DETERMINATON

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so."

"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."

"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the

engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

Winning Attitude

"If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right."  - Henry Ford

Athletes have used positive visualization for years. If it works for athletes, it will work for us, too. You see, we always move toward what we focus on. Just like skiing and driving a car. If we are focused on an object down the hill or road, we are sure to hit it. Success is a state of mind that anyone can use to climb his or her own personal mountains.

A person who enjoys life connects with their inner need for personal affirmation. An optimistic outlook models genuine human pleasure, something many of us find in short supply. To feel good is not a selfish emotion. Instead, it is a necessary emotion if you wish to be highly productive. A personal sense of well-being and contentment is a worthy, often overlooked goal. To learn to think positively we need to become aware of all our thoughts. Many times we are unaware of having negative thoughts. It is only when we become aware that we can proceed to eliminate the negatives. Once aware, write them down and do a reality check. Frequently, these

thoughts have no validity. We can now go on to replace these non-truths with positive affirmations. For example, "I am a capable person."; "I can learn from my mistakes."; "People like me for who I am." With positive affirmations, we can avoid taking insults, rudeness, sarcasm or criticism personally. The positive attitude helps us avoid stress. Others will enjoy our company.

With awareness, thought and practice, we can also learn to phrase all of our statements in a positive way. Rather than, "We don't fight," we can learn to say, "We do things peacefully." We can also learn to focus on positives and things we can control. Avoiding things we cannot influence reduces stress and wasted effort. Find, acknowledge, and celebrate the good things others do. This encourages more of the same behavior and replaces those behaviors we want to eliminate. This works particularly well with our children. Our kids don't mimic just our words and actions. They also pick up on our attitude.

You have, no doubt, heard the old glass "half-full" vs. "half-empty" paradigm. I am also sure you know someone who is so negative they feel they would probably hate the taste anyway. These people are the ones we need to avoid as much as possible. It is easier to maintain a positive outlook if we surround ourselves with others with the same outlook on life. One of the best aspects of proactive behavior is that we do not have to pass on any of the negativism that comes our way. We can stop reactive behavior by replacing it with proactive behavior. We

consciously choose the character we want to exhibit. Proactive people create their own sunshine. Their attitude is larger than the mood around them.

Happiness is an internal state of mind.

What can you do to charge your life with a positive outlook? You can change your life by changing the way you think about life:

1. Focus on what you have, not what you don't have.

2. Believe in yourself. Have a "can do" attitude.

3. Emphasize your strengths.

Be realistically positive. Try to create an image using as many senses as possible. Get feedback from the real world. Do your visualizations first thing in the morning and last thing before sleep when your mind is most susceptible to suggestion. Life management begins with mind management. Your thoughts form your world.

“You are what you think about. All you are, arises from your thoughts. With your thoughts, you make your world."  - The Buddha.

Good luck!

I Choose To...

Today and every day is the best day of my life because:

I choose to make the most of every second of every day.

I choose to be happy regardless of the circumstances.

I choose to go the extra mile to brighten the day of those around me.

I choose to see only the good in things & people, and avoid dwelling on the negatives.

I choose to find solutions not problems!!

I choose to help the sick and poor, because they need our help.

I choose to live free, in life and in spirit, so no cage could or ever will hold me.

I choose to fight for what's right, no matter the cost.

I choose to be the best, Father, Lover, Husband, Brother, Son, Friend, anyone could have.

I choose to be healthy, and not give in to laziness.

I choose to put in 200 percent in every thing I do.

I choose to expect victory and success; failure is not an option.

I choose to spread love even on those who may not deserve it.

I choose to see the glass half full, because it is!!

I choose to give back and be grateful for all my blessings.

I choose to fight the right fight and win.

I choose to not let others negative ideas or opinions affect my choices.

I choose to be who I always envisioned myself to be!

I choose these things because, I am lucky enough to be able to choose, grateful enough to use the opportunity, and wise enough to know the difference between choosing and letting the world choose for me!

I believe you will also do the same for yourself???

Yesterday Today & Tomorrow

 

YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry.

Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares,

Its faults and blunders, Its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed.

We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow.

With its possible adversities, Its burdens,

Its large promise and poor performance.

Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's Sun will rise, either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds,

but it will rise.

Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This just leaves only one day . . . Today.

Any person can fight the battles of just one day.

It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternity's -

yesterday and tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of today that drives people mad.

It is the remorse or bitterness for something which happened yesterday

and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live but one day at a time.

True Love

Nurse: "It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 am , when an elderly gentleman, in his 80's, presented to have sutures (stitches) removed from his thumb.

He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I (nurse) took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. Asked him if he had a doctor's appointment this morning somewhere else, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer Disease.

As we talked, and I finished dressing his wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. I was surprised, and asked him. "And you are still going every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and said. "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

Appreciation

Shared by Smitha

This is a powerful message in our modern society. We seemed to have lost our bearing & our sense of direction.

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company.

He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, made the last decision.

The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.

The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".

The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.

The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.

The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me.

The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning.*

The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.

The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.

This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.

After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.

That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.

Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.

The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"

The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'

The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings."

The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.

The director said, " This is what I am looking for to be my manager.
I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.

Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.

A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?*

You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

The 'Big Rocks' Secret

An expert on the subject of time management was speaking to a group of business students.

He stood in front of these high-powered overachievers, pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar, and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted.

Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things into it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is this: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

The big rocks symbolize our top priorities. What are the "big rocks" in your life?

Are you putting them in first?

The Law of the Seed

Take a look at an apple tree. There might be five hundred apples on the tree, each with ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds. We might ask, "Why would you need so many seeds to grow just a few more trees?"

Nature has something to teach us here. It's telling us: "Most seeds never grow. So if you really want to make something happen, you should better try more than once."

This might mean:

• You'll attend twenty interviews to get one job.

• You'll interview forty people to find one good employee.

• You'll talk to fifty people to sell one house, car, vacuum cleaner, insurance policy, or idea.

• And you might meet a hundred acquaintances to find one special friend.

When we understand the 'Law of the Seed', we don't get so disappointed. We stop feeling like victims. Laws of nature are not things to take personally. We just need to understand them - and work with them.

IN A NUTSHELL

Successful people fail more often. They plant more seeds.

Survivors and Thrivers!

- Article by Chris Widener

One of the most watched television show today is Survivor. We admire those who survive!

We tune in every week to see who makes it next. But even better than being a survivor is to be one who thrives!

What are the differences between someone who survives and someone who thrives?

Here are a few:

A survivor gets by, a thriver gets ahead. Do you feel like you are just getting by? You don’t have to. You can actually get ahead! You can be out front! You can thrive!

A survivor is tired at the end, a thriver feels full of energy. When you are finished do you feel tired? You can thrive and be filled with energy! You can thrive!

A survivor has barely enough, a thriver has an abundance. Do you have more month left over at the end of your money? You can have more money left over at the end of your month! You can thrive financially!

A survivor is always on the edge, a thriver is on firm ground. Do you feel like you could fall over the edge at any time? You can get back on solid footing! You can feel firm about where you are. You can thrive!

So how do we shift from being a survivor to becoming a thriver? Here are a few steps to

put you on your way!

First, start with some good input. Subscribe to as many good magazines and Ezines that will change your outlook and inspire you to thrive! And don’t just subscribe to them – read them. Devour them. Get great audios and videos and listen to them and watch them. The principle here is to renew your mind to become a person whose mindset is one of a person who thrives.

Second, get around people who are thriving. Join clubs and groups filled with people who are already thrivers. Develop friendships with them; take them to lunch or coffee. Pick their brains and learn from them. Mimic their habits of thriving.

As you commit to these first two, you will see the time you spend watching and listening to junk go out the door. You will see that you are spending less and less time with those kinds of people who just want to survive. This will be the launching pad for your success.

Third, make a personal evaluation of your skills. What areas do you need to grow in?

Now, get to work on those skills. Skills are what take you to the top. An old quote says that the race isn’t always won by the fast or the strong, but that’s the way to bet! I’ll take the person with skills to be the one who thrives every time. It won’t work like that every time, but it will most of the time.

Fourth, make a commitment to a long-term, tenacious outlook. We have to do this in order to turn the ship around. If you are just a survivor, you can be a thriver, but it may take some time. Remember, this is for the rest of your life. There will be times of weakness. There will be times of hardship. If you are tenacious, you can, and will, thrive!

Fifth, understand that thrivers are almost always people of methodical discipline and order. They know that they have to have order in their lives and the order is what produces the ability to thrive. They thrive financially because they discipline themselves to save and invest rather than spend. They thrive physically because they are disciplined in what they eat and in how they exercise. Discipline will make you thrive!

Yes, you can THRIVE! Take the above and get to work. Make these principles a part of your life and they will create in you an ability to thrive in everything that you do. You will no longer just survive. Instead, you will thrive! And that is going to feel great

Just Hang In There

Whatever it is you do in life,

Try to remember that nothing is too big to achieve

And nothing is too small to ignore,

Hang on in there, even if it's with the last thread,

It is well.

You may be on life's path

Not having an idea how and when you'll get there,

The most important thing is that you have a sense of direction,

All you have to do is to take each step one at a time,

And you'll get there.

The idea behind life is about meeting people,

The beauty of life is loving people,

The essence of life is about making impacts,

The joy of life is leaving footprints in the sands of time.

Have a wonderful relationship with God,

And know where he wants to place you in life to function.

On your journey through life,

Absorb everything you hear,

But choose what you want to believe.

All the best!!!

A Magic 3 letter word to get SUCCESS

To get Success what are the kinds of questions to avoid? And how can we turn them around with just one magic word?

The closed questions we’re talking about here include ones like:

Can I be more creative?

Can I create in new mediums?

Can I overcome my creative blocks?

Can I be consistently creative?

Can I develop my talents and experiences as a creative artist?

Now on the surface these don’t seem overtly negative. And they’re not. But the way they’re asked all prompt a “Yes” or “No” answer. They’re closed, in that sense.

More often than not, you’ll likely answer “No”. Even if you say “Yes”, then where does it get you? It doesn’t actually move you anywhere. It’s like saying “Do I have the ability to do things I’m not currently doing?”. Of course the answer is always “Yes”, but it doesn’t get you doing them.

Here’s where you pull out your magic word! There are 3 simple letters that when added to the questions above instantly give you motivation and momentum to move your creative life forward.

The 3 letters? H.O.W.

Put “How” at the beginning of these questions and what do they become?

How can I be more creative?

How can I create in new mediums?

How can I overcome my creative blocks?

How can I be consistently creative?

How can I develop my talents and experiences as a creative artist?

By asking “How”, you make the question into a presupposition. You make the assumption that you CAN do these things, and move straight to working out how. When you just ask your mind a “Can I” question, it’ll answer in a split second “Yes” or “No”. End of answer.

But when you ask “How can I…” then your mind instantly switches into creative mode and comes up with ideas and solutions. You can’t switch it off, being creative is what your mind does naturally. You’ve just got to ask the right questions to give it permission to get creative!

Try this and see the difference. All the best!!!

It Begins With You

I want to inform all the Indians to:

• Imagine the possibility of a beautiful India,

   It begins with you!

• Imagine the possibility of a progressive India,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of a corruption free India,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of excellent academic environment,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of smooth traffic in India,

  It begins with you.

• If all is going to be well in India,

  It begins with you.

• If we would have a nation that upholds the truth,

  It begins with you.

• If we are going to follow due process,

  It begins with you.

• If we are going to have less of cheats parading themselves as religious leaders,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of a India admired by all nations,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of millions stranded at the airport because they want to see the nation called India,

   It begins with you.

• Imagine a Legislative house that is interested in the people it represents,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the emergence of true representation in political offices,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of compassionate leadership instead of subjecting citizens to servitude,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine the possibility of an atmosphere permeated by love is hanging on the fact that

  It begins with you.

• Imagine with possibility of a secured India where the response of the Indian force will not create a comic scene,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine a civil service set up with zero tolerance for corruption and nonchalance on government issues is suspended on the truth that

  It begins with you.

• Imagine when this nation will change,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine how this nation will change,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine why this nation will change,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine who is the most appropriate person to start the change,

  It begins with you.

• Imagine how the change begins,

  It begins with you.

Because I do not want to be selfish, my last words in this article will be that change truly begins with "you" - that "you" is "You and Me".

A Passion for Success

Have you noticed that certain songs by certain artists are never really replicated? Other artists record the song, but it just isn't the same as the version by the original artist. Some that come to mind include: by Lata Mangeshkar, Rafi, Mukesh, Kishor Kumar and many other songs, which you might be recalling I have heard other artists sing and they do a pretty good job too. But when I hear Kishore Kumar sing, I get goose bumps and a chill up my spine. Perhaps you have experienced something similar.

I am sure there can be a lot of logical explanations as to why one artist can sing a particular song better than any other artist. Regardless of the logical reasons, I believe the main reason has to do with singing from the heart and from having a certain PASSION for the message.

It could be said that the people who excel in business do so for such logical reasons as hard work, study, preparation, good skills, etc. And, it would be true. Yet, there is also a PASSION FACTOR. They conduct sales interviews "from the heart." They do recruiting interviews "from the heart." They do coaching meetings "from the heart." They do training sessions "from the heart." They do all aspects of their job "from the heart."

Have you internalized all aspects of your job so you can "sing it from the bottom of your heart" without worrying about the lyrics? Do you have a passion for your work? Do you look forward to each day with enthusiasm? If not, why not?

Mohan Kapur says, "If you are not making the progress you would like to make and are capable of making, it is simply because your goals are not clearly defined."

If you aren't making the progress you would like, it might also be because you haven't thrown yourself into your business with a passion. Does your passion cause you to believe that everyone will be better when they use your product or service? Does your passion cause you to believe that when people join your organization; their lives are changed for the better the moment they commit to join you?

The PASSION FACTOR is powerful and can help you overcome obstacles, create momentum, and reach higher levels of success. Check your PASSION LEVEL today. If it isn't where you want it to be, schedule more time in your personal plan of action, revisit your personal vision, mission and purpose, attend a seminar, discuss strategies with your mentor/coach, and do whatever it takes to generate the PASSION LEVEL that will help you achieve higher levels of achievement, fulfillment and success. When your goals are clearly defined, you have written plans with deadlines to accomplish your goals, you have a burning desire to succeed, you have supreme self-confidence in your ability, and you have the determination to overcome obstacles in your path, then, and only then, will you enjoy the PASSION FACTOR

Your present to The World

Are you aware of the effect and influence you have on others that you meet each day?

Have you stopped to contemplate how your mood, your humor, your attitude, or your frame of mind touches those you meet?

Does your each encounter bring an expression of warmth or indifference in your being? Does your each experience bring fervor and passion or apathy about your way of life?

You do impact the lives of those around you. You do have a scope of persuasion in your living.

Don't you want to create an atmosphere around yourself that will be uplifting and inspiring?

The pace of modern life tends to isolate us from each other, but the contacts you share remain significant. You absorb the energy, attitude, and disposition of those close to you. Some even change, after the briefest encounters. Everything you do or say has the potential to affect the individuals you live, work, and play with.

Be mindful of the impact you might have on another life.

Accept and understand that your attitudes and choices will affect others. So, be graceful and grateful at all times. Seek to be friendly, helpful, and responsive to those in need. Be your very best, for someone is ready to mimic your every move.

A smile can brighten the day of someone walking in gloom.

A simple greeting can enforce the understanding that one is appreciated. Stopping to spend a few moments with someone will earn you respect in their eyes.

A small gesture of kindness could lighten a heavy heart.

Words of approval can increase the confidence of one floundering in doubt. A word of advice could help another see the world in an entirely new light.

Have a kind heart. Be true to yourself.

Keep a positive outlook on things of the world. Remember that God is in control. You are his hands and feet in a cold an embittered world. You can make a difference to others by emulating your Savior.

Project your passion for life, your kindness to others, your love for God and mankind.

Every person you contact within your circle of influence will feel your peace, your caring, and your love. Know this and go out and make this a better world for all of us to live in.

--- Bob Stoess