Accomplishment As Artwork

+++ In these days of do more, be more, have more, it may be wise
to get off the beaten track and reflect on what is best for you
in the workplace. What fits your lifestyle? What fits your
integrity? What captures your interest? What warms your heart?

+++ I once read a story about a young lawyer who was joining a
prestigious firm. She was spending a quiet evening with her
grandmother and she told her that she was going to do all that
she could to advance in her new organization. She would take a
night school course to become an expert in her specialty, and
join community organizations to bring in business. She was
determined to do everything and ‘learn it all’. To her mind, the
picture she was painting was one of the perfect employee. Doing
all those things would win her recognition, acceptance and an
elevated career path.

+++ The expected approval and enthusiasm from her grandmother
was not forthcoming. Smiling at her well-meaning granddaughter,
she said: “Be good at whatever you do and do only what you are
willing to do well.” This startled the young lawyer and caused
her a great deal of deep thought. After a few nights of poor
sleep, she embraced her grandmother’s wisdom. Now she is the
esteemed senior partner in her firm.

+++ Hopefully, you have chosen your work carefully. If not,
rethink it. If so, are you making sure that you are good at what
you do? Do you stay up-to-speed in your industry? Then, add that
next step, do only what you are willing to do well. This may
take some honesty but it will have tremendous impact on all
areas of your life.

+++ Apply this wisdom liberally. Imagine the impact it will have
on your relationships!

Online shopping can be a little frightening to people who are
new to the internet,but as long as you follow a few easy rules
you should have no problem shopping online.

What are the rules ?

First before buying from an online store find out what that
online stores return policy is. If you wait till after the
purchase of a product you make find out returning it is almost
impossible.

Second ,now days it’s good to know what the privacy policy of
any website you fill out forms on is.If you don’t want your
information spread all over the internet.

Third,Now for the purchase itself,When filling out a form to
order something make sure all your information is correct,email
adress must be right it’s important,your postal address must be
right and your credit card info must be correct.If any of the
above is wrong your order may not go through.

Fourth,Most online stores will send you an order confirmation
email to confirm your order was received,this is very important
file it away if you ever have a problem with an order you will
need the information contained in the email to get it corrected

Finally, Most stores will let you know when your order has been
shipped

What if I have a problem with something I ordered at an online
store ?

If you have a problem there are a few easy steps to having it
corrected if you followed the rules above.

If you want to return something,if you checked what the online
stores return policy is ,refer to that and follow thier
instructions

If you have a question about your order look for a link to
either the online stores customer service section where in most
cases you can find a form to fill out or an email address

If you find a form fill it out completely,the more completely
you fill it out the better your problem with your order can be
solved

If you find an email address send an email explaining your
problem with a copy of your order confirmation either attached
or the information from it added to your email

Remember to be polite in your email,it doesn’t help to be rude
it only will make the person who recieved it mad and less likely
to care about your problem.

In Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen’s original “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” I am reminded of the short story titled “Another Check Mark On the List.” This is a story about a 15-year-old boy named John who, on one rainy day, when it was too wet outside to play, he decided to write a list of goals. John continued writing until he had 127 goals. These goals included exploring the Nile River, climbing high mountain peaks around the world and learning 3 foreign languages. He also wanted to be featured in a Rose Bowl Parade and play several musical instruments.

Of the 127 goals that he listed over 60 years ago, John has achieved 108. If he lives to become 75 years old he will achieve 109 (he listed “live to see the 21st Century”). How did John achieve all of these goals? He wrote them down.

Step 1 Write It Down:

Write it down, write it down, and write it down!

Have you ever got to a point where you were going to write down a New Year’s Resolution or some other goal you thought you wanted, only to find yourself procrastinate. One year later, did you need to achieve the same New Year’s Resolution or goal? Why does this happen?

It happens because of that little voice inside of you that says, “I am not good enough or worthy enough to be in possession of the benefits derived from achieving my goal.” “I have been programmed for failure.”

I recently read a motivational quote that said: “If you can’t write it down, you can’t do it.”

Let us think about that for a minute. Every day you may be compiling lists of things to do to run your household, perform your job, or plan your business trip or vacation. How many times do you really write down, exactly what you want out of life?

How many long term or short-term goals do you write down?

Now when thinking about what you want to achieve focus your attention on specific words and ideas relating to your goals. Give those words and ideas your complete attention as you write them down.

Did you ever write a letter, business report, or term paper and at times find your fingers flying across the keyboard?

Since written words are symbols of objects, ideas, or feelings, could the physical process of entering these words onto a page actually create a subconscious connection?

I believe it does. When you use language to communicate on paper, you need to process the information on a subconscious level.

The help you are getting while creating your list of goals is coming straight from your powerful subconscious mind. Why not take advantage of the power of your mind in achieving your goals?

Write your goals down in your day planner, write them down, and hang them on your walls. Write your goals on sticky notes and place them on your bathroom mirror or on your windows.

Every time you write your goals down, your body is moving towards them. The goals are getting clearer and clearer. The roadmap you create by writing goals down projects straight to your subconscious mind and is being acted upon.

A now popular syndicated cartoonist wrote down 15 times a day, every day the following sentence. “I want to be a syndicated cartoonist.” He did this every single day, even when he did not feel like a syndicated cartoonist. Now, Scott Adams, the creator of the “Dilbert Cartoon” is a full-time, syndicated cartoonist, known the world over. Scott “wrote it down.”

One way to state that goal in a more positive and immediate context is to say, “I am a syndicated cartoonist.” Act as if you already are in possession of the goal. It takes a lot of pressure off you during your daily activities when you feel the new role. You then become comfortable with it.

Write your goals down everywhere. As you write them down think about John, the 15-year-old goal achiever from the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” story. Now that John is in his seventies, what advice would John have for you when you ask him, “What is the most important thing I can do to achieve my goals?”

Listen to John whisper in your ear these three words… write it down.

Wayne F. Perkins is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Sales Trainer who helps employees and corporate clients achieve their goals.
Wayne offers published books, e-books and Audio CD programs including, “Build Your Business with Hypnosis”
“My mission in life is to help you achieve your mission in life”
http://www.wayneperkins.net

Since the beginning of time, man is already seeking greatness.
Glory, gold and God were three major reasons that fueled a
Colonial World. Greatness is sought after by all people. Fame,
wealth, prestige and many other forms of power are considered
greatness but what does greatness really mean? Here are
realistic, biblical principles to greatness:

1. Greatness is when you do not follow the crowd.

Noah was considered a crazy man when he built the ark. Great
people are often people with intense desires that they stand
above the rest. Gandhi is one of the most influential leaders of
his time, and his greatness can be attributed to his conviction
to have a peaceful means of protest. If he gave in to the
pressures of the crowd and succumbed to their desire for a
violent means of protesting, then history as we know it would be
different. People who think outside the common knowledge of the
crowd, people who think outside the box. They are given the
chance to be great.

2. Greatness is when you offer yourself to the service of others.

Great leaders all throughout history are leaders that are self
sacrificing. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice by giving up
himself to all. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 20 years,
without his sacrifices for South Africa; the world would be
different right now. Bolivar also served his generation. He took
the call to arms, and thus resulting in the birth of a nation,
Bolivia is named after him. Contrary to the crowds beliefs,
greatness cannot be achieved through violence or excessive use
of force. Greatness happens when you go to the extreme end, it
is when you do not ask for attention, nor seek recognition. When
you toil behind the scenes and behind the camera, when you
continue until the wee hours of the morning, that is greatness.

3. Greatness starts when you have a vision.

A vision is something that you live, and are willing to die for.
It is something bigger than you. Some people call this a cause.
Communism is a vision; just as Martin Luther’s anti-racism
movement is a vision. A vision is something that meets needs,
makes lives better and in the vaguest sense, changes the world.
Visionaries are exceptional people. Griggs Candler of Coca-Cola
believed that one day, everyone in the world will be drinking
Coke. It is his crazy vision which came to pass. Coca cola does
not have any therapeutic value, it is unhealthy, it is made
mostly of addictive chemicals and sugar yet the entire planet
drinks it up. Vision is halfway to greatness.

4. Greatness meets the needs of others.

See the need, feel the need. We often hear this, but we rarely
pay attention to it. Why do you think Bill Gates made millions
of dollars? It is because he found out that the world needs
Personal Computers. He had a vision, that there will be a PC in
every American household. At the time, the idea seemed
preposterous, but he created that need, and he answered our
needs.

Before Starbucks, coffee was not served by the cup in Seattle.
It seemed to be a crazy idea to do so but it met people’s needs
for quality coffee.

5. Greatness is uncompromising.

Greatness stands with its convictions. It does not bow down to
mediocrity. If you really want to be great, it will consume you.
It will eat you up. Many times people who are after greatness
are branded as heretics, lunatics, and crazy. They are scorned,
humiliated and often alone. Einstein is one of the greatest
thinkers of the modern age. He revolutionized the scientific
worldview with his Theories of Relativity. When he was a student
though, people make fun of his wacky ideas. Great men are
disciplined in their field, everything boils down to perfection.
Michael Schumacher, the greatest F1 racer that ever graced this
planet, revealed that he would practice until he perfects his
turns.

We are all destined to greatness. We just have to find our niche
or our environment where we can grow. Not every place can be
considered a fertile soil for you. Find your mission in life.
Search for it and do not give up right smack the middle of your
race. Continue to fight, and do not let adversity put you down.
Greatness welcomes pressures and adversity. Problems will make
you stronger if you learn how to face it. Greatness does not
exist in a vacuum; it does not thrive in utopia. It is greatness
because it exists where chaos lurks. It is for all of us, yet
only a few people dare the journey and take the call to
greatness. Are you up to the challenge?

The many ideas of “living life” are the most indistinctly
defined conundrums that a human being can ponder. Philosophy has
its own definitions of life and living. Of course, so do
religions, corporations, politicians, and every diverse group on
the planet. Some of the looser definitions I hear from many
people include:

- Life is ruled by destiny. - Life is ruled by fate. - We all
live by a Universal Plan. - Only God knows.

In general, many people believe that their lives are already set
and that they should accept the paths and destinations placed
before them. But, the few that believe that life is what you
make of it are the ones that understand that there is no
absolute definition for life and living.

— Belief Systems —

In every case, you identify paths in your life based on your own
personal “belief system.” This system is who you are and what
makes you do the things you do. It is your conscience, your ego,
your little devil … you! Everything you do in life is based on
at least one of your core beliefs. But, when you do step outside
of that lifelong foundation, you may feel frightened,
uncomfortable, and generally lost.

I do believe in a God, a greater existence above us all, but
life has taught me that there are no controlling entities that
have absolute plans laid out for each of us. I would have to say
that one’s direction is chosen by none, and by all. Our
destinies are not chosen at birth, but are poured into us as we
grow and every action we take affects others as much as the
actions of others affect us.

We choose our destination in life based on our beliefs. We feel
as though our destinations are predetermined because we know
what we “must” do to satisfy those beliefs. When we grow to
reach the boundaries of that belief system, we become
dissatisfied because we can see where we want to go, but can’t
get there with our current beliefs. It is at that time that we
must decide to either take the leap into the unknown, or stay
where we are because it is safe and known.

— Destiny vs. Destination —

Destiny, by definition, is the idea of “what may happen in the
future.” For most, it is the acceptance that we have a
predetermined destiny and we should not fight the path on which
we are placed. Destination, by definition, is the act of “aiming
for a certain position; a place.” For some, a destination is the
ultimate place that we want to be at the end of a given
journey—a chosen place at the end of a path.

The idea of allowing destiny to choose your direction in life is
the easiest way to live. It guarantees that you will encounter
little resistance and be able to live a constant life from
beginning to end. You merely experience the day-to-day problems
of living an existence.

However, destiny is only the idea of what “may” happen in the
future. It is not a set future, but one that you choose to
accept as an absolute. Accepting destiny usually occurs when one
either does not know how to choose a destination in their life
or when one is so overwhelmed by their life that they don’t have
time, or are afraid, to choose.

To move forward, one must pick a destination, and work to get
there. This is not an easy task as our own beliefs, disbeliefs,
overwhelming situations, and lack of understanding cloud us all.
It is not the abandonment of a belief system, it is the
enhancement of our existing system through growth and knowledge
that brings about change. We must first clear ourselves and
understand our blocks and our goals so that we can view a better
picture of what we can do for ourselves.

— Choosing a Destination —

To choose a destination, you must know what you want. Many
times, people select their paths based on their current state
and beliefs in their lives. This tends to push them right back
into the same, or similar, situations that they are in at the
time they decide to make a change. This usually occurs out of
fear of looking outside of their “comfort zones” and environment.

Comfort zones are unusual places in which to exist. Such zones
can create apathy and lethargy and keep one from moving beyond
current situations. The lack of movement is because the person
has become comfortable with a particular situation in their life
and is able to, somewhat, control the situation. Even if the
situation is torturous and stressful, it is familiar, and if the
person feels control or comfort, they will resist change and
stay there.

It is important that, when trying to determine a destination,
you think of the things that are important to you, overall. Not
just now, but in the “long run” of your life. Ask yourself such
questions as:

- Where do I want to be? - What do I want to do? - What is
important to me?

In the days of the wagon trains, “ruts” were created in the
ground by continual traffic over one path. In life, a rut is
caused by continual travel between the same places in your
existence. In examining the questions in detail, you can
eventually define a destination outside of your current
situation and break out of any ruts that might keep you moving
along the same paths.

— Headin’ Down the Highway —

Once you go through the process of picking a destination, you
have to head in the general direction to reach that destination.
It’s like driving down a highway. If you’re driving down I-10
West, you have a choice to make. Do you go to Las Vegas or Los
Angeles? If the chosen destination is Las Vegas, take the I-40
exit then head North on various highways. If you choose Los
Angeles, take I-10 all the way in through Needles. The point is,
you chose the destination, but along that path, you will
experience different terrain, decisions, and changes before you
reach that destination.

In some cases, the path is treacherous, hot, and muggy and you
twinge at the expectation that the destination will be a living
hell, when in fact, the destination is an oasis of more than you
could have ever hoped. In other cases, the path is easy, yet the
destination is a wild, hot, and crowded place that may not meet
your expectations. Whatever the assumed outcome, make changes to
accommodate yourself, but stay the course.

Realize that once you pick a destination in life, you will have
to figure out how to get there. Every destination has a
different path with different “obstacles.” These obstacles,
however, are helpful “classes” in preparing you for your
ultimate destination. You can plan for some of these classes by
simply examining what it will take to reach your destination.
You must set your goals, vision, and mission before you can
understand the challenges that must be overcome to reach your
ultimate destination. It’s sometimes a difficult task, but it
can be done.

— Pie in the Sky —

I remember being told so many times that my vision of my life
was “pie in the sky.” I never cared, and kept on plodding—into
failure. But, it wasn’t until I began to manage my expectations
that I was able to reach my lofty destinations with success.
Picking a destination that is far beyond your immediate reach
can lead to disappointment and frustration. Failure leads to
more failure and eventually, complete surrender.

I’m not telling you to give up on your lofty goals, I’m telling
you to slow down and take a good look at where you’re going. You
must learn how to break your dreams into smaller pieces. Take
only pieces of the pie instead of the whole thing at one time.
If you conquer one piece, you’re that much closer to your
ultimate vision. Conquer one piece at a time and learn as you
go. It not only makes you smarter and stronger, but it will also
give you a better chance of conquering the next leg of your
journey to reach that, originally, lofty goal.

— What’s next? —

We do have a controllable destiny, but we have to learn what it
is that is keeping us from satisfying our desires and reaching
our chosen destination. This destination must be earned by
researching the path it takes to get you there. This is where
you must come to understand your belief system and how to make
it grow to accommodate your goals.

So many people allow apathy to control their lives. They wait
for their destinies to come to them. In some cases, they call it
“allowing God to guide” them when, in fact, “He” is within us
all allowing us to chose and move in whichever direction we
desire. If you still feel like God and the Universe has a plan
for your life, and you really don’t want to try to step out of
your situation to move toward a better life, just remember:

“God helps those who help themselves.”