jonstetson wrote @ March 29, 2009 at 10:08 pm

Thoughts from Napoleon Hill;

THE KEENEST MINDS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN WHETTED BY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.

Theoretical knowledge without practical experience might be compared to a large mass of undirected energy. Until it is focused, it is difficult to direct the energy to a useful end. Practical experience is the lens through which the energy of knowledge may be focused and directed toward activities that will provide the greatest benefit. When you learn new concepts or have an idea that has not yet been tested, make it a practice to think through its application carefully before implementation. When you have considered the possibilities, and it still seems to be a good idea-get into action. The only way to get practical experience is to get to work executing your idea.

  jonstetson wrote @ April 1, 2009 at 8:43 pm

CONTROL YOUR OWN MIND, AND YOU MAY NEVER BE CONTROLLED BY THE MIND OF ANOTHER.

The mind is the most powerful weapon known to man. It simply cannot be controlled or contained by an outside force, however formidable that force may at first appear. Throughout history, tyrants have tried to control those who opposed them, but eventually these rulers discovered the power of the imagination was far greater than the threat of the sword. As Victor Hugo said, “An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.”

  jonstetson wrote @ April 5, 2009 at 7:47 pm

KNOW YOUR OWN MIND, AND YOU WILL BE AS WISE AS THE SAGES.

When you take charge of your mind, you take charge of your life. When you understand your thoughts, feelings, emotions, and desires, you can direct them to any end you choose. Wisdom comes from taking the time to study yourself, to know why you are the person you are. Taking charge of your mind is a thoughtful, reflective, solitary process. Only you can come to understand the complex inner workings of your own mind, and you must be willing to spend the time and effort that gaining such insight requires.

  jonstetson wrote @ April 20, 2009 at 10:42 am

YOUR MENTAL ATTITUDE IS THE MOST DEPENDABLE KEY TO YOUR PERSONALITY.

Your view of yourself will greatly influence how others perceive you. If you are a confident, cheerful, positive person, your co-workers, friends, and family will be attracted to your personality. If you are unhappy, negative, and always complaining about your situation, others will be repelled. Even when at times you dosn’tt feel very happy, by forcing yourself to behave in a positive fashion, you will find that you soon feel genuinely upbeat, because your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between an artificial emotion and the real thing. When you behave positively, you will positively influence everyone around you-including yourself.

  jonstetson wrote @ April 24, 2009 at 2:34 am

HOW CAN YOU JUDGE OTHERS ACCURATELY IF YOU HAVE NOT LEARNED TO JUDGE YOURSELF ACCURATELY?

The ability to evaluate yourself and your performance objectively is critical to your relationships with others and will have an enormous impact upon the level of success you achieve during your lifetime. Unless you can honestly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, how can you ever expect to improve your performance? You must determine where you are before you can develop a plan to get you where you would like to be. If you were an independent, dispassionate observer, what advice would you give to yourself to improve your skills, your work habits, your interaction with others, and your contribution to the organization? Honesty about yourself is the first step toward self-improvement.

  jonstetson wrote @ May 2, 2009 at 5:53 am

IF YOU ARE WORRIED OR AFRAID OF ANYTHING, THERE IS SOMETHING IN YOUR MENTAL ATTITUDE THAT NEEDS CORRECTION.

Worry and fear are negative emotions that serve no useful purpose. Worse, they are not benign influences on your behavior. Both tend to expand if left unchecked until they crowd out positive emotions and beliefs, taking over your mind and filling it with counterproductive emotions that cause you to doubt your ability to succeed at anything you attempt. Unless you control worry and fear, one day you will discover that they control you. While the emotions cant always be corrected with logic or reason, they are always susceptible to action. Act, and even if your actions arent entirely appropriate for the situation, the very act of doing something-anything-constructive will have a positive effect on your mind and attitude.

  jonstetson wrote @ June 17, 2009 at 7:34 pm

CONSTANCY OF PURPOSE IS THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF SUCCESS.

It is critical to your success that you have a well-thought-out plan for your life and that you stick with it regardless of what others may say and the obstacles you encounter. There will always be faultfinders and those who attempt to persuade you that your goals aren’t worth the effort you put into achieving them. Those people will never go far, and they will be the first to ask for your help after you have passed them by. Virtually every successful person has considered giving up at some point in his or her struggle to reach the top. And many breakthroughs occurred soon after those same people rededicated themselves to their purpose. There is no known obstacle that cannot be overcome by a person who has constancy of purpose, a Positive Mental Attitude, and the discipline and willpower to succeed.

  jonstetson wrote @ June 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm

PROCRASTINATION IS THE BAD HABIT OF PUTTING OFF UNTIL THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY.

For an achiever, perhaps the most dangerous, most destructive habit of all is procrastination, for it robs you of your initiative. When you put things off once, it’s easier to put them off again, until the habit is so firmly ingrained that it cannot be easily broken. Sadly, the effects of the habit of procrastination are also cumulative. Its cure is obvious-action. You’ll be surprised how quickly you begin to feel better about yourself and your situation when you get going on something-anything. As British prime minister and author Benjamin Disraeli said, “Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.”

  jonstetson wrote @ July 14, 2009 at 11:02 am

SOME PEOPLE RESEMBLE A CHEAP WATCH. THEY ARE NOT DEPENDABLE.

It would be unrealistic to expect an inexpensive, mass-produced watch to perform with the same degree of accuracy as a finely crafted Rolex. They are not made with the same quality of materials or with the same craftsmanship. Yet we somehow think that we do not need to give the same attention to our most important asset: ourselves. Don’t leave something as important as your character to chance. Choose the character traits you admire, and work to develop them. Don’t be discouraged when you stumble. Building character is a process that takes a lifetime to complete. Fortunately, like anything else, the more you work at character building, the better you become at it.

  jonstetson wrote @ July 14, 2009 at 11:13 am

Think About What You Think About

Ed Foreman is the only person in 100 years to be elected to the U.S. Congress from two states—New Mexico and Texas. He’s had enormous success as an entrepreneur, and for more than a quarter century, he has been helping people to have better lives with his Successful Life Course.

Here are some of his principles for having a terrific day every day:

“Life comes to you every day and says, Here’s the menu for the day. You can either have a terrible day or a terrific day. And you get to choose the side of the menu you are going to take.”
Put something positive in your mind when you first wake up. “When you first awaken, you’re at the alpha level of your subconscious mind, which is the maximum brain energy learning level. And whatever you put into your mind during those first few minutes begins the programming of your day.”
Take a walk in the morning to watch the world wake up. “Observe the beauty in nature around you, smell the freshness in the air, begin to appreciate and give thanks for the many blessings you enjoy.”
If you are thinking about unhappiness or adversity, change the channel. “I tell people to think about what you’re thinking about. And if you’re not thinking good thoughts, then change the channel to what you want to have happen.”
“My definition of success is the difference between where you are and the use of your full potential. Each of you has a multiplicity of talents, and you need to exercise all of your potential to reach your dreams,” Hansen says.

Read this month’s Legend Series article on Ed Foreman, “Isn’t Life Terrific?”

  jonstetson wrote @ July 16, 2009 at 8:29 am

REMEMBER, YOUR MENTAL LIMITATIONS ARE OF YOUR OWN MAKING.

For years, athletes attempted to run a mile in four minutes but it seemed to be a barrier that no one could overcome. Then on May 6, 1954, a British runner named Roger Gilbert Bannister ran a mile in 3:59.4 minutes to establish a world record. Soon afterward, other runners broke Bannister’s record. Too often, we accept conventional wisdom as fact. Make sure you set your goals high enough. Don’t settle for less because of limitations you place upon yourself. Most of us never really reach the level of achievement of which we are capable because we don’t challenge ourselves to do so. Perhaps Robert Browning said it best: “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp,/Or what’s a heaven for?”