Thought of the Day! 07-25-2014

Don’t push others around if you have no blisters on your own feet.

Great leaders lead by example and make sure others are cared for before attending to their own needs. When you treat others respectfully and never ask another to do something you would be unwilling to do yourself, you are entitled to the respect of others — and they will freely give it. But you cannot expect others to continue marching until they have blisters on their feet while you ride in the jeep. Leading others means you must be willing to give far more of yourself than you would ever ask from them.

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Thought of the Day! 07-24-2014

You can do it if you believe you can.

It’s called a “self-fulfilling prophecy” when something occurs because we believe it will. The mind is constructed so that it constantly seeks to bring into physical reality the things it thinks about most. Most of us will never realize the tremendous potential we possess — because we are unwilling to believe that we can accomplish things that others believe are impossible. “Impossible” jobs require more effort and greater concentration, but when they are completed, the rewards — both financial and psychic — are commensurate with the effort required. You may not be able to achieve everything you’d like, but you won’t accomplish anything unless you believe you can.

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Thought of the Day! 07-23-2014

Opportunity wastes no effort looking for the person who is wasting time through idleness or destructive action.

Opportunities somehow always seem to gravitate toward busy people who can hardly keep up with those they already have. Logically, it would seem that opportunities would make an effort to seek out individuals who have an abundance of time available, but instead opportunities appear for those who have goals and dreams and a plan for achieving them. We often think of opportunity as a living, moving thing, something that actively seeks out a willing recipient. In fact, the reverse is true. Opportunities are ideas or concepts that exist only in the minds of those who recognize them. When you have no goals or plans, opportunities mean nothing to you. They become opportunities only when you recognize them as ideas that you can implement to help you move toward your goal.

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Thought of the Day! 07-22-2014

The safest and best way to punish one who has done you an injustice is to do him or her a kind deed in return.

People will always respond in kind, even in greater measure than that which is delivered to them. This commonplace need for retaliation can be replaced with a response designed to convert an enemy into a friend. If you get rid of the millstone of pride, you can respond to an injustice with a kind deed. It may take time to make this work, but if you treat those who dislike you with unfailing kindness, they will eventually succumb to your influence and “retaliate” in kind. As Napoleon Hill said, “The hottest coals of fire ever heaped upon the head of one who has wronged you are the coals of human kindness.”

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Thought of the Day! 07-21-2014

If you don’t want your life to be “messed up,” don’t fool around with those who have messed up theirs.

It is a peculiarity of human relationships that it is virtually impossible for one individual to have a lasting positive influence upon members of a group of negative thinkers. Usually, it works the other way. You cannot maintain a positive, productive attitude if you spend all your time with negative people. Those who have wrecked their own lives (and usually blame their misfortune on others) are not the kind of people who will help you achieve success in your own life. Choose your friends and associates carefully, and refrain from complaints about your job, your company, or any individual. Spend your time with positive, ambitious people who have a plan for their lives. You will find that their optimism is infectious.

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Thought of the Day! 07-18-2014

Friends must be grown to order — not taken for granted.

Your friends will be what you make them. If you are the kind of friend who freely gives of your time and always shows consideration for others, your friends will be generous and kind. If you are the kind of person who takes your friends for granted, neither giving nor expecting much in return, you will attract friends who exhibit the same qualities. In friendship, like attracts like. Assess your behavior occasionally to determine what kind of friend you are. Are you the kind of person you would like to have as a friend? Do you freely give more than you expect in return, or are you always asking and never giving? Do you take the time to stay in touch, to remember friends’ special occasions? When you become so consumed with your own interests that you forget about your friends, you are well on your way to becoming friendless.

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Thought of the Day! 07-17-2014

A good fisherman goes out of his way to bait his hook with what the fish prefer — which might not be a bad tip for those who wish to succeed in human relationships.

Just as in a conversation it’s a good idea to listen more than you talk, it is also wise in relationships to think about the well-being of others more than you think about your own wishes and desires. When you constantly strive to treat others in the same way you would like them to treat you, you become a person whom others like to be around, one who commands their respect, confidence, and loyalty. When you learn to manage emotions and your ego, and when you learn to always consider the needs and desires of others, it is inevitable that you will “bait your hook” with kindness and consideration, and catch more friends than you can count.

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Thought of the Day! 07-16-2014

If you have sound character, you will find that you generally do not worry about your reputation.

Thomas Jefferson once said that a majority is one man with the courage of his convictions. If you have the courage that comes from the sincere conviction that you are a person of sound character, an honest, dependable, kind, and caring person, you will never have to worry about what others think of you. If you know in your own heart that you are a good and decent person, you can meet life’s challenges head-on and without fear of what others think.

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Thought of the Day! 07-15-2014

Prayer
Faith is the head chemist of the mind. When faith is blended with thought, the subconscious mind instantly picks up the vibration, translates it into its spiritual equivalent, and transmits it to Infinite Intelligence, as in the case of prayer.

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Thought of the Day! 07-14-2014

Don’t covet the other fellow’s job if you are not prepared to accept the responsibility that goes with it.

How often do you look at those around you and say, “I could do any of their jobs better than they can if I only had the opportunity,” never realizing the price they have paid and the knowledge they have accumulated to earn the right to hold that position? It’s easy to be a Monday-morning quarterback and second-guess the actions of others. But it’s far more productive to recognize the contributions of others and give them the credit for a job well done. If you aspire to a higher level of recognition, demonstrate to others — as well as your peers — that you can be counted upon. The world’s greatest rewards accrue to those who always deliver on their promises.

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