What Should You Expect? (The Best)

People who want better, choose to expect more from themselves. What could we do to improve our situation. The saying is: What we think about, we bring about. What are some of the self improvement products available nowadays?
1. Audio programs - CDs and MP3's One of the most effective learning tools available. You can use this self improvement product to transform commuting time into inspirational personal development and learning experiences.
2. Video programs - DVD's and webinarsThere are also those self improvement Videos and DVD's. Although you may not be able to attend all the seminars and workshops that could have a dramatic impact on your personal development and growth, DVD's and online Videos offer easily affordable access to the wisdom and insights of the best self motivation experts. And all this in the comfort of your own home.
3. Self improvement books & eBooks
Buy a good book on the topic and read it. Most of the classic works of personal development are now also available as eBooks, as are many of the modern greats and bestsellers. eBooks and eAudios are most popular and economical ways to expand both your library and your mind.
4. Shut off negative programming -- such as TV -- all of the bad -- real or fictional about crime and disaster -- and personal and family dysfunction. Quality TV is there. You must choose it. This is very important..!
5. Self improvement coaching & mentoring
Many of the most successful people in the world attribute a large part of their success, both professionally and personally to the positive influence of a leader or coach or mentor.
Choose a leader -- learn -- then do what they do -- pass it on!
Your own personal Coach or Mentor can have a massive positive impact on your enthusiasm and passion for life. Now easier yet with online webinars. Online are now plenty of opportunities to tune in online to live webinars/classes with some top leaders in self-improvement and home-based business. Most of these are offered free of charge.
So is there any good excuse for not joining in and taking your life to the next level? Webinars are so convenient, suitable for us who do not have all the time in the world, and are still high quality teaching. Contact me for details.

Amazing... for those still willing to make more out of themselves.
How many today have quit trying to better themselves?... saying "I am a victim. I'm as good as I'm gonna be. My family and circumstances are holding me back. My lifelong dream is over. I wont I dont I cant invest any in me."
Get a grip! (...quoting my used-to-be teenagers). With all the opportunity choices out there, you who choose positive and pursue good things have no excuse for not going for it.

Choose to be inspired - turn off negativity - pick a positive teacher - learn and apply - choose high goals - expect only the best - amaze yourself - share the results and the attitude. Pass it on!

Sounds like a plan!
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Ralph in SC 864-580-8215

Positivity Challenge For Today....

The Positivity Challenge for today and daily is... Squelch negative thinking as it happens... (Takes practice and effort). Replace with positive energy and non-judgemental thinking.

"The Law of Paradoxical Intent reflects the Law of Magnetism in warning that you'll only get a return of your own negative energy. If you're desperate to make something happen, that repulsive vibration will push it away, turning away the very people and situations that might bring your desired outcome. Your desperation, therefore, creates the paradox-or the opposite-of your original intention, leading you to failure instead of success.
The Universe wants you to achieve all that you desire, and when you align yourself with the Laws of Success, it will do everything in its power to help you on your way-but desperation and urgency are deal breakers. This isn't because the Universe wants to prolong your yearning. In fact, just the opposite is true: It wants you to enjoy your life and engage in a different, higher vibration now-and stop waiting for some vague happiness to come in the distant future. The best energy happens when you let go of urgency and engage in trust, when you rid yourself of despair and choose peace in the present instead.
You simply can't be happy when you're living in dissatisfaction. When you're obsessed with what you don't have, you draw even more lack; you forego present contentment by setting up a list of goals that you have to have in order to be happy in the future. In fact, until you have those things, you feel a nagging sense of unhappiness. You feel as though something's missing, and you can't relax until you fill that void. Instead of enjoying your life and valuing what you have, you spend your time longing for more and constantly striving to get it." (by Sandra Anne Taylor as excerpted at http://choosingprosperity.com).

Are you up to it..?
Is it worthwhile to "promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind"?

If so, then congratulations..! You are an optimist... Pass it on..!

Ralph in SC 864-580-8215

We're Not Alone And Forgotten

"Every once in a while we stumble upon an experience so rare and so out of the ordinary that we know there has to be something we are supposed to learn from it. My lesson came in the form of a hummingbird.
After arriving home on a hot and muggy afternoon this summer, I climbed the stairs to my apartment hoping to find relief from the heat inside. But what I found instead was a hummingbird flying frantically back and forth and it appeared to be trapped on the second level of the building.
At first glance I thought it was merely a large dragonfly. But once I realized what it really was I stood and watched in awe of this tiny creature's aeronautical abilities.
Each time she took her flight she would fly from one end of the building to the other and always come back to the same spot on the wreath hanging from my neighbor’s door. I inched closer and closer to her landing pad, hoping to catch a closer glimpse.
After a few minutes, she seemed to figure out that I wasn’t going anywhere so she stopped attempting to allude me. As she became more comfortable with my presence I was able to get closer to her.
Next, I had the crazy idea to see if this bird would land on my finger. So during my tiny friend’s next trip to the other end of the building I put my hand up near my neighbor’s wreath.
On the first few tries she simply avoided me, flying around or above my hand. But eventually, to my surprise, she actually landed on my finger. And she continued to land on my finger time after time. The more comfortable I felt holding her, I began bringing her up to my face to look at her closely.
I noticed that her eyes were blinking and that she was actually about to fall asleep perched on my finger. Amazingly, I noticed that her tiny little eyes showed no sign of fear or terror. She even began looking at me as if she were trying to figure ME out! Realizing that no one would believe this when I told them (because I scarcely believe it myself!) I ran inside my apartment and grabbed my digital camera. I returned outside and the bird continued to land on my finger.
So I held my camera out in front of me and snapped several pictures in order to preserve this unbelievable experience.
I’m not even sure what gave me my next idea but I decided to try to walk her down the stairs since she seemed to be so lost. And once again the first couple of tries failed but on the third try she patiently stayed on my finger as if desperation had taken over her tiny body. We reached the bottom of the stairs and yet my winged friend stayed with me a few moments more…long enough that I was able to snap a few more pictures.
She stayed with me until a car pulled up into the parking lot near us and startled her. But she immediately flew directly back to my neighbor’s hummingbird feeders which had drawn her there in the first place.
Once the experience was over I could hardly believe what had just happened.
So the next day I began researching hummingbirds in order to find out whatever I could to bring some meaning to this experience.
I discovered that hummingbirds are not afraid of any predators, which explained the lack of fear I saw in the bird’s eyes. I found that they have even been known to chase off eagles!
Throughout this experience, I couldn’t help but be reminded of something I had read in Dr. Wayne Dyer’s book, Inspiration: Your Ultimate Calling. The passage I’m referring to comes from the chapter entitled “The Language of the Spirit.” In this chapter Dr. Dyer discusses how we can recognize when our “Spiritual Source” (or God) is trying to teach us something or to get in touch with us. He points out that we often dismiss God’s messages to us because they sometimes come in a rather inconspicuous manner.
Dr. Dyer suggests that God sometimes communicates with us through seemingly “inexplicable alignments,” such as alignments with 1) feelings, 2) nature, 3) events, and 4) people. “Noticing the same folks showing up in different settings, running into people we haven’t seen in awhile after we’ve just heard their names mentioned, and repeatedly seeing an individual’s name in magazines, on television, or at the local bookstore” are all examples of God’s way of speaking to us through alignment with people.”
But it was the story Dr. Dyer shared about his personal experience of aligning with nature that I was reminded of by my hummingbird friend. Dr. Dyer states, “Everything in nature is in-Spirit – it isn’t spoiled by ego, nor can it ever be. So when nature speaks to us, we should listen intently. When a wild bird touches us, for instance, or a fish brushes by when we’re swimming in the ocean or lake, I believe that it’s a direct communication from our Source of Being. Since these creations of God instinctively keep their distance, when they depart from their DNA patterns to actually contact us physically, I think we should pay attention.”
I have even had “alignments” with events since this occurrence to encourage me to write this story. I have procrastinated on writing it and just today my boss handed me a magazine with an article concerning hummingbirds because he thought I would find it interesting.
And that is not the first article that had been pointed out to me like that since this had happened to me. So here I am…writing this story.
Dr. Dyer told of the day he had a butterfly land on his finger and stay with him for the next few hours. And this happened to him during the time that he was working on this particular chapter of his book. As soon as that hummingbird landed on my finger I was reminded of his story.
I choose to believe that my experience with this female ruby-throated hummingbird was God attempting to get my attention and speak to me.
I haven’t narrowed down exactly what I feel He was trying to convey, yet when I researched the hummingbird I found many positive symbolisms associated with the bird, such as their lack of fear, their association with the healing properties of flowers and herbs, the figure 8 pattern they create with their wings as they fly which is a symbol of Infinity, and my personal favorite…their physical lightness serves as a reminder to us to “lighten up.”
Perhaps this experience was an avenue through which God can lead me into my passions…writing. Or perhaps this bird chose me to save its little life since I read that a hummingbird will quickly die if trapped or encaged. There are so many possible explanations, it’s fascinating! But I hope that God has been able to use me through this story to inspire others to listen for the little messages He sends us throughout our days. I hope it has opened someone’s eyes to greater possibilities and greater hope.

I believe the main message God wants to send our way through these types of occurrences is that He is with us all of the time and He hasn’t forgotten us. It is a great feeling to know we are not alone."

(by Sophia Richards of Greenville Newspapers LLC, written Nov 2006)

Take A Step Up..!

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up .

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less.

PS - Soon the donkey came back... and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:

When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

You now have choices to make... Smile and close this page, or pass this along to someone else to spread the fun.

Take A Step Up.!

Life is about choices... Choose well !

by Ralph in SC 864-580-8215

What You Think About, You Bring About!

Choose to live life the way you always want it to be -- or else play victim to the hands of relentless negativity.
You are what you think. Thoughts become things. You are what you think about. Your mind is an extremely powerful tool that can set the events that will ultimately happen in your life. Your resolve spells all the difference in the world you tread. It can either bring you success or misfortune. Therefore, the best way it is to choose right thoughts and follow with right action. Strive to control your life through a consistently empowering strength of mind. What you think about -- you bring about.

Think positive. Acknowlege fears, then take right actions -- that are proven to have right results. Take each occasion with an optimistic mind. If you can control events for the benefit of all, well and good. Unfortunate life events happen. However design each day around positivity -- and make it so for those you come in contact with.

Read between the lines. Go beyond what seems to be, and decipher what the genuine meaning is. The petty things that happen in your life are opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth. The simplest things can sometimes bring about the most profound changes. Learn to read between the lines and unearth beauty even in the most unsightly circumstance. Avoid relentless malice toward people or events. Eliminate don't, not, no, and hate, as action words in your life. Life should be better than that. Choose better.

Feed from positive sources. When you were young, you probably thought once you are done with your formative years in school, education stops. You discovered it is not the case. You can never outgrow the need to educate yourself. Your experiences can get you through tough times, but they are not enough. Embrace other people’s experiences as well. Life is one big circle of humanity. Choose to impact positively everyone you meet on a daily basis. Begin with a smile.

Give Back -- Share -- Pass It On. Contribute and share your personal knowledge. Study and hear out the rich history of successful people -- Napoleon Hill, Wayne Dyer, many others. (You are who you hang out with). You are what you think -- so it is up to you to take the challenge and live life according to the merits of your higher power.

Life Is About Choices -- Choose Well!
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Ralph in SC 864-580-8215

Positivity... and the Opposite

(This article was originally written as a comment to a blog article -- topic EDC Diamond and EDC Gold).

'Research' (on EDC Diamond) to end in a positive (go or yes) decision - must be connected with strong desire to have results (In It - To Win It!).

Winners see the potential and the leadership integrity -- and move forward… 'Hammer down'… won’t take no for an answer… and taking their advice only from winners… There is plenty of training and advice available from EDC winners... (more than any other internet business I have encountered). All leaders are available as personal mentors.

Naysayers tend to use past best thinking to justify hesitation, fear, and even distrust of winners… Some would rather believe in lack or loss… to justify not starting and investing the resources and effort… Getting started every day --- as in any endeavor -- is key.

Take advice from successful people — EDC winners. Learn from other winners -- which is exactly what I and they all do. Follow... then lead. Attend free online webinars -- (and ask questions.)

EDC is worth the price of admission… for the products, training and education, and personal growth training…

Ralph in SC - 864-580-8215
http://golden.self-funded.biz

Life is about choices - Choose well!

Social Network Bookmarking -- Easy

Ralph in SC 864-580-8215
http://Free.self-funded.biz

Get Off The Porch....and...

...and Come Help Me With Mom...

"Don't miss anything. My parents taught me not to miss anything. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the performance, don't miss the movie, don't miss the show, don't miss the dance. Go to everything you possible can. Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see everything and experience all you possible can. This has served me so well to this day. Just before my father died at age 93 if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11:00 at night, he wouldn't be home. He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church, he was somewhere every night.

Live a vital life. Here's one of the reasons why. If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well it will show in your face, it will show in the texture of your voice. There will be something unique and magical about you if you live well. It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life. And it will give you a vitality nothing else can give." (from ezine by Jim Rohn - see more at http://www.jimrohn.com)

OK - so my Mom is not 93 -- she's just 92 -- and is looking for more action. She invited family in for lunch last Friday. Then off to the Zoo for 3-hours with the same crowd -- to see the flowers and maybe a lion or hippo or flamingo or two.

I picked her up Saturday noon for more family fun stuff -- with my girls and grands -- her great-grandboys and girls. She wanted to ride up to the college 60-miles up the interstate, to watch grandson play soccer, but timing didn't work out - oh well. (Did go with me and great-grandboys to monster-truck event, downtown last month. Too loud for me and the boys -- whew can't hang with Gram.)

She and I had a rousing round of playing cards 'manipulation rummy' - Sunday afternoon. As usual I came in second.

Reminds me: It's time to call her resident activities director, again. Still need more action around her place.

Ralph in SC 864-580-8215
click here to discover 'more action' & rewards to match

Making A Difference...

See video-photo montage following. Audio is Robert F. Kennedy's statement in Indianapolis IN, on learning of Martin Luther King's Assassination -- happened on the night of April 4, 1968.

Me?... As a white 25-yr old with young family...back then... I was not active in MLK and RFK issues. As young child I remember department store signs marking White and Colored restrooms. And same for water fountains standing side by side marked White and Colored. Following video clip shows how we can choose to make a difference... One person can make a positive difference... No violence happened in Indianapolis that night (though violent protest occurred that night in 100 other U.S. cities). Maybe I can now choose to help by my words or actions. No doubt. MLK and RFK live on.
Amid the tragedy of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, an extraordinary moment in U.S. political history occurred as Robert F. Kennedy, younger brother of slain President John F. Kennedy, broke the news of King's death to a large gathering of African Americans in Indianapolis, Indiana. Most of the people hadn't even heard that Dr. King had been shot. I can imagine that they were stunned and some cried. But that evening Robert Kennedy spoke from his soul. The words rang in almost a prayerful manner.Carved on the Robert Kennedy's marble gravestone are the words from Aeschylus that he could recite from memory: "He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God."

It's OK That You Were Born...

My 2 Brothers Were Not The Only Children...

One of them even says it's OK that I was born too...
(brotherly love for sure...)

On the topic of Mom and Dad having 3rd child (to get a girl)... brother #1 says:

"Well I am glad they had a go for #3; Paul and I would
really have missed the joy of 'little brother' to pick
on all those fun years.
"Anyway he turned out a worthy
addition to the family and we are proud of him, and
would not trade him for a puppy."

How cool is that..? lol and smiles

Ralph in SC
(from a myspace bulletin
http://myspace.com/ralphddd)

Toughing It Out ; Me and Music..

Me and drums..? Great drummer I was.

They asked me to carry the bass drum in high school band. No drumming talent except I could walk and march and stay with the beat. Useful skills in marching I would agree.

My favorite band groups from back when? NorthTexasJazzBand from NorthTXStateUniv (now part of UT system). They had awesome big band musicians and sound -- sounded like Stan Kenton.

Dave Brubek 'TakeFive' was one of first albums I ever owned back in 60s. I remember interesting rhythms - 5/4 time - tune's in my head right now.

Buddy Rich -- had the treat of seeing him Live in LasVegas in the 60s. Of course his solos were featured. His band was backing for Ol'BlueEyes that night at the Sands - summer of '67. FrankS and BuddyR -- and front row table dinner show. Wow -- Nice work. Another singer in a side room that night - Dinah Washington. Dont think we went in there -- should have.

Good memories!

My friend Victor too -- He played bass fiddle, trombone, and whatever they handed him. Was card-carrying professional musician by the 10th grade. Fit that bass fiddle across the front and back seat of that '48 Buick.

My "normal" musical "talent" - band and orchestra - high school - was on the flute. Picked out a little instrument in 5th grade -- heavy tuba not for me. So I had to sit amongst the cute majorettes -- also flutists -- for 6 years all the way through high school.

I toughed it out.

Ralph in SC 864-580-8215

Grandson Keepin Me Straight !

Law of Detraction... (Let it Go!)

"If you are attracting things into your life that you don’t want, remember the Law of Attraction is still working. Instead of thinking or saying, "It’s not working," ask your self, "What am I focusing on, thinking about, talking about, feeling or doing that is attracting this into my life?" If you want to know what you are thinking about, notice the results you are producing in your life. To change those results, you will first have to change your vibration by changing your thoughts and feelings.

If you start to see something change for the better, acknowledge that it is happening. Appreciate it. When you find the perfect parking space, acknowledge it. When you get the table you want in the restaurant, acknowledge it. When you receive unexpected income, acknowledge it. When you meet someone who can help you achieve your goal, acknowledge that Law of Attraction is working. The more you acknowledge that it’s working, the more it will work. It’s that simple." ... from JackCanfield.com

Ralph in SC 864-580-8215 -- http://golden.self-funded.biz/

Conversations with God...

...excerpt from book title Conversations With God, Book#1 by NealDonaldWalsch

and set to music and video by CreativeRain on Youtube.

Baby Helps Grandad

Turn Learning Into Earning!

Question is how to break through the self-imposed glass ceiling to create the life you really want!

1. Give yourself permission to dream. You probably had no problem dreaming as a kid. What happened to your ability to imagine and dream about what you want and who you want to be? When was the last time you caught yourself daydreaming and appreciated it?

2. Stop looking outside yourself for happiness. Look inside. Increase your self-awareness. Get curious about who you are at the core. Cultivate and nurture a relationship with yourself.

3. Cover the basics. Take the time to address your personal needs. How can you focus on thriving in your life if you are in survival mode? Set up that meeting with a financial advisor, get your space organized, clean up the details that are wasting your energy.

4. Embrace your past and move on. Shift from “why it happened” to what I want to do about it now. Asking “why” is not a very empowering question. Asking what or how I want to proceed can be much more powerful and produce forward movement.

5. Remember that you are not alone. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with life. Seek support. Read more self improvement articles. They might help you figure about some things that are puzzling you.

6. Remember gratitude. Count your blessings. What is working right in you life? Make a list. Set aside a bit of time everyday to acknowledge what or who you are grateful for. The more you practice gratitude, the more you attract into your life things to be grateful for.

7. Court your passion. You still have your passions though it has been a while since you may have felt it flow. When are you the most alive and joyful in your life? Who do you most admire and what do they inspire in you?

8. Take action and take a risk. All the inspiration in the world is not enough to make you move your life to the next level. It takes inspired action to do that.

9. Keep breathing. You probably forget to take deep full breaths. We have all learned to constrict our breathing in response to stress. According to many self improvement articles, we not only need oxygen to stay alive, we need oxygen to give us energy and keep us healthy. Right now take 5 deep, full breaths.

10. Have fun. Call a friend or your mom or your kids. Help somebody using what you know, take yourself to an art museum. Schedule a whole day out in nature, turn on some great music and boogie until you drop....

(And you thought this was just one of those self improvement articles. )

Spirit Driven Success

Exciting and dynamic - Dani Johnson speaking to Spirit Driven Success -- not to be missed - hear her teachings: see next link

Dani Johnson - Spirit Driven Success (video - recent Christian Ministries broadcast -- featuring Dani)

Dani = teacher - contributor - advisor - leader ; Principles to achieve, results you want!

http://start.self-funded.biz

I’m Having Fun...Are U Having Fun...?

"I'm Having Fun -- Are u Having Fun?" ...said my grandson on the way to the fishing pond... (well said... so cute... fun hearing him say it!)
Developing Emotional Intelligence
*** Rely on yourself to make yourself happy ***
"All of us have heard of IQ or Intelligence Quotient, a study that measures how intelligent we are through a series of tests conducted by the school or in the workplace. All this time, it is highly assumed that Intelligence Quotient would determine how successful we are in the future or how we could achieve that goal in a specific time.
But there is another factor that psychologists deem to be one of the contributors to determine if the person would be successful or not, and that is, the Emotional Intelligence, or EQ.
(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence) Emotional Intelligence is defined as "the ability, capacity or skill to perceive, assess and manage the emotions of one's self, of others and of groups." In other words, it is described that Emotional Intelligence is actually the way in which you interact with people, and how you relate to them.
Some psychologists believe that relating with people is more important than having what is inside in one's head. According to wikipedia, some researchers believe that EQ is "a cognitive ability just as is IQ, others believe it is a combination of perceived abilities and traits, while others consider it a skill that can be measured."
With this, researchers have found out that one of the benefits of Emotional Intelligence is how to deal and manage conflict or negotiation in school, in the home and in the workplace.
So, how does one develop emotional intelligence?
Here are some ways in order to develop Emotional Intelligence, as suggested by the website www.eqi.org, in a nutshell.
When dealing with Emotional Intelligence, it is best that your feelings or actions shouldn't be centered on you. In truth, it should be directed towards the people around you – ask them how they feel about their current situation, and have the ability to reflect on what they feel. Have a compassionate heart towards your friends by empathizing with them, caring for them, and relating how they fell towards you.
Be a leader, too, by taking responsibility for your actions and feelings. Don't rely on others to make you happy. Rely on yourself to make yourself happy.
Developing emotional intelligence may take some time and effort, but the most important thing is that you have to be conscious of your actions; you have to be conscious of not just your won feelings but the feelings of others as well.
And just try to follow this advice....It is essential to being successful."
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Adjust Your Path .... Keep Moving

(Avoid Falling Into Same Pothole Repeatedly)

click arrow -- audio by WayneDyer
Go Beyond Failures -- Re-Aim Enroute -- Arrive Victoriously at Worthy Destination -- Repeat

What good still comes in cans? ...

*** Self-fulfilling Prophecy ***

Proverbs 23: 7 - "As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is."

The batter hits the ball high in the air towards right field. It arcs majestically against the sky. It is going right towards Sammy. Everybody in the park knows that he's going to drop it. Sammy knows that he's going to drop it. He drops it.

This scene has been replayed time and time again on fields around the world. It doesn't have to be a fielder; it sometime is a batter you know is going to strike out. It doesn't even have to be baseball. It can be anything.

It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wasn't familiar with this term until I took a psychology class in university. Basically it means that what you believe will usually happen.

If you believe you are going to flunk a test, you probably will. If you think the meal you are making for your new in-laws will be a disaster, it probably will. If you think you will be in a car accident, better call your insurance agent. In all these cases, your visualizing the worst-case scenario will greatly increase the possibility of them actually happening.

There are people in the world who sew the seeds of the self-fulfilling prophecy. They are the people who put their fears on you. For example, their fears that something might happen to you make you uneasy and possibly help the unfortunate event happen. They are usually the first ones to say, "I told you so."

So what do you do? First, look at history. There were plenty of people who said humans would never fly, let alone walk on the moon. You have the choice to believe those thoughts. Also, you can replace those thoughts with positive ones. You don't have to believe the nay-sayers. If self-fulfilling prophecy works with negative thoughts, it can also work with positive ones.

George Bernard Shaw said, "You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?' " What message are you playing in your mind?

When I started playing softball, I was like Sammy. I was hoping the batter wouldn't hit the ball to me. Eventually those thoughts were replaced with positive ones and I was begging for the batter to hit it to me. Can you guess which thoughts allowed me to enjoy the game the most and perform the best?

When the game was on the line, Michael Jordan wanted the ball. He already saw the ball going in before he shot.

Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in baseball, was asked how many times in a game he thought he was going to get a hit. He answer was, "Every time." Did he get a hit every time? No, but his belief that he would greatly increased his success.

It's the same with life. Put positive, happy thoughts in your mind and you will tend to be happy. If you are constantly worrying that something MIGHT happen, you will not lead a full life and probably not reach your potential. What does worrying do most of the time anyway? It usually prevents you from doing your best in a situation.

It comes down to the simple saying. If you think you can, you may be right. If you think you can't, you are almost certainly right. Put another way, success comes in cans! CAN DO

by John Stevens"

posted by Ralph

Keep on Keepin On

Winners Circles - 5 Olympic Rings

--by Dr. Denis Waitley on topic what winners do:
1. Paying the Price -- Everyone wants to win, but few are willing to invest the time and effort. Paying the price means focusing on developing the skills and training regimen of champions – observation, imitation, repetition and the internalization of knowledge into habits; also, learning why and how to go the extra mile and seeing success as a marathon, not a dash. Champions view failures as temporary inconveniences and learning experiences.

2. The Olympian Within -- Winners believe in their worth in advance of their performance. Most people base their worth on their current status or achievement level, which means that until they are judged successful by society's standards, they have little to be proud of. Champions believe in their dreams when they have only a dream to hang on to, even in the face of criticism and superior achievements by others.

3. ... Integrity -- Authentic, lasting winners have an uncompromising attitude about self-honesty. They function according to an "integrity triangle", consisting of three basic questions: (a) Are my beliefs based upon truth? (b) Do my words and actions correspond with truth and honesty? (c) Before I speak or act, do I honestly consider the impact of my decision on other people and the environment?

4. The "Coachability" Factor -- Champions are always open to alternatives to improve their performance. Consistent winners are not the arrogant egotists who dominate the media spotlight. The most successful individuals in the game of life are often the most approachable, most gracious, non-judgmental with others and most critical of their own performances, as well as most eager to learn and improve.

5. Being a Team Player -- a team in harmony is synergy in motion, where the whole is greater than the sum of the individual talents. When all assignments are understood, when each takes 100 percent responsibility for the outcome, a quantum leap in performance takes place. Winners learn how to become interdependent, without sacrificing individuality; how to stand out, while fitting in. adapted from ezine by Denis Waitley