Maria Duval - What do you mean, Impossible?

What do you mean, Impossible?
On our mindset. I believe it affects everything we do, including our attitude towards financial planning. Impossible is Just a Word. Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or financially independent? Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that �" dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our attic. This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing. But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher. The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one can do this. However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment. Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does. On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations. If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream. If your advice financial planning facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don't let important advice financial planning information slip by you. Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another header, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’ Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’ As of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’ As you iterate through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all. You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic. Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned. On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities. Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think -big dream, and not some easily accomplished one. Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That is as true as it can be. So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible. There's a lot to understand about advice on other stuff, including financial planning. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

Andrew Chan has extensive years of experience in the training and life insurance industry. Visit http://learning-focus.com for more info.

A Source of Inspiration
A light was on in one office, even though most of the other offices had been dark for hours. The manager continued to work in the silence of the empty building, reviewing reports, studying numbers, responding to messages and emails that others would not read until the next morning. There was so much to do, so many responsibilities and so many decisions that would wait for the manager's guiding hand. The silence was broken as the manager was startled to see one of the employees standing at the door. The employee knocked hesitantly, one foot in the office and the other still in the hallway. "May I come in for a moment?" asked the employee. "Of course," smiled the manager, leaning back in the chair. "What are you doing here so late?" "I had a lot of work to do and I wanted to catch-up," said the employee. "If I get behind then it could impact our customers, and I don't want that to happen. It's my responsibility, and I want to take care of it. I know that's what you would do." "You're probably right," the manager said with a laugh. "So what made you stop in here?" The employee approached the desk, sat down in one of the chairs beside it and said, "I wanted to ask you a question." "Go ahead." The employee began, "You always work so hard, and you always take care of us. You come in early. You stay late. No matter how much you have to do, you always take time to talk to any one of us when we need you. You are so busy taking time for us during the day that you have to stay late at night to catch up on your own work. Yet, you never complain. You make us want to work harder and do better, and you give us every opportunity to be successful. You are an inspiration to the rest of us, so what inspires you?" The manager's eyes widened, "Wow, well that was quite a surprise. I appreciate the kind words and admit that you completely caught me off guard." "Well?" persisted the employee, "What is your source of inspiration?" The manager was silent for a moment, carefully contemplating the response. Then the manager stood up and said, "follow me." As the manager and the employee walked down a row of cubicles, the manager started to point into them one by one. The cubicles belonged to the colleagues of the employee. "This person is a single parent and comes to work each day to support two children. Those children need someone to look up to, someone to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. This person doesn't work for me, this person works for them." The manager paused at the next cubicle and said, "This person is a grandmother who is working days so she can pay for her college education at night. She doesn't need a degree and it won't make any difference for her career. She is already past retirement age and she could quit at any time. She wants that degree to make her children proud and to give her grandchildren someone to look up to. She doesn't work for me, she works for them." The manager moved to the next cubicle and said, "This person is overqualified for the job. It would be easy to leave for another company, probably get a promotion out of it and earn better pay. Why doesn't this person leave? After eleven years working with the same group of people, it is like a family. This person doesn't work for me, this person works here for all of you." The manager paused at the next cubicle and said, "This person has a family to support. Two kids in school, a mortgage, two car payments, and a whole host of obligations that comes with taking care of a family. Needless to say, you know that this person doesn't work for me." The manager pointed down the line of cubicles, "That young man is engaged to be married, and he is saving up to buy their first home. That next person has a daughter in college. The next one wants to build a career out of this experience. The one after that wants to be a musician and only does this job to earn enough money to pay the bills." Walking into the corridor, the manager paused and smiled as the custodian came around the corner. "This person barely speaks our language, but comes to work every day when everyone else has gone home. More than half of the money earned will go to family members who do not even live in our country, while this person keeps only enough to pay for food, shelter and transportation here every day. This person comes into my office and takes away my trash, not for me, but because it is what needs to be done to earn the money that goes to a family that lives hundreds of miles away." "And then there is you," said the manager with a big smile. "You have your own reasons for coming in here every day. When I need a source of inspiration, all I have to do is look around me. I am surrounded by it. Inspiration comes from recognizing what is important to the people around you and making it your own. If I can feel the dedication that these people feel for their children, for their families, for their hopes and dreams, then I have all the inspiration that I need. They are inspired by their own sense of purpose, and I am inspired by them. Just as you believe that you are inspired by me, I am inspired by you." ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "Inspiration may be a form of superconsciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness - I wouldn't know. But I am sure it is the antithesis of self- consciousness." - Aaron Copland "Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation." - William Arthur Wood "Keep your fears to yourself, but share your inspiration with others." - Robert Louis Stevenson ______________________________________________________ About the Author: John Mehrmann is a freelance writer and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital. www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com provides resource materials for trainers, sample Case Studies, educational articles and references to local affiliates for consulting and executive coaching. http://www.InstituteforAdvancedLeadership.com provides self-paced tutorials for personal development and tools for trainers. Presentation materials, reference guides and exercises are available for continuous development.

John Mehrmann is a freelance author, industry expert and President of Executive Blueprints Inc, an organization dedicated to developing human capital and personal growth.

Blank Page
I refuse to be a blank page A page that people - anyone really Can write on daily Write what I should - no -let me correct that - must say, do, go, and be It's awful I refuse to be a blank page To wake up every morning Waiting. . . Waiting for someone - anyone really - to give me meaning To define who I am Tell me how I should be How I should carry out this day ... Existing as the me that I already am I refuse to be a blank page longing to be written upon It doesn't matter where to a blank page; any little spot will do A blank page craves that first drop of ink, that first stroke of a pencil - anything which will make it unique I will scribe my own tale - be it fiction, romance or action - as I'm compelled to do I will use my own letters, quotes, musical notes And line through my mistakes because they are mine to make I will add my own jot, dot ... or maybe not Rhythm, beat, it's all my sheet Stencil pencil, sonnet, verse ... It's mine so there's no need to rehearse I may choose a different color ink, marker, shade or glue But know this: the person making these choices will be me - and not you There may be days that I choose to leave my page ... [This page intentionally left blank] Did I lose you? All you had to do was turn the page; I was right here I will have blank pages in the multiple pages of my life That's Okay because, it's my life and I will choose those pages That is my point completely Do I sound bitter? I am not So I hope not Because there are many pages that I share with others Just like there are roles, functions, responsibilities, and goals that I share because of, and for others That does not mean that I allow these to take me over I move in and out of these roles I turn my pages, I write my verbiage, I dialogue, and I move on I refuse to be a blank page for others to write upon and dictate for a transcription machine to methodically take over my pages without my realizing what has happened I need to know - I need to recognize what has taken place before that dictation becomes control There are times when I may meet someone - a special someone, or maybe just perceived as that special someone I may loan my pen or pencil to this person I may give them a page in my book and allow them access to write freely They write, draw, color, sketch - they may even be poetic, cry, pen a song, or just stroke the page Touching it . . . gently . . . But then they turn ... I never said, 'Turn' That following page has not yet been touched It was Blank It was mine! And access had not been granted Why? Because I refuse to be a blank page for anyone, ever ... anymore [This page intentionally left blank] The end By Demetra Reid 01/24/05

Demetra Reid Is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Born to Janice Beard and Willie Adams II, she is the middle child to an older brother and younger sister. Demetra is a Registered Nurse. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, and her Master’s of Science in Health Care Administration. Currently, she is the Director at an insurance company and practices as a Certified Case Manager. She has served in this capacity for more than 10 years. Demetra Reid is also the CEO and founding member of http://www.myspace.com/womeneo She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her only child, Kala, and her two little doggies, Pongo and Precious. Demetra considers writing to be both an outlet and a necessity. She makes reference to the story of the talents in the New Testament: "If the Lord blesses you with a gift, it shouldn't be buried, but rather used for the Glory of Him. Rejecting the written words of another is one thing; burying the words within you for fear of not being accepted, is another. I choose the former with hope that the words will at least be read. Therein lies the dream of any writer.”

Are Your Thoughts Right for You?
Do you spend a lot of time choosing what is and isn’t right for you? Whether it’s your clothes, job, mate, friends, kids, hobbies, diet or exercise you can expend a lot of energy trying to make the right choices life choices. Yet, how much effort do you devote to choosing what really rules your world and shapes your reality �" your thoughts?

Most people either aren’t aware of their thoughts or allow their thoughts to have free rein, which usually shows up as worrying about what you don’t want or what’s not right for you. What do you think about? Consider that your thoughts become beliefs, beliefs become actions and actions become your reality. Would it be worth your while to spend even a little bit more time choosing the thoughts that are right for you?

Here are five simple steps you can take to make sure your thoughts are right for you:

1. Don’t worry about whether your thoughts are negative or positive. A lot of energy is wasted on trying to think positive to overcome negative thoughts, which only gives power to the thoughts that aren’t right for you in the first place.
2. Don’t resist your thoughts. Another source of wasted energy is resisting undesired thoughts. What you resist persists and resisting undesired thoughts will only magnify them.
3. Realize that nothing is permanent especially your thoughts. Try observing your thoughts rather than reacting to them. This will free you from your thoughts and in turn open you up to the possibility of creating new thoughts.
4. Stop and listen to your thoughts and write them down. Writing down your thoughts will give you insight into what your current thoughts are. This allows you to detach from your thoughts and objectively consider whether or not they are right for you.
5. Ask yourself what you want to create in your life? Rather than focusing on ridding yourself of the thoughts that aren’t right for you, ask yourself, “What do I want to create in my life?” Write down a list of 5-10 things you want to create (begin each item with I have…) or write in free form about the life you want to experience (begin with I am…). By focusing on what you want to create in your life, your thoughts will become right for you and the life that is right for you will follow.

As you follow these steps, don’t be too hard on yourself or judge the process. Unrealistic expectations or harsh self-judgment will allow the thoughts that aren’t right for you to resurface. If you aren’t getting what you intended to create, simply notice what you have created and check to see if there is a connection between your thoughts leading up to that moment. Then, repeat these steps until you begin to notice a shift to what you do intend to create and your thoughts. An ongoing practice of creating will transform your thoughts and your life over time if you simply stick with it.

© 2007 Bring U to Life, Inc. For more information on how to create the life you desire, visit www.bringUtolife.com.

WithInAsThru You �" The Real Power You Are!
The buzz these days is all about "self-help" and "personal growth." However, many teachers would have us forever seeking something outside of us in order to change or become, when actually the opposite is true. How many times have we heard, "the world is changing"? Or, "things are different now." Well, change is an eternal truth. And the clearest truth of all is that the world is changing WithInAsThru You!

How would you live your life differently if you truly understood that you're already the answer to ever question you've ever asked? Would you show up differently each day? Would you treat others differently? Would you even be the same person if you believed - really believed - that you are the source of your own happiness, health and success?

Nothing in your life is ever happening to you. Your life, as you live IT, IS occurring WithInAsThru you. The path to enlightened living is formed by taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Everything that is experienced, attracted, felt and observed occurs with, in, as and through every one of us. Your life, as you live it, is occurring withinasthru you.

The idea of WithInAsThru may be new to many people, but parallel concepts have been around for centuries. Every great teacher that has ever lived has taught that the key to personal awareness lies in finding the source within our selves. It has been called many things: ecstasy of silence, contemplation, inner reflection and meditation. But whatever name it goes by, the intended result is the same: a deeper connection to one's own self.

Withinasthru holds profound implications for your life and your future. It has attracted thousands of minds to the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters (http://www.WithInAsThru.com) because of its irresistible simplicity.

The first step is to open your mind. Make your desires clear and begin to create with what you already have withinasthru you. Open your mind and trust that whatever you conceive, whatever you know, whatever you produce, has always been in you, has always been you. You created it long before you became consciously aware of creating it.

While many people are spending their money, time and energy trying to change who they are, the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters offer simple and practical systems such as writing and meditating that celebrate who you already are.

Stepping into unfamiliar territory can be daunting, but remember that no enlightened idea ever came out of routine thinking. The WithInAsThru yoU! Letters is a series of letters offering simple perceptual techniques to keep your thinking on track, as well as recordings and links to other sites that can help you get comfortable with new ideas and processes. There are individual phone sessions available, as well as inspiring thoughts and inspirations.

Go here now to subscribe to the WithInAsThru yoU! Letters: http://www.WithInAsThru.com

Remember, you've been the answer to every question you've ever asked because your life, as you live it, is already occurring withinasthru you. Now isn't it time you stepped into your real power?

Scott Kiere – Spiritual Wisdom & Direction, Social Entrepreneur, Visionary Strategist & Poet – (http://www.ScottKiere.com) is Co-founder of MECA Communications, Inc. and serves on the board of directors for Social Venture Network. Scott’s eZine, "WithInAsThru yoU! Letters" is available at http://www.WithInAsThru.com.