Persistence Pays Off

George E. Allen, Publisher and Author, once said, "People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don't know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to."

In my opinion, that goes for women as well!

Napoleon Hill, in his book, Think And Grow Rich, suggests the reader put up a sign where it is the last thing you see before going to bed at night, and the first thing you see in the morning. It should say, in one inch high letters, "Quitters never win, and winners never quit."

Wallace D. Wattles, in his book, The Science of Getting Rich, says, time and again, that ability is not what makes one rich.

So, regardless of what you think you possess in the way of ability, you can succeed in any endeavour to which you put your mind. But... it is wise to bear in mind that if your first attempt fails, try a different approach the second time, and again the third time, ad infinitum until you find the plan that does succeed. Only an idiot expects to get different results repeating the same thing over and over.

Samantha
Find success at The Life Abundant!

Caution or indecision?

This morning I received what was supposed to be an inspirational message. The quote, from Luc De Clapiers, 1715-1747, Essayist, was "Action makes more fortune than caution."

My first reaction to that was a big, fat, "Duh!" I find it difficult to imagine how one can make a fortune by doing nothing. Then I re-read it. The second time I saw 'the truth' in the statement. It was 'action' versus 'caution.' The expression which immediately comes to mind is, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." But how does this relate to making a fortune?

Again, I can't imagine anyone making a fortune through inaction, save in 'holding' a plummeting stock which suddenly rises beyond expectation. But isn't even that an 'action'? I think that the word 'indecision' should have been used rather than caution. Then the sentence would read, "Action makes more fortune than indecision." To me that makes a lot more sense. The way I see it, indecision is what keeps most people from attaining their goals, not caution.

Indecision stems from a lack of knowledge. Without adquate knowledge it is difficult to make what one would deem the proper decision, leading to the proper action. And yet, that is what leaders are asked to do, time and again. Adequate knowledge is not always available at the 'moment of truth.' It is at times like those that leaders rise. It is at times like those that one needs to rely on 'gut feel.' And, I have come to believe that the feeling one gets in those circumstances is God-given. It is at such times that caution needs to be 'thrown to the winds' and action needs to be taken.

So, in the final analysis, I have to agree. Action makes more fortune than caution.

Samantha
Take action now. Your fortune awaits at The Life Abundant.

Don't Worry. Be Happy!

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor over the period 121 A.D. to 180 A.D., is reputed to have said, "Happiness depends upon the quality of your thoughts. Entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature."

I have to admit that I am very happy most of the time. However, in accordance with the universal Law Of Rhythm, no one can be that way all the time. There is an ebb and flow to all of life. If it were not so, we wouldn't know what happiness is! So, as much as I would like to be very happy all the time, I understand that this just cannot be. For every up there is a down, but as Marcus Aurelius said, if you keep your thoughts in tune with the Universe, the downs will be quite shallow and very short lived.

As goes the song; "Don't worry. Be happy!"

Samantha
Happiness lives at The Life Abundant

Read a Good Book

This morning I received an email in which Earl Nightingale, of the Nightingale, Conant Corporation, was quoted as saying, “In one of the Monthly Letters from the Royal Bank of Canada it was pointed out that reading good books is not something to be indulged in as a luxury. It is a necessity for anyone who intends to give his life and work a touch of quality. The most real wealth is not what we put into our piggy banks but what we develop in our heads. Books instruct us without anger, threats and harsh discipline. They do not sneer at our ignorance or grumble at our mistakes. They ask only that we spend some time in the company of greatness so that we may absorb some of its attributes.

You do not read a book for the book's sake, but for your own.”

I must admit a leaning towards non-fiction, although I do occasionally read a novel, or science fiction work for enjoyment. Although fiction provides a brief respite from our daily world of reality, most of it, and especially that genre referred to as pulp fiction, does little to broaden the mind. I believe that we learn more from reading good books over a lifetime than any school or university can give us in the few short years we spend there.

I find the worlds of spirituality and quantum physics fascinating. And the more I read about them the more they seem to merge into sameness. Books by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, and Esther and Jerry Hicks are quite fascinating and thought provoking. Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich, makes one take a completely different approach to life, and Wallace D. Wattles’ book, The Science of Getting Rich, deals more with ethics and spirituality than the title would lead the reader to believe. Presently I am reading John Maddox’s book, What Remains to be Discovered, and I am fast coming to the conclusion that the answer is, “almost everything.”

So, do yourself a favour. Read a good book. Start now.

Samantha
lifeabundant.ca