With passion we live, without it we simply exist. Passion is the great motivator; it is the catalyst that ignites the imagination, the force that breaks doors down and the ultimate spark that brings life where none existed before. With passion we are vibrant and alive, without it we are simply marking time.

Passion is that state when the energy if fully concentrated on a specific and all-important objective. An objective that is deemed greater and more important than we are. With passion we are on a mission. With passion, failure is not an option. Passion is the one element absolutely essential to any worthwhile achievement.

Passion is an emotion that we were born with. It may be one of the first emotions that we ever felt. Anyone who has ever seen a baby cry because he was hungry will attest to that. There is no reserve there. Every once of energy is monopolized to satisfy the need for food. That’s passion in its most elementary form.

As we grew and matured into adulthood, we were taught to subdue our passion. We learned to be “reasonable.” We learned how to compromise. That may have been a necessary lesson but it may also be a lesson that was so forcefully injected that it buried the ability to feel passionate. If so, passion has to be rekindled and nurtured so that it can be reborn.

Passion is associated with the Id part of our psyche. It is part of the raw and primitive impulses of the beast that lies within us. A beast that must be tamed and controlled but not one that should squashed and destroyed. Passion controlled, is our best ally, unchecked it becomes our worst nightmare.

Passion has a deadly enemy and it’s called frustration. Frustration, if allowed to linger on, can either destroy passion or turn it into a self-destructive force. Passion and frustration can create a very toxic mixture that must never be allowed to overcome rational thinking. Either we master strong emotions or we become the their slave. Mastering those emotions is what maturity is all about.

With maturity we can turn explosive and potentially destructive passion into a rather quiet but unstoppable force. That is the passion that can be seen in the Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Barack Obama. By controlling their passion, these people were propelled to greatness. On the other hand, the headlines are filled with the sad stories of people who could not or would not control their passion and where misery ensued.

The right kind of passion can be nurtured and cultivated. That is done with practice. It is done through complete involvement and total focus. We can be passionate about almost anything. It can be done in sport, writing an article or designing and building a life. Passion, as with any other sphere of endeavor, is perfected through practice. The more we exercise it, the more adept we become.

Passion is a gift that we received at birth. It can be our greatest resource as it can be the source of our demise. It’s a resource that has to be nurtured, mastered and controlled. It holds our future in its hands. Be grateful for the gift. Learn to use and exploit it and watch wonders unfold.

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Simple words. Simple maxim. It would seem so at first sight, but when taken literally, it becomes a powerful credo for life. As we go through our day, hundreds of occasions present themselves where, with a very little effort, a small but meaningful improvement could be made. Things like, leaving a smile where none was expected. Saying, “thank you” when none was necessary. Being kind when indifference could have been chosen.

The idea of leaving our universe a little better at the end of the day has a long story. After WW ll Japan was in such a state of disarray that communications were next to impossible, the transports were an utter mess and general confusion was the order of the day.

That’s when General Dwight Eisenhower, in an effort to restore some order, invited Dr. Edward Deming, a consultant on quality control, to come over to solve the problem. Dr. Deming did solve the problem by teaching a work ethic philosophy called Kaizen.

That philosophy professes that by seeking to improve every area of our life every day by a very slight margin, the highest level of excellence would soon be reached. In a very short time, Dr. Deming and his philosophy turned Japan into the symbol of quality that it is today.

What will work for a whole country will certainly work for the individual. Small improvements, sustained over a period of time will improve drastically the overall level of effectiveness along with the resulting increase in quality.

The word Kaizen has no equivalent in the English language so it has been replaced with the acronym CANI which stands for Constant And Never-ending Improvement. An appellation that says it all. Seek to continually improve.

Naturally those “improvements” cannot all be major. As a matter of fact, major improvement are not even sought. The major improvements will be the results of the small but regular positive changes.

Most major changes are not the results of massive action. They are the results of minor influences at strategic points. An example of that would be seen on the huge ships that travel the sea. Those gigantic ships are equipped with trim tabs. A trim tab is a small rudder that is attached at the end of the big rudder that control the ship’s direction. The trim tab will control the direction of the larger rudder which in turn will control the direction of the ship. A small force applied to the trim tab is all that will be needed to steer the ship in any direction.

Our lives are directed pretty well the same way. The major decisions and resulting changes that affect our lives the most are not spontaneous. They are the end results of many small distinctions and minor actions that we make everyday. If those are made with the intent of self-improvement, the end results will be nothing short of spectacular.

All that can be possible if we only decide to, “Always leave our universe a little better off at the end of our day then it was when we got up in the morning.” A very simple notion yet extremely effective.

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The two most frequent causes of this state of affair are: the mind is on overload or there is a lack of clarity regarding the purpose.

The mind will go on overload when it tries to grasp too many elements at the same time. Case in point. Let’s say that you want to write a letter to a friend to give some news, inform about a project that you’re working on and give the latest on the state of your health. You sit in front of the computer, type in the email address, write the words, “Hi John” as the subject matter, but when it gets to start writing the message, nothing comes to mind. A blank, the minds goes numb.

The problem here is that you’re trying cover to many subjects at once. The solution is simple. Concentrate on only one of the areas that you want to cover and then move on to the next. The same principle applies whether you are writing a letter, planning to build a house or looking for a new job. No matter what the undertaking is, cut it down to bite size and focus only in one area at the time. The process is called “chunking.” You are actually chunking a subject into palatable bite size.

Lack of clarity is also a frequent cause of mental blocks. How can we solve a problem if it is not clear what the problem is? The ideal way of getting out of that situation is to take a pen and paper and actually write down what the problem seems to be. Putting down our thoughts on paper has a way of shedding light on the situation.

Now, our first attempt at stating the problem might not prove to be the precise description that we were looking for. If so, simply scratch whatever has been written and write another statement and repeat the process until the clarity that you seek is found.

There are some cases when the above solutions will not work. In that case the omniscient brain approach can be used. Loosely defined the omniscient brain approach theory would be that the mind is infinitely wise and that it already knows everything and all that we have to do to get the answer that we want is to ask the right question.

Whether the theory is valid or not matters little. It is a well known fact that no matter what question we ask the mind, it will supply an answer. The answer may be accurate or not but at least it gives something to work on. And, again, if the answer that we get from the mind is not the one that we were looking for, all that we have to do is to formulate the question another way. Sooner or later, we should find a combination question/answer that works.

There is also a variant to the omniscient brain approach that can be tried. The brain works in very mysterious ways. Sometimes a flash of insight will flash during our sleep and it will be so powerful that it will wake us up. Should that happen, whatever solution has been provided by that dream induced inspiration should be immediately written down. Even if it seems to be so vivid that there are no way that we could ever forget it – chances are that, when morning comes around, it will be nothing but a blur and if it is not written down, it will be lost forever.

Another solution that could help in getting unstuck would be found in the master mind principle. That is, simply discuss the situation with friends and acquaintances. Someone could very well come up with an angle that has never been considered before and could prove to be the ideal path to follow.

Lastly, there is the laterally gravitational approach. Like the mountain climber who is faced with a insurmountable obstacle, the only thing to do is to start moving laterally. That is, instead of trying to forge ahead with the initial undertaking, some optional related subjects is explored. The would give the mind a rest and something unexpected might come to mind that will provide the inspiration needed to resume the undertaking.

The mind is a magnificent tool. Its potential is said to be virtually limitless. We should trust it more and never give up on exploring it. It will always amaze us by sooner or later giving us whatever answer that we were looking for. Perseverance is the key. Where there is a will, there is a way.

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Some of us have been lucky enough to experience some of those moments. They don’t happen frequently but there are times in our lives when we were able to get close to that magic state. And what’s more interesting is the fact that there are techniques that can be used to reach those almost magic moments or what could be called near-flow experiences.

The near-flow experiences can happen when the Zen attitude is coupled with great passion and a sense of certainty. Let’s explore these three components and see how they can propel our level or performance to its highest level.

As with all very complex concepts, the Zen attitude can be reduced to its most simple denominator. The Zen attitude is nothing more than seeing the world, and everything in it, as being just perfect. That it is just the way that it should be. It’s also rising above the entanglements created by life’s everyday petty dramas. It is seeing life as the ultimate gift that it is – without demands or expectations.

By adopting that attitude, one does not feel like a victim, does not feel frustration or resentment and can address reality with a positive and open mind. It is the ultimate attitude of positive expectancy. One can focus exclusively on the present and address it with all available resources.

Great passion is at its finest when it has a sexual connotation. Throughout history great men have been inspired and motivated by great love. However intense passion can also so be spawned by a great cause. The world of biography is filled with examples of great men and women who were carried above and beyond normal expectations by causes that they deemed to be greater than they themselves were.

Passion is an emotion that can be developed like any other natural abilities. We learn to be more passionate by using that faculty over and over again. Passion for sport, passion for the arts, passion to excel are all venues that can be used to develop a more passionate temperament.

Finally, the sense of certainty, which has been called the winner’s edge, is also essential to achieve the near-flow and high vibration state. That “sense of certainty” is achieved by focusing on the moment with an eye on the desired outcome. When done properly, there is no room for excess and needless baggage. It’s the concentration of power and resources at its finest and at its most productive.

The state of flow, also called, being in the zone, is relatively rare however living the near-flow experience is something that can be learned and developed. Three elements are needed. The Zen attitude, a passionate nature and a sense of certainty. There is nothing esoteric about any of these requirements. They are all faculties that can be acquired and developed.

It is said that the best amongst us only use about twenty five percent of available mental faculties. We were born with an almost limitless potential. Discovering and exploiting that potential is a life long quest. A quest that can be greatly accelerated by learning how to get into the near-flow state. It’s available for each of us. All that is required is a bit of work and a lot of faith.

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The main reasons that people adopt self-destructive habits are to combat frustration and to fill the void created by what seems to be a meaningless existence. It’s a way of escaping a difficult and painful reality. A way of numbing the pain and an effort to get some parcels of pleasure to fill the voids.

The destructive habit does not even have to procure pleasure. It only has to sustain the memory that it once did and that will be enough to keep the habit firmly active. The average gambler will lose money more often (pain) that he will win (pleasure.) However those rare victories are enough to sustain the habit.

Destructive habits are methods used to escape the tedium of a boring and meaningless life. It’s the best possible option that the individual has been able to find so far. That being said, it becomes evident that the solution lies in finding more productive and empowering options.

That’s much easiest said than done for two reasons. First of these reason would be the refusal to acknowledge that the destructive habits are used as an escape route. Second is the fact that once humans have found a solution to a problem most of the time they will not even try to find another one — even if the solution that they are now using is almost as bad as the problem that they are trying to solve with it.

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Same with solutions to problems. You can offer solutions but if there is not a will to change, nothing will happen. However, there is a way to circumvent that. And that is by reaching the threshold of tolerance.

People will change when they cannot take it anymore. When the situation gets to be so bad that it is no longer an option, changes will be made. Every decision that we make is an effort to avoid pain and seek pleasure. So when the pain that a destructive habit gives becomes worse than the effort to make a change would, a change will happen.

Understanding a problem opens the door to the solutions. Bad and destructive habits are an escape route from frustration or from a meaningless life. If so, two possible solutions become evident. The first solution will get us on the most expeditious but least reliable route.

That would be to trade a bad habit for a good one. As examples, a smoker could get into sport and physical activities or a gambler could get involved in community work. If enough satisfaction is created by the new interest, it has some very good chances of working. However, the basic problems is not solved. We’ve just found an escape route for a dull and meaningless life.

The other solution, the ideal solution, the one that would solve the problem itself would be to set the plan for an interesting and meaningful life and implement that plan. It sounds like a very tall order but it’s not as bad as it seems at first glance. That is, if the person is determined to change.

We can either design a life or react to it. We can be the creator of our destiny or a victim of circumstances. The choice is ours. Abraham Lincoln said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” If we follow his advice and create our future, there will be no need and no place for destructive behavior. Loving life and wasting it are not mutually compatible concepts. Create the life that you want and lose the destructive habits that you don’t want. The key to your future is in your hands – use it well and there will be no regrets.

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Shyness is learned and not inherited. We are not born shy, it’s acquired. All it takes is a few unfortunate incidents where the person was either ridiculed or made to feel inferior. The experiences crated searing pain that left an obstructive scar on the brain and the handicap of shyness was created.

Fortunately, that nefarious shyness inducing scar can be removed effectively by using the same element that placed it there in the first place. That element is the fear that pain of being ridiculed or made to feel inferior can happen again.

That fear of rejection and the subsequent scar that it left is kept alive because it is not allowed to burn itself out. Nothing can exist for a long time in a void. A notion that is not given resistance will simply dissipate and disappear.

In other words, if we allow the fear of rejection to be and we don’t fight it, it will simply evaporate and go away. Anything that is not given significance ceases to exist. Anything that is not fed disappears.

Shyness is a concept and not a physical reality. It’s not a personal defect it is something that we unconsciously created and that we unconsciously keep alive. It is kept alive by the interest and importance that we give it. Take away these two factors and it will cease to exist.

Another problem that is fostered by shyness it that it undermines self-confidence. And let’s be very clear about it. Contrary to popular beliefs, lack of self-confidence is caused by shyness but lack of self-confidence does not cause shyness.

Self-confidence is the feeling that we are important, that we matter, that we are someone special. Now, if shyness prevents us from expressing those feelings, how can they exist? They can’t. They can’t so the void created by the absence of self-confidence will be filled with self-doubt, feelings of inferiority and inadequacy.

It’s a vicious cycle. The shyness that we unconsciously created destroyed our inborn self-confidence and the procedure is self-stroking. More shyness and less self-confidence then less self-confidence and more shyness. It’s a process that can and must be destroyed.

The procedure to eliminate shyness is quite simple. Simply accept the fact that the shyness does exists and that’s it’s OK the way that it is. Don’t reject it, don’t fight it. Go with the flow and allow it to be and soon it will dissipate and disappear.

Shyness is not a cardinal sin. It’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s a piece of excess baggage that was unconsciously picked up. Now is the time to set it down and let it be. If you can find the wherewithal to do that, it will never bother or impair you again.

This technique has been used successfully by thousands. It’s free, simple and effective. Don’t let another day go by where you carry the needless burden of shyness. Set it free… and it will leave you forever.

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There are two main reasons why we will sabotage some objective that we were working on. The first is that the project in question is not in accordance with what we perceive our identity to be.

Let us take the case of someone who would be working for a promotion that involves managerial functions. If that person does not see himself a leader or someone who cannot direct and command, chances are very high that he will sabotage the quest for that promotion.

There are few things as strong as the need to conform to our identity. Stepping outside of the boundaries of the type of person that we believe to be is next to impossible. A person who sees himself as being poor in math will perform badly with numbers and a person who sees himself as clumsy will drop everything.

The second reason self-sabotaging comes into play is when a person’s standards are too low. For some reason, these people see themselves as undeserving. They feel that the good things in life are for someone else.

That is usually the case when someone was raised with the beliefs that having money or affluence is somehow basically wrong. Or the belief that you cannot be wealthy and be a good person. They have the curse of the poverty mindset. So when they start having money they will feel strangely that it is wrong, that it is bad. So they will automatically sabotage any success that they are having.

In order to succeed and succeed consistently a persona must feel deserving of success. That they have the right to be affluent and that they can be good and rich at the same time.

Disempowering beliefs must be changed before success can be acquired. In order to do that we need to know the nature of belief. We need to know what a belief is. A belief is nothing but a notion that is supported by some evidences. As an example, if you are told times and times again that you have excellent taste in clothes, you will adopt the belief that you have indeed good taste in clothes.

The same applies to the beliefs that we have about our identity or any other belief that we may have. So if we want to change a belief, we must change the bank of references that support it. Let us say that you want to change a negative belief about not being a leader capable of managing people, you want to find instances in your life were you displayed leadership abilities. Find enough of those and you will change your fundamental belief about your leadership abilities.

Self-sabotage is a serious roadblock to success and self-actualization. It is insidious and not always easily detectable. Whenever there are repeat failures in any area of our life, a red flag is raised. The question must be asked, “Am I sabotaging myself?” If there are evidences of self-sabotage two beliefs have to be questioned. The first about our perceived identity and the other one about our success worthiness.

If who we perceive ourselves to be is not in accordance with what we want to achieve we must change the beliefs about our identity and if it is the beliefs about success worthiness that is at fault, those beliefs must be changed also.

Don’t let self-sabotage destroy a bright future. Affect the necessary changes in beliefs and see repeated failures turn into series of brilliant successes.

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Believing is what gives life to goals, project, or objectives. It is the essential catalyst without witch any worthwhile endeavor is bound to failure.

Certainty gives rise to enthusiasm. Enthusiasm gets the adrenalin flowing, the imagination into high gear and the energy flowing. It turns ordinary people into roaring lions. It is the fuel of success.

With faith and certainty the person is transformed. He or she becomes a magnet that attracts the situations, resources and collaboration essential to turn the invisible into the visible and the dream into reality.

Nothing is as damaging and paralyzing as the fear of failure. It takes away from the focus necessary to be truly effective. Actions are taken tentatively with a eye to the consequences of a possible failure. It is like driving a formula one race car with the brakes on.

Before attempting any major project, goal or objective, confidence has to be raised to fever pitch. It should not be started before being ready to go all out and give it everything that we have. Great achievements are not in the realm of timid souls. Bridges have to be burned and lifeboats left on the shore. It has to be all or nothing.

In the course of any great project stumbling blocks are bout to show their ugly faces. That’s the time when everything grounds to a standstill unless a solution is found. With unwavering faith and confidence, such a situation may cause a delay but it will not cause the death of the project. Napoleon Hill said, “What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” And he was right.

An objective can be achieved without resources if there is resourcefulness. Lack of money and expertise can be overcome so can lack of time and talent. But without confidence and certainty chances of success are very slim.

How then can we build that sense of assuredness? For that, three elements are needed: imagination, focus and enthusiasm.

We must be able to see vividly in our mind’s eye or on paper the result of our quest. What it will look like, what it will feel like, what the rewards will be and most important of all, how it will have transformed us.

With every great achievement comes self-growth and self-actualization. That’s the most precious payoff. Who and what we will have become can never be taken away from us. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

The next element needed to keep the winner’s edge or that sense of certainty is focus. The world class athlete keeps his focus on what needs to be done and the intended result to be achieved. It’s no different for any other type of endeavor. The recipe is the same. Focus on what needs to be done and not on what could happen.

Lastly we have enthusiasm. That’s the ultimate antidote against fear and doubts. With enthusiasm doors open and walls crumble. It gets the mind into high gear and the imagination burning full blast. Nothing can stop it.

The essential secret of success is a deep and unwavering faith in our capacity to bring to fruition whatever project that we undertake. With that faith, we are giants… without it, simple amateurs who need some growing up to do.

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A Personal Planner is to the individual what a journal is to a company or a corporation. It is exactly what the name implies, a tool for planning. It’s a place where objectives, plans and strategies are written down and worked out.

It should also contain pertinent and useful data and information. My Personal Planner contains sections like: things to do today, a list of goals and objectives along with plans and steps to be taken to toward achieving those projects.

There are also sections for frequently used phone numbers, pertinent information about close contacts, friends and collaborators. I even have a place where my favorite quotes and affirmations are listed.

A Personal Planner requires about twenty minutes of our time every working day. Ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes at night. That twenty minutes is invaluable in term of time saving and productivity. Our work day is well planned and no good idea is ever lost or overlooked.

Nothing useful is ever loss or overlooked if we get into the habit of always carrying a small pocket voice recorder. It is also an indispensable tool. The minute that we think of something that could be added in our Personal Planner, it takes but a few seconds to record it and thus making sure that it not forgotten or goes out of mind.

No large company or corporation would even dream of doing without the company’s journal. Their very existence depend on it. On a smaller scale, the success or failure of our life also depends on effectiveness, planning and record keeping.

Most of us are quite busy and have to multitask. We have many and various areas and concerns that demand our attention. It’s a fact of modern life. How good and effective we are at performing will determine the results that will be obtained and one of the way to optimize our performance is with a Personal Planner and a pocket voice recorder.

With these tools, we will not be burdened with information that must be kept in mind. No important information will be lost. Our schedule will be effectively planned and we will perform on a higher level that we never thought possible.

A Personal Planner is a very small investment in both time and money yet it will pay untold dividends. It does require some minor additional effort at first, but once it becomes a routine, we wonder how we could have ever done without it.

Join the movers and shakers of the world. Get yourself a Personal Planner and a small pocket voice recorder. It will be one of the best decision that you will have ever made.

It is to be noted that a Personal Planner can be constructed out of a small loose leaf binder with some separators for the different items or subjects. There are also Personal Planners that can be downloaded online for free. A few clicks on Google is all that is needed to find one.

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Huge and very important decisions that will influence our life certainly play a major role in the direction that our life will take however they are only a small part of the overall picture. As an example, deciding to get married was a huge decision however the everyday distinctions that we make regarding the way that we treat our spouse will be the determining factor in how well or how bad the union will turn out.

The importance of small distinctions should never be overlooked. Not only the small distinctions regarding the way that we conduct ourselves but also the small distinctions as to what we will focus on, what is important and most of all what will lead us closer to our intended targets or objectives.

In order to increase the quality of the small distinctions that we make everyday, we must have a working knowledge as to how the mind operates.

At every given moment, the mind is bombarded with stimulus and information. If all that information was allowed to reach the conscious we would be overwhelmed so there is a mechanism that is set to filter what information will be allowed and what will be blocked out.

That mechanism is called the RAS or the Reticular Activating System. The RAS is finely tuned to our areas of interest. It knows what is important for us and what we focus on, so it will select, from all available information, what is most important for us and allow it to get to the conscious.

So, if we are eager to improve ourselves in small distinction making to improve the quality of our life, we should decide to make it a high priority item. That way, when we come across anything that could be of assistance, the RAS will give it preference and allow it to go through to our conscious thoughts.

As a large and magnificent edifice is composed through the harmony of individual quality components, so is a successful life. The major decisions that we take will form the structure of that life however it is the quality of the small distinctions that we make on a daily basis that will make the difference between a masterpiece and an abject failure.

Greatness is the result of quality decisions. Success is obtained and failure is averted by making those quality small distinctions throughout our life. We are the artisan of our destiny. As the master sculptor, we must adroitly execute the small incisions that will eventually reveal the work of art that we want to become. That is done through a multitude of small but quality distinctions.

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