7 Ways to Stay Strong When Everything Goes Wrong

 

When life is “falling apart,” it could actually be falling together… for the very first time.  Which is why it feels so darn uncomfortable.  Consider that what’s in front of you may be serving you in valuable ways you don’t even understand right now.

1.  Fully accept the reality of what is.

You cannot find peace by avoiding life.  Life spins with unexpected changes every hour; so instead of avoiding it, take every change and experience as a challenge for growth.  Either it will give you what you want or it will teach you what the next step is.

2.  Remind yourself that everything in life is temporary.

Every time it rains, it stops raining.  Every time you get hurt, you heal.  After darkness there is always light – you are reminded of this every morning, but still you often forget, and instead choose to believe that the night will go on forever.  It won’t.  Nothing lasts.

3.  Push yourself to take another step, and another, no matter what.

After studying the lives of many successful people, I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful people from everyone else is pure perseverance.  In a culture that seeks quick results, we must learn the beauty of effort, patience and perseverance.  Be strong, present and steadfast.
The most beautiful smiles are usually the ones that struggled through the tears. Because breakdowns often lead to breakthroughs in the end.  Every mistake, heartbreak and loss contains its own solution, its own subtle lesson on how to improve your performance and outcome next time.  Thus, the most reliable way to predict the future is to create it yourself.  Participate in life today instead of just watching it pass you by.  Don’t let the few things that are out of your control interfere with the infinite assortment of things you can control.

5.  Focus on making tiny fixes.

Don’t build mountains in your mind.  Don’t try to conquer the world all at once.  When you seek instant gratification (big, quick fixes) you make life unnecessarily painful and frustrating.  When you choose instead to treat each moment as an opportunity to make a tiny, positive investment in yourself, the rewards come naturally.

6.  Look for something small to appreciate.

You may not have what you want, and you may be very hurt, but you still have more than enough to appreciate right now.  Epicurus once said, “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”  Meditate on this quote when life seems unfair.

7.  Give yourself the extra attention you need and deserve.

Resisting and ignoring your own feelings and emotions does not serve you.  It leads to stress, illness, confusion, broken relationships, fits of anger and bouts of deep, dark depression.  Anyone who’s experienced any of the above knows that these states of mind are horrifically unhealthy… and when you’re in the habit of self-neglect, it’s near impossible to escape.Refuse to shrink.  Choose to take up lot of space in your own life.  Choose to give yourself permission to meet your own needs.  Choose to honor your feelings and emotions.  Choose to make self-care a top priority…

Your turn…

What helps you stay motivated when you’re stressed and struggling?  What’s something positive you try to keep in mind when everything seems to be going wrong?  Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

Nine Things Successful People Do Differently

Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren’t sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer — that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others — is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

1. Get specific. When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. “Lose 5 pounds” is a better goal than “lose some weight,” because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you’ll “eat less” or “sleep more” is too vague — be clear and precise. “I’ll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights” leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you’ve actually done it.

2. Seize the moment to act on your goals. Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it’s not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.
To seize the moment, decide when and where you will take each action you want to take, in advance. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g., “If it’s Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, I’ll work out for 30 minutes before work.”) Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300%.

3. Know exactly how far you have left to go. Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress — if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don’t know how well you are doing, you can’t adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently — weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.

4. Be a realistic optimist. When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don’t underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort, and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.

5. Focus on getting better, rather than being good. Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality, and our physical aptitudes are fixed — that no matter what we do, we won’t improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves, rather than developing and acquiring new skills.
Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong — abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

6. Have grit. Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime, and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The good news is, if you aren’t particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don’t have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking …. well, there’s no way to put this nicely: you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence, and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.

7. Build your willpower muscle. Your self-control “muscle” is just like the other muscles in your body — when it doesn’t get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.
To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you’d honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching, try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up, or just not bother — don’t. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur (“If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.”) It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that’s the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.

8. Don’t tempt fate. No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it’s important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it you will temporarily run out of steam. Don’t try to take on two challenging tasks at once, if you can help it (like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time). And don’t put yourself in harm’s way — many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.

9. Focus on what you will do, not what you won’t do. Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking, or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g., “Don’t think about white bears!”) has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior — by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken.

If you want to change your ways, ask yourself, What will I do instead? For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like “If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down.” By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.

It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. Remember, you don’t need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It’s never what you are, but what you do.

Please leave a comment. Thanks 

A Collection Of Motivation From Leaders Across The World.

A Collection Of Motivation From Leaders Across The World is a collection of quotes from great and famous leaders across the globe, read and meditate on this quotes for insights to pull you upward in life.

Instead of using your words to describe your situation, use your words to change your situation. Joel Osteen.

Go as far as you can see, when you get there you'll see further. Orison Swett Marden.

Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. Unknown.

Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you shouldn't do something. Earl Nightingale.

What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Napoleon Hill.

You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?' George Bernard Shaw.

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. Ralph Waldo Emerson.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. Elizabeth Kubler Ross.

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. William James.

In the path of our happiness shall we find the learning for which we have chosen this lifetime. Richard Bach.

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Only those who can see the invisible, can accomplish the impossible. Patrick Snow.

There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self. Hindu proverb.

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other. Douglas Everett.

DON'T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW

The problem with waiting until tomorrow—to do anything—is that when it finally arrives, it is called today. Today is yesterday's tomorrow, so the question is this: What did we do with its opportunity? All too often, we will waste tomorrow as we wasted yesterday… and as we are wasting today. All that could have been accomplished can easily elude us, despite our intentions, until we inevitably discover that the things that might have been have slipped from our embrace a single, unused day at a time. Each of us must pause frequently to remind ourselves that the clock is ticking. The same clock that began to tick from the moment we drew our first breath will also someday cease. Time is the great equalizer of all mankind. It has taken away the best and the worst of us without regard for either. Time offers opportunity but demands a sense of urgency. When the game of life is finally over, there is no second chance to correct our errors. The clock that is ticking away the moments of our lives does not care about winners and losers. It does not care about who succeeds or who fails. It does not care about excuses, fairness or equality. The only essential issue is how we played the game. Regardless of a person's age, there is a sense of urgency that should drive them into action now—this very moment. We should be constantly aware of the value of each and every moment of our lives—moments that seem so insignificant that their loss often goes unnoticed. We still have all the time we need. We still have lots of chances, lots of opportunities, lots of years to show what we can do. There will be a tomorrow, a next week, a next month and a next year. But unless we develop a sense of urgency, those brief windows of time will be sadly wasted, as were the weeks and months and years before them. There isn't an endless supply. So as you think of your dreams and goals of your future “tomorrow,” take those very important first steps to making them all come to life… today.

6 Confidence Boosters by Denis Waitley

There are six behaviors that can increase your self-esteem, enhance your self-confidence and spur your motivation. Incorporate these habits to become a more confident person today.

1. Greet others with a smile and look them directly in the eye. A smile and direct eye contact convey confidence born of self-respect. In the same way, answer the phone pleasantly whether at work or at home, and when placing a call, give your name before asking to speak to the party you want to reach. Leading with your name underscores that a person with self-respect is making the call.

2. Always show real appreciation for a gift or compliment. Don’t downplay or sidestep expressions of affection or honor from others. The ability to accept or receive is a universal mark of an individual with solid self-esteem.

3. Don’t brag. It’s almost a paradox that genuine modesty is actually part of the capacity to gracefully receive compliments. People who brag about their exploits or demand special attention are simply trying to build themselves up in the eyes of others—and that’s because they don’t already perceive themselves as worthy of respect.

4. Don’t make your problems the centerpiece of your conversation. Talk positively about your life and the progress you’re trying to make. Be aware of any negative thinking and take notice of how often you complain. When you hear yourself criticize someone—and this includes self-criticism—find a way to be helpful instead of critical.

5. Respond to difficult times or depressing moments by increasing your level of productive activity. When your self-esteem is challenged, don’t sit around and fall victim to “paralysis by analysis.” The late Malcolm Forbes said, “Vehicles in motion use their generators to charge their own batteries. Unless you happen to be a golf cart, you can’t recharge your battery when you’re parked in the garage!”

How To Make A Difference Using The Formula Of The Ripple Effect

Just like a small drop on a plane
surface of water creates multiple
ripples, I think each one of us can
make a difference to the world,
society and to ourselves. Every
single drop counts, every idea and each phase of our hard work can payoff and each one of us can
make a big difference, if we know the right path to success. I have listed out few points which I think can be related to the ripple concept that will
help us to be able to make a difference.

RIPPLE - Responsive - Innovative - Play -
Passion - Learn - Execute.

RESPONSIVE
Being responsive is the first and most important phase in our lives. Because this is where people
get to know your attitude, it's always said 'First Impression is the best Impression'. Responsiveness is a state of being able to react/
reply to emotions, conversations, emails and the like. It's a quality that shows the respect we have
towards our work and how much we actually care for others. It includes willingness to collaborate, learn, respect and empathize. Responsiveness is the key to earn respect at the workplace and it might not be inborn but needs
to be developed. Communication skills are also important to be responsive.

INNOVATION
The ability to Innovate comes from ideas and when you think creatively. Challenge yourself to complete a book, magazine, or an article. Plan
your things, think and do it in a different manner and see if it can help to achieve something differently. Ideas can be developed at any point, when you wake up in the morning, in the shower, suddenly in the middle of a valuable conversation, or when you observe and research about something that interests you.

PLAY
Do not treat your work as a task to be completed, instead enjoy while working on something. Play, laugh, giggle and that should not disturb your activities and passion for work.
Enjoying while working creates a positive atmosphere.

PASSION
Passion is something very important. All of us know that hard work always pays, but hard work
with passion can do wonders. When there's no passion, there's no chance for innovation.

LEARN
Never stick to your comfort zone. Always try learning something new every day or week. Look for opportunities, resources that can help you learn and grow. Develop a habit of jotting down few quick points/ideas while reading and
learning. When you finish reading, you'll have a variety of ideas at your fingertips.

EXECUTE
You may learn and innovate a lot of things around you. But there's no point and no one cares unless there is a result and unless you
execute it, it doesn't have a meaning. Always remember to execute things you've learnt.

An Essential Guide Of Habits That Foster Productivity And Focus By Kevin Gibbons

"I don’t have time," "I couldn’t possibly do that this week ," "I’m so busy." How many times have you said something along these lines this week alone?

Do you cringe a little every time you say it? I know I do, because these are all nothing more than excuses.

Finding focus can be challenging—there’s always lots happening on a day-to-day basis for everyone—but no one else is going make you more productive. You have to make things happen, not let them happen.

You have to start with yourself. When you’re the founder of a company, it’s vitally important to have a clear vision on where you want to go. Once you know that, the most powerful thing you can do is to break this down into small daily changes that will take you there.

If you can master that, then the rest will follow. Here’s how to start:

1. WAKE UP EARLY

When you look at the habits of highly successful people, you’ll start to notice a common trend. Laura Vanderkam, who studied the morning rituals of top executives for her book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, found that the majority of these executive wake up before 6 a.m.

Waking up early is hugely underrated; it gives you a head start on everyone else at a time that allows you more focus with no distractions and when your mind is at its most alert.

2. CREATE A ROUTINE THAT WORKS FOR YOU

Having structure isn’t a bad thing. When you know what you’re doing each and every day, it’s much easier to be focused on your bigger picture goals. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs have some pretty interesting daily routines.

3. EXERCISE

Clearly there’s huge health benefits toward being fit. Yet if it’s not a part of your daily routine, exercise may be overlooked. Seventy-five percent of executives interviewed by executive jobs site TheLadders said physical fitness is crucial for career success at the executive level.

If you make time for exercise, it’s not just the health benefits you’ll notice. You’ll have more energy, more brainpower, less stress, you’ll be happier, and you’ll be able to think clearer to get more done.

4. MAKE TIME FOR READING

If you don’t learn anything new, how are you going to improve? Try having a balanced mix between reading books that can trigger new ideas by taking on more strategic information and concepts and reading more tactical, shorter articles and blog posts that can keep you in touch with the latest trends within your industry.

As Warren Buffet said, "Read 500 pages like this every day. That's how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will."

5. PRIORITIZE YOUR DAY WITH LISTS

I create for myself daily, weekly, and even monthly and yearly lists. This helps me to focus on the most important tasks for a given period and also prioritizes what’s essential to the bigger picture. Don’t just create these and forget about them; revisit them every morning, making them part of your daily routine.

6. BLOCK YOUR CALENDAR FOR KEY TASKS

If you don’t make time for it, it won’t happen. Lists are useful to focus on key actions, but to do it the right way it needs to be scheduled.

Make sure you’re realistic with the time you need to complete tasks and try to prioritize by value and importance. Also look to get the tasks you really don’t like done early. That way you can move onto the fun stuff you enjoy quickly afterwards—rather than procrastinating to find something/anything else to do, focusing on the task at hand.

7. FOCUS ON ONE TASK AT A TIME

Everyone likes to think they can multitask, but the reality is that no one really can do it well and you could be losing up to 40% of your productivity by trying.

If you’re already waking up early, use that time to plan the most important task of the day, so that you can get it done before anything else comes up.

8. TAKE REGULAR BREAKS

Most of my creative ideas rarely come when I’m at a laptop. I personally find that nothing is more inspirational than reading a good book while I sit on the beach.

Unfortunately it’s difficult to do that every day, but you can get yourself into a similar mindset by taking regular breaks.

Try going for a walk, having a shower, or generally switching off. Find what works for you and embrace it.

9. TAKE A WALK AT LUNCH

If you work in an office, getting out is hugely important—this is one I’ve struggled with personally, but getting outside and taking a walk is hugely important toward keeping your mind fresh and active.

Still having the "I’ve got too much to do" excuses? Try taking a walking meeting with a team member, line it up with an afternoon phone call you need to make, or use it to brainstorm your latest ideas for a project. Just make sure you carry a notepad close by to capture those great ideas.

10. PUSH ALL MEETINGS AND PHONE CALLS TO THE AFTERNOON

In the morning you have more brainpower, so make sure you use it to its full effect by keeping this time clear for the most important tasks; 3 p.m. is often suggested as the optimal time for meetings, since this allows for prep time and getting out of the sluggish after-lunch feeling. You can give this your undivided attention without the worry that you know there’s something else you should be doing.

11. LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR INBOX

How you manage your email habits can have a huge impact on your focus and productivity. What you need to strive for is a balance between not being controlled by your inbox and being able to respond within a timely manner.

12. REMOVE NOTIFICATIONS AND APPS FROM YOUR MOBILE DEVICES

You can’t just rely on willpower alone to ignore distractions. The constant pings and alerts you receive on your phone are often the most difficult to ignore.

Try removing any social apps and notifications that may interrupt you during the day. Likewise sign out of any social accounts from your laptop and limit checking down to a couple of times a day. Trust me, you really won’t miss that much.

All of this advice sounds easy in theory, but doing it—and sticking with it—is the hard part. There will always be good days and bad days. It’s a learning process for myself, too. But like anything, it’s all about forming long-lasting habits.

Once you start to focus your own time on what’s truly important, then you can really start to set yourself apart and bring that into how you can grow your whole business to new levels.

Top 10 Best Ideas For Setting Goals

By Hilton Johnson.

You cannot pick up a book or participate in a training program today without the author or instructor teaching the power of goal setting. Yet, most people today spend more time planning a
two-week vacation than planning their lives by setting goals. It’s been said that achieving goals is
not a problem–it’s SETTING goals that is the problem. People just don’t do it. They leave their lives to chance…and usually end up broke by the time they reach retirement.
I thought that since this is such an important ingredient for developing a successful network marketing business, this was a good time to share with you some of the greatest thoughts about goal setting that I’ve discovered over the years. So, here goes…The Top 10 Best Ideas For Setting Goals:

1. Make A List Of Your Values

What’s really important to you? Your family? Your religion? Your leisure time? Your hobbies? Decide on what your most important values in life are and then make sure that the goals you set are designed to include and enhance them.

2. Begin With The End In Mind

Tom Watson, the founder of IBM was once asked what he attributed the phenomenal success of IBM to and he said it was three things: The first thing was that he created a very clear image in his mind of what he wanted his company to look like when it was done. He then asked
himself how would a company like that have to act on a day-to-day basis. And then in the very beginning of building his company, he began to act that way.

3. Project Yourself Into The Future

The late, great Earl Nightingale created a whole new industry (self-improvement) after a 20-year study on what made people successful. The bottom-line result of his research was simply, “We Become What We Think About.” Whatever thoughts dominate our minds most of the time are what we become. That’s why goal setting is so critical in achieving success because it keeps us focused on what’s really important to us. He then said that the easiest way to reach our goals is to pretend that we had ALREADY achieved our goals.That is, begin to walk, talk and act as though we
are already experiencing the success we seek. Then, those things will come to us naturally through the power of the subconscious mind.

4. Write Down The 10 Things You Want This Year

By making a list of the things that are important to you, you begin to create images in your mind. It’s
been said that your mind will actually create chaos if necessary to make images become a reality. Because of this, the list of ten things will probably result in you achieving at least eight of them within the year.

5. Create Your Storyboard

Get a piece of poster board and attach it to a wall in your office or home where you will see it often. As you go through magazines, brochures, etc. and you see the pictures of the things you want, cut
them out and glue them to your storyboard. In other words, make yourself a collage of the goals that excite you…knowing full well that as you look at them everyday, they will soon be yours.

6. The Three Most Important Things

Decide on three things that you want to achieve before you die. Then work backwards listing three things you want in the next twenty years, ten
years, five years, this year, this month, this week and finally, the three most important things you
want to accomplish today.

7. Ask Yourself Good Questions

As you think about your goals, instead of WISHING for them to come true, ask yourself HOW and
WHAT CAN YOU DO to make them come true. The subconscious mind will respond to your questions far greater than just making statements or making wishes.

8. Focus On One Project At A Time

One of the greatest mistakes people make in setting goals is trying to work on too many things at one time. There is tremendous power in giving laser beam focused attention to just one idea, one project or one objective at a time.

9. Write Out An “Ideal Scenario”

Pretend that you are a newspaper reporter that has just finished an interview about the outstanding
success that you’ve achieved and the article is now in the newspaper. How would it read? What would be the headline? Write the article yourself, projecting yourself into the future as though it had already happened. Describe the activities of your daily routine now that are very successful. Don’t forget the headline. (Example: “Jane Doe Wins Top Network Marketing Award Of The Decade.”)

10. Pray & Meditate

As you get into bed each evening, think about your goal before you drop off to sleep. Get a very clear
colorful image in your mind of seeing yourself doing the things you’ll be doing after you’ve reached your major goal. (Remember to include your values.) And then begin to ask and demand for these things through meditation and prayer.

10 Keys to Unlocking a Can-Do Attitude by Mark Victor Hansen

A faint but discernable dividing line separates achievers from dreamers. What makes the difference?

Attitude. Achievers have a can-do attitude that sets them apart from mere dreamers. Achievers are sold out to success—no matter the obstacles—and they are willing to put forth the effort and pay the price of success.

Here are 10 tips to unlock your own can-do attitude:

1. Disown your helplessness. Can-do people aggressively pursue solutions, and, in the process, uncover creative solutions others never even try to find. Rather than wallowing in helplessness, can-do leaders search diligently to overcome the obstacles in front of them.

2. Take the bull by the horns. Can-do people are fearless. They go straight to the source of their solution. Their very effort commands attention as they wrestle a problem to the ground with expediency. They don’t wait; they initiate.

3. Enter the no whining zone. Can-do people abstain from complaining. They recognize its futility and guard their minds and mouths against indulging in this time-wasting activity.

4. Put on another’s pair of shoes. Can-do people empathize with others. They attempt to see any predicament from the other person’s perspective in order to make the best decisions.

5. Nurture your passion. Can-do people are immune to burnout. They love what they do because they’ve learned how to fuel the fire that keeps them moving. The prize is not given to the person who’s the smartest, nor to the person with the advantages in resources and position, but to the person with passion.

6. Walk the second mile. Can-do people exceed expectations. While others settle for an acceptable solution, they aren’t satisfied until they have achieved the unimagined. They set expectations for themselves higher than what is dictated by the people or situations around them.

7. Quit stewing and start doing. Can-do people take action. While others are crippled by worry, fear and anxiety, they have the fortitude to press forward. The perfect moment when all is safe and assured may never arrive, so why wait for it?

8. Go with the flow. Can-do people can adjust to change. They don’t get caught griping about an unexpected curve in the road. They accept transition with an optimistic outlook.

9. Follow through to the end. Can-do people not only initiate, they finish. They are self-starters with the capacity to close the deal.

10. Expect a return as a result of your commitment. If you make an all-out commitment with a can-do attitude, expect a return. Passionate commitment is contagious, and resources follow resolve. Committed leaders will reap rewards and find open doors as others are drawn to the excitement and energy emanating from them

10 Critical Question Every Youth Must Ask Themselves

Wisdom is not about knowing all the
answers; it’s about asking the right
questions. In the long run, the simple questions you ask yourself on a regular basis will determine the type of person you become.

So today, ask yourself…

1. What do I appreciate about my life?

Think of your lifestyle as a diet.  You fill it with the fuel that’s going to keep you performing at your highest level. Supplementing your daily routine with positivity can only make you stronger. Because once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you will start having more positive results.  And over
time, as this habit helps you reduce stress, release your hurt, and not take things so personally, you will not only feel better,you will look younger and live longer too.

2. Am I spending time with the right people?

There are over seven billion people in the world right now; don’t let a handful of negative ones ruin your happiness. No, you can’t choose every person you meet in life, but you can choose who you spend your time with. So be thankful for the people who walk into your life and make it better, but also be thankful for freedom to walk away from the ones who don’t.

3. What are my gut instincts telling me?

Never apologize for what you feel and what you don’t feel; that’s a betrayal of your truth. No matter how much advice people give you, sometimes you have to feel things out for yourself, make decisions on your own, experience things firsthand, and build your own conclusions from the ground up the old fashion way.

4. What can I do right now to move forward with my goals?

If you don’t like where you are, then change it. You are not a tree. It’s not enough to just have potential, you also need to figure out what you want to do with it, and then you
need to take action. There are no
‘shoulds,’ just free choices. Decide to be one of those people who pull it off. Do what you say you’re going to do. Rise to your potential.

5. Am I selling myself short?

If you’re not being treated with love and respect, check your price tag. Perhaps you subconsciously marked yourself down. Because it’s YOU who tells others what you’re worth by showing them what you are willing to accept for your time and
attention.  So get off the clearance rack. If you don’t value yourself, no one else will either.

6. How am I affecting the people in my life?

Your words are truly powerful.  So when you speak, make sure you use your words to lift people up, and never put them down. Respect people’s feelings, because even if it doesn’t mean anything to you, it
might mean everything to them. Too
often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring – all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

7. Am I holding on to something I need to let go of?

Throughout your lifetime people
will upset you, disrespect you, and treat you poorly. Let them be; let karma deal with the cruel things they have done. Hatred and negativity filling your heart and mind will only consume your potential.  You will begin to heal and grow emotionally when you let go of these
past hurts, excuse the people who have wronged you, and forgive yourself for your misjudgments.

8. Who deserves to be forgiven?

Whoever said revenge is sweet never tasted the sweetness of forgiveness.  We often talk about how we’re better off without some
people in our lives, and this can be true. But you should still build forgiveness into your character . Leave enough room in your heart to forgive those that deserve another chance. Sometimes people make
terrible mistakes and learn from them; and sometimes relationships temporarily split only to reunite twice as strong as they were before.

9. What are my fears stopping me from doing?

You gain strength, confidence, and
emotional growth by living through every experience in which you are forced to stop and look fear in the face. And once the face-off is over and you realize you’re still breathing, you must say to yourself, “I have lived through this and I am OK.  I
am capable of dealing with the next
impossible thing that comes my way.”

10. In ten years from now, am I going to wish I gave it one more shot?

If there’s something you really want, fight for it. Don’t give up no matter how hopeless it seems right now.  Remember, the best things in life don’t come easy, but they are worth the effort. If you keep going,someday you will be able to look back over your life, smile, and say, “I never
thought I could do it and I did. I
overcame all the people, heartaches, and challenges that tried to hold me back.”

source: marcandangel.com