Marathons are an excellent metaphor for the awesome power of the “little and often” success strategy. 

Why do we hate mosquitos? Because they can bite us “little and often”. In hot countries people have to sleep with mosquito nets. Just imagine the pain of waking up covered in mosquito bites!

The power of little and often is focus. It’s the same thing, little and often, that has the power. Yes, the power to make an impact, however you understand “impact.”

There’s nothing worse than having great energy, but splitting it up again and again. A whole rake of mediocre little things. Bit of this, bit if that, bit of the other. No focus. No perseverance. No personal growth. No success. No impact.

I love studying foreign languages. The problem is my lack of focus. Bit of Spanish, bit of Italian, bit of German, touch of French, a hint of Latin . . . even more! You get the picture.

Then when I’m confronted with having to speak that language with a foreigner, I mutter something like, “yes, well, I studied a few words, but I can’t really speak it.”

By the way, the oppositie extreme is also to be avoided. Not satisfied with knowing a basic 5,000 words, you are driven to learn a further 5,000 words.

Waste of precious time! 

You’ll never use more than a few percent of the second 5,000 words. Maybe nice for the ego, but of little practical use. It is, of course, the old “diminishing returns” nightmare. Massive investment, near zero returns!

Five thousand words in Spanish and 5,000 words in German would be much more useful than 10,000 words in Spanish.

Where do you fit in? You may even be “small” but you can make an impact, by having a clear focus, and then keeping at it. Personal growth guaranteed!

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

Do you make an impact? Like to share a thought? Leave a comment below. Thank you.

“If only this happened more often,” you felt, “life could be awesome.”

We can believe it’s completely out of our control.

“Luck’s just luck! I can’t command luck to happen.”

Well, may be you can. That’s what the quote suggests. Luck can happen when things change.

How come “change” can work this magic? Simply because change introduces something new into your life.

It’s exactly the same as going above and beyond our comfort zones. We open up a whole new range of possibilities, both good as well as challenging.

“So, how can I use change to find my new wings?”

The answer is that we can deliberately control the change. We have free will, the power of decision, and a mind and heart to think and feel what new experience we want. As we create a whole new environment in our life, surprises are bound to happen.

“But I only want good surprises! How can I make that happen?”

Here’s how. The more we make honest, altruistic, loving, caring and compassionate changes, the more we ourselves will create a new social environment in our life. In that new environment, many beautiful things will happen.

How do we know? Life often tends to be wiser than we think. Life gives us back what we offer. One thinks of many other very well-known sayings that make the same point:

“You reap what you sow”

“The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

“We all create our own luck.”

“Kindness is the hardest thing in the world to give away. It’s always returned.”

Everything we’ve read about our attitudes, “negativity” and “positivity, makes the same point.

New wings are out there, waiting for every one of us. You even know what to do. Be really positive.

Why not just go for it?

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

Have you been lucky? What part did you play? Leave a comment below. Thank you.

The quote emphasises that awareness is the starting point, the first step, for any change we make. This first step is crucial: we can’t solve a problem that we don’t even see.

The second step is equally important. Unless we accept the need for the change that we’re aware of, then nothing happens. This can be a huge problem for us. We know what we should do, everyone tells us we need to do it, but we refuse to do it: we do not accept it. 

How familiar does this sound to you? . . .

“Yeah, O.K., I know I should change, but I’m not ready, I don’t want to change, leave me alone, I’ll do it when I’m ready . . . and so on.” 

One massive step: from awareness to acceptance

The list of excuses, rationalisations, evasions, resistence, goes on and on. We’re brilliant at excusing ourselves, for all kinds of things that we should do, but never quite get round to.

I was talking to a middle-aged bloke the other day. He was a bit overweight and unfit; he even mentioned that he liked his drink too much. He admitted that he really should do something about it. But I’m not convinced he’ll follow through. His body language said it all: that look on his face, that tone in his voice, sounded all too familiar. It seemed he wasn’t ready to change.

Why does he hesitate? It’s not that he’s a bad guy, and he really would like to be fitter. After all, he played rugby for many years. Maybe he’s just so content with his present life-style, that he’s not ready for any challenging change. There are things in life, we like so much, that we never quite get round to changing them. 

Your big choice: Self-discipline versus Softness

We are all a bit soft, when it comes to self-discipline, aren’t we? How hard it is to get out of that beautiful armchair, push our back off that comfortable cushion, change our clothes, and get outside, and move! Yes, move a bit more! Go for a brisk walk, run, jog, climb, or even go to the gym, or even attend that evening class we promised ourselves we would. . .

That old sofa has made us soft, and sloppy about our health and wellbeing. Procrastination always gives it’s vote to the sofa:

“No worries,” it insists, “I’ll do it later,” as we push our back more firmly into that soft cushion. 

It reminds me of a book I read, many years ago: “The Cult of Softness.” It suggested that, as a society, we’ve all gone a bit soft, wallowing in ever more soft, comfortable and inviting surroundings. We settle for less than we should.

When “good” is actually not so “good”

Why do we settle for “Less” rather than our “Best”? Less is our greatest enemy, precisely because it’s already something good, not bad. It’s another case of “the good is the enemy of the better.” We can find a hundred reasons to stay with “good.”. 

“There’s nothing wrong with my life,” we insist, lying to ourselves, “I like it just the way it is. It’s good.”

Your life? Merely Average?

And so, the vast majority of the human race settle down, to a life of mediocrity. A life that is merely average, a life that’s way below what we’re capable of. We’re missing out on so much!

We know we could be happier, more fulfilled, if we aimed to be the best we can be. We always know that we could be doing a lot better, but we’ve refused to do it. That has to make us feel a bit bad about ourselves. 

Never mind, all is not lost. It’s never too late. We can do something about it. Tomorrow’s a new day; nothing’s written in stone: make a new start! The future’s always open to your own free choices.

Your life-coach: your mirror

I’m sure no-one likes being completely honest for once, looking in the mirror, and realising that the person, looking back at you, has let you down. The mirror stares back at you; there’s nowhere to hide; and then it speaks: 

“You’re better than this!”

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

P.S. What’s your own little secret change; change that you haven’t actually made yet? If you like, please let us know by leaving a comment.

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Yes! That’s a big question: is change always good? The quote states clearly that if we don’t change things then they’ll decay. However, it seems Harold’s only talking about certain kinds of change. Obviously many changes can be bad. Maybe that was your immediate reaction too: “of course change is not always good; we’ve all heard of things getting worse.”

I agree, there can be both good and bad changes. Change for the better yes; but also change for going backwards. Just think of countless bad changes, in so many countries, over the last few years. What do we see? Hatred and killing running rife. Millions displaced, persecuted, homeless, hungry, sad, lonely and bereaved. No way is that “change for the better.”

Let’s get real! That can’t possibly be what the quote refers to.

Good and bad political change

So, what on earth is Harold Wilson, ex-Prime Minister, talking about? To me it seems obvious he’s only talking about positive change, political change for the better. He speaks of “progress.” That’s his job as Prime Minister. That’s why he’s elected; people believe politicians’ endless promises to make things better.

What about the person who “rejects change”? Is that person “the architect of decay”? Perhaps what Harold is thinking about is political changes, designed to improve people’s lives in some way. The other lot, the opposition, are always compelled to disagree – almost as a matter of principle – and argue against the proposed change.

Therefore if the proposal is rejected, then from the Prime Minister’s perspective nothing’s going to change, and things are going to carry on as before, worse than they could be, and therefore in a state of “decay.”

We’ve always done it this way

Perhaps there’s another way of looking at the quote, beyond the political perspective of the ruling party. In all kinds of situations in life, business, and many others, there’s an almost inbuilt resistance to change. The classic phrase is always something like this:

“We’ve always done it this way, it works OK, so why would we want to change it?”

That indeed is a major problem. If everybody had lived and died by that attitude, we’d still be in the stone age. All creativity, every advance, the engine of growth is change for the better. The very definition of creativity is a jump forward, often out of the blue, made by someone who already knows everything about that issue, and yet still believes more is possible.

Really big changes

Sometimes we experience a touch of magic: a paradigm shift. That is to say, a radical new way of looking at an issue, field of knowledge, or present understanding of an area of human life. All the pieces fit together much better with the new overall understanding. That’s how knowledge has exploded over the past few hundred years, and even seems to be accelerating these days.

Even at a personal level, we all change and evolve throughout our lives. It’s in our DNA. All nature is a constant dance of change and death and new growth. If we fight against change, then we become  robotic; like a movie character, that always behaves exactly the same way every time we watch the movie.

Change a mixed bag

Change is a natural part of life. Is it always good? Not at all; it’s always a mixed bag. We get some things right and grow; we also get some things wrong, and our progress is stalled. Change seems to me like almost everything in life: a mixture of black and white, good and bad, helpful and unhelpful.

In fact, change is even more complex: black, grey and white. Perhaps even a continuum, between black and white. There always seem to be so many possibilities.

There always seem to be many sides to every question. Therefore we must think deeply, about when to change, and when to leave well alone. There are no simple answers.

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

P.S.  What are your thoughts, what does change mean to you?

Do you feel you have much more to offer? Do you feel that life is passing you by? Do you want to do more in your life, live life to the full?

What would you say if you were told you’re not just the product of circumstance? That you do have a choice, that those choices have helped make you who you are, and what you have done up to now.

Are you thinking,

“What me, you must be joking? If I had a choice it would be quite different” 

Put away those pitiful, power-leaching thoughts; because you do have a choice to be the person you want to be. You are what you make yourself.

You could be . . . the person you want to be.

You know that the person, deep down inside of you, knows this is true. That part of you that knows who you could be, who you want to be, who you’re meant to be.

Each one of us is the sum of what we alone have decided, or allowed ourselves to be. Once we reach adulthood, we have the opportunity to choose the kind of life we want, the type of person we want to be. Who we want to spend time with, surround ourselves with.

We make daily choices about hundreds of actions, and decisions we make. We alone decide what type of food we enjoy, what music we like, colours we prefer, who we spend our leisure time with.

You alone have the freedom to change who you are, and what you do, every single day.

“Well, Susan, I didn’t choose my life, my parents. my circumstances. So how can you say it’s my choice?”

I agree, we had very little choice as a child. As adults, we’re often already bound on paths we don’t want. But don’t let that stop you from choosing what you want to do, or be, or changing your course. Let go of that past mindset, those beliefs, excuses and boundaries you may have set up for yourself, or feel tied into.

The chains, of limiting thoughts, that had hold you a prisoner of perceived circumstance and choice. I know it’s not easy to admit. I often felt I had no choice, but I did; maybe not the choices I would have preferred, but I still had them. Once this was revealed to me, I realised I had real power; I was no longer a victim to lame limitations.

We cannot change what life throws at us, or what other people do, or say. However, we can change how we act, think and feel about our own life.

We can decide how we will live our own lives, and what we can make of ourselves.

I want to share with you 7 good reasons why you have the power to be the authentic you.

1. Only you have the right gifts to live your life.  You’re unique; you must develop those gifts, for they give your life meaning. Hone your gifts, every single day, so that they can be used to help others; this is how you can make a difference.
2. Only you can build your confidence and self-respect. Don’t search for these from other people; you must find these yourself. You can earn confidence and self-respect by trusting yourself to do what you set out to do. By learning to have faith in yourself. By believing you are of value.
3. Only you are responsible for your thoughts and actions. Not your parents, not your loved-ones, not your teachers, not your peers. Your thoughts and actions are your job, your responsibility.
4. Only you have the power to motivate yourself, to dig deep and discover the reason (whatever it is) you need to focus on, to keep going when life’s hard.
5. Only you can do the work, or take the steps that you need to take, towards your dream.
6. Only you can make or break you. Nobody else has the power to control your mind, unless you allow them to.
7. Only you have the right to decide what you want to do in life. This is your freedom: it’s why you have free will. Never enslave yourself to someone else’s will. Don’t live someone else’s agenda. Decide for yourself.

You know, deep down inside your heart, what’s right for you. You deserve to be the person you want to be. You can decide today – right now – to build the right life for you.  It’s never too late to change your course. While you’re still alive and breathing, you still have time to go for your dreams.

You have 7 good reasons why I think you can be the person you want to be. I ask you to think about them. Look for your own reasons, and add to them every day.

Continue to strive doggedly to be the person you want to be. Never give up on yourself. You are here for a purpose. That purpose is to live your life to the full, to bring love, joy, peace and happiness to those around you.

In doing so, you will fulfill your life, and the life of others. That is the person you are meant to be, the person you are deep in your heart.

Be that person and live your life to the full.

Susan J McCann

@susanjmccann

PS I’d love to hear what motivates you. Please feel free to share this post.

Where are you headed in your life?

Are you going in the right direction?

How could you even know what is the right dirction for you?

These are very big questions. Maybe very hard to answer. You should try, they are important.

That’s why it’s a good idea to take a little time out, now and then, to simply stop, be quiet, banish all interruptions, and just think about your life.

In this way, you can move away from living most of your life on automatic pilot. This rather unthinking way of life is not good. You may not really being going in the direction you want.

It’s so easy to drop into a pattern of life, that may not be what you really want. After all, there’s so many “things to do, places to go, people to see.” Routine can take over. Little dreams, plans, wishes, hopes can take a back seat.

Perhaps you need to take back a little more control. You are a free agent. You have the power of choice. The future, your future is not a movie script, not a groundhog day. You can make gradual changes, step by step in another direction. The future is open to whatever you want it to be, even though there are a thousand challenges to our personal freedom.

I invite you to take a few moments to reflect on these little questions:

“What direction is your life going? Is it what you really want? If not, what will you do about it? Where do you stand in the sliding scale of life control? Are you drifting, at one end of the scale, or are you your own person at the other end of the scale?

As Jim Rohn reminds us, in this quotation, we can change the direction of our life.

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

P.S  Feel free to share this Quote with a friend.

All genuine success in life is based on being true to ourselves. Living fully who and what we are.

In so much of your upbringing in today’s society, you’re taught to conform to a thousand other demands. You’re taught to fear being different from others.

Conformity is the mother of lifelong boredom. Crushing your creativity, your love of life, your very soul. Because it dumbs down your spirit, your zest for the life you want.

We simply need to dig deep, find a little courage to step out of the rut. We were designed to be unique and beautiful as we are. No need to mimic others.

Fear imprisons our very real passions, ambitions, dreams. Even daring to speak of them and you’re likely to receive a barrage of negative put-downs.

“You, do that? You must be joking.”

“You’ll never make a living doing that, only a handful of people manage that.”

“Forget it, you’d be better off getting a steady job.”

Recognize any of these type of put-downs? Well meaning comments, but devastatingly negative to our ambitions, dreams, passions.

Hey! Wake up.

Time flies.

You live only once.

Better to have gone for it, whatever the outcome. There’s a thrill, a joy, a delight in trying out new and exciting things.

Whether you “succeed” or not is secondary. True success is not in the result, but in the journey, the living, the process.

Authentic success is living in your own way. I’m not talking about selfishness. I’m talking about not letting other people dictate your life. Just discover and live your deepest and best self.

Simply have the courage to step out, each moment, and enjoy whatever is there. There’s magic everywhere. Open your eyes. Heaven is all around you in the wonders of nature.

It reminds me of the saying “work to live, don’t live to work.”  Letting the necessity of work and money dominate our whole life is madness. I’m not suggesting ditching your job, not supporting yourself, or your family. However, making a living doing what you love makes far more sense.

Why sacrifice the best years of your life slaving away? “You can’t take it with you.” Death awaits us all. Enjoy life to the full, right from day one.

Remember: success is in the wonder of each day, each moment. Lift your nose from the grindstone of life. As they say, “stop and smell the flowers.” 

You were never designed by your Creator to be a robot!

May I wish you true success in life.

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

P.S. Maybe you’d like to share this little quote with a friend. Feel free to leave a comment.  I’d love to hear from you. Thanks.

Did you answer “NO! Of course not. I’m not that stupid.”

Why would you be STUPID if you spent money that way?

Surely it’s because you don’t want to waste money. Why not? Because money has a value. A great value. It’s what you absolutely need. No money, then life becomes extremely difficult.

Pause for a moment, and think. Think of some other things in your life that are really important to you.

Do you care for them?

Look after them?

Place a great value on them?

Never want to be without them?

Treat them with love and appreciation?

It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it? The answer is “Of course I do! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”

Ben Franklin reminds us that one of the most important things in our life is time. Time travel doesn’t happen. When it’s gone, it’s gone. One way traffic.

On our death bed, time suddenly becomes huge. We see how much time we could have used better.

Why wait until you’re dying? Value time now.

Use it well. Use it to love others. Make a difference. Do things you love.

Remember, time’s a one-way ticket. No going back.

When it’s gone, it’s gone.

Time out!

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

P.S. I’d love to hear what you value most spending time on. Why not leave a quick comment below? Thank you!

Hundreds of people are standing in their bare feet. We’re in Cardiff, Wales, UK. It’s evening, and dark. The year: 1999. We’re lined up in many rows. Facing us: rows of brightly shining coals of fire. These glowing, growling rows are perhaps 20 yards long.

The occasion? I’m lined up to experience the famous Tony Robbins “Fire Walk.” It’s Friday, the first evening of his awesome personal development seminar.

I reach the front of the line. Deep breath, shoulders back, look straight ahead, walk at a steady pace. Don’t try to run. Off we go, one after the other. I’m really scared, but I summon up all my courage and step into the unknown. I believe I can do this.

At the end of the row, I fall into the arms of a helper. He checks my feet, water at the ready. He makes sure there are no fragments of hot coal trapped between my toes. Relief. I’m OK.

I breath again. Wow! A once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can hardly believe it. My feet aren’t burned. It doesn’t hurt. I can’t really understand why. Maybe because I didn’t pause, and give the fire time to burn me.

(By the way, please do not try this at home!  Our fire walk was professionally managed for safety. I do not in any way recommend you to experiment with fire)

We learned a lot

What was the point of all this? Give us a thrill? Teach us something? Experience a new challenge?

It was a master class in showing us how to overcome limiting beliefs.

If we can overcome a seemingly impossible physical challenge, then how much more power is inside us to overcome doubts and fears in the mind?

Countless books have been written on the power of thinking. Many personal development classics drive home this simple lesson: it’s our thoughts and beliefs that determine our life.

What’s your take on this?

You deserve to be great

Fears and doubts haunt us all, don’t they? To what extent can your belief fill you with power, and compel you to fulfill your deepest desires? Overcome your terrifying fears?

What are some important things in your life? Things you’d like to do, goals you’d like to achieve. What haven’t you done yet? What should you do that you haven’t. Deep down, you know.

Maybe you’re afraid. But fear is just a thought, a belief in your mind. Why treat it like burning coals? If we can walk on fire, then surely we can tackle limiting beliefs. They’re just in your mind. And that’s good news. Why?

You control your own mind. You can change your mind. You have the power of choice. You’re “Master of your Fate, Captain of your Ship.”

Remember: life moves on, relentlessly. Don’t die with your music still inside. No regrets. At the very least give it a try. If you fail, so what? At the very least you had a go. On the other hand, you might just surprise yourself and achieve your own greatness.

No regrets. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. Or maybe it was, and you just need to persevere and keep on trying. “If at first you don’t succeed . . .”

Near journey’s end

I’ll be 80 this year. I’ve been through all this a thousand times. I’m still trying. Still moving. Haven’t given up.

I look back on my long life; I’m very happy to know that I went for it. Yes, I know. I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs. Challenges and problems. Success and Failure. I just got back on my feet. I soldiered on. I overcame whatever was thrown at me. I won through.

I succeeded because I never gave up on life.

What will you feel when you’re 80?

Make sure you feel that you pushed on and had a go. Often “success” is not important. What is important is to try your best, “win” or “lose” in the opinion of others.

You write your own epitaph.

“You did it your way.”

Gerry McCann The Merry Monk

@themerry_monk

Nobody at all, with an ounce of common sense, is going to believe, trust or invest time, money, and effort in a loser. Make no mistake.

If you have little or no self-belief then – rightly or wrongly – you will be perceived, and treated, as a loser. No-one, unless they’re stupid, bets on a known loser. Ask any venture capitalist.

Successful investors always look for passionate, hardworking people who have enough self-belief to set out, and forge ahead on their own. Brave people, who risk their time and money in providing a new product or service for the benefit of others. It’s a ‘no-brainer’ – self-belief is an essential quality of spirit for entrepreneurs.

It’s also a quality, in fact, that we all need. A quality that’s truly needed, always and in everything: business, relationships, life, love, the lot. Without self-belief, we’ll sabotage our ability to work successfully with others. But that’s not all: we will also self-sabotage.

Your Self-belief is the Key to Your Success

“Anyone can do it”

If you lack self-belief, all your ambitions, aspirations and dreams will collapse. They’ll dissolve, and vanish . . . in a sea of doubt. Self-belief is absolutely crucial. Why?

Without essential self-belief, you won’t follow through. On anything.  A business mentor’s hardest job is to convince clients they can be successful. “Anyone can do it,” they suggest.

Yet we rebel at the thought. We build walls to defend our mediocrity. We cling relentlessly to the lie:

“I can’t do it; I’m a nobody.”

Often our negative conditioning in life has convinced us of this debilitating illusion.

You know you have the power – yet you just don’t believe it. Everything happens in strict accordance with how much we believe. Believe you can, and you can. Believe you can’t, and you can’t.

Your Self-belief is the Key to Your Success

Your special talents

The first step in achieving greater self-belief?

Recognize your own personal value and dignity. Deep down you know you have the unique gifts and talents you need.

You find that hard to believe?

You just need to think, for a moment, of all the many successful entrepreneurs, who perhaps have far fewer talents and gifts, in their niche, than you have in yours. Tell yourself the good news,

“If they can do it, then so could I. What’s stopping me?”

The reason they’re successful is that they went for it, they believed they could.

So? Forget the lies you’ve heard all your life, telling you

“Who do you think you are?”

” What do you know about running a business”?

“You’ll never make it!”

The power of self-belief is within us all, and at our command. We just need to discover it, believe it, and then use it.

Just remember that self-belief is not all or nothing: something we either have or don’t have, like a physical object. Self-belief and self-doubt are qualities of mind and spirit, rather than anything material. Therefore it’s a question of the degree, or level – how much or how little – we have of that quality.

A down-to-earth quality of mind

So, how much self-belief do you have? As with most things in life, the ideal outcome is a balance between the extremes. Neither “I can achieve absolutely anything” nor “I am quite useless, and can’t do anything worthwhile.”

We seek the golden middle way. Neither unrealistic optimism, nor a pathetic learned helplessness. A balanced middle view is the ideal; that would actually be more optimistic than most of us imagine.

So, what’s needed?

Realistic, down-to-earth, solidly grounded optimism! That’s a crucial factor that separates the high achievers from those who settle for mediocrity.

High achievers are so optimistic because they believe that with hard work, determination, perseverance, and creativity, huge success is possible. They’ve proved it, over and over again.

Even when things don’t work out, they remain optimistic. We all know stories of world-famous entrepreneurs who’ve failed more times than they’ve succeeded. But they persevered. They never gave up. They just learned another lesson, dug their heels in, and dived right in again.

Your Self-belief is the Key to Your Success

Most successful entrepreneurs really are ordinary people, much the same as you and me. They only difference is they had the belief, optimism and courage to simply go for it; and then persevere.

They know, better than most, that we all have massive abilities, which often go unrecognized. Such abilities can even be improved. We can all learn a wide range of skills, and so create a greatly enhanced and enriching life-style.

You need to find that belief and courage. You can then fashion a much better life for yourself and your loved-ones.

So . . . how? How do you find this self-belief and courage?

Success notebook

The first place to look is your past triumphs, your own track record. Trust your own experience. It gives you solid, concrete evidence that you can succeed in many things.

I am convinced it’s a brilliant idea to make a list of your greatest achievements up to date. So motivational! Buy a huge notebook, and use it just for this purpose. That list will be your very own self-belief manual.

Even better, add photos and gather physical evidence of past glories. For example dig out certificates, medals, prizes, rewards you’ve earned in the past – a veritable golden treasure chest of memories.

That was YOU, not anyone else.

Think too about the countless ordinary, everyday things you’ve learned and now take for granted. Everything you needed to learn and achieve to grow up into a well-rounded, and competent adult.

Again, that was YOU, not anyone else.

What an inspiring exercise, because that winner you’re looking at is a younger you. You’re still the same person, with even more experience. Why doubt now when you’ve already proved you can do it?

The next step is to add to this list regularly, as you recall other past successes. Look at these successes frequently. This will help continue building your confidence and self-belief.

Another powerful step: begin to jot down new and up-to-date successes. Increasingly, you will be looking forward to future successes and further entries in your self-belief manual, your “success journal,” as some call it.

Whenever you doubt, latch on to those powerful memories. Clear proof that you already succeeded in so many challenges. When you’re afraid and doubt yourself, remember the great things you’ve already achieved.

Maybe you disagree. You may be thinking,

“I’ve never really done anything great. It couldn’t work for me!”

I’m not talking about extraordinary things, like winning Olympic gold. You’ve a ton of experience and learning in everyday things we take for granted.

A toddler programmed to be a winner

Learn from yourself as a toddler. Let’s focus on one simple example. You learned to walk. Remember how?

It was a relentless, in-built drive. You never gave up. Day in, day out, you tried. Day in, day out, you made imperceptible progress. Day in, day out, you kept falling over. However, you just kept on getting back up again. It never entered you’re little mind to think,

“That’s it! I’ve had it! I’ve tried over and over. It’s not working. I’ll never be able to walk. Might as well settle for crawling!”

Think of what you did then, how you simply refused to surrender. I’m still talking about YOU, not some famous person. You too have succeeded in so many things. Use your imagination.

See yourself again in that situation. Feel again how you felt then. Picture it in detail in your own mind. Bring that power and feeling back into the now. It felt so good, didn’t it?

You were able to summon up your self-belief, and you succeeded. You proved you could do it, and you can do it again and again. Always focus on your successes.

What about all my failures?

Don’t worry about the past failures. They don’t mean you yourself are a failure, as a person. Keep it simple.

So-called “failure” is nothing more than a result of some action. You tried something, and it didn’t work out. No big deal. Just learn a better way. Rejoice in this positive “learning from your mistakes.”

Let me repeat: focus on your successes. You’re building your self-belief, not putting yourself down; no point in filling your mind with the times when things didn’t quite work out.

Use your success diary to note and remember all your successes. Keep adding to it, you’ll soon see that you have a lot more to inspire you.

Your Self-belief is the Key to Your Success

Lastly, one final and extremely important point: create a little team of positive people around you. As a group, you will supercharge the self-belief of each other. You will feed off each other’s energy, belief and wisdom.

Self-belief will go through the roof.

Your success is there for the taking. You deserve it. You know you deserve it. Take it. It’s yours.

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

Are you frustrated at not having the job you deserve?

Are you really angry at yourself, convinced you’ve let yourself down?

Great news! It doesn’t have to be that way.

You can change from today.

But are you ready for change?

Yes, I know. You think it’s impossible. You might be thinking: what can this one short post do to make such a difference?

There’s one easy-to-use strategy that was given to me, many years ago. So easy that you can hardly believe it works.

But it does!

Because millions of successful people are already using this one simple strategy. I would like to share it with you. You can start to use it today, as soon as you’ve read this post.

First of all, think about a Dream, a Goal, something that you really want that’s important to you.

Picture it in your mind. Really look at it, feel it and think about it, describe it to yourself in detail  Focus on it until it becomes a clear, vibrant picture that creates excitement and anticipation.

Now hold that feeling.

So, what is that word that would stop that dream from happening? That small word with such a huge impact is

Impossible!

You too can join those millions of successful people by eradicating that one simple word impossible from your thinking.

The Word impossible has a devastating effect on your subconscious.

Why?

Because that word stops our thinking.  It stops our subconscious looking for solutions. Solutions it could otherwise be searching for, working on, and figuring out 24/7. Until it discovers what you need to do.

That word impossible stops your conscious thoughts in their tracks. It programs your mind to tell you you can’t. It controls your mindset, attitude and actions. This negativity even affects how you view your life.

It kills your dreams.

That’s the very last thing you want, isn’t it?

Just like Jason and Mark.

Their Story

They are both in their mid 40’s, and have much in common: similar backgrounds, jobs,education. Both had been laid off and were looking for work.

scouring the papers, searching the internet, sending off their CVs. Each received rejection after rejection: over qualified, too expensive, too old. Both were disappointed, over and over, again and again.

Jason became discouraged, he eventually stopped searching for work. He moped around the house playing computer games. Watching TV.  Moaning to anyone who’d listen, how life had dealt him a bad hand. He felt he’d been tossed aside, thrown on the scrap heap.

You probably know lots of people  like that, who have given up, in all sorts of situations. Tragic. isn’t it?

But Mark kept going. He kept looking for work. He kept at it day after day, week after week, never giving up. Eventually he went to a small local company and spoke to the owner Michael:

 “Look, you can use my skills. I know you’ve no job to give me, but I can help you. I’ll volunteer my time. I must do something. I want to make a difference. I need to keep my skills up to date”

Michael eventually agreed: “OK but I can’t pay you.”

Mark went there everyday. He worked hard and made a difference. He was first one there in the morning, and the  last one to leave. He was cheerful, reliable and got on with everyone.  Six months later a manager left, and  Michael needed a replacement.

Guess who they selected? Yes, you guessed. Mark got the job.

They liked him, he was trustworthy, dependable, a good worker who had proved his worth. They were happy with him.

What was the difference between Jason and Mark?

Yes. Of course. That one little word.

Jason had come to believe it was impossible to get work, so he gave up and stopped trying. But Mark believed no matter how many knock-backs he got, that it was possible. He never gave up.

Just like Roger Bannister, never gave up.

Historic record breaker

Even though it was believed to be physically impossible to break the 4 minute mile. Roger Bannister would not believe it was impossible; no, he worked hard and trained hard.

And in April 1954 he eventually broke the record, running a mile in under 4 minutes. Something that was thought to be impossible was now shown to be possible. And guess what?

Within weeks other runners also did it. Since then well over 20,000 others, including school children have broken this record.

WHY were they now able to do it?  They no longer believe it’s impossible

Dr Robert Schuller believes that the word

“Impossible is a knife thrust at the heart of creativity”

He has learned that it blocks our thinking, it blocks our minds from looking for possibillities. It halts progress, research, innovation, technology;  even our dreams.

Let’s be honest

We need to unmask the word and call these impossibilities by their right name: Fears, that take over our thinking.

They are more honestly known as:

• Prejudices
• Challenges
• Problems
• Blind Spots
• Fatigue
• Ignorance
• Fear
• Excuses
• Ego Problems
• Laziness

It’s not impossible. You just don’t know how to do it yet.

It’s not impossible. You just need more time.

It’s not impossible. You just have to find new ways of doing it.

It’s not impossible. You just need to ask for help.

It’s not impossible. You just need to believe in yourself.

Now think back to what I asked you earlier. About what you want, your dream or goal. What would it mean to you to achieve it? What would it mean to your family, friends and loved ones? What would your life be like?  What other opportunities would open up to you? What else would be possible?

Now eradicate, erase, and expel the word Impossible from your thinking. Obliterate the word from your language. Free your subconscious to work 24/7 to find all the solutions you need. You can change your life by eradicating that one simple word

Are you willing to do this?

Now look again at your goals and dreams. Decide right now to make them possible. Now you know they’re not impossible, you just need to find out what you need to learn and do, then take daily action.

Wishing you the very best on making your goals and dreams, realities.

I’d love to hear about any tips or simple strategies that you’ve used to achieve your goals.

I believe we’re all more than a little terrified of attempting to do something really big and challenging. Something that seems to us almost impossible. Let’s take an example of when might this happen:

One way is when we are urged to set great goals for our life.

Sometimes we allow ourselves to become powerfully motivated, and inspired to break the mold. We start to believe that great success is just possible – even for me! We try to take on board what we read in self-help books. We become motivated to “go for it.”

We tell ourselves we believe it. We try it. We set the great goals, the “impossible dreams”. We may even write down these goals, and solemnly promise ourselves this is for real.

It makes us excited and happy. We’re over the moon. We can see it all! Wouldn’t that be fabulous?

The sudden shock of what might be involved

Then stark reality kicks in. I suddenly realize just what I’ve done. Fear and panic grip me:

“That goal’s huge. I’m terrified. It won’t work. Beautiful thought though it is: no way, man! Let’s get real! I can’t possibly do that. It’s not for me. It’s impossible!”

Back to dull but safe mediocrity

So, we calm down. We do “get real.” By that we mean that we choose to forget those “impossible” dreams.

“They’re just pipe-dreams,” we tell ourselves.

So once again we settle for the “possible”: tiny goals.

We can see immediately that these little goals really can be achieved. That comforts us. We rejoin the masses of underachievers. We feel much better now.

“Better than that going after the impossible” we feel, “too much stress and hard work! I’m not ready for  a mental breakdown!”

The secret of success revealed

The secret path to great success is the step-by-step approach. But let’s be quite clear why it’s a “secret.“

The secret here is not that we’ve never heard of “step-by-step”. The secret is this: it really will work for me too, if only I do it. Step by step really can overcome our natural fear and self-doubt.

The sad fact is that “step-by-step” doesn’t work for most people. Why not? Why do most people fail? Simple. They stop believing in themselves.

They also get fed up. Get bored. Lose interest. Lose patience. Look around for something different. Opt out. They give up. No staying power!

“I knew it wouldn’t work,” we tell ourselves.

Our comfort zones have become our jailers. We’ve all heard of comfort zones. However, we underestimate their power. What we fail to realize is that comfort zones can also be deadly. They paralise us. They really can hold us, chained and bound, in an iron grip.

Why? Because we think that we have to change everything overnight, and that terrifies us. Great fear stands guard at the door of every comfort zone.

What’s the answer? The magic key to unlock the door, push fear aside? PATIENCE! We need to be patient. We need to believe in the immense power of steady, relentless, day-by-day change.

It is well said that,

“We greatly overestimate what we can do in the short term, but vastly underestimate what we can do in the long run.”

The wisdom of Mother Nature

We need perspective. Mother Nature herself is our best teacher. The miracle of growth, in its countless million different forms, can only happen with time. Growth happens constantly, but so slowly you can’t see it. It’s like watching paint dry!

Kids take years to grow up. We can’t see those miniscule daily steps. Yet progress is relentless, 24/7. Let Nature teach us her lesson: the best way to grow, evolve and change is imperceptibly, step by step.

We are all under the curse of impatience. We’ve made an idol of speed and efficiency. Yet change is time bound, and we must patiently respect this fact of life.

Marathon man

Great goal achievement is a bit like running a marathon. I speak from experience. I began running marathons when I was 65 years old. I believed it was possible. I took all the steps, over a period of months. No problem!

It is a perfect metaphor for the step by step approach. To run a marathon you, quite literally, have to take thousands of small steps.

To jump 26 miles, in a single step, is impossibe. The very thought is absurd. However, realising that it will take you a few hours, you patiently set off at a comfortable, steady pace.

Each step is easy: something you’ve done, quite unthinkingly, ever since you were a child. We can all do that. As they say, “just keep putting one foot in front of the other!”

Easy steps

Whatever we want to do, no matter how difficult and seemingly impossible, can be achieved over time by taking steps. Break it all down into a series of small mini-tasks.

The key is right here: each and every step is small, easy and manageable.

Patience

That’s the magic ingredient. Yet so few of us have mastered it. I’m reminded of a little rhyme I learned many years ago:

“Patience is a virtue, get it of you can,

seldom in a woman, never in a man”

What’s your experience?

Search your own memory bank. I’ll willing to bet that there have been many times in your life when the simple step by step approach has served you well.

If you’ve done it before, you can do it again.

Just make completely sure that you’re absolutely passionate about the magnificent goals you want to achieve.

Make sure that love, service and commitment to others is at the heart of your ambitions.

Gerry McCann (The Merry Monk) 

@themerry_monk

Just how free do you think you are?

The word “Freedom” is one of the most emotive, explosive and contentious words in any language. The reason seems obvious: freedom is perhaps the deepest and most intense desire of the human heart.

Why do I say that? Just witness the horrendous battles that have been fought over freedom, ever since time began. It really does mean that much to most of us. It’s a “no-brainer.”

What about you? What’s your take on your own personal freedom? Are you just like the rest of us? We all take it for granted, don’t we? Don’t you just know and feel it in your bones: that you would never, ever allow anyone to take away your freedom? Or make a “slave” of you?

“No way, man! I’d rather die!”

So why would death seem a better option? Because you would be de-humanised! That’s right: without freedom we are scarcely human. We might think, “if we can’t be human, then we might as well be dead!

Freedom or death?

Yes! “Freedom or death” is a cry that resonates with all of us. That rallying cry has been repeated down through the ages;  and it’s still alive and well in today’s suffering, broken and tragic world. Even if we live in a “free” country, where citizens have a greater degree of personal and political freedom, we can still suffer from a subtle, self-imposed lack of freedom.

“Self-imposed? You mean I do it to myself? You gotta be kidding me, right?”

No! You heard right! I’m dead serious. How straight do you want it? We stupidly allow ourselves to become “slaves” in our minds and hearts. We surrender our inner freedom, taking on board countless opinions, beliefs and values of other people. And the saddest part is that often we don’t even think about it, we don’t even know it!

We have our greatest enemy right there inside, hidden deep within our mind and heart. The “enemy within.”

Beware this all-embracing enemy of your freedom!

The enemy’s name? CONDITIONING! That all-powerful yet subtle influence, that’s everywhere in our life. Making us do things of which we are scarcely even aware.

It’s unrelenting: day by day, week by week, we are conditioned by no fewer than three massive influences that condition our life.

Massive influences? “Who? What? Where? When? Why? I don’t get it!”

Pause. Think for a moment. You’ll recognise them immediately: 1) family and upbringing, 2) society and the environment, 3) yourself!

Family conditioning

It’s no surprise, of course, that the people who’ve brought us up from birth exert a colossal influence on us. All through our young years, we are often simply told what to do, how to behave, even how to think. No surprise then that when we grow up our mind, heart and spirit and crammed full of other people’s stuff. In a very real sense they’ve actually created us.

This raises a huge and important question: “How do I know what’s been taken on board from others? How do I discover whether it’s what I really want?”

As adults we need to make up our own mind. We need to judge all that stuff inside: our thoughts, convictions, beliefs, feelings, prejudices, opinions – a whole interior world. It needs judging, because there’s almost certainly a huge mixture of good, indifferent, and perhaps even bad.

So, what about everything we’ve been told growing up? What should we do? How do we judge? Well, what does any judge do? Simple! The judge ASKS QUESTIONS.

Look in the mirror. Self analysis needed

The only way we can overcome childhood conditioning, and start thinking for ourselves, is to grow up and start questioning. Question what?

I would suggest everything we’ve learned. Our beliefs, values and principles, in order to truly be our own, need to be worked  through in our own minds and hearts.

That’s the only way we leave behind one world and enter another. We must grow up, and no longer “think like a child, talk like a child, and act like a child.” We ourselves must become responsible for what we think, believe, love and do.

We put aside the things of childhood, and become adults, as we reach greater and greater levels of maturity, personal freedom and self-determination. We must live our own agenda, according to our own values. Become our own person.

How much questioning do you do?

This questioning process must last throughout our life. Why? Because the society and environment we live in also exerts its own all-embracing, constant influence. We are continually bombarded with other people’s opinions, beliefs and values.

Do we take them on board, with even thinking? If we do, then we ourselves are also partly responsible for our conditioning. It’s frightening how much we are conditioned. We absorb the values, beliefs, life-style, opinions from our environment.

We simply must say “Stop! Hang on a minute! Is that really true? Does that make sense? Is that what I want to do?”

Search your heart, and discover your very own deepest beliefs and values. This self-questioning can be very painful, as we leave aside much of what we’ve learned. However, in the end you are truly free inside, creating, living and enjoying your own agenda.

Conditioned? Live your own agenda

The moral of the story is very simple. As adults we question to discover our authentic values. Then we set our own agenda according to those values: find our own truth, live our own life in our own way. Why live a lie?

But someone might object, “isn’t living your own agenda a certain recipe for selfishness and indifference to other people?”

That’s a good question. Yet the answer is clear. Our agenda must spring from our values in life. And the greatest value is love and concern for others. Our loved-ones should have nothing to fear from our truly authentic self.

If love is at the centre of our hearts and minds, then we’ll pay full respect and reverence for the agenda of all other people. This is especially true for those closest to us. Our agenda must never ride rough-shod over their genuine wishes and desires. The way forward is loving dialogue.

Ultimately you’ll be happiest by being yourself: your true, honest, inner self, spirit, mind and heart!

Gerry McCann

@themerry_monk

“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” (Proverbs: 8,9)

This famous passage, from the ancient Book of Proverbs in the Bible, sings the praises of knowledge and wisdom in words that still touch the heart today. For me, it says this:

Better a simple, honest and beautiful guy, than a rich guy who’s superficial and selfish.

Your awesome gift of intelligence

Knowledge and wisdom are truly desirable goals, and utterly worthwhile for any man, woman or child. One of your greatest gifts is intelligence:

You can think, reason, study, analyze, interpret, remember, and communicate about everything that you receive from your senses. You can accumulate knowledge; but even that’s not enough.

Why? Because you also need wisdom.

Wisdom: your rock-solid foundation

What exactly then is wisdom? Wisdom is simply the practical and effective use of knowledge in order to manage life’s challenges. Knowing what to do with your knowledge and information.

Above all, it’s through wisdom that you grow and evolve as a person: to become a fully rounded awesome human being, in mind, body and spirit.

It is wisdom that convinces you that life’s really all about:

• Love,
• Sharing,
• Giving,
• Friendship,
• Kindness,
• Happiness:
• Your continual growth, development and fulfillment as a person in society.

When you compare and contrast this knowledge and wisdom with the “silver, rubies and gold” of the quotation, then you realize that they really are meaningless lumps of metal and earth.

Wisdom: your personal life coach

• Wisdom gives you insight: it helps you to discern what is true, right and just.
• It helps you fashion your deepest beliefs and values.
• It gives you some idea of why you’re here at all, what life’s really all about.

Wisdom set you apart from the whole of the animal kingdom, surviving simply on instincts. You’re not just a body and brain like an animal.

We humans have spirit and soul, that enables us to evolve a million times more than the animals.

So why not live according to this gift of knowledge and wisdom?

Why descend to the level of animals? Indeed some humans act in such a depraved manner that even the animals would look the other way.

So, keep learning and growing, spearheading your own evolution towards success, happiness and contribution to others.

Wisdom: your key to human progress 

What are those necessary areas of your life that could benefit from further learning, knowledge and wisdom?

Important areas like career, work, family, relationships.

Start asking yourself all these extremely powerful “what-if?” questions. Your work and career for example:

• What if you took a few courses and got promotion at work?
• What if you learned all about another kind of job.
• What if you switched to a different kind of work, that you’d enjoy much better?

This kind of questioning could totally transform your life in knowledge and wisdom.

Just think: You could examine, understand and then overcome countless deep-seated issues that affect us all. Things like

• Negativity,
• Self-doubt,
• Irrational fears,
• Settling for a mediocre life-style,
• Laziness;  and so on.

Wisdom: your inner journey

That’s the magic of that inner journey into your deepest soul, where you discover the depths of who and what you are. This is the greatest wisdom there is.

As the wise saying has it: “self-knowledge is the beginning of wisdom.”

Gerry McCann, The Merry Monk

themerry-monk

There are far too many underachievers in this troubled human world. I’m convinced of this fact, and it’s such a pity! Very few people seem to reach their true limits, and our world is the poorer and deprived of so much they could offer.

Ask yourself this challenging question: “where do I fit into this picture?”

Be honest with yourself. Is it just possible that you’ve opted for less than you should?

If so, why? Part of the answer lies in “comfort zones.” We all have certain limits beyond which we will not venture. We feel uncomfortable with anything new and untried, especially if it seems difficult. Fear is always lurking at the back of our mind, stopping us from trying out new things.

So, how do you judge these self-imposed limits? Do they serve you or not? The answer is both. There are so many possibilities in life that open up before you. How can you judge whether it’s worth taking a risk? Common sense protects us from foolish risks. Self interest helps us choose things we think will be good for us.

Your own personal risk assessment

The great problem is the grey area between black and white, between dangerous and very desirable. The grey areas are choices we face that will push us beyond our present comfort zones, and we’re not really sure whether they’re worth the risk. Good and bad might result. Something desirable beckons you to take a risk to get it; but there’s also the possibility that you’ll be worse off.

That’s when your courage is put to the test.

Do you play safe, avoid trying anything new, stick within your comfort zones? Or do you go for excellence, willing to accept the possible negative outcome, in the hope that you’ll achieve the desirable good?

Why not decide right now to begin to “up your game?” Are you willing to aim for, and commit to personal excellence?

High achievers have a secret: their drive and ambition. These are two crucial character traits that push us out beyond that safety net, convinced that many of our fears are unfounded, false, and debilitating. As has been famously said, “the only thing to fear is fear itself.”

A word of warning! Extend your comfort zones GRADUALLY.

Build up your resolve bit by bit, day by day. I believed I could run marathons because my friend Paddy assured me, from his own experience, “if you can run a mile you can run a marathon”. So I took up running marathons at the age of 65, beginning with the London Marathon. I built up gradually until I actually ran the whole distance in training. So on the day, no problem! Excellence was assured, I already knew I could do it! Then success and my hard-earned medal. I was over the moon, I had really done it. Another comfort zone smashed!

Anyone can do what I did. Simple: give it a go. Try it out. See how you get better every day. Soon you look back and are filled with amazement at how far you’ve come. You too can pursue excellence in your own unique life circumstances. Search your heart. Discover your dream, and . . . just do it! Who knows, you might even succeed? Remember, there’s only one way to find out.

 Gerry McCann – The Merry Monk

@themerry_monk