LIFE Acronym #6:
"Levels Impel Further Effort"
Levels. Just what does this word mean in the context that I used it in with today's acronym? In consulting the dictionary as I often like to do, I saw a literal PLETHORA of definitions. But, it's definitions 15 and 16 under the noun section that apply to today's post. Have a gander at the literal meaning of the word "level":
lev·el
[lev-uh l]
- noun
15. a position in a graded scale of values; status; rank.
16. an extent, measure, or degree of intensity, achievement, etc.
I don't know what it is about levels, but by human nature, the minute we see any sort of "level" that is reachable, we are naturally impelled to strive to achieve it.
It works in Corporate America, it works in sales, it works in video games (think "leveling up"), and it works in Network Marketing.
Something inside of us relishes the opportunity to do something of accomplishment, and I think that a big part of it is recognition. People love to be recognized and acknowledged for the good things that they've done.
By nature people are more interested in their own lives than anyone else's, as was talked about in the book "How To Win Friends And Influence People".
Another reason that attainable levels motivates us is the inner satisfaction that we feel when we complete a difficult task.
In the Network Marketing business that I'm building right now, they recently talked about the growth between different teams and how it related to their goals. Two teams set 3-month goals. One team didn't set any goals. The two teams that set the goals grew 50% and 30% in those three months, and the one that didn't set any goals actually shrunk!
This relates not only to Network Marketing, but to life in general. We human beings are never static in our progression; we're dynamic. We're always doing one of two things: progressing, or digressing.
Typically, if you relax in your pursuits of self-betterment, you'll digress. Seeking progression needs to be a constant habit for you.
In many different types of organizations, the levels that are set serve as goals and landmarks; ways to impel further effort and track your progress.
But what about the places where there are no set "levels", "ranks", or "achievements"? What about life in general, or your own personal progression? There are no pre-set levels here.
And that is precisely the reason that goals are so important. Because there are generally no universal pre-set attainable levels in life, you have to set them up yourself.
Without a distant goal that you can see on the horizon, you have nothing specific to spur your positive action, nor anything to accurately track your progression.
It's the people who float along through life that never really accomplish very much, and never really have that much to show for themselves after their lives are spent.
I'm not technically saying that these people are bad people. If they chose that path, they still may well have been very good people.
But, here in this blog, we're not only talking about good vs. bad, we're talking about different types of people, and focusing on one certain type of person; the type of person who is not happy to simply relax and live life, but instead constantly hungers for progression and improvement.
Here in this blog, we're action and results-oriented people. But we don't focus on action and results blindly or without emotion. On the contrary, we feel a driving passion for the things that we do. We feel that our desire to better ourselves and make a difference in the world are some of our most powerful defining attributes.
So, please do not wait until New Year's day to set some meaningful goals for yourself. Do it now, and enjoy the results. But actually, before you begin to set some goals for yourself, I want to raise the odds that you will succeed.
Here are some simple steps that you can take in the goal-making process, to better ensure your success.
First of all, make sure that the goals you are setting inspire you rather than just motivate you. As you may remember from a recent post of mine, inspiration goes MUCH further than motivation, and is a much more powerful catalyst for action and change.
Secondly, make sure that your goal is realistic. Yes, set it high. But not so high that you have to completely ignore your family, friends, and responsibilities in order to reach it. Remember this rule: "stretch, don't stress". Your goal needs to stretch you, but not STRESS you. It needs to stretch you beyond your level of comfort, but not so far that you are freaking out and losing sleep over it.
Thirdly, have a time frame. If you do not have a time frame set, it's really not a goal at all, but instead is just a hope or a dream.
Fourth, set one big goal, but break it up into attainable and comprehensible steps. You need to see the stepping stones along the way to your destination. You need to clearly see HOW you will get there (think visualization). Also, make sure that there are time frames attached to these "sub goals" as well as the big goal.
And fifth, set up some form of accountability. You need a close friend or family member to report to. You need a mentor. Otherwise it's too easy for you to just forget about the goal. Publicize your intent as much as you can. It helps keep you accountable.
So there you have it. Now go and do it.
Always remember to fabricate "levels" in your life where they don't exist. Set up your own "levels", whatever that means to you, and however that applies to your situation.
To me, levels mean goals. Levels mean tracking progression and being responsible. And levels mean personal growth.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Life Angles: LIFE Acronym #5 - Lame Infomercials Fill Evenings
LIFE Acronym #5:
"Lame Infomercials Fill Evenings"
I am actually not going to be talking about infomercials in this post. But I'll be talking about something related to infomercials: TV!
If you're a TV lover, please don't get offended at this post. Just respect my opinions, and take from this post whatever you feel is truth.
I am a fairly opinionated person when it comes to TV. But, as everyone believes about their own opinions, I feel that mine are pretty valuable, and for a large part are aligned with truth.
I've been a success-minded person since I was quite young, and I can date that kind of mindset back to at least age 15. I was a dreamer even at that age. I had big plans. I loved learning, and I loved archeology, science, inventing, etc. I had a concept of the importance of productivity, and I knew the rightful place of entertainment.
Growing up, TV wasn't a focal point in our home, and it was actually rather discouraged. But, when I was 15, I was watching about 4 hours of TV per day. After living like this for a little while, finally something clicked.
One day, I realized that all this TV-watching was hampering my productivity, and was a massive waste of time. You've heard me say it before... Time is life's most precious asset!
So, I simply decided to stop. To this day, I can still vividly see where I was sitting when I made that decision.
I stopped TV entirely, and it wasn't even hard. Today, THIRTEEN YEARS LATER, I have still NEVER resumed a habit of watching TV. I stopped watching TV BEFORE REALITY TV WAS INVENTED!!!
As far as I can remember, the show "Survivor" was the first big reality TV show. I can vividly remember people talking about that show. It was a sensation. It was everywhere!
That was my first time experiencing what it feels like to not be familiar with a show that had become somewhat ubiquitous in American households. And that feeling was to become a very familiar feeling over the next 13 years.
The only traces of TV that I've caught over the years, has been when I've been at someone else's house and they had TV on.
Here are my estimates of the only TV I've seen over the last 13 years:
Survivor: 15 minutes
Friends: 5 minutes
Seinfeld: One episode
American Idol: 10 episodes
So You Think You Can Dance: 5 minutes
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody: 20 minutes
Ice Road Truckers: 1/2 episode
Survivor Man: 2 episodes
Man Vs. Wild: 5 episodes
Mythbusters: 5 or 10 episodes
Simpsons: 5 or 10 episodes in my entire life.
Family Guy: 1/2 episode
South Park: 1 episode (very offensive)
Prison break: 15 or 20 episodes (my roommates used to have Prison Break parties at my house.)
The Office: 20 or 30 episodes (all due to my sister and brother-in-law, who I spend a lot of time with.)
Smallville: 20 or so episodes (all due to my sister.)
Lost: 10 episodes (once again, due to my sister)
The Bachelor: 1 episode
[That show where they renovate houses]: 2 episodes
Glenn Beck: 20 or so episodes
That's it as far as I can remember. And NOT ONE SINGLE BIT OF IT (except for Glenn Beck) has been because I purposely turned the TV on of my own accord. I can honestly tell you that I have NOT ONCE turned on the TV in the last 13 years (except for Glenn Beck).
I cannot even BEGIN to count how many times people have mentioned TV shows that I had never heard of. And I can't count the times when I've had to ask "what's that?".
I have never once been ashamed or embarrassed about my lack of familiarity with certain TV shows or commercials. In fact, I am PROUD of the fact. I am happy to openly announce, in any social scene, that I stopped watching TV 13 years ago.
And when I meet a new girl, then check out her Facebook profile and see tons of her favorite TV shows listed on her Facebook page, it's an instant turnoff. The bigger the list, the smaller the odds of her having a chance with me.
When I am married and raising my own family, I envision watching very little TV in my household. And yes, I have actually met a few girls who, just like me, DO NOT WATCH TV.
Now is the portion where I explain some of WHY I am so opinionated when it comes to TV.
Let's start with society's backsliding morals. In just my own 28 years, I have personally witnessed MUCH societal decay. Society's morals and values have been CRASHING DOWN to ever-lower depths, and it leaves me intensely thinking, "What lies at the end of this road?!!". That's a picture that I do not want to see.
I hold a PERSONAL VENDETTA against the many people who are responsible for the various sitcoms and other types of shows that have come out over the last 4 or 5 decades or so.
I am not pointing fingers at every TV producer and TV watcher, nor am I pointing fingers at every TV show. I admit that some of them are relatively wholesome. Yet I still don't get around to watching even the wholesome ones.
I wouldn't mind watching a little wholesome TV here and there, as long as it's monitored and kept within proper bounds. But so far I just simply haven't gotten around to it. I am always doing other things.
It's what I consider to be the "bad" shows that anger me. And believe me, some of the shows on my "bad list" would be on your "good list", because I'm sorry to say it, but you are desensitized to some degree or another.
Any show that I believe has added to the decline of Western Civilization is on my "bad list". Here's why:
I have personally noticed a striking, and SCARY fact! Please THINK ABOUT THIS AS I WRITE IT (or, technically, as you read it)!!!
I have noticed that whatever is portrayed on the sitcoms, begins to become accepted as the way people really are, and as the "normal" way to act.
THIS IS A HORRIBLE, HEINOUS FACT!!!!!!!
Think about it! People see these family situations played out over their TVs for decades of their lives! Kids grow up on it!
These disgraceful "Situation Comedies" are funny, yes they are. I give them that. But, the producers and writers throw so many caustic ideas into these shows! They make bad things look good and normal!
In nearly EVERY SINGLE Sitcom I've ever seen, they portray a screwed-up type of family life. They portray people arguing and being mean to one another. They portray people lying. They portray immorality as normal and acceptable behavior.
They portray off-color humor. They take everything that is sacred, dress it in an antithetical guise, and parade it across the stage of our minds as "the norm".
Think about it!!! 6 or 7 short decades ago, pre-marital sex was widely considered to be inappropriate and wrong, and engaging in such damaging behavior was considered to be pernicious (which was true then, as it is still just as true now).
For DECADES, flippant and accepting attitudes toward pre-marital sex have been displayed across millions of TV sets in America's living rooms. As a result, people now treat pre-marital sex as normal and harmless behavior (and yes, I am aware that there were many other contributing factors to this sad outcome).
Yet, these people have deliberately chosen to ignore the countless studies that have been done, which prove that sex is not a toy or a pastime. These studies have shown that when people engage in sexual behavior outside of a committed relationship, there are psychological and even physiological effects that can seriously alter the course of one's life.
And I haven't even mentioned the sanctity of marriage, nor the fact that God has tried to teach us repeatedly that He considers sex to be very sacred, and desires that we only use that sacred procreative power within the bonds of a proper and legal marriage.
I don't think that anyone would argue that TV has helped contribute to the decline of society's morals.
If you look past all the humor and to the essence of what these shows are really portraying, you will begin to see my point of view.
Here are some of the words that today's TV shows bring to mind: rude, selfish, inconsiderate, brash, obstinate, uncivilized, offensive, dishonest, emotionally abusive, unethical, disrespectful, immoral, indecent, impure, pornographic, violent, profanatory, sacrilegious, suggestive, etc.!
If you argue with me, it just means that you are desensitized like everyone else. Here's the sad fact about desensitization: when people are desensitized, they rarely have any idea that they are. They feel that they are perfectly in touch with what's really wrong and right. And THAT'S THE SCARY PART.
When people grow up seeing these things all the time, it becomes a part of them, and shapes their paradigms; it shapes the way they see the world, and shapes their opinions if what they hold to be true.
HERE'S A PARADIGM FOR YOU. Allow me to get a little more religious here if I may...
Picture all those TV shows. Picture the portrayals of pre-marital sex, lying, arguing, disrespect, immodesty, and off-color humor that goes on in those shows.
Now, picture a stark contrast to all of that. Picture the most righteous, pure, loving, and perfect being who ever walked this Earth; even Jesus Christ.
He is our perfect example. The scriptures tell us that it is our job to do our best to be like Him.
We are commanded to be "perfect". We know that we will never reach perfection in this lifetime, but it is our quest to get as close as we can. In the original Greek, the word "perfect" meant "complete", "finished", "fully developed".
Once you reach the pinnacle of your perfection, do you think that you will be partaking of such low-quality, debased, degrading, hollow and meaningless types of entertainment?
And most importantly, can you picture The Master Himself sitting down and watching such things? These shows are in almost direct opposition to everything that He stands for.
If He wouldn't, then why do YOU partake in such empty forms of entertainment? Can't you find something better to do with your time than to fill your mind with filth, and desensitize yourself?
Do you really want your kids to see disrespectful, uncivil arguments portrayed as normal?
That kind of thing may have been normal in your house, and you may be tricked into thinking that that is the way that family relationships are supposed to be.
But, allow me to be a voice against the grain; an example of the other side of the story. There IS another way.
In my house, there was very little arguing, and relative peace throughout all my growing up years. I don't think that I've ever once heard my mother raise her voice. And I've only heard my father raise his voice maybe five or ten times in my entire life.
Even though there were nine of us kids, we were for the most part, one big happy family. Arguing was NOT the norm in our house, nor was disrespect and dishonesty, NOR WAS SARCASM.
I was home-taught. I was raised the good-old-fashioned way, similar to the way that people used to raise their children a long time ago. My parents DID NOT leave it up to the world, the TV, the school, daycare, or any other outside influence to raise us. MY PARENTS RAISED US THEMSELVES! What a thought!
Did it work? Did I turn out alright? Do I fit into this society, or am I an outcast or a weirdo?
Go ahead and talk to me. You won't think that I'm Amish (I'm not saying that Amish people are bad, I'm just saying that they stick out like a sore thumb in this society). You won't think that I'm socially awkward either. But this post isn't about me, is it. It's about YOU.
This post is about whether or not you can learn and apply anything useful from my thought processes and musings. I hope that you do.
I'm just asking you to open your mind to other possibilities; to realize that just because the majority of people live a certain way, doesn't mean that it's the best way to live.
In fact, unfortunately, if something is done by the majority of our society, these days that's more of a sign that you probably SHOULDN'T be doing that thing.
I want you to arrive at a place where you are no longer floating through life and being pulled along by the current of society, but instead are actively shaping your habits to reflect your innermost ideals.
I want you to take the helm of your own progression, and DECIDE what you will allow to be put into your mind, and shown to your eyes, and played for your ears to hear.
If you feel that you are already at the helm, then I want to REMIND you of the importance of these things, and reinforce them.
The mindset of treating TV seriously is not something to scoff at, it's something to emulate. And I hope that you do.
"Lame Infomercials Fill Evenings"
I am actually not going to be talking about infomercials in this post. But I'll be talking about something related to infomercials: TV!
If you're a TV lover, please don't get offended at this post. Just respect my opinions, and take from this post whatever you feel is truth.
I am a fairly opinionated person when it comes to TV. But, as everyone believes about their own opinions, I feel that mine are pretty valuable, and for a large part are aligned with truth.
I've been a success-minded person since I was quite young, and I can date that kind of mindset back to at least age 15. I was a dreamer even at that age. I had big plans. I loved learning, and I loved archeology, science, inventing, etc. I had a concept of the importance of productivity, and I knew the rightful place of entertainment.
Growing up, TV wasn't a focal point in our home, and it was actually rather discouraged. But, when I was 15, I was watching about 4 hours of TV per day. After living like this for a little while, finally something clicked.
One day, I realized that all this TV-watching was hampering my productivity, and was a massive waste of time. You've heard me say it before... Time is life's most precious asset!
So, I simply decided to stop. To this day, I can still vividly see where I was sitting when I made that decision.
I stopped TV entirely, and it wasn't even hard. Today, THIRTEEN YEARS LATER, I have still NEVER resumed a habit of watching TV. I stopped watching TV BEFORE REALITY TV WAS INVENTED!!!
As far as I can remember, the show "Survivor" was the first big reality TV show. I can vividly remember people talking about that show. It was a sensation. It was everywhere!
That was my first time experiencing what it feels like to not be familiar with a show that had become somewhat ubiquitous in American households. And that feeling was to become a very familiar feeling over the next 13 years.
The only traces of TV that I've caught over the years, has been when I've been at someone else's house and they had TV on.
Here are my estimates of the only TV I've seen over the last 13 years:
Survivor: 15 minutes
Friends: 5 minutes
Seinfeld: One episode
American Idol: 10 episodes
So You Think You Can Dance: 5 minutes
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody: 20 minutes
Ice Road Truckers: 1/2 episode
Survivor Man: 2 episodes
Man Vs. Wild: 5 episodes
Mythbusters: 5 or 10 episodes
Simpsons: 5 or 10 episodes in my entire life.
Family Guy: 1/2 episode
South Park: 1 episode (very offensive)
Prison break: 15 or 20 episodes (my roommates used to have Prison Break parties at my house.)
The Office: 20 or 30 episodes (all due to my sister and brother-in-law, who I spend a lot of time with.)
Smallville: 20 or so episodes (all due to my sister.)
Lost: 10 episodes (once again, due to my sister)
The Bachelor: 1 episode
[That show where they renovate houses]: 2 episodes
Glenn Beck: 20 or so episodes
That's it as far as I can remember. And NOT ONE SINGLE BIT OF IT (except for Glenn Beck) has been because I purposely turned the TV on of my own accord. I can honestly tell you that I have NOT ONCE turned on the TV in the last 13 years (except for Glenn Beck).
I cannot even BEGIN to count how many times people have mentioned TV shows that I had never heard of. And I can't count the times when I've had to ask "what's that?".
I have never once been ashamed or embarrassed about my lack of familiarity with certain TV shows or commercials. In fact, I am PROUD of the fact. I am happy to openly announce, in any social scene, that I stopped watching TV 13 years ago.
And when I meet a new girl, then check out her Facebook profile and see tons of her favorite TV shows listed on her Facebook page, it's an instant turnoff. The bigger the list, the smaller the odds of her having a chance with me.
When I am married and raising my own family, I envision watching very little TV in my household. And yes, I have actually met a few girls who, just like me, DO NOT WATCH TV.
Now is the portion where I explain some of WHY I am so opinionated when it comes to TV.
Let's start with society's backsliding morals. In just my own 28 years, I have personally witnessed MUCH societal decay. Society's morals and values have been CRASHING DOWN to ever-lower depths, and it leaves me intensely thinking, "What lies at the end of this road?!!". That's a picture that I do not want to see.
I hold a PERSONAL VENDETTA against the many people who are responsible for the various sitcoms and other types of shows that have come out over the last 4 or 5 decades or so.
I am not pointing fingers at every TV producer and TV watcher, nor am I pointing fingers at every TV show. I admit that some of them are relatively wholesome. Yet I still don't get around to watching even the wholesome ones.
I wouldn't mind watching a little wholesome TV here and there, as long as it's monitored and kept within proper bounds. But so far I just simply haven't gotten around to it. I am always doing other things.
It's what I consider to be the "bad" shows that anger me. And believe me, some of the shows on my "bad list" would be on your "good list", because I'm sorry to say it, but you are desensitized to some degree or another.
Any show that I believe has added to the decline of Western Civilization is on my "bad list". Here's why:
I have personally noticed a striking, and SCARY fact! Please THINK ABOUT THIS AS I WRITE IT (or, technically, as you read it)!!!
I have noticed that whatever is portrayed on the sitcoms, begins to become accepted as the way people really are, and as the "normal" way to act.
THIS IS A HORRIBLE, HEINOUS FACT!!!!!!!
Think about it! People see these family situations played out over their TVs for decades of their lives! Kids grow up on it!
These disgraceful "Situation Comedies" are funny, yes they are. I give them that. But, the producers and writers throw so many caustic ideas into these shows! They make bad things look good and normal!
In nearly EVERY SINGLE Sitcom I've ever seen, they portray a screwed-up type of family life. They portray people arguing and being mean to one another. They portray people lying. They portray immorality as normal and acceptable behavior.
They portray off-color humor. They take everything that is sacred, dress it in an antithetical guise, and parade it across the stage of our minds as "the norm".
Think about it!!! 6 or 7 short decades ago, pre-marital sex was widely considered to be inappropriate and wrong, and engaging in such damaging behavior was considered to be pernicious (which was true then, as it is still just as true now).
For DECADES, flippant and accepting attitudes toward pre-marital sex have been displayed across millions of TV sets in America's living rooms. As a result, people now treat pre-marital sex as normal and harmless behavior (and yes, I am aware that there were many other contributing factors to this sad outcome).
Yet, these people have deliberately chosen to ignore the countless studies that have been done, which prove that sex is not a toy or a pastime. These studies have shown that when people engage in sexual behavior outside of a committed relationship, there are psychological and even physiological effects that can seriously alter the course of one's life.
And I haven't even mentioned the sanctity of marriage, nor the fact that God has tried to teach us repeatedly that He considers sex to be very sacred, and desires that we only use that sacred procreative power within the bonds of a proper and legal marriage.
I don't think that anyone would argue that TV has helped contribute to the decline of society's morals.
If you look past all the humor and to the essence of what these shows are really portraying, you will begin to see my point of view.
Here are some of the words that today's TV shows bring to mind: rude, selfish, inconsiderate, brash, obstinate, uncivilized, offensive, dishonest, emotionally abusive, unethical, disrespectful, immoral, indecent, impure, pornographic, violent, profanatory, sacrilegious, suggestive, etc.!
If you argue with me, it just means that you are desensitized like everyone else. Here's the sad fact about desensitization: when people are desensitized, they rarely have any idea that they are. They feel that they are perfectly in touch with what's really wrong and right. And THAT'S THE SCARY PART.
When people grow up seeing these things all the time, it becomes a part of them, and shapes their paradigms; it shapes the way they see the world, and shapes their opinions if what they hold to be true.
HERE'S A PARADIGM FOR YOU. Allow me to get a little more religious here if I may...
Picture all those TV shows. Picture the portrayals of pre-marital sex, lying, arguing, disrespect, immodesty, and off-color humor that goes on in those shows.
Now, picture a stark contrast to all of that. Picture the most righteous, pure, loving, and perfect being who ever walked this Earth; even Jesus Christ.
He is our perfect example. The scriptures tell us that it is our job to do our best to be like Him.
We are commanded to be "perfect". We know that we will never reach perfection in this lifetime, but it is our quest to get as close as we can. In the original Greek, the word "perfect" meant "complete", "finished", "fully developed".
Once you reach the pinnacle of your perfection, do you think that you will be partaking of such low-quality, debased, degrading, hollow and meaningless types of entertainment?
And most importantly, can you picture The Master Himself sitting down and watching such things? These shows are in almost direct opposition to everything that He stands for.
If He wouldn't, then why do YOU partake in such empty forms of entertainment? Can't you find something better to do with your time than to fill your mind with filth, and desensitize yourself?
Do you really want your kids to see disrespectful, uncivil arguments portrayed as normal?
That kind of thing may have been normal in your house, and you may be tricked into thinking that that is the way that family relationships are supposed to be.
But, allow me to be a voice against the grain; an example of the other side of the story. There IS another way.
In my house, there was very little arguing, and relative peace throughout all my growing up years. I don't think that I've ever once heard my mother raise her voice. And I've only heard my father raise his voice maybe five or ten times in my entire life.
Even though there were nine of us kids, we were for the most part, one big happy family. Arguing was NOT the norm in our house, nor was disrespect and dishonesty, NOR WAS SARCASM.
I was home-taught. I was raised the good-old-fashioned way, similar to the way that people used to raise their children a long time ago. My parents DID NOT leave it up to the world, the TV, the school, daycare, or any other outside influence to raise us. MY PARENTS RAISED US THEMSELVES! What a thought!
Did it work? Did I turn out alright? Do I fit into this society, or am I an outcast or a weirdo?
Go ahead and talk to me. You won't think that I'm Amish (I'm not saying that Amish people are bad, I'm just saying that they stick out like a sore thumb in this society). You won't think that I'm socially awkward either. But this post isn't about me, is it. It's about YOU.
This post is about whether or not you can learn and apply anything useful from my thought processes and musings. I hope that you do.
I'm just asking you to open your mind to other possibilities; to realize that just because the majority of people live a certain way, doesn't mean that it's the best way to live.
In fact, unfortunately, if something is done by the majority of our society, these days that's more of a sign that you probably SHOULDN'T be doing that thing.
I want you to arrive at a place where you are no longer floating through life and being pulled along by the current of society, but instead are actively shaping your habits to reflect your innermost ideals.
I want you to take the helm of your own progression, and DECIDE what you will allow to be put into your mind, and shown to your eyes, and played for your ears to hear.
If you feel that you are already at the helm, then I want to REMIND you of the importance of these things, and reinforce them.
The mindset of treating TV seriously is not something to scoff at, it's something to emulate. And I hope that you do.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Life Angles: LIFE Acronym #4 - Let Inspiration Flow Eternally
LIFE Acronym #4:
"Let Inspiration Flow Eternally"
Tell me. What is the difference between inspiration and motivation? Have you ever used them interchangeably? You probably won't be doing that after you're done reading this post.
Motivation is more of a temporary thing, not unlike a pep talk. It can involve some of the characteristics of hype. It wears off relatively fast, and therefore has to be replenished often, like a gas tank with a leak in it, or an engine that eats oil.
That's why people have to work so hard to keep themselves motivated. They have to be constantly refilling that leaky tank. Motivation burns off like flash gun powder!
And here's perhaps the most insightful part of this entire Blog post. It's a formula that may just solve your motivation issues:
You need to shift your focus from "motivation" to "inspiration". If you can simply find a way to become INSPIRED, then you will no longer have to worry about motivation! What a thought!
This little alternative strategy actually WORKS, and it's because inspiration lasts MUCH longer than motivation, and naturally contains much more power.
Inspiration goes measurably further, and is like a slow-burning candle. Yet, it carries the light of a THOUSAND candles! Being inspired not only helps you to get things done, but it lifts your life and your level of inner fulfillment in many other ways as well!
As a descriptive metaphor, we could say that with the force and momentum of inspiration, one could power a city for an entire year! But, motivation alone has only the power to run an LED flashlight for a couple of hours.
Before I delve into the anatomy of inspiration in more relatable detail, let me delineate some more of the common denominators in, some of the characteristics of, and some of the differences between inspiration and motivation for you:
• Inspiration supersedes motivation.
• You can be motivated without being inspired, but if you're inspired, you're therefore motivated by default.
• Motivation comes from man.
• Inspiration comes from God.
• Motivation connotes superficial excitement and energy, or the driving force behind a conscious choice to accomplish something. This conscious choice is NOT arrived at due to the inspiration of a powerful, worthwhile cause, but instead is arrived at logically. It just seems like the thing to do. It just "makes sense".
• There are no deep feelings of moral obligation or altruistic dedication attached to motivation. Those things are reserved for INSPIRATION.
• INSPIRATION signifies an enlightened state of mind, that transcends common barriers and rockets you to a place of success, inner peace, satisfaction, and ACCOMPLISHMENT.
• Inspiration is a spiritual yearning for something, or a deep, inner longing and passionate desire to get or accomplish that thing.
• Inspiration is linked to and spawned from your human spirit's highest and best ideals and morals, principles and ethics.
• Motivation is what drives you to do something, when your decision to do that thing was arrived at by logical or mechanical processes of the mind.
• Inspiration comes from an alignment of your heart and soul with a worthwhile purpose. This state of inspiration cannot be arrived at analytically or methodically, rationally or commonsensically. It can only be arrived at spiritually.
• Inspiration transcends the external, and takes a deep-seated, internalized position in the innermost recesses of your heart and spirit.
Okay, now that we've explored some of the powerful characteristics of the two, I think you're beginning to see the big difference. It's now time to apply this knowledge to us.
Close your eyes and think about the things that you have the hardest time getting yourself to do. Where are those areas where you engage in self-sabotage, and seem to do the opposite of what you want to do or have chosen to do?
The reason you're struggling with those things is because you are merely "motivated" to do them, but are not INSPIRED to do them! And this brings us to the real action.
When you locate a problem area, you have three choices.
1. You can root it out, replacing it with actions, choices, journeys or paths that actually INSPIRE you.
2. You can dig deep into the fundamental makeup of the problem area, awake your inner inspiration for that thing, arouse whatever virtue and inherent meritorious grace that it contains, and remind yourself of why you are really doing it. This will last much longer than motivation, but it is important to remember that the "inspiration tank" does still need refilling occasionally. Get in the habit.
3. If you don't believe that you can become inspired about that thing, but logically cannot allow yourself to replace it with something that inspires you, then you can stay the course regardless, and continue relying upon motivation and logic alone to get you to perform.
Now, just for a moment, I want to focus on the fourth word in today's LIFE acronym. And, if you remember, today's acronym is "Let Inspiration Flow Eternally."
e·ter·nal
[ih-tur-nl]
- adjective
1. lasting forever; always existing (opposed to temporal): as in "eternal life".
2. perpetual; ceaseless; endless.
3. enduring; immutable: as in "eternal principles".
4. Metaphysics - existing outside all relations of time; not subject to change.
- noun
5. something that is eternal.
6. the Eternal, God.
Now, I purposely used the word "eternal", because I wanted to emphasize the cultivation of an ONGOING HABIT of seeking inspiration.
Inspiration has an intrinsic power that can shape us, dramatically change us, and ultimately drastically alter the course of our eternal destiny.
Now, as a side note, if you happen to think of "destiny" as some sort of a "pre-determined fate" that you have no say in, please remember this:
We all have a blessed thing called AGENCY. Agency is the capacity to CHOOSE our own actions. And we will unfailingly bear the consequences of our actions, unless someone steps in through Grace and bears those consequential burdens for us.
But, the fact remains that our ACTIONS shape our destiny. God may well know where we will end up, as He is omniscient, and sees past, present and future all as one. But, that doesn't change the fact that it is our CHOICES and our ACTIONS that will lead us to that destiny.
Knowing that... having a clear understanding of that truth... should invariably lead us to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for our lives and for what we make of them here in this Earthly sojourn.
I used the word "ETERNALLY", because seeking inspiration should not simply be "a cool principle" for you. The idea of constantly seeking inspiration should not just be something that you heard of on a blog one day and decided to try out.
It should become a LIFE HABIT for you. It should become a part of your character, a deep-seated characteristic that through time will come to DEFINE you, along with many other virtuous character traits that you habitually seek to develop within your own self.
I am writing this blog to remind myself of the things that inspire me, and also with the hope that it will inspire you.
If all that my blog does is remind you of an important fact or principle, I am satisfied.
If you learn something new... some inspiring, intriguing, actionable insight, then I am more than satisfied; I am DELIGHTED.
But, if what you learn here sticks with you ETERNALLY, and helps to shape who you are, and who you will become, then I am beyond satisfied or delighted; I AM OVERJOYED! :)
"Let Inspiration Flow Eternally"
Tell me. What is the difference between inspiration and motivation? Have you ever used them interchangeably? You probably won't be doing that after you're done reading this post.
Motivation is more of a temporary thing, not unlike a pep talk. It can involve some of the characteristics of hype. It wears off relatively fast, and therefore has to be replenished often, like a gas tank with a leak in it, or an engine that eats oil.
That's why people have to work so hard to keep themselves motivated. They have to be constantly refilling that leaky tank. Motivation burns off like flash gun powder!
And here's perhaps the most insightful part of this entire Blog post. It's a formula that may just solve your motivation issues:
You need to shift your focus from "motivation" to "inspiration". If you can simply find a way to become INSPIRED, then you will no longer have to worry about motivation! What a thought!
This little alternative strategy actually WORKS, and it's because inspiration lasts MUCH longer than motivation, and naturally contains much more power.
Inspiration goes measurably further, and is like a slow-burning candle. Yet, it carries the light of a THOUSAND candles! Being inspired not only helps you to get things done, but it lifts your life and your level of inner fulfillment in many other ways as well!
As a descriptive metaphor, we could say that with the force and momentum of inspiration, one could power a city for an entire year! But, motivation alone has only the power to run an LED flashlight for a couple of hours.
Before I delve into the anatomy of inspiration in more relatable detail, let me delineate some more of the common denominators in, some of the characteristics of, and some of the differences between inspiration and motivation for you:
• Inspiration supersedes motivation.
• You can be motivated without being inspired, but if you're inspired, you're therefore motivated by default.
• Motivation comes from man.
• Inspiration comes from God.
• Motivation connotes superficial excitement and energy, or the driving force behind a conscious choice to accomplish something. This conscious choice is NOT arrived at due to the inspiration of a powerful, worthwhile cause, but instead is arrived at logically. It just seems like the thing to do. It just "makes sense".
• There are no deep feelings of moral obligation or altruistic dedication attached to motivation. Those things are reserved for INSPIRATION.
• INSPIRATION signifies an enlightened state of mind, that transcends common barriers and rockets you to a place of success, inner peace, satisfaction, and ACCOMPLISHMENT.
• Inspiration is a spiritual yearning for something, or a deep, inner longing and passionate desire to get or accomplish that thing.
• Inspiration is linked to and spawned from your human spirit's highest and best ideals and morals, principles and ethics.
• Motivation is what drives you to do something, when your decision to do that thing was arrived at by logical or mechanical processes of the mind.
• Inspiration comes from an alignment of your heart and soul with a worthwhile purpose. This state of inspiration cannot be arrived at analytically or methodically, rationally or commonsensically. It can only be arrived at spiritually.
• Inspiration transcends the external, and takes a deep-seated, internalized position in the innermost recesses of your heart and spirit.
Okay, now that we've explored some of the powerful characteristics of the two, I think you're beginning to see the big difference. It's now time to apply this knowledge to us.
Close your eyes and think about the things that you have the hardest time getting yourself to do. Where are those areas where you engage in self-sabotage, and seem to do the opposite of what you want to do or have chosen to do?
The reason you're struggling with those things is because you are merely "motivated" to do them, but are not INSPIRED to do them! And this brings us to the real action.
When you locate a problem area, you have three choices.
1. You can root it out, replacing it with actions, choices, journeys or paths that actually INSPIRE you.
2. You can dig deep into the fundamental makeup of the problem area, awake your inner inspiration for that thing, arouse whatever virtue and inherent meritorious grace that it contains, and remind yourself of why you are really doing it. This will last much longer than motivation, but it is important to remember that the "inspiration tank" does still need refilling occasionally. Get in the habit.
3. If you don't believe that you can become inspired about that thing, but logically cannot allow yourself to replace it with something that inspires you, then you can stay the course regardless, and continue relying upon motivation and logic alone to get you to perform.
Now, just for a moment, I want to focus on the fourth word in today's LIFE acronym. And, if you remember, today's acronym is "Let Inspiration Flow Eternally."
e·ter·nal
[ih-tur-nl]
- adjective
1. lasting forever; always existing (opposed to temporal): as in "eternal life".
2. perpetual; ceaseless; endless.
3. enduring; immutable: as in "eternal principles".
4. Metaphysics - existing outside all relations of time; not subject to change.
- noun
5. something that is eternal.
6. the Eternal, God.
Now, I purposely used the word "eternal", because I wanted to emphasize the cultivation of an ONGOING HABIT of seeking inspiration.
Inspiration has an intrinsic power that can shape us, dramatically change us, and ultimately drastically alter the course of our eternal destiny.
Now, as a side note, if you happen to think of "destiny" as some sort of a "pre-determined fate" that you have no say in, please remember this:
We all have a blessed thing called AGENCY. Agency is the capacity to CHOOSE our own actions. And we will unfailingly bear the consequences of our actions, unless someone steps in through Grace and bears those consequential burdens for us.
But, the fact remains that our ACTIONS shape our destiny. God may well know where we will end up, as He is omniscient, and sees past, present and future all as one. But, that doesn't change the fact that it is our CHOICES and our ACTIONS that will lead us to that destiny.
Knowing that... having a clear understanding of that truth... should invariably lead us to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for our lives and for what we make of them here in this Earthly sojourn.
I used the word "ETERNALLY", because seeking inspiration should not simply be "a cool principle" for you. The idea of constantly seeking inspiration should not just be something that you heard of on a blog one day and decided to try out.
It should become a LIFE HABIT for you. It should become a part of your character, a deep-seated characteristic that through time will come to DEFINE you, along with many other virtuous character traits that you habitually seek to develop within your own self.
I am writing this blog to remind myself of the things that inspire me, and also with the hope that it will inspire you.
If all that my blog does is remind you of an important fact or principle, I am satisfied.
If you learn something new... some inspiring, intriguing, actionable insight, then I am more than satisfied; I am DELIGHTED.
But, if what you learn here sticks with you ETERNALLY, and helps to shape who you are, and who you will become, then I am beyond satisfied or delighted; I AM OVERJOYED! :)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Life Angles: LIFE Acronym #3 - Laughter Irresistibly Forms Enthusiasm
LIFE Acronym #3:
"Laughter Irresistibly Forms Enthusiasm"
Did you know that the average American child laughs about 200 times per day, while the average American adult laughs only 15?
I recently read a story of a lady who was running a seminar on the power of positive enthusiasm, and had everyone participate in a little activity.
She told everyone to get up and greet the people around them as if they were looking for someone more important. People got up and casually greeted each other, sometimes with their heads down, or looking past the person, or talking with a passive, subdued tone. Then, she had everyone get up again and greet the people around them as if they were a long-lost friend.
The room quickly erupted with noise, laughter, joyous tones, positive energy, and convivial smiles. When it was time for her to speak again, they were so into this positive social interaction that it was hard to get everyone's attention and get them to quiet down.
She then directed their attention to the energy in the room. It was palpable. It had been FABRICATED, yet it was REAL. It had been conjured up from within, by simply having people PRETEND that they were excited to see somebody.
There is a veritable renewing force hidden behind each smile, and within each laugh. There is a powerful, positive energy stored deep within each of us, and it is waiting for us to simply DECIDE to access it.
Think of those times when you are in a low energy slump; the times when you're sad because you let something get to you, something that you have set up as a CONDITION that your happiness is dependent upon.
Happiness is NOT conditional. It is YOUR choice. Your mood is YOUR choice. This is a universal truth that holds true NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE. It is a state of mind, a higher consciousness that can be developed and attained if you seek it.
Do you know how feelings work? Think about that for a moment. I had a friend ask me that question recently. How would you answer that question? It's simple.
Here's how feelings work:
You tell your subconscious mind how to feel, and it obeys! If you do not tell it how to feel, it comes up with its own way to feel, to make up for the lack of conscious instruction.
Think of the times when you're bored, passive, or even sullen. It could be for no apparent reason, or it could be due to an outside catalyst.
When we feel this way, we tend to want to stay there. We tend to want to wallow longer in our own self-pity. This accomplishes nothing, yet it seems to be the accepted norm. We tend to leave it up to external influences, and just wait until "something happens" to lift our mood again.
This is a way of minimizing our own personal power, and passing it on to somebody or something else. Are you in the habit of laying your own personal power on a sidewalk, and leaving it open to the elements and the whims of the city?
When was the last time that you held your own personal power in your hand and kept it safe, and in your own possession? When was the last time that you used that mystical source of power called "your own will" to change the way you felt or thought?
It's there, within your own mind. Just use it. Next time you feel melancholy, make a conscious decision not to wallow. When you wallow in those feelings, you lose precious moments of your life.
And your life is a mere blink in eternity, and is more valuable than the largest King's vault on the planet. Your time is your most PRECIOUS asset. Don't squander it in unproductive, wasteful, hurtful expenditures of negative energy.
I may have made my point, but I'm not sure if you're listening. I don't want you to read this and then forget about it. I want you to REMEMBER it.
REMEMBER it the next time that you are feeling dejected, despondent, or downhearted. REMEMBER it, and CHOOSE to change your mood.
With a little practice, you can begin to control your inner mind simply by DECIDING how to feel. But, before you get to that point, you can simply do it the easy way if you must. Here's the easy way:
• Simply DECIDE to put in a positive CD or video.
• DECIDE to surf to a positive and uplifting website on the internet.
• DECIDE to pick up a cheerful, inspirational book and read it until your mood changes.
• DECIDE to do a Google search for "funny jokes".
• DECIDE to go back and read some of your encouraging journal entries.
• DECIDE to call a good friend or a close family member, and ask them to help you lift your mood. Talk about what's bothering you, but more importantly, relate it to the big picture and talk about the true essence of life.
• DECIDE to somehow remind yourself of what really matters.
• DECIDE to fly up to the stratospheric layer of your life's atmosphere, and view yourself from a better perspective; a less blinded, more open perspective that illuminates the paradigms that reflect PURE TRUTH, and shades the ones that reflect your own perceived realities.
If laughter irresistibly forms enthusiasm, then it is solid proof that we can control our own positive energy.
Remember this:
Even when positive vibes are not spurred by outside influences, but instead are forced because of a CONSCIOUS decision, they still have the same result.
I wish you the best of luck in your journey of LIFE.
One more thing...
Considering the title of this post, I felt it appropriate to post a joke... :)
"The Vacuum Salesman"
A young vacuum cleaner salesman had just completed his training, and was anxious to put his skills to work. He set out to canvass a neighborhood, armed with a vacuum, a small shovel, and a bag full of cow patties.
He took his fancy vacuum cleaner to the front door of the first house and knocked on the door loudly. A rather unpleasant woman answered.
Before she could say anything, he quickly tossed a pile of moist cow patties onto the rug behind her, stepped in past her and ground them into the rug with his cargo boots.
"Lady," he said, "If this powerful vacuum cleaner doesn't completely eradicate all of those cow patties with thorough precision in the next 5 minutes, I'll eat them myself."
"I'll get you a spoon," scowled the lady. "Our electricity hasn't been turned on yet." A look of shock and horror immediately formed on the young salesman's countenance.
Then, after a brief moment of pensive hesitation, he promptly dashed over to the next house, rapped on the door, and said to the man who answered, "Do you have an extension cord?"
"Laughter Irresistibly Forms Enthusiasm"
Did you know that the average American child laughs about 200 times per day, while the average American adult laughs only 15?
I recently read a story of a lady who was running a seminar on the power of positive enthusiasm, and had everyone participate in a little activity.
She told everyone to get up and greet the people around them as if they were looking for someone more important. People got up and casually greeted each other, sometimes with their heads down, or looking past the person, or talking with a passive, subdued tone. Then, she had everyone get up again and greet the people around them as if they were a long-lost friend.
The room quickly erupted with noise, laughter, joyous tones, positive energy, and convivial smiles. When it was time for her to speak again, they were so into this positive social interaction that it was hard to get everyone's attention and get them to quiet down.
She then directed their attention to the energy in the room. It was palpable. It had been FABRICATED, yet it was REAL. It had been conjured up from within, by simply having people PRETEND that they were excited to see somebody.
There is a veritable renewing force hidden behind each smile, and within each laugh. There is a powerful, positive energy stored deep within each of us, and it is waiting for us to simply DECIDE to access it.
Think of those times when you are in a low energy slump; the times when you're sad because you let something get to you, something that you have set up as a CONDITION that your happiness is dependent upon.
Happiness is NOT conditional. It is YOUR choice. Your mood is YOUR choice. This is a universal truth that holds true NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE. It is a state of mind, a higher consciousness that can be developed and attained if you seek it.
Do you know how feelings work? Think about that for a moment. I had a friend ask me that question recently. How would you answer that question? It's simple.
Here's how feelings work:
You tell your subconscious mind how to feel, and it obeys! If you do not tell it how to feel, it comes up with its own way to feel, to make up for the lack of conscious instruction.
Think of the times when you're bored, passive, or even sullen. It could be for no apparent reason, or it could be due to an outside catalyst.
When we feel this way, we tend to want to stay there. We tend to want to wallow longer in our own self-pity. This accomplishes nothing, yet it seems to be the accepted norm. We tend to leave it up to external influences, and just wait until "something happens" to lift our mood again.
This is a way of minimizing our own personal power, and passing it on to somebody or something else. Are you in the habit of laying your own personal power on a sidewalk, and leaving it open to the elements and the whims of the city?
When was the last time that you held your own personal power in your hand and kept it safe, and in your own possession? When was the last time that you used that mystical source of power called "your own will" to change the way you felt or thought?
It's there, within your own mind. Just use it. Next time you feel melancholy, make a conscious decision not to wallow. When you wallow in those feelings, you lose precious moments of your life.
And your life is a mere blink in eternity, and is more valuable than the largest King's vault on the planet. Your time is your most PRECIOUS asset. Don't squander it in unproductive, wasteful, hurtful expenditures of negative energy.
I may have made my point, but I'm not sure if you're listening. I don't want you to read this and then forget about it. I want you to REMEMBER it.
REMEMBER it the next time that you are feeling dejected, despondent, or downhearted. REMEMBER it, and CHOOSE to change your mood.
With a little practice, you can begin to control your inner mind simply by DECIDING how to feel. But, before you get to that point, you can simply do it the easy way if you must. Here's the easy way:
• Simply DECIDE to put in a positive CD or video.
• DECIDE to surf to a positive and uplifting website on the internet.
• DECIDE to pick up a cheerful, inspirational book and read it until your mood changes.
• DECIDE to do a Google search for "funny jokes".
• DECIDE to go back and read some of your encouraging journal entries.
• DECIDE to call a good friend or a close family member, and ask them to help you lift your mood. Talk about what's bothering you, but more importantly, relate it to the big picture and talk about the true essence of life.
• DECIDE to somehow remind yourself of what really matters.
• DECIDE to fly up to the stratospheric layer of your life's atmosphere, and view yourself from a better perspective; a less blinded, more open perspective that illuminates the paradigms that reflect PURE TRUTH, and shades the ones that reflect your own perceived realities.
If laughter irresistibly forms enthusiasm, then it is solid proof that we can control our own positive energy.
Remember this:
Even when positive vibes are not spurred by outside influences, but instead are forced because of a CONSCIOUS decision, they still have the same result.
I wish you the best of luck in your journey of LIFE.
One more thing...
Considering the title of this post, I felt it appropriate to post a joke... :)
"The Vacuum Salesman"
A young vacuum cleaner salesman had just completed his training, and was anxious to put his skills to work. He set out to canvass a neighborhood, armed with a vacuum, a small shovel, and a bag full of cow patties.
He took his fancy vacuum cleaner to the front door of the first house and knocked on the door loudly. A rather unpleasant woman answered.
Before she could say anything, he quickly tossed a pile of moist cow patties onto the rug behind her, stepped in past her and ground them into the rug with his cargo boots.
"Lady," he said, "If this powerful vacuum cleaner doesn't completely eradicate all of those cow patties with thorough precision in the next 5 minutes, I'll eat them myself."
"I'll get you a spoon," scowled the lady. "Our electricity hasn't been turned on yet." A look of shock and horror immediately formed on the young salesman's countenance.
Then, after a brief moment of pensive hesitation, he promptly dashed over to the next house, rapped on the door, and said to the man who answered, "Do you have an extension cord?"
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Life Angles: LIFE Acronym #2 - Learning Increases From Experience
LIFE Acronym #2:
"Learning Increases From Experience"
It's the quintessential catch 22: a company won't hire you unless you have a certain amount of experience. Yet, how are you ever expected to GET any experience if nobody will hire you?!
Too many people get college degrees and are left earning minimum wage or slightly better. And at this point, it's not just something I hear about or read about. I have seen it myself many times.
You can get all of the book smarts about a subject, and that will prepare you pretty well. But, it's not until you couple that knowledge with STREET smarts that you will REALLY metamorphose into a force to be reckoned with.
I have experienced this first-hand. Back in 2002, I went on a 2-year mission for my church. I was called to preach the Gospel in the Spanish language, in Dallas, Texas.
In my church, when someone is called to serve in a language other than their native language, they are sent to an intensive training facility for 2 to 3 months, depending on the difficulty of the language.
I had 4 years of high school and college Spanish already, and was proficient enough that they put me straight into the intermediate class, skipping the beginning level.
For 2 months, the missionaries in my class lived in this facility, ate there, and never even left the premises. We were literally taught the Gospel and the Spanish language for TEN HOURS of class per day, for 2 months. We learned from lectures, books, and computer software, and were even expected to do our best to speak only Spanish amongst ourselves for the whole 2 months.
I was obsessed with the Spanish language, and felt almost fluent by the time the 2 months were up. By that time, we could communicate pretty much anything that we wanted to. We had memorized literally THOUSANDS of nouns, verbs, verb conjugation rules, tenses, etc. We started dreaming in Spanish occasionally. Let me tell you, that is a very cool experience!
The next thing scheduled to show on the theater screen of my life's experiences was the shocker that I was on for when being faced with the task of communicating with real natives!
It was December 6, 2002 that I was thrown into the field in Dallas, Texas. They had me translating in church! They had an English-Spanish mixed congregation, and had headsets that people wore to listen to the translations.
Speaking it was not the problem. I did fairly well at translating, for a beginner (greenie). I probably kept up enough to correctly translate about 70% of what was said.
The SHOCKER came when I found myself in someone's house, listening to a language that I had previously deluded myself into thinking that I was proficient in.
It was almost 100% UNFAMILIAR! It sounded like gibberish! They spoke so fast! Slurred their words! Added slang! Everything ran together like a zoomed-in view of a Claude Monet watercolor painting!
It took another 3 to 6 months in the field, practicing and hearing these natives speak every day, before I really understood them and felt like I was actually mostly fluent in Spanish.
Now, if I were to end this blog post now, I'd be leaving you saying to yourself, "I already knew that experience was important. I already knew the difference between book smarts and street smarts. What good it it do me to read this blog?".
But now is the part where I tell one more important story, and then relate it to YOU. My job here is to give YOU some semblance of actionable data, or remind you of something that is important to know.
Life is all about reminding ourselves of the things that are most important. We are flawed beings, and are quick to forget. So, remind you I will. But first, one more story.
This next story is about Network Marketing. But do not skip it if you are not a Network Marketer, because the principles can be applied universally to many different industries and business structures. They can even be applied to non-business aspects of life in general. Read on!
When I was 17, I was introduced to my first Network Marketing company. I was enthralled by the idea of how the whole thing worked.
Think of it! Everyone owns their own business, and works together for a common cause. But, unlike a tradition business structure, all the paperwork, product fulfillment, warehousing, manufacturing, customer service, website creation and hosting, and things of the like are taken care of. All I have to worry about is marketing and customer retention.
Add on top of those benefits the fact that the potential for building up a residual, nearly hands-free income is staggering! The whole thing glistened in my youthful, teenage eyes.
Picture the wonderment that fills the mind and heart of a child as he gazes upon the pile of presents on Christmas morning. Can you picture a child's eyes reflecting the magical glow of the tinsel, glass ornaments, and multi-colored strings of lights on Christmas morning? The excitement and the curiosity? The euphoric sensations dancing through the brain?
This is how I felt. And it wasn't just dollar signs in my eyes. It was freedom and potential. It was free time and resources. You might say, "what 17-year-old thinks like that?" Well, I did.
Prior to this point, I had dedicated myself somewhat to the study of wealth, due to the fact that when I was 10 years old I had decided that I would someday become a millionaire. And I was already somewhat adept at business, having proven myself as a top salesman by out-selling every kid in my entire high school in a fund raiser (I sold something like 450 candy bars, for $1 each). But, back to the story.
Having learned of the existence of this exciting Network Marketing business model, I was so excited that I called the corporate headquarters of the company, and begged them to give me an exception to the age limit of 18. They conceded, and thus began my adventure in Network Marketing.
How good would a 17-year-old kid do in this type of business? What would happen? Where would this adventure take me? Read on to see how it unfolded.
I became obsessed with studying the business and products, inside out. I had decided in that little teenage mind of mine that I really needed to become proficient and professional with the information, before I talked to even one person. And it was partly that I didn't feel comfortable and confident with my own ability and knowledge.
As a result of my false paradigm that kept me from talking to anyone until I had gleaned all the knowledge I could, I ended up fading out. I never even talked to a single, solitary person about the business.
If I had just jumped into it, swallowed my pride and insecurity, and started talking to people about it, I would have likely met with some success.
We've all heard the old adage, "Experience is the best teacher". This is no lie, but that does not mean that you cannot succeed without it. In fact, quite the contrary.
It's been proven that in Network Marketing, there are two groups of people who build huge organizations, fast. Those two groups are:
1. The newbies who don't know all the details, but are just plain excited, happy, sanguine, positive and enthusiastic. They splatter excited confusion all over people, and it works! Their prospects become curious and ask questions, then get referred to someone who knows more, and BAM! They are suddenly a new business partner! Beginners on fire are far better than professionals on ice.
2. Speaking of professionals, they are the second group. But it's not "professionalism on ice" that this group consists of. It's "professionalism on fire"! Where there are successful business builders, without fail there also can be found rampant action. That's the common denominator.
This second group has a double-edged sword; they wield EXPERIENCE, AND action! This group is the group that helps the first group close their prospects.
Remember, you always want to be in one of these two groups, never in between. As a member of the first group, your goal is to develop yourself into a competent leader, and eventually graduate to the second group!
Salient Facts:
• You can gain knowledge by study. But knowledge alone benefits you comparatively very little.
• It is the APPLICATION of knowledge that makes all the difference.
• You can only gain EXPERIENCE by getting out there and WORKING! Work is where the experience comes from. Without work, experience lurks in dark, hidden crevices, far from reach.
• KNOWLEDGE without WORK is dead.
• But WORK without KNOWLEDGE breeds fast success, when coupled with business partners who have the knowledge and experience required for streamlined progression.
• KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, and WORK together are the TRIPLE-THREAT for success, and the simultaneous possession of all three should be the goal of every person who aspires to accomplish anything of meaning.
• So it is an inter-connected triangle, all designed to build upon itself and lead you to success, if you follow it correctly.
• A lack of consistent WORK, in the VAST MAJORITY of all cases, is the principal culprit that is responsible for failure in Network Marketing. Remember that fact, because you can take it to the bank!
Those bullet points may have gone in one ear and out the other, but they are fairly deep and philosophical when you give them some more dedicated thought. That said, I recommend that you go back and take a moment to re-read them, and ponder them...
...Done reading? Good. Now go get to work. :)
"Learning Increases From Experience"
It's the quintessential catch 22: a company won't hire you unless you have a certain amount of experience. Yet, how are you ever expected to GET any experience if nobody will hire you?!
Too many people get college degrees and are left earning minimum wage or slightly better. And at this point, it's not just something I hear about or read about. I have seen it myself many times.
You can get all of the book smarts about a subject, and that will prepare you pretty well. But, it's not until you couple that knowledge with STREET smarts that you will REALLY metamorphose into a force to be reckoned with.
I have experienced this first-hand. Back in 2002, I went on a 2-year mission for my church. I was called to preach the Gospel in the Spanish language, in Dallas, Texas.
In my church, when someone is called to serve in a language other than their native language, they are sent to an intensive training facility for 2 to 3 months, depending on the difficulty of the language.
I had 4 years of high school and college Spanish already, and was proficient enough that they put me straight into the intermediate class, skipping the beginning level.
For 2 months, the missionaries in my class lived in this facility, ate there, and never even left the premises. We were literally taught the Gospel and the Spanish language for TEN HOURS of class per day, for 2 months. We learned from lectures, books, and computer software, and were even expected to do our best to speak only Spanish amongst ourselves for the whole 2 months.
I was obsessed with the Spanish language, and felt almost fluent by the time the 2 months were up. By that time, we could communicate pretty much anything that we wanted to. We had memorized literally THOUSANDS of nouns, verbs, verb conjugation rules, tenses, etc. We started dreaming in Spanish occasionally. Let me tell you, that is a very cool experience!
The next thing scheduled to show on the theater screen of my life's experiences was the shocker that I was on for when being faced with the task of communicating with real natives!
It was December 6, 2002 that I was thrown into the field in Dallas, Texas. They had me translating in church! They had an English-Spanish mixed congregation, and had headsets that people wore to listen to the translations.
Speaking it was not the problem. I did fairly well at translating, for a beginner (greenie). I probably kept up enough to correctly translate about 70% of what was said.
The SHOCKER came when I found myself in someone's house, listening to a language that I had previously deluded myself into thinking that I was proficient in.
It was almost 100% UNFAMILIAR! It sounded like gibberish! They spoke so fast! Slurred their words! Added slang! Everything ran together like a zoomed-in view of a Claude Monet watercolor painting!
It took another 3 to 6 months in the field, practicing and hearing these natives speak every day, before I really understood them and felt like I was actually mostly fluent in Spanish.
Now, if I were to end this blog post now, I'd be leaving you saying to yourself, "I already knew that experience was important. I already knew the difference between book smarts and street smarts. What good it it do me to read this blog?".
But now is the part where I tell one more important story, and then relate it to YOU. My job here is to give YOU some semblance of actionable data, or remind you of something that is important to know.
Life is all about reminding ourselves of the things that are most important. We are flawed beings, and are quick to forget. So, remind you I will. But first, one more story.
This next story is about Network Marketing. But do not skip it if you are not a Network Marketer, because the principles can be applied universally to many different industries and business structures. They can even be applied to non-business aspects of life in general. Read on!
When I was 17, I was introduced to my first Network Marketing company. I was enthralled by the idea of how the whole thing worked.
Think of it! Everyone owns their own business, and works together for a common cause. But, unlike a tradition business structure, all the paperwork, product fulfillment, warehousing, manufacturing, customer service, website creation and hosting, and things of the like are taken care of. All I have to worry about is marketing and customer retention.
Add on top of those benefits the fact that the potential for building up a residual, nearly hands-free income is staggering! The whole thing glistened in my youthful, teenage eyes.
Picture the wonderment that fills the mind and heart of a child as he gazes upon the pile of presents on Christmas morning. Can you picture a child's eyes reflecting the magical glow of the tinsel, glass ornaments, and multi-colored strings of lights on Christmas morning? The excitement and the curiosity? The euphoric sensations dancing through the brain?
This is how I felt. And it wasn't just dollar signs in my eyes. It was freedom and potential. It was free time and resources. You might say, "what 17-year-old thinks like that?" Well, I did.
Prior to this point, I had dedicated myself somewhat to the study of wealth, due to the fact that when I was 10 years old I had decided that I would someday become a millionaire. And I was already somewhat adept at business, having proven myself as a top salesman by out-selling every kid in my entire high school in a fund raiser (I sold something like 450 candy bars, for $1 each). But, back to the story.
Having learned of the existence of this exciting Network Marketing business model, I was so excited that I called the corporate headquarters of the company, and begged them to give me an exception to the age limit of 18. They conceded, and thus began my adventure in Network Marketing.
How good would a 17-year-old kid do in this type of business? What would happen? Where would this adventure take me? Read on to see how it unfolded.
I became obsessed with studying the business and products, inside out. I had decided in that little teenage mind of mine that I really needed to become proficient and professional with the information, before I talked to even one person. And it was partly that I didn't feel comfortable and confident with my own ability and knowledge.
As a result of my false paradigm that kept me from talking to anyone until I had gleaned all the knowledge I could, I ended up fading out. I never even talked to a single, solitary person about the business.
If I had just jumped into it, swallowed my pride and insecurity, and started talking to people about it, I would have likely met with some success.
We've all heard the old adage, "Experience is the best teacher". This is no lie, but that does not mean that you cannot succeed without it. In fact, quite the contrary.
It's been proven that in Network Marketing, there are two groups of people who build huge organizations, fast. Those two groups are:
1. The newbies who don't know all the details, but are just plain excited, happy, sanguine, positive and enthusiastic. They splatter excited confusion all over people, and it works! Their prospects become curious and ask questions, then get referred to someone who knows more, and BAM! They are suddenly a new business partner! Beginners on fire are far better than professionals on ice.
2. Speaking of professionals, they are the second group. But it's not "professionalism on ice" that this group consists of. It's "professionalism on fire"! Where there are successful business builders, without fail there also can be found rampant action. That's the common denominator.
This second group has a double-edged sword; they wield EXPERIENCE, AND action! This group is the group that helps the first group close their prospects.
Remember, you always want to be in one of these two groups, never in between. As a member of the first group, your goal is to develop yourself into a competent leader, and eventually graduate to the second group!
Salient Facts:
• You can gain knowledge by study. But knowledge alone benefits you comparatively very little.
• It is the APPLICATION of knowledge that makes all the difference.
• You can only gain EXPERIENCE by getting out there and WORKING! Work is where the experience comes from. Without work, experience lurks in dark, hidden crevices, far from reach.
• KNOWLEDGE without WORK is dead.
• But WORK without KNOWLEDGE breeds fast success, when coupled with business partners who have the knowledge and experience required for streamlined progression.
• KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, and WORK together are the TRIPLE-THREAT for success, and the simultaneous possession of all three should be the goal of every person who aspires to accomplish anything of meaning.
• So it is an inter-connected triangle, all designed to build upon itself and lead you to success, if you follow it correctly.
• A lack of consistent WORK, in the VAST MAJORITY of all cases, is the principal culprit that is responsible for failure in Network Marketing. Remember that fact, because you can take it to the bank!
Those bullet points may have gone in one ear and out the other, but they are fairly deep and philosophical when you give them some more dedicated thought. That said, I recommend that you go back and take a moment to re-read them, and ponder them...
...Done reading? Good. Now go get to work. :)
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