good thots

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."

~Nelson Mandela

Written by a former child
Author Unknown

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influences the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today?

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

To rejoice in another's prosperity, is to give content
to your own lot: to mitigate another's grief,
is to alleviate or dispel your own.
--Thomas Edwards
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

You're happiest while you're making the greatest contribution.
--Robert F. Kennedy
INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION

Energy and persistence conquer all things.
--Benjamin Franklin

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.
--William Thackeray
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

Heed the still small voice that so seldom leads
us wrong, and never into folly.
--Marquise du Deffand
INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION

Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness;
it is generally the by-product of other activities.
--Aldous Huxley
The introduction of this beautiful book starts like this:

When I was a younger man, I lived my life with a philosophy of, "What's in it for me?" That all changed with one sentence... "You need to get your affairs in order. You have three months, six at the most, to live."

I sat across the desk from my oncologist as he spoke those words that shook my world. I thought he must be talking about somebody else.

I was diagnosed with a very rapid, fatal form of cancer. The doctor told me that there really wasn't anything they could do for it. He asked if I would be willing to try different types of experimental treatments. I figured I had no other options. The treatments made me unbelievably ill. There were many times when I thought that death would be kinder.

This was the bad news for Barry Gottlieb. The goods news, however was "off the charts!" A few weeks later he received a phone call from his doctor screaming on the phone..."You don't have cancer! It was a misdiagnosis...a mistake by the lab."

Can you imagine this happening to you? The roller coaster of emotions!

However, for Barry, it changed the way he thought about life. From that day forward, he said, "I made the decision to treat every day as a gift." Thus, the inspiration for this wonderful "manual for life."

Today, I'll share one of Barry's 33 chapters with you, titled True Abundance. Enjoy!

An Excerpt from Every Day is a Gift
by Barry Gottlieb

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-The Dalai Lama

What does "True Abundance" mean to you?

According to Wikipedia, the definition of abundance is "the opposite of scarcity." I believe true abundance is not measured by what you have; rather, it is measured by what you give.

In our culture, it seems that most people are caught up in their "need for greed." Perhaps this is why so many people struggle to find their happiness, and why over 25% of the people in our country suffer from anxiety. We live in a culture where we are taught to judge a person based on what they have, rather than on who they are and what they contribute to society.

I was very fortunate to have met a professor that changed my whole way of thinking. I was one of those people with a, "What's in it for me" attitude when I started his class. By the end of the semester though, my philosophy and my attitude had changed. Forever! This is what I learned:

"You can have anything you want in life, if you will just help enough other people get what they want."
-Zig Ziglar

I challenge you to focus on this philosophy for an entire month! Here are some action steps that will help you stay focused on this incredible gift:

ACTION STEPS

Gratitude. Every night before you go to sleep, recite aloud at least ten things for which you are grateful.

Forgive. Let go of the past. Forgive those who have hurt or angered you. Stop carrying this poison around with you every day.

Love. Be sure to tell those people in your life who mean so much to you that you love them and appreciate them.

Donate. Go through your closets. Anything you haven't worn or used in the past year, box it or bag it and take it to a place where those who are less fortunate will benefit from your donation. Get your children involved!

Praise. Make time to praise. Look for and recognize the good in others.
Sometimes the best helping hand you can get is a good, firm push."
-Joann Thomas

Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become."
-Jim Rohn

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb...that's where the fruit is."
-Harry S. Truman
The Introduction from
Motivational Quotes
by Mac Anderson

My friend, Zig Ziglar, has a way with words. He said, "When I speak, people will occasionally say...'Zig, I loved your talk, but for me, motivation doesn't last!' I always tell them...bathing doesn't either. That's why I recommend it daily."

What a great quote! I'm often amazed that some people think that because I am who I am, I must have a great attitude at all times. "You started Successories. You couldn't possibly have a negative thought!" Well, here's a confession. One of the main reasons I started Successories is that I saw the need for continuous reinforcement in my life and in others when it comes to attitude, goals and values.

In a perfect world, we hear something once, record it in our brain, and never need to hear it again. Well, I don't know where you're living, but my world is far from perfect. I occasionally have doubts, fears, and disappointments in my life. During those times I need "shots of inspiration" to reinforce, to encourage, and to motivate.

Here's a secret. My #1 resource for that "quick boost" when I'm feeling down is a little book titled Motivational Quotes. I don't know about you, but for me, the right quote at the right time can turn the switch from "off" to "on." And, that's exactly what Motivational Quotes provides for me...an "a-ha" moment when I need it most. As most of you know, I love quotes and in this little book I share my all-time favorites.

In fact, this is the book that inspired me to start Successories. In 1985, my love of quotes encouraged me to publish a small, 80-page quotation book that I called Motivational Quotes. At first, it was offered as a corporate gift, but then we decided to sell it on a plastic easel next to the register, in hotel and airport gift shops. Little did I know what was about to happen. Sales exploded! We couldn't print them fast enough and over the next 18 months, we sold 800,000 copies.

The light bulb went off when I discovered that many people love quotes as much as I do. I began to wonder...would they want to put quotes on their walls? With this thought, the "big idea" for Successories was born. Our theme, in the beginning was...Decorate your walls with great ideas. And I'm pleased to say that millions of customers did just that!

Twenty five years have passed. The book you see on this page is the new, improved, updated version of Motivational Quotes. It still has my 80 favorite quotes that I introduced in 1985, but I've added 80 more that, since then, have helped to motivate me in good times and bad.

Here's how you can make it work for you. Just keep it visible on your desk at work, and whenever you're feeling a little down (for whatever reason), just pick it up and read 10 quotes. It'll only take a minute, and I'll guarantee that you'll feel better!
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"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed."

~Martina Navratilova

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Love ultimately proves its reality.

-- Alan Cohen
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A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.

-- Charles Evans Hughes
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The richest freedom is the power to choose inner peace.

-- Alan Cohen
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Stop thinking of all the reasons why you cannot be successful, and instead, think of all the reasons why you can."

~Dr. David Harold Fink
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"Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to our service. Most people have this law backwards. They believe that you're successful if you earn a lot of money. The truth is that you can only earn money after you're successful."

~Earl Nightingale
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Be clear on where you want to go and you will get there far more rapidly than if you harbor mixed intentions.

-- Alan Cohen
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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

Great thoughts come from the heart.
--Luc de Clapiers
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them.
--Alfred Whitefield
INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION

It's not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts.
--Adlai Stevenson

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The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we;" they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit...This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done."

The bottom line is that it's easy for any organization to say..."we value teamwork." However, saying it versus committing to the principles to grow it can be two different things. And that's what Pulling Together is all about! Author John Murphy presents the ten rules for high performance teams in a way that every person in your organization can understand. John is a highly recognized author (7 books), speaker and management consultant who has helped some of the world's leading organizations create environments that value and reward teamwork.

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Excerpt from
Pulling Together...10 Rules for High Performance Teams,
by John Murphy

Consistent application of the 10 rules of high performance teamwork ultimately generates trust, respect, unity and power within any team. Conversely, consistent violation of any one rule destroys this bond. While the author of the following is unknown, "Lessons From the Geese" is a powerful illustration from nature of the rules of high performance teamwork. As you read about the natural unity that exists among this species remember - this same unity can exist in your organization!

As geese flap their wings, they create an uplift for the bird following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if any bird were to fly alone.
If we share a common direction and a sense of community, we can get where we are going more quickly and easily because we are traveling on the thrust of one another!

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
If we have as much sense as geese, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go, and we will be willing to accept their help as well as give ours to others.

When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies at the point position.
If we take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership as with the geese, we become interdependent with one another.
The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. If we "honk," we need to make sure it is positive and encouraging.

When a goose gets sick or wounded or is shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again or dies. They then launch out on their own, with another formation or catch up with the flock.
If we have as much sense as geese, we too will stand by each other in difficult times, as well as when we are strong. Let us all try to fly in formation and remember to drop back to help those who might need it!

BEHOLD THE POWER OF TEAMWORK

The greatest accomplishments in life are not achieved by individuals alone, but by proactive people pulling together for a common good. Look behind every winner and you will find a great coach. Look out in front of every superstar and you will see a positive role model. Look alongside every great achiever and you will find caring people offering encouragement, support and able assistance.

Rising to this level of interdependent thinking can be challenging and difficult. Looking beyond oneself, asking for help or accepting help can feel risky. But people are not given life to simply take from one another. We are here to give. Our mission in life is to offer our gifts to benefit one another, to create mutual gain in the world. This is called teamwork, a win/win mindset stemming from a genuine commitment to the rules that allow it to happen.

Pulling Together captures the essence of teamwork better than any book I've read. It takes what can be a complex topic and presents the ten rules in a way that anyone can understand. If you have each member of your team read it, and then discuss how each rule applies to your organization, your chances of "pulling together" will be greatly improved!

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What someone allegedly said or did to someone else 10 years ago shouldn't impact your happiness today. It's your choice whether you let it or not. When you hold on to ill feelings you're victimizing yourself. Let it go and take responsibility for making a positive future. You're in charge of you and your actions."

~Al Ritter

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LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS

Nine-tenths of wisdom is appreciation. Go find somebody's
hand and squeeze it, while there's time.
--Dale Dauten
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS

Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of.
--Geri Weitzman
INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
--Helen Keller

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