"Portrait Of An Achiever"
Failed in Business - Bankruptcy, 1831
Defeated For Legislature, 1832
Failed in Business - Bankruptcy, 1834
Sweetheart - Finance Dies, 1835
Nervous Breakdown, 1836
Defeated in Election, 1838
Defeated For U.S. Congress. 1846
Defeated Again For U.S. Congress, 1848
Defeated For U.S. Senate, 1855
Defeated For U.S. Vice President, 1856
Defeated Again For U.S. Senate, 1858
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A., 1860
"You cannot fail . . . unless you quit!"
"ATTITUDE"
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past … we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude … I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.
"THE COMFORT ZONE"
I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn’t fail.
The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
I longed so much to do the things I’d never done before,
But stayed inside my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.
I said it didn‘t matter that I wasn’t doing much.
I said I didn’t care for things like commission checks and such.
I claimed to be so busy with the things inside the zone,
But deep inside I longed for something special of my own.
I couldn’t let my life go by just watching others win.
I held my breath; I stepped outside and let the change begin.
I took a step and with new strength I’d never felt before,
I kissed my comfort zone goodbye and closed and locked the door.
If you’re in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
Remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.
A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true.
Reach for your future with a smile; Success is there for you!
Don't Quit
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 cares are pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must, but don't you quit!
Life is strange with its twists and turns, As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about, When he might have won if he stuck it out.
Don't you give up though the pace seems slow, You might succeed with another blow,
Often the goal is nearer than, It ever 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, with a groan and frown, How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out, The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
You never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far,
So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, It's when things seem worse that you must not quit.
Always Keep Your Dreams Alive
Now is a time for you to celebrate ... the accomplishment of a dream you have worked so hard to realize. You have shown so many people how special you are.
Now is the time to begin to pursue the next path,
to reach out for the next star,
and to achieve the things
that are so important to you.
Always keep your dreams alive.
And keep them coming true.- Cn
WINNERS ARE PEOPLE LIKE YOU
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Winners take chances
Like everyone else, they fear failing,
but they refuse to let fear control them.
Winners don't give up.
When life gets rough, they hang in
until the going gets better.
Winners are flexible.
They realize there is more than one way
and are willing to try others.
Winners know they are not perfect.
They respect their weaknesses
while making the most of their strengths.
Winners fall but they don't stay down.
They stubbornly refuse to let a fall
keep them from climbing.
Winners don't blame fate for their failures,
nor luck for their successes.
Winners accept responsibility for their lives.
Winners are positive thinkers who see good in all things.
From the ordinary, they make the extraordinary.
Winners believe in the path they have chosen
even when it is hard, even when others
can't see where they are going.
Winners are patient.
They know a goal is only worthy
as the effort that is required to achieve it.
Winners are people that believe in themselves.
They make this world a better place to be.
The Man In The Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day.
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.
For it isn't your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.
You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you're a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.
He's the fellow to please - never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear to the end.
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.
I Believe You Can Accomplish
Anything You Choose
If you could see through my eyes,
I wonder what you'd be feeling right now,
Because I can see you standing
As you really are -
Powerful, sensitive, determined, and gracious.
I can see you achieving everything you choose to achieve.
I can see you being exactly who and what you want to be.
Look through my eyes for an instant,
And you'll see yourself
Conquering all limitations.
Look through my eyes,
And see who you really are
And what you are capable of.
You can accomplish anything --
I know you can.
Let us hope we have all learned that our faith must first be in GOD..
but these other things are great things to have learned....
I've learned-
That you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them.
I've learned-
That no matter how much I care,
Some people just don't care back.
I've learned-
That it takes years to build up trust,
And only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned-
That it's not what you have in your life
but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.
I've learned-
that you shouldn't compare
yourself to the best others can do.
I've learned-
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heartache for life.
I've learned-
that it's taking me a long time
to become the person I want to be.
I've learned-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.
I've learned-
that you can keep going
long after you can't.
I've learned-
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.
I've learned-
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.
I've learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy
a relationship is at first, the passion fades
and there had better be something else to take its place.
I've learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done
when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I've learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I've learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.
I've learned-
that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down
will be the ones to help you get back up.
I've learned-
that sometimes when I'm angry
I have the right to be angry,
but that doesn't give me
the right to be cruel.
I've learned-
that true friendship continues to grow,
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.
I've learned-
that just because someone doesn't love
you the way you want them to doesn't
mean they don't love you with all they have.
I've learned-
that maturity has more to do with
what types of experiences you've had
and what you've learned from them
and less to do with how many
birthdays you've celebrated.
I've learned-
that you should never tell a child
their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating, and what
a tragedy it would be if they believed it.
I've learned-
that no matter how good a friend is,
they're going to hurt you every once in a while
and you must forgive them for that.
I've learned-
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.
I've learned-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken
the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I've learned-
that our background and circumstances
may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.
I've learned-
that just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do.
I've learned-
that we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.
I've learned-
that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret.
It could change your life forever.
I've learned-
that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.
I've learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your
children, they will eventually get hurt and
you will hurt in the process.
I've learned-
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by
people who don't even know you.
I've learned-
that even when you think you have no more
to give, when a friend cries out to you,
you will find the strength to help.
I've learned-
that credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.
I've learned-
that the people you care about most in life
are taken from you too soon.
I've learned-
that it's hard to determine where to draw
the line between being nice and not hurting
people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.
Today is the Very First Day of the Rest of My Life
This is the Beginning of a New Day.
I Can Waste It ... or Use It For Good.
But What I Do Today is Important,
Because I am Exchanging a Day of My Life For It.
When Tomorrow Comes, This Day Will Be Gone Forever,
Leaving in It's Place Something That I Have Traded For It.
I Want It to Be Gain and Not Loss, Good and Not Evil,
Success and Not Failure, in Order That I Not Regret the Price I Have Paid For It.
I Will Give 100% of Myself Just For Today, For You Never Fail
Until You Stop Trying.
I Will Be the Kind of Person I have Always Wanted To Be ...
I Have Been Given This Day to Use as I Will.
ONENESS
A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.
All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back.
Every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.
Why?
Because deep down we know this one thing:
What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.
What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.
FEAR
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequte. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
The difference between winning and losing is sometimes very slight.
There were eight finalists in the men's 100-meter dash at the 1976 Olympics.
The Gold Medal winner beat the eighth man by less than half a second
There are five million people engaged in selling in America.
Can you imagine what our Gross National Product would be if each of them
had made just one more sale last year?
In sports, in business, in politics, in romance, winning isn't everything.
But it sure beats losing.
Go get 'em, Tiger!
"Success Comes One Customer At A Time."
"Failure."
It's only a word.
But it carries with it so much pain
and so little concern
so much frustration
and so little respect,
so much stress and so little
understanding
that people spend their lives
running through their days
in the hope of avoiding the long arm
of this little word.
To test our vision, you must risk
failure.
To temper your ego, you must attempt
the impossible.
To tell your story, you must
take a chance.
To see beyond the horizon, you must
spread your wings.
To be all you can be, you must
stretch, flex, try, and go beyond
your proven limits.
To bridge the silence, you must risk
rejection.
To advance into the unknown, you must
risk the peril of all your
previous beliefs and emotions
that feel so secure.
Failure is not negative. It is a teacher.
It molds, refines, and polishes you
so that one day your light will
shine for all to see.
It isn't the failure you experience
that will determine your destiny,
but your next step and then the next
that will tell
the story of your life.
-Tim Connor
A Little Morale Booster
You’re really something, do you know that? And in spite of whatever may happen in your day, you are going to stay that way: trying and giving and living life in the best way you know how. So keep your spirits up, and keep things in perspective. It’s going to be okay.
You’ve made it through difficult things before, right? Right. And you always land on your feet. Maybe not dancing; maybe not always sure about what to do next. But you always manage to figure things out. Especially when you’re able to keep your sense of humor and not lose your smile. If you really think about it, you’ll realize that you are a very strong individual. Someone who may not have all the answers, but who is at least willing to hope and try and believe. You can see your way through just about anything; it all depends on how you look at it. And when I look at you, I see someone who really is...
Pretty amazing.
By Changing Your Thinking,
You change your beliefs;
When you change your beliefs,
You change your expectations;
When you change your expectations,
You change your attitude;
When you change your attitude,
You change your behavior;
When you change your behavior,
You change your performance;
When you change your performance;
You Change Your Life!
Decide to network
Use every letter you write
Every conversation you have
Every meeting you attend
To express your fundamental beliefs and dreams
Affirm to others the vision of the world you want
Network through thought
Network through action
Network through love
Network through the spirit
You are the center of a network
You are the center of the world
You are a free, immensely powerful source of life and goodness
Affirm it
Spread it
Radiate it
Decide to network
Think day and night about it
And you will see a miracle happen:
the greatness of your own life
In a world of big powers, media, and monopolies
But of four and a half billion individuals
Networking is the new freedom
the new democracy
a new form of happiness
Where success with people begins and ends
"Do Unto Others…"
James R. Fisher, Jr.
In my years as a corporate executive and then consultant, I've learned this; while technical systems change rapidly, the systems that govern our social behavior have evolved little in 2000 years. And we get what we want out of life only by working with and through others.
To have a friend, you must be a friend,
Starting with yourself.
The greatest hunger a person has is to be needed.
Help create that feeling in others.
The greatest virtue is kindness.
You can't love everyone, but you can be kind to everyone.
Don't try to impress others.
Let them have the fun of impressing you.
Be enthusiastic.
Nothing of consequence was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
Be positive.
Positive people attract others, while negative people repel.
You have greater impact on others by the way you listen than by the way you talk.
Gossip cheapens the one who gossips more than the one gossiped about.
Call a person by his or her name and use it often in conversation.
Communicate cheerfulness.
Differences are bound to occur and can be resolved if conflict is managed in a polite manner.
If you are given to making fun of someone, be sure it is of yourself.
Be genuinely interested in others.
Get them to talk about themselves.
A smile doesn't cost anything and pays big dividends.
Not only does it make you feel good, but it makes everyone else feel better too.
Be the first to say, "Hello! Good to see you."
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
The golden rule is where it all begins and ends.
EVEN EAGLES NEED A PUSH
The Eagle gently coaxed her offspring toward the edge of the nest. Her heart quivered with conflicting emotions as she felt their resistance to her persistent nudging.
"Why does the thrill of soaring have to begin with the fear of falling?" She thought. This ageless question was still unanswered for her.
As in the tradition of the species, her nest was located on the shelf of a sheer rock face. Below there was nothing but air to support the wings of each child. "It is possible that this time it will not work!" she thought. Despite her fear, the eagle knew it was time. Her parental mission was all but complete. There remained one final task-the PUSH.
The Eagle drew courage from an innate wisdom. Until her children discovered their wings, there was no purpose in their lives.
"Until they learned how to SOAR they would fail to understand the privilege it was to have been born an EAGLE."
The PUSH was the greatest gift she had to offer. IT WAS HER SUPREME ACT OF LOVE. So one by one she pushed them, and THEY FLEW!!
Like the EAGLE, we don't know where the push will send us, but without it we wouldn't have the opportunity to grow and SOAR. I encourage you all to face 1999 with an eye on the UNLIMITED POSSIBILITES that it offers.
Expectations
It is easy to change your expectations. You can do it in an instant. And that can be a problem. Too often, we lower our expectations because that is easier than overcoming the obstacles which stand in the way of fulfilling those expectations.
Are you being forced to lower your expectations, or are you simply choosing the easy way out? You must expect the best in order to achieve the best, yet it takes more than just expectation. It takes effort and commitment. If you lower your expectations at the first sign of difficulty, it seriously erodes their value.
Don’t lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality.
HABIT
I am your constant companion,
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well turn over to me
and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed -
you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done
and after a few lessons, I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great people;
and alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great,
I have made great.
Those who are failures,
I have made failures.
I am not a machine,
though I work with all the precision of a machine
plus the intelligence of a human.
You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin -
it makes no difference to me.
Take me,
train me,
be firm with me,
And I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me,
and I will destroy you.
WHO AM I?
I AM HABIT.
I Asked...
I asked God to take away my pride.
God said "No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up."
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said. "No. Her spirit is whole, her body was only temporary."
I asked God to grant me patience.
God said "No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is earned."
I asked God to give me happiness.
God said "No. I give you blessings, happiness is up to you."
I asked God to spare my pain.
God said "No. Sufferings draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me."
I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said "No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful."
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, "No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things."
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as God loves me.
God said....
" Ahhhhh............ Finally you have the idea!"
It's a funny thing about life;
if you refuse to accept
anything but the best,
you very often get it.
-Somerset Maugham
LESSONS FROM GEESE
FACT: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follows. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
People who share a common direction and sense a community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.
FACT: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.
If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.
FACT: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each others skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.
FACT: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.
FACT: When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
Lose/Win
I have known the pain of
failure
frustration
disappointment
defeat
Because I have taken a chance on
winning
succeeding
achieving
It takes a lot of the the first
to get some of the second.
-Natasha Josefowitz
Always Remember Your Achievements with Pride
In everyone's life there are moments
of pride and accomplishment
that are remembered forever.
Through the years,
you have set goals and met each challenge
with enough courage and determination
to overcome the many obstacles
that you've encountered along the way.
Success is not measured by how well
you fulfill the expectations of others,
but by how honestly you live up to
your own expectations.
Because you have been true to yourself
in the pursuit of your dream,
you have earned this moment
and the right to be proud of your
accomplishment. -Linda
SELF-CONFIDENCE
If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think that you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win and you think you can't
It's almost certain that you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you've lost;
For out in the world you'll find
Success begins with a fellows will -
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think that you are out-classed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
-author unknown
An INCREDIBLE Story
"Zig Ziglar tells the incredible, but true, story of the Chinese bamboo tree. I looked up the details in the World Book and even made a trip to Indonesia to see for myself these fast growing bamboo trees. The guide I had in Indonesia said you can almost see some of the species of the bamboo tree growing with the naked eyes, they grow so rapidly.
The process goes like this: You take a little seed, plant it, water it, and fertilize it for a whole year, and nothing happens. The second year you water it and fertilize it, and nothing happens. The third year you water it and fertilize it, and nothing happens. How discouraging this becomes! The fifth year you continue to water and fertilize the seed and then---take note. Sometime during the fifth year, the Chinese bamboo tree sprouts and grows NINETY FEET IN SIX WEEKS!
Life is much akin to the growing process of the Chinese bamboo tree. It is often discouraging. We seemingly do things right, and nothing happens. But for those who do things right and are not discouraged and are persistent things will happen. Finally we begin to receive the rewards."
Everyone wants success, and yet they often don't know when they have it.
For most, it is the maddening chase toward a better way of life or more of something. More fame, power, recognition, money, or material stuff.
For some, it is the understanding of a loving partner, the love of their child, or the people that they can count on when life throws them a curve.
I am coming to believe that success is not more material wealth, but peace, happiness, contentment, and love.
Most of all love.
Real success is not to be sought after in the outer world, but discovered in your inner world. I am not condemning the stuff of life. We all want the things that life offers.
But we don't need as much
as we think we do.
Sooner or later you will discover that real success is friends, strangers, and anyone who crosses our path.
It is kindness shared, support given and received, listening, giving, and caring.
These will endure while your car rusts, your toys break, and you tire of the temporary gratifications that bring you what you think is real.
What matters is people.
What lasts is love. What counts are true friends, and if you treasure these you can count yourself a success.
Use Your Imagination To Find Success
Visualize what you want.
See it, Feel it, Believe in it.
Your mind is a mental workshop.
You can build anything in it.
Make your mental blueprint,
And begin to build.
The beginning is in your imagination;
First think, then organize your thoughts into plans
Then transform your thoughts into reality by taking some positive action.
Use your imagination to perceive your reality,
Even when it is not fully materialized.
You must first see it clearly in your mind
Before you can do it.
First visualize and then actualize your way
To success.
You really can live your dreams.
All you need to do is try.
WHAT I WANT
I AM POWERFUL!
Whatever I set my mind on having, I will have.
Whatever I decide to be, I will be.
The evidence is all around me.
The power of my Will has brought me precisely to where I am right now.
I have made the choices. I have held the thoughts.
I have taken the actions to create my current reality.
And I have the power to change it into whatever I want it to be.
With the choices I make, I am constantly fulfilling the vision I have for my life.
If that does not seem to be the case --
then I am deceiving myself about what I really want.
Because what I really, truly want, I will get!
What I truly wanted in the past, I already have.
If I want to build a billion-dollar business, I will take the actions necessary to do it.
If I want to sit comfortably watching TV night after night --
I will take the actions necessary for that.
Don’t be disappointed in my results --
they’re just the outward manifestation of my priorities.
I will be sure of what I truly want,
because I am sure to get it!
THE WILL TO WIN
If you want a thing bad enough
To go out and fight for it,
Work day and night for it,
Give up your time and your peace and your sleep for it,
If only desire of it
Makes you quite mad enough
Never to tire of it,
Makes you hold all other things tawdry and cheap for it,
If life seems all empty and useless without it
And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,
If gladly you'll sweat for it,
Fret for it,
Plan for it,
Lose all your terror of God or man for it,
If you'll simply go after that thing that you want
With all your capacity,
Strength, and sagacity,
Faith, hope, and confidence, stern pertinacity,
If neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt,
Nor sickness nor pain
Of body and brain
You Did It!
You deserve to be credited
for defying the opinions
and expectations
of many of the people around you.
When they said
that it couldn't be done,
you would not hear.
You set your goals on something
that only you seemed to see,
and you refused to back down
until your dream was realized.
The course you chose
was demanding and difficult.
I saw you in the middle of situations
that required both courage and sacrifice
in order to achieve the greater end.
The scars you've earned are really
the marks of a true hero,
and I want to let you know
how proud I am to know you.
Seeing you set your goal
and gather the courage it took
to face the disbelief of others,
to struggle and forge your way
to a new horizon,
has been an inspiration to me.
Your growth has helped me
to face my own challenges.
Thank you for showing those around you
how not to ever let go. -Rita J. Henins
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