The mystery behind enthusiasm

There has been so much written on the subject of enthusiasm that it could probably fit a volume of an encyclopedia. Every great man or woman that has spoken on the subject has recognized the magical power of enthusiasm. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Enthusiasm is the mother of effort, and without it nothing great was ever achieved." That is a pretty powerful statement! Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Enthusiasm is a volcano on whose top never grows the grass of hesitation.” Denis Waitley said, “Get excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire - you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.” Norman Vincent Peale wrote, “Enthusiasm … spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.” The list goes on and on.

What is this magical power that everyone talks about? Where does it come from? How can you get it if you don’t have it? Those are important questions. What I find interesting is that out of all that has been written about enthusiasm, very little attention is given to these questions. Let’s look at the word a bit closer. The English word “enthusiasm” comes from two Greek terms, “En” and “Theos”. Most of our English language is taken from both Greek and Latin since these languages existed before English. The Greek word “En” means “in”, and the Greek word “Theos” means “God”. So the translation literally means “In God”. I have always found that interesting. Yet very little is said about this in the literature I have read on the subject of enthusiasm. Everyone that has written anything on enthusiasm will tell you it is something that comes from deep inside us. When we are enthusiastic, we are at our very best. We are the most sincere when we are enthused. We can win arguments, we can sell anything to anybody, and we can win at a job interview and get that job we have always wanted. We can achieve fantastic things when we are enthusiastic. We feel great when we are enthusiastic don’t we? I am convinced that enthusiasm is the power of God within us. En-Theos means in God. When we are enthused we exhibit that power; people can see it and feel it; but few are willing to admit what it really is because of the religious overtones that are associated with this line of thought.

I am sure you heard it said that enthusiasm is catchy. There is no secret there. If you are in God when you are enthusiastic, and people catch your enthusiasm, it’s not “your” enthusiasm they are catching; it is the power of God that is within the both of you. When two people are enthused about the same thing at the same time they are in God, or God is in them. This is no mystery to me and it shouldn’t shock anyone who is reading this unless you are touchy about religious overtones. I think there is a world of difference between religion and spirituality and what I am talking about here is pure spirituality not religion. In fact, I personally can vouch for the fact that I have never heard a discussion about enthusiasm like this in a church. The sooner you can get over the prejudice you may have about religious overtones the sooner you can begin accepting what true enthusiasm is.

Once we cross that bridge many things become possible. For example, we can answer such questions as were posed at the beginning of this article. The first was, “What is this magical power that everyone talks about?” It is now obvious that it is the spark of life within us all, the burning fire of God’s power within us. The second question was, “Where does it come from?” The power comes from within but it originates from God. The third question was,” How do you get it if you don’t have it?” The simple answer is you already have it inside you; we all do! If you feel you don’t have it, it’d because something is preventing that power from coming out. Shyness can stop it. Insecurity or low self-esteem can stop it. Fear can stop it. Your belief system can stop it.

If you want to get it back, there is no mystery about that. We can all get our enthusiasm going by getting in touch with ourselves. That of course is the simple answer because time does not allow us to elaborate here. However, I would recommend attending a self-empowerment seminar, or read a good book that moves you. Everyone is different and you need to find what moves you. When you do you will have accomplished much. Most people don’t know what motivates them. I could find that out about you in a one hour workshop.

As you go out into the world today feel that power that is within you. Understand that you have it just as much as everyone else does. God was not exclusive when he handed out enthusiasm. In fact it may surprise you to learn that your enthusiasm existed right along with His from a long time ago. Remember you have the spark of life within you. You can do anything you put your mind to. That is self-empowerment!

Sound goal setting techniques

Have you set goals for yourself only to fail to achieve them?

You need to follow sound goal setting techniques if you want to achieve your dreams. These techniques may be based on your own understanding of various issues, or on advice given by your parents, professional counselors, and seniors. But, no matter where they come from, they can make a big difference between success and failure.

The first thing you need to do is write down your goals. Remember that until a goal is committed to paper, it is not a goal; it is simply a desire. You also need to write down the benefits that you hope to achieve.

The next step is to pick a deadline and determine your current state of preparedness to achieve the goal. You should also identify which problems you are likely to face. This will make you mentally ready to conquer them.

You need to often review your course of action. This gives you a chance to change your goals based on your revised circumstances and needs. It is also good to surround yourself with people who are positive about your approach and who will cheer you on. Keep away from those who belittle you all the time. They can do more harm than good by trying to dissuade you from achieving your goals.

Your goals must arise out of your belief in your capabilities. This is very important, because no goal can be achieved that is not based on self-confidence. Motivation is another important psychological factor. In fact, motivation and goal setting are like two sides of the same coin. Your goal cannot be achieved without both of them.

Finally, all your goals should have several short-term targets and a long-term target. The short-term targets (or sub-goals) should have deadlines, and should merge with each other in seamlessly. You should review your goals periodically and modify them when and if your needs and circumstances change. These techniques are the best way to set and achieve goals.

Somewhere over the rainbow

A few years back I took a turn off the busy roads of life and went down a quite country bridal way. That bridal way was called, 'self-discovery' (spirituality).

I liked the bridal way and felt like I could have stayed on it forever. And I might have, had it not been for my responsibilities - children and bills and stuff.

At the end of that bridal way I came to a busy road. It seemed busier than ever. That was when I realized something that I want to share with you today.

What I learned at the crossroads - where the bridal way of spirituality met the busy main road of life - is that spirituality is not about leaving life's problems behind, it's about continually confronting them with honesty, integrity and courage.

This was a meltdown moment for me. It meant I had to stop hiding on the bridal way of life and end all separation from me and my troubles and heal relationships, find compassion and put myself at the feet of others.

This week I traveled around five hundred miles across the south of the country and have seen first-hand the devastation the summer floods have brought.

I saw a house where the first floor was under water, a farm where the barns were flooded, fields that had turned into lakes and roads where the tarmac was now missing as a result of the conditions.

Then on the news I heard the survey that 61% say this is just freak weather. 25% say it's global warming.

Then I heard that severe flooding happens around every fifty years in the UK and that all this might just be a planetary cycle.

Perhaps the answer is: who knows. But the consequences of the weather are that bees aren't making honey. Cow's winter feed is being ruined, wheat isn't growing and people's lives need to be rebuilt.

I'm not mentioning these things to scare. I'm saying them to apply the principal of facing our challenges with honesty, integrity and courage.

If it is just 'freak once in fifty years weather' then fine. Over the coming months communities will pull together to make things better again and it will all work out fine - until next time.

On the other hand we can't discount the fact that climate change is a ticking clock and that maybe sitting on our botty's until the politicians make a decision is not sensible.

While carrying my thoughts around this week I came to sit my botty on a friend's sofa this week. On their wall they had the words of a Cree Indian.

The words said, 'Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money.'

Thinking about this the following morning led me to a discussion at our breakfast table.

We discussed the possibility that for one week we attempt to avoid anything that comes in plastic wrapping, tin, glass bottles and cardboard - since it all takes natural resources and energy to create.

The reality of the thought of this thought seemed tough, especially on my daughter. She realised she'd go without bread, margarine and marmite at breakfast. Her lunch wouldn't include crisps, tuna, lettuce and cucumber (when it stops growing in the greenhouse).

I would have to forgo olives. I'd miss out on herbs except the ones I grow. I'd also need to get serious on growing even more in the garden or doing deals with my neighbours.

I read a quote in a book recently that there is a need for this generation to become saints and heal what has been done.

Is that a big ask?

My thinking is not to separate from the problems I'm a part of. Of course we've reduced, where we can we reuse and if we can't we endeavor to recycle. Yet still we produce rubbish each week that took resources to make and is still being dumped in the earth.

However, today's article is necessarily about the environment, it's about not burring our heads in the sand. The point I want to get across is that there is a need for us to face our challenges with honesty, integrity and courage, whatever the challenge - be it health, money, business, family or whatever.

I hope you'll find the tips useful.

1. Take a few minutes to think about the things that challenge you the most.

2. Consider the things you don't want to face.

3. What one thing could you do to face that now?

4. Become aware of how you feel when you've faced it.

With Love and good wishes

Neil

Determine your priorities to maximize time use

What you may consider a priority might not be to another person. Conversely, other people’s priorities might not be a priority to you. It doesn’t mean though that you can’t have similar priorities.

What are the most common priorities of the majority of people? Here is a list of the most chosen priorities most people pursue, with a suggestion or two on how to actively materialize them. Yours might not be in the list but the idea remains the same - to pursue them in the most convenient way in order to maximize time use. Oh, a word of caution: too many priorities are not all priorities. So define which ones are and focus only on them, not on all of them.

Most people value family as their first priority. If the president’s family is called the first family; for most, the family is first. Spending (rather investing) time with your family will strengthen bondage between members. But quantity time is not as important as quality time. Well, if you can inject quantity to quality, so much the better. To be in front of a television set may or may not be quality time. Quality is lost if concentration of each member is glued on the feature in the television set. Some discussion or reaction between family members regarding the feature could lend some quality on time. An intellectual board game may be better. A day trip as a family gets together on a weekend once or twice a month is ideal. Thoughtfulness shown by sending cards or flowers during occasions (better yet when there are no occasions) lifts the relationship between spouses.

Health is wealth, as we all know. Your wealth is useless if you have poor health. It is more difficult (although not impossible) to get good health without wealth (even a modest one), so the two are somewhat intertwined. Just follow good eating habits, exercise regularly, and take things in moderation. Not only do you get good health if you exercise with your family (say biking or swimming together with your kids), you develop good family relationship too. Who knows, your kid might be a future professional athlete. Hidden talents are usually discovered by accident.

A lot of people consider gathering wealth as part of their priority list, but not to the extent of sacrificing family relationship. While you keep an eye on creating wealth, keep the other eye on your family relationships. Herds of stories about broken families are due to money matters; don’t be a part of it.

To create wealth, foremost is to live within your means. No matter how small savings are, it is never too small. Savings go to investing. Investing leads to security, financially speaking. We’re not talking about hasty investing, but intelligent, calculated investing. Remember that wealth does not come instantly (except the lotto or anything similar). It takes a life long goal to be financially secured. If you’ll check the historical background of known wealthy people, most of them got wealthy gradually and slowly. It’s like building an edifice; it doesn’t rise overnight. It is also common knowledge that hard-earned money stays. Wealth that comes easy, goes easy. Going back to investing, you can invest your hard-earned savings into bonds or trust funds that yield higher interest. Shop and ask around. There are financial planners that can help you get started and going. Just be prudent, alert, and open-minded.

If your priority is in career building, specialization is a key factor. To excel in your chosen career means to gather as much knowledge as possible to sustain growth. This ultimately makes you an expert or specialist. To remain as one, you must always be updated of the latest trends and developments. Your world may be narrow, but well-defined. You may need to attend conferences and seminars of your chosen field of expertise. You may also need to read current publications to stay in touch with what’s going on out there, even to the point that you have to go back to school for post graduate studies.

For some, intellectual growth amazes and interests them. Somehow, this kind of priority can be transferred to future generations. It’s like wealth that does not get lost no matter what. One good source of growing intellectually is by traveling. Getting to know cultures you’re not familiar with is made familiar by going to where the action is and experiencing it first hand. Read books, especially those related to historical backgrounds so you’ll know how things evolve in time.

Many people also prioritize spiritual growth. To start with, let your emotions be filled with your belief that a Higher Being is responsible for your existence on earth. Give praise, embrace, and acknowledge that you exist to be of service, not to yourself but to Him by means of helping those in need.

Whatever your priorities are, you can have them as long as you focus your time on them.

Creating time with downloadable audio books

Are you wasting time commuting to and from work? Listening to music can be an escape but nowadays time is at a premium, so many people are choosing to use that valuable time for listening to audio books. Long commutes are definitely an ideal time to listen to downloadable audio books particularly for busy people that don't have the time to read books. Here is a list of some the other great times to listen to audio books:

*Commuting

*Biking

*Jogging

*Working Out at the Gym

*Traveling for Business or Pleasure

*Gardening

*Knitting

*Cooking

*Doing Housework

You can easily add to this list based on all the dead time you find in your day to day routines.

Why Listen to an Audio Book versus music?

Audio books and books in general expand your universe. Many times we don't have the time to get additional training at work or find the latest and greatest advice and tips on aging or parenting but you generally can find the time to listen. By listening you can grow, learn, and discover passions that you never dreamed of. With downloadable audio books you can learn a language, hear the latest biographies or the latest best selling thrillers. As a music lover I can tell you that there is room for both but learning to me has always been more important since I know we are in an increasingly competitive world where knowledge is not a luxury but a must.

Aren't Audio Books Expensive?

If you have not been exposed to audio books you may think that audio books are expensive. In some cases that may be true but they are available in a variety of different ways. Believe it or not some still come on cassette tape. Typically the ones you see sold in the stores are on CD. But the new trend is toward MP3 audio books. These are downloadable from the internet. Our audio book store specializes in downloadable audio books. Downloadable audio books tend to be less expensive than CDs since you decide whether you want to burn it on CD or whether you want to transfer it from your computer to your portable media player. Downloadable audio books are usually available in MP3 and WMA formats.

Searching audio books online can be confusing at first but once your find the store you like and are comfortable with the formats they offer you just then need to make sure they have the titles you want. Many sites have users sign up for a monthly fee similar to Netflix where they rent audio books. This works for some people if they are renting enough titles to make it worth the fees. Some stores like ours offer great deals and a wide selection without the commitment of paying a monthly fee.

Audio books are available across all interests. They are just not business or training types of books. Fiction typically is the most popular with the like of Dean Koontz and Stephen King. Many women like to listen to romances as they do their house work. A luxury that they can feel less guilty about since an audio book allows you to multitask.

In conclusion the convenience of listening an audio book can't be beat. Whether you prefer to have your audio books on a compact disc, on your computer, your pda or other portable media player, you are sure to find something to suit your needs online. You no longer need to trek down to your local library or bookstore you can buy an audio book and download it right your computer. The internet has truly transformed our lives. By allowing us to download an audio book that you can listen to instantly it opens the floodgates to a new path of productivity and multitasking.