ALWAYS GO,
TO THE STRONGEST WOMAN OR MAN.
BUT SOONER OR LATER THE PERSON WHO WINS
IS THE PERSON WHO THINKS HE CAN'