Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Principles of Life

  • Winning isn't everything. But wanting to win is.
  • You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets the credit.
  • When everything else is lost, the future stillremains.
  • Don't fight too much. Or the enemy would know your art of war .
  • The only job you start at the top is when you dig a grave.
  • If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything.
  • If you do little things well, you'll do big ones better.
  • Only thing that comes to you without effort is old age.
  • You won't get a second chance to make the first impression .
  • Only those who do nothing do not make mistakes.
  • Never take a problem to your boss unless you have a solution.
  • If you are not failing you're not taking enough risks.
  • Don't try to get rid of bad temper by losing it.
  • If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
  • Those who don't make mistakes usually don't make anything
  • There are two kinds of failures. Those who think and never do, and those,who do and never think.
  • Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.
  • All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.
  • Change your thoughts and you change your world.
  • Understanding proves intelligence, not the speed of the learning.
  • There are two kinds of fools in this world. Those who give advise and, those who don't take it.
  • The best way to kill an idea is to take it to a meeting.
  • Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.

20 Things-Life is to short to tolerate

You don't have to settle, it's simply a choice you make every day. If you feel like you're running in place there's a good chance you're tolerating things you shouldn't be. It's time to reclaim your life.

Starting now, stop tolerating…

People who bring you down. – Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded.

A work environment or career field you hate. – Don't settle on the first or second career field you dabble in. Keep searching. Eventually you will find work you love to do. If you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don't stop. You're on to something big. Because hard work ain't hard when you concentrate on your passions.

Your own negativity. – Be aware of your mental self-talk. We all talk silently to ourselves in our heads, but we aren't always conscious of what we're saying or how it's affecting us. Start listening to your thoughts. If you hear negative thoughts, stop and replace them with positive thoughts.

Unnecessary miscommunication. – Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Speak clearly. Ask questions. Clarify things until you understand them.

A disorganized living and working space. – Clear the clutter. Get rid of stuff you don't use.

Your own tardiness. – Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don't have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness and other unnecessary headaches.

Pressure to fit in with the crowd. – Oftentimes, the only reason others want you to fit in is that once you do they can ignore you and go about their business. Don't conform. Be you, because that's the only person you can be.

An unhealthy body. – Your health is your life. Don't let it go. Eat right, exercise and get an annual physical check-up.
Fear of change. – Life is change. Every day is different. Every day is a new beginning and a new ending. Embrace it and make the best of it.

All work and no play. – Enjoy yourself and have a little fun while you can. If you're smiling, you're doing something right.

People or beauty ads that make you feel inadequate. – Good looks attracts the eyes. Personality attracts the heart. Be proud to be you. You are already beautiful.

Not getting enough sleep. – A tired mind is rarely productive.
Doing the same exact thing over and over again. – You are the sum of your life experiences. The more you experience, the more interesting your life story gets.

Personal greed. – Don't let greed and deceit get the best of you. Greed will bury even the lucky eventually.

A mounting pile of debt. – Always live well below your means. Don't buy stuff you don't need. Always sleep on big purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and stick to them.

Dishonesty. – Living a life of honesty creates peace of mind, and peace of mind is priceless. Period. Don't be dishonest and don't put up with people who are.

Infidelity. – Intimate relationships are a sacred bond – a circle of trust. If both parties aren't 100% onboard the relationship isn't worth fighting for.

An unsafe home. – If you don't feel safe at home you'll never feel safe anywhere. Build a loving household in a safe area that you are proud to call 'home.'

Being unprepared. – Life is unpredictable. And there's a big difference between being scared and being prepared. Always be prepared.

Inaction. – Either you're going to take action and seize new opportunities or someone else will. You can't change anything or make any sort of progress by sitting back and thinking about it.
And remember, you only live once, but if you live it right once is enough.

How to be Happy in Life by Breaking the Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering - Jonathan Lockwood Huie

While some people manage to retain their happiness, most of us become more unhappy than happy by the time we enter high school. What happened? We were taught three "facts" that set the stage for a lifetime of unhappiness: "Life is scary," "Life is less scary if you accumulate stuff." and "You and everyone else must follow the rules." Those who accept those "facts" without question embark on a lifetime of what I call "The Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering."

The Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering has four stages: a. Fear, Neediness, and a sense of Obligation. b. Demands. c. Disappointment. and d. Anger, Resentment and Blame. The Cycle then loops back to Fear/Neediness/Obligation and continues throughout an unhappy person's life unless the Cycle is broken.

Break the Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering and you regain your happiness. But how to break the cycle? The only way to break the cycle is to consciously reject one or more of the three false "facts" we were taught.

Here are four paths for breaking the Cycle of Self-Inflicted Suffering...

1. Confront Fear of the Unknown. Our greatest fear is the fear of the unknown. It could also be called fear of the future because the future is unknown. The way to begin to reduce fear of the unknown is to confront that fear. Acknowledge that you don't know what tomorrow may bring and that that causes fear. Once you have shown a light on fear of the unknown, you can address that fear with courage and, if you believe in a Higher Power, a faith and trust in ultimate goodness.

2. Question your Needs. It is human nature to want more "stuff" and to hoard for a "rainy day," but happiness doesn't come from houses, cars, electronic gadgets, or a bank account or retirement fund. Make a list of everything you don't have that you think you need. Make a list of everything that you do have that you think you couldn't live without. Now cross out everything on the first list and at least half the items on the second list. Not only do you not need those things, most of them create more unhappiness than happiness. Feeling needy is a big source of unhappiness that can be eliminated through conscious choice and a continued commitment to simplicity. Question your non-material needs as well. Joyful relationships are wonderful, but you don't need to be in relationship. If you are single, eliminate the thought that something is lacking, and just live each day joyfully.

3. Grant yourself Freedom. Most of us have spent a lifetime believing that we bear huge obligations. Our parents heaped obligations upon us, then our schools, our church, our community, our friends and family. Stop! There is almost nothing you actually need to do. You truly do have choices about what you do and what you don't do. Each time you begin a thought with "I need to..." or "I have to...," pause and ask yourself who is demanding that you do that thing and what the consequences would be if you did something else instead. Make the choices YOU want to make. Take actions from conscious choice and not from fear or unthinking habit.

4. Grant Freedom to others. This is the flip-side of #3. The sky never opened up with a great voice pronouncing how others should dress, speak, vote, worship, spend their leisure time, manage their money, or raise their kids. Your opinions of how others should behave are merely your opinions and having the expectation that others should conform to those opinions is a major cause of unhappiness. Live and let live - you will be much happier for it.

THE 4 AGREEMENTS---- Don Miguel Ruiz

1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORDS:
Speak with integrity and say only what you mean. Avoid using the words to speak against yourself or to gossip about another. Use the power of your words in the direction of truth and love.

2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY:
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say or do is a projection of their reality and their dreams not yours. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS:
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement you can transform your life.

4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST:
Your best is going to change from moment to moment. It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to when you are sick. Under any circumstances simply do your best and you will avoid self judgment, self abuse and regret.