Do Not Worry

Image Credit: mashable.com

When God says, “do not worry…”, he means it. There are no underlying complex explanations behind it. Just that God wants you to worry about nothing – not clothes, food, money, career or your future. He knows you more than anyone else; he knows your needs and your circumstances. And as your perfect Father, he will give you what you need in his time, according to his grand plans.

God Against Worrying

Instead of worrying, focus all your energy, attention and effort on knowing Him – as you father, provider, strength, comforter, savior and King. What God desires is a relationship, one that is unbreakable even with the invasion of unfortunate circumstances and the flood of all consuming worldly needs. He needs you to know Him like never before so when the time comes that you need to speak up for his name, you can do so without hesitation.

Again, God urges you “do not worry about anything or anyone…” God, after all, is in control of every circumstance and situation. Instead, pursue God in every waking hour of your life. In every decision and action, ask God if his hand is upon it.  Ask God if you are in line with his will and plans. Ask God if he approves of where your life is headed.

What Worry Does

Remember that at the end of this journey we call life is the all powerful God waiting for us to give an account on how we were as stewards of his gifts. Did we use our life to bring glory to his name? Did we use our time to spread his word? Did we do all we can to know him more and more each day? Did we live out his design and purpose for our lives?

Worry brings only confusion.  Let it dominate your life and you’re bound to go astray, far away from the straight and narrow path that God intended for you to walk in. Allow worry to stain the picture and you’re going to live life like the prodigal son - bonded to worldly desires like money, sex, power and greed. All of which are going to lead to your inevitable destruction.

Overcoming Worry

Even if things do not go your way, let not worry grip your heart or mind. Rise above your obstacles and needs then focus your thoughts on seeing the glass as half full. When you know your God, He will come through not just half way but all the way. Regardless of your faithlessness, just believe and come to Him in all abandon. Neither your abilities nor knowledge will save you from despair. Rely too much on yourself and you’ll only end up selfishly guarded and proud.

In this world and in this life, there are no guarantees. Live on your own and you will constantly chase after meaningless dreams. Push God away and you’ll always end up with demons in the shadows. Fear will be your constant companion. There are no joy in the horizon if you let worry stomp on your relationship with God. So, heed God’s call and advice because He knows that you need not worry now. Yes, regardless of what’s happening because He’s got your back. Yes, even if you were hurting him again and again with you sinful ways. Yes, he loves you despite your inadequacies and shortcomings. 

On Loneliness

What's equally tragic with a life without love?

Loneliness.

To me, it is one of life's greatest tragedies. While feelings of abandonment, rejection and being unloved are awfully painful as they are, loneliness in the picture makes the emotions a hundred fold truer hence even more painful.

A lonely life is like being stuck in a dessert. No matter how long or how loud you scream, no one's going to come. It's like being lost in a crowd with no hand to hold and no shoulder to cry on when the going gets tough and rough. And although we have families and friends we see, talk with and whom we know love us, the gaping hole remains unfilled. 

In his book, The Four Loves, CS Lewis has said, 

"We are born helpless. As soon as we are fully conscious we discover loneliness. We need others physically, emotionally, intellectually; we need them if we are to know anything, even ourselves."

Loneliness leaves us incomplete, and it's something we have to live with for the rest of our lives unless we let people in. God meant for us to live and love together, along each other and with each other. That's why He created Eve out of Adam's ribs  because "no man is an island." 

To feel lonely is completely normal, but to give in and let this terrible emotion control our lives is another matter. Take time to savor and understand the feeling, then use it to pursue a life without it. That often means letting go of our inhibitions, our past and doubts. 

Because only when we hold nothing back will we fully experience love and life in all its glory. 

Are You Useful Now?

A couple of days ago, I got a chance to watch Lincoln. Yet again, filmmaker Steven Spielberg helmed a story so enchanting and moving, it ought to awaken your unknown love for history. It was a beautiful masterpiece centered on Lincoln's life as a father, husband, friend and as the 16th president of the United States who marshaled the freedom of the slaves.

But for me, the scene that lingered long and vividly was the heated confrontation between father (Abe Lincoln) and his first born son, Robert. The civil war was poised to end and Robert has been steered away to enlist for war by sending him to Boston to become a lawyer.

While visiting soldiers who were injured, the stirrings in Robert's heart to be useful now came alive and burning. A momentary lapse in Lincoln's part, a slap against a son's defiance, furthered his son's desire to its boiling point. With or without permission, Robert enlisted his heart and life for war.

It's meaningful and moving and touching because I feel the same way. I don't want to be useful tomorrow, I want to be useful now. Not five years after but now.

Maybe we all go through this stage and season of self-doubt. We question our worth as a person based on how useful we are now. Are we doing what we always wanted to do? Are we living for something bigger than ourselves? Are we happy? Are we making a difference? Are we changing the world? Are we useful?

These are questions that are real and scary. If you answered yes, good for you. But a no echos the restlessness from within. It's a silent cry of desperation seeking freedom from the bondage of mediocrity and the common life. To be useful means to be important. It's a human desire common to all but only a handful achieves.

But what does it really mean to be useful? Only you can tell because your life is yours to live. You don't need to be president or a noble soldier to feel fulfilled. Just look around you, examine your motives and notice the little differences you are making on other people's lives.

Usefulness is all about perspective. As long as you are living your life according to how you were wired then that's useful. Birds fly because they were created with wings. Flowers bloom, the sun rises and sets, the moon beams at night and fishes swim. They are who and what they are because of their specific design. And you are who you are because God created you that way.

The moment you are feeling useless, go back to your creator. Only He can tell you what you were wired for.

How to: Develop Self Confidence by Napoleon Hill

Photo Credits: http://talknerdy2me.org 

Numerous self-help authors, motivational speakers and a plethora of books would tell us that self confidence is a key element in the formula of success. In fact, self confidence is normally where the journey to dream fulfillment starts. Besides creating lofty dreams, one needs to believe in one's self in order to make things happen.

Some people are blessed to grow up in an environment that breeds a healthy self-image. Unfortunately, most of us, I believe, grew up unsure of our capabilities and potential because of demeaning words spoken to us when we were younger by our parents, friends and other people. We are living in a negative world where it is very difficult to be optimistic. We are surrounded with people that are hell bent on pulling us down.

But if we truly and badly want to be successful in this lifetime, we need to develop the virtue of self reliance. We need to bank on our strengths, abilities and character to turn our dreams into realities. Before we can even start, we need self confidence.

Here are 7 declarations that we can take advantage to nurture and develop our belief in ourselves. Say it out loud and declare it everyday. It will make a world of difference.

The 7 Steps to Self Confidence by Napoleon Hill:

1

"I know that I have the ability to accomplish all that I undertake. I know that to succeed, I have only to establish this belief in myself and follow it with vigorous, aggressive action. I will establish it." 

2

"I realize that my thoughts eventually reproduce themselves in material form and substance and become real in the physical state. Therefore, I will concentrate upon the daily task of thinking of the person that I intend to be and of drawing a mental picture of this person and of transforming this picture into reality."

3

"I am studying with the firm intention of mastering the fundamental principles through which I may attract to me the desirable things of life. Through this study, I am becoming more self-reliant and more cheerful. I am developing more sympathy for my fellow man, and I am becoming stranger, both mentally and physically. I am learning to smile that smile that plays upon the heart as well as on the lips."

4

"I am mastering and overpowering the habit of starting something that I do not finish. From this time forward, I will first plan all that I wish to do, making a clear mental picture of it, and then I will let nothing interfere with my plans until I have developed them into realities."  

5

"I have clearly mapped out and planned the work that I intend to follow for the ensuing five years. I have set a price upon my services for each of the five years, a price that I intend to command through strict application of the principle of efficient, satisfying service!" 

6

"I fully realize that genuine success will come only through strict application of he "Golden Rule" principles. I will, therefore, engage in no transaction which does not benefit alike all who participate in it. I will succeed by attracting to me the forces that I wish to use. I will induce others to serve me because of my willingness to serve them. I will gain the friendship of my fellow men because of my kindness and my willingness to be a friend. I will eliminate from my mind fear by developing faith. I will eliminate hatred and cynicism by developing love for humanity."

7

"I will learn to stand upon my feet and express myself in clear, concise, and simply language, and to speak with force and enthusiasm, in a matter that will carry conviction. I will cause others to become interested in me, because I will first become interested in them. I will eliminate selfishness and develop in its place the spirit of service." 

Even the Winds and the Waves Obey Him

Matthew 8:27 

The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"




There are times in life when we will experience extreme suffering and hardship. The wind blows like crazy, strong enough to break our resolve. We will stumble and fall once in our lives. Sometimes, the waves of sadness and hopelessness are too huge to drown us in our very own misery.

When problems are too hard to handle, we are often tempted to give up. Then we blame God for our own misfortunes. Such audacity we possess to put the blame on Him when He had given us everything. We are the ones who are making the choices, decisions and excuses. Instead of blaming, why not praise Him despite of our troubles and tribulations? After all, accusing someone never solves the problem. However, this is easier said than done.

When we are hurt and in pain, the first automatic response is to put on our defensive mode. We attempt to protect ourselves from despair by placing the blame on someone else. This allows us to have a temporary retrieve and relief because somehow, we are not entirely at fault for our messy situation. We further nurse our ego with self-pity ridiculously thinking that this will make us feel better.

But we have to realize that problems are there not to break us but to draw us closer to God. Jesus said it himself, "Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."

If we truly know the power and the glory of Christ then we would also know that the best choice is to praise Him at all times especially during the bad times. In moments of desperation, sing your praises and lift up your hands to honor Him. Do not use your mouth to blame or curse but only use it to thank God for who He is.

No matter what your circumstances are, you can trust God. Use all your might to focus your perspective on who God is and not on your present dreary situation.

Our God is all powerful that even the winds and the waves bow down to Him. One word. One command. God can and He will change your situation in His perfect time. So, hang in there and wait on God. For always, we have to let go and let God.

The Zig Ziglar Legacy

"You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." 

                                                             

                                                              - Zig Ziglar

C.S. Lewis. Abe Lincoln. Winston Churchill. Steve Jobs. John Piper. Mahatma Gandhi. William Wilberforce. Theodore Roosevelt. Jose Rizal. Peter Drucker. And Zig Ziglar. These men are some of those whom I highly look up to. They are my inspiration, my standard and my heroes.

I never met any of them but they changed my life through their stories, writing and legacy. These men are one in a million because they fully lived and embraced their fate and destiny. Passion and purpose drove them to make history. Most of them are long gone but their legacy lives and will continue to be alive in the future because of their incomparable and incredible contribution to humanity.

Last November 29, 2012, I heard the news that Zig Ziglar passed away after losing his battle against pneumonia. A great loss for us who were touched and changed by Zig's unwavering passion to motivate people live their dreams by helping enough other people achieve their own aspirations. Zig's contagious enthusiasm towards life and success will continue to change lives for the generations to come. He may have lost the battle to a sickness but his was a full life nevertheless. 

I mourn the passing of one of my heroes and my mentor. I have devoured his books and I have listened to his audio messages again and again. He has made such a huge difference in my attitude towards life. He made a believer out of me. One of my most treasured quotes from Zig talks about choosing to become a meaningful specific rather than becoming a wandering generality. Up to this day, that philosophy pushes me to live life meaningfully not only for my sake but for the sake of other people too. 

This is Zig Ziglar's legacy. He's not after individual successes but he wants every story to be meaningful and significant. This is not done through selfish ambition and hoarding of all the wealth in the world. Real and lasting success is all about working together with other people. You will get what you want if you help your friend, your neighbor, your colleague, your family get what they want. It's a win-win situation. It is a timeless and proven philosophy of sowing and reaping. It's all about building relationships with other people. And the truth is, it is more fulfilling and satisfying to know that you are a part of someone else's success story.

And Zig, you have helped me immensely. Thank you for your dedication to help other people run after their dreams and goals. You are a major part of so many people's success story including mine. You will be truly missed.

Living a Passionately Purposeful Life

Photo Credits: www.inspiredgiftgiving.com

Finding your passion at an early age is a rare opportunity and an extraordinary blessing. It only means that God has given you more time to live life according to your heart's desires and His design. Use your time wisely and embrace your passionately purposeful life.

For most people, it takes many years of searching and suffering before they find the passion that makes them tick. Unfortunately, there are also people that never lived their passion. These are people who allow fear, circumstances and discomfort to hinder them in pursuing their dreams and aspirations.

Often, we are content to live the good life. As long as we have food to eat, a shelter to live in and money to meet our needs then we are content. Life is good. Then life becomes a routine where we wake up with less and less enthusiasm as the days go by. We end the day without any sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. Soon, we realize that twenty five years has passed and our lives are not an inch closer to what God wants us to have.

Living is not just about breathing air. You can be alive and dead a the same time. Your age may reach a century but if you are not living your passion and your purpose then your time on earth is meaningless.

God does not want that kind of life for you and me. Good is not good enough. He wants us to have a great awesome, exciting and a fulfilling life.

Don't stop searching and pursuing for your passion and purpose. Let God guide you as you embark on this journey that will change the course of your life forever. Once you find it, do not ever let go until your are living, breathing and tasting your passionately purposeful destiny.

VIDEO: Little Girl Afraid of Her Own Shadow

The cutest little girl ever. Under the blazing heat of the sun while chowing down on her ice candy, all of a sudden the existence of her shadow which is not always there was in stark presence right before her eyes. She was pointing at it while sobbing at the same time. She was like saying, "What the heck is that thing doing? Following my every move and wouldn't go away!"

Poor little thing! She was trying her earnest to dodge her shadow but there's nothing much to do really. Even her mom was not helping in her predicament.

If Peter Pan, in the famous Disney fairy tale, left Neverland to look for his shadow, this girl would rather go to Neverland so she can live without her scary shadow.

Aaaah. The ironies of life! And her mom was right, "It wouldn't go away you know." In many ways, we are like the little girl who is afraid of her own shadow. At least, the little girl's fear was born out of ignorance and innocence. In the meantime, she does not know why shadows even exist but when she grows up she'll only laugh the incident off. On one hand, our fears are much more real and gripping. We fear all sorts of shadows. The shadow of our past, present and the uncertainty of our future. As C.S. Lewis profoundly puts it:

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.

Sometimes, it is the very shadow of our fears that hinders us to live the full life. We should learn from the little girl. We can cry, scream and point at those shadows. We need not go to Neverland so we can live happily ever after. Just accept the fact that those shadows will never go away but we can always rise above them. We need to recognize that these fears exist and at the end of the day, the sun will set and the shadows fade away. The next day is a new beginning.  

Photo courtesy of http://www.panhala.net 

Zac Smith: "Cancer is the best thing that happened to me."

Zac Smith

Zac Smith passed away last May 16, 2010 but before he did, he shared his amazing story about cancer and how he kept his faith through it all. Zac's story is a testament that in spite of poverty, struggles, problems and even sickness, we can still live a full life. It's all about faith and it's a matter of perspective.


Imagine yourself at a prime age of 32 years old. You have a wonderful family, a great job, a great church and exciting plans for the future. It is a good life. You are very happy. You have always been healthy but then you found out that you have stage 4 colon cancer. The cancer has already spread to your spleen and to your liver. You underwent chemotherapy for months and when the scan was done, the cancer was gone. You were celebrating because God has answered your prayers. But after a month, another scan and it was bad news. The cancer has reappeared and this time to your abdominal cavity.The cancer has been growing and the chemo drugs are no longer effective and surgery is not an option anymore. Medically speaking, there's not anything that can be done. You realized that you probably will not live until 2011.


That is Zac's story.


I'm sure we've all been to that place. We are confused and we have a lot of questions. Life doesn't seem to make sense. And we ask God, why? Why all these problems? Why me?


Zac was confused too. He asked a lot of questions too. But never did he let go of his faith. He knew that God has plans for him. 

He opened his Bible and right there on Matthew 7:11: 

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"  

He knew right away that God can only give him good gifts. And that was the time when he was able to say that, "Cancer is the best thing that ever happened to me."

Our problems may not go away. You still have cancer, you just lost your job or you lost a loved one. You have no money and you have no idea how you're going to get by. All your questions were unanswered. But let's learn from Zac Smith and do not  let our situations or sickness stop us from living our life to the full. 


Open your eyes and allow yourself to see life in a different lens.


Let Zac Smith tell you his story himself: VIDEO HERE.     

How to Achieve Perfection: The Benjamin Franklin Approach

“Practice makes perfect, but nobody's perfect, so why practice?” 

― Kurt Cobain

This has become a famous quote and a famous EXCUSE.

It is a statement meant for humor but has become widely used as a go-to excuse for mediocrity.

Yes, it is true that nobody's perfect and perfection is an impossible feat that to attempt at it would be crazy. But what's crazier is to believe that it's not worth attempting at all. They say "why practice?" but I say, "why not?"

Perfection is not a state where it ends when we can say, "I am perfect!" nor simply a destination. To be perfect means you commit to a lifelong pursuit of it. You are in it not solely for what you will become but mainly for the amazing journey towards moral perfection. If we talk about math, perfection is like an asymptote. It is something that we get closer and closer to but we never really touches it or achieve it.

Let us learn from one of the founding fathers of America. He wrote in his memoirs at age seventy-eight,

"On the whole, tho' I never arrived at the Perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of  it, yet I was by the Endeavor a better and a happier Man than I otherwise should have been, if I had not attempted at it." 

Benjamin Franklin is a man of many talents. He is a leading author, inventor, political theorist, postmaster, scientist, musician, satirist, civic activist, statesman and a diplomat. He is a legendary and a great man because at age twenty-two years old, barely out of his teen years, he had the audacity to endeavor the "bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection."

We may not become the next Franklins because there will never be one like him but I am convinced that at the end of our lives, we will be better, happier and wiser because we heeded Franklin's call to be as ambitious and aim for perfection.

In Hyrum W. Smith's book, "The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management," he included a list of Benjamin Franklin's 13 guidelines or "virtues" towards moral perfection.

• Temperance: "Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."  
• Silence: "Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
• Order: "Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time." 
• Resolution: "Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
• Frugality: "Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing."
• Industry: "Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
• Sincerity: "Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
• Justice: "Wrong none by doing injuries; or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
• Moderation: "Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
• Cleanliness: "Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation."
• Tranquility: "Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
• Chastity: "Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation."
• Humility: "Imitate Jesus and Socrates"

Franklin has already given us a head start. Here's how Benjamin Franklin did it: 

1. He identified his guidelines, values and virtues.
2. He organized his life into thirteen weekly cycles. Each week is dedicated to one virtue and he would focus mentally to align his actions with his values.

It was two steps. Let us come up with our own list and let us resolve to live our lives according to our list. If we live the same way Franklin did, it is without a doubt that we can call it a full life. 

Every Child is Special (Taare Zameen Par) Movie Review

Every Child is Special Movie Poster

Taare Zameen Par "Every Child is Special" or also known as Like Stars on Earth is a Hindi film and a directorial movie debut for Aamir Khan released 2007. The film generated rave reviews and was well received both in India and globally. It garnered various recognition such as the Filmfare Best Film Award, National Film Award and Best Film on Family Welfare for the year 2008 in India. It is also an entry for the 2009 Academy Awards Best Foreign Film.  

The movie revolves around the story of an 8-year old boy Ishaan Awasthi played by Darsheel Safary who's stuck in Grade 3 for the second year around, tanks all his exams, barely knows how to read and write, sees the numbers and letters dancing and prancing, thought of as lazy and a troublemaker. 

He gets into trouble day after day until his parents can't handle it anymore and was eventually sent to a boarding school which probably did more harm than good for little Ishaan. He used to love to paint but he was so depressed that he stopped painting altogether until a substitute art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh played by Aamir Khan (also the director of the movie) saw what the real problem was. Nikumbh was patient and he helped Ishaan get through the hurdles of being a kid who is dyslexic the same way he did when he was younger. 

Slowly, Ishaan realized that he was not "dumb, a duffer and an idiot." He was just different and there are people who were as different as he is and they include famous and well celebrated personalities such as Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, Walt Disney, Neil Diamond and Agatha Christie.  

From there, it was pretty much a happy ending. Ishaan started to paint again and his parents especially his father who demands his kids to excel in school finally gets him. This is all thanks to that "Pied Piper" art teacher who sees that every kid has their own talent, every kid needs to be understood and Every Child is Special. 

What I appreciate about the movie was the very engaging music and the colorfulness of Ishaan's world. The attention to details was truly amazing. It is memorable and when you look at it as a whole picture, it makes sense. The puddle, the kid on his dads' shoulder buying an ice candy, the puzzle Ishaan is trying to finish, the mixing of paint color and the notebooks with the red marks. Add to that the outstanding portrayal of Darsheel for the role of Ishaan. My favorite scenes are the ones when he was not talking verbally but simply communicating through his silent, big, innocent eyes sitting on his chair, staring at nothing. He's a marvel and a pleasure to watch. Of course, Aamir Khan was excellent and he had great chemistry with the kids. The story gets predictable near the end but in a good way. It leaves a pleasant feeling which means audience's were basically satisfied. Even my younger siblings loved the film. In fact, they've watched it several times already.

   

The movie was both funny and can be extremely sentimental to a point. It can even get a little corny and melodramatic too which I don't mind very much. It tugs at the heart and ultimately, the message of the story that Every Child is Special was communicated well to the audience. It is a simple message but it is one that most of us often forgets and this movie is a reminder.

What a shame that I have only discovered this film recently. My movie experiences usually only involve the Holywood types and Filipino movies. Who would have thought there are some gems in Bolywood and I'm sure looking forward to seeing films like this in the future. 

It is one of those films that was tastefully and artfully put together, the message was clear and positive. It is one that I would highly recommend. 

Apple's "Think Different" Campaign, 1997 Ad

"Here's to the crazy ones.The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They're not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones,
We see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world,
Are the ones who do."

The one-minute commercial featured black and white video footage of significant historical people of the past which are mostly Steve Jobs' heroes. They include Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan, Martin Luther King, Jr., Richard Branson, John Lennon, R. Buckminster Fuller, Thomas Edison, Muhammad Ali, Ted Turner, Maria Callas, Mahatma Gandhi, Amelia Earhart, Alfred Hitchcock, Martha Graham, Jim Henson (with Kermit the Frog), Frank Lloyd Wright, and Picasso. 

Will by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

                                                       

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate,

Can circumvent or hinder or control

The firm resolve of a determined soul.

Gifts count for nothing; will alone is great;

All things give way before it, soon or late.

What obstacle can stay the mighty force

Of the sea-seeking river in its course,

Or cause the ascending orb of day to wait?

Each well-born soul must win what it deserves. 

 Let the fool prate of luck. The fortunate

Is he whose earnest purpose never swerves,

Whose slightest action or inaction serve.

The one great aim.

Why, even Death stands still,

And waits an hour sometimes for such a will.

Ever heard the cliche, "If there's a will, there's a way?" I'm sure we all did at one point in our lives. The truism of this maxim rings loud and clear in this poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It's not just any ordinary will but it's the kind of will that does not bow to circumstance, problems, or any hindrances. It's a will that even makes the inevitable stand still. 

Can you imagine what we can do if we have such a will?   

How to Live a Better than Good Life

By Divine Grace Segunla

Who wouldn’t want to live a better than good life? I’m pretty sure that out of 6 billion people on Earth, probably all 6 billion would want, if not better, to live a good life. The promise of what’s good, and better and if possible perfect, is something we cannot turn our backs from.

Before we go any further, let me make sure and ask you, “Do you want a better than good life? “Are you sure?” “Really now?” Good. Then let me share with you the three secrets of the “better than good” life.

Zig Ziglar, a premier motivational speaker and a top selling author wrote one of my most favorite books of all time, Better than Good: Creating a Life You Can’t Wait to Live. In his book, Zig revealed the three pillars of the life we all want to live: passion, peak performance and purpose. We cannot continue to stay motivated in life unless we understand these three elements by heart.

Passion is indispensable in our quest for the full life. In the same way that gas fuels our car’s engines so as passion fuels our drive to reach the peak of our Everest. At the end of the day, it is our passion that will keep us focused on the target. It is passion that will awaken us the next day and will keep us going. It doesn’t matter what our field of endeavor is (business, career, sports, medicine and public service), without passion we are bound to fail. No one could have said it better but Zig, “Life is too tough to get to the top without passion.”

Life is harder than I thought. I didn’t realize that until I finished my journey as a student. The real world is more complicated than I expected. If I could, I would wish to stay a student forever. Then I don’t have to worry about my future. What is it in the world for me?

There will be times that we will be criticized, offended and hurt. We will fail countless times, discouraged in so many ways, disappointed by people we trust, disappointed by ourselves and ran out of resources. Everyday we will be tempted to give up and we might do just that without passion.

The first thing we need to do in order to live a ‘better than good ’ life is to discover our passion. What makes you tick? What you have natural talent for? What do you love to do?

Our greatest responsibility in life is to find out what we love to do and dedicate ourselves to it. Most successful men around the world would say, ‘I never worked a day in my life.’ They love what they do that’s why they’re not only good at it but they’re at their best. Passion plays a very important role in all great accomplishments. To get you started, answer the following questions. If you won a $1M, would you continue to do what you are doing? Would you stay in your current job?

I love it when Zig said, “Finding and developing passion is a journey, not an event.” Don’t stress yourselves if you don’t discover your passion overnight. It will not happen. There is a process that we need to go through. You might find yours earlier or later in life. It doesn’t matter as long as you commit yourself to discovering it.

The second element of a full life is peak performance. But we must keep in mind that we cannot function at our peak unless we know our passion. Passion is a prerequisite to peak performance. The moment you realize what you love to do, you must resolve to be the very best in it. Brian Tracy said, “Your life will only get better when you get better”.

In order to perform at our peak, we need to set goals, have a passionate plan and we need to develop ‘better than good’ habits. Do you know that 97% of adults have not made their goals? You cannot go somewhere unless you have a destination in mind. If you haven’t thought about it, then you need to sit down and set your goals. It may take you hours, a day, a week or even a month if necessary. What do you want to achieve in your lifetime? What do you want to accomplish? Sit down and write down your goals. There is no limit to the number of goals you can set. Sky is the limit.

How do you plan to achieve those goals? It’s time to develop a passionate plan. Tom Landry once said, “Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with the plan.” If Noah of the Bible built the ark 100 years before the flood then we ourselves need to back our goals with plans. The moment you combine passion with planning then good things will start to happen.

The most important thing to do after planning is taking action. The moment you stop taking actions, everything in your plan stops. Reading a good book about what you love to do, getting acquainted with people with the same interest as yours, mental reflection and prayer are all taking action. Make sure that everyday you are doing something to achieve your goals.

To complete the equation, we need one more thing. We need to develop as many positive habits as we can. Frank Outlaw warned us, “Watch your habits; they become character.” Character is what defines us. It becomes our destiny.

Habits can either make us or break us. There are good habits and bad habits, positive or negative and constructive or destructive. If we want to fully live the ‘better than good’ life we need to get rid of the habits that will only pull us down. We can do that if we commit to develop good habits. Eventually good habits will overcome bad habits. Here some of the habits we need to develop: reading books, getting enough sleep, eating healthy, frugal lifestyle, helping other people and more. The list could go on. They say that habits are formed if we do something continually for 21 days or more. You can start with one habit a time. Now, pick a habit that you want to develop and start doing it starting today.

The third element of a full life is purpose. Now that we have discovered our passion and we have resolved to perform at our peak, what’s next? Why do we want to do that? That’s when purpose will complete the whole dynamics of a ‘better than good’ life. Zig wrote, “Without purpose in life we are like the proverbial fool who is all dressed up with no place to go.”

The key question to ask is what really matters to you? What makes your heart sing? What do you dream about? What do you do when you have free time? Whatever it is, that’s what you are passionate about. That’s where your heart is and somewhere, connected to that passion is your purpose in life.