Eating an Elephant

Taking on big tasks and projects one small bite at a time

He conquers who endures. Persius

A trip of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Chinese proverb

I may not be there yet, but I’, closer than I was yesterday. Author Unknown

  The idea of eating a huge elephant one bite at a time is powerful. By embracing this concept we can take on seemingly impossible projects and succeed. This is done through small, continuous, persistent steps. How many times have we avoided taking on a difficult project because it seemed too big and enormous?

   There are huge implications to understanding and applying this approach; taking on large and substantial undertakings; trains us and increases our will power, self-discipline, focus, and a long list of other positive benefits. How about taking on the writing of a book? It is a tremendous undertaking. By writing a single page per day, by the end of three hundred and sixty five days, we will have written more than enough pages to equal the size of the average book. We can build a small mountain by stacking up boulders one per day over the course of our life. Some never go to college because of the enormity of the undertaking. By using the concept of “one bite at a time” it can be broken down to bite size tasks (credit hours). It is a matter of accumulating enough of them over time to acquire the necessary credits to be rewarded with a degree. Many have not started that business, built that home, or started that special project because they believe it is too big for them.

   The truth is we are capable of taking on big projects by using the mindset of one bite at a time. Suppose we decide to become the “best we” possible? The task is so big we do not believe it possible. When we break it down to bite size bits it becomes doable. We can do tough tasks through small ongoing and continuous steps.

   We all have a certain number of days and years remaining in our lives. Chances are it is a significant number. If starting today, we committed to a sustained effort to grow a little every day, how much can we grow in the number of days, months and years we have left? The days, weeks, months and years will occur and pass by regardless. We can all eat a little bit of elephant every day. It will be very good for us. If we will only look ahead and visualize what we can become, we will see the possibilities of “one bite at a time”.

Challenge: Have you ever eaten an elephant? If so, you acquired a great sense of accomplishment. Have you completed projects that required a long, continuous, seemingly never ending effort? If your answer is yes, then you are an experienced “elephant eater”. Once you have acquired a taste for eating elephants, it is an ability that never goes away. You can use it for great tasks. You have an elephant waiting for you to eat one bite at a time.

Wisdom: With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable. Thomas F Buxton

Spiritual: (NIV)

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

But he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24:13

You will eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours. Psalm 128:2

Patience, perseverance and faith are traits one expects to see in those who have the strength of will and character to take on tough tasks and projects. It is these challenges that cause us to grow so much. God expects us to be agents of change, doers, and achievers and to help make the world a better place. He does not expect us to do all these things alone and totally on our own strength. He is always willing, ready, and able to help us to do our best.

Prayer: Help me to be able to take on the big projects in my life. I know you are here to help me. 

Diligence

Persistent and continuous effort applied to an undertaking; steady; focus; determination, our best effort

The secret of success is the constancy of purpose. Benjamin Disraeli

Diligence is the mother of good luck. Benjamin Franklin

There are four steps to accomplishment: Plan Purposefully. Prepare Prayerfully. Proceed Positively. Pursue Persistently. Unknown

We should use more diligent in everything we consider to be important and not leave anything to chance. This means putting forth our best effort and doing everything we can to accomplish our tasks in an excellent manner. We stay on top of things; monitoring our progress and doing everything reasonably possible to insure success.

   The amount of due diligence given should be directly related to the importance of the task. Potential consequences, costs of failure and the rewards of success are some of the considerations in determining the amount of diligence we should employ in any undertaking. The more these considerations come into play, the greater the diligence and effort that should be exercised. It boils down to that increased diligence usually results in better results. Nearly all of us are capable of achieving greatly when we are determined to do so.

   When we decide something is really important, commit to it and then follow through with our very best effort; our results will be greater than when we take a more lackluster approach. It is not rocket science. When we set our minds to getting something done, and predetermine a high degree of importance; the probability of success is greatly increased. Diligence gets good results. Ants use diligence instinctively to get through and around barriers to get into our houses or to find our food when we are picnic-ing.

   Why do some practice diligence so poorly? We all need to answer this. Not taking time for planning, not anticipating, being in too much of a hurry and taking things for granted are mistakes we all make. We may be lacking in our work ethic, are too lazy, unmotivated, and comfortable with complacency and mediocrity. Another reason may be that we “fear” success. As crazy as it sounds, some of us “self-sabotage” and lay off of our best efforts because we do not really want success. It would mean we have to go outside our comfort zone. There may be other reasons why we fail to take advantage of using the power of diligence to increase our successes.

   It is important to remember that we can make regular progress, becoming more successful and achieving more greatly when we utilize tools that increase the probability of being successful. Every one of us has it within us to make significant strides forward in personal productivity, relationships, and overall personal growth.

Challenge:  Become more diligent and you will be pleased with your results. Such issues as procrastination, various fears and faults, and a host of other things may be blocking your path. Things such as action, focus, motivation, and self-discipline are some of the tools that should be utilized in combination with the power of diligence to improve success. Hold yourself accountable and use increased diligence to reap better results. 

Wisdom: Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are not performed by strength, but by diligence. Samuel Johnson

Spiritual: (NIV)

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

Not only so, but we also rejoice in ours sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Psalm 128:2

Diligence, patience, perseverance, hope, joy, peace, and faith are interrelated and are things we will have increasing quantities of as we walk closer and closer with God. We have these abilities within us; God gives us the strength and wisdom to use them increasingly better as we allow him to help guide us. God is waiting and willing to help us get so much more out of our lives. All we have to do is to ask for the help.

Prayer:  Help me to let go and let you lead me and please help me to become what I am capable of being.

Barriers

Restraints or obstructions to progress or achievement; thing that are in the way

Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.  E. Joseph Crossman

If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere. Frank A Clark

Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.  Norman V. Peale

  Barriers, obstacles, adversity, trials and tribulations are all part of life’s process. They are compulsory and unavoidable. We must endure them and acquire some degree of mastery over them, if we are to move ahead in life. These are part of the curriculum of our course work in Life 101.  

    It works something like this: There is a barrier that stands between us and a major accomplishment in our life. If there were no barrier, our achievement would have diminished value to us once we attained it. If we did not have to work, endure, suffer, experience pain, any or all of these things, it would have little importance to us. Things that are given to us or come too easily do not have the same value as those things we have to experience pain and suffering to acquire. The harder we have to work, the more important it becomes.  

    Every time we overcome a barrier, we use some of the talents and abilities that we were born with as well as the wisdom and knowledge that we have acquired along the way. This coupled with goals and aspirations inspire and motivates us; enabling us to overcome even greater barriers. Consider the ‘lowly’ ant. Ants do not give up; they are determined to overcome any barrier that gets in their way. They do what they have to do. We are wise to observe them and to learn from their strong sense of dogged determination.

   We should carefully manage our attitude and mental approach when encountering barriers. ‘Whining’, crying ‘why me” and complaining, leads to failure. We should recognize barriers as steps forward and part of the learning process that teaches success. Each barrier overcome is a step closer. Recognize them for being the stepping stones to achievements. Great attitude changes everything. We need barriers in order to grow, mature, and to become the person we can become. The adage, “no pain, no gain” is true. These things are required for the coursework in “Barriers: Managing and Overcoming” in the University of Life. Those learning this, approach barriers with acquired wisdom. They have a tremendous advantage over who staying back, complain and cry.

   The joy of success is much greater when we can look back and really appreciate the journey, the learning experiences, and the barriers that were overcome to get there.

Challenge:  How are you approaching barriers in your life? Develop a more pro-active mental attitude. This will serve you well from this day on. Barriers will always be in your way. You can give up or you can take them on. Apply the concepts of perseverance, determination, persistence and patience to overcome the barriers that stand between you and where you want to go. Go under, over, through or around! Overcome them! Remember the ant.

Wisdom: Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.  Thomas Carlyle

Spiritual: (NIV)

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised .  Hebrews  10:36                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Not

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Romans 5:3.4

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  Romans 8:37

Would a wise parent allow barriers and obstacles to be a part of our learning and growth?  We must experience falling down, making mistakes, misfortunes and all the things that happen in life. We have to get outside our comfort zones, stretch boundaries and learn to have faith and confidence. We have to learn to take some risks. Our Heavenly Father is the perfect parent in every way. He is always there to help us get back up and go again.

Prayer: Help me to engage life in a pro-active manner. Help me to grow and become what you wish me to be.     

Thoughts

The process of thinking; reasoning; considering, imagining; creating

We become what we think about most of the time.  Earl Nightingale

Change your thoughts and you change your world.  Norman Vincent Peale

Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.  Benjamin Disraeli

   As far as we know we are the only creature that is self-aware. Because we are self-aware, we can think and are able to produce ideas, images and complex mental concepts through thinking. We actually create the world in which we live as a result of the thoughts we have previously produced.

     Psychologists believe our version of reality is created by the type of thoughts we think. The life we live is greatly affected by our thinking process. What we create mentally eventually becomes our reality. Millions if not billions of thoughts passing through our minds. Instinctively our reality is based on the overall nature of all our thoughts that come and go. Common sense says we should want to think the best thoughts possible that we might create the best version of reality possible. This means we should filter out negative and harmful thoughts.

     We should want to control our thinking process in order to try to get the best possible results. It would be desirable to have “bells and whistles” sound off when we have negative or undesirable thoughts. Even if we are less than perfect in avoiding negative and undesirable thinking, the more we think good and desirable thoughts the more we are affecting the net outcome in positive ways. The more seriously we take responsibility for the quality of our thought process the better we will do in creating a better mental concept.

     Many do not take this responsibility seriously enough. We continue to allow too many negative influences to affect our thinking. Our senses continuously feed our mental process. Negative influences are bad; positive influences are good. We are mentally lazy and do not control and monitor negative, undesirable, degrading, and unwholesome influences that have access to us through our senses. All of these influences are the food that feeds our thought process. The better the food, the healthier the thinking and the better the outcome will be.

     Just as we are increasingly encouraged to engage in good nutrition and physical exercise in order to be physically healthy, the same thing applies to good mental health. We should become very proactive and more responsible in what we allow to influence our thinking. We should always practice good mental self-discipline. Whatever we allow to go on inside our heads will tend to become the kind of reality we find ourselves living in.

Challenge: You are responsible for the person you become. You are greatly influenced by the quality and nature of your thoughts. Commit to becoming aware, responsible and more proactive in creating and controlling a better thought process. Improve your influences as well as your thinking, and you will change and improve the world in which you live. You are continuously maintaining or creating your reality through your ongoing thoughts.

Wisdom:  It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.  Dale Carnegie

Spiritual: (NIV)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:13

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

We live in two worlds, the physical which exists for a short time, and the spiritual that lasts forever. The secular world influences us in more ways than we can comprehend. It drags us down and makes us into something much less than God intends us to be. It is like quicksand pulling us down and imprisoning us. God gives us the strength and courage to free ourselves from the muck and mire. He gives us what we need to live life victoriously. 

Prayer:  May the Holy Spirit give me the power to be a good steward of the thought processes within me.

Optimism

Looking to the bright side, positive expectations, not dwelling on the negative

Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power. William James

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. Helen Keller

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Winston Churchill

   We lean either toward optimism or pessimism. Which one is the better choice? Everything equal, optimism is a better choice. Life has more to offer and will be more meaningful and joyful. The choice should be obvious.

    We have been programmed as a natural tendency to be one or the other. All that has ever happened to us, our upbringing, and even our genes will have something to do with whether we look for the good or the bad in life. We are ‘wired’ to expect the best or to automatically expect the worst. Wise people throughout the ages tell us that life goes the way we expect it to. If we expect bad things or if we expect good things, we will get what we expected or ask for. If this has any truth in it, then why would a rational and intelligent person choose pessimism over optimism; misery over happiness?  Why do we expect so little out of life? Why are there so few optimists?    

    Our ‘programming’ is the key. It is not easy to be optimistic. It is much easier to be pessimistic. The reason is we live in a negative world. Negativism, pessimism, complaining, fear and doubt ‘rule’ the world. If we are going to go with the flow, then we will fall right in with the world of pessimism. If we want to be an optimistic we have to work hard at it; we have to go against the grain. We have to be the fish that swims upstream while all the others choose to swim downstream. It requires much less effort to swim downstream. If it were easier to swim upstream, everyone would be doing it.

    Throughout life we have been programmed with negatives, ‘no’s, “cant’s”, fear of failure, and a myriad of different reasons why we should have low expectations. Before we became adults, we heard many more ‘no’s than “yes’s” from parents and other adults. These same things continue during adult lives. All this is part of our negative programming.

   The good news is that we can choose to reject the negative and replace it with a positive outlook. It is not easy; it takes dedication, perseverance and self discipline. Life rewards us based on what we want from it, if we want more we must expect more. An optimistic outlook is one step toward getting more.

Challenge:  Is your disposition toward negative or positive? Do you look for good or bad? Do you expect good results or bad results? You can choose optimism over pessimism. It will change your life. Start being aware of how your mind is thinking and doing. Intercept the negative thoughts, opinions, and reasoning that supports your negative outlook. Replace negatives with positives. Change your programming, Stick with it. Do not give up.

Wisdom: If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought. Peace Pilgrim

Spiritual: (NIV)

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.  Psalm 31:24

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; Proverbs 3:5

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:13

If we really understood how much God loves us, we would overcome being pessimistic.  It we really understood how great God is and how much He wants us to succeed at life, we would a have better outlook. If we allowed the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our lives, there would be no way for us to fail, and we would start raising our expectations. We would expect more out of life and we would start receiving what we expected.

Prayer:  Help me to have high expectations and strong faith, and help me to be all that I can be.

Negativism

Pessimistic outlook, gloomy and dreadful attitude, doubtful, the lacking of hope and positive expectations

Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have. D. Carnegie

Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power.  Shirley MacLaine

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.  Willie Nelson

 Negativism is a poisonous toxin doing great harm to many of us .It affects attitude, outlook, disposition, and significantly affects all aspects of our lives as well as the lives of those around us. It is a tremendous handicap. It robs us of any chance at joy and happiness. Overcoming a negative attitude toward life is one of the most important things we can ever do. Influencing others to do the same is also a very noble mission.

    When we think of negativism, they are some individuals who will come to our mind. Hopefully, we are not one of them. They are mostly unhappy and miserable and tend to spread misery and unhappiness everywhere. It is as if they have a dreaded disease which is extremely contagious and will willingly spread its germs to everyone they contact. It is one of mankind’s greatest plights. It is often said, “It only takes one negative to overcome the benefits of ten positives.” This wise saying gives us some idea of negativism’s tremendous undesirable influences. A great example of where negativism thrives is in the workplace. Many can relate to this. It is a breeding ground for this disease. Many succumb to this dreaded influence while they are at work. They may arrive at work feeling on top of the world. It does not take long for them to lose their positive outlook. Negatives bread negativism. We are especially vulnerable when we dislike or even hate our jobs.

    Negativism can have disastrous effects in our relationship with our spouse, children, and friends. We have a natural adversity to avoiding being around negative people. They bring us down and harmfully affect us. We are well advised to minimize the harm they do to us. We should avoid being one of these people!

     Choosing to be negative is a choice. We are responsible for our decisions. The way we live is affected by the choices we make. Giving in to a negative outlook is a cop-out; it is choosing unhappiness and misery; and is mental laziness with undesirable consequences. We do not have to live this way. We are made in such a way that we have it within us to choose a more positive approach. Life is what we make of it. Choosing a positive approach rather than a negative approach and sticking to this way of life will pay positive dividends.

Challenge:  Are you a negative person and exude negativism? Always? Often? Sometimes? Not only do you cause yourself harm, you cause harm to others. You can be cured of this disease. First, you have to admit to it and then you must commit to doing something about it. You have to choose between the opposite poles of negativity and positivity. This is one of the most important life changing decisions you can ever make.

Wisdom:  Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will. Zig Ziglar

Spiritual: (NIV)

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. 1 Timothy 1:7

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:13

The more we can understand God’s love and good desires for us, the more we should be positive in our approach to life. As we walk closer and closer with God, we will have increased power and reason to replace negativism with positivism. We will have more and more confidence that we have nothing to fear, that God is in control, and that He has us safely in his hands. It will give us the power to live life with confidence.

Prayer: Help me to avoid negativism in my life. Help me to be positive, a good witness and good example.

Resolve

Firmness; determination; commitment; courage for a purpose or a cause

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. Benjamin Franklin

You may be whatever you resolve to be. Stonewall Jackson

Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you. Denis Waitley

   Having “resolve” means not giving up or changing our mind. We stick it out. Our purpose and our goal are clearly defined and there is nothing that will prevent us from achieving it. We have a fixed purpose.

   Great rivers have “resolve”. The Mississippi River knows where it is going. There is no stopping it. Creeks, streams, and other smaller rivers all join together to make it a mighty force. It twists and turns and continues to flow unceasingly until it reaches its destination. The concept behind the word “resolve” implies a “stick-to-itiveness that is unstoppable. Resolve means there is a focused and fixed determination that does not know how to quit or give up. In the Terminator movies, the robot from the future is programmed with a resolve to find and kill John Connor. Every time it is seemingly defeated it finds a way to get back up and continue the pursuit. The only way to stop it is to totally destroy it. Resolve carries with it a goal that has to be achieved. Thomas Edison is a tremendous example of resolve, history records that he conducted as many as ten thousand failed experiments until he successful developed the light bulb.

   People with resolve cannot be defeated. They get up when they fall down; do not take “no” for an answer; whatever obstacles come their way, they find a way to overcome and go forward. People with resolve will ultimately accomplish their tasks. They stick with it no matter what and eventually they succeed. Most of us can use more resolve to help us overcome some obstacles in our lives. We need something to help us to go forward despite our difficulties. The more resolve we have the more unstoppable we become.

    People of accomplishment have learned to use resolve as a tool. They know once they have resolved to get something done, they unleash that something “extra” within that fixes on finding and doing whatever is necessary to finish the task. Most of us have used resolve numerous times in our lives to get vital and important things done. It is a tool and a skill worthy of our mastery. With it there are very few things that are beyond our reach. We can accomplish much more than we thought we ever could. There is little that can stop us once we really resolve to get it done.

Challenge: To increase you resolve you must decide to do so. You must have a burning desire. Decide that it is time to overcome and succeed. Imagine and visualize. See yourself as being on the other side of success. Do you really want to get it done, whatever it takes? What are you willing to do to accomplish it? How much energy, physically and emotionally can you direct toward it? You have just strengthened your resolve. Go for it! Do it!

Wisdom:  Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe can be achieved. Napoleon Hill

Spiritual: (NIV)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

The grass withereith, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.  Isaiah 40:8

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7

The concept of resolve is very powerful. God’s will, in a since, is a type of “divine resolve”. Whatever God wills or resolves is certain. His sovereignty along with all his other attributes makes this absolutely certain in every way. In our limited ability to understand all of God’s greatness, if we can but grasp, even on a minimal basis, how great our Heavenly Father is. We will find increased resolve to live life more victoriously and joyously.

Prayer: Help me to have “resolve” in my life that I might become more of what You want me to be.

Procrastination

Putting off things needing to be done, finding reasons for failing to take action

Procrastination is the thief of time. Edward Young

How soon ‘not now’ becomes ‘never’, Martin Luther

Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday. Napoleon Hill 

   Procrastination is one of our top detrimental habits preventing us from achieving our goals and developing our abilities. It is like a shackle that chains us to where we are and prevents us from making significant progress in our life. Procrastination is a form of stealing from our self.

   Few of us do not suffer from some form of procrastination. Some of us are so good at it we should write a book on it. It is a very harmful behavior that costs us dearly. When it comes to bad or destructive behaviors we have no problem in admitting to such things as smoking, excessive drinking, over-eating and not exercising as being harmful to our well-being. It is easy for us to see the consequences of our actions or lack of actions: poor health, overweight, lack of energy and so forth. We see these things in ourselves and observe them in others. These bad habits constantly remind us as to the consequences of continuing to engage in them. We are procrastinating.

     Some of the damages done by procrastinating are more difficult to see. In many respects, the consequences of procrastinating rather than being visible are not readily seen and easy for us to ignore. Things never done are not the constant reminder that they could be. Such things as not getting additional education, more training, starting a savings account, avoiding credit cards and paying off debt do not hound us as much as they could because better choices never existed in the first place. This lack of actions result in such things as not advancing in our careers, not having the financial success we could have had, being under the stress of constant debt and so much more. They will eventually come to haunt us in the form of regrets and thoughts of what might have been.

     Anything that we do or do not do, knowing that we should do them or should not have done them; and then failing to take the appropriate action is procrastinating. We mean to do the right thing, but we do not, and we continue to suffer the consequences of our poor choices and lack of action. We are procrastinating.

     Overcoming procrastination has immediate payoffs. Anytime we take action to reduce bad habits or to engage in good habits, we are taking significant steps to move ourselves forward in our lives. 

Challenge:  Taking action is a cure for procrastination. Look in the mirror, engage in soul-searching self-talk. Talk with friends or loved ones. Be honest and come to grip with areas in your life where procrastination robs you and prevents you moving forward. Make a stand, declare war, and “draw a line in the sand”. Every time you  make a conscious choice to not procrastinate and take positive steps forward you have had a significant victory.

Wisdom: Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy. Wayne Gretzky

Spiritual: (NIV)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Proverbs 13:4

Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

It is easy to get lost and complacent in the pressures of daily life. We are easily lulled into accepting status quo and losing our initiate and giving in to laziness. It does not have to be this way. The more we keep our eyes on God and look to him for strength and guidance; He will lead us away from bad habits, procrastination and our laziness. He created us to do and to accomplish. We should be agents of change, not snails of “slothiness”.

Prayer:  Help me be aware of areas in my life where procrastination prevents me from being where I should be.

Motivation

The ability to convert strong desires and reasons into definite actions toward achieving goals, tasks, and objectives

Never, never, never, never give up. Winston Churchill

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice. Wayne Dyer

People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents. Andrew Carnegie

  Motivation is a mental force that enables us to take action. It is something we must have if we are to accomplish very much in life. Those that are motivated get things done. The unmotivated are the underachievers, the complacent, and the dissatisfied.

    We can either be positively or negatively motivated. A “burning desire” motivates us to take action to achieve or even to avoid. For some the onset of a heart attack or diabetes provided sufficient motivation for them to quit smoking, improve their diet, and to start exercising. The desire to prolong their life provides sufficient incentive for them to take necessary actions. Motivation can be powerful enough to convert wishful thinking into action.

     When we used the word “motivated” it implies action that is being directed toward getting something accomplished. Many of us are accomplished at daydreaming and possibility thinking about all kinds of “what ifs”. The problem is that thoughts without actions will only stay thoughts and never be anything more. It takes something more than thoughts, visions or imagination to turn mental energy into something physical or tangible. The missing ingredient that causes this to happen is the focused energy that comes from being “motivated”.

    Those who are able to motivate themselves have what it takes to get things done; they are the “doers”. They are inspired, driven, and compelled to rise to a higher level. Those that are able to motivate others are the leaders. They inspire and encourage others to get things done. People who are motivated are a powerful force.

    Some have the ability to motivate themselves more easily than do others. All of us are capable of being motivated if there is a “sufficient enough reason why”. Few people looking out their windows and seeing a tornado bearing down would find it difficult to be motivated enough to jump up and get themselves and their family into safety. On the other hand, how many of us have sufficient motivation to stop overeating and start exercising to have healthier lives.

     Most of us have unused potential lying dormant inside us. It will stay there until we are sufficiently motivated to turn it into dynamic action. If we want something bad enough, have a strong enough desire; there is very little we cannot do and accomplish. We have what it takes to do so much more than we have done.

Challenge:  Do you have problems with motivation? You must decide what issues and reasons are holding you back. Being able to motivate yourself is one of the most important things you can do. Any success in increasing your motivation results in tremendous benefits. What are the doubts, fears and limiting beliefs holding you back? Visualize the end result or the reward that will give you strong enough reasons. Turn on your motivation.

Wisdom: Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be. Karen Ravn

Spiritual: (NIV)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

For God does not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; Proverbs 3:5

If you were to be guaranteed you cannot fail, and it was a guarantee you believed to be sufficiently valid, what would you do differently in your life? Would you find yourself more motivated? Would you have fewer fears and doubts? Would you have more self-confidence? Would you have more energy and more “reasons why not”? God gives us this guarantee. You must believe that he is able, willing, and faithful to carry it out. Act in faith.

Prayer:  Help me to look to and to depend on you. Help me to walk down the path you have intended for me.

Mental Roadblocks

The barriers that our minds place in the way of our progress

Obstacles aren’t roadblocks, they’re stepping stones. Jeffrey Benjamin

The person who removes a mountain begins by removing small stones. Chinese Proverb

Removing mental roadblocks is fundamental to achieving success, joy and happiness.  Randall Burkhalter

   There is much about life that is analogous to long journeys or road trips. There is a beginning and there is a destination or an end. Some of us travel through life with some sense of mission and purpose and do have a destination in mind. Others are more or less along for the ride, and wherever the road happens to go. It is where we find ourselves at any one moment. Whether we are driving ourselves or are letting life drive us, we find ourselves facing roadblocks, detours, pot holes and other distractions and hindrances all along the way.

    Whether we are proactive or passive in how we manage life’s journey, one of the things we must contend with is the mental roadblocks we choose to put in our own way. The thing about mental roadblocks is they are self-imposed. We are our own bad guys. On the surface, on the outside looking in, how ridiculous this sounds. We are guilty of sabotaging, delaying and disrupting our own life’s journey. If we were aware of an individual, or adversary doing such things to us, we would take actions to defeat them and prevent them from doing so.    

    Yet, most of us are guilty of self-sabotage regularly and consistently. It is somewhat like Wiley Coyote and the Roadrunner. Each of us has a Wiley Coyote in us. He is our inner self, part of our self-image, in many ways our chief adversary. Our inner version of Wiley spends time and effort and goes to elaborate means trying to harm our outer self, the Roadrunner. What would it be like if our Wiley actually became supportive and cooperative? What would it be like if he changed his job from chief adversary to our helper and advocate?

     Life is tough enough because of naturally occurring roadblocks that happen all along the way. We will have enough roadblocks without adding our own. It is in our best interests for us to stop putting our own mental roadblocks in our way. This requires spending quality time in thought and self-introspection. It requires being aware of our own self-sabotaging behaviors, being honest about the things we do, and our bad choices. We have to be aware of our fears, doubts and limiting beliefs, anything that sabotages our true potential. It requires having more personal commitment and a deeper sense of purpose to our lives.

Challenge: A good attitude about life requires active management. If you are not doing this, you are being too passive or just reactive to life’s circumstances. It is up to you to take charge and be proactive or be a victim and accept whatever happens. Having a proactive attitude puts you in control and enables you to defeat the Wiley Coyote tendencies inside you. Your life’s journey will become a little smoother with fewer delays and obstacles.

Wisdom: Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you. Denis Waitley

Spiritual: (NIV)

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

Often, if not most of the time, we are our own worst enemies. We continue to impede and to sabotage our quality of life as well as the level of success we should have. We do this by doing things not in our best interests; by our bad decisions and by our lack of courage and conviction, and by not living up to our own expectations. In our own strength, we fall short over and over again. God is always there to help us do better, if we will but ask him. 

Prayer: Help me to have the courage and strength of purpose to stop placing mental barriers in my own way.