Processionary caterpillars travel in long, undulating lines, one creature behind the other. Jean Hanri Fabre, the French entomologist, once lead a group of these caterpillars onto the rim of a large flowerpot so that the leader of the procession found himself nose to tail with the last caterpillar in the procession, forming a circle without end or beginning.
Through sheer force of habit and, of course, instinct, the ring of caterpillars circled the flowerpot for seven days and seven nights, until they died from exhaustion and starvation. An ample supply of food was close at hand and plainly visible, but it was outside the range of the circle, so the caterpillars continued along the beaten path.
People often behave in a similar way. Habit patterns and ways of thinking become deeply established, and it seems easier and more comforting to follow them than to cope with change, even when that change may represent freedom, achievement, and success.
If someone shouts, “Fire!” it is automatic to blindly follow the crowd, and many thousands have needlessly died because of it. How many stop to ask themselves: Is this really the best way out of here?
So many people “miss the boat” because it's easier and more comforting to follow — to follow without questioning the qualifications of the people just ahead — than to do some independent thinking and checking.
A hard thing for most people to fully understand is that people in such numbers can be so wrong, like the caterpillars going around and around the edge of the flowerpot, with life and food just a short distance away. If most people are living that way, it must be right, they think. But a little checking will reveal that throughout all recorded history the majority of mankind has an unbroken record of being wrong about most things, especially important things. For a time we thought the earth was flat and later we thought the sun, stars, and planets traveled around the Earth. Both ideas are now considered ridiculous, but at the time they were believed and defended by the vast majority of followers. In the hindsight of history we must have looked like those caterpillars blindly following the follower out of habit rather than stepping out of line to look for the truth.
It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of people ever really get the word about life, about living abundantly and successfully. Success in the important departments of life seldom comes naturally, no more naturally than success at anything — a musical instrument, sports, fly-fishing, tennis, golf, business, marriage, parenthood.
AUthor : Earl Nightingale
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Some Inspiring Quates
- “All that we are is the result of what we have thought.”
- Gautam Buddha - “You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”
- George Bernard Shaw - The power of imagination makes us infinite."
-John Muir - "No great man ever complains of want of opportunities."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson - “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.”
- Pamela Vaull Starr - "No great man ever complains of want of opportunities."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson - “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”
- Zig Ziglar - "First say to yourself what you would be;and then do what you have to do."
-Epictetus
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Positive Attitude Makes Life Positive
“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”
- Winston Churchill
"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."
- Abraham Lincoln
"Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.”
- William James
“A problem can not be solved with the same consciousness that created it.”
- Albert Einstein
“Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can't be done.”
- Bo Bennett
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
- Scott Hamilton
“Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thoughts, and habits can be acquired. An action repeated becomes an attitude realized.”
- Paul Myer
“Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us.”
- John N. Mitchell
- Winston Churchill
"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing."
- Abraham Lincoln
"Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.”
- William James
“A problem can not be solved with the same consciousness that created it.”
- Albert Einstein
“Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can't be done.”
- Bo Bennett
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
- Scott Hamilton
“Attitudes are nothing more than habits of thoughts, and habits can be acquired. An action repeated becomes an attitude realized.”
- Paul Myer
“Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us.”
- John N. Mitchell
Monday, March 23, 2009
Some Positive Thinking Quotes
One of the redeeming things about being an athlete is redefining what is humanly possible."
- Lance Armstrong
"Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress."
- Nicholas Murray Butler
"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence."
- Helen Keller
“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”
- Herm Albright
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.”
- Willie Nelson
“For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else”
- Winston Churchill
“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Lance Armstrong
"Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress."
- Nicholas Murray Butler
"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence."
- Helen Keller
“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”
- Herm Albright
“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.”
- Willie Nelson
“For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else”
- Winston Churchill
“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
Friday, March 20, 2009
Giving and Receiving : Circle Of Kindness
The Circle of Giving and Receiving
Anonymous giving and acts of kindness can lead the giver to a very lonely place in the universe. Like the Lone Ranger or some other disguised hero, we do kind things all the time and so often the people on the receiving end don’t see it or don’t recognize it.
Living a life of altruism, in its most ideal form, means setting the ego aside and not doing what we do for credit. Usually, I have no problem with this at all. But there are those days, perhaps when I’m feeling a little weak or drained, where I find myself feeling lonely with it all, feeling like I’m giving, giving, giving, to a world that is in super receiving mode and asleep to what’s being done for them. I get a little discouraged.
Even idealized heroes had their inner circle of friends who knew who they really were and what their life was all about. The Lone Ranger had Tonto. Batman had Robin and his butler, Alfred. You get the picture. Being truly altruistic means we do what we do without expectation for credit or recognition. Otherwise, it’s not truly altruistic. But at some point, we have to be good receivers to continue to be effective givers.
I remember shortly after my first child was born that my wife and I reached a point where we were really struggling to make ends meet. We both had jobs but the pay was very meager. We were both doing work that we loved doing and we were really caught up in the magic of being new parents. But a financial reality burst our bubble one day.We had nothing left in savings, and bills that were due, some overdue, could not be met.
We talked with other people about our dire circumstances. We got a lot of sympathy but we were still feeling a lot of stress and not coming up with any solutions. And then it happened. I opened the front door one morning and found a plain white envelope tucked inside the screen door. Inside the envelope was $100 dollars. I felt this tremendous sense of energy swell up within me, surrounding me like a great, warm comforter. Some kind soul anonymously gave what felt like an awful lot of money to me then. They obviously didn’t want credit for their generosity and to this day I’ve never known for certain who it was.
In those days, that $100 would have just about paid for a month’s rent. And even though it wasn’t enough to make good on all of our bills, receiving the money gave us such a sense of relief and humbleness to be blessed by some great kindness of a friend who wanted no credit from us whatsoever. We made it through that dark time, not so much from the money we’d been given, but by realizing how powerful an act of anonymous generosity can be.
I’ve paid that act of kindness forward over and over many times. And even being the veteran giver that I consider myself to be, my mind still swings like a pendulum between the extremes of totally selfless giving and the need to receive something in return occasionally. Despite the back and forth energy of the momentum that is created, my sense is that I am ever moving forward through a world that often feels thankless and uncaring. I am constantly aware that there have probably been countless occasions when I have been the receiver of many acts of kindness from others who may have been aware of what they were doing even though I was asleep to their gift.
I am committed to being more awake to what’s going on around me and to showing my gratitude whenever possible for any act of kindness given, even if it’s as small a thing as someone holding open a door for me. Living a life of kindness is like breathing: for every breath out, there has to be a breath back in. That isn’t about ego. It’s about staying alive and being fully human. Now, let’s get back to it. Hi, ho, Silver, away!
Author : Unknown
Anonymous giving and acts of kindness can lead the giver to a very lonely place in the universe. Like the Lone Ranger or some other disguised hero, we do kind things all the time and so often the people on the receiving end don’t see it or don’t recognize it.
Living a life of altruism, in its most ideal form, means setting the ego aside and not doing what we do for credit. Usually, I have no problem with this at all. But there are those days, perhaps when I’m feeling a little weak or drained, where I find myself feeling lonely with it all, feeling like I’m giving, giving, giving, to a world that is in super receiving mode and asleep to what’s being done for them. I get a little discouraged.
Even idealized heroes had their inner circle of friends who knew who they really were and what their life was all about. The Lone Ranger had Tonto. Batman had Robin and his butler, Alfred. You get the picture. Being truly altruistic means we do what we do without expectation for credit or recognition. Otherwise, it’s not truly altruistic. But at some point, we have to be good receivers to continue to be effective givers.
I remember shortly after my first child was born that my wife and I reached a point where we were really struggling to make ends meet. We both had jobs but the pay was very meager. We were both doing work that we loved doing and we were really caught up in the magic of being new parents. But a financial reality burst our bubble one day.We had nothing left in savings, and bills that were due, some overdue, could not be met.
We talked with other people about our dire circumstances. We got a lot of sympathy but we were still feeling a lot of stress and not coming up with any solutions. And then it happened. I opened the front door one morning and found a plain white envelope tucked inside the screen door. Inside the envelope was $100 dollars. I felt this tremendous sense of energy swell up within me, surrounding me like a great, warm comforter. Some kind soul anonymously gave what felt like an awful lot of money to me then. They obviously didn’t want credit for their generosity and to this day I’ve never known for certain who it was.
In those days, that $100 would have just about paid for a month’s rent. And even though it wasn’t enough to make good on all of our bills, receiving the money gave us such a sense of relief and humbleness to be blessed by some great kindness of a friend who wanted no credit from us whatsoever. We made it through that dark time, not so much from the money we’d been given, but by realizing how powerful an act of anonymous generosity can be.
I’ve paid that act of kindness forward over and over many times. And even being the veteran giver that I consider myself to be, my mind still swings like a pendulum between the extremes of totally selfless giving and the need to receive something in return occasionally. Despite the back and forth energy of the momentum that is created, my sense is that I am ever moving forward through a world that often feels thankless and uncaring. I am constantly aware that there have probably been countless occasions when I have been the receiver of many acts of kindness from others who may have been aware of what they were doing even though I was asleep to their gift.
I am committed to being more awake to what’s going on around me and to showing my gratitude whenever possible for any act of kindness given, even if it’s as small a thing as someone holding open a door for me. Living a life of kindness is like breathing: for every breath out, there has to be a breath back in. That isn’t about ego. It’s about staying alive and being fully human. Now, let’s get back to it. Hi, ho, Silver, away!
Author : Unknown
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Inspirational story : Life is an Echo
A son and his father were walking in the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh! !!"
To his surprise, hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh! !!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this echo, but really this is life. It gives
you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspect of life; life will give you back everything you have given to it."
-- Author Unknown
To his surprise, hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh! !!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this echo, but really this is life. It gives
you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspect of life; life will give you back everything you have given to it."
-- Author Unknown
Monday, March 16, 2009
What's Love?
When you are together with that special someone, you pretend to ignore that person. But when that special someone is not around, you might look around to find them.
At that moment, you are in Love.
Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh, your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone.
Then, you are in love.
Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back, to let you know of their safe arrival,
your phone is quiet. You are desperately waiting for the call!
At that moment, you are in love.
If you are much more excited for one short e-mail from that special someone than other many long e-mails,
you are in love.
When you find yourself as one who cannot erase all the emails or SMS messages in your phone because of one message
from that special someone,
you are in love.
When you get a couple of free movie tickets, you would not hesitate to think of that special someone.
Then, you are in love.
You keep telling yourself, "that special someone is just a friend",but you realize that you can not avoid that person's special attraction. At that moment,
you are in love.
At that moment, you are in Love.
Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh, your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone.
Then, you are in love.
Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back, to let you know of their safe arrival,
your phone is quiet. You are desperately waiting for the call!
At that moment, you are in love.
If you are much more excited for one short e-mail from that special someone than other many long e-mails,
you are in love.
When you find yourself as one who cannot erase all the emails or SMS messages in your phone because of one message
from that special someone,
you are in love.
When you get a couple of free movie tickets, you would not hesitate to think of that special someone.
Then, you are in love.
You keep telling yourself, "that special someone is just a friend",but you realize that you can not avoid that person's special attraction. At that moment,
you are in love.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Miracle Of Friendship
There is a miracle called friendship
that dwells within the heart,
And you don't know how it happens
or how it gets it's start...
But the happiness it brings
will always give a special lift,
And you realize that friendship
is God's most precious gift!
- Author Unknown
that dwells within the heart,
And you don't know how it happens
or how it gets it's start...
But the happiness it brings
will always give a special lift,
And you realize that friendship
is God's most precious gift!
- Author Unknown
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Inspiring Message : Real Treasure To Be Found
Real Treasure To Be Found
If you're always chasing happiness, it will never be able to find you. Relax, simply give happiness a place to live in you, and it will be in great abundance.
When you put conditions on enjoyment, it turns into just another chore. Let go, and sincerely enjoy the miracle that is your life as it comes to you in each moment.
If you become overly attached to specific results, you set yourself up for disappointment and disillusionment. Be ambitious, yet do not be your ambition.
Sometimes, when things fail to go the way you planned, they turn out better than you could have possibly expected. Welcome life's surprises and choose to see the positive value that is in each one of them.
Don't be too quick to place judgments on the people, situations and events in your life. In everything that comes along, there is an opportunity for you to more fully discover and express your true purpose.
Be open to whatever life brings your way. There is real treasure to be found in it all.
- Author Unknown
If you're always chasing happiness, it will never be able to find you. Relax, simply give happiness a place to live in you, and it will be in great abundance.
When you put conditions on enjoyment, it turns into just another chore. Let go, and sincerely enjoy the miracle that is your life as it comes to you in each moment.
If you become overly attached to specific results, you set yourself up for disappointment and disillusionment. Be ambitious, yet do not be your ambition.
Sometimes, when things fail to go the way you planned, they turn out better than you could have possibly expected. Welcome life's surprises and choose to see the positive value that is in each one of them.
Don't be too quick to place judgments on the people, situations and events in your life. In everything that comes along, there is an opportunity for you to more fully discover and express your true purpose.
Be open to whatever life brings your way. There is real treasure to be found in it all.
- Author Unknown
Monday, March 09, 2009
A Smile Knows No Language Barriers
I was visiting my sister a couple of weeks ago and it was snowing hard, in between bursts of icy raindrops. My husband and I dived into a coffee shop for a quick burst of heat. Sitting there watching the rain run down the window and people battle with their umbrellas all I could focus on was the one girl standing outside of the shopping centre selling a homeless magazine. Her approach wasn't pushy, just to ask if anyone wanted to buy it and then avert her gaze to the puddles on the ground. So many people walked past weighed down by bags of goodies from the sales that I began to feel quite sad.
I sent my husband back to the counter to buy her what I had just enjoyed -- a big hot chocolate with cream. Her smile melted my heart when I handed it over to her. She was foreign so her English wasn't great, but a smile knows no language barriers. I toyed with the idea that maybe just buying her 'what I had' wasn't right and that I should go to ask her what she would like. But then I convinced myself that if I did ask her she might feel less happy to accept and so for a brief moment our lives were one. Ironically though, as she had a smile on her face, I had a tear in my eye - as if we'd swapped lives for a split second.
- Author Unknown
I sent my husband back to the counter to buy her what I had just enjoyed -- a big hot chocolate with cream. Her smile melted my heart when I handed it over to her. She was foreign so her English wasn't great, but a smile knows no language barriers. I toyed with the idea that maybe just buying her 'what I had' wasn't right and that I should go to ask her what she would like. But then I convinced myself that if I did ask her she might feel less happy to accept and so for a brief moment our lives were one. Ironically though, as she had a smile on her face, I had a tear in my eye - as if we'd swapped lives for a split second.
- Author Unknown
Friday, March 06, 2009
Hope
Hope
Hope is with you when you believe
The earth is not a dream but living flesh,
that sight, touch, and hearing do not lie,
That all thing you have ever seen here
Are like a garden looked at from a gate.
You cannot enter. But you're sure it's there.
Could we but look more clearly and wisely
We might discover somewhere in the garden
A strange new flower and an unnamed star.
Some people say that we should not trust our eyes,
That there is nothing, just a seeming,
There are the ones who have no hope.
They think the moment we turn away,
The world, behind our backs, ceases to exist,
As if snatched up by the hand of thieves.
- Czeslaw Milosz
Hope is with you when you believe
The earth is not a dream but living flesh,
that sight, touch, and hearing do not lie,
That all thing you have ever seen here
Are like a garden looked at from a gate.
You cannot enter. But you're sure it's there.
Could we but look more clearly and wisely
We might discover somewhere in the garden
A strange new flower and an unnamed star.
Some people say that we should not trust our eyes,
That there is nothing, just a seeming,
There are the ones who have no hope.
They think the moment we turn away,
The world, behind our backs, ceases to exist,
As if snatched up by the hand of thieves.
- Czeslaw Milosz
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
MOtivational Story : Excellence Is A Drive From "Inside"
A gentleman was once visiting a temple under construction. In the temple premises, he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he saw, just a few meters away, another identical idol was lying.
Surprised he asked the sculptor, “Do you need two statutes of the same idol”. “No” said the sculptor. “We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage”. The gentleman examined the sculptor. No apparent damage was visible.
“Where is the damage” asked the gentleman.
“There is a scratch on the nose of the idol. Where are you going to keep the idol”.
“The sculptor replied that it will be installed on a pillar 20 feet high. When the idol will be 20 feet away from the eyes of the beholder, who is going to know that there is scratch on the nose?” The gentleman asked.
“The sculptor looked at the gentleman, smiled and said "God knows it and I know it ".
The desire to excel should be exclusive of the fact whether someone appreciates it or not. Excellence is a drive from “Inside” not “Outside".
- Jasmine
Surprised he asked the sculptor, “Do you need two statutes of the same idol”. “No” said the sculptor. “We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage”. The gentleman examined the sculptor. No apparent damage was visible.
“Where is the damage” asked the gentleman.
“There is a scratch on the nose of the idol. Where are you going to keep the idol”.
“The sculptor replied that it will be installed on a pillar 20 feet high. When the idol will be 20 feet away from the eyes of the beholder, who is going to know that there is scratch on the nose?” The gentleman asked.
“The sculptor looked at the gentleman, smiled and said "God knows it and I know it ".
The desire to excel should be exclusive of the fact whether someone appreciates it or not. Excellence is a drive from “Inside” not “Outside".
- Jasmine
Monday, March 02, 2009
Motivational Thoughts
The greatest handicap - Fear
The best day - Today
Hardest thing to do - To begin
Easiest thing to do - Finding faults
Most useless asset - Pride
Most useful asset - Humility
Most disagreeable person - The complainer
Great need - Common sense
Meanest feeling - Regret at another's success
Best gift - Forgiveness
The hardest & most painful to accept - Defeat
The greatest knowledge - Experience
The greatest thing - LOVE
The greatest success in the world - PEACE OF MIND
- Jasmine
The best day - Today
Hardest thing to do - To begin
Easiest thing to do - Finding faults
Most useless asset - Pride
Most useful asset - Humility
Most disagreeable person - The complainer
Great need - Common sense
Meanest feeling - Regret at another's success
Best gift - Forgiveness
The hardest & most painful to accept - Defeat
The greatest knowledge - Experience
The greatest thing - LOVE
The greatest success in the world - PEACE OF MIND
- Jasmine
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