Why are Goals Important?

On the best sunny day, the most powerful magnifying glass will not light paper if you keep moving the glass. But if you focus and hold it, the paper will light up. That is the power of concentration.



A man was traveling and stopped at an intersection. He asked an elderly man, "Where does this road take me?" The elderly person asked, "Where do you want to go?" The man replied, "I don't know." The elderly person said, "Then take any road. What difference does it make?"
How true. When we don't know where we are going, any road will take us there.

Suppose you have all the football eleven players, enthusiastically ready to play the game, all charged up, and then someone took the goal post away. What would happen to the game? There is nothing left. How do you keep score? How do you know you have arrived?

Enthusiasm without direction is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of direction. Would you sit in a train or a plane without knowing where it was going? The obvious answer is no. Then why do people go through life without having any goals?

The Value of Struggle in Life

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets. 

The Big Rocks of Life

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz?”, and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.



He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”.

Everyone in the class yelled, Yes! The time management expert replied, “Really?”. He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

He then asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not”, one of them answered. Good! he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted. Once again he said, Good! Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

He looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?” One eager student raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”.

“No”, the speaker replied, that’s not the point. “The truth is, this illustration teaches us that if you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

“What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life, time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others. Remember to put these ‘big rocks’ in first or you’ll never get them in at all.”

“What are the ‘big rocks’ in your life, time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others. Remember to put these ‘big rocks’ in first or you’ll never get them in at all.”

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question

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What are the ‘big rocks’ in my life Then, put those in your jar first.

I say my prayers when it’s calm

There is an Inspirational story of about a sea captain who in his retirement skippered a boat taking day-trippers to Shetland Islands.

On one trip, the boat was full of young people.They laughed at the old captain when they saw him say a prayer before sailing out, because the day was fine and the sea was calm.

However they weren’t long at sea when a storm suddenly blew up and the boat began to pitch violently. The terrified passengers came to the captain and asked him to join them in prayer.

But he replied, “I say my prayers when it’s calm. When it’s rough I attend to my ship!”

Is there a lesson for us, here?

If we cannot seek God in quiet moments of our lives, we are not likely to find Him when trouble strikes. We are more likely to panic. But if we have learnt to seek Him and trust Him in quiet moments, then most certainly we will find Him when the going gets rough.

Personal Improvement Quotes - Part I

" Children are like an open letter; when they come to you, their faces tell a story."
Written in 2011 by James J. Dick --- South Africa
It is so true. When learners come to you, their faces tell stories of grieve and joy and that motivate me as an adult.


  " Advice is a device that isn't strong enough to change people. What people need is impartation?. Impartation is the combination of advice, knowledge with proof, experience and insight."
Written in 2011 by Sheye Hassan --- Nigeria
I discovered that advice only touches people when they can see they're on the wrong path. But unfortunately, majority on the wrong path are blind to it, only impartation can touch them.


  " Let us not deceive ourselves that we don't know what and who we are. It is only when we accept what and who we are the best can come out of us, knowing very well that pretense brings fear and fear failure. It's when we know and accept that we are fools, we will pursue wisdom. When we know and accept that we are not doing well, we will put more effort only if we're hungry for. The truth is, let us accept who and what we are."
Written in 2010 by Chris Udofa --- Nigeria

  " Children are like an open letter; when they come to you, their faces tell a story."
Written in 2011 by James J. Dick --- South Africa
It is so true. When learners come to you, their faces tell stories of grieve and joy and that motivate me as an adult.


  " Advice is a device that isn't strong enough to change people. What people need is impartation?. Impartation is the combination of advice, knowledge with proof, experience and insight."
Written in 2011 by Sheye Hassan --- Nigeria
I discovered that advice only touches people when they can see they're on the wrong path. But unfortunately, majority on the wrong path are blind to it, only impartation can touch them.


" Let us not deceive ourselves that we don't know what and who we are. It is only when we accept what and who we are the best can come out of us, knowing very well that pretense brings fear and fear failure. It's when we know and accept that we are fools, we will pursue wisdom. When we know and accept that we are not doing well, we will put more effort only if we're hungry for. The truth is, let us accept who and what we are."
Written in 2010 by Chris Udofa --- Nigeria


" Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is."
Francis Bacon --- Submitted by Vijay Sharma --- India


" The only way to walk in the realm of reality is to walk out of the world of fantasy!"
Written in 2011 by Candace Chambers-Belida


" If a friend tells you that you are empty, refrain from him. He will actually make you empty."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Felix Nguah --- Ghana


" Sometimes not making any decision IS making a decision."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Siti Nurul Hidayah --- Malaysia


" We learn from people smarter than ourselves. When you discover that you're the smartest person in the room... it's time to leave the room."
Written in 2011 by Raymond C. Nolan --- Alabama


" Give yourself a chance to be optimistic in what you doing and you will be surprised at what you will achieve."
Written in 2010 by Christian Bishyika --- Rwanda


" You want to feel good? Eat right. You want to feel great? Exercise. You want to feel powerful? Educate yourself. You want to feel enlightened? Read the bible and show everyone love. (Enlightenment is a profound, emotional and spiritual experience in which an individual receives realizations and truths about their reason for being.) Do all these things and big changes will start happening in your life!"
Written in 2011 by Omar Lacayo --- Texas
Something on my mind, all these things I am doing are creating big changes in my life, thought maybe it could help someone else if they read it.


" The company you keep determines the altitude you go in life. So who are your friends? Either they make you 20% richer or make you 20% poorer."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Akinlusi Lawrence Tope --- Nigeria


" Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again."
Alex Tan --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey


" Win through action and never through argument."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Steve Mandate --- Nigeria
It gives me courage.


" Search for a beautiful heart but not a beautiful face. Beautiful things are not always good but good things are always beautiful."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Ganesh Gupta --- India


" I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
Martin Luther King, Jr.


  " If you live in your past, there's no room for your future."
Written in 2011 by Dylan Byrd --- Oklahoma


  " Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill."
Buddha --- Submitted by Narayan T.V. --- India


  " If you don't know what you should do in a situation, try knowing what you shouldn't do in that situation. You will reach your destination if you know which path you need to select or if you know which ones always to reject on your journey."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Kamlesh Khareta --- India


  " When a person makes you feel inadequate about yourself remember: it is not you, it is them; they have the issue with themselves."
Written in 2010 by Renee Scalfani --- Massachusetts


" There are those who will pretend to be your friend and suppress your progress so as to fodder their depraved ego and failed lives. You must now step away from under that rotted oak tree, let the sun shine down on you and stimulate your own prosperity!"
Written in 2011 by Easton Leiba --- Jamaica


 
" Life is too hard for us all. Do not forget to love and care for the human being that we are in a world where we must be brave to face challenges."
Written in 2011 by Maria Uman --- California


 
" Hearing is merely picking up sound vibrations, listening is making sense out of it."
Written in 2008 by Daideepya Bhosale --- India


 
" The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom."
James Allen --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya


  " Sometimes success is better measured in smiles received, giggles heard, and hands held, than in dollars earned, deadlines met, and kilos shed."
Mike Dooley --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya


  " Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."
Maya Angelou --- Submitted by George Wachirah --- Kenya

" Life is simple. Everything happens for you, not to you. Everything happens at exactly the right moment, neither too soon nor too late. You don't have to like it... it's just easier if you do."
Byron Katie --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey


" Opportunity is a Book with Blank Pages. It is for us to write words of our success or defeats on the said pages!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Shyam Dewani --- India


" Life is beautiful only for those who know how to celebrate the pain."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Devika Tiwari --- India 

" Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know."
Pema Chodron --- Submitted by Lauren Covington --- New Jersey


" When something negative hits you like a ton of bricks, just smile and move on. Do not live in that moment for a long time because whatever you think is big, is probably small in the big picture of life. The only thing making a mountain out of a mole hill, is you."
Written in 2010 by Rich Barnes --- Massachusetts


" When you know who you are, you don't need to justify it to anyone. Life is so uncertain so why waste good energy on negativity & negative people? When you get older in life, and you deal with you some hard stuff, you learn to handle things differently. The best thing to do is walk away. Petty stuff is not worth it, believe me as I say this. People will gossip, accuse, assume - LET THEM. Worry about your loved ones & your friends, not people who live off of drama. Just walk away because your friends know you. Let others believe what they want because the truth is out there."
Written in 2011 by Renee Scalfani --- Massachusetts


" If you have a wounded heart, touch it as little as you would an injured eye. There are only two remedies for the suffering of the soul: hope and patience."
Pythagoras


" Look at a person's light, not their lampshade."
Gerald G. Jampolsky


" Every new day begins with possibilities. It's up to us to fill it with the things that move us toward progress and peace."
Ronald Reagan


" I'm not scared of commitment. I never was. I am just scared of who to commit myself to."
Written in 2011 by Juliet C. --- Philippines


" Forgiveness is important while we use wisdom for a clear direction. If a partner repeats the same old bad behavior in marriage, we need tolerance. Before marriage, we escape for our lives and destiny. The mistake you accept is the mistake you live with."
Written in 2011 by Bassey Ndon --- Nigeria


" An opinion on any given subject often sheds more light on the character of the person offering it than the subject on which it was offered."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Gary Anderson --- Illinois

" One must assess the past to be able to face the future."
Written in 2011 by Myra Tejada --- Philippines


" We choose the way we feel... We choose to feel happy, we choose to be angry, or we choose to be sad... . Most times, most people are unconscious or have no control about the way they feel. All we have to do is observe our thoughts and reactions and eventually decide if we want to express them. But foremost we need to decide if those thoughts that eventually develop in reactions or emotions have a valid foundation and deserve to be given the attention we usually do. Sometimes I get angry at myself for letting myself feel the way I feel, for letting myself get angry or frustrated or jealous or allow any negative thoughts break into my "under new management" mind. We need to take charge of our subconscious and expose our inner thoughts to our conscious mind. That way we can clearly listen and decide which ones, among our daily avalanche of thoughts, are constructive and have a positive impact in our lives."
Written in 2011 by Leo Frincu --- California
Always helped me staying on a positive mindset.


" Do not just look but also see. Do not just hear but do listen. Do not just eat but also taste. Do not just touch but do feel. Do not just talk but speak."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Quinn Tee --- Malaysia


" Your conscience tells you what your heart doesn't want you to know."
Written in 2011 by Louise Smith --- Illinois


" It takes an instant to change... for the better. Deciding to finally make the change could take years... or an instant."
Written in 2011 by Pete W. Zafra --- California


" Practice these three L'S throughout life: Live a little, laugh a lot and love forever. Whatever the circumstances you face in life, it's for your growth and understanding of this world."
Written in 2011 by Kerry Crew --- Florida

" Life, and the people in it, treats you the way you allow them to treat you. Life is not fair but be fair and kind to yourself."
Written in 20101 by Funmi Obis --- Nigeria
It helps to get on with the business of living despite all odds.


" The irony of taking yourself too seriously is being laughed at by others."
Written in 20101 by Meyer Leibovitch --- Maryland


 
" Don't put your happiness in the hands of someone else. If you really want to be happy, you have to find this happiness within yourself."
Written in 2010 by Lawal Olanrewaju Kazzym Success --- Nigeria
I don't make my choices based on whether or not I am happy; my happiness is based on the choices I make.


" Successful people always have two things on their lips... silence and a smile; a smile to solve the problem and silence to avoid the problem."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Ganesh Gupta --- India


" If you have never made a mistake, you would have never learned anything."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Chad Ogg --- Michigan
If you never touched a hot stove, how do you know it's hot?


  " When others treat you with aggression and contempt, it is because they have realized that you possess certain qualities, which they are unable to attain in life. Keep on being you. Hatred meted out by others is just fuel to boost your success!"
Written in 2011 by Easton Leiba --- Jamaica  

Pursue Your Dreams

Everybody puts you down
People make you frown
Makes you feel like you're far from the best
Always putting you through some sort of test

It feels like your life is low
Too much pain, too much sorrow
You cry every day, no one sees your tears
Everyone's busy, no one cares for years

You see several people rise
Somehow all you feel is jealousy and despise
You're always down, always negative
You've completely forgotten how to live

Everyday is like a bane
You literally feel like your bound to a chain
No one looks, no ones cares
No one who has the effort to bare

All I did was feel this vibe all around
But then I heard a certain sound
The sound of a baby's laughter
So easy and no pain or anger

I got this sudden rush of ease
It's made my mind and body freeze
I looked up and gazed at the sky
And asked myself 'why'?

Why waste this precious life of mine
On being mellow and not feeling fine
Instead I can laugh and enjoy
Like that little baby boy

Ignore the insults, and push the pain
Think that all these things are vain
Forget all the irrelevant things
And make my life worth living

Love the people, breathe the air
Leave each day like you don't care
Don't take stress, smile at your critics
Because there is nothing in this world you cannot fix
A broken heart, a missing part
Leave it all behind
Give your life a new start!

The thing I realized just that day
Completely changed my living way.
The sun sets to rise yet again
Life's a boon not a bane.

Lady In The Mirror

 She stared in the mirror, long and hard, her eyes glazed over. She was not seeing the reflection that stared back at her; she was lost in a world of memories. In an instant she was back; the reflection in the mirror confused her. For a second she thought it was her mother staring back at her. But as reality slowly set back in, she realized that the reflection was indeed hers.

Gone was the beauty spot of years gone by; in its place she saw a mole. Gone were the dimples that once graced her cheeks. Where had those cute little dimples gone, she thought to herself? Where did those wrinkles come from?

So caught up in the daily chores of her day to day life, she had not noticed that time had not stood still, until today when she happened to stop and look, really look into the mirror; the mirror that had seen her transition from a bright-eyed 20 year old full of hope.

The years had passed her by and as she wondered about this cruel twist of fate, that mother nature eventually throws everyone's way, she began to smile.

The years appeared to have whizzed by at an incredible rate and her light, it seemed, was indeed glowing dimmer by the minute. It was then that it dawned on her. She knew deep down in her heart, she knew right down to the very core of her being that if she were given the choice to have her time over again, she would not change a thing. She was right where she was meant to be.

As she stared at this stranger in the mirror, she looked deep into her eyes. She could see the wisdom and the kindness that emanated from them. She also noticed that there was a warmth that had not been there, oh so many years ago.

Finally, after years of trying to live up to the stereotypes that constantly assaulted her, she finally saw beauty, real beauty.

"You are beautiful," she whispered at the mirror and this time she meant it; she really, really meant it.