November 1

Life’s greatest gifts!

Most of us are incapable of “going it alone.” All enduring success is founded upon harmonious human relationships.

joy of othersWhether it is in our careers, in our personal relationships, or in life, we all need others if we are to achieve the level of success we desire. Besides, what’s the point of having it all if we have no one we care about to share it?

You may choose to work with others, you may ignore them, or you may choose to work against them, but the greatest successes in life come to those who work harmoniously with others. When your personal goals coincide with those of another, not only does the power of your combined labors benefit you, but such cooperation also creates a synergistic effect that allows you to achieve far more than the simple sum of your individual efforts.

Know that friendship freely given and gratefully received is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Experts in negotiation handle the process so smoothly that discussions hardly seem like negotiations at all. While the word negotiation itself conjures up visions of cigar-chomping adversaries pounding the table to emphasize their demands, the best results are achieved when all the parties involved are able to put themselves in the others’ shoes and arrive at an agreement that is beneficial to everyone involved.

Whether you are negotiating a higher salary, a new job, or the acquisition of a company, your chances of success are far greater when you approach the situation positively and with a clear objective in mind. It also helps to understand the motives of others involved and to have in-depth knowledge of the subject under discussion. Finally, approach every topic with an open mind — don’t simply try to bully others into accepting your proposal or point of view.

The most important job is that of learning how to negotiate with others without friction.

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October 31

Opportunity or Gift?

Opportunities are never just handed to you; they must be created.  This is why we call items given to us – Gifts!

Easy Money is a gift not opportunityOpportunities abound for every individual in every walk of life. They may not be the opportunities that you prefer, but each opportunity of which you take advantage leads to bigger and better opportunities.

Physical and mental handicaps may mean that you have to explore territories unknown to others, but they also mean you have opportunities those others will never find. Think of Stephen Hawking’s brilliant research on the nature of the universe despite the fact that a crippling disease makes writing and speaking, as we know it, impossible for him.

Those who approach their jobs and careers with enthusiasm always find plenty of opportunities, while those who complain about no one ever giving them a chance are merely observers of life.

When you are determined that you will not allow others to determine your future for you, when you refuse to allow temporary setbacks to defeat you, you are destined for great success. The opportunities will always be there for you.

If there are adversities that you cannot overcome right now, remember to capitalize upon them at a later date by looking for the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.

If the thing you wish to do is right, and you believe in it, go ahead and do it! Put your dream across, and never mind what “they” say if you meet with temporary defeat, for “they,” perhaps, do not know that every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success.

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October 30

Achievement is born in struggle!

Our strength grows out of our weakness, said Ralph Waldo Emerson.

tree“Not until we are pricked and stung and sorely shot at, awakens the indignation which arms itself with secret forces.” Strife and struggle can inspire you to overcome adversity and to propel yourself to real achievement. View every struggle as an opportunity for personal growth. It is the struggle itself, not the result that builds character. If you know you are right, stay the course even though the whole world seems to be against you and everyone you know questions your judgment. When you prevail — and you eventually will if you stick to the job — they will all tell you that they knew all along you could do it.

The best recommendation is the one you give yourself by rendering superior service — with the right mental attitude.

success-businessmanWhat others think of you is important, as long as it coincides with what you think of yourself. If you are recognized by others as a positive person who always makes an important contribution, you will be in demand, for there are never enough such people in any organization. Your co-workers will value you, your customers will appreciate you, and your boss will recognize and reward you if you stick with it. You may not become an overnight success, but neither will you fail instantly and permanently. Your achievement can be no greater than your plans are sound.

Make it a habit to go the extra mile with a Positive Mental Attitude.

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October 27

How do we learn the best?

Fortunes gravitate to men whose minds have been prepared to attract them, just as surely as water gravitates to the ocean.

oceanFailure seems to be nature’s plan for preparing us for great responsibilities. If everything we attempted in life were achieved with a minimum of effort and came out exactly as planned, how little we would learn — and how boring life would be! And how arrogant we would become if we succeeded at everything we attempted.

Failure allows us to develop the essential quality of humility. It is not easy — when you are the person experiencing failure — to accept it philosophically, serene in the knowledge that this is one of life’s great learning experiences. But it is. Nature’s ways are not always easily understood, but they are repetitive and therefore predictable. You can be absolutely certain that when you feel you are being most unfairly tested, you are being prepared for great achievement.

We human beings are the only creatures on earth who have the capacity for belief. That capacity, combined with our almost innate capability to distinguish right from wrong, provides us with a formidable power in our quest for a richer, more rewarding life. When you set goals for yourself, make sure they are based on doing the right thing for your family, your friends, your clear-forest-in-glassesemployees, and yourself. When others see that you are fair and just in your dealings with them and that you are a generous, principled person, they will move heaven and earth for you.

What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement.

The turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at the moment of some crisis, through which they are introduced to their “other selves.”

Might throws itself on the side of those who believe in right. If you think you dare not, you don’t.

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October 25

Are you clear about your future?

If you don’t know what you want from life, what do you think you will get?

spiritually-adriftThe great majority of people in the world drift through life, never realizing that their future will be the one they create for themselves. The minority who achieve great success are people who know what they want and have a plan for realizing their objectives. They know what they want and how they are going to get it.

Your goals should be specific, they should be measurable, they should have a deadline for their achievement, and they should be divided into manageable pieces. Know exactly what you plan to achieve, when you plan to achieve it, and how. Review your progress regularly, correct your course when necessary, and never, ever give up.

what-s-nextThere is only one person who is in charge of your career progression, and that person is you. Lee Iacocca is said to have written his entire career plan on the back of a business card. On it were the promotions he expected to earn and the dates he expected to receive them until he was named CEO of the company. Successful people know that they must create their own opportunities and be ready for them when they arrive.

Some organizations have clearly defined career paths while others are more informal in their approach, but if you study the senior people in the company, you can quickly identify the kind of education and experience you need to advance. If you are with the right company, one that excites and enthuses you, identify the career moves you’d like to make and get to work making yourself qualified for the job you want.

Don’t ask your employer why you are not promoted. Ask the person who really knows best — yourself

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October 24

Challenge is your best teacher . . .

Most successful people find opportunities in their adversity… if you can see the lessons in the moment you will be way ahead of average.

leader-rolemodelSamuel Johnson once observed that the prospect of being hanged wonderfully focuses the mind. You yourself may have found that your mind seems sharpest when you are faced with the greatest difficulties. Desperation often proves you really are better than you think. But with the exception of an immediate threat to your life or health, there are few situations that require instantaneous action. When the world seems to be conspiring against you and nothing is working out right, pause for a few moments to think the situation through — then develop the most appropriate plan of action, the one that has the greatest likelihood of success.

The other fellow’s mistakes are a weak alibi for your own.

quote-it-is-easy-in-the-world-to-live-after-the-world-s-opinion-it-is-easy-in-solitude-after-our-own-ralph-waldo-emersonRalph Waldo Emerson said: “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

It’s easy when you are part of a group to “go along to get along,” but when you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity — regardless of what others may do — you are destined for greatness. When you have developed a carefully thought out code of personal conduct, you will never have to ask anyone else what the appropriate course of action should be. You will intuitively know.

Most great leaders began in the capacity of followers. They became great leaders because they were intelligent followers.

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October 23

Life sends us what we give!

If you are a kind and decent person, you can expect to be treated well in return.

When you do something to or for another, whether your deeds are good or bad, people feel compelled to “retaliate” in kind. If you use others for your own advantage without giving anything in return, you will soon find that they have little use for you.

People like working for and with positive, considerate people.

Your mind is unquestionably your most valuable possession. You may lose every material thing you own, but knowledge can never be taken from you.

With positive thinking, you can earn a new fortune, build a new home, and buy anything you truly desire. No one else can control your thoughts; even the cruelest tyrant cannot force you to think about something you refuse to accept.

When you make a deliberate decision to take control of your mind and feed it positive, constructive thoughts, you are on your way to taking control of your life.

The thoughts you allow to dominate your mind will determine what you will get from life.

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October 22

Are you Honest…Tell the Truth!

There is a point we take here at the Matter Meter in which we feel there is no Grey Area.

You are either honest or dishonest. Period!

There can be no compromise between the two because your mind cannot think well under both philosophy’s.

Our personalities are formed through the series of habits we perfect over time as we continue to repeat them.  This is the basis of affirmations and habit building.

After 21 days your mind accepts that a pattern will continue so it accepts it as normal. And this is the problem.  The first time you allow dishonest into your habits, your mind begins to accept it as normal for you and you step out on the ledge.

Honesty is a spiritual quality that cannot be evaluated in terms of money.

Officials who deal with fraud and theft say they are often amazed at the small amounts of money some people will steal. Some people will sell their integrity for a pittance. To those individuals, dishonest behavior is not an occasional occurrence — it is a way of life. Those who lie about insignificant things or steal trivial amounts of money will develop the habit of lying and stealing.

There are many practical reasons to practice honesty. It requires far less effort to be truthful than to be deceitful, and in the long term the risks are fewer and the rewards greater. But in today’s complex society, the boundaries of acceptable behavior have been blurred until they are sometimes indistinguishable. Laws and codes of ethics establish minimum standards of behavior.

Make sure you establish standards for yourself that exceed such minimums, a standard below which you will not allow yourself to fall, regardless of what others may do or say. Your own set of standards will allow you to decide quickly and easily upon an appropriate course of action when faced with a difficult problem.

As you look back on your own behavior, can you do so with pride in the knowledge that you have always been honest?

If you cannot, perhaps it is time to think about the times when you chose dishonest behavior. Why did you do it? Was it worth it?

Wouldn’t the consequences of being honest and truthful have been far better in those circumstances? Learn from your mistakes and vow that from this day forward you will always be honest.

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October 19

Where do thoughts come from?

Have you ever wondered where all the thoughts in you brain come from?  Ever thought what is the point of it all?  Good for you!

As soon as you can boil down the moment into whats really going on…..you can grab control and make it what you want it to be.

For example:
Most of us have two basic questions about others when we enter into a relationship. They are: Can I trust you? And, do you really care about me? Depending upon our previous success in partnerships with others — personal or business — the answers may be slow in coming. Confidence in another is often developed gradually as those involved in the relationship commit themselves to each other’s success and happiness.

Although trust and confidence are the basic underpinnings of all successful relationships, they are fragile. A relationship that has endured for months or even years can be irreparably damaged by a few unkind words or a single thoughtless act. Don’t allow yourself to act in haste or to lose control of your emotions in important relationships.

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October 18

How Old do you Think?

Your true age is determined by your mental attitude, not the years you have lived.

The American clergyman and author Tyrone Edwards said, “Age does not depend upon years, but upon temperament and health. Some men are born old, and some never grow so.” No doubt you’ve known teenagers who were old before their time and seventy-year-olds who had the temperament and enthusiasm of those discovering the wonders of life for the very first time. It is all a matter of attitude.

As you grow and develop, make sure your experience is directed toward the acquisition of wisdom, not the acceptance of cynicism. If you find it difficult to keep an open mind because of previous experiences, remind yourself that you’re dealing with different people, that conditions have changed, or that because you are older and wiser, your chances of success are greater than in the past.

Don’t overlook small details. Remember that the universe and all that is in it are made from tiny atoms.

There is an old expression that says, “If you take care of the little things, the big things will take care of themselves.” It’s another way of saying that every job is composed of many small details, any one of which, if overlooked, can create big problems later.

If you have trouble dealing with details — paperwork, expense accounts, and other annoying details — set aside a time during your work cycle (daily, weekly, or monthly) to deal with such unpleasant tasks. Prepare yourself mentally to deal with those tasks, and you may find that you dispense with them quickly and efficiently. You may even find that the job wasn’t nearly as unpleasant as you expected it to be.

Its all a matter of Attitude!

Success comes to those who become success-conscious. Failure comes to those who indifferently allow themselves to become failure-conscious.

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