How dramatically we can change our results is largely a function of imagination. In 1960, it was a technological impossibility for man to travel into outer space. Within ten years, however, the first man stepped out onto the surface of the moon. The miraculous process of converting the dream into reality began when one voice challenged the scientific community to do whatever was necessary to see to it that America “places a man on the moon by the end of this decade.”
That challenge awakened the spirit of a nation by planting the seed of possible future achievement into the fertile soil of imagination. With that one bold challenge the impossible became a reality.
- The Same Principle Applies To Every Other Area Of Our Life! -
Can a poor person become wealthy?
Of course!
The unique combination of desire, planning, effort and perseverance will always work its magic. The question is not whether the formula for success will work, but rather whether the person will work the formula.
That is the unknown variable.
That is the challenge that confronts us all.
We can all go from wherever we are to wherever we want to be. No dream is impossible provided we first have the courage to believe in it.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine.
Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved
worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine, go to http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com
This millennium came in with great expectation. Many people thought it was a new age that would usher in the age of Aquarius, the water bearer and the bearer of spirituality. As a result of this transformation the foundational western belief, dualism, would be shaken and give way to a more holistic approach to living. Spirituality would be available to everyone experientially and we would all be enlightened. Perhaps this will happen, but when we take a look around the world right now it’s obvious that it really hasn’t happened yet.
We have a new age, but an old humanity. We look to the teachers, religious leaders, various gurus quite a bit, not realizing that our greatest teacher is right outside of our front door. One of the greatest teachers has always been nature, especially before we were warned of its evils and told that it was cursed. We can learn a great deal looking at different animals, insects, flowers and natural phenomenon, if we’re open to such practices. Consider the squirrel, for example.
There is a bible verse where Solomon (reported to be the wisest man in the world at that time) says that we should consider the ant to model our lifestyles after. We should look at the way the ant stores up thing for the winter during times of abundance and how the ant builds a strong, healthy community. When you really take a close look at ants, however, their lives don’t seem that pleasant. They live in a very hierarchical, dutiful system. The ones at the bottom often work themselves to death and then are eaten when they drop dead. They are also one of the few species, other than human beings, that go to war with their own species and that take other ants as slaves.
They get lot accomplished, but who wants to live like that? Their quality of life seems almost miserable. They are very good at attaining quantity and security. As for quality of lifetheir world seems like little more than one of bruits and slaves. They might like living like that, but I think that I would hate it. When we examine the communities of ants more closely, instead of just on the surface, something strange happens. They begin to look like the most fascist, human societies that have ever existed. We human beings have climbed to the stars, have built dams, satellite communication and just about every other thing, but what to we really have to show for it? We have sufficient quantity too, but what of the quality of life, not measured in quantity? How many people are more happy?
If we are to model our lives after another species, I would suggest the squirrel. Squirrels are very interesting. They don’t run in giant groups like ants and don’t act with machine like efficiency, even though they seem to have families and friends. They even take time to play sometimes. In the autumn, when winter is nearing, they begin to collect nuts and acorns and bury them.
They bury them all over the place so that any squirrel that needs food can find them. Instead of building their own little treasure chest, they are actually building storehouses all over the area for any squirrel who goes out in the snow, digs through the hard earth and finds it. This makes the squirrel fun loving, generous, independent, yet having strong family ties. They’re not lazy, because they work like crazy during autumn, but they aren’t taking slaves or non of that nonsense. The ant seems to be the peak of what we were moving toward during the last millennium. As we look as the squirrel we see what many of us would like to become.
I hope that the age of enlightenment comes soon. Perhaps one day love and spirituality will be pouring from our hearts. Until then it is important to learn to live together in peace and to create loving communities and relationships that foster peace. Machine like production centered communities don’t do that. Communities where people are flesh and blood with meaningful lives, lives where they are considered more valuable than the things that they produce, are the ones that foster peace.
Next time that you go out in the autumn take a look around you and take a lesson from the squirrel. Observing the squirrel, like observing nature, can teach us how we can begin to heal our communities and usher in a world of peace.
John Gilmore is a Spiritual Director, Martial Artist and Healer. He has been studying and writing on applied spirituality and stress reduction for more than 10 years. He received his D. Min. Degree in Reinventing Work and Spirituality at Wisdom University in Oakland, CA. For more inforation and resources on this subject see:
On Being Loves Warrior, by Kendall Ronin and Dr. John Gilmore’s website at http://www.dswellness.com
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation and innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialization.
Complex problems, once identified, slip into the unconscious mind: the mind works on them at various cognitive levels.
Unconscious cognitive activity can be enhanced in many ways, for example, through engagement in rest and unrelated activities.
When solutions are arrived at subconsciously and transferred to the conscious mind, that is called insight, aha! Or eureka!
Thus, it is possible to increase the probability of insight, aha! Or eureka! We may not be able to tell when an idea will occur, what it will be and what form it may take, but we can increase the probability of it occurring.
This distinction between the conscious and subconscious mind is often, incorrectly, referred to as a “gap.” Further, it is made intangible and “mysterious” by proponents such as Deepak Chopra, who say, “…it is a contact point between our mind and the quantum field of all possibilities.” Confusion such as this is to be avoided.
We all use tools in our work, and all of these tools need to be re-energized in some way over time. They need to be polished, sharpened, refurbished. They need new spark plugs or a tune up. Some times they even need new batteries.
We take these maintenance tasks seriously because we know that when the batteries are fully charged we get the full potential out of electrical devices and when the machinery has been maintained it lasts longer and works more economically.
Doesn’t it make sense then to do some regularly scheduled maintenance on our brain - a tool far more valuable than the rest?
It happens to all of us. We get in ruts, we build routines and we develop habits, and in doing so we often don’t use our brain the way we could. It is one of our most valuable and precious resources and it is time to re-energize it.
Here then are eight ways you can re-energize, re-invigorate and do some ongoing maintenance for your brain.
1. Ask Why? Our brains are wired to be curious. As we grow up and “mature” many of us stifle or deny our natural curiosity. Let yourself be curious! Wonder to yourself about why things are happening. Ask someone in the know. The best way to exercise our curiosity is by asking “Why?” Make it a new habit to ask “why?” at least 10 times a day. Your brain will be happier and you will be amazed at how many opportunities and solutions will show up in your life and work.
2. Laugh. Scientists tell us that laughter is good for our health; that it releases endorphins and other positively powerful chemicals into our system. We don’t really need scientists to tell us that it feels good to laugh. Laughing helps us reduce stress and break old patterns too. So laughter can be like a “quick-charge” for our brain’s batteries. Laugh more, and laugh harder.
3. Remember. Get out an old photo album or high school yearbook. Your brain is a memory machine, so give it a chance to work! Spend time with your memories. Let your mind reflect on them and your mind will repay you in positive emotions and new connections from the memories to help you with your current tasks and challenges.
4. Do a puzzle. Some of us like jigsaw puzzles, some crossword puzzles, some logic puzzles - it really doesn’t matter kind you choose to do. Doing puzzles in your free time is a great way to activate your brain and keep it in good working condition. Do the puzzle for fun, but do it knowing you are exercising your brain.
5. Play. Take time to play. Make time to play. Play cards. Play video games. Play board games. Play Ring Around the Rosie. Play tug of war. It doesn’t matter what you play. Just play! It is good for your spirit and good for your brain. It gives your brain a chance to think strategically, and keeps it working.
6. Learn something new. This one might seem obvious. Yes, we capitalize on our brain’s great potential when we put it to work learning new things. You may have a specific topic for work or leisure that you want to learn more about. That’s great. Go learn it. If you don’t have a subject in mind right now, try learning a new word each day. There is a strong correlation between working vocabulary and intelligence. When we have new words in our vocabulary, our minds can think in new ways with greater nuances between ideas. Put your mind to work learning. It is one of the best ways to re-energize your brain.
7. Write to be read. I am a big proponent of writing in a journal to capture ideas and thoughts. There is certainly great value in writing for yourself. I continue to find that my brain is greatly stimulated by writing to be read. Writing this article (and at least one per week) is one example and writing in my blog
is another example. There are several situations and audiences for which I write each week. There are many benefits to me in doing this. The greatest isn’t visibility or marketing; the greatest is what it does to expand my brain’s capacity. Find ways to write to be read - in your church newsletter, by writing things for your kids to read, by capturing the stories of your childhood (see number 3 above), starting your own blog or whatever - just write to be read.
8. Exercise. We all know that exercise is important for your physical health. Our brain is a part of that body, so increasing our blood flow brings more oxygen to the brain - oxygen that is the fuel for that beautiful brain. When I exercise I get fresh ideas. When I exercise I feel better physically and mentally. Just add “improving my brain” to the list of great reasons to exercise.
This is a short but powerful list. I encourage you to apply at least one of these approaches starting today. Look at your to do list and your calendar. Put it on your list in ink.
Your brain will thank you in the form of new ideas, greater stamina, more passion for your tasks and in so many more ways.
Kevin Eikenberry is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on “Unleashing Your Potential” go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.
