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Best Motivational Short Stories About Personal Growth, Mindset, and Productivity

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“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — Nelson Mandela

Motivational short stories have the power to inspire us, shift our perspectives, and help us overcome challenges to become the best version of ourselves.

These stories can stay with us for a lifetime, providing valuable insights and lessons.

Elephant and the Rope Motivational Short Story

The elephant and the rope story is a metaphorical tale about how limiting beliefs and conditioning can hold us back from reaching our full potential.

In the story, a man comes across an elephant that is tied to a small rope.

Despite the fact that the elephant could easily break free from the rope, it does not even try to do so.

The man is curious and asks the trainer nearby why the elephant doesn’t attempt to break free.

The trainer explains that when the elephant was young, it was tied to the same rope and was not strong enough to break free.

As a result, the elephant became conditioned to believe that it was not capable of breaking the rope, even though it could do so easily as an adult.

The story is often used as a metaphor for how our own beliefs and conditioning can hold us back from achieving our full potential. Just like the elephant, we can become so conditioned to our own limitations that we may not even try to break free from them.

The lesson of the elephant and the rope is to recognize the limiting beliefs and conditioning that hold us back and to challenge them in order to achieve our full potential.

Empty Your Cup Motivational Short Story

The Zen Story of the Empty Cup is a parable that emphasizes the importance of having an open mind and being receptive to new ideas and experiences.

In the story, a scholar seeks out a Zen master to learn from him. The scholar proudly shows the Zen master all that he knows, but the master pours tea into the scholar’s cup until it overflows, demonstrating that the scholar’s mind is already full and cannot accept anything more.

The Zen master then tells the scholar that if he wants to learn, he must first empty his cup – that is, let go of his preconceptions and be open to new ideas and experiences.

The story is often used as a metaphor for personal growth and the importance of having an open mind. It emphasizes that we must let go of our preconceptions and be receptive to new ideas if we want to learn and grow.

The lesson of the story is to approach life with an open mind and a willingness to learn, rather than assuming that we already know everything.

Flea in the Jar Motivational Short Story

The story of the flea in the jar is a metaphorical tale about the limitations that we place on ourselves and how these limitations can become ingrained in our thinking over time.

In the story, a group of fleas are placed in a jar with a lid on it. The fleas initially try to jump out of the jar, but they keep hitting their heads on the lid.

Eventually, the fleas stop jumping as high and learn to live within the confines of the jar.

One day, the lid is removed from the jar, and the fleas are free to jump as high as they want.

However, even though they are no longer confined by the lid, the fleas continue to jump only as high as the lid used to be, as this has become the limit that they have imposed on themselves.

The story is often used as a metaphor for how our own beliefs and limiting thoughts can hold us back from achieving our full potential. Just like the fleas, we can become so used to living within certain limitations that we may not even realize we are capable of breaking free from them.

The lesson of the flea in the jar is to recognize the limitations we place on ourselves and to challenge them in order to reach our full potential.

Happiness is Within You Motivational Short Story

The “Happiness is Within You” story is a fable about a man who travels to a far-off land in search of happiness. He meets a wise old man who tells him that happiness is not found in distant places, but rather within oneself.

The wise man tells the traveler to seek out a certain tree in a nearby forest, which is said to hold the secret to true happiness.

The traveler searches for the tree, but when he finds it, he is disappointed to see that it looks like any other tree.

The wise man appears again and tells the traveler to cut the tree down and open it up. Inside, the traveler finds nothing but plain, unremarkable wood. Confused and frustrated, he asks the wise man what this means.

The wise man tells him that the true secret to happiness is not in external objects or circumstances, but rather in our own perception and attitude.

Happiness is not found in material things or in achieving external goals, but rather in cultivating an inner sense of peace, contentment, and gratitude.

The story is often used as a metaphor for the idea that true happiness comes from within, and that external factors can only provide temporary pleasure or satisfaction.

The lesson of the story is to focus on cultivating inner peace and contentment, rather than seeking happiness in external objects or circumstances.

Life is a Race Motivational Short Story

In this version, the story revolves around a young athletic boy who was hungry for success and measured his success only by winning.

He participated in a running competition and won two races, feeling proud and important.

He then pleaded for another race and was presented with two new challengers, an elderly frail old lady and a blind man.

As the race began, the boy noticed that the elderly lady and the blind man were struggling to run. Instead of rushing ahead, he slowed down and ran alongside them, encouraging them to keep going.

Together, they reached the finish line and the boy realized that the true victory was in helping others and enjoying the journey, rather than just winning.

The story is often used as a metaphor for the importance of slowing down, helping others, and savoring life’s moments.

It emphasizes that life is not just about winning races or achieving goals, but about enjoying the journey and being kind to others.

The lesson of the story is to appreciate the journey, help others along the way, and find joy in the process.

Life is Like a Cup of Coffee Motivational Short Story

The story goes like this:

A group of people were sitting in a coffee house, discussing life. As they talked, the conversation turned to the subject of life being like a cup of coffee.

One person said, “Life is like a cup of coffee. It all depends on how you make it.”

Another person said, “Yes, but you can’t control the water temperature, or the quality of the coffee beans.”

A third person added, “But you can control the amount of coffee and the strength of the brew.”

Then an older man, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, spoke up. He said, “Life is not like a cup of coffee, it’s the coffee cup that matters.

The cup is what holds the coffee and shapes its experience. And just like the cup, we need to focus on what’s around us, on what we have, and appreciate it.”

The group fell silent, pondering the old man’s words. The lesson of the story is that, like a cup of coffee, life is what we make of it.

We can choose to focus on what we have and appreciate it, or we can focus on what we lack and be discontent.

Ultimately, the cup that holds our life experiences is what matters, not the coffee inside.

Potato, Egg, or Coffee Bean Motivational Short Story

The story goes like this:

A young woman went to her mother and told her about the problems she was facing in life. She said she was tired of fighting and struggling and didn’t know how to keep going.

The mother took her to the kitchen and filled three pots with water. She placed each pot on a burner, turned on the heat, and put a potato in one pot, an egg in the second, and coffee beans in the third.

After a while, she turned off the burners and fished out the potato, egg, and coffee beans, and asked her daughter to observe them carefully.

The potato was soft and had become very weak. The egg, which had been fragile, now had a hardened shell inside. But the coffee beans had transformed the water into a rich and aromatic coffee.

The mother then explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water. However, each of them had reacted differently.

The potato went in strong, firm, and hard, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg had been fragile and had a thin outer shell, but in boiling water, it had become hard inside.

The coffee beans, on the other hand, had changed the water and created something new.

The mother explained that we all face adversity, and how we react to it depends on us. We can either become weak, hard, or transform the situation into something positive.

The young woman realized that she had a choice – to be like a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean.

Puppies for Sales Motivational Short Story

The “Puppies for Sale” story is a fable about a man who sells puppies for a living.

One day, a young boy comes to the man’s shop and asks how much the puppies cost.

The man tells the boy the price, but adds that there is one puppy that he can have for free.

The boy is excited and asks to see the free puppy.

The man brings out the puppy, who is missing a leg and has a limp.

The boy asks why the puppy is different from the others, and the man explains that the puppy was born with a deformity and will never be able to run and play like the others.

The boy looks at the puppy for a moment and then turns to the man and says, “That’s the puppy I want.”

The man is surprised and asks the boy if he understands that the puppy will never be able to run and play like the others.

The boy responds, “I know he can’t run and play like other puppies, but I can love him and take care of him just like any other puppy.”

The story is often used as a metaphor for the value of compassion and acceptance.

It emphasizes that we should not judge others based on their physical appearance or abilities, but rather on their intrinsic worth and capacity for love.

The lesson of the story is to cultivate compassion and acceptance, and to value others for who they are, not just what they can do.

Rocks, Pebbles, Sand Motivational Short Story

The rocks, pebbles, and sand story is a metaphorical tale about the importance of prioritization and time management.

In the story, a teacher holds up a jar and fills it with rocks until they reach the top.

The teacher then asks the students if the jar is full, and they respond yes. However, the teacher then pours pebbles into the jar, which fill the spaces between the rocks.

The teacher again asks the students if the jar is full, and they respond yes. Finally, the teacher pours sand into the jar, which fills the remaining spaces between the rocks and pebbles.

The story is often used as a metaphor for how we prioritize and manage our time.

The rocks represent the most important tasks or goals in our lives, while the pebbles and sand represent the less important tasks or distractions.

If we fill our time with pebbles and sand first, there may not be enough time left for the rocks.

However, if we prioritize the rocks and then fill in the gaps with the pebbles and sand, we can accomplish our most important tasks or goals first and still have time for other tasks.

The lesson of the rocks, pebbles, and sand story is to prioritize our time and focus on the most important tasks or goals first in order to achieve success and fulfillment in our lives.

Self-Appraisal Motivational Short Story

The Self-Appraisal story is a parable that emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and self-reflection in personal and professional growth.

The story goes that a young man was seeking guidance from a wise elder on how to improve himself.

The elder gave him a task to complete, asking him to spend a week observing himself and writing down everything that he did that he felt was good, bad, or indifferent.

The young man completed the task and returned to the elder, presenting him with a long list of both positive and negative behaviors he had observed in himself.

The elder then gave him another task, asking him to spend the next week observing others and writing down everything that he saw that was good, bad, or indifferent.

When the young man returned with this second list, the elder compared the two lists and pointed out that the things that bothered him most in others were the same things he had observed in himself.

The elder used this realization as a starting point for the young man to work on himself and become more self-aware.

The story highlights the importance of taking the time for self-reflection and self-appraisal in order to identify areas for personal growth and development.

By understanding and addressing our own flaws, we can become more effective and successful individuals.

Sharpen Your Axe Motivational Short Story

The “Sharpen Your Axe” story is a fable about a man who is tasked with chopping down a tree.

The man sets to work using a dull axe, and despite his best efforts, he makes very little progress.

A wise old man comes by and asks the man why he is struggling. The man explains that he is trying to chop down the tree, but his axe is too dull.

The wise old man suggests that the man take a break and sharpen his axe.

The man is hesitant to take a break, feeling that he doesn’t have time to waste.

But the wise old man insists, explaining that sharpening the axe will actually make the task easier and more efficient.

The man finally takes a break and sharpens his axe.

When he returns to the task of chopping down the tree, he finds that it is much easier and faster with a sharp axe, and he is able to complete the task in no time.

The story is often used as a metaphor for the importance of taking breaks and investing time and effort into self-care, skill-building, and preparation.

It emphasizes that taking time to sharpen our tools and skills can actually save us time and effort in the long run, and make us more effective and efficient in our tasks.

The lesson of the story is to prioritize self-care and skill-building, and to not be afraid to take breaks or invest time and effort into preparation.

The Butterfly Motivational Short Story

“The Butterfly” is a motivational short story about the process of transformation and growth.  Sometimes this story is referred to as “You are Made to Fly.”

In the story, a man finds a cocoon with a small opening and notices a butterfly struggling to emerge.

The man decides to help the butterfly by widening the opening, but the butterfly continues to struggle and cannot fly properly.

The man soon realizes that the struggle to emerge from the cocoon is an important part of the butterfly’s development.

The effort and resistance of the struggle are necessary for the butterfly’s wings to become strong and for it to develop the ability to fly.

The story is often used as a metaphor for personal growth and the importance of facing challenges and struggles in order to achieve our full potential.

Just like the butterfly, we may encounter obstacles and difficulties in our lives, but these challenges can help us become stronger and more resilient.

If we avoid or eliminate all struggles, we may miss out on the growth and development that comes from overcoming them.

The lesson of the butterfly story is to embrace the struggles and challenges in our lives, as they are often necessary for our growth and development.

We should trust the process of transformation, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable, as it can lead to beautiful and meaningful outcomes.

The Fisherman Motivational Short Story

The story of “The Fisherman” is a metaphorical tale about the pursuit of happiness and the importance of living a simple, fulfilling life.

In the story, a successful businessman visits a small fishing village and meets a fisherman who is returning from a day of fishing.

The businessman asks the fisherman why he doesn’t fish for longer each day and use the extra time to grow his business.

The fisherman responds that he is content with his simple life, and that he fishes only enough to provide for his family and to spend time with them.

The businessman is confused by the fisherman’s contentment and explains that if he worked harder and saved more money, he could eventually retire and spend his days relaxing on a beach just like the fisherman.

The fisherman responds by asking why he would need to work so hard and wait so long to enjoy the simple pleasures of life when he can already do so now.

The story is often used as a metaphor for the pursuit of happiness and the importance of living a simple, fulfilling life.

It suggests that we often become so focused on achieving success and accumulating wealth that we forget the simple pleasures and joys of life that can be found in spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, and enjoying the present moment.

The lesson of the fisherman story is to prioritize the things that truly bring us happiness and fulfillment in life, rather than pursuing a never-ending quest for more money, possessions, or success.

It reminds us to appreciate the simple pleasures of life and to focus on the things that matter most to us.

The Group of Frogs Motivational Short Story

The “Group of Frogs” story is a metaphorical tale that highlights the importance of perseverance and support.

In the story, a group of frogs decides to climb a tall tree. As they begin their climb, the other animals around them start criticizing and mocking them, telling them that they will never make it to the top.

Despite the discouragement, some of the frogs continue to climb while others give up and fall back down.

As the climb continues, the criticism and discouragement from the other animals only get louder.

But one frog, determined to reach the top, perseveres and eventually makes it to the top of the tree.

The other animals are amazed and congratulate the frog on his achievement.

When the other frogs ask the successful frog how he managed to persevere despite the criticism and discouragement, he reveals that he is actually deaf and couldn’t hear the negative comments.

He thought the other animals were cheering him on and supporting him.

The story is often used as a metaphor for the importance of perseverance, support, and positive thinking.

It emphasizes that negative comments and criticism can be a hindrance to success, but with perseverance and a positive mindset, we can overcome obstacles and achieve our goals.

The lesson of the story is to stay focused on our goals, believe in ourselves, and surround ourselves with positive influences.

The Retiring Carpenter Story Motivational Short Story

The retiring carpenter story goes like this:

A carpenter who had been working for a company for many years announced to his boss that he was ready to retire.

The boss was sorry to see such a good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house before he left.

The carpenter agreed, but it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work anymore. He resorted to using inferior materials and taking shortcuts wherever possible.

When the carpenter finished his work, the boss came to inspect the house. He then handed the front door key to the carpenter and said, “This is your house, my gift to you.”

The carpenter was shocked and embarrassed. If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all differently.

The moral of the story is that every day we build our own lives, and we should always do our best work, even when no one is watching.

The Saint and the Scorpion Motivational Short Story

Once, a saint was walking by a riverbank when he saw a scorpion drowning in the water. The saint decided to help the scorpion and reached out to grab it.

However, as soon as the saint touched the scorpion, it stung him.

Despite the pain, the saint did not let go and instead gently pulled the scorpion out of the water.

As he did so, the scorpion stung him again and again.

A passerby saw the saint struggling with the scorpion and asked why he was helping it when it was only causing him pain.

The saint replied, “It is the nature of the scorpion to sting, and it is my nature to help. Why should I give up my nature to help just because it causes me pain?”

The story teaches us that it is important to help others, even if they may not appreciate it or even harm us in return. It is our nature to be compassionate, and we should not give up on that just because it may be difficult or uncomfortable.

The Starfish Motivational Short Story

The “Starfish Story” is a fable about a man walking along a beach that is covered in starfish that have been washed ashore. As the man walks, he notices a young girl picking up starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean.

The man approaches the girl and asks why she is bothering to throw the starfish back into the ocean, as there are too many for her to make a difference.

The girl responds by picking up another starfish and throwing it into the ocean, saying, “I made a difference to that one.”

The story is often used as a metaphor for the power of individual action and the importance of making a difference in the world, even if we can’t solve every problem.

It emphasizes that every small act of kindness and compassion can make a difference to someone, and that we should not be discouraged by the scale of the problems we face.

The lesson of the story is to focus on the good we can do in the world, and to take action in our own lives to make a positive difference, no matter how small.

The Tale of the Pencil Motivational Short Story

The Tale of the Pencil is a metaphorical story that emphasizes the idea that everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses that can be used to create something beautiful and meaningful.

In the story, a pencil maker tells the pencil five important lessons as it goes through life.

First, the pencil maker says that everything that happens to the pencil is part of its sharpening process.

Second, the pencil maker reminds the pencil that it can always correct its mistakes.

Third, the pencil maker tells the pencil that what’s inside it – the lead – is what’s most important.

Fourth, the pencil maker says that the pencil will be useful only if it allows itself to be held and guided by the hand that holds it.

Finally, the pencil maker reminds the pencil that eventually it will be left behind, but the marks it leaves behind will make a difference.

The story is often used as a metaphor for personal growth and the idea that everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses that can be used to create something meaningful.

It emphasizes that we should accept ourselves for who we are, learn from our mistakes, focus on what’s most important, be guided by others, and make our mark on the world in a positive way.

The Two Shoe Salesman Motivational Short Story

The Two Shoe Salesman story is a well-known parable that illustrates the power of perspective and attitude.

The story goes that two shoe salesmen were sent by a shoe company to a foreign country to assess the market for their product.

The first salesman arrived and immediately sent a message back to the company saying, “There is no potential here – nobody wears shoes.”

The second salesman arrived and sent a message back saying, “This is a fantastic opportunity – nobody wears shoes!”

The story demonstrates how two people can look at the same situation and interpret it completely differently based on their mindset and attitude.

The second salesman had a positive outlook and saw the potential in the situation, while the first salesman had a negative outlook and saw only the obstacles.

This story is often used to illustrate the power of a growth mindset and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in order to succeed in any situation.

Onward and Upward

Motivational short stories have the power to inspire, uplift, and transform us. They remind us that no matter what challenges we face in life, we have the strength and resilience to overcome them.

By reading and reflecting on these stories, we can tap into our own inner strength and find the courage to pursue our dreams, overcome obstacles, and become the best version of ourselves.

So let us continue to seek out and share these stories, and let them guide us on our journey towards greatness.

Autos, Business, Education, Entreprenuer, love, Recreation

Big Ideas Conceptualised In Great Quotes!

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Great quotes encapsulate big ideas in few words.  They inspire, motivate, and encourage in a memorable way.  On this blog I like to cover all aspects of building wealth, including interviewing authors, investors, and business owners who have achieved great success. In that spirit, I’ve assembled the top 100 quotes about money.

  1. Too many people spend money they earned..to buy things they don’t want..to impress people that they don’t like. –Will Rogers
  2. A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart. –Jonathan Swift
  3. Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. –Epictetus
  4. Money often costs too much. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
  5. Everyday is a bank account, and time is our currency. No one is rich, no one is poor, we’ve got 24 hours each. –Christopher Rice
  6. It’s how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success. –David Feherty
  7. Frugality includes all the other virtues. –Cicero
  8. I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasoline powered turtleneck sweater. And, of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too. –Steve Martin
  9. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. –Benjamin Franklin
  10. I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy. –Warren Buffett

Recommended by Forbes

·  Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery. –Charles Dickens

·  Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. –Thomas Edison

·  What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us. –Julia Cameron

·  I never attempt to make money on the stock market. I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for ten years. –Warren Buffett

·  A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore. –Yogi Berra

·  Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one. –Benjamin Franklin

·  Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time. –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

·  Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune. –Jim Rohn

·  Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver. –Ayn Rand

·  Financial peace isn’t the acquisition of stuff. It’s learning to live on less than you make, so you can give money back and have money to invest. You can’t win until you do this. –Dave Ramsey

·  It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor. –Seneca

·  It’s not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It’s the customer who pays the wages. –Henry Ford

·  He who loses money, loses much; He who loses a friend, loses much more; He who loses faith, loses all. –Eleanor Roosevelt

·  Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. –Franklin D. Roosevelt

·  Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that. –Norman Vincent Peale

·  It’s good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy. –George Lorimer

·  You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. –Maya Angelou

·  Buy when everyone else is selling and hold until everyone else is buying. That’s not just a catchy slogan. It’s the very essence of successful investing. –J. Paul Getty

·  If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability. –Henry Ford

·  If all the economists were laid end to end, they’d never reach a conclusion. –George Bernard Shaw

·  How many millionaires do you know who have become wealthy by investing in savings accounts? I rest my case. –Robert G. Allen

·  I made my money the old-fashioned way. I was very nice to a wealthy relative right before he died. –Malcolm Forbes

·  Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. –Steve Jobs

·  The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money. –Anonymous

·  Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant. –P.T. Barnum

·  Try to save something while your salary is small; it’s impossible to save after you begin to earn more. –Jack Benny

·  Wealth is the ability to fully experience life. –Henry David Thoreau

·  The individual investor should act consistently as an investor and not as a speculator. –Ben Graham

·  I’m a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. –Thomas Jefferson

·  You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you. –Dave Ramsey

·  Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas. –Paul Samuelson

·  Every time you borrow money, you’re robbing your future self. –Nathan W. Morris

·  Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs. –Zig Ziglar

·  Never spend your money before you have it. –Thomas Jefferson

·  The stock market is filled with individuals who know the price of everything, but the value of nothing. –Phillip Fisher

·  Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it. –Benjamin Franklin

·  It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for. –Robert Kiyosaki

·  I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. –Thomas A. Edison

·  If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents. Value what you know & start charging for it. –Kim Garst

·  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. –Steve Jobs

·  The habit of saving is itself an education; it fosters every virtue, teaches self-denial, cultivates the sense of order, trains to forethought, and so broadens the mind. –T.T. Munger

·  Don’t tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” –Joe Biden

·  If you live for having it all, what you have is never enough. –Vicki Robin

·  Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give. –William A. Ward

·  We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. –Winston Churchill

·  Wealth after all is a relative thing since he that has little and wants less is richer than he that has much and wants more. –Charles Caleb Colton

·  Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. –Albert Einstein

·  It is time for us to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever, the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it. –Vince Lombardi

·  It’s not the situation, but whether we react (negative) or respond (positive) to the situation that’s important. –Zig Ziglar

·  A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. –David Brinkley

·  Let him who would enjoy a good future waste none of his present. –Roger Babson

·  Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. –John Wayne

·  Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. –Mahatma Gandhi

·  Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. –Mark Twain

·  It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. –J. K Rowling

·  The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus. –Bruce Lee

·  Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. –Dale Carnegie

·  The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me. –Ayn Rand

·  Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning. –Robert Kiyosaki

·  You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. –Steve Jobs

·  Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed. –Abraham Lincoln

·  Screw it, Let’s do it! –Richard Branson

·  If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to meet it! –Jonathan Winters

·  People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily. –Zig Ziglar

·  A real entrepreneur is somebody who has no safety net underneath them. –Henry Kravis

·  As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big. –Donald Trump

·  The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. –Vidal Sassoon

·  Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. –Winston Churchill

·  Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. –Benjamin Franklin

·  If plan A fails, remember there are 25 more letters. –Chris Guillebeau

·  Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

·  A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. –Lao Tzu

·  Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it. –Oprah Winfrey

·  Believe you can and you’re halfway there. –Theodore Roosevelt

·  The Stock Market is designed to transfer money from the Active to the Patient. –Warren Buffett

·  I’m only rich because I know when I’m wrong…I basically have survived by recognizing my mistakes. –George Soros

·  Persist – don’t take no for an answer. If you’re happy to sit at your desk and not take any risk, you’ll be sitting at your desk for the next 20 years. –David Rubenstein

·  If you took our top fifteen decisions out, we’d have a pretty average record. It wasn’t hyperactivity, but a hell of a lot of patience. You stuck to your principles and when opportunities came along, you pounced on them with vigor. –Charlie Munger

·  When buying shares, ask yourself, would you buy the whole company? –Rene Rivkin

·  If you have trouble imagining a 20% loss in the stock market, you shouldn’t be in stocks. –John Bogle

·  My old father used to have a saying:  If you make a bad bargain, hug it all the tighter. –Abraham Lincoln

·  It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. –Eleanor Roosevelt

·  The four most expensive words in the English language are, ‘This time it’s different.’ –Sir John Templeton

·  I’d like to live as a poor man with lots of money. –Pablo Picasso

·  Fortune sides with him who dares. –Virgil

·  Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame. –Arthur Schopenhauer

·  If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed. –Edmund Burke

·  No wealth can ever make a bad man at peace with himself. –Plato

·  My formula for success is rise early, work late and strike oil. –JP Getty

Autos, Business, Education, Finance, Health, Science, Shopping, Society, Travel

THE LESSONS FROM THE PRODIGAL SON

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• Failure helps you to realise that most people around you just love what you have and not who you are.

• When you loose your position of influence , riches, marriage, job etc, you will realize that failure is an orphan and success is a child of all. You will experience the trinity of loneliness :- i.e *(you,/yourself/alone).*

• When you hit your lowest point in life, most of your friends and relatives will be glad that you’ve dropped from grace to grass and that you’re no longer competing with them. In this life everyone around you is competing with you except your biological parents.

• Some people will pretend to render you help but their help will never be meaningful to change your situation for the better.

• Don’t stand still and look down at your low point. Failure spawns creativity, motivation and tenacity. Arise and shine, put your head up, shake off the dust and take small steps forward in the direction you know you must head. “For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: ….”Proverbs 24:16. “ *_My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure_ .”   Abraham Lincoln.*

• Make the decision to confess and repent of your sins.


• The big brother will always be there to remind you of your past, please just remind him of your future. “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”.John 3:17

• Our heavenly father loves you with an everlasting love “… *I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” — Jeremiah 31:3*

• Failure can also help you to discover yourself, and to know who are your true friends (A friend in need is a friend indeed ).

Finally, always be motivated by some of these best and greatest minds to have ever existed Hakainde Hichilema the current president of Zambia, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Colonel Harland David Sanders , Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, Strive Masiyiwa, to mention but a few, at some point they all had their share of failure.

*I PRAY FOR YOU :*
The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Amen.

Autos, Business, Electronics, Entreprenuer

I Believe

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I believe in miracles and dreams that will come true.
I believe in tender moments and friendship, through and through.

I believe in stardust and moonbeams all aglow.
I believe there’s surrealness and pure bliss.

I believe in reaching out and touching from the heart
I believe that if we touch a gift we can impart.

I believe that if you cry your tears are not in vain.
And when you’re sad and lonely, others know your pain.

I believe that when we laugh a sparkle starts to shine.
And I just know that spark will spread from more hearts than just mine.

I believe that hidden in the quiet of the night,
there’s magic moths and gypsies a fairy and a sprite.

I believe that if you dance the dances of your heart,
that greater happiness will find a brand new way to start.

I believe the gifts you have are there for you to share.
And when you give them from the heart, the whole world knows you care.

I believe that if you give, even just to one,
that gift will grow in magnitude before the day is done.

I believe that comfort comes from giving part of me.
And if I share with others, there’s more for all to see.

I believe that love is still the greatest gift of all,
and when it’s given from the heart then not one of us will fall.

 

Autos, Business, Education

10 Life Lessons I Have Learnt That Have Made Me Successful

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image

1. Always be humble

There are going to be times when you get what everyone else wants. It’s during these times that you need to stay humble and never forget where you came from. I have achieved financial goals and career goals that most people have only dreamt of. I don’t tell you this to impress you; I tell you because I want you to understand how important being humble is.

Instead of being cocky when you reach a goal, use the result to inspire or teach someone else to do the same. It will feel much better than any amount of money and it will give you fulfilment. There is nothing more ugly in a person than arrogance and that’s not you – that’s not me either.

As quick as you can make a million coins you can lose it too. Those who are humble are able to fail and still get back up and start again. Those who are arrogant have a much harder time because the people around them remember how they were when they had the million coins.

It’s for this reason that I write these posts, rather than keep what I know to myself. I want you to do the same from now on – plain and simple.

2. Keep An Open Mind At All Times

If I could only teach you one lesson and nothing else then it would be this; the number one attribute that successful people have is an open mind. They are open to change and to think differently. This is why they see opportunities that normal people do not.

Remember that everything you know is only true if you believe it is. Question everything you have ever known and remember that there is no one answer to any question. People that fail do so because they think they have all the answers and they do not have an open mind.

You’re not a failure and that’s why you’re here. If there is someone who has totally different views to you then take them out to lunch, you might learn something. The greatest life lessons are learnt from your foes, not from people that just agree with everything you say.

3. Don’t be in love with yourself

Let’s face it, some people just love themselves. Have you ever met the person that has what sounds like a very polished script about their life and what they have been up to? Have you ever seen someone’s Instagram account that is full of photos of themselves?

Again, this is not you. Of course, it’s okay to have some photos of yourself, but don’t make everything all about you. If you want to attract amazing people into your life then do the reverse and focus on other people – it’s much more powerful and you know it.

4. The season will always change

I am sure you have heard of this by now, but if you haven’t, then I will introduce you to this concept; life is made up of seasons. There are times when you are in winter and everything is not going your way. Everything that can go wrong does.

Then there are other times where everything goes right and you can’t believe how much you have grown. As long as you tell yourself that the season will change and your struggle won’t last forever, the universe will work in your favour.

Remember that during the winter moments of your life, the greatest lessons are being learnt and your personal resilience is being built. You’ll look back someday and be grateful for all those cold blizzards because it will have shaped who you are and what you can do for others.

Also, keep in mind that while some may be complaining about the cold weather, people like you will decide to go skiing instead – it’s all a matter of perspective.

5. People have their own reasons for their decisions

A lot of people spend their valuable time on this earth trying to figure out what people’s reasons are for making certain decisions. The life lesson I want you to get from these situations is that people have their own reasons for doing things.

Humans are not all logical and no matter how hard you try you will never really know why someone did something. For example, your startup might be turned down for a major business deal and you automatically think that it’s because of your product or your experience.

In reality, you might have been turned down for something stupid like you may resemble a character from a horror film and the person making the decision is reminded of this every time they meet you. My point is that there could be lots of reasons that a decision is made but all of your focus should not be on why they made the decision, but how you can learn from it and continue with your vision.

6. Give value as much as you take value

A rule of the universe that always works is that you need to give as much value as you take. In a relationship, if all you do is take and you never give anything in return, it’s guaranteed that the relationship will eventually fail.

I know what you’re thinking, “but how do I know what to give someone else?”

The answer is you don’t, you just give them something that you think is valuable to them and do so with all of yourself. Even if your act creates no value for the other person, they will be so humbled that you tried and you will get a great outcome.

In a business context, for a partnership to work there has to be value exchanged on both sides. Instead of thinking about how much profit you are making and how you can extract more money from the other side, reframe your thinking to “how can I give more value?”

I guarantee you that if you give the other side of a business partnership more value than they expect, they will try and outdo you any way they can. This process creates disruption, innovation and a great people culture.

7. Be optimistic at all times (the universe is in your favour)

If you look at people who achieve the impossible, you will notice that they all seem to have an unwavering sense of optimism. The reality is that negative people end up nowhere, buying lottery tickets and hoping that someone is going to knock on their door with a pile of cash.

You wouldn’t be on this site if you believed that myth and so I want you to know that the best thing you can do for your mental toughness is work on being more optimistic. Every time someones says something that is overly negative and not constructive, be bold, and call it out.

Don’t let other people bring you down with them. If you find that these negative people are having this affect on you all the time, then change your environment. Work somewhere else, start your own business, find a new group of friends, etc.

By working on the art that is optimism, you will reconstruct your neural pathways to point yourself in the direction of greatness and global success

8. Take a break from your passion

Some of you on here are dedicated and work on your passion every single day. While I applaud you for your hard work, I want you to take a break once in a while. It’s on these breaks that your moments of clarity will come.

It’s on these breaks that you will pivot your vision and expand it further than it was before. Being in the same environment every day will limit your knowledge and block you from innovating. My suggestion would be to go as far away from your passion as possible, at least every 3-6 months for a couple of days.

Unwind, take a break and relax. Life is an adventure and it’s meant to be fun. Yes, you need to do some hard work to achieve your goals but heck, just smell the roses once in a while and let yourself be grateful for who you are and what you’re becoming.

In the not so distant future, you are going to achieve amazing things with your passion and all the hard work will pay off – trust me.

9. Reevaluate where you are at regularly

Nothing stays the same ever! I tell you this because it means that you need to constantly reevaluate yourself and the direction you are heading. To be on an optimal path to greatness you should be checking your major goals monthly if not weekly.

Ensure that your time is not being wasted and that the small steps you are taking are leading you down thepath you want to go. There will be times when you will veer off a little bit but that’s okay. If you don’t check your human GPS once in a while, you could end up on the other side of the planet thousands of miles away from your destination.

How do you revaluate things? You take a simple approach. Life is already complicated enough so keep this part of your life simple. Ask yourself:

Am I on track to achieving some or all of my goal?

Am I happy each day doing what I am doing?

What small changes could I make to better my results if any?

Have I asked other people who have achieved a similar goal, how I am tracking?

If you answer these questions on a regular basis, you will compound your results beyond what you thought was possible. Other people will be left scratching their head while you will be off in the distance doing the impossible.

10. Don’t be afraid to do the opposite of what people expect

I’m not sure what it is but I have always loved doing the opposite of what other people expect. By following other people’s expectations all you will ever do is achieve mediocre results that don’t align with what drives you and fulfils you.

Veering off track and doing your own thing requires you to be bold. When you don’t conform to how others want you to be and what others want you to achieve, you could get some negative feedback. That’s okay and if anything it usually proves to me that I am on the right track.

Even if you meet people that do what others expect, don’t judge them, it just means they haven’t found themselves yet or haven’t discovered their true passion and that’s okay – you were like that once before.

Lastly………..

Don’t ever let anyone stop you from following your passion and achieving your goals. Only you know what motivates you and only you have the power to bring change to the world. Stand up! Get inspired! Focus! Breathe! You have the power! Anything is possible!

Autos, Electronics, Finance, Home, Sports

Lifting and Leaning

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There are two kinds of people on earth today,
Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.

Not the good and the bad, for ’tis well understood
The good are half bad and the bad are half good.

Not the happy and sad, for the swift-flying years
Brings each man his laughter and each man his tears.

Not the rich and the poor, for to count a man’s wealth
You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

Not the humble and proud, for in life’s busy span
He who puts on vain airs is not counted a man.

No! The two kinds of people on earth I mean
Are the people who lift and the people who lean.

Wherever you go you will find the world’s masses
Are ever divided in just two classes.

And, strangely enough, you will find, too, I ween,
There is only one lifter to twenty who lean.

In which class are you? Are you easing the load
Of overtaxed lifters who toil down the road?

Or are you a leaner who lets others bear
Your portion of worry and labour and care?

Autos, Entreprenuer, Health, Home, Science, Travel

We Must

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We must listen before we can learn.
We must learn before we can prepare.
We must prepare before we can serve.
We must serve before we can lead.

Autos, Entreprenuer, Home, Travel

A – Z of Quotes

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A—”Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz

B— “Believing in yourself is not for you; it’s for every person who has touched your life in a significant way and for every person your life will touch the same way five minutes from now, or five centuries from now.” Jaye Miller

C—”Change is as inexorable as time, yet nothing meets with more resistance.” Benjamin Disraeli

D—”Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the action stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.” Anais Nin

E—”Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.” Norman Vincent Peale

F—”Focused will is incredible. If you have a dream and you don’t give up no matter what obstacles come up, then life’s problems will fall away and you will get what you want. It happens. It works.” Yanni

G—”Goals are like a map. They help us determine where we want to end up, and give us personal direction on which to focus our energy.” Catherine Pulsifer

H—”Happiness depends upon ourselves.” Aristotle

I—”Ideas won’t keep; something must be done about them.” Alfred North Whitehead

J—”Joy is not in things; it is in us.”Richard Wagner

K—“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it.” Samuel Johnson

L—”Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.” Arnold Glasow

M—”Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting. It needs continual and regular top ups.” Peter Davies

N—”Nature does nothing uselessly.” Aristotle

O—”Opportunity dances with those who are ready on the dance floor.” H. Jackson Brown Jr.

P—”Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” John Quincy Adams

Q—”Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” Anthony Robbins

R—”Results! Why, man I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison

S—”Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo DaVinci

T—”Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Diogenes Laetius

U—”Use your unique abilities to shake the world.” Wendy Hearn

V—”Victory belongs to the most persevering.” Napoleon Bonaparte

W—”Wisdom is the daughter of experience.” Leonardo da Vinci

X—”X-ray your life, are you where you want to be, if not set your goals, take action.” Catherine Pulsifer

Y—”Youth teaches, age puts what we have learned into practice, teaching us wisdom.” Catherine Pulsifer

Z—”Zone into your comfort zone, and, then zone into where you want to be. Be all that you can be.” Catherine Pulsifer

Autos, Electronics, Health, Sports

Playing The Game

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Life is a game with a glorious prize,
If we can only play it right.
It is give and take, build and break,
And often it ends in a fight;
But he surely wins who honestly tries
(Regardless of wealth or fame),

He can never despair who plays it fair –
How are you playing the game?

Do you wilt and whine, if you fail to win
In the manner you think your due?
Do you sneer at the man in case that he can
And does, do better than you?
Do you take your rebuffs with a knowing grin?
Do you laugh tho’ you pull up lame?

Does your faith hold true when the whole world’s blue?
How are you playing the game?

Get into the thick of it – wade in, boys!
Whatever your cherished goal;
Brace up your will till your pulses thrill,
And you dare – to your very soul!
Do something more than make a noise;
Let your purpose leap into flame

As you plunge with a cry, “I shall do or die,”
Then you will be playing the game.

Autos, Fashion, News

Upward

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Glad that I live am I;
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes,
And the fall of dew.

After the sun the rain;
After the rain the sun;
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.

All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky

Arts, Autos, Business, Education, Electronics, Society, Travel

Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions

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When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard.
My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.
My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can’t carry a tune and don’t have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.
My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don’t know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.
My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.
My kids say, “Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don’t want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy.”

When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.
My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from?
Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

I wish you Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions!!

Autos, Entreprenuer, Home, Travel

Carry On!!

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It’s easy to fight when everything’s right,
And you’re mad with the thrill and the glory;
It’s easy to cheer when victory’s near,
And wallow in fields that are gory.
It’s a different song when everything’s wrong.
When you’re feeling infernally mortal;
When it’s ten against one, and hope there is none,
Buck up, little soldier, and chortle:

Carry on! Carry on!
There isn’t much punch in your blow.
You’re glaring and staring and hitting out blind;
You’re muddy and bloody, but never mind.
Carry on! Carry on!
You haven’t the ghost of a show.
It’s looking like death, but while you’ve a breath,
Carry on, my son! Carry on!

And so in the strife of the battle of life
It’s easy to fight when you’re winning;
It’s easy to slave, and starve and be brave,
When the dawn of success is beginning.
But the man who can meet despair and defeat
With a cheer, there’s a man of God’s choosing;
The man who can fight to Heaven’s own height
Is the man who can fight when he’s losing.

Carry on! Carry on!
Things never were looming so black.
But show that you haven’t a cowardly streak,
And though you’re unlucky you never are weak.
Carry on! Carry on!
Brace up for another attack.
It’s looking like hell, but – you never can tell;
Carry on, old man! Carry on!

There are some who drift out in the deserts of doubt,
And some who in brutishness wallow;
There are others, I know, who in piety go
Because of a Heaven to follow.
But to labor with zest, and to give of your best,
For the sweetness and joy of the giving;
To help folks along with a hand and a song;
Why, there’s the real sunshine of living.

Carry on! Carry on!
Fight the good fight and true;
Believe in you mission, greet life with a cheer;
There’s big work to do, and that’s why you are here.
Carry on! Carry on!
Let the world be the better for you;
And at last when you die, let this be your cry:
Carry on, my soul! Carry on!

Autos, Education, Finance, News, Weddings:-)

Life Steps

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With a smile and a song, life is just like a bright sunny day. Your cares fade away.

Our entire life is made up of choices,

What we decide,
the action we take,
the attitude we display
All represent the steps of life.

Sometimes we take two steps forward.
And one-step back.
Some of us take baby steps
Some of us take giant steps

But the secret is not to let that
one step back turn into a failure.
Learn from backward steps

And keep on stepping forward in this dance
Called Life!

Autos, Business, Society, Sports, Travel

Time Bank

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Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow
Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day.

Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!!!! Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you.
Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow”. You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today. To realise the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade. To realise the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. To realise the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. To realise the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realise the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train. To realise the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident. Treasure every moment that you have! And reassure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. Remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
That’s why it’s called the present!

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VALUABLE TEARS

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Cry less for yourself and more for others.
Put substance in your tears.
Do not let yourself be immobilised by their
cause or drowned in their depth.
Let them be your call to action,
the starting point of great change that you,
and you alone, are capable of creating.

Arts, Autos, Education, Entreprenuer, Health

DON’T HOPE,…DECIDE!

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While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me. Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family. First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!” Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug. While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment. After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands. For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married? “Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!” Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks – if not months. I know my expression betrayed me. I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!” The man suddenly stopped smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!” With that, he and his family turned and strode away together. I was still watching that exceptional man and his special family walk just out of sight when my friend came up to me and asked, “What’cha looking at?” Without hesitating, and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, “My future!”

Autos, Fashion, Home

Destiny

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Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.

On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose.

Destiny will now reveal itself.

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.

After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, No one can change destiny.

Quite right, the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

Autos, Fashion, Home, Travel

The carrot, the egg, and the coffee bean

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A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling.

It seemed that, as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans.

She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the young woman replied. The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water – but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened! The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” the mother asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?” Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit but, after a death, a breakup, or a financial hardship, does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour.

If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

Autos, Entreprenuer

The Gift Of Love

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Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.

The story goes that some time ago a man punished his 3-year old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.” He was embarrassed by his earlier over reaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty. He yelled at her, “Don’t you know when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside it?” The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty, I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy.” The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. An accident took the life of the child only a short time later and it is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us as humans, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, friends, family or God. Nobody’s love for us is less, our expectations are more!