Monday, June 26, 2006

Opposites Attract?

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING JUNE 26, 2006

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INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Fame or integrity: which is more important?
Money or happiness: which is more valuable?
Success or failure: which is more destructive?

If you look to others for fulfillment,
you will never truly be fulfilled.
If your happiness depends on money,
you will never be happy with yourself.

Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you."
~ Tao Te Ching of Lao-Tzu, translated by Stephen Mitchell

IMPROVING UPON PERFECTION!


The questions raised in the first part of today's quotation seem to set up pairs of opposites, representing things that are difficult to achieve versus things that are easily within our grasp. Of course, fame does not necessarily negate integrity, nor are money and happiness polar opposites. Even success and failure don't have to represent two different sides of the coin.

The way you answer those three questions will, however, provide some insight into which side of the equation drives your results. Many seek fame and money as "brass rings" that float out there in the distance, waiting to be grasped. Yet the potential for integrity and happiness already exist within us, just waiting to be recognized and nurtured.

Most of us would agree that integrity is more important than fame, that happiness is more valuable than money. So why do we consider "success" to be the accomplishment of the latter in each case? That provides some insight into why success may, in fact, be more destructive than failure.

It is when we fail that we have the greatest opportunity to develop our integrity and our happiness. Learning to appreciate what we have "on the inside" gives us a sense of self-worth, even in our most desperate hours. We cannot rely on others to save us – we have to look to our inner strength and confidence to carry us from day to day.

Fame, money and success may come and go, but it's our ability to be happy with what we've already got that makes those desires irrelevant. Then suddenly, when we've realized that we don’t need those things, they begin to come to us in abundance. Stay focused inward and trust your own instincts. When you realize your life is perfect, it will just keep getting better!

posted by The Office Grapevine at 4:18 PM 0 comments  

Monday, June 19, 2006

Building Your Own World!

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING JUNE 19, 2006

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"All that Adam had, all that Caesar could, you have and can do . . .
Build, therefore, your own world."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

IF I WERE A CARPENTER . . . PART TWO!

Picture a builder hiring a new framing carpenter to help construct his new homes. The first day on the job, the new carpenter shows up without a tool belt . . . and without any tools . . . and asks, "Where do I begin?" How much progress do you think would be made by the end of the first day?

Most of us, at some point in our lives, are like the unprepared carpenter. We show up, but have no tools, and haven't the slightest clue what we want to build. Within us, we have the power to build any life we choose; yet, at day's end, nothing has changed.

Oh sure, we actively pursue the day-to-day activities of our chosen career, yet we don't take time to visualize the finished product - our life. Thoreau said it best, "Live the life you've imagined." Steven Covey said it this way, "Begin with the end in mind."

To "build your own world," begin by deciding what that world will be like. Next, gather the tools required to begin construction. Finally, begin practicing until you are an accomplished master.

If you want to be a renowned musician, choose an instrument, take lessons, and practice eight hours each day. If you want financial independence, determine a method, learn how others have achieved wealth, and mimic their approach and techniques.

Just remember, the world you get is the world you chose. It's an awesome responsibility - knowing that what you become is the result of the choices you have made. It's also an awesome opportunity to enjoy all the peace, contentment, freedom and riches life has to offer.

Carpe diem! Seize the day!

(Originally published August 13, 2001)

posted by The Office Grapevine at 10:17 AM 0 comments  

Monday, June 12, 2006

It's the Same Way Here!!

FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING JUNE 12, 2006

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY

"Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision for the limits of the world."
~ Arthur Schopenhauer

"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."
~ John Lubbock

HOW DO YOU SEE IT?

Have you ever wondered why some people never seem to be satisfied? Or why others always have a smile on their face? In both cases, it often has absolutely nothing to do with external factors, but rather how people internalize what they perceive.
A perfect case in point is the story about a gentleman who just moved to a small town where he had recently accepted a job. Pulling into a gas station, he casually asked the attendant, "I've never lived in this part of the country - what are the people like here?"
The attendant in return asked, "What are the people like where you came from?" To which the man replied, "Not very friendly. They can be quite rude." The dismayed attendant commented, "I'm afraid that you'll find the folks around here to be the same."
While this little conversation was going on, another car pulled up and the driver called out, "I'm moving to this area soon for a new job. Is it nice here?" The attendant turned to the driver and again asked, "Is it nice where you come from?"
"Well, yeah, it's great there. The people are nice, and I hated to leave," the gentleman explained.
To which the attendant answered, "Well, you'll find the same to be true here!"
What the attendant knew - that the first driver didn't - is that we all see things as we expect to see them. Act positively and expect positive reactions. Act negatively, and . . . well, you get the picture.

If you're feeling disappointed or unsatisfied, it may not be the result of external forces. It may be time to take a look at your own role in the dynamics of your life. Even if your vision is fine, you might need to correct your lenses!

posted by The Office Grapevine at 8:23 AM 0 comments