The Great Expert Blog

Q: I was wondering if you could recommend any books on motivation and change that are fun to read and that aren’t all rah rah, if you know what I mean. Could there even be such a thing as a book that’s like a novel or short story that’s about motivation?

Your question is very well-timed. I’ve recently been reading, for about the hundreth time, one of my favorite books. “Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah” by Richard Bach, is the story of what happens one summer when a barnstorming bi-plane pilot meets another barnstormer who is a bit of an advanced human being.

The book is full of qoutes about change, motivation and living a life well-lived.

I thought I’d share a few of my favorite qoutes from the book, and how they can be applied in our lives.

Gotta start with my favorite:

“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.”

This has been said in many different ways by others:

As a man thinketh, so is he - Proverbs

Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you are right - Henry Ford

One of the many things I challenge my clients with is to spend just one day paying attention to how many of their own limitations they argue for each day. It’s truly amazing to me how often we argue for our limitations. In a way, it negative advertising in our own brains. Watch out for words such as “I can’t”, “I could never”, “I don’t have what it takes”, etc.

Ket strategy: Use Tony Robbins approach, “If I can’t, then I MUST!” It can change your life.

“Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t.”

I see so many people who seem to go through life in a kind of dazed trance. Each one of us has a unique purpose for being here. The happiest people I know are the ones who seem to have found that purpose. It gets them up early and keeps them up late and fills their days with a zest for life. Even when they are tired, it’s a “good tired.”

Key strategy: As Stephen Covey, aurhor of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People stresses, write your own personal mission statement. It helps you in getting clear on why you are here.

“You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however.”

Somehow during the process of becoming an adult, we begin to drop our dreams and wishes for our lives. Big mistake. Dreams, wishes and goals are part of what keeps us alive and vibrant at any age. Our dreams and wishes can be our road map to a life well lived.

It does take focus, determination and just plain work. While it’s not always easy, I have found that it is always worth it. Remember, faith moves mountains. And you better bring a shovel.

Key strategy: Make a goals and dreams list. At the top of a sheet of paper write “If I knew I couldn’t fail, I would……………” Then let your imagination go and don’t stop until you have filled up the paper.

“There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in it’s hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts.”

Problems. No one likes ‘em, and we all have ‘em. And since we all have them, we may as well learn something from them, perhaps even make them work to our advantage. Remember that success comes from good judgement, good judgement comes from experience, and experiences comes from successfully handling the problems that come our way.

Key strategy: Install the belief that the only way a problem can beat you is if you don’t learn something from it.

Now that you’ve gotten a taste of Illusions, I highly recommend you go get a copy for yourself. And while you’re at it, pick me one up too, mine’s getting pretty worn out.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

Do you feel like sometimes the world that does not care? Do you feel like people use you and don’t really appreciate all the good things you try to do? You know the things that come from your heart?

Do you have the opinion that you have nothing to contribute to life? Do you feel like you were made to just exist? Do you feel like you don’t really have any talent that means anything?

OK…listen here…you are unique creature created by GOD. You have a place in this Universe that is wonderful and vital to us all. Yes vital to us all. Why vital? You were born to contribute your “you-ness” (that’s some word…HUH?) to the world. Whether you design aircraft, design socks, or make chocolate bars…you were made to help all of us by being the real you that you are.

So how do you get appreciation for all this that is the wonderful “you” that you are?

Simply, if you want respect then you need to respect yourself first.
If you want to be appreciated then appreciate yourself first.

If that sounds like you are thinking about yourself …you’re right. If you think that this is egoic or self-centered then you are wrong.
See to be of service, value and to be able to contribute to the Universe, that is, our world then you need to see what you have to contribute.

If you want to get respect and appreciation then start respecting and appreciating yourself right now. If you have made mistakes in life…we all have. Ask GOD for forgiveness, forgive others who have wronged you and then forgive yourself. You were not put here on earth to PASS JUDGEMENT ON ANYONE (unless you are given permission by society police, judge, courts etc.) so YOU ARE NOT HERE TO SEVERELY JUDGE YOURSELF. Yes correct yourself and TAKE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE. But be a little kinder to others and to yourself…You can decide to start right now!

THANKS FOR READING ME
TAKE CARE
RICK

GO TO >>> http://www.writingup.com/blog/RICKIEADULT

http://www.Rickieadult.blogparty.com

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Did you know God has provided ways in His word to empower His children? Did you know there are specific things you can do to contribute to answered prayer, good health, a peaceful life and more? It’s true!

Once we are saved, we don’t just float through our days hoping to catch God in a good mood when He is willing to answer prayer or provide for our needs. His word gives us many things we can do continually to set His hand in motion.

Covenant Promises

Open your Bible to some of the verses where God states the promises He is willing to bestow on His children. For instance, Deuteronomy 28 is filled with blessings. What do you notice about how this chapter begins?

“Now it shall come to pass, IF you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God…”

Then, at the end of the blessings section of this chapter (verse 13) what do we see again? “And the Lord shall make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only and not be beneath, IF you heed the commandments of the Lord your God…”

If we do what God instructs us to do then He will give us all He has promised to give. This if/then type of promise is called a covenant promise. It operates the same as when an attorney draws up a contract between two people. One party agrees to do a particular thing and - after it is done - a second party agrees to do something else. God empowers us to have control of certain circumstances by offering us these covenant promises or blessings.

You Go First

God usually wants us to take the action He has laid out in His word before we are rewarded. He empowers us to do what we should then rewards us once we have done it.

Luke chapter six holds other good examples of ways God has empowered us. In verse 37, Jesus instructs, “Judge not and you shall not be judged. Condemn not and you shall not be condemned.”

Verse 38 continues in the same way by saying, “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over; men shall give unto your bosom. For with the same measure you use, it shall be measured back to you.”

Again, we go first. If we give, we shall receive. Whatever measure we use to give to God, that’s the same measure He will use to give to us. We have the control. We make the first move.

I Peter 3:7 shows yet another good example. “Husbands, likewise, dwell with [your wives] with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

When husbands treat their wives as God says they should, they give more power to their prayers. The husband’s prayers are not hindered because of his actions. If he treats his wife in an ungodly manner, his prayer will be hindered. In this example, the husband has the power.

As you read through your Bible this week, make note of the times God empowers us. You may want to make a list or mark the verses in your Bible as you find them so you can remember when to act and what to do to release God’s best in your life. Many times our actions are all that stand in the way of answered prayers. Is God waiting on you?

Tired of prayers that seem to go unanswered? There is a defined process in God’s word that brings about powerful results. Karon’s book, The Faith Process (www.marketingwords.com/faith.html), shows you 10-steps that will empower you to receive everything that’s rightfully yours as a child of the Almighty God.