Developing your will power is directly related to your success in life. No one can over-estimate the power of your will to do.

Most people do not fail because of a lack of education. History is filled with uneducated or poorly educated millionaires who didn’t let this supposed shortcoming hold them back. On the contrary, what they may have lacked in education was obliterated by their overpowering will to succeed, no matter how many times they failed along the way.

It is the lack of determination and will power that is the true reason so many people fail. Just as an athlete trains for a physical game that takes concentrated effort, the mind must be trained with the proper skills to win in life.

The process of obtaining this self-mastery — the complete command of your mind’s powers — is a gradual one. It involves determination and the daily task of making it a habit. Once you have self-mastery, the cost of obtaining it will bring a real sense of accomplishment and a realization how minimal the cost really was in the long run.

You don’t need to be a genius to succeed — just make yourself do the thing you need to do when it has to get done, whether you like it or not. This is one of the best lessons you can learn.

When Henry Ward Beecher was asked how he could accomplish so much more than others, he replied, “I don’t do more, but less than others. They do all their work three times. Once in anticipation, once in actuality, and once in rumination. I do mine in actuality alone, so I end up doing things just once.”

Beecher could concentrate his mind on what he was doing at a given moment. Then he’d go do something else and concentrate on his new task. One of the secrets of a successful life is the ability to focus all of our energies on one thing at a time.

Don’t waste time worrying as it only crowds your thoughts with worthless clutter. Focus on what you’re doing when you’re doing it, and stop worry before it stops you. Worry is an energy vampire. It reduces your chances for success and it can make life miserable for those around you.

Learning to focus your efforts is the only way you will achieve the success you’re capable of achieving. The earlier in life you learn this simple fact, the more likely you will overcome everything that slows you down and prevents you from reaching true success in everything you do.

Here’s a recipe for a wasted life — just go about every day trying to do too many things all at once. Splitting yourself up into a hundred little parts leads to nowhere.

Yes, there are some people who like to juggle a number of tasks, and they may be good at it, but for most of us the need to concentrate on one task at a time is imperative to getting the job done. It’s not the amount of work you get done in a day or week or even a year, but it’s your persistence in constantly moving forward that will get you where you want to go.

Keep at it! And remember …

Focus, Focus, Focus.

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One of the biggest problems today is that most people are not happy.

We look for external stimuli to make us happy. We expect our significant other to make us happy and divorce her or him when they do not. We expect our children to fulfill our dreams for us and are disappointed in them when they do not. We expect money to solve all our problems and make us happy, then, we can’t understand why it doesn’t once we have it.

How many times have you heard someone say, “I will be happy when…”?

I will be happy, once I am married.

I will be happy, when I get a promotion.

I will be happy, when my children are grown and I’ll have more time for myself.

Pages and pages of examples could be given.

Another way to view this statement is, “I will do this, when that happens.” Have you ever made that type of statement? I hear people say it all the time. You are making your happiness contingent upon an external event.
Happiness is not an external thing. Even once you have something external, the happiness it brings you is short-lived. For example:

You have waited for that special relationship. The significant other is great, but you still have a negative attitude. You were happy during the initial stages, but now it seems routine.

You have always known that a promotion would get that new home for which you and your spouse have been waiting. You got the promotion, the money is great, and you buy that home. After the beginning the excitement wears off, things go back to the same routine, just in a different house. Your happiness falls back to your previous feeling before the promotion.

You and your spouse knows that you will be happy, once the children are grown. You will not have to work so hard to provide for the family, and you will have more time to enjoy your relationship and home. Well, the children have grown up, but they can’t afford to live on their own. The children are still living at home…for free!

Look at all the time in the examples above that people wasted not being happy! Then, when they got what they were waiting for, the happiness was fleeting. Again, it’s because happiness cannot be gained from anything external.

THE SECRET TO BEING HAPPY

It’s incredible how many books have been written on the topic of being happy. Yet, so many people are not. Do they not read the books? There are people who read such books all the time and are still not happy.

With so many unhappy people in the world, being happy must be an extremely difficult thing to achieve.

Haven’t you known or met that person who always has a great smile on their face, a smile in their voice, and a skip in their step? You want that too…don’t you?

So what is the secret to finding happiness?

Believe it or not, the secret is known!

It is easy to do - no complicated actions.

It is quick to do - no long-term procedures.

You can do it anywhere - no special requirements or equipment are needed.

Anyone can do it!

The secret?

Determine yourself to be happy!

It’s an internal process.

True happiness that lasts is an internal process. Nothing from outside  can make you happy or unhappy. As in any situation, your reaction determines whether the event is stressful for you or not. It is the same with happiness.

If upon waking each morning, you state strongly to yourself, “I am happy today”, then you will be. Whenever you encounter stress, just mentally reaffirm, “I am happy today”, the stress will be there, but your reaction will be minimal.

That person who always wears a smile and has a skip in his step, seldom experiences stress the same way you do. He is happy, and being happy allows the stress to roll off his back better.

So, make your determination every morning.

Tape affirmations that say, “I am happy today” all over your home and at work.

Say it aloud to yourself often throughout the day, especially on those days with many problems. Continue to say it, until you believe it.

Then, put a smile on your face and confront the outside world. When you are happy, you have the world in your hands!

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Forgetting things can help you go from failure to success. Most people would say it is remembering things that would help you succeed. Although that is true, there are many things we need to forget. What you need to forget are your past sins and bad things others have done to you. If you do not forget these thoughts, they will hold you back and even cause you to live a miserable life.

Paul, one of the outstanding figures in the New Testament says in Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.

For Paul, this was an amazing feat. Recall that Paul, before being saved, persecuted Christians and was a major factor in many of their deaths. Just imagine how these memories could have haunted him. But Paul learned how to forget supernaturally. How did he do that? How do we do it?

Paul gives us the answer in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience…”.

We are guided through life by our thoughts. What you think about will direct what you say. What you say will direct your actions. When you have thoughts that come against you, you need to do what the Bible says to do. Cast down those thoughts and replace them with what God wants you to think about.

To help with this process, here are three things to remember.

First, your sins are none of the devil’s business. The devil will remind you of your past sins and will even try to get you to think it is God reminding you of them. Rebuke the devil, resist him and he will flee from you.

Second, when you confess your sins, God will forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Many times you will confess your sins but you do not feel that you are forgiven. God never lies, so if He says he has forgiven you, then you are forgiven. It is your feelings that are lying to you.

Third, begin to eradicate the memory of it by speaking the Word. Do what Jesus did. Say, “It is written …” and say what God has to say about it. Find verses in the bible that addresses your situation and say those verses out loud. Do not just read them, say them out load. Your words are more powerful than your thoughts.

You have to do this aggressively. You cannot just sit there and let your thoughts control you. You may have to say it and say it and say it. You can rid yourself of the thoughts of past sins and of those old hurts you have had with people, but you must take action.

Train yourself to control your thoughts and take a step toward a more victorious life.

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Have we forgotten how to be grateful? Maybe you are asking, “What do I have to be grateful for?” Be grateful for the small things in life. If you ate breakfast this morning you are better off than the 800 million people worldwide who will go hungry today.

Most of us underestimate the power of gratitude. As we constantly strive to add more and more to our lives it is easy to forget about being grateful for things and talents we already possess. Making gratitude a habit will enrich your whole outlook on life, even in the most turbulent circumstances.

What we focus on grows. The more we focus on what we appreciate, the more we will have to appreciate!

Gratitude is a learned skill that must be practiced daily to develop its full potential. Practicing gratitude does not require elaborate rituals or a huge amount of spiritual awareness; simply taking a few moments to note every time something goes right is enough.

At first this may take a conscious effort, but as the habit takes root, seeing things to be thankful for becomes as natural as breathing.

Although grateful people tend to be happier people, being grateful is not the same as being happy. When life is turning out all wrong, being grateful allows you to focus on that ray of sunshine coming through. It allows you to take an honest look at a situation and say, “even in this there is reason to hope.”

Do not confuse being grateful with settling for less. Gratitude should never interfere with your efforts to improve and grow. Expressing gratitude simply gives you a better outlook on life, making it easier to attract the true happiness you deserve. By focusing attention on what is going right, more things work out for the best.

Be grateful even for the trials in life. Your trials are what made you the person you are today. It is those very same trials that made you strong enough to cope with the difficulties in life.

A big problem in today’s world is that we have been conditioned to think we have to live a certain way, look a certain way and have certain things just to maintain a status quo. If we don’t then we should be dissatisfied. While dissatisfaction can be a great motivator, without action or personal effort it only leads to frustration, anger and bitterness.

Grateful people have a way of looking at the misfortunes and failures in their lives and turning them into opportunities. These opportunities may not be readily apparent at first, but when the pain and frustration have passed, there they are. Every cloud has a silver lining if only we take the time to look.

You don’t have to wait for good things to occur to express gratitude. Gratitude does not mean jumping for joy about everything in your life, but rather, that you see and take note of whatever is put before you. It means taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, whether presented as fortune or misfortune.

Enhance your life. Take a few moments right now and actively notice things you can be grateful for.

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Life gives us many opportunities to improve, but whether we do or not depends on our effort. Once a week a person should sit down and examine the progress he/she has made towards achieving a set goal. If goals have not been reached then honest examination must be undertaken to discover the reasons why. This must be followed by extra determination that these goals will be met next time.

Do not worry or become stressed if you do not always achieve your goals, remember you’re only human. However it is imperative that you dissect why you failed, were they genuine reasons beyond your control or simply excuses? If the answer turns out to be excuses then double your resolve and effort that they will not stand in your way the next time.

Always remember that the harder the goal you set yourself the greater the reward, not just in reaching the goal but in personal development and inner belief, making the next goal you set yourself that little bit easier. Do not be afraid of hard goals as these will bring you more reward than half a dozen smaller triumphs.

Too many people who fail when trying to achieve a goal become defeated and believe they just do not have what it takes. Nothing could be further from the truth. What they do not understand, or have not fully grasped, is that all they need is to instill within themselves a little extra determination, an honesty with themselves why they failed, and then to have another go.

The secret to success is to always try to improve yourself - no matter what life may throw in your path. Sure, there will be obstacles, however, do not view them as insurmountable, be gritty and work around or over them. Everyone really wants to do something, but there are few that will put forward the needed effort to make the necessary sacrifice to secure it. There is only one way to accomplish anything and that is to go ahead and do it. A person may accomplish almost anything if they just set their hearts on doing it and let nothing interfere with progress. The “bigger” the person the smaller the obstacle appears. The “smaller” the man the greater the obstacle appears. Always look at the advantages you gain by overcoming obstacles, and it will give you the needed courage for their conquest. Look back at obstacles you have overcome and realize that the present obstacle will soon be added to the list.

Winston Churchill summed up all the above in two sentences:

“Never give in — never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

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Don’t we all want to be successful? In life? As a person? In your career, job, business?

The fundamental law of human achievement is the law of belief. It suggests that you always behave in a manner consistent with your beliefs. If you believe you are a Roman Catholic, then you are. If you believe you are a Buddhist, you are. If you believe you can ride a bicycle, then you can ride a bicycle. Even if you can’t ride a bicycle as long as you believe you can, but if not then you will persist in failing until you can actually ride. Unfortunately, once you decide you can’t ride a bicycle, then you can’t. Even though we are all capable of riding a bicycle, once you believe you can’t, you can’t.

You then suffer from the self-limiting belief that you just cannot do it. Your belief is not based on fact it is just a belief. Even though our self-limiting beliefs are not based on fact, we always behave in a manner consistent with our beliefs. If you believe you can drive a car, be creative, set goals, implement a successful life strategy, or marketing strategy, sell well, negotiate, be a leader, understand the financial implications, manage your time well, etc., then you can master all these skills.

Even if at the present time you have not mastered these skills, as long as you believe you are excellent, then you will make the necessary efforts. You will set goals, design a personal development plan, and set personal and family goals and resolve to pay the necessary price.

Another vitally important aspect of the law of belief is that you can believe anything that you want to believe. You can believe that you are brilliant at marketing, selling, finance, relationships and time management. You can believe that you are successful in business. You can believe that you are a millionaire. As long as you truly believe, then you will hang on to that belief, despite setbacks, until your beliefs become your reality. Without a doubt, your beliefs are your reality.

Make a decision to adopt beliefs which are consistent with achieving your goals. All successful people have beliefs consistent with what they want to achieve. Join them! Make a decision to change your beliefs. The beliefs you hold at the moment are largely responsible for the position you hold at the moment. If you change your beliefs, then you change your reality. Changing your beliefs about yourself means changing your self-concept. Your self-concept is your bundle of beliefs about yourself. Make a decision to adopt the self-concept which is consistent with achieving your goals. We get our beliefs from our culture and what other people tell us. When we are little our most significant others tell us things which describe us. If the parent tells the child he is useless he will grow up believing it and manifesting that uselessness in his life. If the daughter was told she is beautiful and sings like an angel, she will grow up believing it whether it is true or not.

Everything starts with ideas or thoughts. Thoughts and ideas become feelings which eventually become beliefs. Your beliefs have a powerful effect on your expectations. Your expectations have a powerful effect on your attitude. If you believe you are destined to become successful then this has a strong effect on your expectations which in turn become very positive. Your positive expectations are translated into a very positive attitude. Your attitude is the major determinant of your success in achieving your goals.

Everything comes back to beliefs. Successful people have the beliefs of successful people; unsuccessful people have the beliefs of unsuccessful people. Make a decision to adopt the beliefs consistent with being successful. Make a decision to shake off self-limiting beliefs and negative emotions. This drains energy and is time wasting. Replace them with positive beliefs and positive emotions. Start now! And belief in yourself!

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A car can only go in two directions, either forward or backward, and like a car, we can move forward or backward in our lives. Our every thought either takes us toward our goals and desires or away, and has a positive or negative effect on the direction of our lives.

Compare your brain to a computer. If a new PC is loaded up with virus contaminated programs would you expect it to run smoothly? Of course not, because you get out of the computer exactly what you put in - your brain is exactly the same.

Your every thought determines the direction of your life. If you are moving backward then take time to analyze your thoughts. Make a determined effort to recognize negative thoughts and treat them as your worst enemy. Try not to dwell on them. Putty can be molded into any shape or form and so too, your life can be shaped and your destiny set by your thoughts.

Remember, the potential for change is the same for everyone. It only takes acceptance of the idea that change is possible coupled with the determination to follow-through. It’s not always easy to control our thoughts, but certainly not impossible, and the rewards can last a lifetime.

There are many books on the subject of self-help, but remember, you must take action to succeed. Your thoughts will not change simple by reading an article or book. You must apply what you learn to your everyday affairs. Allow what you read to awaken the possibility of change within you, then take action.

One of the most beneficial practices for positive thinking is to look for the “good” in everyone and everything. Remember to encourage others everyday by a kind word or deed and be ready to offer (or receive) compliments.

Find opportunities to put the power of your positive thinking to work. For example, you might be standing in a long line at the supermarket checkout. Rather than get upset, do your utmost to help-out and encourage others with a kind word or compliment. You will be surprised at the positive reaction and at how many people will bless you with a wonderful smile in-return.

Taking the time to notice others and look for the “good” in every situation will not only life your spirits, but will brighten the day for everyone around you - it’s a win-win situation to be sure. There are a 1001 ways to look for the good in others, be they family, friends or those you may only meet once. So, get the lead-out, get rid of those negative thoughts and become a winner.

Begin today to change your thought patterns one step at a time. Set yourself a goal for the week or month and devote full attention to controlling your thoughts. Start with at least one hour each day and increase the time as your confidence and thinking improve. It is a habit that needs nurturing and a habit you’ll come to cherish.

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No one will disagree that modern life can get insanely busy – if we let it. Are we too busy though? How comfortable are we when we don’t have anything to distract us? Are we content when we’re not accomplishing something, moving ahead in our goals or helping others? Is our sense of worth tied to our busyness? Are we a slave to recognition? Are we lonely when we’re by ourselves? It is important not only to reflect upon such questions but to decide to behave differently.

Perhaps we could set aside five minutes of ‘thinking time’ a day. Some people might just ‘be’ while others may choose to meditate or pray. We might also do well to engage in a solitary activity from time to time or even develop a hobby that we quietly enjoy ourselves. Instead of only reading work-related journals, we should read outside of our area of expertise and read for pure pleasure.

Many of us are performance-oriented and driven by success and competition. We should acknowledge that one day we may be at a loss to know what to do with ourselves when our career is over, retirement beckons, or perhaps we become physically unable to actively pursue the same interests. Can we still be happy even when we’re not busy? We need to slow down and savor life – not rush through it and miss so much potential beauty and happiness along the way. It is entirely possible to discipline ourselves to slow down and be more fully present in each human interaction and each solitary moment of our day.

Being fully present is impossible if we are constantly rushing about, going over our ‘to do’ list or mentally reviewing the meeting we just left. To be fully present is to give 100% attention to the task at hand or to whomever we’re talking. It means maintaining a comfortable degree of eye contact, verbally showing comprehension and asking open-ended questions. Applied to family life, trying to slow down and be more present brings irreplaceable rewards. The dignity of each family member is recognized and deeper relationships result. The next time your child or a young person asks for attention in some way be reminded that nothing is more important or sends a message of love more than willingly giving them your time. It’s a gift of self.

Do not miss the truly important parts of life by being too preoccupied and busy. Slow down! Resolve today to:
• Look for the beauty around you
• Begin to read a book for pleasure
• Spend some quiet time alone
• Listen better
• Spend some time visiting with family and/or friends

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Depression is believed by the medical profession to be the most prevalent disease of our time. The fear of developing heart problems or cancer alone is enough to cause tremendous stress and accompanying depression. There is a tremendous malaise circulating our world today. Both the medical profession and the media are constantly “warning” us of the dangers and probabilities of different diseases, some of which seem more than likely to shorten our life span. For instance, if there is cancer in your family, you’re most likely going to get it! And of course, if cancer is not threat enough there is always the West Nile virus, Bird flu, AIDs and a host of other diseases to frighten us…

One thing is for sure, we will never hear the end of calamities that are likely to beset us, whether from disease or some other form of challenge we may face. It seems inevitable that there will always be “something” that will get our blood pressure soaring.

So, what is the answer to this problem? How can we carry-on with our lives without being constantly afraid of what lies around the next corner? Here are several suggestions about how to effectively deal with life’s challenging situations:

1) Seek interpersonal support

People need other people, and there are many good and practical ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Exercise, good nutrition and positive thinking are great antidotes. These not only help relieve the angst; they actually give us a sense of empowerment over our lives.

2) Seek spiritual guidance about spoken words

The Bible tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. Words can both bless and curse (James 3). Negative words can evoke fear, anxiety and actually produce negative effects in a person’s life.

Whenever a word is heard - any word - the mind paints a picture of it. For instance, when someone says “black cow” immediately you will see that cow in your mind’s eye. Although words are not tangible, they have the power to bring about emotional and physical change! Remember - The Bible teaches that the earth was created by the Word of God! Now that’s real word power!

We all have a choice when it comes to listening and what we hear. We can choose to empower ourselves by listening to positive words and encouraging thoughts or we can do otherwise. Think about the last time you listening to some of your favorite music…Did your feet start tapping? Did you start to hum the melody? Didn’t your mood lighten-up a bit as a result of hearing the melody and the words? Negative words almost always produce negative results, whether seen or unseen. On the other hand, positive words instill a sense of well-being. A mere smile and a quick, happy-sounding, “Have a great day!” can instantly produce good feelings and joy.

3) Develop a “thankful” attitude.

Thankfulness is one of the greatest virtues. A wise man once said that if we divided a page in two and wrote all our setbacks on one side and all our blessings on the other, we would find that the blessings far outweigh the negatives. The Bible teaches us to give thanks with a grateful heart for all things. Don’t look back on past hurts, nor fret about tomorrow. Live “today” to the fullest…choose joy and thankfulness.

In conclusion, remember that our thoughts respond to what we feed the mind through our senses. Therefore, it naturally follows that happiness is a choice. This may be a foreign concept to many of us at first, but when applied, the results can be truly amazing! Break the habit of feeling trapped in a world of negative thoughts and decide to switch-on the power of positive thoughts, today.

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Have you ever spent much time thinking about the significance and meaning of life? Are there times when life just doesn’t seem to make sense? Does life often seem purposeless?

Do you sometimes feel like you are floating in the middle of the ocean struggling to keep your head above water? Or at times does your life seem like a three-ring circus that is out-of-control?

Several years ago, a young man we will call Bill ran a poll to discover what it was people most wanted out of life. And the results were rather surprising. The things people most wanted out of life were not money, houses, and cars.

What people most wanted in life were peace, love, and joy. Three things that money cannot buy.

Now, if you are like most people then most likely you are looking for meaning, purpose, peace, joy, and love in your life also. You too probably sense a void deep within that you have not been able to fill no matter how hard you try.

Fortunately for you, the answer is much closer than you thought possible. By now you probably know what…or rather who the answer is. Right?

Before the ‘Answer’ showed up about two thousand years ago, a man arrived on the scene who proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

And soon after, the ‘ANSWER’ appeared…bringing the hope that so many desperately struggle to find.

If you need help and hope…simply call upon the NAME that is above every other name both in heaven and on earth…the name of Jesus.

Now, pay close attention to what God (Jesus) says here in His word:

“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.” James 4:8

And…

“When I close up the sky so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, or send a plague among my people, if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14

Look! It just cannot get any clearer than this. God has already taken the first step toward giving you the peace, love, joy, and everything else you desire to be happy. Only He can fill the void that you sense in your life. Only He can give you the purpose and the meaning you search for in your life.

Do not wait another minute. Seek Him now. He is waiting for you!

God says in His word, “And you will seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

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