The Exotic Animal Story

This story jolted me. I didn't know what hit me. But it launched me into a search for my own direction faster than the other motivational speeches I've heard.

Photo Credit: 'Born to be free' by Catalina Olavarria

Here's the story.

John, a well-to-do adventurer, maintained a personal zoo as his personal passion. The zoo contained all the exotic animals a wild adventurer could ever wish for. Only select friends could come and appreciate these animals with him.

Here Are Two Quick Ways to Move Forward

Stuck? Can't move forward? There's a kingpin in your life right now that you need to move and the rest follow.

Tell yourself, "What have I been thinking? This clown can't hurt me! I'm calling this person now."
Photo Credit: 'The Cook and the Clown' by Yersinia

Among the many options available, there's one that unclogs everything, if not at least a few major things and gets you moving once again. It's called the kingpin. Be a master in finding the kingpin and you master the art of keeping things in motion.

There are two good areas to start looking: your fears and your tolerations.

Greatest "Fake it 'til you make it" Tips of All Time

Some people in history have abused it. Now most of us think it's faking, or outright lunacy. But the few who understand the power of visualization to pursue that which is good are the ones who get things done and achieve their dreams today. Don't you want to be one of these privileged few?

People dream of money, yet they feel a bit at a loss when asked, "What do you plan to buy or have with that money?"
Photo Credit: "$20,000" by Johnny Vulkan 

1. Drop your questions about the power of visualization and just embrace it

No one has an explanation about the power of visualization and to most people that is enough proof that this thing is lunacy. Well, there's no explanation for gravity either. I mean, scientists have measured gravity and studied its behavior; but do they have an anatomy of gravity? Can the scientists recreate it?

It isn't just gravity. Here's one more ...

If You Don't Pick the Right Vehicle, You'll Hate Yourself Later

Just know where you are and where you're going, then take the right vehicle. Soon, you'll get there.

Habits are a vehicle to a destination. They are where the "rubber hits the road" so to speak.
Photo Credit: Ferrari 355 F1 GTS by Gerrit's in Motion

A Ferrari is a great car. I still have to meet anyone who doesn't want a Ferrari. It is sex appeal and performance rolled neatly into one.

Imagine the great smell of its interiors, your hands gripping the steering wheel and the sound of its engine as you breeze past everything with style. But then somewhere along the west coast of America you would stare at the horizon and helplessly exclaim, "This beautiful thing can't bring me to Hawaii!"

Revealed: Why You Think, Feel and Act the Way You Do

The way you think, feel and act today all started in your childhood. You may find that hard to believe. But truth can be empowering.

How we have grown up has a lot to do with how we think, feel and behave today. Simply knowing that is already empowering.
Photo: "The Joys of Childhood and Summertime" by UGArdener

When you got out of your mother's womb, it wasn't just your physical body that got out of there. Deep in the caverns of your brain are electrical impulses coming from an intangible thing called the mind and the soul, the conscious and the subconscious, or what Sigmund Freud would call the id, ego and super-ego.

Whatever you choose to call them, they too were born and were reared up, along with your physical body. You know this, don't you?

What Are Your "Non-Negotiables"?

An equally important aspect of setting your life purpose is to define the non-negotiable things in your life. Some define that as family, or faith, or integrity. Others define it as freedom, power and prosperity. How do you define your non-negotiables?

Non-negotiable things in your life are like Stop signs that prevent you from going to places of absolute regret.
Photo Credit: "Stop" by Frank Fani

Non-negotiable things in your life are things you would never exchange for anything. You wouldn't want anyone to touch it. When someone wants to take it, you'd say, "Over my dead body, Mister!"

Some call these things as principles. Some call it values. Whatever name you call them, they're absolutely not for sale! No compromises.

Who Else Wants to Get Rid of Prejudices?

It felt like I was caught with my pants down. I was in the seminar room with around 50 other people. The instructor told everyone a story then quizzed me.

Martin Luther King did it for the African Americans. You can certainly do it for yourself, regardless of the color of your skin. Say, "Today, I stop judging myself by my skin but by the strength of my character."
Photo Credit: "I Have a Dream" by Tony

The story went roughly this way. Father and son went on a drive and met a terrible accident. An ambulance quickly brought them to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. The resident doctor rushed to the surgeon saying, "Doctor, the son has to be operated immediately or he would die."

The surgeon ran to the emergency room but froze in front of the operating table. He told the nurses, "Sorry, I can't operate him. He's my son."

Who was the surgeon?