Focus: Your Potential
Welcome to the 27th Edition of MotivateUs.com's Newsletter
My Dear Friend,
Have you ever really thought about your potential? Have you ever wondered if you could truly be more than you are today?
I know I have. In fact, I think about it a lot sometimes. Often I ask myself, "What am I capable of? Am I doing all that I can to be the best me?"
And you know... sometimes the answer isn't what I want to hear. Ever happen to you too?
You see we all have hidden potential, far more than we could ever imagine. We all have this greatness inside of us, waiting to be released. But how do we do it?
Today I want to focus on "Your Potential", with a few articles and stories, to help everyone see that the leap from where you are to where you want to be is not a huge leap, but a series of small steps that you master.
So let's get to it!
Also, I want to thank you for sharing MotivateUs.com with your friends and family. Every day I receive a message from someone who says what a difference our site makes in their lives.
With Love, appreciation and thanks,
Marlene
P.S.
For those who may not know - we have a Motivational Quote of The Day on our website - MotivateUs.com or You can have one delivered through email, Monday - Friday.
Something I'd Like To Share:
Unlocking the Giant Inside You
One of the most wonderful and exciting facts of your life is that, whatever has gone before is merely a prelude to what is going to happen to you in the future. There are no limitations on what you can be, or do or have except for the limitations you place on your own mind.You have enormous reserves of capacity and potential and talent that you have never even come close to using as yet. These reserves lay within you, dormant, and are waiting for you to unlock them and bring them into every part of your life.
Another wonderful fact is that you already know a lot of the things you need to know to become the person you want to become. You have your "heart's desire" deep inside of you. There is something that you were put on this earth uniquely to accomplish. There is something that you, and only you, can do. And when you find your heart's desire, you will have the key to unlocking your potential in every other part of your life. You'll have the key to happiness, satisfaction, fulfillment and the joy that is your natural birthright.
Whenever we talk about having enormous potential, the natural tendency for most people, probably including yourself, is to think in terms of your limitations; to think in terms of your bills and your obligations.
Many people think about how little money they have and how much money they owe. They think about how much everything costs and how little they're earning. Many people even despair of ever getting out of debt, much less achieving all of their goals and aspirations.
You've heard a lot of talk about "positive thinking." Positive thinking is very important. A positive mental attitude goes hand-in-hand with success in virtually every area of life. However, it's far more important that you practice "positive knowing" than "positive thinking."
You see, positive thinking can very often simply be positive wishing or hoping, or even praying. Positive knowing, on the other hand, is when you absolutely know, deep inside yourself, that you have the ability to be and do anything you want. And positive knowing, only comes when you actually do the things that you say that you'll do.
When you set clear goals or objectives for yourself, to dream big dreams and then to become the kind of person who's capable of achieving the kind of goals that you want to achieve, you convince yourself, at a deep subconscious level, that you're absolutely unstoppable . You cast off the bonds of learned helplessness. You realize at last that there's nothing in the world that can hold you back except your own thinking, and you don't even let your own thinking limit your potential.
If you learn to be powerful and develop self-confidence by working progressively, every day, toward becoming the kind of person you want to become, and toward living the kind of life that you want to live, you'll unlock the giant within you and it will never go back inside.
--- Copyright © 2009 Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy is one of the world's most respected sales training and leadership training experts. Speaking on personal and professional performance, he has traveled and worked in more than eighty countries, and speaks four languages.
Brian Tracy is also a New York Times bestselling author, having written more than thirty-five books on sales training, leadership training, and personal performance.
Something To Encourage You:
The Seed
As I walk along the sidewalk of East Main Rd. in Newport RI, I cannot help but notice the annuals starting to pop up through the ground, and think to myself how this flower is actually a metaphor for life in general.Think about it for a second.
A seed of a flower can sit on a shelf in a hardware store or a local five and dime and lay in it's pouch for years... sitting in a package without any life in it, alone with many of his seed friends waiting for that right opportunity to show it's potential.
When that seed gets planted in the ground, a metamorphosis takes place. It starts to germinate and open... it starts to spread open and against all odds. This tiny little seed pushes through what seems like tons and tons of dirt to break through the ground to grow.
You see, once that seed gets in the right environment and in the right soil with water and sunlight, that seed will flourish and show it's potential that once lay dormant and grow into a beautiful flower.
It is the same thing with people... We can be like that seed in the store; always sitting around while our potential lays inside, lifeless, waiting to show our potential, but does not for some reason or another.
In order for our full potential to come out from within, we need to get ourselves into the right environment so that we can flourish and grow. Our soil needs to be perfect, so that we can germinate. We need to be near positive people, people with motivation and that want to succeed; people with goals and dreams that they are striving for on a daily basis and have an action plan to achieve them.
We need to reject passivity and aggressively attack negative thoughts with positive faith filled thoughts. We need to grow on a daily basis, just like that beautiful flower. We need to water ourselves with love and compassion for others and sun ourselves with finding good in everything.
Like that beautiful flower that continues to grow every year, we as people have that ability as well. It is our choice. You can plant yourself and grow to your potential, if provided you plant yourself in the right environment, or you can sit in the pouch with all the rest of your seed friends on a shelf in the store. It is your choice.
I choose to be planted and grow every day... To nourish myself with fresh thoughts about the day I am in, and look forward to improving myself daily. I will plant myself in humility, I will water myself with success, I will sun myself in gratitude.
--- Copyright © 2010 Rich Barnes
An Article / Story To Ponder:
Mind Control
It was the spring of 1982 and I was coaching girls' track in a small southern Iowa town. There was a young discus thrower on the team, a sophomore who had tremendous potential. This is a story about her realizing that potential...and about what tends to hold us all back from realizing our potential.At the end of our workout the Friday before the Monday district track meet, this discus thrower, we'll call her Jill in this story, came to me and asked if she could come to the school on Sunday after lunch for a little extra workout. I said, "Sure." We would meet at 1:00 and go through a 40-45 minute workout.
I knew why Jill wanted the extra fine tuning. The year before, as only a freshman, she had placed second in the discus at the district meet and narrowly missed going to the state meet in Des Moines.
See, I had done some checking on Jill's freshman season and had tallied those results with the sophomore year that was now winding down. This young lady had won every discus event, in every varsity meet as both a freshman and sophomore, except that district event the year before! And, her throws in competition had always been between 106' 1" and 110' 10". Very consistent. Very good for so young.
But, something began to bother me. Something that I didn't know how to fix until it hit me that sunny Sunday in 1982.
What bothered me was why this young athlete couldn't seem to get the discus two more inches to 111 feet? Only two more little inches...why? I began to wonder if it was more a psychological barrier rather than a physical one. But, what to do about it? I had encouraged the socks off that girl that year...110' 10" was the best she could do...twice!
I decided to try something I had never done to one of my athletes before. I decided to deceive Jill. I decided to LIE! Without going into too many details the rest of the story goes like this.
Jill went through her usual drills. Then, I said, "Why don't you throw five or six good ones for me to measure?" She agreed and proceeded to let some good throws rip, but none were farther than what she had already thrown. I could just tell, even though the markings on the discus area had pretty well been washed off by some recent rains.
But, I didn't tell Jill. As a matter of fact, when we measured them I made sure Jill had the "zero" end of the measuring tape. And, Jill also threw one of her best throws away from the rest of her tosses, which helped with my little scheme, too. As we were measuring, the throws were in her usual range --- 108 to 110 feet. But, as I was walking toward the final one I yelled out to her, "I really think this one is farther!"
It wasn't. It was around 110' 6". But, it was now or never. I still had the tape between my thumb and index finger as I jumped up, pumped my fist into the air, and screamed out, "You've got to see this!!!"
Jill, thinking that this was a personal best, jumped wildly into the air in excitement. As she did, I pulled some more tape through my fingers. I had no idea how much. I just hoped it would be over 111 feet. I didn't even look at the tape until Jill made it to where I was standing. When she looked at the tape, it was the first time I had, too.
There it was, right at the end of my thumb, 112' 2"! Jill went crazy. I just hoped it would work.
The next afternoon, at districts, Jill won with a personal best toss of 114' 10"!!! Just 24 hours after I had "lied" to her. Just 24 hours after she had actually thrown 110' 6". But, now she had ACTUALLY thrown the discus four feet further than she had ever thrown it before without any practice in between our extra session the day before and the meet. But, unbelievably, the story doesn't end here.
Eleven days later we were at the Drake intramural field where the State discus event was to be held. It was a terrible weather day raining fairly heavily. The discus ring was wet. The officials even had to use towels to constantly dry it for the athletes. Jill came into the event with the 8th best throw in the districts.
Her goals were simple: break the school record of 115' 1" and place in the top six to score at least one point for herself, her teammates, and the school. (Jill was the only qualifier from our school that year).
You get 3 throws in the prelims and the top eight qualify for 3 more in the finals. Jill didn't need 6 throws, or even 3 throws that day. On her second throw in the preliminaries she uncorked a toss like she had never had before. The discus sliced through the heavy, rainy air and splashed down. The officials marked it. Then, they measured it. 118' 1"! Amazing!!! But, the most amazing part of the story was that it held up...Jill won the state title by three inches!
She would go on her junior year to place second at State and again win the state meet her senior year. She would throw the discus in college, eventually having a personal best over 135 feet!
I know she got better coaching in college. But what changed in the 12 days from that Sunday afternoon, when I tricked her until the state meet? Not her technique, not her workouts, not her strength level, not her build.
The entire change occurred between her ears and in her heart. She believed that she had broken through. She believed that she was better than 110 feet 10 inches.
After that state meet her sophomore year, her parents took her and my wife and I out for a steak feast in Des Moines. While we were eating dinner I told everyone what I had done 12 days earlier. As I told the story, Jill's mouth dropped open further and further. When I finished, Jill got mad! That's right! She got mad at me and said, "I can't believe that you would lie to me like that."
For a brief moment I felt bad. Then, I looked up at her. Looked her right in the eyes and said, "Jill, take one more look at that medal around your neck. Now you answer me this. Was I lying to you or were you lying to yourself for two years?"
I wonder how many people go through life lying to themselves about their potential and their ability to reach their dreams. I would venture a guess that 90%-95% of us do. Most of us are like Jill. We set our own barriers in our minds. We lie to ourselves.
When someone tries to encourage us, we usually respond with some negative answer. Psychologist, Shad Helmstetter, says that 70% of our self-talk is negative. (Self-talk is what we say to ourselves about ourselves). I agree, and I know Jill would agree too.
Don't lie to yourself, learn to take control of your mind. God gave each of us tremendous abilities and talents. I believe those talents are there to glorify Him. But, whether you believe that or not, don't lie to yourself.
Be the best possible you!
--- Copyright © 1999 Lee Ayers --- Iowa
Five Quotes To Motivate You:
"It is easy to make your mark in life. Humbly employ your talents and knowledge to help others, and you will have accomplished the ultimate goal. The only trial is realizing your potential."
--- M.C., Age 17 --- Canada
"Teach your eyes not to see your neighbors' prosperity but to see your own potential."
--- Author Unknown
"Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose to liberate the future."
--- Marilyn Ferguson
"Focus on your potential instead of your limitations."
--- Alan Loy McGinnis
"Success is living up to your potential. That's all. Wake up with a smile and go after life. Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it."
--- Joe Kapp
Until Next Time, Remember:
Never, Never, Never, Give Up
Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi Banker, an Economist, founder of Grameen Bank and the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2006, said:"Each of us has much more hidden inside us than we have had a chance to explore. Unless we create an environment that enables us to discover the limits of our potential, we will never know what we have inside of us."
Since the day a baby is born, it is the responsibility of the parents to mold the character and future of that child. No matter how we try to hide our behavior and activity at home, children can sense it; either it is positive or negative.
The biographies of great human beings, who contributed something in a positive way, have always been inspiration to many of us. By reading their trials and tribulations, we can all learn 'what needs to be followed' and 'what needs to be eliminated'.
When one is determined and focused to accomplish something worthwhile, many obstacles and challenges will arise on the way. As long as the goal is crystal clear and mind is determined to get it done, nothing can stop him or her.
I had a privilege to read the books by world famous author Orison Swett Marden while I was a young college student in Nepal. I love all his books and one of my favorite quotes from one of his books is:
"All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible."
Mr. Marden had a very humble beginning, even though he was born in America but with his hard work, passion, determination and by applying a 'never give up' attitude, he became a famous author and even today, his books are being read all over the world in many different languages.
Have we ever thought about the thing that makes us think? That is our brain. Scientists have proven that our human brain does 20,000 trillion calculations per second. I have always thought about it and want to know why people cannot think about something better for their life.
This is a very serious question and many of us always make a quick remark: "I am so busy, I don't have time to think. Life is crazy, so many bills to pay, health challenges, relationship challenges, bad economy..." and the list is endless.
Why waste such a powerful machine, in doing mundane work and not being a dreamer (not just a daydreamer), and work hard as well as smart?
Even after all the tremendous blessings, why do people still forget what they can do and instead, waste their most valuable life in so many unproductive activities?
These questions always bother me when I see talented young people, with so much potential ahead of them in life, just waste their time and energy following the wrong crowd or doing the things that make no sense at the end. Many times I've wondered if it could be that they didn't have the RIGHT EXAMPLE at home or that they couldn't find and follow a true mentor in life.
Many of us already know about Thomas Alva Edison, who invented more than 1,000 useful items and is the inventor of the electric light bulb.
He had his famous quote: "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
Edison never gave up on his dreams and goals.
Marie Curie is the first Scientist to win two Nobel Prizes (In Physics and in Chemistry ) even though she had been through so many challenges at home, in her childhood, in college and even after finishing college and university. She never gave up on her dream and invented Radium, the element that was used to treat cancer, known as Curietherapy or Radiumtherapy.
She said, "Life is not easy for any of us. We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."
She was told that girls could not continue their education and that they were suppose to be housewives, taking care of the family and children. She knew her heart's desire and never listened to those negative voices, either from outside sources or from inside. She knew what she wanted, in the depth of her heart, and was willing to pay the price as she never believed in overnight success or any kind of shortcuts to success.
There is no other scientist who has received a Noble Prize twice. Not only that, she was a great role model for her daughter Irene Joliot-Curie, who also received a Nobel Prize.
We have the best example of 'Never Giving Up' in American History:
Abraham Lincoln.
Here is the list of his failures before he became the US President in 1860:
- Lost job, 1832
- Defeated for legislature, 1832
- Failed in business, 1833
- Elected to legislature, 1834
- Sweetheart (Ann Rutledge) died, 1835
- Had nervous breakdown, 1836
- Defeated for Speaker, 1838
- Defeated for nomination for Congress, 1843
- Elected to Congress, 1846
- Lost re-nomination, 1848
- Rejected for Land Officer, 1849
- Defeated for Senate, 1854
- Defeated for nomination for Vice-President, 1856
- Again defeated for Senate, 1858
Luck is defined as "Preparation meeting Opportunity". Abraham Lincoln believed in preparation before aiming at anything BIG and did whatever it took to get the dream accomplished. It is recorded in history books that Abraham Lincoln would go to schools on weekends and speak from the podium, as if the empty chairs were occupied by real people, because he was told that he needed to practice speaking in public.
Hard work as well as smart work, with a positive goal in mind, definitely brings success in any area of life.
Life is so good and beautiful. When we look around, there is so much peace, harmony, and beauty in nature that should give us a happy heart to appreciate everything. When I pause for a moment and think about so many people wasting their life in unproductive activities, it gives me so much pain that I wish I could individually sit with that person and spend some time telling him/her how valuable life is.
Sometimes I feel like shouting out loud from the tallest building and telling every human being, "You are the greatest miracle in the world. There is nothing that you can't achieve in life if you believe in it and do not waste your valuable time in destructive things. You are a walking, talking miracle. Just sit for few minutes and start counting the blessings you already have in your life, starting with: being alive, having eyes to look, a nose to breathe, ears to hear, a brain to think and the list goes on."
Here is a beautiful story I read about being remembered when one does not give up and accomplishes something useful that benefits humanity forever:
One day, a teacher was teaching a lesson to the class about never giving up and how history will remember those who never gave up.
She asked the students: "Did Abraham Lincoln ever give up?"
All the students replied, "No".
She asked them again, "Did Edison ever give up?"
Again the students replied, "No".
After mentioning couple of great heroes' names, she finally asked them, "Did Joe Doe give up?"
On that, all the students replied, "Who is Joe Doe?"
She said, "You don't know his name because he gave up."
Before we think there is nothing we can achieve that is useful, let's think twice, may be ten times, even a hundred or a thousand times and let's always remember this:
"NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP."
--- Copyright © 2010 Prem P. Guragain
By profession, I am a computer engineer but have been writing for a long time. My articles have been published in various publications: New York Times, Amazon.com, American Chronicle, World Sentinel, California Chronicle, Los Angeles Chronicle, DC Nepal and many others.
I believe in human potential and what an individual can do with right, positive choices. It is my strong belief that, "You are what you are because of what goes into your mind. Be careful while creating CHOICES at each moment daily." I write about motivation, positive mental attitude, success, creating good habits, spirituality, health etc.
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