Disciplined Focus Creates a New Direction In Quantum Physics, everything exists as sub-atomic particles … ENERGY. When the mind contemplates an idea, it gives definition and solidity to the idea. Because we exist in a quantum energy field (Einstein called it “the Unified Field”), as you think, you give off signals, at a subatomic level of energy that actually defines and solidifies your idea. In other words, there is power in imagination. Mahatma Ghandi said, “To create a change, you must become it.” Wilma Rudolph, the Olympic athlete who won three gold medals, was a example of the power of imagination. Rudolph said, “I love the freedom in running, the fresh air, the feeling that the only person I’m competing with is me.” The freedom of running allowed Rudolph’s imagination to soar. Rudolph was born prematurely, her survival doubtful. At age four, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralyzed left leg. She was told she would never walk again. At 9, she took off the metal brace; she had depended on, and began walking without it. By age 13, she had developed a rhythmic walk, which was considered a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. Even though every race she entered, she came in last and everyone told her to quit, she didn’t. Eventually, she won a race, and then another. Soon she won every race she entered and went on to win three Olympic gold medals. Wilma Rudolph said, “My mother taught me very early to believe I could achieve anything I wanted. The first was to walk without braces.” Wilma Rudolph used the power of her mind to achieve her goals -- belief in self, willingness to try, determination to keep going, and imagination to define and solidify her goals. She said, “I love the freedom in running, the fresh air, the feeling that the only person I’m competing with is me.” If we understand that the only person we are competing with is ourselves, our competition can be one of joy and deliberateness. We all have the same power that Rudolph used to achieve her goals. Yet the discipline to direct it is a choice. Most use the power of their minds negatively. They jump from one dilemma to another captivated with the excitement of drama. They live in constant distraction. But there are others, like Wilma Rudolph, who focuses on what they want and accomplish it. You can do the same. It takes discipline. Start by setting a time daily for creative visualization. Ask yourself, if I could have what I wanted, what would it look like? Then contemplate that “new” situation for 5-10 minutes. Each day you are defining and solidifying a “new” direction. As opportunities appear (a race), willingly grasp them and go for the gold. You may not win the first the first time out, but in time, your mind, will and determination will be strong, and you’ll go all the way to victory. Knowing that the only person you are competing with is yourself, our competition can be one of joy and deliberateness.

Vision is Intelligence and Imagination

There are many ways to look at a given event. The point of view you choose says more about you than it does about the event. For instance, there were people who said that if man were meant to fly, he would have been born with wings. Yet man’s capacity for flight has never been bound or determined by having or not having wings. Why? Because we have something more valuable and far-reaching than wings…we have intelligence, creativity and imagination.

In 1943, Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” In this instance, Watson lacked vision. There will always be people who under-estimate man’s capabilities. The important thing to note is that we don’t have to accept their limitations.

On an individual basis, people make the same mistake….they under-estimate themselves; they under-estimate their creativity, intelligence, and imagination. The truth is that anything you can imagine, you can be or achieve.
Bill Gates certainly wasn’t deterred by Thomas Watson’s limited vision when he set a goal to put a computer in every home. His vision and determination fit the world’s need far better than Watson’s did.

If you were to objectively look back at your life and consider all you’ve been done and experienced, you would probably be amazed and admit that you wouldn’t have thought it possible. Examples: relocated, career achievement, community recognition, level of salary and/or education, survived accidents, divorce, illness, raised children. Everyone has managed events and circumstances far beyond what they thought they could. All of this has happened because they have resources that far exceed their understanding. Innately, you know how to be strong, inventive, responsive, creative, focused and determined. You’ve pulled these qualities out whenever it was necessary.

Everyone has imagination and intelligence. Pay attention to your self limiting statements (self talk). Perhaps you are capable of more than you think. Perhaps It is time to acknowledge your own creativity.

The saying is, “There are no precedents in the Universe”. This means that just because something has not been created, accomplished or experienced yet, does not mean that it can’t be. The world comes up with new inventions, discoveries, methods, and cures daily.

Oprah Winfrey has said, “The Universe had a greater plan for me than I had for myself”. This is really true for everyone – including you!

Small Minded and Critics: Are you killing inspiration?

There are professional reputation smashers, sometimes referred to as “the Old Grump next door.” No matter what you can do, they can do it better. If you sing, they sing better (even though they can’t sing). If you dance, they dance better (even though they can’t dance). If you coach a hockey team, they can do it better (even though they know nothing of hockey). Whatever it is, they know more than you, even though they are vacant of knowledge and experience, and have no clue. And since they make assessments without understanding, it shouldn’t be particularly surprising that their judgment is inaccurate. Whether they are critiquing the works of genius or praising the truly awful, these Critics tend toward error an inordinate amount of the time. Nevertheless, they possess tremendous influence. And that influence is behind the tragic loss of much that would have benefited to the world.

Chinese philosopher, Chuang-tse describes the small mindedness of the Critics in his story about a know-it-all quail. In China there is a great bird known as the P’eng. Its back, broad as a mountain range, extends to support expansive wings, which sweep the sky like clouds. In flight it rises powerfully like a whirlwind penetrating the high mist and majestically soars into the heavens.

As the P’eng glides smoothly, effortlessly on its way to the sea, a quail in the marsh gazes up and laughs. “What does that bird think it is doing?” The quail exclaims, “I leap, fly a few feet and descend again; I flutter busily among the bushes, jumping from here to there and back again. That is what flying is for! Who is that creature trying to fool?”

Thus it is that the small-minded, lacking knowledge and perspective, cannot lift their vision to comprehend greatness, anymore than the words of a fool can equal the depth of a wise one, or the experience of a few years can equal that of many.

Remember this when the voice of inspiration speaks to you and you recognize that it is time to step beyond past limitations because something greater beckons you. The creative among us can discern true art, the visionary can ascertain direction, and the small-minded will stand back in their safe domain and condemn.

Where do you see yourself? Is it time to step into a vaster experience? Or would you choose to risk nothing to stay safe and small?

Believe in Self

Championship golfer, Arnold Palmer has never flaunted his success. Although he has won hundreds of trophies and awards, the only trophy in his office is a bettered little cup that he got for his first professional win at the Canadian Open in 1955.

In addition to the cup, he has a lone framed plaque on the wall. The plaque tells you why he has been successful on and off the golf course. It reads:
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost certain that you won’t.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger woman or man,
But sooner or later, those who win
Are those who think they can.

Arnold Palmer isn’t alone in his determination to believe in himself. Here are some other notable sources: “If you believe you can do a thing, you can do it.” Claude M. Bristol and “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right.” Henry Ford.

If you have ever watched a baby learn to walk, you see an undaunted spirit pushing forward. Something within the infant wants to expand his capabilities. It is probably not thought out so much as it is an inner urge to try something new, put his foot out and attempt to balance on his wobbly legs. His effort is doubled and quadrupled and repeated a hundred times. Gravity works against him, pulling him down in another failed effort. Yet he prevails and pulls himself up again. The baby can either enjoy his efforts or become discouraged and unhappy. Either way he continues on until one day his legs are strong, his body finds balance and he can walk. Success at last!

In much the same way, you can observe an eagle in its natural habitat? Watch it taking off, its powerful wings beating the air as it increases height. Nothing can hold it back. Once more, it is the spirit of the eagle expressing itself -- undaunted, undefeatable.
Palmer, Bristol, Ford, the baby and eagle – all expressing the same thing. You have that same spirit. If you allow your mind to be filled with good things, you remain young, strong, undaunted like an eagle. You are able to soar higher and higher from goal to goal. Believe in yourself! Be an eagle!
“The barrier between failure and success is not something which exists in the real world; it is composed purely and simply of doubts about your ability.” Mark Caine

We are all Part of the Revolution

World renown author and self improvement expert, Wayne Dyer, mentioned during a recent seminar that the Spiritual teacher, Madame Blavatsky, made a prediction in the early 1900s that in the last 25 years of this century there would be a profound world-wide spiritual revolution that would create profound changes in the consciousness of all people.

As the times unfolded, in the later part of the 1900s we learned of an event called the Harmonic Convergence, which constituted a shift to Higher Energy in the world. I remember the day the Harmonic Convergence was to have begun (in the mid 80s). I was filed with energy that day. It was a noticeable shift for me and I was washing windows and zooming around my house with the abundant energy I was feeling. I believe that this elevation in energy was the beginning of the transformation that Blavatsky spoke of in her writings.

Another interesting note is that Blavatsky predicted that the leaders in this transformation would be ordinary people. Thus we see folks like Marianne Williamson, a former nightclub singer; Wayne Dyer, a former school teacher; Zig Ziglar, a former preacher; Brian Tracy, a salesman teaching and reaching the multitudes in new ways of thinking and being.

It is my thought that we are all teachers for as we move through life, we leave our energy and touch on all the people around us. When we approach life from the point of view of unconditional love, non-judgment, openness, and forgiveness we create a profound effect in the world. We are literally changing our lives and the energy in which all people function. It is like releasing drops of pink dye in the universal sea of energy in which we live. As enough people release their love, the sea begins takes on a new hue. It is a fascinating change that is happening.

Become the Observer in Life

It has been said that we have two voices within us. The first one is the voice of truth. It comes to you subtly and offers suggestions. “Join that club.” “Go the new way to work today.” “Call that customer now.” “It is time to move to a new house or job.” “Study anthropology or journalism or whatever.” “Create your own business.”

When you follow the voice of truth your life is ever changing and you are continually growing. This inner voice will lead you down a path and, in time, you will discover, with delight, the answers to your desires plus the personal growth you require to appreciate this culmination.

The second voice is the voice of doubt and it will tell you things like, “Don’t join the club; you’re not good enough to do that.” “Stay on the same tried and true path. Change is scary.” “Don’t call the customer; put it off. He won’t buy anything anyway.” “Stay in the job. It is a sure thing.” “Stay in the house; moving to a new neighborhood is untenable.”

Whichever voice we listen to eventually gets louder. Sometimes we can no longer hear the other one. You can tell which voice you are listening to by noticing the quality of your life. Are you living a life of joy, freedom, expression? Or, does your life reflect fear, restriction, resignation, and the eternal quest for safety? Do you venture into discover and try new things or do you avoid change? One way evokes joy and expansion and the other fear and restriction.

One way to discover which voice you are listening to is to step back and become the observer. As you watch your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, you begin to recognize which voice motivates you. Then, without recrimination or guilt you can make adjustments.

Another way to say this is that we are motivated by two things: fear and desire. Desire comes from the voice of truth and fear emanates from the second voice, the voice of ego. When people set out to do things, they proceed with one or the other voice urging them on. Example: I will stop and get my car gassed up because I enjoy the freedom to be able to travel wherever I want and a full gas tank affords me that. Or, I will stop and fill my gas tank because I am afraid of running out of gas. The first statement reflects joy and expansion and the second fear.

The voice of fear also shows itself in resistance. We can resist moving forward. The idea is that we want to keep the status quo and stay where we are because we are comfortable right here. The problem with that is that the Universe does not stay put. There is always movement and change. In fact, change is the only constant in life. Thus when you resist life, you are not going with the flow, you are resisting it.

Thus the suggestion is to become the “watcher” or observer of your thoughts, feelings and behaviors and ask yourself “am I moving forward or resisting life?” Then decide for yourself which is the best approach for you.

Breaking down Barriers

Pilot, Chuck Yaeger broke the sound barrier in his experimental bell X-1 plane in October, 1947. When he landed his plane, reporters asked him what it was like to be the first man to break the sound barrier. Yaeger replied that just before the barrier was broken, his plane experienced loud noise and violet shaking. After, there was an eerie quiet.

This description made me realize that whenever we are breaking a barrier in our lives, the preceding sense of chaos (shaking of our world) can be experienced as scary or a prelude to the fact that we are breaking into new, un-charted territory. Can you look back in your life and recognize this change point? Did you address it with awe or fear or maybe a bit of each?

When we ask for something new to manifest in our lives, we are, in effect, breaking into new territory or from our frame of reference breaking our own sound barrier. No doubt we might experience chaos before the dawn breaks into new life. You are leaving behind the old to establish something new. Are you shaking on the inside? If it seems like chaos, it could be a sign that it is working. That is when “staying- power” really counts. Or, do you run when the chaos begins?

It takes courage and willingness to stay with your process. Does the end result seem worth it? If not there is hesitancy. If what you are shooting for is unclear to you, then step back and ask yourself, what is this all about?

People come to me all the time wanting a new career or relationship experience. Often they don’t realize that when you want to break through an old barrier of doing things the way they have always been done, there is a certain soul-searching requirement at hand.

What is it you truly want – greater expression, freedom, connection, peace or joy? Decide ahead of time what it is you seek. This will give you the vision and supply the determination to keep going. Any time you are breaking through a barrier, you are entering the unknown. (It is unknown territory to you.) Are you ready; is your vision clear; do you really want this? If you answer in the affirmative, you just might be ready to proceed.