2LiveandLearn

Not everyone who’s on top today got there with success after success. More often than not, those who history best remembers were faced with numerous obstacles that forced them to work harder and show more determination than others. Next time you’re feeling down about your failures in college or in a career, keep these fifty famous people in mind and remind yourself that sometimes failure is just the first step towards success.

Business Gurus

These businessmen and the companies they founded are today known around the world, but as these stories show, their beginnings weren’t always smooth.

Henry Ford: While Ford is today known for his innovative assembly line and American-made cars, he wasn’t an instant success. In fact, his early businesses failed and left him broke five time before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company.

R. H. Macy: Most people are familiar with this large department store chain, but Macy didn’t always have it easy. Macy started seven failed business before finally hitting big with his store in New York City.

F. W. Woolworth: Some may not know this name today, but Woolworth was once one of the biggest names in department stores in the U.S. Before starting his own business, young Woolworth worked at a dry goods store and was not allowed to wait on customers because his boss said he lacked the sense needed to do so.

Soichiro Honda: The billion-dollar business that is Honda began with a series of failures and fortunate turns of luck. Honda was turned down by Toyota Motor Corporation for a job after interviewing for a job as an engineer, leaving him jobless for quite some time. He started making scooters of his own at home, and spurred on by his neighbors, finally started his own business.

Akio Morita: You may not have heard of Morita but you’ve undoubtedly heard of his company, Sony. Sony’s first product was a rice cooker that unfortunately didn’t cook rice so much as burn it, selling less than 100 units. This first setback didn’t stop Morita and his partners as they pushed forward to create a multi-billion dollar company.

Bill Gates: Gates didn’t seem like a shoe-in for success after dropping out of Harvard and starting a failed first business with Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen called Traf-O-Data. While this early idea didn’t work, Gates’ later work did, creating the global empire that is Microsoft.

Harland David Sanders: Perhaps better known as Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, Sanders had a hard time selling his chicken at first. In fact, his famous secret chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted it.

Walt Disney: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn’t last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.

Scientists and Thinkers

These people are often regarded as some of the greatest minds of our century, but they often had to face great obstacles, the ridicule of their peers and the animosity of society.

Albert Einstein: Most of us take Einstein’s name as synonymous with genius, but he didn’t always show such promise. Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think he was mentally handicapped, slow and anti-social. Eventually, he was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. It might have taken him a bit longer, but most people would agree that he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.

Charles Darwin: In his early years, Darwin gave up on having a medical career and was often chastised by his father for being lazy and too dreamy. Darwin himself wrote, “I was considered by all my masters and my father, a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard of intellect.” Perhaps they judged too soon, as Darwin today is well-known for his scientific studies.

Robert Goddard: Goddard today is hailed for his research and experimentation with liquid-fueled rockets, but during his lifetime his ideas were often rejected and mocked by his scientific peers who thought they were outrageous and impossible. Today rockets and space travel don’t seem far-fetched at all, due largely in part to the work of this scientist who worked against the feelings of the time.

Isaac Newton: Newton was undoubtedly a genius when it came to math, but he had some failings early on. He never did particularly well in school and when put in charge of running the family farm, he failed miserably, so poorly in fact that an uncle took charge and sent him off to Cambridge where he finally blossomed into the scholar we know today.

Socrates: Despite leaving no written records behind, Socrates is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of the Classical era. Because of his new ideas, in his own time he was called “an immoral corrupter of youth” and was sentenced to death. Socrates didn’t let this stop him and kept right on, teaching up until he was forced to poison himself.

Robert Sternberg: This big name in psychology received a C in his first college introductory psychology class with his teacher telling him that, “there was already a famous Sternberg in psychology and it was obvious there would not be another.” Sternberg showed him, however, graduating from Stanford with exceptional distinction in psychology, summa cum laude, and Phi Beta Kappa and eventually becoming the President of the American Psychological Association.

Inventors

These inventors changed the face of the modern world, but not without a few failed prototypes along the way.

Thomas Edison: In his early years, teachers told Edison he was “too stupid to learn anything.” Work was no better, as he was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Of course, all those unsuccessful attempts finally resulted in the design that worked.

Orville and Wilbur Wright: These brothers battled depression and family illness before starting the bicycle shop that would lead them to experimenting with flight. After numerous attempts at creating flying machines, several years of hard work, and tons of failed prototypes, the brothers finally created a plane that could get airborne and stay there.

Public Figures

From politicians to talk show hosts, these figures had a few failures before they came out on top.

Winston Churchill: This Nobel Prize-winning, twice-elected Prime Minster of the United Kingdom wasn’t always as well regarded as he is today. Churchill struggled in school and failed the sixth grade. After school he faced many years of political failures, as he was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister at the ripe old age of 62.

Abraham Lincoln: While today he is remembered as one of the greatest leaders of our nation, Lincoln’s life wasn’t so easy. In his youth he went to war a captain and returned a private (if you’re not familiar with military ranks, just know that private is as low as it goes.) Lincoln didn’t stop failing there, however. He started numerous failed business and was defeated in numerous runs he made for public office.

Oprah Winfrey: Most people know Oprah as one of the most iconic faces on TV as well as one of the richest and most successful women in the world. Oprah faced a hard road to get to that position, however, enduring a rough and often abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because she was “unfit for tv.”

Harry S. Truman: This WWI vet, Senator, Vice President and eventual President eventually found success in his life, but not without a few missteps along the way. Truman started a store that sold silk shirts and other clothing–seemingly a success at first–only go bankrupt a few years later.

Dick Cheney: This recent Vice President and businessman made his way to the White House but managed to flunk out of Yale University, not once, but twice. Former President George W. Bush joked with Cheney about this fact, stating, “So now we know –if you graduate from Yale, you become president. If you drop out, you get to be vice president.”

Hollywood Types

These faces ought to be familiar from the big screen, but these actors, actresses and directors saw their fair share of rejection and failure before they made it big.

Jerry Seinfeld: Just about everybody knows who Seinfeld is, but the first time the young comedian walked on stage at a comedy club, he looked out at the audience, froze and was eventually jeered and booed off of the stage. Seinfeld knew he could do it, so he went back the next night, completed his set to laughter and applause, and the rest is history.

Fred Astaire: In his first screen test, the testing director of MGM noted that Astaire, “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.” Astaire went on to become an incredibly successful actor, singer and dancer and kept that note in his Beverly Hills home to remind him of where he came from.

Sidney Poitier: After his first audition, Poitier was told by the casting director, “Why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?” Poitier vowed to show him that he could make it, going on to win an Oscar and become one of the most well-regarded actors in the business.

Jeanne Moreau: As a young actress just starting out, this French actress was told by a casting director that she was simply not pretty enough to make it in films. He couldn’t have been more wrong as Moreau when on to star in nearly 100 films and win numerous awards for her performances.

Charlie Chaplin: It’s hard to imagine film without the iconic Charlie Chaplin, but his act was initially rejected by Hollywood studio chiefs because they felt it was a little too nonsensical to ever sell.

Lucille Ball: During her career, Ball had thirteen Emmy nominations and four wins, also earning the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kennedy Center Honors. Before starring in I Love Lucy, Ball was widely regarded as a failed actress and a B movie star. Even her drama instructors didn’t feel she could make it, telling her to try another profession. She, of course, proved them all wrong.

Harrison Ford: In his first film, Ford was told by the movie execs that he simply didn’t have what it takes to be a star. Today, with numerous hits under his belt, iconic portrayals of characters like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and a career that stretches decades, Ford can proudly show that he does, in fact, have what it takes.

Marilyn Monroe: While Monroe’s star burned out early, she did have a period of great success in her life. Despite a rough upbringing and being told by modeling agents that she should instead consider being a secretary, Monroe became a pin-up, model and actress that still strikes a chord with people today.

Oliver Stone: This Oscar-winning filmmaker began his first novel while at Yale, a project that eventually caused him to fail out of school. This would turn out to be a poor decision as the the text was rejected by publishers and was not published until 1998, at which time it was not well-received. After dropping out of school, Stone moved to Vietnam to teach English, later enlisting in the army and fighting in the war, a battle that earning two Purple Hearts and helped him find the inspiration for his later work that often center around war.

Writers and Artists

We’ve all heard about starving artists and struggling writers, but these stories show that sometimes all that work really does pay off with success in the long run.

Vincent Van Gogh: During his lifetime, Van Gogh sold only one painting, and this was to a friend and only for a very small amount of money. While Van Gogh was never a success during his life, he plugged on with painting, sometimes starving to complete his over 800 known works. Today, they bring in hundreds of millions.

Emily Dickinson: Recluse and poet Emily Dickinson is a commonly read and loved writer. Yet in her lifetime she was all but ignored, having fewer than a dozen poems published out of her almost 1,800 completed works.

Theodor Seuss Giesel: Today nearly every child has read The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, yet 27 different publishers rejected Dr. Seuss’s first book To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.

Charles Schultz: Schultz’s Peanuts comic strip has had enduring fame, yet this cartoonist had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Even after high school, Schultz didn’t have it easy, applying and being rejected for a position working with Walt Disney.

Steven Spielberg: While today Spielberg’s name is synonymous with big budget, he was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times. He eventually attended school at another location, only to drop out to become a director before finishing. Thirty-five years after starting his degree, Spielberg returned to school in 2002 to finally complete his work and earn his BA.

Stephen King: The first book by this author, the iconic thriller Carrie, received 30 rejections, finally causing King to give up and throw it in the trash. His wife fished it out and encouraged him to resubmit it, and the rest is history, with King now having hundreds of books published the distinction of being one of the best-selling authors of all time.

Zane Grey: Incredibly popular in the early 20th century, this adventure book writer began his career as a dentist, something he quickly began to hate. So, he began to write, only to see rejection after rejection for his works, being told eventually that he had no business being a writer and should given up. It took him years, but at 40, Zane finally got his first work published, leaving him with almost 90 books to his name and selling over 50 million copies worldwide.

J. K. Rowling: Rowling may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel. Rowling went from depending on welfare to survive to being one of the richest women in the world in a span of only five years through her hard work and determination.

Monet: Today Monet’s work sells for millions of dollars and hangs in some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Yet during his own time, it was mocked and rejected by the artistic elite, the Paris Salon. Monet kept at his impressionist style, which caught on and in many ways was a starting point for some major changes to art that ushered in the modern era.

Jack London: This well-known American author wasn’t always such a success. While he would go on to publish popular novels like White Fang and The Call of the Wild, his first story received six hundred rejection slips before finally being accepted.

Louisa May Alcott: Most people are familiar with Alcott’s most famous work, Little Women. Yet Alcott faced a bit of a battle to get her work out there and was was encouraged to find work as a servant by her family to make ends meet. It was her letters back home during her experience as a nurse in the Civil War that gave her the first big break she needed.

Musicians

While their music is some of the best selling, best loved and most popular around the world today, these musicians show that it takes a whole lot of determination to achieve success.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Mozart began composing at the age of five, writing over 600 pieces of music that today are lauded as some of the best ever created. Yet during his lifetime, Mozart didn’t have such an easy time, and was often restless, leading to his dismissal from a position as a court musician in Salzberg. He struggled to keep the support of the aristocracy and died with little to his name.

Elvis Presley: As one of the best-selling artists of all time, Elvis has become a household name even years after his death. But back in 1954, Elvis was still a nobody, and Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after just one performance telling him, “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck.”

Igor Stravinsky: In 1913 when Stravinsky debuted his now famous Rite of Spring, audiences rioted, running the composer out of town. Yet it was this very work that changed the way composers in the 19th century thought about music and cemented his place in musical history.

The Beatles: Few people can deny the lasting power of this super group, still popular with listeners around the world today. Yet when they were just starting out, a recording company told them no. The were told “we don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out,” two things the rest of the world couldn’t have disagreed with more.

Ludwig van Beethoven: In his formative years, young Beethoven was incredibly awkward on the violin and was often so busy working on his own compositions that he neglected to practice. Despite his love of composing, his teachers felt he was hopeless at it and would never succeed with the violin or in composing. Beethoven kept plugging along, however, and composed some of the best-loved symphonies of all time–five of them while he was completely deaf.

Athletes

While some athletes rocket to fame, others endure a path fraught with a little more adversity, like those listed here.

Michael Jordan: Most people wouldn’t believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily, Jordan didn’t let this setback stop him from playing the game and he has stated, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Stan Smith: This tennis player was rejected from even being a lowly ball boy for a Davis Cup tennis match because event organizers felt he was too clumsy and uncoordinated. Smith went on to prove them wrong, showcasing his not-so-clumsy skills by winning Wimbledon, U. S. Open and eight Davis Cups.

Babe Ruth: You probably know Babe Ruth because of his home run record (714 during his career), but along with all those home runs came a pretty hefty amount of strikeouts as well (1,330 in all). In fact, for decades he held the record for strikeouts. When asked about this he simply said, “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”

Tom Landry: As the coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Landry brought the team two Super Bowl victories, five NFC Championship victories and holds the records for the record for the most career wins. He also has the distinction of having one of the worst first seasons on record (winning no games) and winning five or fewer over the next four seasons.

1.See the World in the Form of a Question
Whether you are looking to make new friends, achieve success with a client, or even raise your general awareness—the skill of asking questions has in many ways been lost in our society. We’re so busy to tell, tell, tell that we forget to ask, ask, ask. And as we all know, the only way to become a great ‘learner’ is to ask questions. Questions resolve concerns. Questions elevate personal relationships. They also at times force us to take a different perspective and possibly stretch ourselves to unchartered waters. So learn to have an ‘ask first tell second’ personality and I can promise you the results will be profound.

2. Give Specific Feedback/Compliments
We’ve all heard that learning to give compliments to others has a powerful impact on personal relationships. But for those that truly want to take compliments to another level the key is to learn specificity. For example, which statement would you rather hear from someone else?

I really enjoyed your blog article today.

Or

I was blown away with the story you shared in your blog article about the time you……That story very much resonated with me and I’ve decided to take action because of it!

See the difference? Both statements expressed approval of a blog article, yet the first statement likely made the author smile a little while the second brought about a huge grin. This is the power of specificity and is a critical key to happiness, especially in dealing with friends and loved ones.

3. Don’t Just Let Go of Your Physical Health
I see it all the time. Guys and gals (including many bloggers) attain great monetary success in work but all of the sudden they’re out of shape, overweight, and struggling with self-image. Knowing my busy schedule, a year ago I bought an elliptical and put it in my basement so that I wouldn’t have to include ‘going to the gym’ into my extremely busy schedule. The results? I’ve worked out 1 hour a day since buying the machine, never missing a workout, and I weigh less now than I did in high school. (and feel great too!)

4. Give Value to Others at Every Turn
Wow has the internet been a blessing in this area. Now, more than ever, you and I can meet and help people on a large-scale basis because of the beauty of technology. Some of the greatest success I’ve been able to achieve in these last year has come because of stories, articles, and mentions I’ve made praising other people and companies. As Chris Brogan says, we should mention (talk about) other people 12 times to every 1 mention of ourselves if we really want to give value and build relationships.

5. Smile Unrelenting
I know, I know, we’ve heard it before: We should smile often. But as the old saying goes, ‘common sense is often quite uncommon.’ Seriously though, are you the person in your group of friends or workplace that is known as ‘Mr. or Ms. Positive’ or are you the person that everyone sees as having a cloud over your head 24/7? I used to have a problem of not smiling enough. For me, it wasn’t that I was unhappy, it was just that I have the tendency to look serious when I’m focused on a task. Since identifying this problem (people kept telling me to lighten up) I try to carry a smile with me in all situations, and wow has this made an incredible difference. So smile often. Lighten up every room you enter. Not only will you be happier, but many will file in line with you as well.

6. Stop Trying to Find Your Passion
Let me be the first to say that I’m all about ‘finding your passion’. But the problem with most people is that they get so wrapped up in ‘finding themselves’ or ‘finding their passion’ that they forget how this discovery is actually made: By Living Passionately. In other words, if you want to find out where your true passions lie, stop looking and simply start living everything you do throughout the day with passion and zeal. By so doing, self-discovery will come naturally and easily.

7. Surround Yourself with Greatness
I simply can’t stress this one enough. Everyone needs a mentor. And we certainly all need great friends. I would be a completely different person and be on a completely different path than I’m on today had I not had people and friends in my life that helped correct my course when I got off track. I’ve learned over the years that it’s important that we not only find these friends but we learn to depend and lean on them when necessary. As others lift us up, and as we reciprocate this action, the friendships we’ll form will truly be amazing.

So there are 7 keys to health and happiness that have completely changed my life over the past year. But what about you? What are your thoughts and what would you add to the list? C’mon, let’s talk about it……

It seems that you can’t go even one day without hearing a comment, a remark, a report, or an article highlighting the current economic downturn.  How can we keep a positive attitude during these tough economic times?

It has become an unavoidable topic that comes up during business meetings, lunches, and social gatherings. A friend recently was forced to sell his house, and shared with me the tales of money lost and his many frustrations. Another friend jokingly remarked, “my 401K has turned into my 201k, I might as well have not worked for the past two years.”

I’ve done my best not to focus any energy on this topic, until I recently started receiving email from readers asking for advice on how to deal with the current economic situation, emotionally. Here is one such email from a generous reader that encapsulates the topic nicely:

“I am a recent graduate from a Masters program, have a very good job, but am constantly worried about what the future holds for me financially. Since most of the troubles in the world are out of my hands, how can I keep an upbeat attitude about life in general, during these tough times that are affecting so many hard working people.”

- James Rich

In this article, I will give my own perspective on this topic, and relay specific tips on dealing with fear during an economic downturn.

Finding Control, Again

I left my day job four months ago, and now rely on income from various investments. Interestingly, the majority of my investments are in the stock market. When the market crashed this year, I watched as my portfolio declined by as much as 50%. It is still below 50%.

Suddenly, my hard earned, frugally saved, carefully budgeted savings appeared to have been chopped in half. Given that I don’t have guaranteed income and my net worth just declined significantly, conventional wisdom would say that I should be worried. I should be freaking out! But I’m not. I’m pretty happy, actually.

Why?

What can I change by becoming upset, anxious, or nervous? Nothing. By complaining or allowing my body to suffer through anxiety, I will accomplish nothing.

I choose not to focus any energy on something that puts me in an un-resourceful state. Remember, what we focus on expands. We will get more of whatever we focus our attention on. We get more of what we think about, talk about, and listen to.

I know that when I focus on fear, I experience more fear, and I find more reasons to become more fearful. It’s a downward and bottomless spiral, until I consciously and proactively interrupt that pattern and deliberately choose to focus on something else more productive and conducive to my wellbeing.

First, recognize that there are many things out of our control; things like, the weather, the past, other people, and the economy. Anxiety, worry and fear usually come when we focus on these external things that we cannot control. Recall the last time you were really worried or nervous about something. What were you focused on? Was it something external that was beyond your control?

Second, recognize that we do have choices. We always have choices. We may feel that we don’t have a choice, because we don’t want to face the options – our pride and ego becoming hurt.

There is one thing we definitely have control over, and that is, we have control over the meaning which we give to things and circumstances. We have a choice in the perspective which we use to interpret a given situation. When we shift what something means to us, we shift our interpretation of it, and therefore we shift our emotions. Thus, we hold the key to our own emotional wellbeing.

For me, it also helps to remember that regardless of what is happening to me financially or emotionally, the most precious of things – my true inner self, the essence of my Being, the divine presence within me that occasionally reveals itself with infinite wisdom – will never be threatened. It is a blessing to be reminded that we are not our job titles, we are not the things we own, we are not our circumstances and we are not our thoughts. And we certainly are not the fear running through our minds.

A full life is one that’s rich with experiences. Opportunities for deeply rewarding and high-growth experiences often present themselves, initially, in the form of adversities. It is through overcoming these adversities and challenges that we develop personal strengths, character and wisdom – without which, we’d be pretty boring and we’d be pretty bored with life.

What if we looked for the gift in the perceived adversity? Try asking different questions. Instead of asking “Why me?” or complaining “Poor me”, consider asking yourself the following.

•             What can I learn from this situation?

•             How can I use this adversity to become a better person?

•             How can I use this opportunity to serve others and myself?

•             What can I do to get to where I want to be?

•             What can I do to gain the clarity I need, to shift into a more resourceful state?

•             How can I benefit from this situation?

What if we focused on things that really matter to us, instead of things beyond our control that “might” happen at some distant future? Focusing on the fear of something that might happen is a waste of resources on several accounts. For one, the thing you fear may never happen, meaning the times you’ve spent worrying about it have been a waste of energy, a waste of emotion, and a waste of attention. For another, the energy used on worrying could have been spent on doing something more proactive and actually helpful to your situation.

Imagine, instead of spending time finding and reading news stories on why we should be fearful, use that time and energy to do something more meaningful to you and that can actually benefit you; things like, spending time developing relationships with the people you love, connecting with another human being, communing with nature, reading something uplifting, listening to something empowering, learning a new skill, or brushing up on an old skill.

You are the author of your life story. Make it worthwhile!

1. Focus on What You Can Control

What we focus on can drastically change how we feel. I know how tough it can be to focus on anything other than the present pain in front of us. I’ve been there, it sucks! But it is possible to shift our focus with the intention of shifting our emotional state.

It is worthwhile to note that it’s nearly impossible to skip emotional levels. For example, we can’t suddenly go from resentment to excitement. Emotionally, it’s easier to shift from resentment to anger, from anger to being upset, from being upset to indifference, from indifference to fondness, etc. With baby steps, gradually, we really can shift how we feel.

Recognize that you are in control. You can choose to focus on a perspective that helps you. See how you can change the meaning of an external circumstance to one which will benefit you?

For example, we can’t control the up and down movement of a particular stock, but we can choose to see that this stock is just money, and money is a replenish-able resource that we can always make more of. We can choose to see that our health is worth more than stressing over something we cannot control.

2. Eliminate or Drastically Reduce News Consumption

When was the last time popular news sources reported something uplifting, empowering and conflict-free? This rarely happens because it is not “newsworthy”, and almost never will you find uplifting news on the front page.

Newsworthy means: conflict, wars, gossip, suffering, and fear. It may not be a news agency’s sole intent to instill fear within us but it is the job of reporters to create content that highlights problems and exaggerates the stress of current situations. If it wasn’t emotionally disturbing, people wouldn’t read or watch the news, and the agencies would soon be out of business. When was the last time you felt good after watching the nightly news or reading the front page stories?

How does constantly reading about the credit crisis, the mortgage crisis, the stock market crash, or the recession empower us or uplift us or increase our wellness? How does it help us? The constant reminders keep us focused on fear, instead of solutions and hope. Even people who shouldn’t be worried are worrying, unnecessarily.

3. Gratitude

What are the most important things in your life? What are you grateful for? Who do you love? List them out on a piece of paper, then close your eyes and see them in your imagination. Feel the feelings of gratitude. Do this regularly.

For me, what matters most are my relationships with my close friends and family. The intimate moments of connection with another soul are one of the most precious, uplifting, and fulfilling things we can experience. I treasure that beyond anything else.

Focusing on the priceless and intangible things that grace my life helps me to put things into perspective. When put into perspective, I realized that I would trade all my material possessions in exchange for my health and relationships. And even if I lost all my money and possessions, I know that with the support of those I love, good health and determination, I can always bounce back.

See how a shift in perspective can suddenly make you feel wealthy?

4. Stop Spreading Fear

Stop complaining about your economic pains, stop forwarding news articles of fear to your friends, stop talking about it, and start doing things within your control. If your immediate basic needs are threatened (ie. loss of job, shelter and food), take action, massive action, to help yourself. The only exception to talking about your economic situation is when you ask for help from others during a time of need.

5. Things Will Bounce Back

You are not alone. We are all in this together. History will repeat itself, and our economy will bounce back. Winters will come and will eventually pass. Hang on tight, and in the meanwhile, do whatever it takes to sustain yourself.

6. Enhance Your Assets

In alignment with doing things within your control, see if there are a set of skills for your trade that you could improve upon or learn. The easiest route to job security is to become an invaluable, flexible and multi-skilled team player. Commit to becoming undeniably outstanding in what you do, and never stop learning.

7. Emergency Fund

Just because we choose to not focus on fear, does not mean that we will not prepare for a rainy day. Building an emergency fund is a must practice at all times, not just during the recession.

If you are not struggling to sustain your basic needs, make it a priority to build your emergency fund. Regardless of how little money you can set aside each month, do it. It’s the practice of saving that’s important here. Do so diligently, and you will reap the rewards in a time of need.

8. Focus on the Benefits

There are benefits from the economic crisis. Here are some:

•             Lower gas prices

•             Real-estate prices are lower, if you’re in the market to buy and have the capital     to do so, you’re likely to get great deals.

•             Stock prices are cheaper. Warren Buffet, said: “Now is the time to buy!”

•             Reduced consumption and travel is having a positive effect on landfills and reduces ones carbon foot print. Reduced consumption also means owning less stuff that we don’t need, which can benefit our mental wellbeing.

9. Choose Happiness

Choosing happiness does not mean becoming vulnerable or ignorant to world issues. It doesn’t mean painting a fake smile on our faces, either. It simply means that we are deliberately choosing to focus on things that are beautiful, things that give us joy, that make us smile, and that make us feel grateful to be alive.

Every day, we are surrounded by these pockets of miracles and opportunities for happiness. Just like fear, the capacity to experience joy and the recognition of miracles is also a choice. Which do you choose?

Before we part ways, spend a few minutes with Nick Vujicic, an extraordinary human being born without arms and legs. Living a life filled with obstacles, in what some consider impossible conditions, Nick has excelled and now travels the world to bring tales of hope and inspiration to millions.

Now, think of your worst problems. Now, look at Nick’s attitude toward life. Suddenly, with a little shift in perspective, life isn’t that bad after all.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home, a family or friendship. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable. The only think we can do is play on the one string we have control over and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 1% what happens to me and 99% how I react to it.

Positive thinking brings inner peace, success, improved relationships, better health, happiness and satisfaction. It also helps the daily affairs of life move more smoothly, and makes life look bright and promising.

Positive thinking is contagious. People around you pick your mental moods and are affected accordingly. Think about happiness, good health and success, and you will cause people to like you and desire to help you, because they enjoy the vibrations that a positive mind emits.

In order to make positive thinking yield results, you need to develop a positive attitude toward life, expect a successful outcome of whatever you do, but also take any necessary actions to ensure your success.

Effective positive thinking that brings results is much more than just repeating a few positive words, or telling yourself that everything is going to be all right. It has to be your predominant mental attitude. It is not enough to think positively for a few moments, and then letting fears and lack of belief enter your mind. Some effort and inner work are necessary.

Are you willing to make a real inner change?
Are you willing to change the way you think?
Are you willing to develop a mental power that can positively affect you, your environment and the people around you?

Here are a few actions and tips to help you develop the power of positive thinking:

Always use only positive words while thinking and while talking. Use words such as, ‘I can’, ‘I am able’, ‘it is possible’, ‘it can be done’, etc.

Allow into your awareness only feelings of happiness, strength and success.

Try to disregard and ignore negative thoughts. Refuse to think such thoughts, and substitute them with constructive happy thoughts.

In your conversation use words that evoke feelings and mental images of strength, happiness and success.

Before starting with any plan or action, visualize clearly in your mind its successful outcome. If you visualize with concentration and faith, you will be amazed at the results.

Read at least one page of inspiring book every day.

Watch movies that make you feel happy.

Minimize the time you listen to the news and read the papers.

Associate yourself with people who think positively.

Always sit and walk with your back straight. This will strengthen your confidence and inner strength.

Walk, swim or engage in some other physical activity. This helps to develop a more positive attitude.

Think positive and expect only favorable results and situations, even if your current circumstances are not as you wish them to be. In time, your mental attitude will affect your life and circumstances and change them accordingly.

Follow the tips and suggestions in this article, and prove to yourself the reality the power of positive thinking.

How To Discover My Talents

I get many emails from people who tell me that they have trouble finding jobs because they believe that they are not talented at anything. Another group of people email me telling me that they want to find out their talents so that they can use them in life.

Because of these numerous requests I decided to write this post to tell you how to discover your talents.

Passion And Discovering Your Talents

There is one great misconception people have about talents. They believe that they must be born with certain talents without knowing that if they have passion for something then they can become really talented at it even if they had no previous talent.

Talent is learned. It’s all about the number of tries you do before you master something. The reason some people seem to be more talented at certain things is because they have more passion for them.

If I love computers then I might spend 6 hours every day trying and failing without getting bored. In the end I will become talented at using computers and you might believe that I was born that way while in fact I just found out my talent because I was persistent enough to learn.

If you found out something that you are passionate about then know for sure that you are only one step away from discovering your real talents.

This Is How To Discover Your Talent

This is how to discover and find out your talents:

• Stay away from routine: If you do the same things everyday then most probably will not discover any new talents unless a coincidence happens. On the other hand if you broke free from the routine and started doing different things you might find out that you are talented at doing something you never expected to be talented at.
• Step out of your comfort zone: Many people fail to discover their talents because they fear to try anything new, they fear to take risks and they prefer to live in their comfort zones. Once you start going out of your comfort zone you will find out about your real talents
• Try many different activities: I know people who stay in bed all day then come and ask me how can we discover our talents? Unless you want to discover a sleeping related talent you won’t know anything about your talents before you try things you never tried before. Dare to try new things and you will discover your talents.

Have you ever heard the saying that attitude is everything? If you have, then you may know it to be true. While it can be difficult to be positive all the time, being an optimist has been linked to many things, including better health. Doctors will tell you that patients who are optimistic about treatment are those that always recover faster than those who are pessimistic. When you are positive, you can accomplish things that some may have thought were unrealistic. A positive attitude can help you build strong relationships as well as create increased motivation. If you have a goal in mind that you are having a hard time finding motivation to meet, try having a positive attitude. Although it may seem challenging at times, try these easy tips in order to be more positive each day.

Wake Up Nicer

Your whole day really starts with waking up. If you want to have a more positive attitude, make sure you can wake up in a calm environment. Those with children know too well that this can be difficult. However, you can practice doing things in advance to prepare for the morning so everything will flow smoothly. For instance, try laying out everyone’s clothing the night before. Pack lunches and stick them in the fridge as well. Do anything you can to make your morning a little easier. You will find that with the ease, you will be more apt to have a positive start to the day.

Wave at Your Neighbors

Although this seems a little old fashioned to some people, when you are leaving home, try to wave at your neighbors. Offering a little smile and a quick wave is a great way to spread your positive attitude to everyone around you.

Take Your Time

Be sure that you leave for work or school each morning in plenty of time to get to your destination. When people have to rush, they tend to become flustered. You will be more motivated in general if you give yourself enough time to accomplish tasks.

Eat Lunch

People who claim they are unmotivated are often those that eat poorly, never exercise, and work over 40 hours a week. When you are not taking care of yourself, it is difficult to stay positive and be motivated to do anything at all. Even the simplest tasks like laundry on the weekend can seem overwhelming. Be sure to eat healthy meals throughout the day and never skip lunch!

Socialize With Friends

Part of staying positive has to do with your personal relationships. If you are trying so hard to do as much as possible, then you probably have little time to socialize. Take the time to socialize with friends as much as you can. This will help you stay positive and help your motivation continue.

Limit Media Influence

As informative as it can be, watching or reading too much media news coverage can be harmful to a positive person. The tragedy of it all is that the news is typically filled with depressing and over-dramatized events. The news crews choose the most dramatic things to put on the air or in print. Therefore, you are only seeing the worst of the worst. Try limiting yourself to this type of influence and you will be more positive altogether.

Pretend To Be Happy

One key trick to staying positive is to act positive even when you are feeling down. By acting like you are positive, you will find that you can lift your own spirits faster than anything else. Although it may seem like you are faking it, chances are no one will even know. The next time you are feeling down and not motivated, take on a positive attitude role and your motivation will come naturally with your character.

As you can see, there are many things you can do in order to keep a positive attitude throughout your days. These are minor changes in your day and in your attitude that can be done daily in order to train yourself to be a more positive person. When you are a more positive person you will be a more motivated person. This will all lead to a more successful life.