· Nita Holleman, Thrashed By The Wind
Love the Opportunity
Somebody said you have to love what you do, but that's not
necessarily true. What is true is that you have to love the opportunity. The
opportunity to build life, future, health, success and fortune. Knocking on
someone's door may not be something you love to do, but you love the opportunity
of what might be behind that door.
For example, a guy says, "I'm digging ditches. Should I love
digging ditches?" The answer is, "No, you don't have to love digging ditches,
but if it is your first entry onto the ladder of success, you say, 'I'm glad
somebody gave me the opportunity to dig ditches, and I'm going to do it so well,
I won't be here long.'"
You can be inspired by having found something; even though you
are making mistakes in the beginning and even though it is a little distasteful
taking on a new discipline that you haven't learned before. You don't have to
love it, you just have to learn to appreciate America, appreciate opportunity
and appreciate the person who brought you the good news; that found you.
Appreciate the person who believed in you before you believed
in yourself, appreciate the person who said, "Hey, if I can do it, you can do
it."
If you will embrace the disciplines associated with the new
opportunity you will soon find that your self-confidence starts to grow, that
you go from being a skeptic to being a believer. And soon when you go out person
to person, talking to people, you will find it to be the most thrilling
opportunity in the world. Every person you meet - what could it be? Unlimited!
Maybe a friend for life. The next person could be an open door to retiring. The
next person could be a colleague for years to come. It's big time stuff. And
sometimes in the beginning when we are just getting started we don't always see
how big it is.
So, before you are tempted to give up or get discouraged,
remember all success is based on long term commitment, faith, discipline,
attitude and a few stepping stones along the way. You might not like the stone
you are on right now, but it's sure to be one of the stones that lead to great
opportunities in the future. I wish for you a life of wealth,
health and happiness; a life in which you give to yourself the gift of patience,
the virtue of reason, the value of knowledge, and the influence of faith in your
own ability to dream about and achieve worthy rewards. Generously contributed by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business
Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com. Copyright © 2003
Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide. 
· Rose Kennedy, Times to Remember
Storm Chasing
The storms come. And my life has taken up residence in Tornado Alley. Whether or not I am prepared, there I stand in the face of a threatening wind and wonder how I will endure or even survive it. I had thought I was prepared, but I didn't know the winds would be so fierce. My perspective changes. Suddenly life before the storm, as good or bad as it was, is now desperately hoped for as more appealing than my present condition. My powerlessness feels so very real that I pray more in desperation than quiet faith.
Storm chasers place themselves in the path of a storm to learn all they can about storms, especially tornadoes, and upon hearing of an impending twister, will jump into their vehicles and race off to find the best place to be, where they can gather the most information. At great peril to their own life, they wait, they watch, they endure howling winds and flying debris, to measure and experience the destructive power of Nature. They wouldn't have it any other way. There is no other way, for them. There are other ways for me. My preference is to watch from the distance, but I don't always know what is best for me.
Real-life storms definitely demonstrate something. As if tornadoes are a bit of gardening done by Nature, a little tilling and clipping. Trees experience a new surge of life force and growth after a radical pruning. Nature renews herself by breaking holes in the canopy so the sun can reach the forest floor. When I grasp the metaphor of a violent storm whipping the trees, throwing down limbs and knocking over unsteady specimens, I'll understand the necessity of the storms that blow through my own life.
Storms are often the cause of ships sinking while at
sea. One property of ship engineering is called "righting
moment." Righting moment refers to how far a ship can go over on its side and
still return upright. In this respect, I am like a ship. Storms in
life, much like high winds or heavy seas, can batter me, but if I have a
favorable righting moment, I will always return to center. That is
where the concept of balance in my life becomes most important.
Taken in
broader terms, the storms I face in my life might be the wrench
thrown into the mix to stimulate a reaction, a reexamination of
where I want to go. The writer James Michener once said, "The job of an
apple tree is to bear apples. The job of a storyteller is to tell stories." What
is my real job in life? The strategy is to consider where my life is
going, and whether or not the current storm is blowing me in the right
direction.
Storms in life can be a fearsome process because they bring overwhelming lack of control. I try to see, through the storm, some new potential or capability being liberated in me because of this chaos and unpredictability blowing all around me. When the storm is over, however, new possibilities that can enrich and increase my world will present themselves. If I can stay focused on the potential good, I won't feel so much personal loss in the course of the changes that the storm has brought into my life.
No, I don't think I should go out there, chasing down the storms so I can be there when they hit. I'll prepare, I'll wait right here and "take delight in whatever sunlight remains" to me. And when the storm does show up, I will steady myself and stand fast, ready to grow.
Peace and Light, Michael
email: Michael@N-Spire.com - or,
send your 
to me right now!
