Thursday, December 09, 2004

IT IS NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS!!!

 "If you keep THINKING what you are thinking, you will keep DOING what you are doing, and you will keep GETTING what you are getting.


That brilliant statement was made by Dr Robert Antony.This morning it makes alot of sense to me. Its like that statement in the Bible that says, 'Do not worry about tomorrow.' Of course these statements are different. The correlation though comes in when it comes to action. If you keep worrying about how bad things have become in your life you will keep getting chaotic results. So why walk a path of worry while you can throw your cares to God as you do your part in this life?

I am going through a rough patch. Yep. Financially that is. Some friends of mine owe me some green.Promised to pay up but they haven't.I relied on their word which l now realize was as good as a dead door nail.

As l was thinking about it this morning, l began to wonder,"Do some people's weaknesses mirror who l sometimes am?" I think they do. Sometimes people do the craziest things that land them into unbelievable trouble. We look at them and shake our heads in disapproval. Yet most of us go out and find ourselves in that same situation. Only this time, we don't remember that we were there. I have began to show more patience than l did a few days ago. Why? I am in touch with what God is doing in my life. I also like to think that l am in touch with myself. I like it that way because nothing catches me off guard especially my response to situations. It also helps me build my character. If you attempt it, You will begin to realize that you are not Miss or Mr Perfect anymore.

In making your dreams a reality in your life l have learned that this is a very critical lesson. You watch some people fail and fail again as they try to reach their goals. You hear yourself tell your friends or whoever it is that, 'if only they did this they could get out of what it is that seems so difficult.' Yet you don't see the four fingers pointing at you wondering why you haven't been out trying to make something of yourself.

What about when you get impatient with someone who seems to be lazy and complains about everything? Been there so l know. Is this person mirroring you as they talk about their dreams and do nothing about them? Or do they mirror you when they make wrong choices and wonder why everything that seems to be bad is happening to them?

I really appreciate a quote an editor friend sent me that Teddy Roosevelt made about critics. It would help to remember it every time you want to criticize. I know it has helped me.

 It is not the critic who counts: not he man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; But does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotion; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Please note the if. If simply means it could happen or not. This statement embodies success not failure. Chances are success will be what will be experienced.

Go ahead. Think outside the box!!!

I am trying to create a discipline where l blog daily. This alone requires effort and commitment. But isn't that what our lives ought to be about especially if we are trying to achieve our goals? That's just a teaser.

Anyways, yesterday was another day when l learned something. If not learning, l needed to recall something l had read.

I am a person who likes to try things out. Positive things. Sometimes when l do and people around me make what you call 'uncalled for comments' it cuts right through me. And trust me, l like to be agreeable with everyone. Okay, is this the part l say l am learning that it ain't possible to be agreeable with all? I thought so. Yesterday l just learned it on a higher grade. I needed to graduate:-) And l did.

The lesson dawned on me as l was being told of someone's catty comment and action of trying to change what they thought l had done wrong. I wanted to go defend why l had done what l had done. Plus why l thought it was right. But as l walked away vowing to approach the person, it dawned me. I keep saying dawn l guess it really did open my eyes to a new light.

Lesson: I don't have to defend myself every time l do something outside the box and somebody doesn't like it. Some people will just never get it. And its meant to be just like that. Ce la vie!!! Even if you do something that is highly positive, they will always see the negative. They will always seek to drag you down.

But, l have many a times abandoned my dreams at the altar of negative thinking because l took a portion of that thinking from someone who really has hell for a life.In the moment l did that,  l always abandoned what kept me going - my passion.

Yesterday, l decided l was not here to please anyone. I will think outside the box. And if you don't like it, well my condolences. But this is not to say l won't reason with you because sometimes someone will see the pit before l do. Just between me and you, rarely is there a pit. It usually is someone trying to pull you down.

So go out  - think out of the box, and let they that shiver in their boots for fear of trying new things enjoy the view:-)

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

crawling towards my goals!!!!

Yesterday was an interesting yet a revealing day.

I was in a meeting and l shared with some friends how i have learnt doing what you have passion for is the most important thing on this planet. Okay l know l have preached this over and over. But their face expressions as l told them that l no longer do anything that is not alligned to my vision and goals was sufficient to tell me that this was being digested for the first time.

I don't what shocked me more, that they were shocked at my statement or that this road of goal setting,focus and determination had not dawned on them.

Anyways, the long and short of it is a belief l hold dear. You see, we only have one shot at this life. Yesterday is gone. That day will never be grabbed back from where it is. It's in history as we speak. I have told myself that l will not live in people's dreams unless they are helping me get ahead in my life.

True, if l have ideas on helping you make your dream happen l will share them with you. But don't expect me to be there just helping you get ahead and not moving ahead with my dream and making it happen. Isn't it ironical that half of us are doing stuff we don't like. That half or even more of us, wake up with morning blues.

Believe me when you hear someone say do what you have passion for...just do it, don't argue. Why? When you do what you have passion for you will take it to another level every time there is a choice that you have to make that seems challenging.

At the end of my days, l want to be remembered as someone who helped humanity as she went after her goals. My dreams are very community minded. So trust me, at the end of the day everyone wins. But l am not wasting my time living in other people's world. I am living in my dream. No matter how small the baby steps. l will get there.

Stuck in a rut expecting different results?!!!!

The whole weekend l have been thinking about something l read the other day from Josh Hind’s motivational newsletter that l receive daily.
It was about how we do things same as always yet expect different results. That statement never left me. Coming to work today l was still thinking about it. How many times have l expected different results while doing same old stuff? And l am guessing l am not alone. When l look around me,l see this statement personified. Same actions expecting different results. How naïve we think, yet if we looked closely at our lives it seems that’s what’s happening.

I’ll tell you of something. I moved house the other day. And for a long time l wanted a place where l could go for jogging and cut on some fat l had manufactured.

Oh please it needs some processing. As soon as l moved there it took me a week to figure my schedule. Now l jog five times a week. I jog two days in a row then rest, then two days in a row then rest for a day. I like my body recuperating from the punishing stretches that l cover because it seems l increase them every time my body can take it. Anyways that is not what is important. The other day l was thinking supposing l didn’t take this step and move out to a safer area that has helped me do what l love. I would still be thinking of ways to lose this weight with no change in lifestyle. Of course l would have gone to the gym. I was actually going for aerobics that were very good.

But you see the catch is l wanted something that isn’t dictated by time. Most of the time l work late and more often than not l have classes. So with some encouragement in my life from my friends l took the step of moving house. You should know this took all the effort because l had lived in the area for the last three and a half years.

Anyways, today think about it. Are you hoping for something different yet doing the same things over and over again? I read a quote yesterday that made my day If you keep thinking the way you think, you will keep doing what you do and keep getting the results you get. How about that for a starter/