How The Gift Of Giving Can Bring You Closer To Success

The gift of giving is perhaps one of the most important things you can do to get you closer to achieving success. It's definitely important to focus your efforts on getting to your goal, but the one problem with goal setting is that you tend to have a "Me" focused attitude. You should focus on the gift of giving, and find a way where you can add value to someone else. Zig Ziglar said it best: "You can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

If you want more courage, use the gift of giving and find a way to encourage someone else. If you want confidence, instill confidence in someone who needs it more. My mentor told me a story about how one of his employees developed self-confidence by simply instilling confidence in someone else. In this article, let's call him Amin. When my mentor conducted a performance review, he discovered that Amin lacked the self-confidence to perform his role to the highest standards. He knew that Amin had a great deal of potential, so he decided to help him build his self-esteem and self-confidence.

My mentor knew that pep talks and positive reinforcement were not enough for Amin to boost his self-confidence. He knew that Amin would need to help someone else gain confidence in himself before he could develop his own confidence. So he encouraged Amin to spend some time with someone who lacked self-confidence. Amin knew a friend who lacked confidence. Amin talked to him and found out that he enjoyed rugby, but did not excel in it, so he didn't feel confident in himself. Amin excelled at rugby, so he decided to coach his friend as his gift of giving. After spending time coaching him, Amin noticed that his self-confidence grow dramatically. When Amin saw how his friend grew in confidence right before his eyes, his own self-confidence started to grow because he knew the value he was contributing to his friend's life. Once his self-esteem and self-confidence expanded, my mentor mentioned that his performance increased dramatically.

While it's important to stay focused on your goals and doing everything you can in your power to achieve them, take a step back once in a while and think about what area in your life you would like to develop. Then find someone who needs it more, and helps that person develop in that area. Through that gift of giving, you will see yourself making improvements in that area without even thinking about. Just remember what Zig Ziglar said about helping enough people get what they want first, and then you can have anything you want.

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The All Blacks Guide To Being Successful (Off The Field)

When England face the All Blacks on Saturday, they will line up against statistically the most successful sporting team in human history. New Zealand's win-rate over the last 100 years is over 75 per cent. It's a phenomenal record, and an achievement matched by no other elite team, in any code.

But back in 2004, something was wrong. The 2003 World Cup had gone badly, and by the start of the following year senior All Blacks were threatening to leave. Discipline was drunk and disorderly, and to make things worse, the All Blacks were losing.

In response, a new management team under Graham Henry began to rebuild the world's most successful sporting team from the inside out. They wanted a fresh culture that placed emphasis on individual character and personal leadership. Their mantra? 'Better People Make Better All Blacks'. The result? An incredible win-rate of just over 86pc, and a Rugby World Cup.

In early 2010, I had the privilege of going deep inside the All Blacks camp for five weeks alongside photojournalist Nick Danziger. It was a unique opportunity to study the way the best in the world stay on top of their game.

Here are five lessons in leadership I learnt.

1. Sweep the sheds

Before leaving the dressing room at the end of the game, some of the most famous names in world rugby – including Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Mils Muliana – stop and tidy up after themselves. They literally and figuratively 'sweep the sheds'.

Former All Black Andrew Mehrtens describes it as an example of personal humility, a cardinal All Blacks value.

Though it might seem strange for a team of imperious dominance, humility is core to their culture. The All Blacks believe that it's impossible to achieve stratospheric success without having your feet planted firmly on the ground.

2. Follow the spearhead

In Maori, whanau means 'extended family'. It's symbolised by the spearhead.

Though a spearhead has three tips, to be effective all of its force must move in one direction. Hence the All Blacks mantra 'No D*******s', a term shamelessly stolen from the Sydney Swans.

The All Blacks select on character as well as talent, which means some of New Zealand's most promising players never pull on the black jersey – considered d*******s, their inclusion would be detrimental to the whanau.

3. Champions do extra

Former All Black Brad Thorn's mantra, 'Champions Do Extra', helped him become one of the single most successful players in rugby history.

The philosophy simply means finding incremental ways to do more – in the gym, on the field, or for the team. It is much like the philosophy of marginal gains used by Team Sky.

A focus on continual improvement, the creation of a continual learning environment, and a willingness to spill blood for the jersey was at the core of Graham Henry's All Black culture.

4. Keep a blue head

Following their arguably premature exit at the 2003 World Cup, the All Blacks worked with forensic psychiatrist Ceri Evans to understand how the brain works under pressure. They wanted to overcome their habit of choking.

'Red Head' is an unresourceful state in which you are off task, panicked and ineffective. 'Blue Head', on the other hand, is an optimal state in which you are on task and performing to your best ability.

The All Blacks use triggers to switch from Red to Blue. Richie McCaw stamps his feet, literally grounding himself, while Kieran Read stares at the farthest point of the stadium, searching for the bigger picture.

Using these triggers, the players aim to achieve clarity and accuracy, so they can perform under pressure.

5. Leave the jersey in a better place

The All Blacks have long had a saying: ‘leave the jersey in a better place’. Their task is to represent all those who have come before them – from George Nepia to Colin Meads, Michael Jones to Jonah Lomu, and all those who follow suit. An All Black is, by definition, a role model to schoolchildren across New Zealand.

Understanding this responsibility creates a compelling sense of higher purpose. It's a good lesson for us all: if we play a bigger game, we play a more effective game.

Better people make better All Blacks – but they also make better doctors and lawyers, bankers and businessmen, fathers, brothers, and friends.

by James Kerr

source : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/10427619/The-All-Blacks-guide-to-being-successful-off-the-field.html

TERSENYUMLAH

Bila kau bersedih janganlah menangis oh sayangku
Tersenyumlah meski kau terluka

Ku tau kau sedih janganlah berlarut
Tersenyumlah dunia kan bersinar
Kalau duka menyerang jiwa biar hanya hati yang merasa
Tersenyum yang manis biar dunia lebih
Bersinar cerah
Kini kau tak sedih ku jadi bahagia
Memandang mu tersenyumlah dunia kan bersinar

PATIENCE : IT CAN BE REWARDING

 "He that can have Patience, can have what he will"

 - Benjamin Franklin

They say Patience is a virtue seldom found in women never in men. This may or may not be true; but it fair to say that there is nobody on earth who couldn't benefit from more patience. Patience is our cheerful acceptance of life. Patience allows us to turn failure into success. Patience avoids needless worry and anxiety and in place brings peace of mind.

Benefits of Patience

Patience is necessary for Success. It is said that "all good things come to those who wait" If we wish to achieve anything of significance, we cannot expect to achieve it overnight. For example many of our great scientists have remarked how their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance. Einstein said Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration. To achieve anything great in life we have to develop patience.

"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has owed more to patient attention, than to any other talent." -- Sir Isaac Newton

Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be attained through certain achievements. To get the most from life, we should value the preparation and effort, as much as the success or failure that may result. Patience means we learn to develop equanimity and to not be influenced by the ups and downs of life.

Patience brings peace of mind. When we desire certain outcomes, then we will have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desire. Patience means that we can work without expecting a certain outcome. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment. It is this detachment that brings peace of mind.

"Patience is not inertia. ... Patience has the steady movement of growth and is always accompanied by peace. This peace can never be mistaken for inertia which is always accompanied by restlessness." - Sri Chinmoy (1)

Patience enables us to develop faith; this is a faith in ourselves. If we judge ourselves only by our results and success then we do not have faith in our inner self. Our real self seeks to quietly do the right thing and not worry about the result.

Patience can transform suffering into joy. Throughout life we suffer injustice and suffering, the Best healer is time and patience. Through being patient and accepting of our situation, it is quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.

"If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy.." - Sri Chinmoy (2)

Article Source: Ezine Articles

GROWING DEEP AND STRONG!

One day, my mother and I were working together in the garden where we were transplanting plants for the third time.

Grown from seed in a small container, the plants had been transferred to a larger container; then transplanted into the garden. Now, because I was moving, we were transplanting them once again.

Inexperienced as a gardener, I turned to my green-thumbed mother. “Isn’t this bad for them?” I asked, as we dug them up and shook the dirt from the roots. “Won’t it hurt these plants, being uprooted and transplanted so many times?”

“Oh” my mother replied. “Transplanting doesn't hurt them. In fact, it’s good for the ones that survive. That’s how their roots grow strong. Their roots will grow deep, and they will make strong plants”. 

Often, I've felt like those small plants – uprooted and turned upside. Sometimes I've endured the change willingly, sometimes reluctantly, but usually my reaction has been a combination. Won’t this be hard on me? I ask. Wouldn't things be better if things remained the same? That’s when I remember my mother’s words: That’s how the roots grow deep and strong.

By Chaplain Lisa Bohannon

Enjoying The Journey of Life: Personal Growth and Development

It is common belief that our goals are the lives we are trying to build for ourselves.  For instance, many people have a goal to work themselves into an executive role in a company so they can set up a comfortable life for them and their family.  This is a limiting view of life.  This is not the view of those who focus on true personal growth and development of their lives.

Instead, you should view life as the journey itself.  The journey to your goals is your life.  It is where you spend the most time.  It is where you experience the greatest highs and lows.  It is where you learn the most about life and about yourself.  It is what creates your character and gives you a personality.

Your life is your journey, so you might as well learn to enjoy each moment of it.

Enjoying Life (And all your growth and development)

It is human nature to never be satisfied.  We always want more.

This is a good thing.  It brings about creativity and innovation.  It fosters great achievement.  It pushes us and challenges us to do great things with our lives.

But when do we get to enjoy these great things?  When do we get to enjoy our lives?

The enjoyment of life lies in our control.  This is why it is critically important that you appreciate your journey.  It is crucial to your happiness that you enjoy walking down the path to your goals.  Take in the scenery.  Savour the experiences.

Love the highs.

Appreciate the lows.

There are a lot of ups and downs on the journey of life, but they all have a purpose.  They all have a meaning.  They are all a part of your life.  To achieve this realization is to achieve the ultimate in personal growth and development.

Live each moment of your life with a purpose, and enjoy the process as you realize your greatest dreams.

*i miss the beach*

Pursuit of Happyness

I love to watch movie. Pursuit of Happyness really means a lot to me, it gave me some motivation to pursuit what i dream and what i want in life.

Below is the best part of the movie.

"Don't ever let somebody tell you... You can't do something. "

"You got a dream... You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period."

FYI, this movie is based on a true story of Chris Gardner. A salesman living with his wife and only son. He's been selling some weird looking scanner and expensive to doctors, but it not went well. Bored with their life, his wife left him and his son to stay at her mother. (yes, his wife left him because she couldn't bare their struggle life).

His life was in jeopardy and he cannot pay his rent. There is one part where the father and son get evicted from the hotel they are staying at and have to spend a night at a subway station bathroom. That just falls flat for me – he could have done anything except take an internship program in stock-brokering, which pays nothing and is full-time for 6 months at that point, and not have his child sleep at a restroom floor.

And the rest, he succeed in building his empire until today.