First, Take the Plank Out of Your Own Eye - Sunday Inspiration

A young couple moved into a new neighbourhood. The next morning while they were eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbour hanging the wash outside.

“That laundry is not very clean,” she said. “She doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.” 

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbour would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. 

About a month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: “Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this.” 

The husband replied, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

And so it is with life…What we see when watching others, depends on the window through which we look.

When you never fail to spot something wrong with other people, stop and check yourself…it is very likely that you have a similar, perhaps even worse problem, which you should address first…then you can go help your neighbour (that is if they need your help in the first place).

How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?

First, take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Luke 6: 41 – 42 (NIV)

So, have you ever tried to remove a speck from someone else’s eye when in fact you had a plank in yours? Inspire us with your example - leave a comment, please.

First Within, Then Without - An Inspirational Story of Change

 

The Barbers and Hairstylists of the United States were about to have their national convention. They wanted people to appreciate their profession and wanted  to give Americans a better image of their profession. 

They hired a young Public Relations executive to handle the job and help in packaging the convention. 

The young man thought of a very brilliant idea and went to work immediately. He went down town the city of New York, to the slums, and picked up a young man who obviously was a street urchin, who was looking so unkempt, with clothes that were tattered and soiled. His hair was unkempt and his beard dirty. 

The guy listened to the young executive’s offer, and since there was some money involved, they bargained and the area boy agreed to the conditions given.

The young executive took him first to a photographer’s shop and had some snaps of him taken the way he was; dirty and unkempt. Then he gave him a face lift: a steam bath, a shave and a hair cut, and then took him to the photographer for another round of snapshots. But he was not finished. The young executive took the man to town and got him professionally made suits, shirts, ties and shoes. Then he had a third round of photographs snapped.

On the day the convention started, the young executive positioned three life-size photographs of his subject in the lobby of the hotel, so every one who came in saw the transformation that had happened to the man. And he wrote at the top of those pictures, “See what the Barbers and Hairstylists of America can do to a man”. And the story immediately hit the headlines across America.

For effect, the well-suited street urchin was positioned at the hotel lobby to shake hands with people as they came in for the convention. The strategy worked. The campaign was a success. 

The Manager of the Hotel was touched; he fell in love with the young man and decided to do something to help him. He decided to get him a job. He made some phone calls and it was agreed that the man should start work with one of the manager’s friends. So he had an agreement with the man to come back on Monday to resume work.

However, on the agreed Monday, he expected the man all day but he didn’t show up. The next day, there was still no sign of him. When the young man didn’t show up after a month the manager forgot about him.

After some months, they were going through their store, when the manager saw the picture of the man again and then decided to go down to the slum to look for the guy. He had the picture of the guy, and he kept asking but nobody knew the man. Then after one hour it occurred to him that he was holding the picture of the street urchin after he had been cleaned up. So he went back to pick the picture he took before he was cleaned up and within a few minutes the man was located - back in the slums.

The message in the story is this; the Barbers and Hairstylists of America can change the outside of a person in a few hours but if they don’t change the person’s inside, that person has not yet changed. Although the young man was changed outwardly, inwardly he was the same old street urchin.

Source: http://www.successpowermedia.com/first-within-then-without/

The Storm is Over - An Inspirational Story

 

A lady and her father set out on a journey on a wet and windy day. They felt that the journey might be rough and tough but they decided to set out anyway. 

Not too long after they started the journey, they came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, “What should I do?”

“Keep driving,” answered the dad. She was a little hesitant but decided to follow her dad’s instruction, so she kept driving.

However, she noticed that most cars were pulling over to the side, and the storm was getting worse. Once again, she asked him; “What should I do.” “Keep driving,” her father replied.

They drove for another few minutes when to her amazement, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, “I must pull over now, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!” Her father told her, “Don’t give up, just keep driving!”

Now the storm was terrible, but she didn't stop driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out.

Her father said, “Now you can pull over and get out.”

“But why now?” she queried.

“I’ll tell you in a minute,” answered the dad.

After pulling over, her dad got out of the car. “Now look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm. The reason we are here on dry land and are able to look back at the other people still struggling in and with the storm, is because you never gave up, and because you did not give up, your storm is now over”.

This story reminds me of the Eagle. It is said that the eagle is the only bird and creature that does not fear the storm; rather it goes into the storm. 

Why? Because just behind the eye of the storm is sunlight.

While the other birds are running up and down, making noise and absolutely confused, the eagle goes into the eye of the storm and comes out on the other side of the storm.

Everyone may be giving up, but not you!

The strong may even give up but not you!

The bright and talented may give up but not you!

If you keep on, you will get to the other side - where the sun shines!

Remember:

The battle is hottest when it is almost over

It is darkest just before dawn

Behind the storm is sunlight!

 Have a storm-free day.

Maximise your Weakness(es)

There was once a 10 year-old boy who decided to study judo despite having lost his left arm in a terrible auto accident. He registered with an old Japanese judo master and started his lessons. 

The boy was doing well in his training, and so he couldn’t understand why after three months, the master had taught him only one move.

“Master”, the boy said finally, “shouldn’t I be learning more moves?”

“This is the only move you know, but it is the only move you’ll ever need to know,” the master replied.   

Not quite understanding, but believing in the teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the master took the boy to his first tournament, where he easily won his first two matches. 

The third match was more difficult. However, after some time, his opponent became impatient and the boy was able to use his one move to win the match. He was quite amazed at the fact that he was now in the finals in spite of having mastered just one move.

The day for the final of the tournament came and this time his opponent was bigger, stronger and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might be hurt, the referee called for a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the master intervened. No, “he said, let them continue.”

Soon after the match resumed, the opponent made a critical mistake; he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin his opponent down. He won the match and the tournament. He was the champion!

On the way home, the boy and the master reviewed every move in each match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. “Master, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“You won for two reasons,” the master answered. “First, you’ve mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm.”

The boy’s biggest weakness turned out to be his biggest strength after all.

We all have weaknesses. Those same weaknesses, put in the right perspective, and properly channelled, could become strengths.

Maximise your weakness(es).

The Secret to Success by John Maxwell (Video)

There are two great days in a person's life - The Day they are born, and The Day they discover "Why"...

Get Off Your Butt: 16 Ways to Get Motivated When You’re in a Slump

Even the most motivated of us — you, me, Tony Robbins — can feel unmotivated at times. In fact, sometimes we get into such a slump that even thinking about making positive changes seems too difficult.

But it’s not hopeless: with some small steps, baby ones in fact, you can get started down the road to positive change.

Yes, I know, it seems impossible at times. You don’t feel like doing anything. I’ve been there, and in fact I still feel that way from time to time. You’re not alone. But I’ve learned a few ways to break out of a slump, and we’ll take a look at those today.

1. One Goal. Whenever I’ve been in a slump, I’ve discovered that it’s often because I have too much going on in my life. I’m trying to do too much. And it saps my energy and motivation. It’s probably the most common mistake that people make: they try to take on too much, try to accomplish too many goals at once. You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. It’s not possible — I’ve tried it many times. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. I know, that’s hard. Still, I speak from experience. You can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your One Goal.
2. Find inspiration. Inspiration, for me, comes from others who have achieved what I want to achieve, or who are currently doing it. I read other blogs, books, magazines. I Google my goal, and read success stories. Zen Habits is just one place for inspiration, not only from me but from many readers who have achieved amazing things.
3. Get excited. This sounds obvious, but most people don’t think about it much: if you want to break out of a slump, get yourself excited about a goal. But how can you do that when you don’t feel motivated? Well, it starts with inspiration from others (see above), but you have to take that excitement and build on it. For me, I’ve learned that by talking to my wife about it, and to others, and reading as much about it as possible, and visualizing what it would be like to be successful (seeing the benefits of the goal in my head), I get excited about a goal. Once I’ve done that, it’s just a matter of carrying that energy forward and keeping it going.
4. Build anticipation. This will sound hard, and many people will skip this tip. But it really works. It helped me quit smoking after many failed attempts. If you find inspiration and want to do a goal, don’t start right away. Many of us will get excited and want to start today. That’s a mistake. Set a date in the future — a week or two, or even a month — and make that your Start Date. Mark it on the calendar. Get excited about that date. Make it the most important date in your life. In the meantime, start writing out a plan. And do some of the steps below. Because by delaying your start, you are building anticipation, and increasing your focus and energy for your goal.
5. Post your goal. Print out your goal in big words. Make your goal just a few words long, like a mantra (“Exercise 15 mins. Daily”), and post it up on your wall or refrigerator. Post it at home and work. Put it on your computer desktop. You want to have big reminders about your goal, to keep your focus and keep your excitement going. A picture of your goal (like a model with sexy abs, for example) also helps.
6. Commit publicly. None of us likes to look bad in front of others. We will go the extra mile to do something we’ve said publicly. For example, when I wanted to run my first marathon, I started writing a column about it in my local daily newspaper. The entire island of Guam (pop. 160K) knew about my goal. I couldn’t back down, and even though my motivation came and went, I stuck with it and completed it. Now, you don’t have to commit to your goal in your daily newspaper, but you can do it with friends and family and co-workers, and you can do it on your blog if you have one. And hold yourself accountable — don’t just commit once, but commit to giving progress updates to everyone every week or so.
7. Think about it daily. If you think about your goal every day, it is much more likely to become true. To this end, posting the goal on your wall or computer desktop (as mentioned above) helps a lot. Sending yourself daily reminders also helps. And if you can commit to doing one small thing to further your goal (even just 5 minutes) every single day, your goal will almost certainly come true.
8. Get support. It’s hard to accomplish something alone. When I decided to run my marathon, I had the help of friends and family, and I had a great running community on Guam who encouraged me at 5K races and did long runs with me. When I decided to quit smoking, I joined an online forum and that helped tremendously. And of course, my wife Eva helped every step of the way. I couldn’t have done these goals without her, or without the others who supported me. Find your support network, either in the real world or online, or both.
9. Realize that there’s an ebb and flow. Motivation is not a constant thing that is always there for you. It comes and goes, and comes and goes again, like the tide. But realize that while it may go away, it doesn’t do so permanently. It will come back. Just stick it out and wait for that motivation to come back. In the meantime, read about your goal (see below), ask for help (see below), and do some of the other things listed here until your motivation comes back.
10. Stick with it. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Even if you aren’t feeling any motivation today, or this week, don’t give up. Again, that motivation will come back. Think of your goal as a long journey, and your slump is just a little bump in the road. You can’t give up with every little bump. Stay with it for the long term, ride out the ebbs and surf on the flows, and you’ll get there.
11. Start small. Really small. If you are having a hard time getting started, it may be because you’re thinking too big. If you want to exercise, for example, you may be thinking that you have to do these intense workouts 5 days a week. No — instead, do small, tiny, baby steps. Just do 2 minutes of exercise. I know, that sounds wimpy. But it works. Commit to 2 minutes of exercise for one week. You may want to do more, but just stick to 2 minutes. It’s so easy, you can’t fail. Do it at the same time, every day. Just some crunches, 2 pushups, and some jogging in place. Once you’ve done 2 minutes a day for a week, increase it to 5, and stick with that for a week. In a month, you’ll be doing 15-20. Want to wake up early? Don’t think about waking at 5 a.m. Instead, think about waking 10 minutes earlier for a week. That’s all. Once you’ve done that, wake 10 minutes earlier than that. Baby steps.
12. Build on small successes. Again, if you start small for a week, you’re going to be successful. You can’t fail if you start with something ridiculously easy. Who can’t exercise for 2 minutes? (If that’s you, I apologize.) And you’ll feel successful, and good about yourself. Take that successful feeling and build on it, with another baby step. Add 2-3 minutes to your exercise routine, for example. With each step (and each step should last about a week), you will feel even more successful. Make each step really, really small, and you won’t fail. After a couple of months, your tiny steps will add up to a lot of progress and a lot of success.
13. Read about it daily. When I lose motivation, I just read a book or blog about my goal. It inspires me and reinvigorates me. For some reason, reading helps motivate and focus you on whatever you’re reading about. So read about your goal every day, if you can, especially when you’re not feeling motivated.
14. Call for help when your motivation ebbs. Having trouble? Ask for help. Email me. Join an online forum. Get a partner to join you. Call your mom. It doesn’t matter who, just tell them your problems, and talking about it will help. Ask them for advice. Ask them to help you overcome your slump. It works.
15. Think about the benefits, not the difficulties. One common problem is that we think about how hard something is. Exercise sounds so hard! Just thinking about it makes you tired. But instead of thinking about how hard something is, think about what you will get out of it. For example, instead of thinking about how tiring exercise can be, focus on how good you’ll feel when you’re done, and how you’ll be healthier and slimmer over the long run. The benefits of something will help energize you.
16. Squash negative thoughts; replace them with positive ones. Along those lines, it’s important to start monitoring your thoughts. Recognize negative self-talk, which is really what’s causing your slump. Just spend a few days becoming aware of every negative thought. Then, after a few days, try squashing those negative thoughts like a bug, and then replacing them with a corresponding positive thought. Squash, “This is too hard!” and replace it with, “I can do this! If that wimp Leo can do it, so can I!” It sounds corny, but it works. Really.

Source: http://zenhabits.net/get-off-your-butt-16-ways-to-get-motivated-when-youre-in-a-slump/

"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" by Randy Pausch (+ Video)

On September 18, 2007, Carnegie Mellon professor and alumnus Randy Pausch delivered a one-of-a-kind last lecture that made the world stop and pay attention.

It became an internet sensation viewed by millions, an international media story, and a best-selling book that has been published in more than 35 languages.

Read more about Pausch HERE

From DoorMan to Highly Sought Motivational Speaker - The Inspirational Story of Rene Godefroy (+ Video)

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

 

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. 

A recognized authority on performance and change management, Rene has inspired thousands to stretch, push beyond their limits, and go an extra mile. His story of grit, perseverance, courage, and growth through change—one that shatters the ceiling of doubt and fear (of change)—touches the soul and rekindles the spirit. 

His journey began in an isolated and impoverished village in Haiti. As a child, he was often tormented and tortured by malnutrition, dysentery, cholera and other deadly diseases. Too weak to withstand the strong tropical winds in his village, Rene often spent his childhood days on a dirt floor fanning flies off of his face.

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

History is replete with people whose actions radically changed the world. Some are household names and others are ordinary people from obscure corners around the world. Yet, they all have one thing in common: They pushed beyond the frontier of their limits and went an extra mile to achieve stunning results. Rene Godefroy is one of those rare individuals. - See more at: http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy#sthash.CydzqMKQ.dpuf

Read More - Rene Godefroy Living the American Dream: From Impoverished Childhood to CEO http://www.eaglestalent.com/Rene-Godefroy

You Can Live Your Dream - Inspirational Message (+ Video)

It's Not Over Until You Win!

   

Heather Dorniden's Inspirational Message - "Never Give Up"

 

Heather Kampf (née Dorniden; born January 19, 1987) is an American middle-distance runner, who has proven yet again that success and failure are not measured by how you fall, but by how you pick yourself up.

In 2008, Heather was leading the pack during the final heat of the 600-meter race at the Big Ten Indoor Track Championships. There was about 200 meters of the race to go when Dorniden tripped, landing hard on her face. But instead of throwing in the towel, she jumped back onto her feet and began sprinting around the track, rapidly gaining speed. Incredibly, Dorniden managed to zip past her competitors, finally crossing the finish line in first place.

Though the race happened 6 years ago, the athlete's incredible show of perseverance continues to inspire all those who witness it.

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/27/runner-falls-wins-race-heather-dorniden_n_5395232.html?utm_hp_ref=sports&ir=Sports